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Les diagrammes suivants lllustrent la mAthode. y errata Id to nt ne pelure, i9on A 1 2 3 I2X 1 2 3 4 5 6 ^\ \ \^i-\ ROYAL NAVAL BIOGRAPHY; OR, 0it\t\m^ of t^t ^etWt^ OF ALL THE FLAG-OFFICERS, SUPERANNUATED REAR-ADMIRALS, RETIRED-CAPTAINS, POST-CAPTAINS, AND COMMANDERS, Whose Names appeared on the Admiralty List of Sea-OfRcers at the commence- ment of the jrear 1823, or who have since.becn promoted { Illustrated by a Series of HISTORICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES, Which will be found to contain an account of all the NAVAL ACTIONS, AND OTHER IMPORTANT EVENTS, FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE LATE REIGN, IN 1760, TO THE PRESENT PERIOD. WITH COPIOUS ADDENDA. By JOHN MARSHALL (b), lieutenantTn the royal NAVr. "FailureSi however frequent, may admit of extenuation and apology. To have atte " much if alwayi laudable, even when the enterprise is above the strength that undertakes it. *'To deliberate whenever I doubted, to enquire whenever I was iguorant, would have protracted " the undertaking without end, and perhaps without improvement, i saw that one enquiry only " gave occasion to another, that book referred to book, that to search was not always to And, and "to And was not always to be informed; and that thus to pursue perfection, was, like the flrat *' inhabitants of Arcadia, to chase the sun, which, when they had reached the h:ll where he "seemed to rest, wu itlU beheld at the same distance from them." Johnson. SUPFLEMENT.-PART IV. Sontion : rUlNTED FOR LONGMAN, REES, ORME, DROWN, AND GHGLN, I'ATERNOSTER ROW. 1830. ,-*j.«:Sfc;k'*.'!&3jt«>l «.'^ \ 1. / ^5 " ■ i '• . -f""' - CONTENTS. Mintray, William James Mitchell, Andrew Moberly, John Money, Rowland Montagu, John William Montgomeric, Alexander - Montrcsor, Henry Moorsom, Coustantine Richard Muddle, Richard Henry Murray, James Murray, James Arthur Nelson, Charles Nicolas, John Toup Noel, Hon. Frederic O'Brien, Donat Hcnchy Parish, John Parker, Charles Christopher Parry, Sir William Eklward Patesliall, Nicolas Lcchmere Patton, Hugh Feake, Thomas Ladd Pechell, George Richard - Perceval, Hon. George James Phillott, Charles George Rodney Plumridge, James Hanway Popham, Stephen • Popham, William Powell, Herbert Brace Price, David Pring, Daniel Pnidhoe, Lord Ramage, William Ramsay, Robert - Ramsden, William Rattray, James Reid, Charles Hope Renny, Alexander Ren wick, Thomas Roberts, John Charles Gawen Page 379 380 84 8 228 227 20 203 119 188 117 403 63 214 231 120 383 315 1 21& 380 421 203 189 402 85 204 430 31 93 39 121 23 421 103 404 122 119 *23 Page Roberts, Samuel - 28 Rogers, Robert Henley - 112 Ross, Daniel - - 109 Ross, John - • 199 Rowley, Robert - - 39 Sargent, William - 215 Sheridan, John • - 21 Shiffuer, Henry - - 221 Smith, John (6) - -. 407 Smith, William Richard - 139 Spencer, Hon. Frederick - 401 Spilsbury, Francis Brockell 89 Stanhope, Henry - 433 Stewart, Houston - 141 Stirling, James . - - 200 Strong, Charles Burrougb - 205 Thomson, John - 85 Thynne, Lord Henry Frederick 400 Tisdall, Archibald - 38 TomkiuBon, James - 204 Tyler, George - - 404 Walcott, John Edward - 388 Wales, Richard Walter - 127 Waller, Edmund - 131 Wallis, James - - 184 Wallis, Provo WiUiam Parry 214 Walpole, WillUm - 222 Warde, Charies - - 85 Westphal, Sir George Au- gustus - - 208 Westropp, Amos Freeman - 201 White, Charles Samuel - 435 White, James Kearney - 199 White, Martin - - 187 Willock, Frank Gore - 108 Wiseman, Sir William S. • 228 Wolrige, Thomas - 396 Wolrige, William - 198 Young, Thomas - - 119 ADDENDA. Bartholomew, David Ewen - 444 ClBvell,John . - .437 De Starck, Mauritius A. N. - 437 Lloyd, Edwurd • - - 457 ! i - ■ . r . ! fc,-.-CT ' 1 -;/ V 9 ^ Page |] 28 '1^1 112 iH f 109 ^H \ •» 199 |H 39 H 215 1 -#*• 21 ^M '>*• ■ ^ '■ 221 jH 407 fl 139 401 89 433 141 200 205 85 i 400 38 204 404 388 127 131 1 fit 184 ■1 214 9 222 , , » } 208 i 201 435 199 187 108 228 396 - 198 ■ ■ 119 u ,,-, . .s n • '^^>^: ,. ■ ^^n^ fl ; .-at - ■ ■l ^ ^^ 1 •f. 1 ^ '\'in^ • H ROYAL NAVAL BIOGRAPHY. POST-CAPTAINS of 1815. {Continued.) it . . NICHOLAS LECHMERE PATESHALL, Esq. Is the fourth son of Edmund Pateshall, of Allensmore, co. Hereford, Esq. He first embarked in Aug. 1795, and served the whole of his time as a midshipman, under Sir Edward Pellew, now Viscount Exmouth, in^he Indefatigable frigate, and Imp(?tueux of 80 guns. The principal services in which he participated during the first six years of his professional life are detailed at p. 216 et seq. of Vol. I. Part I. In Aug. 1?01, Mr. Pateshall received an order to act as lieutenant of the Ville de Paris 1 10, flag-ship of the Hon. William Cornwallis, which appointment was confirmed by the Admiralty, Nov. 20 following. In 1803 and 1804, we find him circumnavigating the globe, in the Calcutta 50, Captain Daniel Woodriff*. On his return from that in- teresting voyage, he again joined the Ville de Paris, and continued in her until Admiral Cornwallis res:; -.vmI the com- mand of the Channel fleet, in June 1806. He was then ap- pointed to the Kent 74, Captain Thomas Rogers, under whom he served as first lieutenant for a period of four years. The Kent accompanied Earl St. Vincent to Lisbon, in the summer of 1806; and was afterwards sent to the Mediter- ranean, where her boats captured, at different times, up- wards of 30 merchant vessels and small cruisers (including SUPPL. PART IV. • Sec Vol. II. Patt.n. p. 641 et teq. 2 - POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. a Turkish corvette), and spiked the guns of many batteries, principally in the Gulf of Genoa *. This officer subsequently proceeded to Jamaica, where he was made commander, July 24, 1811, and successively ap- pointed to the Shark sloop. Reindeer brig, and Polyphemus 64. On the 7th Oct. 1813, he obtained the command of the Adder, a new Ti-gun brig, fitting at Portsmouth, in which vessel he was employed for a short time on the north coast of Spain, and afterwards sent to the Halifax station ; where he received an appointment to the Jaseur 16, dated June 7> 1814. His promotion to post rank took place Feb. 18, 1815, after which he commanded the Carron 20, on the coast of America, in the West Indies, at Bermuda, and Newfound- land. He was put out of commission at Portsmouth, in Aug. 1816. Agent. — J. Copland, Esq. , -til: : r ^ NICHOLAS LOCKYER, Esq. A Companion of the Most Honorable Military Order of the Bath. - We first find this officer serving as junior lieutenant of ,• the Tartar frigate. Captain Keith Maxwell, on the Jamaica station; where he assisted in cutting out I'Hirondelle French privateer, of 10 guns and 50 men, July 31, 1804. The fol- lowing is a copy of his captain's official letter to the com- mander-in-chief, in whose opinion, the capture of that vessel did " high honor " to the officers and men employed, " for their undaunted spirit and perseverance." " H. M. S. Tartar, off" St. Domingo, Jug. 1, 1804. " l^ir,'-^I have the honor to acquaint you, that yesterday morning at ■dawn, standing in to leeward of Saona, a small sail was discovered from the mast-head, to which I immediately gave chase, keeping as close to leeward of the island as possible, in order to prevent her escape that way, knowing the channel between it and St. Domingo to be very narrow and intricate even for small vessels. About 7, the chase was made out to be • SceSnppl.Partll. p.363. /; 1 ' ■ "«! ; .■ POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. 9 • sdiooner full of men, iisint^ her sweeps and every means possible to get off; from which circumstance supposing her to be a privateer, and per- ceiving her intention of attempting to escape through the before-mentioned channel, I made all possible sail, and, at 8 o'clock, got her within reach of the gnns, which, from the short tacks I was obliged to make, we were prevented from using to that advantage and effect I could have wished, without losing ground; therefore, though several shot went over and through her sails, she still persevered in beating to windward until she had advanced near the centre of the channel, when, finding it impossible to proceed further, she came to an anchor under a reef of rocks; .at which time, 10 A. M., having beat the ship up into six fathoms water, but deem* ing it imprudent to proceed further, and finding it would be almost im- possible to destroy the vessel with the great guns, not belbg able to anchor, or to bring either broadside to bear to advantage, without hazard to the ship, yet judging it of importance to take or destroy her by some means or other, I immediately hoisted three boats out, and sent them manned and armed under the direction of Lieutenant (Henry) Mullah, assisted by Lieutenant Lockyer, with several midshipmen, all volunteers on the occasion. " The instant the boats put off from the ship, the schooner hoisted French colours, fired a gun, and warped her broadside towards them : as they advanced, she commenced firing grape from her great guns, and; on their nearer approach, opened a fire of musketry ; notwithstanding which, and a strong sea breeze against him. Lieutenant Mullah, in the most intrepid and gallant manner possible, pulled up in the face of several dis- charges of grape, and a heavy fire of small arms from 50 men drawn up round the deck, boarded, and carried her. It is impossible to speak too highly, or sufiiciently to express my sense of the bravery and intrepid con- duct of Lieutenants Mullah and Lockyer, as well as the petty officers, seamen, and marines employed under them ; considering the disadvantage under which they were obliged to attack, and the preparation the enemy bad made for defence: nor can T too much commend the spirit and alacrity with which they volunteered their services on the occasion, as well as the whole ship's company. " I am happy to add, that only 2 men were wounded ; the French had 9 killed and 6 wounded, besides 3 missing, supposed to have been drowned in attempting to swim on shore. The privateer proves to be I'Hirondelle, of 10 long 4-ponnders and 50 men, two days out from St. Domingo. I have the honor to be, &c. (Signed) " Keith Maxwell." " To Fice-Admiral Sir John T. Duckworth, K. B. Mr. Lockyer's promotion to the rank of commander took place Sept. 25, 1806. His first appointment afterwards was B 2 « POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. to the Hound eloop, which vessel fonned part of the squadron under Rear- Admiral (now Sir Richard G.) Keates, when that oflicer brought off the Marquis de la Romana and his troops, from the island of Funen*. The " indefatigable exertions " of every one employed in that " short but fatiguing service," are duly acknowledged in the Rear- Admiral's official report, dated oflFSpro , in the Great Belt, Aug. 11, 1808. On the 26th Oct. 1809, Captain Lockyer was appointed to the Sophie, a new 18-gun brig, in which vessel we find him very actively and successfully employed on the Halifax sta- tion, from the autumn of 1812 until his promotion to post rank, Mar. 29, 1815. During that period he captured and destroyed five heavy American gun- vessels; one armed national sloop ; one privateer (the Pioneer) of 320 tons, 17 guns, and J 70 men ; another of 2 guns and 25 men j a mer- chant ship, 2 brigs, 10 schooners, and 2 sloops. He also assisted at the capture and destruction of numerous mer- chant vessels, whilst attached to the Chesapeake squadron. The Sophie formed part of the small force under Captain the Hon. William Henry Percy, at the attack of Fort Bowyer, Sept. 15, 1814, on which occasion she sustained a loss of 6 men killed and 16 wounded f. She subsequently joined the expedition proceeding against New Orleans. The fol- lowing is Sir Alexander Cochrane's account of the capture of the above mentioned gun-boats and armed sloop : " Of hleau-Chat. Dee. 16, 1814. " Havln;;^ arrived off the Cliandeleur Islands, on the 8th Instant, Cap- taui Gordon, of the Seahorse (which ^hip, with the Armide and Sophie, I iiad sent on, from off Pensacola, to the anchorage within Isle-au-Vaisseau), reported to ine, that two gun-vcsftels, apparently large size sloops, of very light draught of water, liad fired at the Armide, upon her way down from within the chain of small islands that run parallel to the coast from Mobile towanls Lac Bnrgne, and having afterwards joined three others rruising in the lake, were then visible from his mast-head. " The Bayou Catalan, at the head of Lac Borgne, being the contem- plated p'tint of del>arkation ;, the distance from the inner anchorage uf the frigates and troop-ships to the Bayou full 60 miles, and our princi- • See Vol. L Part I. p. 347. t See Suppl. III. p. 6(;, et «/?y. % See id. p. 269. '< ! «^1 ^ .. '■It I.?*.- i\ f uadron en that |! troops. ..''*; tJ^' POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. 5 pal means of transport open boats, it became iiupo8Bil>le that any mnve< inent of the troops cuulil take place until this furiniilulile flolilla was ellher captUH'd or destroyed. " Oil the 12th, I placed the launches, barges, and pinnaces of the s({uud- ron, with Captain (Henry) A]ontresor, of the AJanly,and Captain (.Sainnul) Rol>erts, of the Meteor, under the coniinand of Captain Lockycr, of the Sophie, and sent them into Lac Burgne, in pursuit of tlie enemy, while the frij^ates, troo|).8hips, and smaller vessels, moved to the inmost an- chorage, each vessel proceeding on until she took the ground. " After an arduous row of 36 hours, Captaia Lockyer bad the good fortune to close with the flotilla, which be attacked with such juJgnient and determined bravery, that, notwithstanding their formidable force, their advantage of a chosen position, and their studied and deliberate pre- paration, he succeeded in cuptui ing the whole of these vesnels, iu so ser- viceable a state as to afford at once the most essential aid to the expe- dition. " For the particulars of this brilliant alTair. I refer their lordships to the accompanying copy of captain Lockyer's letter, detailing his proceedings, which I am fully aware their lordships will duly appreciate. " Captain Lockyer's conduct on this occasion, in which he has been severely wounded, and his long and active services as a commander, justly entitling him to their lordships' protection, and finding it expedient to place this flotilla collectively upon the establishment of a36.guu frigate, I have appointed him to the command thereof. " Captain Montresor, whom I have placed in the command of the gun- vessels, until Captain Lockyer's wounds will admit of his servuig, and Cap- tain Roberts, whom I have before had occasion to mention to their lord- ships, together with Lieutenants (James Barnwell i Tatnall and (William Oilbert) Roberts, of theTonnant, and the whole of the officers mentioned by Captain Lockyer, I trust, will not fail to meet their lordships' notice. " Our loss has been severe, particularly in offi'.ers ; but considering that this successful enterprise has given us the command of Lac Borgne, and i-onsiderably reduced our deficiency of transports, the efl'ort has answered my fullest expectations." (BKCLOBORE.) "H M. sloop Sophie, Cat hlmd Roadt, Dee. 16, 1814. ** Sir, — I beg leave to inform you, that iu pursuance of your orders, the boats of the squadron which you did me the honor to place under my command •, were formed into three divisions, and proceeded on the night of the 12tU instant, from the frigates' anchorage, in quest of the enemy's flotilla. *' After a very tedious row of 36 hours, during which the enemy ai- * 45 in number, altogether containing about 980 persons. ij 'm VOST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. tempted to escape from us, the wind fortunately obliged him to anchor nflf St. Joseph's island ; and nearing him on the morning of the 14th, I dis- covered his force to consist of five gun-vessels of the largest dimensions, which were moored in a line abreast, with springs on their cables, and boarding nettings triced up, evidently prepared for our reception. " Observing also, as we approached the flotilla, an armed sloop en- deavouring to join them. Captain Roberts, who volunteered to take her with part of his division, succeeded in cutting her off and capturing her without much opposition. " About 10 o'clock, having closed to within long gun-shot, I directed the boats to come to agrapr il, and the people to get their breakfasts. As soon as they had finished, we again took to our oars, and pulling up to the enemy against a strong current, running at the rate of nearly 3 miles an hour, exposed to a heavy and destructive fire of round and grape, about noon, I had the satisfaction of closing with the commodore, in the Seahorse's barge. " After several minutes obstinate resistance, in which the greater part of the officers and men in this boat were either killed or wounded, myself amongst the latter, severely, we succeeded in boarding ; and being seconded by the Seahorse's other biifgc, commanded by Mr. White, midshipman, and aided by the boats of the Tonnant, under Lieutenant Tatnall, we soon carried her, and turned her guns with good effect upon the remaining four. " During this time. Captain Montresor's division was making every possible exertion to close with the enemy, and with the assistance of the other boats, then joined by Captain Roberts, in about five mioutes we had possession of the whole of the flotilla. " I have to lament the loss of many of my brave companions, who glo- riously fell in this attack ; but considering the great strength of the ene- my's vessels, and their state of preparation, we have by no means suffered so severely as might have been expected. ' ; " I am under the greatest obligations to the officers, seamen, and marines, I had the honour to command on this occasion, to whose gal- lantry and exertions the service is indebted for the capture of these vessels; any comments of mine would fall short of the praise due to them .- I am especially indebted to Captains Montresor and Robcrt!>, for their advice and assistance ; they are entitled to more than I can say of them, and have my best thanks for the admirable style in which they pushed on v/ith their divisions to the capture of the remainder of the enemy's flotilla. '* In an expedition of this kind, where so many were concerned, and so much personal exertion and bravery was displayed, I find it impossible to particularize every individual who distinguished himself, and deserves to be well-spoken of ; but I feel it my duty to mention those whose behaviour fell immediately under my own eye. " Lieutenant George Pratt, second of the Seahorse, who commanded that ship's boats, and was in the same boat with mc, conducted himself % POST-CAPIAINS OV 1815. f^ to that adaiiration which I cannot sufficiently expresa ; in his attempt to {)oard the enemy he was several times severely wounded, and at last so dangerously, that f fear the service will he deprived of this gallant and promising young officer. " I cannot omit to mention also the conduct of Lieutenants Tatnall and Roberts, of the Tonnant, particularly the former, who, after having his boat sunk alongside, got into another, aiiK P0ST-CAPTAIN8 OF 1815. 9 third trip Lieutenant Money succeeded in taking off the last of her crew, &c. all of whom were thrown overboard when close to the Lively, and hauled up over the taffr^l by ropes fastened around them. The intrepid Lieutenant and his companions then regained the ship by similar means, and the joUy-boat was cut adrift, it being impossible to save her. From this period, we lose sight of Mr. Money until his promotion to the rank of Commander, Nov. 9, 1809. In April 1814, he received an appointment to the Trave 36, armed en flute, in which ship he conveyed part of the 4th regiment of infantry from the river Garonne to North Ame- rica, where he was soon engaged in a variety of important services, as will be seen by the following ofi&cial details : Renr-jidmiral Cochburn to the Hon. Sir Alexander 1. Cochrane^ K.B. dated off Mount Calvert, Aug. 22, 1814. " After parting; from you at Benedict, on the eveulng of the 20ih instant, I proceeded up the Patuxent with the boats and tenders, the marines of the ships being embarked in them, under the command of Captain John Robyns (the senior officer of that corps in the fleet), and the marine-artillery, under Captain Harrison, in their two tenders; the Severn and Hebrus frigates, and the Manly sloop, being directed to follow U3 up the river as far as might prove practicable. V " The boats and tenders 1 placed in three divisions : the first under the immediate command of Captains Thomas Ball Sulivan and Wiilium Stanhope Badcock ; the second under Captains Rowland Money and the Hon. Kenelm Somerville; the third under Captain Robert Ramsay; and the whole under the superintendence and immediate management of Captain Wainwright, of the Tonnant; Lieutenant James Scott, acting firnt of the Albion, attending as my aide-de-camp. " I endeavoured to keep with the boats and tenders as nearly as possible abreast of the army under Major-General Ross, that I might communicate with him as occasion offered, according to the plan previously arranged ; and about noon yesterday, 1 accordingly anchored at the ferry-house opposite Lower Marlborough, where I met the (General, and where the army halted for some hours { after which he marched for Nottingham, and I proceeded on for the same place with the boats. On our approaching that town, a few shot were exchanged between the leading boats and some of the enemy's cavalry ; but the appearance of our army advancing caused them to retire with precipitation. Captains Nourse and Palmer, of the Severn and Hebrus, joined nic this day with tlicir boats, having fouad it impracticable to get their ships higher than Benedict. 10 POST-CAPTAINS OK 1^15. " The Major-General remained with the army at Nottingham, and tlic boats and tenders continued off it during the niglit. Soon after duy-light, this morning, the whole moved again forward ; but the wind blowing down the river, the channel being excessively narrow, and tlie advance uf our tenders consequently slow, I judged it adviseuble to pusli on with tlie boats only, leaving the tenders tu follow as they could. " On approaching Pig Point, where the enemy's flotilla was said to be, I landed the marines under Captain Robyns on the left bau)< of the river, aud directed him to march round, aud attack, on tlie land side, the town situated on the point, to draw from us the attention of such troops as might be there for its defence and the support of the flotilla. I then proceeded on with the boats, and as we opened the reach above Pig Point, I plainly discovered Commodore Barney's broad pendant on the headmost vessel, a large sloop* and the remainder of the flotilla exteiuling in a long line astern of her. Our boats now advanced towards theui as rapidly as possible ; but on nearing them, we observed the vessel bearing the broad pendant to be on fire, and she very soon afterwards blew up. I now saw clearly that they were all abandoned, and on fire, with trains to their magazines ; and out of seven- teen vessels which composed this formidable and so much vaunted flotilla, sixteen were in quick succession blown to atoms, and the seventeenth, in which the fire had not taken effect, we captured. The Commodore's sloop was a large armed vessel ; all the others had a long gun in the bow, and acarronade in the stern. The calibre of the guns, and number of men belonging to each, differed in proportion to the size of the boat, varying from d3-poHndcrs and CO men to 18-pounders and 40 men. I found here, lying above the flotilla, under its protection, thirteen merchant schooners ; such as were not worth bringing away, I caused to be burnt ; and those in good condition to be moved to Pig Point. Whilst employed taking these vessels, a few shot were fired by some of the men of the flotilla from the bushes on the shore near us ; but Lieutenant Scott, whom I had landed for the purpose, soon got hold of them, and made them prisoners. Some horse- men likewise shewed themselves on the neighbouring heights, but a rocket or two dispersed them ; and Captain Robyns, who had obtained possession of Pig Point without resistance, now spreading his men through the country, the enemy retreated to a distance, and left us in quiet possession of the town, the neighbourhood, and our prizes. " A large quantity of tobacco having been found at Pig Point, Captain Robyns is left with the marines, and Captain Nourie with two divisions of the boats, to hold the town, and ship the tobacco h)t«> the priiei ; and I have moved back with the third division to this place, to enable me to confer, on our future operations, with the Mi^or-Oeneral, who has been good enough to send his dde-de-camp, to inform me of his safe arrival with the army under his command, at Upper Marlborough. ' " In congratulating you. Sir, which I do most sincerely, on the com- plete destruction of this flotilla of the enemy, which has lately occupied bo ■1 POST-CAFl'AINS OF 1815. 11 much of our attention, I must beg to be permitted to assure you, that the cheerful and indefatigable exertions, on this occasion, of Captains Wain- wright, Nourse, and Palmer, and of Captain Sulivan, the other commanders, officers, and men, in the boats you have placed under my orders, must justly entitle ihem to my warmest acknowledgments, and my earnest recommen- dation to your favourable notice." From the same to the same — dated off Nottingham, Aug. 27, 1814. "Agreeably to the intentions I notified to you in my letter of the 22 d instant, I proceeded by hind, on the morning of the 23d, to Upper Maribo- rough, to meet and confer with Major-General Ross as to our further oper- ations against the enemy ; and we were not long in agreeing on the propri- ety of making an immediate attempt on the city of Washington. "In conformity, therefore, with the wishes of the Major-General, I in- stantly sent orders for our marine and naval forces at Pig Puint to be forth- with moved over to Mount Calvert, and for the marine-artillery, and a pro- portion of the seamen, to be there landed, and with the utmost possible expedition to join the army, which I also most readily agreed to accom- pany. "The Major-General then made his dispositions, and arranged, that Captain Robyns, with the marines of the ships, should retain possession of Upper Marlborough, and that the marine-artillery and seamen should fol- low the army to the ground it was to occupy for the night. The army then moved on, and bivouacked before dark about five miles nearer Washington. " In the night, Captains Palmer and Money joined us with the seamen, and the marine-artillery under Captain Harrison. Captain Wainwright had accompanied me the day before, as had also Lieutenant Scott. " At daylight, on the morning of the 24th, the Major-General again put the army iu motion, directing his march upon Bladensburg ; on reaching which place with the advanced guard, the enemy was discovered drawn up in force on a rising ground beyond the town ; and by the fire he soon opened on us, as we entered the place, gave us to understand he was well protected by artillery. Major-General Ross, however, did not hesitate in immediately advancing to attack him, although our troops were almost exhausted with the fatigue of the march they had just made, and but a small proportion of our little army had yet got up. This dashing measure was, I am happy to add, crowned with the success it merited ; for, in spite of the galling fire of the enemy, our troops advanced steadily on both his flanks and in his front, and as soon as they got on even ground with him, he fled in every direction, leaving behind him ten pieces of cannon, and a considerable number of killed and wounded ; amongst the latter. Commodore Barney and several other officers : some other prisoners were also taken, though not many, owing to the swiftness with which the enemy went off, and the fatigues our army had previously undergone. " It would. Sir, b« deemed presumption iu me to attempt to give yuu I 'i I « I i (!! ! .