was
engaged; and now an act was performed which has rarely happened in the
British Navy. After exchanging two or three broadsides, the "Windsor"
and "Advance" luffed to windward out of gunshot, and left the admiral
exposed to the fire of the two sternmost ships of the enemy, by whom he
was very much galled. Neither did the ships in the rear come up to his
assistance with the alacrity he expected. In spite of this, the brave
Benbow continued to engage the enemy from four o'clock until night, and
although the latter then ceased firing, yet he kept sight of them,
intending to renew the action in the morning. On the following day at
daybreak he found himself close to the enemy, with the "Ruby" only near
enough to support him. Unintimidated by the misconduct of those who had
so shamefully deserted him, he pursued the enemy, who were using every
effort to escape. The "Ruby" in a short time was so dreadfully knocked
about that he was obliged to order her to return to Port Royal. Two
more days passed away, and still the brave old admiral kept up the
pursuit. On the morning of the 24th, he got up with the sternmost ships
of the French, and although receiving but little assistance from the
rest of the squadron he brought them to close action. Round-shot, and
chain-shot, and langrage came flying on board the "Breda," the British
seamen sending back much the same sort of missiles as those with which
they were complimented. Volumes of smoke from the guns rolled out of
the ports. Still undaunted, and excited by the example of their brave
admiral, the British sailors fought on. At length a shot swept across
the quarter-deck, on which the admiral was standing. He was seen to
fall. His right leg was shattered by it. Immediately he was carried
below. He urged the surgeons to dress the wound as rapidly as they
could, and then being placed in his cradle, he directed himself to be
brought once more on the deck. There, in spite of the agony he was
suffering, he continued to give his orders. One of the last he issued
was to direct the other captains to "keep the line and behave like men."
Great was his grief, vexation, and rage, when the recreant captains
came on board and declared that enough had been done, and that it would
be dangerous to follow the enemy. In vain the old admiral pleaded with
them. They persisted that by so doing they would ensure the destruction
of their ships and crews. Wounded and sick at heart he had