Cerberus, off Granville, 15th Sept. 1803.
I beg you will be pleased to inform my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that, having been joined by the Terror bomb on the 8th instant, and the Sulphur on the 12th, I embarked on board the Cerberus, and sailed from Guernsey roads the following morning, with the Charwell and Carteret cutters in company.
It blowing a strong breeze from the eastward, it was not until Tuesday evening I was enabled to get off Granville; when, having had an opportunity to reconnoitre the enemy's gun-vessels and other craft within the pier, and the different batteries by which they were protected, I anchored the Cerberus as near the shore as the tide would admit, having only sixteen feet at low-water. At eleven, the Terror came up, but, having grounded, it was not until two o'clock that Captain Hardinge was able to place his ship in the position assigned; this he now did in a most judicious manner, and opened a brisk fire from his two mortars; which was returned from the mortar and gun-batteries on the heights near the town, and also from some guns on the pier, and the gun-vessels placed in the entrance.
From the number of well-directed shells thrown from the Terror into the pier and parts of the town, I am persuaded they must have done very considerable damage. The fire was kept up till after five o'clock, when I thought it advisable to recall the Terror, and anchored with this ship and the Charwell a short distance from the town. The Sulphur bomb, whose bad sailing prevented her from beating up, joined shortly after, and also anchored. The loss on this occasion was two men wounded by splinters on board the Terror.
A few shells were thrown in the evening, but the tide prevented the ship getting sufficiently near to be attended with much effect.
This morning the squadron was under sail before dawn of day, and all circumstances concurred to enable them to take their respective stations with the utmost precision. The two mortar-vessels opened a brisk and well-directed fire soon after five o'clock; which was unremittingly kept up till half-past ten, when the falling tide rendered it necessary to withdraw from the attack. Twenty-two gun-vessels, that had hauled out of the pier, drew up a regular line, and kept up a heavy fire, jointly with the batteries around the port, without doing much execution.
The Cerberus, after getting under sail, grounded on one of the sand-banks, and remained about three hours, before she floated: nine of the gun-boats, perceiving her situation, endeavoured to annoy her, and kept up a heavy fire upon her for some time; but were silenced by the Charwell and Kite, and also by the fire of the Sulphur and Terror bombs, and by the carronade launch of the Cerberus, under the orders of Lieutenant Mansell, assisted by the Eling and Carteret, which obliged them to take shelter in their port.
In the performance of this intricate service, I cannot too highly applaud the zeal and persevering exertions of all the officers and men under my orders; and I should not do justice to the merits of Captain Selby, were I not to acknowledge the able assistance I have received from him since I had the honour of being in his ship: the steadiness and good conduct of all the officers and men in the Cerberus, during the time the ship was aground, do them infinite credit. The various services in which Capt. McLeod of the Sulphur, and Hardinge of the Terror, have been employed this war, are already sufficiently known: but I will venture to assert, that in no instance can they have displayed greater zeal and gallantry than on the present occasion. Great praise is due to Lieutenants Macartney and Smith, and the parties of artillery embarked on board the respective bomb-vessels.
It is not possible to ascertain the damages the enemy has sustained; but, as a very few of the shells missed taking effect, they must have been very considerable.
Jas. Saumarez.