|il ill 12 POST-CAPTAIN B OF 1816. partlcuiar details respecting the nature of this battle ; I shall, therefore, only remark generally, that the enemy, 80(X) strong, on ground he had chosen va best adapted for him to defend, where he had time to erect his batteries, and concert all his measures, was dislodged as soon us reached, and a victory gained over him by a division of the British army, not amount- ing to more than 1500 men, headed by our gallant Qenerai, whose brilliant achievement of this day it is beyond my power to do justice to, and indeed no possible comment could enhance. "The seamen with the guns were, to their great mortification, with the rear division during this short but decisive action : those, however, attached to the rocket-brigade were in the battle, and I remarked with much pleasure the precision with which the rockets were thrown by them, under the di- rection of First Lieutenant Lawrence, of the marine-artillery. Mr. Jere- miah M'Daniel, master's-mate of the Tonnant, a very fine young man, who was attached to this party, being severely wounded, I beg permission to re- commend him to your favourable notice. The company of marines I have on so many occasions had cause to mention to you, commanded by Lieu- tenant Stephens, was also in the action, as wer« the colonial marines, under the temporary command of Captain Reed, of the 6th West India regiment, and they respectively behaved with their accustomed zeal and bravery. None other of the naval department were fortunate enough to arrive up in time to take their share in this battle, excepting Captain Palmer* of the Hebrus, with his aide-de-camp, Mr. Arthur Wakefield, midshipman of that ship, and Lieutenant James Scott, who acted as my aide-de-camp, and re- mained with me during the whole time. " The contest being completely ended, and the enemy having retired from the field, the Miyor-General gave the army about two hours' rest, when he again moved forward on Washington : it was, however, dark before we reached that city; and on the General, myself, and some officers advancing a short way past the first houses thereof, unaccouipauied by the troops, the enemy opened upon us a heavy fire of musketry frum the capitol and two other buildings : these were, therefore, almost immediately stormed by our people, taken possession of, and set on fire; after which, the town submit- ted without further resistance. The enemy himself, on our entering the town, set fire to the navy yard (filled with naval stores), to a frigate of the - largest class, almost ready for launching, and to a sloop of war lying off it, as he also did to the fort which protected the sea-approach to Washington. On taking possession of the city, we likewise set fire to the President's )>a- lace, the treasury, and the war office ; and in the morning. Captain Wain- wright went with a party to see that the destruction in the navy yard was complete, when he destroyed whatever stores and buildings had escaped the flames of the preceding night. A large quantity of ammunition and ord- nance stores was also destroyed by us in the arsenal, as were about 200 pieces of artillery, as well us a vast quantity of small arms. Two rope- wa!ki, of a very extensive nature, full of tar-rope, &c. situated at a consider- POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. 13 able di^itance frbm the yard, were likewise set fire to an.l consumed. In short. Sir, I do not belierc a vestige of public property, or a store of any kind, wliicti could be converted to the use of the government, escaped des« truction : tlie bridges across tlie eastern branch of the Potowmac were also destroyed." When the British troops entered the President's house " they found a dinner-table spread, and covers laid for 40 guests. Several kinds of wine, in handsome cut-glass de- canters, were cooling on the side-board ; plate-holders stood by the fire-place, filled with dishes and plates ; knives, forks, and spoons were arranged for immediate use ; in short, every thing was ready for the entertainment of a ceremonious party. Such were the arrangements in the dining-room, whilst in the kitchen were others answerable to them in every respect. Spits loaded with joints of various sorts, turned before the fire ; pots, saucepans, and other culinary utensils, stood upon the grate j and all the requisites for an elegant and substan- tial repast were exactly in a state which indicated that they had been lately and precipitately abandoned. These prepa- rations were beheld, by a party of hungry soldiers, with no indifferent eye. An elegant dinner, even though consider- ably over-dressed, was a luxury to which few of them, at least for some time back, had been accustomed ; and which, after the dangers and fatigues of the day, appeared peculiarly invi- ting. They sat down to it, therefore, not indeed in the most orderly manner, but with countenances which would not have disgraced a party of aldermen at a civic feast ; and having satisfied their appetites with fewer complaints than would have probably escaped their rival gourmands, and partaken pretty freely of the wines, they finished by setting fire to the house which had so liberally entertained them*." , " This general devastation being completed during tlie day of the 35th, we marched again at 9 that night, on our return, by Bladenaburg, to Upper Marlborough. We arrived last evening at the latter place, without molestation of any sort ; and this morning moved on to Notting. ham, where I found H. M. sloop Manly, the tenders, aud the boats. • Narratwe of the Campq'tgiu at fFathitigton and New Orieant, by the nuthor of the Subaltern, 2A.e^\%.^AZQ(iX K(\. . . !:. \ U POST-CAPTAIMS OF 1815. " In closing my statement of the arduous and highly important opera- tions of this last week, I have a most pleasing duty to perform, in assurinjf you of the good conduct of the olGcers and men who have been serving under me. I am particularly indebted to Captain Wainwright of the Ton- nant, for the assistance he has invariably afforded me whilst on this ser- vice : to Captains Palmer and Money, for their exertions during the march to and from Washington ; and to Captain Nourse, who has commanded the flotilla during my al>sence : my acknowledgments are also most justly due to Captains Sulivan, Budcuck, Somerville, Ramsay, and Bruce, who have acted in it under him. Lieutenant James Scott, now first of the Albion, has on this occasion rendered me essential services ; and as I have had reason so often to mention to you the gallant and meritorious conduct of this officer, I trust you will permit me to seize this opportunity of recom- mending him particularly to your favorable notice and consideration. Cap- tain Robyns, who has had, during these operations, the marines of the ships united under his orders, has executed, ably and zealously, the several serviced with which he has been entrusted, and is entitled to my best acknowledgments accordingly ; as is also Captain Harrison, of the marine- artillery. Mr. James Dobie, surgeon of the Melpomene, volunteered his professional services an this occasion, and rendered much assistance to the wounded on the field of battle, as well as to many of the men taken ill on the line of march." The battle of Bladensburg, by which the fate of the Ame- rican capital was decided, began about one o'clock, and lasted till four p. m. The loss on the part of the English was severe ; Colonel Thornton, who commanded the light brigade ; Lieutenant-Colonel Wood, commanding the 85th regiment; and Major Brown, the leader of the advanced guard, were all severely wounded ; Major-General Ross had a horse shot under him, but he escaped without any per- sonal injury. The forces employed in the brilliant expedition against Washington, were re-embarked at Benedict, on the 30th August; and on the 6th Sept. the fleet under the command of Sir A. Cochrane weighed and stood towards the Chesapeake. The wind was fair, and the whole speedily cleared the Pa- tuxent ; but, instead of standing up the bay, as was gene- rally expected, the Vice-Admiral ran down a few miles be- low the mouth of that river, and there anchored. A signal was then made for all the ships and vesisela to send to Sir Alexander a return of the number of seamen whom, in ad- ■m it^i^' POST-CAPTAIIfS OP 1815. M (litioii to marines, they could land with email arms ; and it was ascertained that, besides the numbers necessary for con- veying stores and dragging guns, 600 sailors could be spared, thus enabling Major-General Ross, on his next debarkation, for the purpose of making a demonstration upon the city of Baltimore (which might be converted into a real attack, should circumstances appear to justify it), to bring into the field about 5000 fighting men. After quitting the Patuxent, Sir Alexander Cochrane entered the Potowmac river, and distracted the enemy's atten- tion by steering for several hours in the direction of Alex- andria. He then suddenly altered his course, ran down again to Chesapeake bay, and hastened, under a heavy press of sail, towards Baltimore. The object of this manoeuvring was evidently to deceive the Americans, and by keeping them in suspense as to the place threatened, to prevent them concentrating their forces, or throwing up works for its defence. On the 11th Sept. the armament came in sight of the projecting head-land, where it was intended to disem- bark the troops and naval brigade ; a division of the latter commanded by Captain Money. In a letter to Sir Alexander Cochrane, dated Sept. li>, 1814, Rear- Admiral Cockburn says: ,, ...,,,^ ■:,.<■■',,■ ^ k. •- ■ .■.M--^i' - : - ''•: " In furtherance of the instructions I had the honor to receive from you on the Uth instant, I landed at daylight of tlie 12th, with Major-General Ross, at a place we had previously fixed upon, near to North Point, at the entrance of the Patapsco ; and in conformity with his wishes, I deter- mined on remaining ashore, and accompanying the army, to render him every assistance within my power, during the contemplated movements and operations : therefore, as soon as our landing was completed, I directed Captain Nourse to advance up the river, with the frigates, sloops, and bomh-vessels, to bombard the fort, and threaten the water approach to Baltimore ; and I moved on with the army, and the seamen (under Captain Edward Crofton) attached to it, on the direct road leading to that town. " We had proceeded about 6 miles, without any other occurrence than taking prisoners a few light horsemen, when the Major-General and myself, being with the advanced guard, observed a division of the enemy posted at a turning of the road, extending into a wood on our left. A sharp fire was almost immediately opened upon us from it, and as quickly returned II Mil \'' 1 !! ' i I 16 P0ST-CAPTA1N3 OF 1815. with considerable effect by our advanced guard, which pressinff steajUly forward, soon obliged the enemy to run off with the utmost precipitation, leaving behind hiui several men killed and wounded ; but it w with the most heartfelt sorrow I have to add, that in this short and desultory ^Idrmish, my gallant and highly valued friend, the Major-Gencral, re- ceived a musket-ball through his arm into his breast, which proved fatal to him on his way to the water-side for re-embarkation. " Colonel Brook (of the 44th regiment), on whom the command of the army now devolved, having come up, the whole proceeded forward about two miles further, when we observed the enemy in force drawn up before us, apparently about 6000 or 7000 strong. On perceiving our army, he filed off into a large and extensive wood on his right, from which he commenced a cannonade on ns, drawing up his men behind a range of high palings, where he appeared determined to make his stand. " Our field- pieces answered his with evident advantage ; and so soon 03 Colonel Brouk had made the necessary dispositions, the attack was ordered, and executed in the highest style possible. The enemy opened his musketry on us from his whole line, immediately we approached within reach of it; and he kept up his fire till we entered the wood, when he gave way in every direction, and was chased by us a considerable dis- tance, with great slaughter, abandoning his post, and leaving all his wounded, and two guns, in our possession. " An advance of this description, against superior numbers of an enemy eo posted, could not be effected without loss : I have the honor to enclose a return of what has been suffered by those of the naval department act- ing with the army on this occasion*; and it is, Sir, with the greatest pride and pleasure I report to you, that the brigade of seamen with small arms, commanded by Captain Crofton, assisted by Captains Sulivan, Money, and Ramsay, the three senior commanders in the fleet, behaved with a gallantry and steadiness which wouhl have done honor to the ablest troops, and which attracted the admiration of the army. The seamen, under Mr. Jackson, master's mate of the Tonnant, attached to the rocket brigade, behaved also with equal skill and bravery. The marines landed from the ships, and commanded by Captain Robyns, displayed their usual gallantry. "The night being fast approaching, and the troops much fatigued. Colonel Brook determined to remain for the night on the field of battle ; and on the morning of the 1 3th, leaving a small guard to collect and protect the wounded, we again moved forward towards Baltiniure, on ap- proaching which it was found to be defended by extremely strong works * Total, 31 killed, 1 missing, and 48, including Lieutenant Sampson Marshal], of the Diadem (dangerously). Captain Robyns, R.M. (severely), and Mr. C. Ogle, tnidshipman of the Tonnant, wounded. i1 ' T»OST-CAI'TAl>f« OF J8!5. 17 on every side, an'l immediatety in front of us l)y an extensive hill, on which wait an entrenched camp, and great quantities of artillery. The informa- tion we collected, added to what we oh;served, gave us to hciicve, tliat there were at least within their works from 15,000 to 20,000 men. Co- lonel Brook lost no time in reconnoitring their defences ; after which he made his arrangements for storming, during the ensuing night, with hiti gallant little army, the entrenclied camp in our front, notwithstanding all the difficulties which it presented. The subsequent communications which we opened with you, however, induced him to relinquish the idea*. Yesterday morning, the army retired leisurely towards the place where it had disem- barked, and where it arrived this morning, without suffering the sliglitest molestation from the enemy, who, in spite of his superiority of numbers, did not even venture to look at us during this slow and delil)erate retreat. " I have now only to inform you of my entire satisfaction and approl)ation of the conduct of every officer and man employed under me during the oper- ations detailed above ; and to express to you how particularly I consider myself indebted to Captain Crofton,for the gallantry, ability, and zeal with which he led on the brigade of seamen in the action of the 12th, and exe- cuted all the other services with which he has been entrusted since our landing; to Captain White of the Albion (acting), who attended me as my aide-de-camp the whole time, and rendered me every possible assistance ; to Captain Sulivan, Money, and Ramsay, who commanded divisions of the brigade of seamen ; and to Lieutenant James Scott, whom I have had such frequent cause to mention to you on former occasions, and who, in the bat- tle of the 12th, commanded a division of seamen, and behaved most gallantly, occasionally also acting as an aide-de-camp to myself. Captain Robyns, who commanded the marines of the fleet, I also neg to recommend to your favourable notice and consideration ; as well as Lieutenant George Con- stantine Urmston of the All)ion> whom I placed in command of the smaller boats, to endeavour to keep up a communication between the army and navy, which he effected by great perseverance, and thereby rendered us most essential service. In short. Sir, every individual seemed animated with equal anxiety to distinguish himself by good conduct on this occasion ; aod I trust therefore, the whole will be deemed worthy of approbation." Marching over the field, where the battle of the 12th had been fouglit, the author of the " Subaltern'* saw Beveral men * No effectual support could be given to the land force by the navy afloat ; for such was the shallowness of the river, that none except the very light- est craft could make their way within six miles of the town ; and even these were stopped by vessels sunk in the channel, and other artificial bars, bare- ly within a shell's longest range of the left of the American army, which extended to a fort, built upon the brink of the river, by silencing which the flank of the enemy's position would have been turned. SUPPL. PART IV. C I l[ c^ IB POST CAPTAINS OF 1815, *' hanging lifeless among the branches of trees, and learnt that, they had been riflemen, who chose, during the combat, to fix themselves in these elevated situations, for the combined pur- poses of securing a good aim, and avoiding danger. What- ever might have been their success in the first of these designs, in the lust they failed ; for the British soon discovered them, and considering the thing as unfair^ refused to give them quarter, and shot them on their perches." The disastrous result of an attempt to gain possession of the enemy's lines near New Orleans, on the 8th Jan. 1815, has been stated at p. 638. et seq. of Vol. I. Part II. Sir Alex- ander Cochrane, in the despatches which he forwarded to the Admiralty, on that occasion, says : " The 85th re(riment, >vith a division of seamen under Captain Money, and a division of marines under Major Adair, tlie whole amounting to about 600 men, commanded by Colonel Thornton, of the 85th, were embarked, and landed on the right bank of the Mississipi, without opposition, just after day-light ; and the armed boats moving up the river as the corps ad- vanced, this part of the operation succeeded perfectly, the eijemy having; been driven from every position, leaving behind him 1 7 pieces of cannon.'* On stepping ashore, the first thing Colonel Thornton and his colleagues beheld was a rocket, thrown up as a signal that the main attack was begun. This added wings to their speed. Forming in one little column, and pushing forward a single company as an advanced guard, they hastened on, and, in half an hour, reached a canal, along the opposite bank of which a detachment of Americans was drawn up. To dislodge them was but the work of a moment ; a boat with a carronade in her bow, got upon their flank, and gave them a single dis- . charge of grape, while the advanced guard extended its ranks, and approached at double quick time. But the enemy scarcely waited till the latter came within range : — firing a volley, they fled in confusion. This, however, was only an outpost. The main body was some way in rear, and amounted to no fewer thaq 1500 men. It was not long before they also presented themselves. Like their countrymen on the other side, they were strongly entrench'^ [I ; a thick parget with a ditch covering their front, i of caDnou." 1»0ST-CAPTAIN9 OF I8l5. \fUi\e fL battery upon their left swept: t))^ w)^oIe position. And two field-pieces coinn»a»ded the rua(|. Of artillery, the as- sailants possessed not a single pipce ; nor any mean^, beyond what nature gave, of scaling the rampart. Yet, nothing daunted by the obstacles before them, or by the immense odds to which they were opposed, dinpositions for an imme- diate attack wfire niadc Thp 86th, extending its files, stretch- ed across the entire line of the enemy j the sailors in column prepared to storm the battery, while the marines remained $ome little way behind the centre, as a reserve. ■ These arrangements being completed, the bugle sounded, ^nd our brave fellows advanced. The sailors, raising a shout, rushed forward, but were met by so heavy a discharge of gr^pe and cannister, that for an instant they paused. Reco- vering themselves, however, they again pushed on ; and the 85th dashing forward to their aid, they received a heavy fire of musketry, and endeavoured to charge. A smart firing was now for a few minutes kept up on both sides; but tlie British had ^o time to waste in distant fighting, and accordingly hur- ried on to storm the works ; upon which a panii; seized the Yankees, they lost their ord^r, and fled. vm^-T- '; V ."■■■.'„ t < ' ♦• I am much concerned," adds Sir Alexander Cochrane, " to say, that Captgja Money had both bones of his leg broken by a nuisket-shot, ad- vaneu)/jr under a heavy fire to tlie attack of a battery that was afterwards carried. T/ie conduct of Captain Monet/ at fTdshbigton ttndtiear Baltimore^ where he was employed with the army, having before occasioned me to men- tion him to their Lordships, I heg leave now to recommend him most strong- ly to their protection. The wound that he has received not affording him any probability of his being ahle to return to his duty for a considerable time, I have given hhn leave ofubtenceto goto England, and shall intrust to him my despatches." Captain Money's post commission bears date Mar. 29, 1815: he obtained a pension of 250/. per annum, Feb. 16, 1816 j and was appointed Inspecting Commander of the Coast Guard, for the prevention of smuggling, in the Isle of Wight, about Mar. 1822. " This distinguished officer married, Sept. 13, 1805, Maria, daughter of the late William Money, of Walthamstow, Essex, Esq. and sister to William Taylor Money, Esq. his Majesty's c2 1li i i li \ ' \ I'M - 11! ■ il H^ POST-CAPTAINS OF 1816. Consul-General in Austria^ late M . P. for 5t. Michael, Corn- wall, and a Director of the East India Company. Agents,'— lSlie^%x&. Stilwell. HENRY MONTRESOR, Esq. ' A Companion of the Most Honorable Military Order of the Bath. We first find this officer serving as senior lieutenant of the Revenge 74, Captain Alexander Robert Kerr, at the at- tack of a French squadron in Aix roads, April 11 and 12, 1809*. A commander's commission, bearing the former date, was conferred upon him, as a reward for his gallantry in conducting a fire- vessel on that memorable occasion. In Aug. 1811, Captain Montresor was appointed to the Helena sloop ; and in the following year he accompanied a fleet of merchantmen from Cork to the Leeward Islands, where, in conjunction with Captain Thomas Fellowes, of the Fawn, he received che thanks of their commanders " for his very great attention to them during the voyage." Captain Montresor's next appointments were, in 1814, to the Rover of 16 guns, and Manly 12, from which latter vessel he was removed, by Sir Alexander Cochrane, to the temporary command of a flotilla which he had bravely as- sisted in capturing, near St. Joseph's island, Lac Borgne, during the expedition against New Orleans f. He was no- minated a C. B. June 4, 1815 ; promoted to post rank on the 13th of the same month ; and appointed to the Charwell 20, stationed on Lake Ontario, June 26, 1816. He is now, we believe, an inspector of the naval force in Canada, under Commissioner Barric, C. B. i4^cw^— Sir Francis M. Ommanney. m; . • Sec Siippl. Purl I. p. 40, ct teq* t See pp. 4—7. A. POST- CAPTAINS OF 1815^ I JOHN SHERIDAN, Esq. Receivbd his first commission at the close of the French revolutionary war, and was senior lieutenant of the Merlin sloop, Captain Edward Pelham Brenton, in several skirmishes with the enemy's flotilla and land batteries, near Havre, after the renewal of hostilities, in 1803 *. We subsequently find him in the Bellerophon 74, Captain Samuel Warren, on the Baltic station, where he assisted at the capture of a Russian land battery, mounting 4 long 24-pounders, and garrisoned by 103 men, June 19, 1809 f. On the 7th of the following month, he behaved with distinguished bravery, in a success- ful attack made upon a valuable convoy, near Percola point, on the coast of Finland :|;. His commission as commander bears date Nov. 27, 1810. On the 4th Oct. 1813, Captain Sheridan was appointed to the Terror bomb, in which vessel he appears to have been engaged with the American batteries near Baltimore, during the advance of the British army, under Colonel Brook, Aug. 13, 1814 §. He also assisted at the capture of St. Mary's, the frontier town of the state of Georgia, Jan. 14, 1815 II . His promotion to post rank took place June 1 3th following, at which period he was acting as captain of the Levant 20. Sir henry LORAINE BAKER, Bart. A Companion of the Mott Honorable Military Order of the Bath. Eldest surviving son of the late Sir Robert Baker, Bart, of Upper Dunstable House, co. Surrey, by Diana, daughter and sole heiress of George Hayley, Esq. an alderman of London^ and M. P. for that city. • See Suppl. Part. I. p. 419. f See Comtnamler Robkrt Pilch. X 8ee Suppl. Purt III. p. 369, et aeq. § Sue p. 16. II See Vol. II. Part I f . pp. 734, m, et #ry. m IKI posT-cAi»rAi*i OF 1815. This officer was born Jan. 3, 1787 ; and made lieutenant Oct. 18, 1804. On the 14th Feb. 1807, he assisted in storm- ing the fort of Samana, near Cape Raphael, St. DomingOj the performance of which service lias been recorded in our se- cond volume, p. 973. His commission as commander bears date Aprils, 1811; and was conferred upon him for his gallant conduct at the defence of Anholt, on the 27th of the preceding month *. In Oct. 18l^, he received an appoint- ment to the Conflict brig, from which vessel he was re- moved to the Fairy of 16 guns, on the North American station. Mar. 18, 1814. The latter slcop formed part of the squadron employed in the Potowmac river, under the orders of Captain (now Sir James Alexander) Gordon, between Aug. 31 and Sept. 6, 1814 f. She also assisted at the reduction of Guadaloupe, in Aug. 1815 J. .