One of the most glorious of the many battles of the British navy was
fought on the 10th and 11th September, 1591, by Vice-Admiral Sir
Richard Grenville, in his ship _The Revenge_, against a great fleet
of Spanish vessels. The fight was described by the gallant Sir Walter
Raleigh, from whose account (published in November, 1591) the facts
given in the following narrative are taken.
If the story seems somewhat out of place amongst nineteenth century
records, it is, nevertheless, such a unique display of stubborn
heroism "under fire" that I have not hesitated to include it.
On the 10th of September, 1591 (31st August, old style), Lord Thomas
Howard, with six of her Majesty's ships, five victualling ships, a
barque and two or three pinnaces, was at anchor near Flores, one of
the westerly islands of the Azores, when Captain Middleton brought the
news that the Spanish fleet was approaching.
He had no sooner delivered his message than the Spaniards came in
sight. The few ships at Lord Howard's command were in a very unready
state for fighting. Many of the seamen were ill. Some of the ships'
companies were procuring ballast, others getting in water.
Being so unprepared for the contest, and so greatly outnumbered, the
British ships weighed their anchors and set sail. The last ship to get
under weigh was _The Revenge_, as Sir Richard waited for the men left
on the island, who would have otherwise been captured.
The master of the ship wanted him to "cut his mainsail and cast about,
and to trust to the sailing of his ship"; but Sir Richard utterly
refused to turn from the enemy, saying that he would rather choose to
die than dishonour himself, his country, and her Majesty's ship, and
informed his company that he would pass through the two squadrons in
spite of them. He might possibly have been able to carry out his plan;
but the huge _San Philip_, an immense vessel of 1500 tons, coming
towards him as he was engaging other ships of the fleet, becalmed
his sails and then boarded him. Whilst thus entangled with the _San
Philip_, four other ships also boarded _The Revenge_.
"The fight thus beginning at three of the clocke in the after noone,"
says Sir Walter Raleigh, "continued verie terrible all that evening."
Before long, the _San Philip_, having received the fire of _The
Revenge_ at close quarters, "shifted herself with all diligence,
utterly misliking her first entertainment".
The Spanish ships had a great number of soldiers on board, in some
cases two hundred, in others five, and in some even eight hundred;
whilst on _The Revenge_ there were in all only one hundred and ninety
persons, of whom ninety were sick.
After discharging their guns the Spanish ships endeavoured to board
_The Revenge_; but, notwithstanding the multitude of their armed men,
they were repulsed again and again, and driven back either into their
ships or into the sea.
After the battle had lasted well into the night many of the British
were slain or wounded, whilst two Spanish ships had been sunk. An hour
before midnight Sir Richard Grenville was shot in the body, and a
little later was wounded in the head, whilst the doctor who was
attending him was killed.
The company on board _The Revenge_ was gradually getting less and
less; the Spanish ships, meanwhile, as they received a sufficient
evidence of _The Revenge's_ powers of destruction, dropped off, and
their places were taken by others; and thus it happened that ere the
morning fifteen ships had been engaged, and all were so little pleased
with the entertainment provided that they were far more willing to
listen to proposals for an honourable arrangement than to make any
more assaults.