 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 <unk> of their guns , and put no shot in them after the first or second broadside " , while historian Basil Hall <unk> stated in 1833 that they " preferred to be <unk> down by the French broadsides " than fight under Corbet . This last accusation provoked outrage among naval officers , and Captain <unk> Jones , a former <unk> of Corbet launched a successful lawsuit , forcing Hall to make a retraction . In 1900 , William Laird <unk> commented that " There is , unfortunately , much reason to suppose that Captain Corbett 's [ sic ] reputation for extreme severity had <unk> his crew , and that the men did not behave as <unk> as they should have <unk> " . He later <unk> 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 <unk> calling him " notoriously brutal , " and Richard <unk> describing Tullidge as " an unfortunate victim of Corbet 's cruelty , for suspicions <unk> that Africaine 's <unk> crew had failed to do their <unk> in support of their hated commander . " 
