n ons ▁and ▁two ▁Spanish ▁cor v ettes ▁of ▁ 1 0 – 1 2 ▁can n ons ▁each . ▁Three ▁times ▁through ▁rapid ▁and ▁skill ful ▁man eu vers ▁Char itte ▁avoided ▁being ▁board ed . ▁On ▁the ▁fourth ▁attack , ▁which ▁was ▁also ▁rep uls ed , ▁a ▁shot ▁from ▁a ▁fal con et ▁passed ▁through ▁Car rit te ' s ▁neck ▁from ▁side ▁to ▁side , ▁and ▁his ▁shoulder ▁and ▁j aw ▁were ▁broken ▁by ▁fire ▁from ▁a ▁mus ket . ▁From ▁that ▁day , ▁Char rit te ▁could ▁only ▁sw allow ▁liquid ▁food . ▁However , ▁he ▁had ▁saved ▁the ▁con voy . ▁News ▁of ▁the ▁brilliant ▁fe at ▁of ▁arms ▁was ▁quickly ▁taken ▁to ▁the ▁French ▁court ▁at ▁Vers a illes , ▁where ▁on ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 1 6 9 7 ▁King ▁Louis ▁XIV ▁of ▁France ▁awarded ▁Car rit te ▁an ▁lifetime ▁annual ▁p ension ▁of ▁ 5 0 0 ▁livres . ▁ ▁A ▁few ▁months ▁later ▁Char rit te ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁king ' s ▁lieutenant ▁on ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁Saint ▁Cro ix , ▁and ▁was ▁given ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁Press ante , ▁a ▁fr ig ate ▁with ▁ 1 2 ▁can non ▁and ▁a ▁crew ▁of ▁ 5 0 . ▁First ▁he ▁was ▁ordered ▁to ▁protect ▁an ▁important ▁con voy ▁of ▁merchant ▁vessels ▁from ▁La ▁Ro ch elle ▁to ▁Bor de aux . ▁Three ▁ships ▁flying ▁foreign ▁flags ▁were ▁seen ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁day ▁of ▁the ▁voyage . ▁ ▁Char itte ▁dropped ▁to ▁the ▁rear