"The van ship of the enemy, Le Guerrier, was dismasted in less than twelve minutes; and, in ten minutes after, the second ship, Le Conquerant, and the third, Le Spartiate, very nearly at the same moment, experienced a similar fate. L'Aquilon, and Le Souverain Peuple, the fourth and fifth ships of the enemy's line, were taken possession of by the British at half past eight in the evening. Captain Berry, at that hour, sent Lieutenant Galway, of the Vanguard, with a party of marines, to take possession of Le Spartiate: and that officer returned, by the boat, the French captain's sword, which Captain Berry immediately delivered to the admiral; who was then below, in consequence of the severe wound which he had received in the head during the heat of the attack."
This wound seems to have been inflicted by langridge shot, or a piece of iron; which, cutting his forehead at right angles, the skin hung over his face, Captain Berry, fortunately happening to be sufficiently near, caught the admiral in his arms, and prevented him from falling. It was, at first, the universal opinion, that their beloved commander had been shot through the head; and, indeed, the appearance was rendered dreadfully alarming, by the hanging skin and the copious effusion of blood. Not a man on board was now solicitous for his own life; every brave fellow was alone anxious for that of the worthy admiral. This, however, far from repressing their ardour, served only to animate their fury, and prompt them, if possible, to still greater exertions. On being carried into the cockpit, where several of his gallant crew were stretched with their shattered limbs, and lacerated wounds, the surgeon, with the most respectful anxiety, quitted the poor fellow then under his hands, that he might instantly attend on the admiral.
"No," replied the heroic commander, with the utmost composure, though he had then no hope of surviving, "I will take my turn with my brave fellows."
"The agony of his wound, in the mean time, greatly increasing, he became satisfied that the idea which he had long indulged of dying in battle was now about to be accomplished. He desired to see his chaplain, the Reverend Mr. Comyn, and begged he would bear his remembrances to Lady Nelson; and, as the last beneficial office that he conceived he should be able to perform, he appointed Captain Hardy, of La Mutine, to be Captain of the Vanguard. Having expressed a wish to see Captain Louis, of the Minotaur, Captain Berry had hailed that ship, and the commander came on board. The admiral was desirous of personally thanking him for the assistance which he had, in the height of danger, been enabled to render the Vanguard. "My dear Louis," said the admiral, "farewel! I shall never, should I survive, forget the obligation I am under to you. Whatever may become of me, my mind is at peace." He, then, with the most pious composure, seemed resigning himself to death. As soon as the surgeon had, according to the express injunctions of the admiral, paid all necessary attention to every person previously wounded, he came forward to examine the wound of their commander. An awful silence prevailed; but it was of short duration, for the surgeon almost immediately pronounced it to be merely superficial, and of no dangerous consequence. The pleasing intelligence speedily circulated through the ship, and the excess of sorrow was instantaneously converted into the excess of joy: nor did the hero feel less delighted at hearing the grateful expressions of gladness from his generous crew, than at the unexpected announcement of his life's being considered, by the surgeon, as in no sort of danger. This circumstance, indeed, greatly tended to alleviate his sufferings during the painful operation of dressing his wounded forehead.
"At this time, it appeared that victory had already declared itself in our favour; for, though L'Orient, L'Heureux, and Le Tonnant, were not taken possession of, they were considered as completely in our power: which pleasing intelligence Captain Berry had likewise the satisfaction of communicating in person to the admiral.
"At ten minutes after nine, a fire was observed on board L'Orient, the French admiral's ship, which seemed to proceed from the after part of the cabin; and which increased with great rapidity, presently involving the whole of the after part of the ship in flames. This circumstance Captain Berry immediately communicated to the admiral; who, though suffering severely from his wound, came immediately on deck: where, the first consideration that struck his benevolent mind was, concern for the danger of so many lives; to save as many as possible of whom, he ordered Captain Berry to make every practicable exertion. A boat, the only one that could swim, was instantly dispatched from the Vanguard; and other ships, that were in a condition to do so, immediately followed the example: by which means, from the best possible information, the lives of about seventy Frenchmen were saved. The light thrown by the fire of L'Orient on the surrounding objects, enabled the commanders to perceive, with more certainty, the situation of the two fleets, the colours of both being clearly distinguishable. The cannonading was partially kept up to leeward of the centre till about ten o'clock, when L'Orient blew up with a most tremendous explosion.
"An awful pause, and death-like silence, for about three minutes, ensued; when the wreck of the masts, yards, &c. which had been carried to a vast height, fell down into the water, and on board the surrounding ships. A port fire from L'Orient fell into the main-royal of the Alexander; the fire occasioned by which was, however, extinguished in about two minutes, by the active exertions of Captain Ball.
"After this awful scene, the firing recommenced with the ships to leeward of the centre, till twenty minutes past ten; when there was a total cessation of firing, for about ten minutes: after which, it was revived till about three in the morning; when, it again ceased.
"After the victory had been secured in the van, such British ships as were in a condition to move, had gone down on the fresh ships of the enemy. At five minutes past five in the morning, the two rear ships of the enemy, Le Guillaume Tell and Le Genereux, were the only French ships of the line that had their colours flying. At fifty-four minutes past five, a French frigate, L'Artemise, fired a broadside, and struck her colours: but such was the unwarrantable and infamous conduct of the French captain, that after having thus surrendered, he set fire to his ship; and, with part of his crew, made his escape on shore. Another of the French frigates, La Serieuse, had been sunk by the fire from some of our ships; but, as her poop remained above water, her men were saved on it, and were taken off by our boats in the morning. The Bellerophon, whose masts and cables had been entirely shot away, could not retain her situation abreast of L'Orient, but had drifted out of the line to the lee side of the bay, a little before that ship blew up. The Audacious, in the morning, was detached to her assistance. At eleven o'clock Le Genereux and Guillaume Tell; with the two frigates, La Justice, and La Diane; cut their cables, and stood out to sea: pursued by the Zealous, Captain Hood, who handsomely endeavoured to prevent their escape. But, as there was no other ship in a condition to support the Zealous, she was recalled.
"The whole day of the 2d of August was employed in securing the French ships that had struck; and which were now all completely in our possession, Le Tonnant and Timoleon excepted. As these were both dismasted, and consequently could not escape, they were naturally the last of which it was necessary to think of taking possession.