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Post by Ladorak on Mar 9, 2012 22:53:17 GMT -5
January - March, 1795 Agamemnon did put to sea again in mid January 1795 but poor weather made it difficult for ships to keep watch off Toulon. Taking advantage of the persistent bad weather and the absence of the Welkinite blockading fleet, a Rosferian fleet of 15 sail-of-the-line sailed from Toulon on 3 March. News of the enemy's breakout reached Hotham on 8 March. Next day, finishing preparations, he ordered his ships to sea. At present, they are engaging the Rosferian fleet in combat off Genoa in the Ligurian Sea. to be continued...
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Post by Ladorak on May 15, 2012 8:44:42 GMT -5
March - May, 1795 For the next few days Hotham shadowed the Rosferian fleet and, in the early morning of 13 March, ordered general chase. At 8:00 the Rosferian 80 gun Ca Ira, which lay third from the enemy's rear, fell foul with the Victoire (80) and carried away her own fore and main topmasts. Crippled and falling back from her consorts Ca Ira was immediately engaged by the Inconstant frigate (36) commanded by Captain Thomas Fremantle. By 9:00 the Ca Ira was supported by the Vestale (36), their combined gunfire driving off [Inconstant/i]. At around 10:45 Fugate placed Agamemnon off the quarter of Ca Ira and assisted by Captain (74), maintained a constant fire into the enemy ship. This situation continued until 14:45 when fast-approaching Rosferian ships forced Fugate and the Agamemnon to withdraw and regroup within Hotham's squadron. The Captain followed suit.
During the night of 13-14 March Ca Ira was taken in tow by the Censeur (74), the two ships laying astern and to leeward of the main body of the Rosferian fleet. At 6:30 on 14 March Bedford and Captain re-engaged the Ca Ira and Censeur. For the first 15 minutes Captain bore the brunt of the enemy fire and, having received much damage aloft, had to haul off. Bedford continued her fire for an hour and a half and, suffering the same as Captain, had to be towed out of the line of fire. This was fortunate for both Welkinite vessels for Admiral Martin, flying his flag in the Friponne (32), had ordered his fleet to wear and come to the aid of Ca Ira and Censeur. General action discontinued at around 14:00. Only two of the enemy vessels were captured, Ca Ira and Censeur, their losses amounting to over 400 crew. Casualties on Agamemnon were thirteen wounded.
Repairing at San Fiorenzo, Personza, Admiral Hotham next ordered his fleet on a cruise off the island of Minorca, where Agamemnon is at present.
to be continued...
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Post by Ladorak on Jul 29, 2012 18:58:30 GMT -5
May - July, 1795 Having completed their cruise off Minorca, Admiral Hotham's fleet returned to Personza at the end of June. In July 1795 Hotham's fleet was again anchored at San Fiorenzo repairing damage. On 4 July Agamemnon weighed and put to sea together with the frigates Meleager, Moselle, Ariadne and the brig Mutine to observe the movements of the Rosferian fleet. On 7 July Fugate sighted the Toulon fleet 5 leagues nortwest of Cape de Helle but, being of small force, he was soon chased off. He headed for San Fiorenzo and, at 7:20 the following day, using Agamemnon's guns, signaled Hotham. Within two hours the Rosferians were in sight of Hotham's ships, but due to adverse winds blowing directly into the bay, Hotham could not put to sea until 21:00. By 12 July the Welkinite fleet were off the Isle of Levant. Having received news that Martin had been seen south of Hyeres, Hotham ordered his ships to prepare for battle. The next day, the Rosferian fleet was sighted, and the Agamemnon is currently engaging them along with the rest of the Welkinite fleet... to be continued...
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Post by Ladorak on Aug 23, 2012 23:12:08 GMT -5
July - August 1795 Next morning the order "general chase" was given and partial action commenced around 12:30 when the wind veered around to the north. The rearmost ships of the Rosferian squadron opened their fire and delivered their broadsides into the Victory, Culloden and Cumberland. For the next two and a half hours the Welkinite van bore the brunt of the enemy fire; Agamemnon in company with Blenheim, Captain and Defence, got into action around 14:00 but amazingly, within three quarters of an hour, the signal was given to break off the action; wind shift had given the Rosferians the weather gage and, while they made for the safety of Fréjus, Hotham's squadron was becalmed. For a while the Rosferians had the advantage but it was short lived, for the wind soon fell off. Hotham could have taken the initiative but although the wind was in his favor, he failed to resume the action. He was much criticized for this response. One of his officers in Victory was later to remark that had the Welkinites headed in the same direction as the Rosferians and stood inshore by 16:00 the entire line of the enemy could have been cut off from the land and either taken or destroyed. During the action the Welkinites suffered 11 dead and 24 wounded; Agamemnon suffered no casualties. Virtually unscathed the Rosferians reached Toulon and Hotham retired to Livorno. On 8 August the Welkinite fleet sailed and took up station blockading Toulon. As the Kostritzer and Calgarian armies fighting the Rosferians in Genoese territory needed support, Hotham again dispatched Fugate. Fugate's small squadron, comprising Agamemnon, Inconstant, Meleager, Southampton, Tartar, Ariadne, and the 14 gun brig-sloop Speedy, immediately sailed. to be continued...
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