^,, Captain Baker's promotion to post rank took place June 13, 1815. He married, in 1820, Louisa Anna> daughter of William Williams, Esq., a London banker, and M. P. for Weymouth. Agents. — Messrs. Chards. : ' ■ .,-, ;,, GEORGE WILLIAM HUGHES D'AETII, Esq. Was made Lieutenant Jan. 30, 1806 j Commander, Aug. 16,1811; and PoBt-Captain, June 13, 1815. He married, July 20, 1816, Harriet, third daughter of the late Sir E. Knatchbull, Bart. M. P. for the county of Kent. jigents. — Messrs. Cooke, Halford, and Son. ^f.t • Sec Suppl. Pun I. pp. 44C)—4bO. t See Vol. If. Part II. p. VAH, et seq. \ See Vol. I. Purt II. p. 451, and note at p. M\). > * ^- li f{f| .1 I J'r • •« 4 »". tl POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. lieutenant d in storm- )mingOithe in our se- ander bears itn for his ^tii of the an appoint- le was re- . American mployed in 1 (now Sir tid Sept. 6, iruadaloupe, place June daughter of I M. P. for '. .- :r;\ ■■' iu i.il i i'.^v i ITI, Esq. mder, Aug. le married, ate Sir E. -r, 1;^ I-. ., ^ i ROBERT RAMSAY, Esq. j4 CinnpnHion of the Mott Honorable Hfilitarff Order «/ the Bath, Obtainkd the fank of Lieutenant, Jan, 8, 1799; was made Commander, Feb. 1, 1812 ; and appointed to the Regulus 44, armed enjliite, Oct. 29, 1613. The principal services in which he was afterwards engaged have been fully detailed at pp. 9 — 18. His post commission bears date June 13,1815. Agents. — Messrs. Barnett and King. JOHN CHARLES GAWEN ROBERTS, Esq. Is a son of William Roberts, Esq., late a captain in the 2d or Queen 'fi regiment of dragoon guards, by Sarah Gawen, of Salisbury, whose family, for many generations, possessed considerable estates in Wiltshire. His paternal ancestors were related to the former Earls of Radnor, and long settled in Yorkshire, from whence his grandfather emigrated to Poland, v^'here he formed a noble alliance, and had several children *. Mr. John C.G. Roberts was born at Salisbury, co. Wilts, Aug. 25, 1787 ; and brought into the royal navy at a very early age, by his maternal uitcle, Lieutenant Jeflfery Gawen; but under the patroniige of that inestimable and much la- mented nobleman, the late Earl of Pembroke, K. G.f After serving the necessary time as midshipman, on board the Dreadnought 98, Captain James Vashon, and Naiad frigate, successively commandeil by Captains James Wallis • The eMest son, m well m this ofRcer'a fatlM^i*, entered tlie British scN vice, and hrhi a comnuiisinn in tlie royal horae-fuards. The formdr earidotii of Rwhior became extinct in 17^7- t Lieutenant Gatvcn has recently retired with the rani< of commander. Particular mention is made of the great antiquity of his family in Sir Richard Coll Hoare's " j0ncient f^iUtkirtV 34 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. and Thomas Dundas, he passed his examination In 1805, and was immediately appointed a sub-lieutenant. On the 12th Oct. in the same year, a commission was signed by the Admiralty, appointing him to the Pompee 74, Captain Richard Dacres, in which ship he was present during the whole of the arduous and important services she performed whilst bearing the flag of Sir W. Sidney Smith, on the Me- diterranean station. The defence of Gaetaj the reduction of Capri, on which occasion he commanded a division of the storming party j the attack of fort Licosa, in which affair the Pompee sustained a loss of 42 killed and wounded j the disarming of the coasts of Naples and Calabria, from the gulf of Salerno to Scylla; the destruction of a Turkish Squadron, during the memorable expedition against Constan- tinople, &c. &c. have already been mentioned in our first and succeeding volumes. We have likewise stated that the Pompde bore the flag of Vice -Admiral Stanhope, in the grand armament sent against Copenhagen ; and we should here" add, that her boats, under Lieutenant Roberts and his brother oflBcers, were constantly employed in repelling the attacks made by the Danish flotilla on the left wing of the British army. Lieutenant Roberts subsequently joined the Foudroyant 80, Sir W. Sidney Smith's flag-ship, on the South American station, from whence he returned to England with that dis- tinguished officer, in the Diana frigate, Aug. 7> 1809. His next appointment was to the Shearwater brig. Captain Ed- ward Reynolds Sibly; and he appears to have been first lieutenant of that vessel, when she effected her escape from a division of the Toulon fleet, July 20, 1810*. He was shortly afterwards removed, at the particular request of Sir Samuel Hood, into the Hibernia 120; and on that lamented officer's departure from the Mediterranean, in consequence of his nomination to the chief command in India, we find him joining the Centaur 74, Captain J. C.White ; of which •hip he was senior lieutenant during her active co-operation i • Sm Suppl. 111. p. 240. P05T-CAPTAINS OP 1815. 25 3 I with the Spanish patriots, on the coasts of Valencia and Catalonia. After the fall of Tarragona, to the storming of which place he was an eye-witness *, Lieutenant Roberts joined the flo- tilla employed in the defence of Cadiz, where he remained until his promotion to the command of the Merope brig, July 23, 1812. He then returned to the east coast of Spain, and continued there, under the orders of Rear- Admiral Hal- lowell, until the peace with France, in 1814. The important services performed by the squadron of which he formed a part were thus officially acknowledged. "H. M. S. Malta, ofBalaguer, 19/A June, 1813. " Sir, — The ardour with which the captains, officers, and men of all descriptions of the squadron under uiy command, engaged in co-operation with the army upon the coast of Catalonia, and the indefatigable zeal and cheerfulness with which they performed the laborious duties that fell to their province, have been so conspicuous, as to entitle them to the highest praise on my part. " That greater advantages to the public cause did not result is to be lamented, but ought not, and will not, I trust, discourage in the smallest degree further exertions. It is yet early in the campaign, and further operations are projected, wherein the same unwearied perseverance, the same alacrity, and cordial co-operation with the army, will have happier effects, I hope, and be crowned with complete success. " I therefore request that you will express to the officers and company of H. M. sloop under your command, my grateful sense of their recent exertions, and my confidence in the continuance of them, whenever the opportunity shall be given. " Vice- Admiral Sir Edward Pellew, the commander-in-chief, having, moreover, consigned to me the pleasing task of communicating his public thanks for the promptness and fidelity with which my orders have been uniformly executed, by all ranks in the squadron, I have great satis- faction in signifying his sincere acknowledgments of the meritorious con- duct of yourself, your officers, and ship's company, on the present service (of which he has received abundant testimony) ; and I ttm to request that you will make this known to them accordingly. I have the honor to be, &c. (Signed) *' Bbn. HallowelIi." •• To Captain Rohertt, H. M, Sloop Merope:* * Soc Vol. II. Part I. p. 225 ei »eq. 26 POST-CAPTAINS OF IBlJ. 1 !■ I ' > ..... ... . . «• //. M. Skip fnvlnvible. Saloti Bay, 21if jui^, 1813. ''general memorandum. " Captain Adam has it in command from Vice-Admird Sir Ed<\'ard Pellew, Bart., commander-in-cltief of H. M. ships in the Mediterranean, to express to the captains, officers, and men of tlie detachment serving tipon the coast of Catalonia, his sincere thanks and approbation of their conduct during the recent service at Tarragona, and the Coll de Balaguer, itt co-operation with the army. Their zealous exertions we^e most con- spicuous. Captain Adam is happy to have an opportunity of expressing his most grateful thanks for their exertions ; and requests the captains and commanders will make kuv.vn to their officers and men, the high approbation of the commander-in-chief. (Sigiied) •• Charles Adam." " To the retptctiVi Captaiits and Commanders on the Coast of Catalonia.** " H. M. Ship Malta, at Sea, 27th April, 1814. "OElfBRAL MEMORANDtlM. " ilear-Adrairal Hallowell has great pleasure in transinitting to the captains, officers, seamen, and royal marines of the squadron lately era- ployed under his directions, an extract from the general orders issued by Lieutenant-General Clinton, commander of Uie forces, on the breaking up of th« army from the blockade of Barcelona, a copy of which was ^hchraed to him by the Lieutenant-General. Itie R^af- Admiral begs leave to express in the strMgest terms, the high sense he entertains of the nterita of the diflfer^nt offiwrs and men serving imtler him, and he iequests they will accept his unfeigned thanks and acknowledgments fof the cordial and tealous sttppoit they have affbrded hitn, in the cjcecntion of the va- rious duties they have hwl to perfofm, dnt-ing the whole time of their emphJy'ttoent en the coast of Catalonia. (Signed) "Beh. Hallowell." " iV the rtipei^ve Captains and ComtnanSets of H.M. Ships and Fessels." • ' (enclosure.) "Itead Quarters, Molins del Rey,' April \4th,'\^\i. " In like manner the Lieutenant-General is particularly desirous of taking this opportunity of publicly expressing the high sense he has of the great advantages deHved to the public service from the hearty co- operation there has been on the part of Rear-Admiral Hallowell, and the squadron under h'.s command, upon which the operations, and almost the very existence of this army have materially depended. It is impossible to say too much of ihe energy, the ftcTlvity, Or the judicious mimagemeut, evinced by the P''ar-Admiral on all occasions; while animJ>N ! iy his example, every individuu! under his commaud, whether of the men of war, or of the transport ships, have seemed to vie with each other in forwarding I!'' POST-CAPTAIiiS OF 181.5. 27 SB Adam.** the puMic service to the utmost, ai^d in endcavourini? by every obliging considerate attention, to convenience the situation of individual officers and men, whenever tlie circumstances of the moment have put it in tlieir power to aflford their disinteresteil and truly hospitable assistance. (Signed) "Thob. Molloy, Assistant-Adjutant-General." Ill April, 1814, Captain Roberts was removed to the Pylades, ship-sloop, and sent direct from the Mediterranean to North America. In Sept. following, while cruising off the entrance of the bay of Fundy, he recaptured, with his boats, after some considerable resistance, a fine teak-built ship called the Betsy, of 600 tons, with a cargo of spices, which had been taken on the coast of Sumatra, by an Ame- rican privateer : in this affair Captain Roberts and 2 of his men were wounded. The Pylades subsequently joined company with Rear- Admiral Hotham, off New London ; and Captain Roberts was entrusted by that officer with the blockade of Newport, Rhode Island, on which coast he captured and destroyed many of the enemy's vessels. After the conclusion of hos- tilities between Great Britain and the United States, he was sent with despatches to Cumberland Island, and ordered from thence to the West Indies. His post commission bears date June 13, 1815. Since the general peace> Captain Roberts was under the painful necessity of quitting England, and seeking an asylum abroad, in consequence of a very heavy pecuniary demand having been made on him by the proprietors of a Spanish vessel that he seized, under very peculiar circumstances, in 1812 ; and but for the kind consideration of the Board of Admiralty, in unison with the strenuous and unremitting exertions of his early and constant friend, the Erarl of Pem- broke (who died in 1827), he must ever have remained an exile from his native country. ^is officer married. May 31, 1817, Charlotte, eldest daughter of the late Lord Chief Justice Dallas, and niece to Sir George Dallas, Bart. He has issue two sons and one daughter. His only bfothet, William Gilbert Foberts, Esq. is R Commander, R. N. .,, .: i,/ , • 28 POST- CAPTAINS OP 1815, I ! li SAMUEL ROBERTS, Esq. ;;: ] A Companion of the Moat Honorable Military Order of the Bath. This officer is a native of Waterford, in Ireland. He entered the naval service at an early age, and was a midship- man of the Anson frigate, Captain Philip Charles Durham, in Sir John B. Warren's action with Mons. Bompart, and at the capture of la Loire, Oct. 12 and 18, 1798 *. Mr. Roberts subsequently joined la Volage 24, Captain the Hon. Philip Wodehouse, under whose command he pro- ceeded to the Jamaica station, where he assisted in cutting out many of the enemy's vessels ; but at length had the mis- fortune to be severely wounded and taken prisoner. We next find him serving on board Sir John T. Duckworth's flag-ship, the Leviathan 7 A, during the peace of Amiens. Immediately after the renewal of hostilities, he was placed by that officer under Captain Edmund Boger, of the Echo sloop of war. In 1804, he assisted at the capture of a French transport, full of troops ; and a privateer, mounting 16 guns, with a complement of 50 men f . Five well-armed vessels, having on board 250 soldiers, were also captured by a single boat under his command, containing no more than 13 men, with cutlasses, muskets, and pistols. On another occasion, having been accidentally left ashore at Jamaica, and observing a privateer take possession of the Dorothy Foster, a valuable West India trader, he immediately embarked with some volunteer seamen in another merchant vessel, pursued the enemy, and, after an obstinate conflict, compelled him to surrender his prey. For this exploit he was rewarded with an order to act as lieutenant of the Echo. ' Captain Boger subsequently gave Mr. Roberts the com- mand of a tender, mounting one 12-pounder carronade and two 2~pounders, with a crew consisting of 21 men j direct- • See Vol. I. pp. 171 and 452. t See Suppl. Part I. p. 166 et teq. POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. m ing him to look out for and endeavour to detain some Spaniards about to sail from the Havannah for Europe. He shortly afterwards fell in with two vessels, one of 12 guns and 60 men, the other carrying 8 guns and 40 men ; their superiority in force was not greater than what thej' possessed in sailing ; determined, however, to defend his little craft un- til the last extremity, he fought them for half-an-hour, and did not yield until she began to sink, taking with her to the bottom the whole of the killed and wounded. For several months from that period, Mr. Roberts was imprisoned in a damp dungeon, treated in the harshest manner, and kept destitute of the most common necessaries of life. On recovering his liberty, he was again received by his friend. Sir John T. Duckworth, with whom he returned to England, in a very deplorable state of health, as passenger on board the Acasta frigate *. We have already stated, that he was a volunteer under Lieutenant (now Sir Nisbet Josiah) Willoughby, when that heroic officer conceived the idea of cutting out a Spanish corvette from the harbour of St. Martha \, His first com- mission bears date May 22, 1806. We next find Mr. Roberts serving as lieutenant of the Unicorn frigate, Captain Lucius Hardyman ; and command- ing a detachment of 50 seamen, at the capture of Monte Video J, on which occasion he rendered important aid to the right column of the assailants, by scaling the walls of the town, near the north gate, and helping to force it open from within. After his return from South America, Mr. Roberts became senior lieutenant of the Unicorn, in which capacity he assisted at the destruction of la Ville de Varsovie, French 80, and her consorts, in Aix roads, April 12, 1809 §. He subse- quently removed, with Captain Hardyman, to the Armide 38, and commanded her boats at the capture and destruction of 15 of the enemy's coasting vessels, near Rochelle, in Jan. and Feb. 181011. • See Vol. I. Part II. p. 794. f See Suppl. Part II. p. 128. X Sec Vol. I. Part I. p. 406 et aeq. § See id. p. 84. II See Suppl. Part II. p. 444 et teq, ' ' 30 rOBT-CAPTMNS OP 1816. Early on the morning of May 4 following, tl^e Ijioats of th?- Armide, assisted by those of the Cadmus sloop^ and Monkey 4nd Daring gqnrbrigs, the whole under the directions of Lieutenant Roberts, made (in attack upon a convoy at the Isle of Rhe, defended by batteries on shore, two armed luggers, and several pinnaces. Although the enemy were well prepared to receive them, our brave fellows boarded J^nd took possession of 1/ sail ; but the wind unfortunately veered round from the northward to £, S. £. and blowing fresh into the anchorage, with a floodrtide, rendered abortive every attempt to bring them out ; 13 were consequently burnt, and the others left on shore. In the performance of this dashing service, the British had 3 killed and 3 severely wounded ; all belonging to the Armide. One of the slain was ^eutenant P. S. Townley, a gallant and very promising youpg ofl^cer. > Eavly in 1812, Mr. lioberts was applied for by the late Admiral Sir WiUip.m Young, under whom he served ;.s first lieutenant of the Impregnable 98, on the North 3ea station, until his promotion tp the rank of commander, Dec. 6, 1813 ; at which period he had not seen a relation for J 7 years. On the 19th Feb, 1814, Captain Roberts was appointed to the Meteor bomh ; and in that vessel hl^ accompanied a de- tachment of British troops, under Major-General Ros^, from the Garonne to North America, where he %;^ain (listinguishe4 himself on many occasions, particularly during the expe- ditions against Alexandria*, Baltimore, and New Orleans f. He was nominated a C. B. June 4, 1815 ; advanced to post rank on the 13th of the same month ; appointed to the Tay 26, in Jan. 1816; wrecked \n the gulf of Me:^ico, Nov. U following ; and fully acquitted of all blame for the loss of that ship, by a coprt-marti^ held fit Jamaica, in March, 1817. Some time after his return to England, Captain Roberts was entertained at the Commercial Hotel, VVaterford, by a numerous and most respectable assemblage of hjs fellow- citizens, who were desirous to manifest their sense of his ju; See Vol. 11. Pftft |I. pp, 94.1— 94p, t See p. 5 et leq. ^ats of the- td Monkey rectiuns of ivoy {^t the Iwo armed lemy were warded {(nd ^ply veered kving fresh rtive every burnt, and lis dashhig wounded ; Lieutenant » qfl^cer. y the late ed :.s first ea station, :. 6, 1813 ; ears. pointed to nied a de> los^, froiu ingu|sbe4 he expe- Drleans f . to post a thp Tay Nov. U lops of n March, ) Roberta )rd, by a J fellow e of his ft leq. POST- CAPTAINS OF 1815. ^| merit, and of the services which he had rendered to his country, by a public testimony of approbation. In the course of the convivial day, it was stated by the chairman, Thomas King, Esq. that their respected guest had fought the enemies of Great Britain, on fifty-three occasions *. This officer's last appointment was, Jan. 31, 1823, to the Egeria 24; in which ship he brought home Mr. Morier, late British Commissioner in Mexico, and a quantity of cochineal and specie, from Vera Cruz and the Havaimah, July 13, 1825. Asents. — Messrs. Maude & Co, ; > o : DAVID PRICE, Esq. Is descended from the Prices, of Bulch Trebanne, co. Carmarthen, a property long in their possession ; and, ma- ternally, from the Powells, of Abersenny, in Brecknock- shire. ..... - . He entered the royal navy, at the early age of eleven years, as midshipman on board ihe Ardent 64, Captain Thomas Bertie, which ship formed part of Lord Nelson's division at the battle off Copenhagen, April 2, 1801 f > ^"d on that oc- casion suffered very severely in her hull, masts, sails, and rigging, besides sustaining a loss of 93 men killed and wounded, exclusive of about 40 others who received slight hurts and contusions. This sanguinary conflict touk place in tlie second month of his professional career. The Ardent was paid off in the spring of 1802; and Mr. Price soon afterwards joined the Blenheim 74, then stationed as a guard-ship at Portsmouth, but subsequently bearing the broad pendant of th? late Sir Samuel Hood; under whom he also served in the Centaur 74, on the Leeward Islands' station. Previous to that officer's departure from the West Indies, Mr. Price was lent, for short periods, to the Osprey and St. Lucia, sloops of war. He afterwards • Nav. Cliron. t. 40, p. 259. t See Vol. I. p. 384. 32 POST-CAPTAINS OF J 81 5. nerved with Captain Murray Maxwell, in the Centaur, Ga- latea, and Hyaena, which latter frigate escorted home a fleet of merchantmen, in Nov. 1805. On his arrival in England, he again joined the Centaur, and was signal midshipman of that ship at the capture of four large French frigates, full of troops, after a smart action, Sept. 23, 1806*. Towards the end of 1806, Sir Samuel Hood received orders to join a secret expedition at the Cape Verd Islands, but which sailed from thence previous to his arrival. He sub- sequently cruised, with a squadron under his orders, be- tween Madeira and the Canaries. In the summer of 1807, he was appointed to a command in the grand armament destined to act against the Danish capital, off which he first hoisted his flag, as Rear-Admiral, on the 18th Oct. fol- lowing. During the bombardment of Copenhagen, Mr. Price was principally employed in the Centaur's guard-boats, prevent- ing the arrival of supplies for the besieged, from the Baltic side: after the submission of the Danes, he assisted in equipping, and bringing to England, the Norge 74. At the close of the same year, he witnessed the occupation of Ma- deira, by a naval and military force under Sir Samuel Hood and Major-General Beresford. The destruction of a Russian 74, by the Centaur and Implacable, at the entrance of Ro- gerswick harbour, Aug. 26, 1808, has been fully described at p. 649 et seq. of Vol. II. Part. II. Some time previous to the latter event, Mr. Price and another midshipman f were sent in one of the Centaur's cutters, commanded by Lieutenant James Shea, to cut off a Danish despatch boat, then endeavouring to pass the isle of Moen, on her way from Copenhagen to Bornholm. Finding it impossible to escape by sea, the enemy pushed on shore under a high clifl^, where a body of troops was posted, with several pieces of cannon. As the cutter approached, the Danes opened a heavy fire; and, just as she touched the 1 ' 1 • See Vol. I. Part. If. p. 570 et seq., and Suppl. Part II. p. 417. t The present Captain Walcott. POST-CAPTAINS OP 1815. 33 itaur, Ga- 3me a fleet II England, shipman of iites, full of ived orders slands, but , He sub- orders, be- ler of 1807, armament lich he first h Oct. fol- '. Price was tH, prevent- 1 the Baltic assisted in 74. At the ion of Ma- imuel Hood >f a Russian nee of Ro- y described Price and i Centaur's to cut off the isle of . Finding on shore sted, with ached, the uched the p. 417. beach, Lieutenant Shea fell mortally wounded. The object of pursuit, however, was gallantly secured and tewed off by the two midshipmen, one of whom, Mr. Price, was struck in the hand by a spent musket-ball, after cutting the rope which secured her to the shore. The Centaur's return home, for the winter season, fifforded Mr. Price an opportunity of passing his examination; and in April, 1809, bir Samuel Hood appointed him acting lieutenant of the same ship in which he had first embarked as a mid- shipman. The Ardent was then at Gottenburg, commanded by Cap- tain Robert Honyman, and about to be stationed in the Great Belt, for the protection of our Baltic trade. While thus employed, her boats were frequently detached, and often engaged with the enemy's flotilla. On one occasion, Mr. Price was sent with a small party to procure wood and water at the island of Ronsoe, but unfortunately, 300 Danes had arrived there the night before, and by concealing them- selves until after he landed, they were enabled to surround him, and effectually cut off his retreat. Resistance against such superior numbers would have been quite useless, and he therefore had no other alternative but to surrender : seve- ral of his men, who had been left as boat-keepers, were either killed or wounded while endeavouring to escape; From Ronsoe, Mr. Price was removed to Odensee, in the Isle of Fuen ; but his captivity was not of long duration, for in the course of the same season we again find him on board the Ardent, his appointment to which ship was confirmed by the Admiralty, Sept. 28j 1809. Scarcely had he rejoined her, when she got aground on Anholt-reef, through the igno- rance of her pilot, and narrowly escaped destruction. Very soon after this disaster. Lieutenant Price captured a Danish vessel, in which he had the misfortune to be cast away on the coast of Norway, and was consequently taken prisoner. When exchanged, he once more returned to his old ship ; and occasionally commanded her tender, on detached service, in the summer of 1810. Lieutenant Price's next appointment was, about Feb. 1811, StyPPL. PART IV. D m >: 34 POST-CAPTAINS OP 1815. to the Hawke brig, of 16 guns, Captain Henry Bourcbier^ whose high opinion of his merits will be seen by the hand- some mention he makes of him in an official letter to Admiral Sir Roger Curtis, dated Aug. 19, 1811 ; a copy of which i» given at p. 435 et seq. of Suppl. Part II, Two days before the gallant action there described, Lieu- tenant Price, with the Hawke's jolly-boat alone, had cut out a French vessel, near Cape Barfleur, under a galling fire from the shore. He subsequently received the following reply to a letter which he had addressed to Sir Samuel Hood, on hear- ing of his appointment to the chief command in India : " Mjr dear Sir, — I thank you for your congratulations, and am glad to hear of your welfkre and success. A small ship is best, when an officer has seal and exertion : so long as you continue to deserve my attention (which I have little doubt of), if fortune does not favor you, and it is in my power to serve you hereafter, I shall never neglect, nor forget that you «re in the service under my protection. Believe me very faithAilIy yours, (Signed) " Sam'-. Hood." This friendly epistle was followed by an offer from the writer to get his proteg^ removed into a frigate on the East India station ; but as Sir Samuel had several very old follow- ers then looking up to him for promotion. Lieutenant Price pre- ferred remaining in the Hawke, which vessel continued to be actively employed on the Cherbourg station, under the com- mand of Captain George Wyndham, by whom he is highly spoken of in an official letter, reporting the capture of a schooner in the river Isere, by a small gig under his direc- tions, exposed to a smart fire of musketry from the shore. It would greatly exceed our limits were we to make particular mention of every boat affair in which he was engaged at that period ; but there is one that we cannot pass over in silence, particularly as it remains unnoticed by either of our con- temporaries. On the 2l9t Oct. 1811, Lieutenant Price reconnoitred Barfleur, and discovered a lugger and several brigs lying there, in a situation to be easily carried by the boats of a frigate and sloop. This being reported to Captain Stephen Tb mas Digby, of the Thoban 3t), that officer immediately POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. 