ABSTRACT

On Friday 11 May, the Morning Chronicle announced a stirring British victory:

Yesterday afternoon, at one o’clock, was received at the Admiralty from Portsmouth, by the Telegraph, the agreeable intelligence that the French had made an attack on the little island of Marcou, in which they were defeated with great loss. Fifty-two vessels, including an escort of gun-boats with troops, amounting, it is said, to five thousand men, sailed from Havre to attack this fortress, but were driven off by the batteries and seven of the boats sunk. Several others were so much damaged that it is thought they cannot be fit for further service . . . The vigorous defence made by the batteries was very meritorious; as the Garrison consisted mostly of invalid soldiers.