The Virginia Gazette

LONDON
GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY.

By AUTHORITY.

ADMIRALTY OFFICE, August 2, 1778.

CAPTAIN Faulknor, of his Majesty's ship the Victory, arrived at this office yesterday in the afternoon, with a letter from the Honourable Augustus Keppel, Admiral of the Blue, and Commander in Chief of his Majesty's ships employed to the westward, to Mr. Stephens, of which the following is a copy:

SIR,

VICTORY, at Sea, July 30, 1778.

MY letters of the 23d and 24th instant, by the Peggy and Union Cutters, acquainted you, for their Lordships information, that I was in pursuit, with the King's fleet under my command, of a numerous fleet of French ships of war.

From that time till the 27th, the winds constantly in the S. W. and N. W. quarters, sometimes blowing strong, and the French fleet always to windward, going off, I made use of every method to close in with them that was possible, keeping the King's ships at the same time collected, as much as the nature of a pursuit would admit of, and which became necessary from the cautious manner the French proceeded in, and the disinclination that appeared in them to allow of my bringing the King's ships close up to a regular engagement;

this left but little other chance of getting in with them than by seizing the opportunity that offered the morning of the 27th, by the winds admitting of the van of the King's fleet under my command leading up with, and closing with their centre and rear.

The French began firing upon the headmost of Vice Admiral Sir Robert Harland's division, and the ships with him, as they led up; which cannonade the leading ships and the Vice-Admiral soon returned, as did every ship as they could close up.

The chase had occasioned their being extended, nevertheless they were all soon in battle.

The fleets being upon different tacks, passed each other very close; the object of the French seemed to be the disabling the King's ships in their masts and sails, in which they so far succeeded as to prevent many of the ships of my fleet being able to follow me, when I wore to stand after the French fleet, this obliged me to wear again, to join those ships, and thereby allowed of the French forming their fleet again, and ranging it in a line to leeward of the King's fleet, towards the close of the day; which I did not discourage, but allowed of their doing it without firing upon them, thinking they meant handsomely to try their force with us the next morning; but they had been so beaten in the day, that they took the advantage of the night to go off.

The wind and weather being such that they could make their own shores before there was any chance of the King's fleet getting up with them, in the state the ships were in, in their masts, yards and sails, left me no choice of what was proper and advisable to do.

The spirited conduct of Vice-Admiral Sir Robert Harland, Vice Admiral Sir Hugh Palliser, and the Captains of the fleet, supported by their officers and men, deserves much commendation.

A list of the killed and wounded is herewith enclosed.

I send Captain Faulknor, Captain of the Victory, with this account to your Lordships, and am, Sir, your most obedient and very humble servant,

A. KEPPEL.

Philip Stephens, Esq. Secy. to the Admiralty.

LIST of men killed and wounded, in the action with the French fleet, the 27th of July 1778.

Total killed 133. Total wounded 373,

Officers wounded. 3 Lieutenants and 1 Surgeon.

KEPPEL