him down; he was carried off the deck,
senseless. At a quarter past eight o'clock, Le Peuple Souverain
drove to leeward of the line, and anchored a cable's length abreast
of L'Orient: it was not known what unfortunate event occasioned
this. The vacant place she made, placed Le Franklin in a more
unfortunate position; and, it became very critical, from the
manoeuvre of one of the enemy's fresh ships, which had been sent
to the assistance of the ship on shore. She anchored athwart Le
Franklin's bows, and commenced a very heavy raking fire.
Notwithstanding the dreadful situation of the ships in the centre,
they continually kept up a very heavy fire. At half past eight
o'clock, the action was general from Le Guerrier to Le Mercure. The
Admiral De Brueys's death, and the severe wounds of Admiral
Blanquet, must have deeply affected the people who fought under
them: but, it added to their ardour for revenge; and the action
continued, on both sides, with great obstinacy. At nine o'clock,
the ships in the van slackened their fire; and, soon after, totally
ceased: and, with infinite sorrow, we supposed they had
surrendered. They were dismasted very soon after the action began;
and so much damaged that, it is to be presumed, they could not hold
out any longer against an enemy so superior by an advantageous
position, in placing several ships against one. At a quarter past
nine o'clock, L'Orient caught fire in the cabin; it soon afterwards
broke out on the poop. Every effort was made to extinguish it; but,
without effect; and, very soon, it was so considerable, that there
was no hope of saving the ship. At half past nine, Citoyen Gillet,
Capitain de Pavilion of the Franklin, was very severely wounded,
and was carried off the deck. At three quarters past nine, the
arm-chest, filled with musket-cartridges, blew up, and set fire to
several places in the poop and quarter-deck, but was fortunately
extinguished. Her situation, however, was still very desperate;
surrounded by enemies, and only eighty fathoms to windward of
L'Orient entirely on fire, there could not be any other
expectation, than falling a prey either to the enemy or the flames.
At ten o'clock, the main and mizen masts fell, and all the guns on
the main-deck were dismounted. At half past ten, Le Tonnant