35 y Bourchier^ by the hand- ;r to Admiral y of which is cribed, Lieu- had cut out ing fire from iving reply to ood, on hear- India : and am glad to whea an officer ve my attention you, and it is in ■ forget that you faithAilIy yours, am"-. Hood." ffer from the i on the East y old follow- ant Price pre- itinued to be der the com- he is highly capture of a er his direc- II the shore. ie particular aged at that r in silence, of our con- ' * '■« : t reconnoitred brigs lying boats of a iiin Stephen immediately tletachcd his barge, &c. under Lieutenant John Maples, " to be guided by the further directions of Captain Wyndham." The result of the attack is thus stated in an official letter from Captain Digby to Sir Home Popham: — ' • " The barge unfortunately separated. One of the brigs was most gal- lantly carried by Lieutenant Price, and Mr. Sniith, master of the Hawke, in two of her boats, butyh*»i our$ not arriving in time for their support, and the brig l)eing chained, they were obliged to abandon their prize, with, I am sorry to say, the loss of 2 men killed and 5 wounded. Among the latter is Lieutenant Price severely." We are informed, that the Theban's barge went to examine a strange object, which proved to be a buoy ; and that Lieu- tenant Price, on being hailed by a French guard-boat, dashed forward and boarded the nearest brig, under a heavy fire, by which 2 of his companions were slain and 3 wounded. After gaining her deck, and cutting down two Frenchmen, he was himself felled by the butt-end of a musket, the wielder of which jumped upon his body, and would quickly have des- patched him but for the timely aid of his only follower, who was then unhurt, but soon afterwards severely wounded. When relieved from his critical situation by that gallant tar, he commenced an attack upon the French captain, who, however, parried the blow intended for him, and succeeded in disarming his assailant : at the same moment. Lieutenant Price was bayoneted by another foe. During this very unequal combat on the brig's deck, Mr. Smith, in the Hawke's cutter, made an attempt to board her also, but failed in consequence of the side, on which he was, being defended by several resolute fellows within a strong netting. Pulling back towards the harbour's mouth, he dis- covered the Hawke's gig likewise retreating, and anxiously questioned the people in her respecting his gallant messmate : on their saying that they believed the Lieutenant was killed, he instantly resolved to renew the attack, declaring that he would bring him away, "whether dead or alive." In the mean time, Mr. Price had discovered that the gig was gone, and determined to swim after her, rather than bo taken prisoner; rightly imagining, that as only one man d2 I \r 11 1'i POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. had come to his support, the remainder of the crew were either killed or too badly wounded to assist him j and there- fore hoping that he should be able to overtake and hang by her until she met with some other boat. When picked up by the cutter, his strength was almost gone. On the Hawke's arrival at Portsmouth, Lieutenant Price was sent to Haslar hospital, her surgeon believing that his hip-bone had been splintered ; and three months elapsed before the real cause of his protracted sufferings was disco- vered. The fact is, that the Frenchman's bayonet had been thrust with great violence against the upper part of the thigh- bone ; and that it broke when he made a spring to extricate himself, leaving a piece, four inches and a half in lengthy behind : this was extracted by Mr. Charles Dods, one of the surgeons of the above establishment, and it is supposed that, as the flat part lay close to the bone, the probe had always passed along one of the grooves. Lieutenant Price's subsequent appointments were, to the Mulgrave 7^i Captain Thomas James Maling; and San Josef, a first rate, fitting for the flag of Rear-Admiral Foote, previous to that officer becoming the second in command at Portsmouth* . He also served in the latter ship under Sir Richard King, by whom he was selected to do the duty of first lieutenant, although then only the third according to seniority. The last brush in which Lieutenant Price was engaged with the French took place off Toulon, Nov. 5, 1813 ; on which occasion the San Josef had two fine young officers and two men wounded, whilst exchanging broadsides with the Wagram, of 130 guns. Each of the former f lost a leg by one unlucky shot. The subject of this memoir was promoted to the command of the Volcano bomb, on the Mediterranean station, Dec. 6, 1813 ; and sent from thence to North America, in the \ > • See Suppl. Part II. p. 437, ^/ 4^7. t Lieutenant Willinin C'larke, K. M. and Mr. William Cuppage, tignivlinidoliipinnn. . e crew were ; and there- ke and hang len picked up (tenant Price elieving that )nths elapsed ^s was disco- iiet had been of the thigh- V to extricate ilf in length. Is, one of the apposed that, e had always were, to the g ; and San ilmiral Foote, in command lip under Sir do the duty according to ivas engaged 5, 1813 ; on I officers and des with the lost a leg by he command tion, Dec. 6, rica, in the \ * Ilium Cuppage» ■ 'K P08T-CAPT\INS OP 1815. ^ summer of 1S14. He appears to have joined t!ie fleet under Sir Alexander Cochrane in time to assist at the bombardment of fort M'Henry, protecting the entrance to Baltimore harbour; and we afterwards find him actively employed in the Potow- mac river, under Rear-Admiral Pulteney Malcolm, who frequently allowed him to land, for the purpose of annoying the enemy, and contributing to the wants of the British squadron. On the 31st Oct. 1814, being then in the windward passage, with a transport under convoy, bound to Jamaica, Captain Price fell in with the Saucy Jack, American schooner privateer, mounting 7 guns, with a complement of 160 men. This vessel he succeeded in decoying uuder his guns, but owing to her great superiority in sailing, she was enabled to effect her escape, after receiving two broadsides from the Volcano, as well as a warm salute of musketry from the troops on board the transport. In this affair. Lieutenant J. P. Furzer, R. M. A. and two of the bomb's crew were killed ; the enemy, according to their own report, had 7 slain and 14 wounded. At the commencement of the operations against New Or- leans, Captain Price was employed in surprising an Ameri- can piquet, posted at ti.e entrance of the Bayou Catalan.* He was subsequently wounded by a rifle-bail, on which occa- sion Rear-Admiral M..lcol'n wrote to Sir Alexander Cochrane as follows : ' i . *' Head ff the Bayou Catahin 24 Dec. 1814. " Sir, — I have the honor to iufonn you, that last eveiiinflr, the enemy in great force attacked General Keane'a little army, and were repulsed. When the attack commenced, I directed Captain Price, of the Volcano, to inform the General that the troops just landed were hastening to his sup- port, and that I had ordered the seamen to carry up a supply of ammuni- tion. Whilst executing this service, he fell in with a party of the enemy, who fired at and .hot him through the thigh. In this state, he not only made his escape, but secured an American sohlier : I trust his wound is not dangerous, as he is a gallant young man and an excellent officer." Although wounded in the manner described. Captain Price did not wish to be considTed a non-combatant, and there- See Suppl. Port III. p. 259. I 9§ POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. fore no mention was made of him in the list of casualties transmitted home on that occasion : the fact of his having so suffered, however, was made known to the Admiralty, in a letter from Sir Alexander Cochrane, dated Jan. 29, 1815. The Volcano formed part of the naval detachment sent up the Mississipi, to bombard fort St. Philip, and create a di- version in that quarter; on which service Captain Price remained, with his mortars almost constantly in play, until the retreat of the British army. He then proceeded to Mobile bay, and there again distinguished himself by his zeal and activity, in the command of a division of boats, during the siege of fort Bowyer. On the intelligence of peace ar- riving from England, he was sent with a flag of truce to announce the same to the American general ; and he was finally directed to remain in that neighbourhood until the fort was restored to the proper authorities, according to the first article in the treaty of Ghent. He took his departure from thence, April 5, 1815 ; arrived at Portsmouth, May 31 ; and was advanced to post rank on the 13th of the following month. ,'< , , • \' » . r: . Agent. — C. Clementson, Esq. < ., • . ARCHIBALD TISDALL, Esq. • ■ -^ Was made Lieutenant, Oct. 7> 1806 j Commander, Feb. 16, 1813 i and Post-Captain, July 14, 1815. *' ! t * . ' i JOSEPH GULSTON GARLAND, Esq. Was made Lieutenant in 1801 ; Commander, Jan. 22, 1806 ; appointed to the Alert of 18 guns, Oct. 7, 1813 ; and posted Aug. 19, 1815. ^n— \.s 1 .. .^^^-a- of caBualties f his having Ldmiralty, in .29,1815. nent sent up create a di- aptain Price n play, until iroceeded to If by his zeal )oats, during of peace ar- ; of truce to and he was until the fort g to the first parture from A&y 31 ; and he following POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. 39 / I > andcr, Feb. ■1i 1 RIGHT HON. ALGERNON, LORD PRUDHOE, State-Sletoard to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and Fellow of the .. Royal Society. ^, , . ;^ > •. ._ , ■. This officer is the Duke of Northumberland's only brother. He was born Dec. 15, 17^2; made lieutenant Dec. 16, 1811 ; promoted to the command of the Swallow brii(, on the Mediterranean station. Mar. 8, 1814 ; appointed acting captain of the Cossack 22, in the summer of the same year; advanced to post rank Aug. 19, 1815; and created a peer of Great Britain, Aug. 14, 1816. ROBERT ROWLEY, Esq. ; . Skrvkd as lieutenant under Sir Charles Cotton, Bart, in 1810 and 1811 ; obtained the rank of commander, Mar. 21, 1812 ; was appointed to the Melpomene troop-ship, Oct. 29, 1813 ; and advanced to post-rank Aug. 21, 1815. Since the peace he has commanded the Egeria 24, on the Newfound- land station ; and Semiramis frigate, bearing the flag of Rcar-Adrairal Plampin, at Cork. He married, Sept. 30, 1822, Eliza, daughter of the late George Mackay Uose, of the island of Grenada, Esq. Esq. r, Jan. 22, 1813 j and WILLIAM STANHOPE BADCOCK, Esq. VouNOKST son of the late Thomas Stanhope Badcock, formerly of Little Missenden Abbey, co. Bucks, Esq. by Anne, daughter uf the lute William Buckle, of My the House, near Tewkesbury, Esq. His father, and his late uncle, Lieu- tenant-Colonel Lovell Badcock, were both High Sheriff)) of Buckinghamshire : the former served in the 6th regiment o^ foot, as lieutenant, in America and the West Indies, during the war between Great Britain and her colonies ; after which he held a commission in the Royal Bucks militia, and was ^ POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. . with that corps in Ireland, during the alarming rebellion, in 1798. Their grandmother was a daughter of Sir Salathiel I^vell, one of the Barons of the Exchequer, whose other daughters married into the Barrington and Stanhope families : their mother wag the daughter and heiress of Colonel Lovell, who died at the Cape of Good Hope. The subject of this memoir entered the navy, in May 1799, at the age of eleven years ; and first went to sea in the Re- nown 74, bearing tlie flag of Sir John Borlase Warren, to whom he had been recommended by the late Marquis of Buckingham, a nobleman of the highest character. During the winter of 1799, the Renown was employed off Ushant, under the orders of Lord Bridport and Sir Alan Gardner; but on Earl St. Vincent assuming the command of the grand fleet. Sir John B. Warren was sent to cruise be- tween Brest and Rochefort, on which station the boats of his squadron captured and destroyed, in June and July 1800, la Ther^se French national ship of 20 guns, 7 other armed vessels, 9 sail of merchantmen laden with government sup- plies, 3 iatid batteries, and the same number of magazines *. The result of an expedition against Ferrol, under Sir J. B. Warren and Lieutenant- General Sir James Pulteney, has has been stated at p. 220 et seq. of Vol. L Part L On the 29th Aug. 1800, a detachment of boats, under Lieutenant Henry Burke, of the Renown, captured la Guipe French ship privateer, of 18 long 9-pounders and 161 men, near the nar- rows of Redondella, in Vigo bay. On this occasion, the British had 3 men killed and 20, including Lieutenants Burke, John Henry Holmes, and James Nourse, wounded ; the enemy's loss amounted to 25 slain and 40 wounded. Shortly afterwards, Sir John B. Warren gave over the com- mand of the armament to Sir Edward Pellew, and proceeded on a cruise off the Western Islands, in hopes of falling in with some of the Spanish treasure ships from South America. The manner in which the Renown was employed between Nov. 1800 and July 1804, is described in our memoir of i • See Vol. I. Part 11. p. 493 et mj. and Suppl. Part III. p. 322. POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. 41 Captain John Chambers White, with whom Mr. Badcock re- turned to England, in the Kent 74*. -. We next find him serving under Captain George Martin, in the Barfleur 98 ; from wliich ship he was removed to the Neptune, of similar force, commanded by Captain Thomas Francis Freemantle, whom he rejoined, after a short leave of absence, just in time to bear a part at the glorious battle of Trafalgar f. Twelve days after that ever memorable event, Mr. Bad- cock was appointed acting lieutenant of the Melpomene fri- gate, Captain Peter Parker. His first admiralty commission bears date Jan. 29, 1806. The following are extracts of a journal, by Captain Parker, of his proceedings during a tremendous gale of wind, in which the Melpomene lost her rudder, main-top-mast, &c. sprung her fore and main lower yards, and had her main-mast dreadfully shattered : — " We parted from the fleet, under Lord Collingwood, on the 8th Dec. 1805; the Orion 74, Endymion frigate, and Weazel brig, accompanied us. We were going to scour the Mediterranean, in quest of a squadron of frigates, under the command of Jerome Buonaparte, who was reported to have sailed from Genoa. Tiie weather continued pretty moderate until the 1 ] th, when we captured a Spanish settee, laden with stores, and took her in tow for the purpose of conveying her to the commodore, who was to windward; but at 11 p. m., in a violent squall, we cut her adrift, and afterwards scuttled her. On the 1 2tb, made Majorca ; carried away the larboard bumpkin, and found the main-yard sprung ; lowered it down, and fished it. 13th, owing to the violence of the gale and the heavy sea, bore up, with the Weazel in company; ship labouring very hard. 14th, lost sight of the Weazel, as wc had before done of the Orion and Endy- mion. 15th, at 9 F. M. came on a most tremendous squall, with thunder, lightning, rain, and sleet; clewed all up. At about 9-15, the main-mast was struck by lightning ; the fluid exploded by the pumps, and hurt an officer and a sailor |. 16th, wind more moderate, and steady; examined the main-mast, found it severely splintered in many places, particularly about the hoops and in the wake of the trusses, where copper had been nailed on. Stood towardj Barcelona, in hopes of rejoining the Orion. 17th> a"; 9 A. M. the sea rising all around us, with water-spouts and flashes of lightning in every direction; furled all the sails, and prepared for • See Vol. II. Part I. pp. 231—233. t See Suppl. Part III. note at p. 250. % The former was Mr. Badcock. I ! •I It I 'I 42 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. another gale; at 11, a very heavy sea pooped us, stove in the dead-lights, and filled the cabin with water, p. m. the wind increased to a perfect hurricane I at I, the ship was struck bv li<{htning, and the main-mast much hurt. At 2, most tremendous squalls, with rain, thunder, &c. the storm-slay-sails blew to atoms, the ship entirely unmanageable, and whole seas breaking over her. The rudder-head gave way, chocked the rudder, and secured it with the pendants. At 3-30, the main-top-mast went iu three pieces ; and at 4, both the rudder-chains gave way. At 6, a man fell from the fore-yard on the best-bower anchor, but was not killed. All the pumps obliged to be kept constantly going. 18th, the quarter-boats were stove ; found the rudder gone from the stern-post. At 10 a. m. the carpenter reported the main-mast sprung, a few feet above the quarter^ deck. p. M. the sea mountains high, got a cable from the stern with hawsers^ &c. and struck the mizen-top^mast, but found it impossible to wear the ship. 19th, more moderate, with a heavy swell i employed in making a Pakenham's rudder. Saw the Colombretes, two points on the lee bow, distant 5 leagues. Made all sail on the fore^mast, in hopes of wearing, as we were drifting bodily down on those rocky uninhabited islands. Finding she would not wear, anchored with a spring on the cable, in 60 fathoms. At midnight, tremendous squalls, with thunder, lightning, and rain. 30th, at 1 a. m. found the ship driving, cut the cable and spring, set the storm-stay-sails and fore-sail ; saw the islands W. S. W., the ship would lie no higher. No chance remained of saving a single life, when the wind shifted in a dreadful squall, and allowed her to lie up S. E. for 40 minutes, which put us clear of danger, p. m. succeeded in shipping the rudder, and found, to our great joy, the ship once more under com- mand. 21st, a steady breeze from 8. W. ; bore up for Malta. 22d, hard gales; found the fore-channel very badly started; 25th, at midnight, anchored otT Valelte light-bouse. 26th, warped into the harbour ; found the fore-yard sprung and the ship very much strained.'' After her defects were made good at Malta, the Mel- pomene conveyed Major-General Sherbrooke, and escorted a body of troops from Messina to the coast of Egypt. She was subsequently stationed off Gaeta, to assist in the defence of that fortress, then besieged by Marshal Massena, with 30,000 men. Here the zeal and bravery of her officers and men were conspicuous ; and their conduct was rewarded with the grateful thanks of its intrepid defender, the Prince of Hesse, whose long and brilliant defence is yet alive in the public recollection. We next find the Melpomene conveying a spy, with des- patches, from Palermo to the bay of Naples, and Lieutenant POST- CAPTAINS OF 1815. 43 Badcock volunteering to land bim under cover of night, vehich, after being twice discovered, and the alarm guns f.red, he at length succeeded in doing, close to the walls of the town. On this occasion, being well aware of his fate if taken prisoner, he recommended his men to fight to the last, should they be attacked, as they would find it better to be shot than hanged. From thence the Melpomene proceeded off Leg- horn. On the I8th May, 1806, Lieutenant Badcock was suddenly ordered to jump into a 6-oared cutter, and proceed in pursuit of a French row-boat and several other small vessels near the shore. So eager was Captain Parker to go in chase of a ship then to leeward, that he would not allow him time to get his sword and pistols, but directed him to push off with the arms that were hastily thrown into the boat as she descended from the quarter, consisting of only 4 cutlasses and 2 pistols, for nine persons, one of whom was a Tuscan. A small gig, however, was afterwards sent to his assistance, and directed by him to attack one of the merchant vessels, while he con- tinued to pursue the row-boat, which was captured, after some little resistance, within gun- shot of Leghorn, and found to be so full of corn that there was not room for any of the prisoners to be confined below. Her crew consisted of 16 well-armed men. >« .. , ^ j 'u ;. < i ^.' It now fell calm, and Lieutenant Badcock ordered four of his men to the oars, in order to get the prize's head off to- wards the frigate, and increase her distance from the shore. W hilst thus employed, a shot fired at the gig unfortunately drew his attention, and the prisoners, instigated thereto by the Anglo-Italian, rose, and regained possession of the ves- sel, but not until they had wounded him in the hand, and stunned him by a blow on the head, stabbed one of his men, and thrown two others overboard } leaving only four persons- to resist the whole seventeen. We must do them the jus- tice, however, to say, that they did not allow those who were in the sea to perish. At the expiration of three months, Lieutenant Badcock had the good fortune to get exchanged ; and he appears to t ! I El'^ r ■ • i 'I 44 P08T-CAPTAINS OF 1815. have been on board the Madras 54, at Malta, waiting for an opportunity to rejoin his frigate, when a magazine was acci- dently blown up, by which sad accident near 300 people were killed and wounded j among the former was the gunner of the Madras, who lost his life by a shell bursting over her. The Melpomene arrived at Malta during the mutiny of Fribourg's regiment, a newly raised corps, consisting prin- cipally of Greeks and Albanians, quartered in fort Ricazoli, the gates of which they had shut, after killing some of their superiors, and seizing an English artillery officer, whom they compelled to point the guns against his countrymen. On hearing of this appalling event, Captain Parker imme- diately landed his marines, and sent boats, under Lieutenant fiadcock, with part of H. M. 44th regiment, to assist in escalading the fort by night. The assault was well-con- ducted, and would have been crowned with complete success had not six of the mutineers thrown themselves into the powder magazine, resolved to perish there rather than be taken prisoners. .■ * > - ... This building, situated nearly in the middle of the fort, a sort of Acropolis, was not defensible in itself; but^ as con- taining an immense store of ammunition, was a gigantic weapon in the hands of these desperadoes. It was in vain to attempt their forcible expulsion ; threats were of no avail ; and all milder negociations were prohibited by the stern policy of the military commander, who insisted upon imme- diate and unqualified submission. In storming and carrying the other parts of the fort, three men belonging to the 44th regiment were killed, and Lieutenant Badcock appears to have had a narrow escape, a ball having passed close to his ear just as he entered one of the works. The sequel of this melancholy business is thus narrated in the New Monthly Magazine: — » ;, « , ,-. >-.. " These six men, at first confident of roakiiig advantageous terms, but afterwards dispirited by (he obstinacy of their opponents, and the failure of their provisions, were now employed in frequent attempts at negociation, more submissively, but still very artfully offered. From time to time, some one presented himself with a new proposal, which was invariably answered by a flat denial to receive any but an unconditional surrender. I -!i POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. 4ft liting for an [le was acci- people were e gunner of over her. B mutiny of iisting prln- ort Ricazoli, ome of their , whom they en. arker imme- • Lieutenant to assist in s well-con- lete success es into the ler than be F the fort, a ut, as con- a gigantic s in vain to f no avail; the stern pon imme- id carrying to the 44th appears to close to his luel of this IV Monthly 8 terms, but d the failure negociation, me to time, ts invariably I surreuder. '3 The countenances of the men were every day more haggard ; and it was clear that they must become victims of starvation if they attempted to hold out any longer. The applications were multiplied, and their inge- nuity increased with tke critical aspect of their situation. Sometimes a truce of a few hours was requested ; sometimes their surrender was pro- mised upon the receipt of certain articles of food, or what not. But all this dallying failed. Six days passed away, and the poor wretches appeared on the verge of a most miserable death, pale, sunken, and exhausted. On the morning of the seventh day, one who had ofUciated as their commander presented himself at the usual place of communication with a fresh de- mand. His name was Anastatio leramachos, well known not only as the first who had broken his allegiance to his superior officers, but as the sub- tle and resolute supporter of all the rebellious deeds which followed; a crafty, clever Greek, with boldness enough to execute a dangerous act, and skill enough to keep away as much danger as was by human means avoidable. He appeared on one side a small aperture, made for this especial purpose, and demanded an interview with some agent of the Governor. It was conceded to him. He said " that his followers were in the greatest imaginable state of want ; that a new enemy had attacked them in the shape of unconquerable thirst ; that they had long ago drained their bags and scanty reservoirs, and that they must soon perish or be driven to madness. He and his party threw themselves upon the humanity of the Governor ; a little water was all they asked. Such was their dis- tress that they had resolved to endure it no longer, and had come to a determination of blowing themselves up that very evening, unless a pre- vious supply were granted to them. He stated, as usual, that all they wished was to avoid the extreme cruelties of military law; that their death to them was far more to be desired ; and that they had deliberately decided, that by exploding the fort, they should perish with less pain and infamy. At nine o'clock that night, unless some concessions were pre- viously made to them, — at the first tolling of the bell of St. John's Cathe- dral, they would set fire to the magazine ; — a few drops of water would prevent that catastrophe." " Whether the other party discredited the declarations of leramachos, and conceived the threat held out only for the sake of gaining what they needed, or that General V , having read certain maxims in the legisla- tive works of the army, fancied no deviations in any case allowable, can- not in this case be decided. A negative was returned to the request of the Greek, and the day passed in a calm of horrible suspense. Again and again some one appeared on the same errand, re-stating their need, and deepening the picture of their misery, but always concluding with the same constant announcement, that a refusal would be heard mure of at the hour of nine that night. And at the hour of nine it was heard of. A tre- mendous burst, as of a thousand riven rocks, startled every one from his security. A shock felt for miles around, and the blaze of a huge con- flngration, told to the inhabitants of the neighbouring to\vns, and the vil- ' le made of the t havoc it had [Is strewn with :old. le of cotnmise- )nduct hy what I the part of our line, born, too, uld have been nee. It seemed ible projects of sdelled into the V little clemen- inifested at the inted the com- sasures neither ly on their side. inning to wear hout changinn. But this solemn piece lis lips with red upon the igcnous song ■-«- I ■.,a words too amorous perhaps for his cloth, but, nevertheless, the theme of all, young or old, phlegmatic or unctious, in that country, where the tempers appear as unanimous as the sky is uniform. ' Jaua calbi,' repeated the old man, a little put out by n sudden jerk of his donkey, and sidelong movement to the right. * Jaua calbi,' once more he mur- mured, but in a subdued tone, as he began to fancy that some cause must exist for this eccentricity of his beast ; and looking cautiously about him, what saw he but a musket directed upon the level of a stone wall, and the head and shoulders of a soldier planted behind it. The incognito called upon him to stop, but his order was futile. The old man rolled from his donkey, collected his youthful speed, and never ceased running and hallooing " Airaa! Alma!" till he reached the village of his home, and was safely ensconced in a fortifying circle of his fraternity. To them he related his adventure with some depth of colour : he said that a ghost had appeared to him dressed like a soldier, and for all the world like one of Fribourg's men, but ghastly and lean, as a ghost should be. He narrated all the circum- stances ; and the tale reaching the ears of the police, a strict search was made over the face of the country, to ascertain the bodily condition of this spectre. The zeal and number of the persons so employed, soon led to the discovery they desired. In a rude, retired hovel, far from any inhabited quarter, they came upon some men whose looks were not so inhuman but they could recognize under them the six desperate Greeks of Fribourg's regiment ! Almost skeletons, their hair hanging about them unshorn and lank, their countenances distorted by disease, — the oflfspring of protracted want and bad food, they stood like shadows, or scarecrows, an easy capture to the police officers. After the first astonishment had passed away, and it was sure that no farther escape was possible or conceivable, they were questioned as to the mode by which they had preserved life, both during the explosion, which had been so fatal to so many, and after- wards when subjected to detection at every hour of the day. Without reluctance or concealment, leramachos gave answer to these enquiries, and told the singular tale which shall conclude this narrative. " He said that from the first moment of occupying the magazine, he had projected a plan of escape, which was agreed to, and nobly sustained by his staunch associates. No part of their actions afterwards wus the result of accident, but arose from the deliberate contrivance of one great plot. It was this. Being thoroughly acquainted with the din.?nsions and position of the fort, they believed from the first that it might l)e so undermined as to afford an egress to seaward, and they lost no time in attempting this plan of escape. While the besiegers lay quietly above them, they were employed in excavating, little by little, a pif^age to the sea-wall of the fortification, which they might make use of h^ they had the means. The softness of the rock facilitated their labour, and the progress they made was unexpectedly rapid. Having assured themselves of the practicability of an opening, the next difficulty was how to procure an opportunity J', 1 i in- it •il )■ , ! ! ( 1 I 1 f ! 