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Article SEA-FIGHT OFF CAPE LA HOGUE, A. D. 1692. ← Page 4 of 6 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Sea-Fight Off Cape La Hogue, A. D. 1692.
fleet driving the French one along their own coasts , and in the sight of innumerable crouds of their countrymen upon the sberes . - The French , in their flight , were met by a fresh squadron of sixteen ships , which were coming to join them ; but these ships , perceiving the fate of their friends , turned to flight , and shared in that disgrace they could not avert . Fogs , " calms , tides , and the veering of the winds , saved France from the vengeance of England and Holland for one
day . Upon the third clay , Tourville ' s ship , the Ro 3 'al Sun , with his two seconds , one of -90 , the other of 84 guns , together with some frigates , took refuge upon the coast , near Cherbourg ; and 18 more of the largest ships followed their example near La-Hogue ; the rest being more fortunate , drove through the race of Alderney . Russel ordered
the main body of the fleet , under Sir John Ashby , to pursue that of the enemy ; left Sir Ralph Delavalle , with one squadron , to destroy the ships at Cherburg ; and stationed himself with another to confine those which were at La-Hogue . As the art of sailing was not so much improved then as it has been since , Ashby durst not pursue enemies who pointed him the
way through a passage which another admiral * , with a squadron , and a great fleet of transports , went throtigh in one day with ease , and without the flying sails of an enemy to direct him . But-Delavalle , next day , burnt-the-three ships , together with the frigates , at Cherburg , not without some pain , even to those who destroyed them , when they considered what magnificent fabrics they were reducing to ashes . .
And now , upon the fifth day , some of Delavalle ' s ships having advanced , and some of Ashby ' s having returned to join Russel ' s . squadron , Russel made preparations to destroy the enemy ' s ships at La-Hogue , which were now reduced to thirteen , five of them having the day before , in the hurry and confusion , made their escape . The French had employed all the interval of time which Russel had . left them since their ships had taken refugein making provisions to
, defend them . The ships themselves were drawn up as far upon the shallows as tides and cables could bring them : they were covered with the forts De-Lisset and De-la-Hogue ; platforms were raised on shore , and planted with all the artillery of the army ; numbers pf chaloups filled with officers and men lined the shoals ; behind stood all the French army ready drawn up ; and , upon a height between
the ships and the army , King James , the Duke of Berwick , Marischal Bellefonde , Tourville , and other great land and sea officers , placed themselves to behold the action , and to give their orders . All precautions were taken , except one which James had suggested , and which was the best ; for , when he perceived the French -seamen disheartened by defeat , flight , pursuit , and the necessity of . taking refuge , he foretold that no good could be expected from them , and
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Sea-Fight Off Cape La Hogue, A. D. 1692.
fleet driving the French one along their own coasts , and in the sight of innumerable crouds of their countrymen upon the sberes . - The French , in their flight , were met by a fresh squadron of sixteen ships , which were coming to join them ; but these ships , perceiving the fate of their friends , turned to flight , and shared in that disgrace they could not avert . Fogs , " calms , tides , and the veering of the winds , saved France from the vengeance of England and Holland for one
day . Upon the third clay , Tourville ' s ship , the Ro 3 'al Sun , with his two seconds , one of -90 , the other of 84 guns , together with some frigates , took refuge upon the coast , near Cherbourg ; and 18 more of the largest ships followed their example near La-Hogue ; the rest being more fortunate , drove through the race of Alderney . Russel ordered
the main body of the fleet , under Sir John Ashby , to pursue that of the enemy ; left Sir Ralph Delavalle , with one squadron , to destroy the ships at Cherburg ; and stationed himself with another to confine those which were at La-Hogue . As the art of sailing was not so much improved then as it has been since , Ashby durst not pursue enemies who pointed him the
way through a passage which another admiral * , with a squadron , and a great fleet of transports , went throtigh in one day with ease , and without the flying sails of an enemy to direct him . But-Delavalle , next day , burnt-the-three ships , together with the frigates , at Cherburg , not without some pain , even to those who destroyed them , when they considered what magnificent fabrics they were reducing to ashes . .
And now , upon the fifth day , some of Delavalle ' s ships having advanced , and some of Ashby ' s having returned to join Russel ' s . squadron , Russel made preparations to destroy the enemy ' s ships at La-Hogue , which were now reduced to thirteen , five of them having the day before , in the hurry and confusion , made their escape . The French had employed all the interval of time which Russel had . left them since their ships had taken refugein making provisions to
, defend them . The ships themselves were drawn up as far upon the shallows as tides and cables could bring them : they were covered with the forts De-Lisset and De-la-Hogue ; platforms were raised on shore , and planted with all the artillery of the army ; numbers pf chaloups filled with officers and men lined the shoals ; behind stood all the French army ready drawn up ; and , upon a height between
the ships and the army , King James , the Duke of Berwick , Marischal Bellefonde , Tourville , and other great land and sea officers , placed themselves to behold the action , and to give their orders . All precautions were taken , except one which James had suggested , and which was the best ; for , when he perceived the French -seamen disheartened by defeat , flight , pursuit , and the necessity of . taking refuge , he foretold that no good could be expected from them , and