The death of Robert Faulknor: he is shot while lashing the French enemy ship to his own ship. Etching and engraving by W. Bromley and C. Blackberd, 1801, after T. Stothard.

After being acquitted at court-martial, Faulknor "became morose and his crew claimed that he was restless, pacing his cabin during the night. In December 1794 the Blanche was detached to cruise off the French-held island of Desirade. On 4 January 1795 the crew of the Blanche discovered the French frigate Pique off Pointe à Pitre, Guadeloupe. Although it appeared initially that the French ship was trying to avoid an action, the two ships came to close engagement in the early hours of 5 January. After an hour and three-quarters the Pique ran her bow on board the Blanche, from which position she could bring virtually none of her guns to bear on the English frigate which had by this time lost her main and mizen masts. Faulknor and members of his crew quickly lashed the French ship's bowsprit to the remains of the Blanche's main mast to prevent the Pique from manoeuvring. Although wounded, Faulknor continued to direct the action until killed by two musket shot. Two hours later the Pique surrendered to the Blanche, now commanded by Lieutenant Frederick Watkins. Faulknor was buried the day after his death on the Isles des Saintes. Following the news of Faulknor's death a memorial was erected in St Paul's Cathedral, London." (Oxford dictionary of national biography)