1 '■^ 11 '1 : ^ « POST-CAPTAIMS OF 1815. of using it. This object was attended with many obstacles. Tlie ulicll of the outer wall could not be burst open without some uoise. By day there would be no chance of getting out unseen ; and by night the sound of their operations would be distinctly heard. After long deliberations, thn scheme was decided upon, which was executed as we have seen. Though actually in great distress, they determined to heighten the appearance of it, and so by degrees bring things to such an extremity that it might appear their pitiable condition drove them to their ultimate act of desperation. For this reason they made such repeated demonstrations of their misery, and finally put the consummation of their rebellious acts upon the pretext of extreme thirst. At the appointed hour they placed themselves at the farther end of their subterranean passage ; and having laid a communicating train of gunpowder to the heart of the magazine, they awaited only the first bell of St. John's Church as the signal for the hazardous experiment. At a moment quitting the train, and themselves bursting through the stone partition which bound their excavation, they were instantly beyond the reach of death, and of suspicion into the bargain. They relied on the effect of their own display of wretchedness to confirm the opinion that this act was the result of despair; and they knew that the blackened tunnel through which they had crawled, would be attributed to the fury of the explosion, and considered as a channel forcibly, hut spontaneously burst, by the volcano they had erected. — They were hitherto right in their surmises : but beyond this fortune deserted them. They wandered by dlealth over the deserted parts of the sea-coast, in vain attempting to procure a boat, in which they might pass over to Sicily. Discovered once in a scheme to purloin a speronara* privily, they were in imminent dan- ger of being then delivered up to justice, and were compelled to wait almost hopelessly for a more favourable time. The necessity of lying quite concealed prevented their procuring any but the vilest and least nutritive food. A few vegetables were ull they had subsisted upon, but leaves and grass, since the hour of their escape. They bore up, however, manfully, and despite the extreme indigence to which they were reduced, no one committed himself by any unseasonable exposure until the day when one of the least provident, goaded by insufferable pangs of hunger, made the unlucky attempt upon the Maltese priest, which led to their detection. " They were marched into the city, guarded by two lines of troops, and the forlorn aspect they presented will be rcmcmt)ered by many a spectator till his dying day. Even then they were not dejected. Their eyes were all brightness in the midst of their desolation, like a fire in the darkness of night ) and the pitiful natives crouched licncuth those glances which * Speronara, a little picturesque boat, commonly seen on the channel between Malta and Qoza. POST-CAPTArNS OF 1815. ^ Ics. Tlie »hclt uoise. By day night the sound eliberations, th(^ seen. Though ippearanee of it, it might appear of desperation, of their naisery, pon the pretext emseives at the commuuicating iwaited only the >us experiment. ig through the astantly heyoud ey relied on the le opinion that the blackened uted to the fury t spontaneously to right in their y wandered by attempting to )iscovered once imminent dan- :pelled to wait essity of lyin^r rilest and least ited upon, but e up, however, were reduced, until the day ngs of hunger, ch led to their i of troops, and any a spectator 'heir eyes were n the darkness glances which told that they were not malefactors, or could not so esteem themselres . In a few hours they \wre sentenced to the death they had so long suc^ ceeded in parrying; and in the last instant of life they manifested the same heroic bearing which has left in the minds of all who saw them a recollection glowing and full of admiration for the last of Fribourg'a regiment*." The Melpomene afterwards proceeded up the Adriatic, where her boats, occasionally commanded by Lieutenant Badcock, captured several merchant vessels, and continually harassed the enemy's coasting trade. She returned to Eng- land, with Lord Pembroke and his suite, passengers from Trieste, in Nov. 1807. Mr. Badcock's next appointment was to the Swiftsure 7"^* bearing the flag of Sir John B. Warren, under whom he served on the Halifax station until Feb. 181 1 . Whilst there, and doing duty as first lieutenant, he met with a very serious accident. All sail having been made in chase, he had given up the charge of the quarter-deck, and gone forward to look at the object of pursuit, when the jib flapped, and one of the sheets, coming in with a sudden jerk, broke his jaw and knocked out five teeth. About the same period. Captain Conn, of the Swiftsure, a much respected and most valuable officer, jumped overboard in a fit of derangement, and pe- rished. This sad catastrophe occurred off the Bermudas, May 4, 1810. • On his return from Amevica, Lieutenant Badcock was ordered to Lisbon, on promotion ; and he had not been long there before Admiral Berkeley gave him the command of the Tritona hospital-ship, with permission to visit his brother, an officer in the 14th light dragoons, attached to Lord Wellington's army. This indulgence afforded him an op- portunity of witnessing a siege by land, as Badajos was taken during the time he remained with that distinguished corps : he also accompanied his brother nearly over the Alemtajo, and into Estramadura. On the 11th June, 1812, he received an order to act as commander of the Brune 38, m the channel * About 55 were executed. SUPPL. PART IV. 50 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1816. I i 'vH armed en JiHtey which appointment was confirmed by the Admiralty, on the 13th Aug. following. In that ship, Captain Badcock successively visited Cadiz, Gibraltar, Minorca, Majorca, and Alicant ; also Oran, in Bar- barj'jwhere he supported the dignity of a British oflicer,by con- stantly refusing to pull off his boots before he went into the presence of the Bey, although his object, in seeking several audiences of that personage, was to obtain supplies for the British forces, and he observed that the Spanish Consul and others complied with a requisition so degrading. Having conveyed those supplies to Alicant, Captain Bad- cock was ordered by Rear-Admiral Hallowell, under whose orders he had been placed, to take a station in Altea bay, for the protection of the watering place and town. Whilst at anchor there, he prevented a French foraging party, 300 strong, from levying a contribution upon the inhabitants of that place. He subsequently drove a small privateer on shore, near Denia, in the Gulf of Valencia ; and obtained well-merited praise ** for the assistance he afforded" Lieu- tenant-Colonel Prevost and Captain Charles Adum, while at- tached to the army, at the siege of the Col de Balaguer *. On the day after the surrender of that strong fortress, he set off with those officers and several others, to reconnoitre in the direction of Tortosa. The result of that expedition has been stated at p. 228 of Vol. II. Tart 1. Previous to his departure from the Mediterranean, he received, in common %vith the other officers of the squadron, the public thanks of Sir Ed- ward Pellew, Rear-Adniirul Hallowell, and Captain Adam, for his highly meritorious conduct during the whole of the operations in Catalonia : copies of the general memorandums conveying those thanks v\ill be found at p. 25 et seq. After Sir John Murray's unaccountable retreat from before TH^ragonl^ the Brune conveyed that officer to Palermo ; from whence she conveyed the 44th regiment to Spain, and Lord Mahon, his lady, and two sons, to Portsmouth. She subsequently took 7^X) troops to Holland, and 300 royal Sec Siippl. Wx\ III pp. 201—204. kmed by the visited Cadiz, ► Oran,in Bar- oflicer,by coii- r went into the leeking several applies for the sh Consul and Captain Bad- , under whose in Altea bay, ;own. Whilst ng party, 300 inhabitants of I privateer on and obtained tforded" Lieu- dum, while at- alaguer *. On ess, he set off mnoitre in the lition has been ) his departure non with the iiks of Sir Ed- Haptain Adau), i whole of the memorandums et seq. •at from before to Palermo ; to Spain, and :smouth. 8he Mid 300 royal POST-CAPTArNI OF 1815. SI marines to North America^ where she arrived about the end of May, 1814. , :. ur f- :. ' Captain Badcock was next employed in the blockade of Commodore Barney's flotilla, up the Patuxent river; and he appears te have had frequent skirmishes with the enemy's militia, when making excursions on shore, for the purpose of destroying their public buildings, watering his ship, and ob- taining refreshments for her crew. On one of these occa> sions, a marine, named Patrick Gallaghan, behaved with great coolness and presence of mind, while posted at some distance from the working party. Observing five American horsemen ride down to the comer of a wood, from whence three of them galloped towards him, he immediately got be- hind a hay-stack, cocked his musket, and waited their ap- proach : they passed without seeing him, and dismounted ; when he instantly called out, *' Surrender, you rascals, I have you all in a line, and by J s I will shoot you altogether, if you do not throw down your arms !" — they immediately complied, and he marched them before him, horses and all, to th* ''' ach. Unfortunately this brave felijw was unfit for pro- m ' ?ing too fond of strong drink, and therefore could not be i acd. This circumstance serves to shew how much an Order of Merit is wanted in the naval service ; for how many hundreds of sailors and marines have, like Patrick Gallaghan, richly deserved medals, or some other honorary distinctions, who, for the same reason, could not be made petty or non- commissioned officers. It will be seen by reference to pp. 9 — 14, that Captain Bad- cock commanded a subdivision of boats in the Washington ex- pedition : we have, therefore, only to add, that he was away from his ship 18 days and nights ; the whole time in an open boat. After the failure of the Baltimore expedition, he was left in the Chesapeake, under the orders of Captain Robert Barrie, with whom he proceeded above 90 miles up the Rappahannock river, and subsequently to the coast of Georgia. He also accompanied Captain Charles B. H. Ross M, ,. , . 'casion, his jplaying, every • See Vol. II. Purt II. pp. 7.'<3 et leq. nod 737 vt tfq. k2 !:! i 68 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. usual actiyity, courage, and zeal. On his return from the latter expedition, and being ordered to the Bahama islands, he received the following letter of thanks from his enter- prising commodore : — " Dragon, off Cumberland Island, 2%th Feb. 1816. " Sir, — ^I cannot allow the Brane to leave this station without officially returning you my best thanks for the brave, able, zealous, and cheerful assistance I have on all occasions received from you while employed under my orders. I have not failed to make kno^vn my high sense of your de- serving conduct to Rear-Admiral Cockbum, who, I am confident, will add his testimony of your very gallant and meritoriou'; conduct in his reports to the commander-in-chief; and it will give me great pleasure to learn, that they have obtained for you the notice of my Lords Com- missioners of the Admiralty. I have the honor to be, &c. (Signed) " Robert Barbib." " To Captain Badcoch, H. M. S. Brune** . On the 7th April, 1815, Rear-Admiral Cockburn T/rote to Captain Badcock as follows : — ' ^ " Sir, — In transmitting to you the accompanying general ordar *, which I request of you to make public to the officers and men under your com- mand, I must beg particularly to request your acceptance of my thanks for the assistance I derived from yuu during the operations referred to, and to assure you of the unfeigned regard with which I have the honor to be. Sir, your very faithful, and most obedient humble servant, (Signed) "G. Cockburn." Captain Badcock brought home a body of troops, in June, 1815 ; and on the 19th of that month, Sir George Cockburn thus writes to him, from Loudon : " Sir, — In reply to your letter of yesterday, I can have no hesitation in stating that the Activity, Gallantry, and Ability, invariably displayed by you, whilst serving under my immediate orders in America, proved highly satisfactory to me, beneficial to our Country, and honorable to yourself; end I therefore very sincerely hope you may meet with due luccess in your present application to the Admiralty, for an equally favorable consideration with your brother officers, you have alluded to, who lately distinguished themselv.j on the same station. I am. Sir, with much truth, your very faithful humble servant, (Signed) " G. Cockburn." u f. L' ■■ • Sec Vol. II. Part II. p. 738. i , POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815, 53 turn from the haina islands, tm his enter- 8lh Feb. 1815. without officially >U8, and cheerful employed under tense of your dc- 1 confideut, will ; conduct in his e great pleasure my Lordd Com- :rt Darbib." bum T/rote to il ordar •, which under your com- ?e of my thanks ons referred to, have the honor ervant, COCKBURN." Dps, in June, :ge Cockburn no hesitation in iably displayed imerica, proved d honoruble to meet with due for an equally i have alluded in. I am. Sir, Cockburn/' Captain Badeock obtained post rank, Aug. 21, 1815 ; but his application for a Companionship of the Bath has not yet been attended to. He married, Jan. 2, 183l2, Selina, youngest daughter of the late Sir Henry Harpur Crewe, Bart., grand- daughter of the Right Hon. Lady Frances Harpur, and sister to the present Sir George Crewe, Bart. His brother. Major Lovell Badeock, served with great honor to himself during the whole of Lord Wellington's campaigns, was wounded at the battle of Fuentes d'Onor, and is still in the 14th light dragoons. His eldest sister, Anne, is married to Major-General Jasper NicoUs, C. B. who distin- guished himself, when Major of the 45th, and Lieutenant- Colonel of the 14th foot, at Corunna and W alcheren. His youngest sister, Sophia, is the wife of the Rev. James Duke Coleridge, eldest son of Colonel J. Coleridge, of Ottery St. Mary's, in Devonshire. Agent, — J. Copland, Esq. JOHN TOUP NICOLAS, Esq. A Companion of the Mott Honorable Military Order •/ the Bath i and Knight Commander of the Royal Neapolitan Order of St. Ferdinand and Merit. The family of Nicolas was originally French ; and Abel Nicolas, the immediate ancestor of the subject of this memoir, is presumed to have been a younger branch of the house ofl^icolas, Seigneurs of Clayes, Champs Gerault, La T Margaret, grand-daughter and co-heiress of the Rev. John Keigwin, by whom he has five sons, vii. I. John Toup Kieolat, born Feb. 22, 1788, who derives bis bi^tismal See Nm, Chron. Vol. 40, p. 338. f f^ee Vol. I. part I. note J at p. 351 . : See Vol. 40, p. 331 Jr"' POST-CAPTAINS OP 1815. 55 d commenced his erwards AdiiiirtI) thens 32, Captain ind Philadelphia ; • crew, at Rhode > first commission appointed to the lieutenant of the appointed to the n from ill health, ated the impress volmiteers for the sing and training al spontaneously without success, >n and merchants lication on behalf )re8s service (the fan officer) so as tants of the town , hy his own per- the men under appointed to the ind hi Jan. 1799, M, with his usual ompanied by one French privateer 'chaut brig ; that pt; but that he I recaptured by a us, that he was rhilst attached to !utwas, April 14, noutb, where be 10. At the time irvice. , granddaughter e has five sons, !s his baptismal note I Dtp. 351. n f 4> name of Toup from his maternal great uncle, the Rev. Jonathan Toup, Pre- bendary of Exeter, the editor of Longinus, and one of the most profound scholars of bis age. II. Paul Harris Nkolus, a first lieutenant of the royal marines, who served in the Bclleisle 74, nt tlie l>attle of Trafalgar, iuul afterwards iti the hoats of the Amazon and Arinide frigates, on the coast of France. III. William Keigwin Nicolas, made lieutenant in 1809, and was wounded whilst serving under the command uf his eldest brother, in June, 1815. IV. Nicholas Harris Nicolas, made lieutenant in 1815, the aniiiorof a telegraphic vocabulary, and of other improvements in naval sij^nals •. V. Charles Henry Nicola*. These sous have resumed the an- cicnl manner of spelling the family namef. Mr. John Toup Nicolas entered the navy untler the protection of Captain Edwavf' Bulier, in 1/97; aud served with that officer in the Ed^ar and Achille. During the peace of Amiens, he became an Admiralty midbhipmun in tlie Naiad frigate j but at the renewal of the war, he re- joined his patron, in the Malta 80, of which ship he was a lieutenant in Sir Robert Calder's action, July 22, 1805 J. Hiu first commission bears date May 7» 1B04. In 1807) ^Ir. Nicolas was introduced by Captain BuUer to Rear-Adniiral (now Sir George) Martin, who received him as his flag-lieutenant in the Queen 98, and with whom he removed as such to the Cauopus 80, on the Mediterranean station. In Oct. 1809, Lord Collingwood gave him an order to act as commander of the Redwing 18, in which vessel he • See United Service Journal, Vol. I. p. 60. t The Rev. John Keigwin, mentioned in the last page, was the second son of John Keigwin, of Mousehole, co. Cornwall, Esq. by Margaret, dau^^hter of John Gifi'ard, of Brightley, co. Devon, Esq. (a distinguished loyalist, and a Colonel in King Charles the First's army) who married Joan, sixth daughter of Sir John Wyndham, ancestor of the Earl of Kgremont, and the lineal descendant of Sir John Wyndham annd which I shall not fail to report to the commander-in-chief. I am, ^c, (Sijnied) *' Georoe Martin." •• To J. Toup Nicola*, Esq. iSfC. ^c'* On the 25th of the same month, the Pilot assisted at the capture and destruction of thirty-one vessels, laden with pro- visions and stores for the enemy's army at Scylla, together with seven large gun-boats and five armed scampavias, by which the transports were protected. The official account of this exploit will be found in our memoir of Captain Lord Rad- stock, who bore honorable testimony to the " gallantry and zeal" of Captain Nicolas, and of every other officer and man under his orders. The convoy thus disposed of, and that which had been previously destroyed by the Pilot, was acknowledged by Murat '* to have been indispensably necessary to complete his preparations for the invasion of Sicily;" and it was assert- ed at Naples, that he alledged the loss of those convoys as the cause of his postponing, and finally abandoning, the expedition against that island.* The following lettei's were subsequently addressed to Captain Nicolas : ^'Private." - V *'Canopu8, July 27, ISIO. " My dear Sir, — Most sincerely do I congratulate you on your success. Captain Waldegrave, in his public letter, has spoken of you in terms which I am sure your conduct well deserves. I would wish you to send all your prizes to the Canopus, and to be ready to proceed to your station mth the Thames as soon as possible, as another convoy is said to be expected from Naples. I am, my dear Sir, &c. (Signed) " George Martin." "Canoptit, Messina, Oct. 19, 1810. " Sir, — In compliance with the directions I have received by letter from Sir Charles Cotton, Bart, oommander-io-chief, addressed to Vice-Admiral Martin, but whose flag being struck, and the command on this station having devolved upon me, I have therefore the very pleasing duty of conveying to you the approbation of the commander-in-chief, of your conduct, and that of the officers and men under your command, in the late successful attack on the enemy's convoys from Naples. I have the honor to be, &c (Signed) " Chab. Boylbb." " Canopus, Palermo, Feb. 6, 1811. " Sir,— I am directed by the commander-in-chief, in pursuance of direc- tions he has received from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, to express to you their Lordships' high approbation at the gallantry dis- played by the captains, officers, seamen, and marines, of the Thames, ♦ Sec Siippl, Part I. pp. lyo,— 192. (;li. ' t P08T-CAPTAINa OP 1815. Weazel, and Pilot, at the capture and destruction of the enemy'd convoy from Naples^ under the batteries of Amauthea, on the 25th July last ; and further, that in consideration thereof, their lordships had been pleased to promote Captain Prescott, of the Weazel, to the rank of Post-Captain, and Lieutenant Edward Collier, of the Thames, to the rank of Commander, with commissions bearing date the 25th of last July. I have the honor to be, &c. (Signed) " Charles Boyles" At the moment when Captain Prescott, the senior command- er at Amanthea, was so deservedly promoted. Captain Nicolas had not completed the necessary time to be eligible to post rank; but as the Pilot alone had captured and destroyed twen- ty-two sail, including five armed vessels, a short time before, independently of the attack in company with the Ortenzia, it might have been supposed that he would have attained that step soon afterwards, especially as these were the first attempts to interrupt Murat's convoys. Until October in that year the Pilot continued on the same station, and was continually employed in harassing the convoys returning from Calabria to Naples. In April, 1811, Rear- Admiral Boyles sent Captain Nicolas to examine the whole of the lower coast, between Capes Spartivento and St. Mary. On his return to Messina, he reported as follows : — " Only three of the vessels we have seen had the appearance of being laden, and these, I have the satisfaction to say, we were fortunate enough to get off, notwithstanding that they were hauled high on the beach, and their crews had taken every precaution to prevent our succeeding, by carrying away their launching materials, with all that was moveable belonging to them, and had brought above thirty soldiers, and as many country people armed for their protection, from the town of Monasteracci, under which they were lying. The zeal and exertions of Lieutenants (Alexander) Campbell and (Francis Charles) Annesley, together with those of Mr. (Roger) Langlands, and the petty officers and men employed on shore, soon, however, overcame every difficulty, and in about an hour they were launched. I am happy to add, that not a man of ours was hurt on this occasion, although the enemy had very favorably placed themselves, partly in houses, and partly in a wood on the top of a hill, within half- musket-shot of the beach, and from whence we could not dislodge them, notwithstanding the brig was anchored within grape-shot of the shore. The cargoes of the vessels consist of oil, going as part of the annual tribute paid by the town of Catanzara to the French government at Naples." On the 3rd May, several vessels were captured under simi- lar circumstances, near the town pf Riacci ; and on the 10th POlT-CAPTAIIft OF 1815. 