[Augt 1778] Friday 14th.
Sanday Hook WbN½No. 104 Miles AM at 4— 6 Sail in Sight, Set the Close Reefed Topsails at 6— 11 Sail in Sight at 10 the Commr. made our Signl. to Come within hail1 at 11 our Signl. to make more Sail Do. made Sail at Noon 11 sail in sight one of which Appears to be a frigate with her Topmasts gone and another Sail Tending her.2 They are both to Windwd. to the Eastwd.— First part fresh Breezes and Cloudy latter fair Wr. found that the Commr. had Moved his broad Pendant from the Commodore onbd. the Eagle.3 PM ½ p 2 Recd. Orders from the Commr. to haul our Wind & look out for the Rest of our fleet at 4 the Commodore nwbw, 4 or 5 Miles
D, UkLPR, Adm. 51/331, fols. 137–38.
1. Commo. John Elliot, then flying his flag in H.M.S Trident, Capt. Anthony James Pye Molloy. In the aftermath of the great storm of 11–12 August, the scattered British fleet had regrouped into two groups, one led by Adm. Howe and the other by Elliot.
2. This was probably HM frigate Apollo, Capt. Philemon Pownoll, which had lost its main and mizzen topmasts in the storm. Vice Adm. Viscount Howe, who had transferred his flag to Apollo in anticipation of the battle with the French fleet, now transferred it to H.M. frigate Phœnix, Capt. Hyde Parker Jr. The ship that Experiment saw in company with the damaged Apollo was H.M.S Roebuck, Capt. Andrew Snape Hamond. Journal of H.M.S. Roebuck, this day, UkLPR, Adm. 51/52.
3. On 14 Aug., Comm. Elliot shifted his pennant from H.M.S. Trident, Capt. Anthony James Pye Molloy, onto H.M.S Eagle, Capt. Sir Roger Curtis. Captain’s Log of H.M.S. Eagle, this day, ADM 51/293 Part 4.
