 A second accusation , and one that proved even more controversial in the aftermath of the engagement , was the claim that Africaine 's crew abandoned their guns , refused to load them or deliberately fired them into the sea in protest at Corbet 's behaviour . Corbet 's brutality was well known in the Navy , James describing him as " an excessively severe officer " who had a " career of cruelty " . James does not accuse the crew of any deliberate attempt to sabotage their ship in the engagement , instead attributing their poor gunnery to Corbet 's own failings as a commander , most significantly his failure to practice gunnery regularly . Other authors were less understanding of the crew of Africaine , Brenton stating that " they cut the breechings of their guns , and put no shot in them after the first or second broadside " , while historian Basil Hall baldly stated in 1833 that they " preferred to be mown down by the French broadsides " than fight under Corbet . This last accusation provoked outrage among naval officers , and Captain Jenkin Jones , a former shipmate of Corbet launched a successful lawsuit , forcing Hall to make a retraction . In 1900 , William Laird Clowes commented that " There is , unfortunately , much reason to suppose that Captain Corbett 's [ sic ] reputation for extreme severity had antagonised his crew , and that the men did not behave as loyally as they should have behaved " . He later castigates Brenton for the suggestion that Corbet committed suicide , suggesting that the wound alone was the cause of death . Modern historians have also been scathing of Corbet 's behaviour , Robert Gardiner calling him " notoriously brutal , " and Richard Woodman describing Tullidge as " an unfortunate victim of Corbet 's cruelty , for suspicions lingered that Africaine 's brutalised crew had failed to do their utmost in support of their hated commander . " 
 A second accusation , and one <a href='null_relcl' title='1'><mark>that</mark></a>proved even more controversial in the aftermath of the engagement , was the claim that Africaine <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>crew abandoned their guns , refused to load them or deliberately fired them into the sea in protest at Corbet <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>behaviour . Corbet <a href='null_genetive' title='4'><mark>'s</mark></a>brutality was well known in the Navy , James describing him as " an excessively severe officer " <a href='null_relcl' title='5'><mark>who</mark></a>had a " career of cruelty " . James <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>does</mark></a> not accuse <a href='None' title='7'><mark>the</mark></a><a href='negative_concord' title='8'><mark>crew</mark></a> of any deliberate attempt to sabotage their ship in the engagement , instead attributing their poor gunnery to Corbet <a href='null_genetive' title='9'><mark>'s</mark></a>own failings as a commander , most significantly his failure to practice gunnery regularly . Other authors <a href='uninflect' title='10'><mark>were</mark></a> less understanding of the crew of Africaine , Brenton stating that " they cut the breechings of their guns , and put no shot in them after the first or second broadside " , while historian Basil Hall baldly stated in 1833 that they " preferred to be mown down by the French broadsides " than fight under Corbet . This last accusation provoked outrage among naval officers , and Captain Jenkin Jones , a former shipmate of Corbet launched a successful lawsuit , forcing Hall to make a retraction . In 1900 , William Laird Clowes commented that " <a href='dey_it' title='11'><mark>There</mark></a> is , unfortunately , much reason to suppose that Captain Corbett <a href='null_genetive' title='12'><mark>'s</mark></a>[ sic ] reputation for extreme severity <a href='been_done' title='13'><mark>had</mark></a> antagonised his crew , and that the men did not behave as loyally as they should <a href='been_done' title='14'><mark>have</mark></a> behaved " . He later <a href='uninflect' title='15'><mark>castigates</mark></a> Brenton for the suggestion <a href='null_relcl' title='16'><mark>that</mark></a>Corbet committed suicide , suggesting that the wound alone was the cause of death . Modern historians have also been scathing of Corbet <a href='null_genetive' title='17'><mark>'s</mark></a>behaviour , Robert Gardiner calling him " notoriously brutal , " and Richard Woodman describing Tullidge as " an unfortunate victim of Corbet <a href='null_genetive' title='18'><mark>'s</mark></a>cruelty , for suspicions lingered that Africaine <a href='null_genetive' title='19'><mark>'s</mark></a>brutalised crew <a href='been_done' title='20'><mark>had</mark></a> failed to do their utmost in support of their hated commander . " 
A second accusation , and one proved even more controversial in the aftermath of the engagement , was the claim that Africaine  crew abandoned their guns , refused to load them or deliberately fired them into the sea in protest at Corbet  behaviour . Corbet  brutality was well known in da Navy , James describing him as " an excessively severe officer " had a " career of cruelty " . James do not accuse no crew of any deliberate attempt to sabotage their ship in tdaengagement , instead attributing their poor gunnery to Corbet  own failings as a commander , most significantly his failure to practice gunnery regularly . Other authors was less understanding of thdarew of Africaine , Brenton stating that " they cut the breechings of their guns , and put no shot in em after the first or second broadside " , while historian Basil Hall baldly stated in 1833 that they " preferred to be mown downn by thedaench broadsides " than fight under Corbet . This last accusation provoked outrage among naval officers , and Captain Jenkin Jones , a former shipmate of Corbet launched a successful lawsuit , forcing Hall to make a retraction . In 1900 , William Laird Clowes commented that " It is , unfortunately , much reason to suppose that Captain Corbett  [ sic ] reputation fir extreme severity done antagonised his crew , and that the men did not behave as loyally as they should done behaved " . He later castigate Brenton fir the dagestion Corbet committed suicide , suggesting dat the wdad alone was the cudaf death . Modern historians have also been scathing of Corbet  behaviour , Robert Gardiner calling em " notoriously brutal , " and Richard Woodman describing Tullidge as " an unfortunate victim of Corbet  cruelty , for suspicions lingered tdatAfricaine  brutalised crew done failed to do their utmost in support of their hated commander . "