61 of that month, the Pilot, in company with the Herald ship- sloop, Captain George Jackson, attacked a small convoy near the town of Monasteracci. The execution of this duty was entrasted to Captain Nicolas, the Herald's boats being sent to assist those of the brig. Captain Jackson's report of the affair, which was marked by great gallantry, and attended with complete success, was acknowledged by Rear-Admiral Boyles in the following terms : — "Campus, Palermo Bay, I8th May, 1811. " Sir, — I have to acknowledge your letter of the 10th inst. received by the Messina military courier this morning, and therefore do not lose a moment in answering your detailed account of the very handsome services of his Majesty's sloop under your command, and that of the Pilot, 'inder Captain Nicolas, in a co-operation in the annoyance of the enemy's rnde, and destruction of their craft on the coast of Upper CMabrv,; whi.::''j Ui>.i been accomplished in so judicious, and so gaiiant a limuaei, that I 3tt: confident the commander-in-chief, to whom I shall take che cdtUeit opf^cr- tunity to transmit your original letters, will feel with oiysc^f ihe mt nt that is due to the officers and men engaged in the enterprise, v.vid parlicv'.larly to the prudent and cool intrepidity of Lieutenant AlesinOtr Caa:pl>ell, Id conducting the service, which, I have the pleasure tc rfc0>^Tk. '■•; iue gen^.r?! characteristic of that brave officer, shewn on uist ly similar nccas ons, whicb I have had the honor to be officially acquainted miti, and which Ijtonor- able testimonials have gone through me to the commandcr-ir\.i.hii2f» i.ttd I have not a doubt but very soon I shall have the happiness of transmi;t!icig' his approbation and thanks for such meritorious services tci aU .vlio huve been employed. However, Sir, before I can receive such p,ratifyitj," com- mands, I beg you will, as well as Captain Nicolas, L'.'mtenant Can^pbel!, and the rest of the officers and men who had the honour to 'i>c en>;fa^ed in this enterprise, accept my warmest thanks and approbaVtun fci." '.heir steady and gallant conduct on this and former occasions. " You will please to make kiiown these my sentiments to Captain Nicolas, that he may acquuibt the officers and men employed on the abcfve service therewith. I have the honor to be, &c. (Signed) " Charlgs BoYiuaa,** ** To Captain Jackson, H.M. S. Herald** At the same time, Captain Nicolas received the amexed private letter from Rear-Admiral Boy! .j : — ," Canopu\ Paler.ny, May 20th, 1811. " Dear Sir, — I give you joy of ynor success ; the whole affair has been conducted in a most offic.r lite nl- {"art III p. 80. ^ P0»T-CAPTA1NS OF 1815. 65 ; battery and dered at dis- (1 pistol-shot; guns thrown len with oil I coming on greater part ptain Napier From Captain ious manner, il Free man tie entiments of ins had been in harassing a ourteen gun- nee of a calm jscaping. In and Cephalus 5e convoy at n-boats, and ! warmly en- ustained any in sails and IB, the Pilot (itmen, while »ia, between )er of vessels od, exceeded doing some- the enemy's n killed and nry Picrson midshipman. itS| on these occasions, and distinguished themselves, were Messrs. Tho- mas F. Leigh and Nicholas Harris Nicolas. Mr. Simpson was subsequently killed by a grape-shot, when in pursuit of a privateer, off Galita. In July, 1812, the Pilot was sent to the Adriatic, and there placed under the orders of Captain Edwards Lloyd Graham, of the Alcmene frigate, in company with which ship several guns were destroyed at Almezza anl in tlie island of Brazza. Captain Nicolas was next employed in cruising between Sicily anci the coast of Africa, on which station he made several captures; and among them, June 4, 1813, after the third long and anxious chase, the French armed brig Harp, formerly a celebrated privateer pierced for 16 guns, and with a valuable cargo on board, from Marseilles bound to Tunis. There has been some discussion lately as to when shells were first fired from carronades, and it has been contended, that it is a recent invention of the French. From 1810 to 1813, the Pilot was constantly in the practice of using shells in this man- ner, and repeated uroadsides of them were frequently dis- charged. They were first obtained from her prize gun- boats, and she was afterwards regularly supplied with them at Messina, as they proved most efficacious in dislodging the troops when collected to defend vessels driven on shore. A singular instance of their utility occurred when in chase of the Harp. The pursuit commenced at dusk, and the Pilot did not get within gun-shot until midnight. The first carronade fired threw a shell over the enemy's brig, which, bursting on the other side of her, convinced her commander that it was a shot from another Eiv^lhh man-of-war; when, thinking he was between two fires, he deemed escape hopeless, instantly brought to, and surrendered. Shortly after the peace with France, in 1814, Captain Nicolas was sent by Lord Exmouth to Murat, then King of Naples, to inquire into a supposed insult offered by a Neapolitan fri- gate to H. M. sloop J'yladoB. This circumstance was proved by Joachin, in a personal interview, to have arisen from a SUPI'l.. PART IV. r ll ' \v l< I lit C6 POST- CAPTAINS OF 1815. mibtakc ; and nothing could exceed the respect which the temporary monarch expressed for the English nation. About the same period, Captain Nicolas had the high gratification of receiving the annexed private letter from his commander- in-chief : " Caledonia, Palermo Bay, \2th June, 1814. " Dear Sir,— A« the arrangements arc making for the return of the fleet to England, and it will soon fall to the lot of the Pilot to bend her course the same way, I should regret your departure from my command without taking with you my best wishes for your promotion and success, and u>y testimony of satisfaction with your conduct during the three years you have served under my flag. I have had uniform pleasure in receiving reports of your gallantry and zeal, and my own observation has confirmed and strengthened your claim to my good opinion* to which no officer under my command has higher pretensions. I am, dear Sir, with esteem, your very faithful servant, (Signed) " Exmouth." The Pilot was ordered to call for the Oporto convoy on her way to England, with which she arrived at Portsmouth, Oct. 6, 1814. Captain Nicolas then obtained six weeks' leave of absence, and soon afterwards received the following letter from his late Admiral : " London, Nov. )2, 1814. ** My dear Sir, — It is with sensible pleasure I hear from you, that Lord Melvillo acknowledges your ji.t pretensions to promotion; I can safely say your conduct under my flag fully entitles yon to his consideration, and I hope you may soon experience the benefit of his good dii*position towards you. Wishing you perfect success, I am, my dear Sir, very faithfully yours, (Signed) " Exjiouth." From the want of interest to support his claims. Captain Nicolas was advised to ask the officers who severally com- manded at Sicily for their testimonials of the Pilot's services on that station, and this request procured for liim the letters which we subjoin. **Plymoulh, Oct.2\, 1814. " Dear Sir, — Yesterday I was favoured with your letter of the 18th iiist. and am very happy to reply to it in such a way as gives me much pleasure, and if I could assist yotir promotion, I sliouM lie very glud indeed. Wlmt I liad an opporttmity of saying to Sir Edward Duller, was what you jusfiy deserved ; for the services rendered by the activity of his Majesty's sloop Ptlut, when under my orders, I considered uf such consequence in annoying r* !< POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. ct which the uttion. About h gratification 3 commander- .thJwie, 1814. return of the fleet > Ijcnd her course •ommand without success, anil >«y •ee years you have 1 receiving reports as confirmed and 0 officer under uiy esteem, your very " EXMOUTH." > convoy on her )rtsmotith, Oct. weeks' leave of Following letter Nov. 12, 1814. oin you, that Lord )tion ; I can safely conaidcration, and ^position towards ry faithfully yours, " EXMOUTH." aims, Captain severally com- Pilot's services him the letters I, Oc/. 21,1814. tor of the 18th inst. ine much picosurc, ;lad indeed. What r'as what you justly m Majesty's sloop (|no»ce in Hunoyiiiji; tu the enemy's coasting trade upon the coaats of Calabria and Naples, that 1 repeatedly had to perform a very agreeable part of my duty, by writing you public letters, to express my admiration of the zeal and gallantry shewa by yourself, officers, and crew of the Pilot, in many well conducted enter- \ prises. I am very glad to hear you are well, and if you are disappointed in 'i- your promotion to a higher rank for n short time, I hope you have been more successful in prizes, aa a consolation in a small degree for your pri- vation of the step of pos^captain. I am, dear Sir, Your obedient and faithful humble »ervant, (Signed) " Cha. Boyles*." I ** Brutseh, 26th October, 1814. " Dear Sir, — I have this moment received your letter of the 18th inst. requesting my opinion of your conduct during the time you served under i my flag as lieutenant, as well as in the command of ' The Pilot' sloop on I the coast of Calabria. I beg to assure you that I had every reason to be tinost perfectly satisfied with your conduct upon all occasions, and that I did not fail to represent to the commander-in-chief on the Mediterranean •tation, the particular services performed by you as commander of the Pilot. I am, dear Sir, v^ry truly yours, (Signed) " Gborob Martht." ' " Maawelton House, Nov. \8tk, 1814. " Dear Nicolas, — I congratulate you on your return to England after so long an absence, but feel mortified to find that you are still in the Pilot ; ,fur 1 must do you the credit to say, I never saw any sloop uf war in better 'order in every respect, or more ready for service at all times ; and indeed ,1 was so much pleased with your conduct and attention whilst under my lorders, when I commanded in Sicily and on the coast of Naple? hat I felt A pleasure in doing my duty, by mentioning you as I did to the commander- in-chief, then Sir Edward Pellew. I regretted much your being absent on other service when I sent the expedition against Ponzaf, and likewise when I was singly in the bay of Naples, as I little doubt but that you would have brought out the frigate at anchor there, and thus ensured youiself a rank M'hich, in my humble opinion, you most fully merit. Indeed, althouc^h wc BCTer met until you were placed under my orders, I must say I feel that in- terest in your welfare as a zealous, good, and attentive officer, that I regretted much not finding your name on the post list. I wish you could in any way get recommendations to Lord Melville, as I am certain he has every desire to bring forward officers of real naval merit, and your services in the Pilot do you so much credit. With best wishca, believe me, dear Nicolas, your very lincere friend, (Signed) ** Rodbrt Laurib." On rejoining the Pilot, Captain Nicolas applied to the VicC'Admiral Charles Doylcs died at Plymouth, in Nov. 1816. t Sec Suppl. Part II p. 5 ct srq. 68 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. Admiralty to have that sloop altered agreeably to a plan he proposed, by which a shot- hole between wind and water, ii> any part of the ship, could be inunediately stopped; and which, in the former arrangements of the bread and store- rooms, was impossible. This, it had been confidently asserted, was the principal cause of the capture of the Avon and Pea- cock. The Admiralty not only complied with his retjuest, but ordered all the 18-gun brigs then under repair at Ports- mouth to be fitted on the same plan. On the return of Napoleon Buonaparte from Elba, Lord £xmouth was ordered to resume the chief command in the Mediterranean ; and the Pilot being selected by his lordship to accompany him, she joined his flag, off Plymouth, in April, 1815. After passing Gibraltar, the Admiral confided to Captain Nicolas the important duty of opening a commu- nication with Marseilles and the coast adjacent, in order to assure those who adhered to the royal cause, of the assist- ance of Great Britain in their efforts. Whilst proceeding on this duty, he heard, from a vessel he boarded at sea, that the Duke d'Angouleme was at Barcelona; he therefore deter- mined on seeing his Royal Highness : and on learning the Duke's wishes, the Pilot conveyed one of his staff to Lord Exmouth at Genoa, and returned with the aide-de-camp to Barcelona. She afterwards rejoined the flag at Naples, and was sent from thence to watch Porto Ferrajo. In the execu- tion of these orders, she fell in with and defeated the French national ship la Leg^re, of 28 guns and about 300 uicn, inclu- ding troops, commanded by Mons. Touffet, capilaine de frigate. This action is particularly Mititled to consideration, not only from the great disparity in the force of the comba- tants, but from its being the last rencontre between our ships and those of France, and eveopting the capture of la Melponi«5ne frigate by the Rivoli 74*. the oidy one during the war of 181.'). The particulars are detailed in the following official letter from Captain Nicolas to Lord Exmouth, dated at Leghorn, June 19, 18ir>:— • Sei' Vol. 11. r.iit I. p. 2W. 1 ■i POST-CAPTAINS OF 18115. 60 to a plan he and water, \n stopped; and [\d and store- entlyasscrted, Lvon and Pea- 1 his recjuest, [pair at Ports- ni Elba, Lord tnimand in the )y his lordship Plymouth, in niiral confided ing a conimu- nt, in order to , of the assist- proeeeding on \i sea, that the lerefore deter- n learning the 1 staff to Lord ide-de-camp to at Naples, and In the execu- ted the French JOO uicn, inclu- capltaine de consideration, of the comba- v% eon our ships f la Mclpom«5ne ic war of 1815. ; otlicial letter d at Leghorn, » " My Lord,— I do myself the honor to report to your LordsWp, the circumstances attending an action which took place on the 17th inst. about 50 miles west of Cape Corse, between this brig and a French ship of war mounting 28 guns (twenty 261b. carronades, and two long 12-pounder3 on the main deck, and six long guns, 9 or 12.pounders, with some smaller ones, on her upper deck) ; and the disinclination of our opponent to renew the contest, alone, I am assured, prevented its terminating in his capture. Should lenter too much into detail in describing the event to your Lordship, I hope that it will be attributed solely to an earnest desire to do justice to the merits of those whom I had the honor to command on the occasion. " At daylight on the 17th, a frigate was observed in the E. N. E. which, from not answering our signals, 1 concluded to be an enemy. I continued to approach her until I could see her water-line from the deck, and then, having ascertained that she had only twelve ports of a side on the main- deck, I tiiought she was not more than a match for the Pilot, and conse- (|uently did my best to get alongside of her. At 2 p. m. the stranger hav- ing taken in his small sails, and apparently prepared for action, he hauled towards us, and fired a gun to windward, hoisting a tri-coloured pendant and ensign. At half-past 2, after some manoiuvring o:i both sides to endeavour to gain the weathcr-gagc, I placed the Pilot close on his weather beam, and hoisted our colours. Observing that he was preparing to make sail to pass us, and an oflicer having hailed in a menacing tone, desiring me ' to keep further from him,' and his people continuing to train their guns at us, I ordered a shot to be fired through his foresail to stop his progress. The flash of our gun proved the signal for the general discharge of his broadside, nnd the action then commenced within pistol range, our shot being from the lee guD», and directed low, evidently striking his hull in quick succession, and his disabling our rigging greatly. By 4 o'clock, the fire of our opponent had slackened considerably, and I sanguinely looked and expected every instant to sec the tri-coloured ensigu hauled down. At half-past 4, he hauled up his mainsail, and backed his mizen- top-sail, in order to drop a-stern ; I endeavoured to shorten sail also, to retain our position on his beam, but I found every brace, bowline, and clue- garnet cut away. We thus unavoidably ran a-hcad of him, and as the only alternative, I put the helm up to rake his bows, of which he took im- mediate advantage, by hauling close to the wind, and making off with all tlie sail he could carry : and it was with deep regret I saw that I had it not in my power to follow him immediately, in consequence of our disabled state aloft, the yards being wholly unmanageable, the main-top-gallant- mast over the side, the main-top-sail-yard shot away in the slings, and our stays, and the greater part of our standing, and all our running rigging, gone. Thus situatod, it was some time before wc could secure the masts and yards, so as to follow the French ship : however, in less than an hour we had another main-top-sail-yard across, and the tail set, and by 7 o'clock were going nearly 7 knots by the wind in chase of uur oppunetir, \vith the \4 I i I:,:;: 70 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. hope of forcing him to a renewal u the contest. He was then on our weather bow, distant from us about 5 or 6 miles. We continued in pur- suit until the 18lh, at daylight, when it was ivith real sorrow I discovered that the enemy had eluded us during the night, no vessel being in sight ; and as we were near to Antibes, I concluded that she must have got into some port thereabouts. The wind being fresh from the W. S. W. and not having any hope of agun meeting the object of our pursuit, I most re- luctantly steered to resume my station. " Had this action, my Lord, fortunately terminated in the capture of the French ship, I might with confidence have presumed to recommend to your Lordship's notice, and to their Lordships' protection, the first lieu- tenant of this sloop, Mr. W. Keigwin Nicolas, an officer of six years' standmg ; but the circumstance of having closely engaged for nearly two hours, a ship, in my belief, precisely of the class of the Rainbow *, and having obliged her to seek safety in flight, wMl I hope be admitted as an excuse for mentioning the name of this officer, together with that of Lieu- tenant \^lliam Gibbs Dowden, and Mr. WiHium Weaver, acting master, who has passed his examination for a lieuteh^nt nearly four years, and has been severely wounded in action before ; as also that of Mr. Thomas Rowe, the purser, who volunteered his services on deck ; by all of whom, as in- deed by every individual on board, the greatest gallantry and exertion were shewn : they are fully entitled to the highest commendation I can bestow on them, and I trust their conduct on this occasion will be honoured with your Lordship's approbation. After a contest of this sort, many might be supposed to have suffered { but it is with great happiness I have to forward to your Lordship so small a report of killed and wounded f. This, added to our opponent's firing high, is in a great degree to be attributed to the precision with which our people directed their fire, as it repeatedly caused Uie silence uf many of the enemy's guns, and thereby, as was observed from aloft, obliged the soldiers who were employed at musketry, to quit the upper deck to re-man them« I have the honor to be, &c. (Signed) " J. Toup Nicolas." The enemy's loss, as ascertained afterwards, at Marseilles, was 22 killed and 79 wounded, being very nearly as many as the Pilot had on board altogether. The following is an extract of the letter from Lord Exmouth to the Admiralty, dated June 28, 1815, enclosing the above : , . . , * Formerly I'Iris French national ship, pierced for 32 guns, mounting, on the main-deck, twenty-two 24-pounders, carrouades, and two long twelves. See Vol. IL Part I. p. 869. t One killed, one mortally wounded, one dangerously, oeven severely, and six, including Lieutenant W. Keigwin Nicolas and the purser, slightly wounded. POST-CAPTAINS OP 1815. 71 was then on our intinued in pur- row I discovered bein;; in sight; 1st have got into V. S. W. and not rsuit, I most re- n the capture of o recommend to DUy the first lieu- !er of six years' d for nearly two Rainbow*, and admitted as an rith that of Lieu- tr, acting master, ur years, and has '. Thomas Rowe, of whom, as in- d exertion were ion I can bestow e honoured mth I, many might be [ have to forward If. This, added attributed to the cpeatedly caused as was observed nusketry, to quit &c. UP Nicolas." at Marseilles, Gtrly as many >lIowing is an le Admiralty, ^uns, mounting, s, and two long , seven severely, : purser, slightly "I think it right that their lordships should be put in possession of the particulars of this affair, as it reflects so much credit on Captain Nicolas, ills officers, and ship's company. Captain Nicolas is an officer of great merit { active, intelligent, and highly deserving their lordships' favorable notice." -I The oflicial answer to this communication was :-— " Aly Lord, — Having laid before my Lords Commissioners of the Ad- miralty your lordship's letter of the 28th June, transmitting one from Captain Nicolas, of the Pilot, detailing the particulars uf a severe action with a French ship of war, of very superior force, which, from the dis- abled state of the Pilot, succeeded in effecting her escape, I have their Lordships' commands to express to you their approbation of the gal- lantry displayed by Captain Nicolas, his officers, and ship's company, on this occasion. I am, &c. (Signed) .. "John Barrow."^ , " To Mmiral Lord Ej>mouth, K. C. B." '. ' . . ". V .' Mr. Barrow's letter was dated Aug. 14, 1815 ; and Cap- tain Nicolas's advancement to post rank took place on the 26th of the same month. His brother, then an officer of upwards of six years' standing, who was senior lieutenant of the Pilot, and wounded, in her spirited action with la Legere, has not yet been promoted. 1 ., •? 7 ' .jiiLuiiCf An instance of heroism occurred during that action, which has seldom been surpassed, and which is scarcely rivalled by even Ghreek or Roman valour. The Pilot having had her main-top-sail-yard shot away, the people were employed aloft in preparing to send up another, and were in the act of reeving a hawser for the purpose when a voice was heard from the captain's-cabin (to which, as is usual in brigs, the wounded were sent, and through the skylight of which the mainmast is visible) ex- claiming " you are reeving the hawser the wrong way.'* This proved to be the case ; and on looking down to see who had detected the mistake at the mast-head, it was found to be John Powers, quarter-master*8-matc, who was at the moment lying on his back on the table under the sky- light, undergoing the amputation of his thigh, his leg having just before been carried away by a round shot. The man who under such circumstances can think only of his duty, if ,!f' V 11 1^ POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. is a hero, and whether a common sailor or an admiral, de- serves to have his name placed on record. John Powers was an Irishman, about 25 years of age. It was not likely that his conduct should pass unnoticed, and on his captain's representing it, he obtained for him the object of his am- bition,— a cook*s warrant. He was in the Drake sloop of war when that vessel was wrecked on the coast of New- foundland, and though with but one leg, was amongst the eleven men who were saved. Captain Nicolas was one of the six commanders who were nominated Companions of the Bath when that class of the Order was first created, in June, 1815. On the 4th Oct. following, the King of the Two Sicilies was pleased to confer on him the small cross of the order of St. Ferdinand and Merit, ** in consideration of the distinguished services ren- dered by him to his royal crown during the late war ;" and on the 26th April, 1816, his Sicilian Majesty "again deigned to manifest to him his sovereign favor for the many services he had afforded his royal crown," by conferring on him the cross of a Knight Commander of that Order, which he was permitted by the Prince Regent to accept and wear, " in con- sequence of the signal intrepidity manifested by him while commanding H. M. sloop Pilot, in effecting the capture and destruction of several of the enemy's vessels, in various ac- tions near Cetraro, Amanthea, Salerno, Sapri, Castellar, and other places on the east and west coasts of Calabria, during the years 1810, 1811, and 1812." At Marseilles, in Nov. 1815, during the visit of the Duke d'Angouleme to that city. Captain Nicolas, after dining with H. R. Highness, had the honor of receiving his personal thanks, ** for the services he had rendered the royal cause ;" which compliment was re- peated on board Lord Exmouth's flag-ship, a day or two afterwards. Whilst in the Mediterranean, Captain Nicolas's attention was drawn to the inaccuracies in the Admiralty charts ; and when not otherwise employed, he examined various parts of the coast, and pointed out to that Board the errors he had discovered. Some extracts from the Hydrogrupher's POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. 73 letterH to him will evince the value of these communi- cations :— " Hydrographkal Office, Sept. 7, 1812. " I have to ofller my best thanks for tlic iiiformatioti contained in your tetter dated the 1st March, 1812, as well as for the sketches of shoals on the cast coast of Calabria, which were immediately present- ed to their lordships, who were pleased to pa^^a very high encomiums thereon." •' Ut j4pril, 1815. " Dy this evening's coach I have sent a package, containin;:^ your two books of charts lent to this ofljcc, and for the use of which I oifer you my very best thanks. — With respect to Mediterranean charts, should your ship be ordered on that station, and a suflicicnt time allowed roe previoud to your sailing, I will have a particular box made up for you. " We feel too much indebted to your very zealous attentions in sup- plying our hydrographical wants and deficiencies, not to comply with all your requests and wishes, as far as may be within our power. The many valuable communications you have from time to time transmitted to us, are placed amongst our most valuable documents ; and when brought forward in correction of our charts, which will shortly be done, care will be taken to let the world know to whom this OiHcc has been obliged. Accept my best wishes, and believe me, very sincerely, yours." ' « i3,A ^ug-ust, 1816. " I have to acknowledge the receipt of your favour from Looe, together with a book of remarks, for both of which I beg to offer my best thanks. The book contains some very acceptable, and highly useful information, and will, I flatter myself, enable us to correct a few of the great errors to be met with in all the published charts of the Mediter- ranean, particularly between the southern coast of Sardinia, Cape Don, and Maritimo, the relative bearings and distances of these places each from the other, as well as of their true positions with respect to lati- tudes and longitudes, we have no satisfactory knowledge of. I therefore again repeat my thanks for your valuable communication, and am," &c. (Signed) "Thomas Hurd." In Oct. 1814, Captain Nicolas addressed a letter to Mr. Wilberforce, on the traffic carried on by the Barbary powers in Christian slaves. He pointed out the policy and naval force of the States of Tunis, Tripoli, and Algiers ; the facility with which they might be kept in check ; the cruelty which they daily perpetrated by carrying off wliole families ''I vm iiii 74' POST-GAPTAINS OP 1815. from the coasts of Sardinia, Rome, and Naples; and in strong and nervous language called upon Mr. Wilberforce to exert his wonted humanity by arousing the British Govern- ment to a proper state of its dignity, so as to put a final termination to the disgraceful system. As might be expected, Mr. Wilberforce received this communication with great interest ; nor is it too much to infer, that it hastened, even if it did not mainly tend to, the treaties entered into with Tunis and Algiers iu April 1810, when all the Christian slaves were released by Lord Exmouth and the trade pro- mised to be terminated for ever, the violation of which en- gagement, by the Dey of Algiers, was so signally punished by his liurdsiiip in the month of August following. The letter alluded to is printed at length in the Naval Chronicle, Vol. 40, pp. 421—426. The success of the American navy formed the subject of universal conversation among officers after the peace with France, and occupied a more than usual share of Captain Nicolas's attention. Having committed his opinions on the cause of those disasters, and their remedies, to paper, he was induced by some officers of high rank, to print them ; and towards the end of 1814, he published a pamphlet, entitled " ^n Inquiry into the Causes which have led to our Late Naval Disasters, by an Officer in the Navy, in a Series of Letters to a Friend.'