During the period the Cerberus was aground the tide fell six feet, and at one time she was in the greatest danger of upsetting; the topmasts were immediately struck, and the vessel shored up by the lower yards and spare spars. While heeling over more than forty-five degrees, the bottom of the ship was exposed to the shot of the enemy, and was struck in several places. Sir James himself had a very narrow escape from a shot, which grazed his legs as he was standing on the gangway with the purser and the secretary, whose dismay and quick retreat from so dangerous a situation only produced a smile from the Admiral, who would not listen to proposals subsequently made to him for quitting the Cerberus while in that situation. The coolness with which he gave his orders, and his presence of mind on this trying occasion, tended materially to save the ship, by exciting the officers and men to exert themselves; while the most perfect order was maintained under circumstances which often cause disorder and confusion.
The Cerberus received no material damage in the bottom from being aground: she was soon repaired, and returned with the squadron to Guernsey on the 17th, when the flag was again hoisted in the Diomede.
We subsequently learned that the flotilla at Granville was so much damaged as to delay its arrival at Boulogne, which was its ultimate destination, until a late period of the year; and that many of the vessels were lost in and near the Race of Alderney, on their passage, by a storm in which they were overtaken.
The following is extracted from a letter which Sir James wrote to his brother, describing this action:
Cerberus, off Granville, 15th Sept. 1803.
You will be glad to find that, thanks to Providence, the business of Granville has gone off as well as possible, although we have not succeeded in entirely destroying the enemy's gun-vessels. I have to regret that, in the execution of my orders, many of the harmless inhabitants of the town, and their dwellings, must have suffered very considerably; having bombarded it nearly four hours on Wednesday, and six hours this morning, with scarcely any intermission.[3] This ship (the Cerberus) was for three hours on shore, and the tide left her six feet less than she drew. She was at the same time assailed by some of the enemy's gun-boats, but without great mischief. A shot was very nearly taking off both Mr. Champion and myself: how our legs escaped is inconceivable, having come through the part of the quarter-deck close to which we were standing.
Our friends Dumaresq and Pipon were in company, the former having joined early this morning. I am quite exhausted with fatigue, having had no rest since I left the island. Lady S. was unapprised of what was going forward, as well as yourself; but you must approve of the motives which urged me to conceal it from you. I am on my return to the island, which I hope to reach to-morrow evening.
The blockade of the French coast between Havre-de-Grace and Ushant, which was intrusted to Sir James, was kept up with rigour; and the Channel islands put into such a state of defence, as to defy all the projects of the enemy. In the performance of this service, the Admiral had to regret the loss of the Shannon, which was wrecked on the 10th December in a gale, under the batteries of Cape La Hogue; and of the Grappler, which was lost on the 31st, at the Isles de Choisey: the crews of both these vessels were saved, but made prisoners.
The Diomede was sent to refit at Portsmouth; and, at the end of 1803, Sir James's flag was flying on board the Cerberus, while he lived at his own residence on shore with his family, carrying on the duty as a port-admiral.