him to his new command. By now a popular figure with his men, Pownoll was able to write to Lord Sandwich that he was '...happily situated in a fine ship & exceedingly well manned with all volunteers except 15 landsmen I received from Admiral Amherst to complete my compliment not having time to do it myself.' Apollo served for a time as Lord Howe's flagship from August 1778, and had returned to be refitted and coppered at Plymouth in December that year. Returning to active service in January, on 31 January 1779 she engaged the 26-gun French frigate Oiseau off the Brittany coast in a hard-fought action that left both Pownoll and the French commander wounded. Pownoll was hit in the chest by a musket ball, which remained lodged there for the remainder of his life. Apollo was repaired at Plymouth, and returned to sea later in 1779, joining the fleet under Admiral Sir Charles Hardy. Pownoll captured the 14-gun Mutine on 2 October 1779, and joined Reynolds's squadron later that month. He sailed the following year in support of George Brydges Rodney's mission to relieve Gibraltar, and was present at the attack on the Caracas convoy on 8 January 1780, the Battle of Cape St. Vincent on 16/17 January, and the eventual relief of Gibraltar on 19 January. In the Battle of Cape St. Vincent Pownoll distinguished himself by engaging the Spanish ship of the line Monarca in an unequal engagement for over an hour, compelling the Monarca to strike her colours just as Rodney's flagship arrived on the scene. On 2 March 1780 the privateer Victoire was captured by Apollo, and in mid June Apollo was cruising in company with the 32-gun , under Captain the Hon. George Murray. Last fight On 15 June a cutter was sighted while cruising in the North Sea and Murray was sent to investigate it. After closing to within gunshot of the cutter by 10.30am, a large sail was observed standing off the land. The two ships closed, tacking about to gain the weather gauge, and eventually opening fire. Apollos opponent was the 26-gun French privateer Stanislaus, and after a period of tacking, the two engaged in broadsides while running for Ostend. After nearly an hour of intense cannonading Pownoll was hit by a cannon ball and killed. Command of Apollo devolved to Pellew as the first lieutenant, who continued the fight,