Yarmouth

Posted by Keith Wilkie on Sunday 29th of September 2024 20:22

William Wilkie Master at Arms Drowned September 3 1758 (ADM 33 598)

Posted by Brian Stephens on Thursday 24th of April 2014 21:01

The Edinburgh Magazine, and Literary Miscellany: 1778
Capt. Vincent of His Majesty's ship Yarmouth, to Admiral Young , March 17, 1778
I Take the opportunity of the January's packet sailing from hence tomorrow, morning, directly for St John's, Antigua, of acquainting you of my having, on the 7th instant, at half past five p.m. discovered fix sail in the S. W. quarter, on a wind standing to the northward ; two of them ships, three brigs, and a schooner. We were then 50 leagues due East of this island. We immediately bore down upon them, and about nine got close to the weather-quarter of the largest and head most ship. They had no colours hoisted ; and, as ours were then up, 1 hailed her to hoist hers, or I would fire into her: on which she hoisted American, and immediately gave us her broadside; which we returned, and in about a quarter of an hour she blew up. It was fortunate for us that we were to windward of her ; as it was, our ship was in a manner covered with parts of her; a great piece of a top timber, six feet long, fell on our poop ; another large piece of timber stuck in our fore-top-gallant fail (then upon the cap) ; an American ensign rolled up, blown in upon the forecastle, not so much as singed, &c. Immediately on her blowing up, the other four dispersed different ways. We chased a little while two that stood to the southward, and afterwards another that bore away right before the wind ; but they were soon out of fight; our sails being torn all to pieces in a most surprising manner. We had five men killed and twelve wounded. — But what I am now going to mention is something very remarkable: The 12th following, being then in chase of a ship steering west, we discovered a piece of a wreck, with four men on it waving: we hauled up to it, got a boat out, and brought them on board : they proved to be four men who had been in the ship which blew up, and who had nothing to subsist on from that time but by sucking the rain-water that fell on a piece of blanket, which they luckily had picked up. They informed us the ship blown up was called the Randolph, of 36 guns and 305 men ; the other ship was the General Moutry, of 2o guns; and the other three armed brigs; and sailed from Charlestown, South Carolina, about a month before.— I resumed the chase; but she was too far ahead to get up with her: however I continued it, in order to drive her at least off the station, till eleven that night, when we made this island, having lost, fight of her.