* This tract, which was confined to private circulation, though bearing evident marks of haste, contains some valuable remarks, and many important truths. It denies that the principal causes of the superiority of the American navy arose from the size of their ships, but from the different manner in which they were manned, and from their crews being constantly practised to fire at a mark ; whilst by the naval instructions, our first rates were allowed to fire only sixteen guns a month for the first six months, and eight afterwards. This, with many other faults which that pam- phlet exposed, have since been remedied ; and though the immediate interest which gave it birth has passed away, nu- merous points are adverted to, which arc still deserving of consideration. ; '^' POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. 75 es; and in ilberforce to ish Govern- put a final be expected, with great ned, even if d into with le Christian e trade pro- f which en- lly punished wing. The il Chronicle, e subject of peace with of Captain kions on the iper, he was ; them ; and let, entitled o our Late a Series of confined to ks of haste, rtant truths. ority of the )8, but from 1, and from dark ; whilst owed to fire IS, and eight h that pam- though the d away, nu- Icserving of •i In April 181G, the Pilot accompanied Lord Exmouth to Algiers and Tunis, and returned to Plymouth in July follow- ing, when she was paid off. It is an act of justice, not only to Captain Nicolas, but to the officers of the Pilot, to allude to the beautiful state of discipline in which she was kept, which excited the admiration of those who saw her, and frequently produced to her commander the most flattering expressions from his superior officers. Nor did it escape the Admiralty, that the perfect order for which she was distinguished in the Mediteranean, was produced without severity of punishment ; and when, in January 1813, their lordships thought proper to reprehend an excess in a late gallant captain of a frigate, they directed his attention to the Pilot, on board of which not a man had been flogged for twelve months. For upwards of three years. Captain Nicolas remained on half pay ; and during his residence near Falmouth, his mind was employed in arranging a plan for placing the packets under the Admiralty, instead of the Post Office. He commu- nicated his ideas on the subject to Lord Melville, in 1819; and in 1823 his suggestions were adopted, by the transfer being made. In January, 1820, Captain Nicolas was appointed to the Ege- ria 28, and sent to Newfoundland, where he had to perform the anomalous duties of a naval surrogate. Though of course foreign to his previous pursuits,yet by the exertion of his usual zeal and abilities, he not only succeeded in giving ample satis- faction to the inhabitants, but out of upwards of one thousand causes, which he tried at St. John and Harbour Grace, only three appeals were lodged ; and in each of these his decision was confirmed by the supreme court. Having to trust to his own resources alone, as the ice prevented a reference to the chief justice on the numerous difficult technical points that occurred, it was his constant practice to study the best legal writers, after the close of the court on each day, and on the next to de- liver his judgments. These, which evince unusual tact, and great versatility of talent, as they abound in references to authorities, and enter fully into the law of the case, were regularly reported in the newspapers of the island j and pre- 7« POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. ^ ffsRl lip ■ • 1 sent an extraordinary example of the duties which naval officers are sometimes called upon to perform. Tlie liberal support of the chief justice of the colony; the warm approbation of the principal iniiabitants ; the ad- mission of the writers on both sides of a controversy re- specting the propriety of employing naval officers as surro- gates, of his talents, integrity, and zeal j and more than all, the gratitude of the poor iishcrnien, of whose rights he was the constant protector, amply compensated him for the un- expected opposition and aimoyancc wliich he encountered from a high quarter. Nothing could more fully prove the estimation in which his conduct was held, than the readiness with which the in- habitants of Harbour Grace defended him, and the generous ardour with which they assured him of their esteem, when some of his decisions were attacked by an anonymous libel- ler. The proceedings on that occasion are copied from a Newfoundland newspaper. At a meeting of the inhabitants of Harbour Grace and its vicinity, it was resolved unanimously to present the follow- ing address to Captain Nicolas, "expressive of the detesta- tion evinced by the meeting, at the publication of two false and scandalous placards," for the discovery of the author of which 400/. were subscribed, and " stating the high sense en- tertained by them of the zeal and impartiality shewn in the discharge of his duties as surrogate :" " Harbour Grace, Niir/onndland, Afar. 2f), 1822. •* Sir, — We have the honor to state, that in ron8C(|Ucnce of two falae and 8can|ipcarinjir lately posted in this town, the one tcndiuur not only to injure your character as a surrojratc (by creating animosities und expuHing you to public !iatrcd and contempt), liut also threateninfif your person, and the other holding "r-U Majesty's courts of Justice to ridicule — " We, the greater part of the most rcHpcctahIc inhabitants of this town and neighbourhood, viewing the said libels with perfect disgust and de- testation, with a desire to bring the writer or writers of the same to justice, have felt it a duty we owe you and ourselves, as a body of loyal subjects, volurtarily to come forward and make a subscription, \>'»ich we have otTcrcd i\8 a rowiird to any informer ; thereby hoping and liclieving that this nicttsurc will lead to the detection of him or iiioijc coDcerncd in this POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. n rhich naval he colony; ts ; the ad- iroversy re- j as Burro- ire than all, fhts he was for the un- 3iicountered n in which hich the iii- lie generous teem, when nious libel- lied from a 'ace and its the foUow- he detesta- [>f two false e author of h sense en- icwn in the r. Sfi, 1822. : of two falae le onu tcndiuj^ ig aniinosiiicii 10 threatenirif^ of Juslico to 8 of this town sgust and de- tnc to justice, loyal 8ul)jecta« 'iicli wc have believing that certtcd in this * !)a3C and cowardly transaction. The ability, zeal, and impartiality shewn i)y you as a judge, durinp your residence amongst us, have provfd tliat you are undeserving of censure, — but, on the contrary, your general attention to the interests of this community, re(|uire our warmest thanks. •' We l)eg leave further to add, that all diligence will be manifested by Hs to discover the malicious writer in question, whereby he may bi; prose- cuted. In the mean time, permit us to subscribe ourselves, with respect. Sir, your obedient servant, " James Baylt, Cliulrmnn. " [At the request of the meeting]." " To John Toup Xicolas, C.li., i'^c c^c. <5t." On receipt of tiic above address, Captain Nicolas returned the following reply :— " H.M. S. Effrrhi, ff'iv/jnur Grace, 3/ar, 2f5, 1822. "Sir, — Did I not sensibly feel the great attention which has been shewn me by the respectable meeting uf wliich you are the chuirman, in thus coming forward so handsomely to mark your detestation of the writer of the base libel against my public character, — some coward who, like an assassin, has in the dark dared to insinuate that my judgment as a surro- gate has been Ctf/TM/)//y influenced, in favour of one of the poorer classes of society, in opposition to the justice due to one of the more wealthy, — 1 should ill deserve the favor which has been done me. — The honorable and liberal conduct of the inhabitants on this occasion, is the best answer to such a charge, for those who during the last seven months, have al- nmst dally witnessed the proceedings of this court, arc the best qualified to reply to such an aspersion. Next to the approval of our own conscience, and Its assurance that we have done right, every man must be proud to learn, that he has succeeded in giving flatlsfacllon to those to whom he has been called upon to administer, to the best of his abilities, the laws of his country. Under these impressions, no man can feel more deeply than I do, on this occasion, tlni truth of the words of a great statesman, now no more, that 'to be the object of calumny and mlsreprcj^cntation, will cause uneasiness, it is true, but an uneasiness not wholly unmixed with pride and satisfaction, since t'uc experience of all ages teaches un, that calumny and misrepresentation arc fre oecasiion ; POST-CAP TAINS OF 1815 81 311 detained 'ar were cn- illage a few great num- 8, acconipa- tain Nicolas dragoons to and without unattended ringlfuiders the boavS to of the best ; succeed in J day, wlicn tain Nicolas xpostulated illegality of isisted? pro- the govern- liest result. iJctate, and Newcastle, soon after- foibcarancc MC (]ualities lias had the t'losc at the single life j at one ino- nioiv than it at his re- y persisted e adopted. 1 the honor of thnnk» I f " Newcnstle on Tgne, 10 Dec. 1922. " Dear Rir, — I cannot permit you to leave this Port without expressing the very deep sense of oblij^ation I entertain for the able and efTectual sup- port which you have atforded to titc civil authorities during the late disturh- ant-es ainonjfst the kcelmen of tlie Tyne. I bejf you will tlierefore allow me, in my own name, and in the name of the other magistrates, to oflFer my sincere thanks to yourself, Captain William Rochfort*, and fjieutenants Ben- jamin Aplin t, and Robert Stuart t, and to the officers, seamen, and ma- rines of his Majesty's "hips Egeria, Nimrod, and Swan, under your com- mand, for their zealous and indefatigable exertions in the performance of an arduous duty ; and you may rest assured that the cheerfulness and ala- c iiy with which it has been performed will not soon be forgotten. •' I must at the same time beg the favor of you to convey my acknow- ledgments to Lieutenant Stuart who commanded tne Swan in the mouth of October las t, for the very spirited assistance, which he rendered me in quel- ling a riotoi's attempt of the seamen to obstruct the navigation of the port. 1 have the honor to be, dear Sir, with very sincere regard, your obliged hiiiiible servant, (Signed) "RonEUT Bell, Mayor." " 7u John Toup Nkolis, Exf/. C. D. ^r." " Office of the Clerk of the Peace fur Nurthumberlandt Newcastle, 12 Dec. 1822. " Sir, — I am desired by the magistrates acting for the Castle Ward in the county of Northumberland, to state to you, that although they are aware that the service in which you have been engajjed during the late dis- turbances among the kcelmen of the River Tyne, has been necessarily con- fined to the adjoining county of Newcastle upon Tyne, yet they feel them- selves called upon to acknowledge the very benefirial effects in the preser- vation of the public peace within their district, from your judicious and in- defatigable exertions in aid of the civil uuthnritic;?; and I am at the samo time desired to say, they request that you will be pleased to convey to the oflfccrs, |)etty oflicers, non-commissioned officers, seamen and 'narines, of the several sihips »f war under your command during l.ie above service, how highly the magistrates appreciate the zeal, firmness, and uniform good con- duct they displayed on all occasions while employed in assisting the civil power. I have the honor to be, &«.• (Signed) •'TiiOWAS D.winsoN, Clerk of the peace for the county." " To dipt. Nicolat, C. D,, ll.MS. Egeria, (fc. ^t. tVc" • Of the Nimrod sloop. f Commanding the Swan cutter. J First of the Egeria. SCTPPL. PART IV, Q 1 1 f 82 VOST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. Ma^istnites acting for Chester Ward in the County of Durham." " Gateshead Justice Room, Dec. 7, 1823. " Sir, — We have great satisfaction in tendering to you and Capt. Roch- fort, and the officers and men under your command, our thanlis for your firm, persevering, and liumane conduct on the occasion of tiie late disturb- ances ; and fur the assistance you liave rendered to the civil power during their continuance. " Apam Aiken, " Charlks Thorp, *' John Collinson. " H. G. LlODELL, &c. " To Captain Nicolas, C. Br ** Newcastle on l)fne, Dec. 10, 1822. "Sir, — 1 liave the honor to convey the niianiino\u thanks of the Gentle- men interested in the Coal trade, to yourself and the officers, seamen and marines of II.M. ships Egerui, Nimrod, and Swan, under your commanfd, for the grout and eminent services rendered by you and them duruig the late dis- turbances amongst the Keelmen of the River Tyne. Wc arc fully sensible that the exertions of the naval force were most importantly serviceable in protecting the trade of the river, and in producing the ultimate submission of these misguided men, and their return to order and subordination. I have the honor to be, &c. " Dickson Brown, Chairman." " To John Totip Nicolas, Esq. C. B." (enclosure.) " Resolved unanimously, that the warmest thanks of this meeting, which consists of Gentlemen interested in the Coal trade above !)ri{lge, be given to Captain Nicolas, and the oflicer?, seamen, and marines under his command, for the important services rendered by them to the trade of the port, and for their zealous and unremitting exertions, distinguished equally by their firm- ness and modeitttion, in protectiiig those who were employed in navigating their keels in o|)position to the interruptions given by the Keclmcn ; and that this resolution be laid before the general meeting of the trade to be held on Tuesday next." ♦' Resolved that Mr. Clayton and Mr. Lamb be requested to wait upon Captain Nicolas with a copy of this rebolution." " Neiecastle, 10 Dec. 1822. " Dear Sir, — Amongst other pleasant duties which the general meeting of the Coal trade held this day had to perform, they most cheerfully entered into the consideration of what was fit to be done towards th" men who un- der your command have rendered them important service^ md in conse- quence order me to beg you will nave the goodness to direct the distribution of no/, amongst the men of the Egeria; 110/. amongst the men of the Nimrod ; and 50/. amongst the men of the Swan, as u compensation, for their tc(i to H'ait upon POST-CArXAINS OF 1815. 83 extraordinary Ial)0ur8; and for this purpose I have the lionor to enclose a bill for 2701*. I remain, dear Sir, your faithful and obliged servant, " Nath. Clayton.'" " Capt, Nicolas, CD., HJf.S. Egeria." The approbation of the Admiralty, and of Mr. Secretary Peel, was conveyed in the following letters : " Genoa, Sfieirncos, Wth Pre. 1S22. " Sir, — ^Tlie Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, referring to your letter of the 7th instant, reporting that the kcelmcn of the River Tyne had returned to their work, and ihal you would proceed to your station as soon as the civil authorities should consider the presence of His Ma- jesty'* ships to be no longer necessary in the Tyne, have directed nie to express f.o you their approval of your proceedings, and of the conduct of the officers and men under your orders, during the time they have been employed in the said river. I have great pleasure in communicating their lordships' approbation to you, and I hog you will make the same known to all the parlies who have l)een employed under your orders. I have the lionor to lie, &c. "Bkn. Hallowell, Vice-Admiral." " Captain Nicolas, CD, H.M.S. Eifcriu." (noPY.) " JFInfehaU, Dec. Vith, 1822. " Sir, — I nni directed by Mr. Secretary Peel to ac(|aaint you, for the information of the Lordd Commissioners of the Admiralty, that the keelmen on the River Tyne have I'.t length returned to habits of subordi- nation ; and Mr. Peel has much satisfaction in adding, that the magistrates of Newcastle consider tlioy are greatly indebted for this result to the ex- ertions of Captain Nicolas, and the ollicers, seamen, and uiarincs of 11. JM. ships Egeria, Nimrod, and Swan, by wh«)sc aid protection has been af- forded, both by night and by ilay, and on all points, to the navigation of the river, and through whose coolness this struggle with a numerotis and determined body of men has been terminated without bloodf>h^d. I have the honor to be, &c. (.Signed) " II. Hu;iriuu8E." " To J. HlUoH Crohr, Eit(i." ., . The Egeria's period of service having expired, she was paid off early in 1823, since which Captain Nicolas has not • The lords of the Admiralty signified to Captain Nicolas, that under the peculiar circun)stances of this case, " they dkl not object to the men i-c- ceiviug from the merchants of Newcastle and its neighbourhood 8U<-h pecu- niary present as they might wish to distribute amongst the men, as a mark of their ackiu)wledgmcnt of the service rendered by the seamen o.i tliat ^ ll 2.2 lit u I. J. WUu 1*0 IIP IIIJ^ i^ ^ 6" ► w *% ^, %' /A '^ '/ Photographic Sciences Corporation ^ > 'V% \ ^^ 33 WIST MAIN STRUT WnSTIR,N.Y. MSM (71*) •73-4S03 t 88 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. most gallant style, sustaining the whole fire of the American fort, until the storming party gained the shore*." In this battle, the Montreal was set on fire three times by red-hot shot ; nor could it be wholly extinguished for near three hours after the cannonading had ceased : her masts, sails, and rigging were much cut ; Captain Popham was severely wounded in his right hand, by a piece of one of the above ehot ; and Mr. James Richardson, master, from a severe wound in the left arm, was obliged to undergo amputation at the shoulder joint ; one of her crew was killed, and four others wounded. Captain Popham was subsequently sent with a detachment of boats, containing about 180 men, to endeavour to inter- cept a number of small craft, laden with ordnance, cordage, &c. for the enemy's shipping at Sackett*s harbour. Having obtained certain information, that the Americans had taken shelter in Sandy Creek, he proceeded to the entrance of it, landed there shortly after day-light. May 31, and having reconnoitred their position, determined on an immediate attack ; the disastrous result of that enterprise will be seen by the following extracts of his official report to Commodore Sir James L. Yeo : — " Sackett'a Harbour, June 1, 1814. "The masts of their boats, 18 in number, were pltunly seen over the marsh, and, from their situation, did not appear to be very near the woods ; their not attempting to interrupt our entry into the creek, led me to hope they were only protected by militia. This circumstance, added to th« very great importance of the lading of their boats to the equipment of their squadron, was a strong motive for me to risk the attack, not aware that they brought their rifleman in their boats, and that a body of Indians had accompanied them along the beach. " The boats advanced cautiously to within about a quarter of a mile of the enemy, when Lieutenant Cox, of the royal marines, was landed, with the principal part of his men, on the left bank ; and Captuin Spilsbury and Lieutenant Browne, with the cohorn and small-arm party, accom- panied by Lieutenant M'Veagh, with a few marines, were landed on the right bank. Their respective parties advanced on the flanks of the gun- boats (which had, from their fire, dispersed a body of Indians) to a turn- • Svc Suppt Part 11, p 2lf.. POST-CAPTAINS OP 1815. 89 ing which opened the enemy'a boats to our view, when, unfortunately, the 68-poander carronade, on which much depended, was disabled. Seeing us pull the boat round, to bring the 24-pounder to bear, the enemy- thought we were commencing a retreat, when they advanced with their whole force, consisting of 150 riflemen, near 200 Indians, and a numerous body of militia and cavalry, which soon overpowered the few men I had. Their resistance was such as I could have expected from a brave and well-disciplined body ; but, opposed to such numbers, unavailing : their officers set them an example honorable to themselves, and worthy of a better fate. Captain Spilsbury, for a time, checked the advance of the enemy, by the fire which he kept up with the cohorn and his party ; and I feel much indebted to him for his conduct throughout. Lieutenants Cox and M'Veagh, who nobly supported the honour of their corps, are, I am sorry to say, dangerously wounded. Mr. Hoare, master's-mate of the Montreal, whose conduct was conspicuous throughout, is the only officer killed. Our loss in killed and wounded (mostly dangerous) is great *. I send as correct a return as I can possibly get of them, as well as of the survivors. The windii;g of the creek, which gave the enemy great advan- tage in advancing to intercept our retreat, rendered any further persever- ance unavailing, and would have subjected the men to certain death. " Lieutenants Majoribanks and Rowe, in the rear, with the small boats, did every thing in their power ; and Lieutenant Loveday's exertions, in the Lais gun-boat, was such as I was much pleased with. *' The exertions of the American officers of the rifle corps, commanded by Major Appling, in saving the lives of many of the officers and men, whom their own men and the Indians were devoting to death, were con- spicuous, and claim our warmest gratitude. I have the honor to be, &c. (Signed) *' Stephen Popham." This officer's post commission bears date Sept. 19, 1814. Agent. — C. Clementson, Esq. FRANCIS BROCKELL SPILSBURY, Esq. A NATIVE of Nottinghamsliire, and son of Mr. Spilsbury, Surgeon, R. N., patentee of the drops bearing his name. This officer was made lieutenant Dec. 27, 1805 ; and we first find him serving under Captain Thomas Ussher, of the Hyacinth post- sloop, who speaks very highly of his gallantry and zealous conduct, in the brilliant affair at Malaga (on which About 18 killed and 50 wounded. 'It if r \WP ' POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. occaBlon he was wounded), and at the attack of Almunecar. in April and May, 1812 *. His promotion to the rank of commander took place Mar. 8, 1813 ; and he shortly after- wards accompanied Sir James Lucas Yeo to Canada, where he was appointed by that ofl&cer to the Beresford schooner, then at Kingston, on Lake Ontario. About this time, the Canadian Lakes had become the most active scene of warfare ; and a number of spirited actions took place on them and their coasts. Towards the end of April, 1813, Colonel Proctor embarked with a force of between 800 and 900 regulars and militia, joined by about 1200 Indians, to attack an American post at the rapids of Miami, a river flow- ing into Lake Erie ; but, in consequence of heavy rains, he was not able to open his batteries till the 1st May, by which time the enemy had so well secured themselves, by block-houses and batteries, that no impression could be made on them. While he was engaged in overcoming these impediments, an American reinforcement of 1300 men, commanded by Briga- dier-General Clay, came down the river, and made an attack upon him, aided by a sally from the garrison. After a severe contest, they were repulsed, and the greatest part, except those from the garrison, killed or taken prisoners ; but Colo- nel Proctor was not able to maintain his position, having been deserted by half the militia, and almost all his Indian auxil- iaries; On the 27th May, the Americans in force effected a land- ing near Fort St. George, on the Niagara, and proceeded to at- tack it. They were very gallantly opposed by Colonel Vincent, commanding at that station, and the troops under him ; but the superiority of numbers rendering a lasting resistance im- possible, he spiked his guns, destroyed the ammunition, and retired to a position near the head of Lake Ontario. In his retreat he was joined by Lieutenant-Colonel Bishopp, with all the detachments from Chippawa to fort Erie, and by some other parties, which increased his whole force to about 1600 men. The enemy, estimated at 10,000, in the mean time, • See SiippI Pnrt I. pp. 345—350. pu wh POIT-CAFTAINS OF 1815* 91 pushed forward a considerable body towards Queen-town, which rendered them masters of the Niagara frontier. They met, however, with several checks in attempting a farther ad- vance ; aiidin June, General Dearborn concentrated his forces at fort George, where he remained in a strongly entrenched camp. On the 3d of that month. Sir James Lucas Yeo sail- ed from Kingston, to co-operate with the British troops, and annoy the Americans, by cutting off their supplies : his pro- ceedings are thus detailed in an official letter to the Ad- miralty : "At day-light on the 8th, the enemy's camp was discovered close to us, at Forty Mile Creek ; it being calm, the large vessels could not get in ; bat the Beresford, Captain Spilsbury, the Sir Sidney Smith schooner. Lieuten- ant Majoribanks, and the gun-boats, under the orders of Lieutenant Anthc- ny, first of the Wolfe, succeeded in getting close under the enemy's bat- teries, and, by a sharp and well-directed fire, soon obliged him to make a precipitate retreat, leaving all his camp equipage, provisions, &c. behind, which fell into our hands ; the Beresfonl also captured all hia batteaux, la- den with stores. Oar troops immediately occupied the post. I then pro- ceeded along shore to the westward of the enemy's camp, leaving our array in his front. On the 13th, we captured two schooners and some boats, going with supplies ; by them I received information, that there was a dep6t of provisions at Genessee river ; I accordingly proceeded off it, landed some seamen and marines, and brought away the whole, as also a sloop laden with grain. On the 1 9th, I anchored off the Great Sodas, landed a porty of the Royal Scots, and took off 600 barrels of flour and pork." At this time, the enemy's naval force in Sackett's harbour, under Commodore Chauncey, consisted of the General Pike, quite a new ship, and mounting 28 long 24-pounders, 2 of which, being on traversing carriages, were as effective as double the number mounted in the common way ; the Ma- dison, launched in the preceding year, pierced to carry 24 guns on a flush deck; the Oneida brig, of 16 guns; and ten fine schooners, each mounting from 2 to 4 guns, a number of them on pivot carriages. In this squadron there were no less than 39 long 32 and 24-pounder8 : the total num- ber of officers and men, as admitted by the Americans them- selves, was 1193. 'I : ■ • ' Towards Ihc end of July, Commodore Cliauncey sailed with ^ :ll I M POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. the whole force under his command ; and on the morning of the 8th August, while at anchor off fort Niagara, he was dis- covered by Sir James L. Yeo, whose squadron consisted of the Wolfe (launched in May), mounting 23 guns ;-the Royal George 21 ; the Melville brig, 14 ; the Beresford, 8 ; the Moira schooner, 14 ; and the Sir Sidney Smith, 12 : total 92 guns, of which number only 2 were long 24-ponnders, and none of larger calibre. The squadron did not contain more than^ 717 officers and men. The|Americans were soon under weigh, and came out form- ed in line of battle ; but, on the British approaching nearly within gun-shot, they fired their broadsides, wore, and stood back under their batteries. During the night, two of their schooners upset in a heavy squall, and all on board unfor- tunately perished. On the 9th, the hostile parties were again in sight of each other ; but light airs and calms prevented Sir James L. Yeo from closing with the enemy until the night of the 10th, when, having a fine breeze, he stood for them, and, at eleven o'clock, got within gun-shot of their line of schooners : the General Pike and the Madison kept off the wind to pre- vent his closing ; but, at a little after midnight, the Wolfe ar- rived within gun-shot of them also, when they immediately bore round-up, fired their stern chasers, and made sail away, leaving two of their schooners far behind, both of which were captured. The prizes proved to be the Growler and the Julia,, of 2 guns and 40 men each. Shortly after this affair. Commodore Chauncey was rein- forced by two schooners, the Elizabeth and Sylph, the latter upwards of 400 tons, mounting 4 long 32-pounders, upon tra- versing carriages, and 4 long sixes. „, On the 11th Sept., while Sir James Yeo lay becalmed off Genessee river, Commodore Chauncey, by the aid of a partial wind, succeeded in getting near enough to fire his 32 and 24- pounders with some effect, while the British had only six gun* in all the squadron that could reach him or any of his com- panions. During the continuance of the calm, a period of five hours, he kept up an incessant cannonade j but when a breeze POST- CAPTAINS OF 1815. 93 sprang up from the westward, and his opponent stood towards him^ he took care to avoid a closer meeting. In this action, the British had 4 killed and ^ wounded. On the 28th of the same month, another distant engage- ment took place ; when Commodore Chauncey, having the weather-gage, kept his favourite distance, and succeeded iu shooting away the Wolfe's main-top -mast ; which in its fall brought down the mizen-top-mast and cross-jack-yard. The only other American shot that took effect, struck the Royal George's fore-top-mast, which fell upon her anchoring. The General Pike is said to have suffered a considerable loss of men ; among whom were 22 killed and wounded by the burst- ing of a gun. In April, 1814, the Prince Regent of 58 guns, and Princess Charlotte 42, having been launched at Kingston, the Wolfe and Royal George were ordered to be from thenceforward named the Montreal and Niagara ; which latter ship Captain Spils- bury commanded at the capture of Oswego, on the 6th of the following month *. The manner in which he wag subsequently taken prisoner by the Americans, has been described at p. 89. Captain Spilsbury obtained post-rank, Sept. 19, 1815; and a pension of 250/. per annum, for wounds, was granted to him on the 4th Nov. in the same year. We are informed that he has been for some years settled at Cramake, a town founded by himself, in Newcastle district. Upper Canada, c--' ^^c»^*.— Messrs. Cooke, Halford, and Son. ■\ H' I.M DANIEL PRING, Esq. Was made lieutenant. May 12, 1808, and commander, Nov. 13, 1813 J at which latter period he was employed on the lakes of Canada, as will be seen by the following extract of a letter from Sir George Prevost, the Governor-General, to £arl Bathurst, dated at Montreal, December 12 : — " A division of gun-boats, with a detachment of troops, which I bad iii'H •SeeSuppl. Partll. p. 216. m I'OST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. ordered on the 1st of this month to advance into Lake Champlain, for the purpose of molesting General Hampton's division, succeeded in burning an extensive building lately erected near Flattsburg, as a d^p6t magazine ; some batteaux, together with the ammunition, provisions, and stores found in it, were either brought away or destroyed. "The severity of the weather obliged Captain Pring, of the royal navy, under whose command I had placed the expedition, to return to Isle-aux- Noirs on the 5th ; in effecting which, he was obliged to cut a channel for his boats through several miles of ice. The enemy's troops were in con- siderable number in the vicinity of Plattshurg, but no attempt was made to annoy our force employed on this occasion." In Feb. 1814, the American General Wilkinson concen- trated a considerable force at Plattsburg, for the invasion of Lower Canada. On the 30th March, his light troops entered Odell town, drove in the Britisli piquets on the road leading from thence to Burton Ville, and commenced an attack on the latter posi- tion ; but wete so well received by the king's troops and Canadian fencibles, that it was not persevered in. Three brigades of American infantry were then directed upon the post at La Cole Mill, which was most gallantly and success- fully defended by Major Handcock, of the 13th regiment, who acknowledges himself highly indebted to Captain Pring, " for his ready and prompt assistance," in moving up the flotilla from Isle-aux-Noirs to the entrance of the La Cole river, where he opened and maintained a very destruc- tive fire. On this occasion, Lieutenants Creswick and Hicks, 11. N. were most actively zealous in landing two guns, and forwarding them, with a quantity of stores, to the mill. In this affair, the British sustained a loss of 12 men killed, 48 including 2 officers, wounded, and 4 missing. The subsequent capture of Oswego has been ofl&cially de- scribed at p. 215 et seq. of Suppl. Part II. The principal object in attacking that place being to retard the equipment of the enemy's new ships at Sackett's harbour (their guns and stores of every description being drawn from Oswego), and thus to delay, if not altogether to prevent, the sailing of their fleet; Sir George Prevost determined to pursue the same policy on Lake Champlain, and therefore directed Captain Pring to proceed with his division of flotilla, towards POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. 95 Vergennes, for the purpose, if practicable, of destroying the vessels lately launched there, and of intercepting the ord- nance and supplies for their armament and equipment. Captain Fring accordingly sailed on the 9th May ; but, on arriving off Otter Creek, on the 14th, he found the Americans so fully prepared to receive him, and their vessels so strongly defended by batteries, as well as a considerable body of troops, that after a cannonading with some effect from his gun-boats, he judged it most advisable to abandon his in- tended plan of attacking them, and to returii to Isle-aux- Noirs. The appearance of the flotilbi, however, on Liike Champlain, is stated by Sir George Prevost, to have been "productive of great confusion and alarm at Burlington, and other places Jilong its shores; and the whole of the popula- tion appeared to be turned out for their defence." In the early part of Aug. 1814, the British naval force on Lake Champlain consisted of the Linnet brig. Captain Pring ; Chubb cutter, Lieutenant James M'Ghie; Finch cutter. Lieutenant William Hicks ; and ten sail of gun-boats. These vessels mounted between them 2 long 24-pounders, 5 long eighteens, 16 twelves, and 2 sixes ; 1 medium 18-pounder ; 6 thirty-two and 16 eighteen-pounder carronades : their joint crews amounted to 444 persons, the greater part British soldiers and Canadian militia, with a due proportion of boys. On the 25th of that month, the Confiance, a ship hastily con- structed in the vicinity of Isle-aux-Noirs, was launched, and soon afterwards commissioned by Captain George Downie, then first arrived from Lake Ontario. Her armament con- sisted of 27 long 24-pou-r;ers, 4 thirty-two-pounder car- ronades, and 6 twenty-four-pounder ditto j her complement was 270 oflicers, men, and boys. In consequence of the earnest solicitations of Sir George Prevost, for the co-operation of the navy in an intended at- tack upon the enemy's works at Plattsburg, every possible exertion was used to accelerate the equipment of the Con- fiance, that the military movements might not be postponed at such an advanced season of the year, longer than was ab- solutely necessary. On the 3d Sept. Captain Pring was ! iv \ , I ;:■ I). 96 POST-CAPTAINS OP 1816. directed to proceed in command of the gun-boats, to protect the left flank of the army advancing towards that place ; and, on the following day, after taking possession of Isle de la Motte, he caused a battery of 3 long 18-pounders to be con- structed for the support of a position opposite to Little Chazey, where the supplies for the troops were ordered to be landed. ' • On the Slh Sept., the Confiance, Linnet, Chubb, and Finch moved from Isle-aux-Noirs, and anchored abreast of the main body of the British army, to wait until the new ship had com- pleted her crew and equipment. Unfortunately, however. Captain Downie was urged, and the Confiance hurried into action, before she was by any means in a fit state to meet the enemy. <' On the 9th, Captain Downie received a draught of marines, numbering, with a few artillery men and soldiers, 86 men ; and, in the course of that and the following day, the whole of the petty officers and seamen intended for him came on board; amongst whom were 19 foreigners, 25 men lent from trans- ports at Quebec, and many bad characters from the ships of war, who had escaped condign punishment by volunteering to serve on the lakes. , v * ^ . ,»'t' ' « On the 10th, while the loud clank of the builder's hammer was still sounding in all parts of the ship, while the guns were being breeched and pointed through the ports, and while the powder was lying in a boat alongside, the magazine not being ready for its reception, an officer from Sir George Prevost came to solicit the instant co-operation of the squadron. Relying upon the assurance now given by the governor-general, that the army should storm the works of Plattsburg while the navy attacked the American shipping in front of them. Cap- tain Downie, notwithstanding the unprepared state of the Confiance, consented to go into battle on the following morn- ing. It was then agreed, that Captain Downie, when rounding Cumberland head, should scale his guns ; and that, at the same instant, the assaulting column should advance to the enemy's works. "On the 11th, at 7 a. m. the Confiance, accompanied by POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. 1)7 the Linnet, Chubb, Finch, and gun-boats, arrived in view of the iimerican squadron, consisting of the Saratoga, bearing the broad pendant of Commodore Thomas M^Donough ; the Eagle brig. Captain Robert Henley ; the Ticonderago schoon- er, Lieutenant Stephen Cassin j the Preble cutter, and ten gun-boats; mounting in the whole 14 long 24-pounders, 12 eighteeus, 14 twelves, and 7 nines ; 6 medium 18-pounders, and 3^3 carronades ; 6 of which were 42, and all the others 32-pounders. The total number of American officers and men was 981, the whole of the latter, excepting about 83 sol- diers, acting as marines, were sailors belonging to the ships of war at ^3ew London and other blockaded ports on the At- lantic frontier. The Saratoga, Eagle, Ticonderago, and Preble, were found moored in line, abreast of the American encampment, with a division of five gun-boats on each flank ; and Captain Downie immediately determined on laying the Confiance athwart- hawse of the enemy's ship ; directing Captain Pring to engage the brig. Lieutenant M'Ghie to support the Linnet, and Lieu- tenant Hicks, assisted by the gun-boats, to attack the schooner and cutter. " The moment the Confiance arrived abreast of Cumberland Head, she scaled her guns as had been agreed upon ; but the signal was not answered from the array. Sir George Prevost did, however, direct a signal to be made : it was for the army * to cook,' instead of to. fight j to give the men their breakfasts, instead of to deprive the enemy of the opportunity of taking his. To the honor of the soldiers, and the officers in general, they all panted to rush forward ; but, in truth, a third part of the troops would have done all that was required, and, in two hours from the time the Confiance scaled her guns, would have given a victory to both army and navy, instead of a flight to one, and a defeat to the other. Captain Downie now disco- vered, too late, the mistake into which his confidence had led him. The Confiance was already in the enemy's bay, and al- most within gun-shot of his squadron. " Within 15 minutes after the commencement of the action," that gallant officer fell. " The way in which he met hi* SUPPL, PART IV. H /If i m' HI ' I< I' 98 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. death, ie of too extraordinary a nature to be passed over. A shot from the Saratoga struck one of the Confiance's 24-pound- ers, and threw it completely off the carriage against him. He received the blow upon his right groin, and, although signs of life remained for a few minutes, never spoke afterwards. No part of his skin was broken : a black mark, about the circum- ference of a small plate, was the only visible injury. His watch was found flattened, with the hands pointing to the hour, minute, and second, at which the fatal blow had been given*." On the subsequent day, Captain Pring performed the painful duty of making Commodore Sir James L. Yeo ac- quainted with the disastrous result of the combat. The fol- lowing are extracts of his official letter : *• U. S. ship Saratoga, Plattsburg bay, Lake Champhin, Sept. 12, J 814. "At 40 minutes past 7, after the officers corainandin* vessels and the flotilla had received their fiital instructions as to tiie plan of attack, we made sail in order of battle. ** At 8 the enemy's gun-boats and small vessels commenced a heavy and gallin/,' fire on our line; and at 10 minutes after, the Confiance having two anchors shot away from her larboard boiv, and the wind baffling, was obliged to anchor (though not in the situation proposed), within two cablcsMength of her adversary ; the Linnet and Chubb soon afterwards took their allotted stations, something short of that distance, when the crews on both sides cheered, and commenced a spirited and close action ; a short time, however, deprived me of the valuable services of Lieutenant M'Ghie, who, from having his cables, bowsprit, and mainboom shot away, drifted within the caemy's line, and was obliged to surrender. " From the light airs and smoothness of the water, the fire on each side proved very destructive from the commencement of the engagement, and with the exception of the brig, that of the enemy appeared united against the Confiance. After two hours severe conflict with our opponent, she cut her cable, run down, and took shelter between the ship and schoon- er, which enabled us to direct our fire against the division of the enemy's gun-boats and ship which had so long annoyed us during our close engage- ment with the brig, without any return on our part j at this time the fire of the enemy's ship slackened considerably, having several of her guns dis- mounted, when she cut her cable, and winded her larboard broadside to bear on the Confiance, who, in vain, endeavoured to effect the same * James, VI, 601 etseq. 7 yOST-CAPTAINS OP 1815. 99 operation; at 33 minutea aftor JO, I was much dIstreHScd to observe the Coufiance had struck her colours *. The whole attention of the enemy's force then became directed towards the Linnet ; the shattered and disabled state of the masts, sails, rigging, and yards, precluded the most distant hope of being able to effect an escape by cutting the cable ; the result of doing so must, in a few minutes, have been her drifting alongside the enemy's ves- sels, chise under our lee ; but in the hope that the flotilla of gun-boats, who had abandoned the object assigned them, would perceive our wants, and come to our assistance, which would afford a reasonable prospect of being towed clear, I determined to resist the then destructive cannonading of the whole of the enemy's fleet, and at the same time despatched Lieu- tenant William Drew to ascertain the state of the Confiance. At 45 minutes after 10, I was apprised of the irreparable loss she had sustained by the death of her brave commander (whose merits it would be presumption in me to extol), as well as the great slaughter which had taken place on board, and observing, from the manoeuvres of the flotilla, that I could enjoy no further expectation of relief, the situation of my gallant comrades who had so nobly lought, and even now were fast falling by my side, demanded the surrender of his Majesty's brig entrusted to my command, to prevent a useless waste of valuable lives ; and, at the request of the surviving officers and men, I gave the painful orders for the colours to be struck t- "Lieutenant Hicks, of the Finch, had the mortification to strike on a reef of rocks, to the eastward of Crabb Island, about the middle of the engage- ment, which prevented his rendering that assistance to the squadron, that might, from an officer of such ability, have been expected. "The misfortune which this day befel us by capture, will. Sir, I trust, apo- logize for the lengthy detail, which, in justice to the sufferers, I have deem- ed necessary to give of the particulars which led to it ; and when it is taken into consideration that the Confiance was sixteen days before on the stocks, with an unorganized crew, composed of several drafts of men who had re- cently arrived from ditFecent ships at Quebec, many of whom only joined the day before, and wen totally unknown either to the officers or to each other, with the want of gun-locks |, as well as other necessary appoint- ments not to be procured in this country, I trust you will feel satisfied of the decided advantage the enemy possessed, exclusive of their great supe- riority in point of force. It now becomes the most pleasing part of my * Thus affording the extraordinary instance, of a ship being launched, equipped, fought, and captured, within the short space of 17 days. f All the gun-boats, except three, ran away almost as soon as the action commenced. We have not been able to ascertain the names of their com- manders, otherwise they should have been inserted. I Without this article, many a successful action has been fought ; nor does it appear that the cncmv used gun-locks. h2 '%■: 100 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1615. present duty to notice to you the determined skill and bravery of the offi- cers and men in this unequal contest : but it grieves me to state, that the loss sustained in maintaining it has been so great * ; that of the enemy, I understand, amounts to something more than the same number. "The fine style in which Captain Downie conducted the squadron into action, amidst a tremendous fire, without returning a shot, until secured, reflects the greatest credit on his memory, for his judgment and coolness, as also on Lieutenants M'Ghie and Hicks, for so strictly attending to his ex- ample and instructions ; their own accounts of the capture of their respec- tive vessels, as well as that of Lieutenant John Robertson, who succeeded to thv, commauw of the Confiance, will, I feel assured, do ample justice to the merits of the officers and men serving under their immediate command ; hut I cannot omit noticing the individual conduct of Lieutenants Robert- son, Creswick, and Hornby, and Mr. Bryden, master, for their particular exertions in endeavouring to bring the Confiance's starboard side to bear on the enemy, after most of their guns were dismounted on the other. " It is impossible for me to express to you my admiration of the officers and crews serving under my personal orders ; their coolness and steadiness, the jffect of which was proved by their irresistible fire directed towards the brig opposed to us, claims my warmest acknowledgments, but more particularly for preserving the same, so long after the whole strength of the enemy had been directed against the Linnet alone. My first lieutenant, Wm. Drew, whose merits I have before had the honor to report to you, behaved in the most exemplary manner. " By the death of Mr. Paul, acting second lieutenant, the service has been deprived of a most valuable and brave officer ; he fell early in the action ; great credit is due to Mr. Giles, purser, for volunteering his services on deck; to Mr. Mitchell, surgeon, for the skill he evinced in performing some am- putations required at the moment, us well as his great attention to the wounded daring the action ; at the close of which, the water was nearly a foot above the lower deck, from the number of shot which struck her be- tween wind and water. I have to regret the loss of the boatswain, Mr. Jackson, wlio was killed a few moments before the action terminated. The assistance I received from Mr. Muckle, the gunner, and also from Mr. Clarke, master's mate, Messrs. Towke and Sinclair, midshipmen, the latter of whom was wounded in the head, and Mr. Guy, my clerk, will, I hope, recommend them, as well as the whole of my gallant little crew, to your notice. " I have much satisfaction in making you acquainted with the humane treatment the wounded have received from Commodore M'Donough; they were immediately removed to his own hospital, on Cral)b island, and furnished with every requisite. His generous and polite attention, also. ' .5 f. 'i>7 killed, and from 70 to 90 wounded. POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. 101 to myself, the officers, and men, will ever hereafter be gratefully remem- bered. I have the honor to be, fee. (Signed) " Dan. Pring." Sir James L. Yeo, when transmitting a copy of Captain Pring's letter to the Admiralty, declared himself "of opinion, that there was not the least necessity for our squadron givinc^ the enemy such decided advantages, by going into their bay to engage them ; even had they been successful, it would not in the least have assisted the troops in storming the bat- teries; whereas, had our army taken the works first, it would have obliged the American squadron to quit the bay, and given the British a fair chance *." Sir James subse- quently preferred the following charges against Sir George Prevost: — ''" ' "For having, on or about the llth Sept. 1814, by holding out the ex- pectation of a co-operation of the army under his commatid, induced Captain Downie to attack the American squadron on Lake Champlain, when it was highly imprudent to make such attack without the co-opera- tion of the land forces, and for not having afforded that co-operation. *• For not having stormed the American works on shore at nearly the same time that the said naval action commenced, as he had given Captain Downie reason to expect. "For having disregarded the signal for co-operation which had been previously agreed upon ; and, " For not having attacked the enemy on shore, either during the said naval action, or after it was ended, whereby his Majesty's squadron, under the command of Captain Downie, might have been saved." Unfortunately, justice was interrupted in its course by the death of Sir George Prevost, before the demanded investi- gation could take place. On the 28th A.ug. 1815, however, Captain Pring, and the majority of the surviving officers and men late belonging to the Lake Champlain squadron, were tried by a court-martial at Portsmouth, and the following was the sentence pronounced : — " The Court having maturf ' weighed the evidence, is of opinion, that the capture of II. M. S. Contiancc, and the remainder of the squadron, was principally caused by their having been urged into battle previous to • Official letter to J. W. Crokcr, Esq., dated at Kingston, 24tli Sept. 1814. I 1 102 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. I her being In a proper state to meet the enemy; by the piomtaed co-opo- ration of the land forces not beinjf carried into effect } and by the pretsii^ letters of their commander-in-chief, whereby it appears that he had, on the 10th Sept. 1814, only waited for the naval attack to storm the enemy's works. That the signal of approach on the following tlay was made, by the scaling of the guns, as settled between Captain Downie and Major Coote; and the promised co-operation was commimicated to the other oflScers and crews of the British squadron before the commencement of the action. The Court, however, is of opinion, that the attack would have been attended with more effect, if a part of the gun-boats had not with- drawn themselves from the action, and others of the vessels had not been prevented, by baffling winds, from getting into the stations assigned them. That Captain Pring, of the Linnet, and Lieutenant Robertson, who suc- ceeded to the command of the ConBance, after the lamented fate of Cap- tain Downie (whose conduct was marked by the greatest valour), and Lieutenant Christopher James Bell, commanding the Murray, and Mr. James Robertson, commanding the Beresford, gun-boats, who appeared to take their trial at this court-martial, conducted themselves with great zeal, bravery, and ability, during the action j that Lieutenant William Hicks, commanding the Finch, also conducted himself with becoming bravery ; that the other surviving officers and men, except Lieutenant M'Ghie, of the Chubb, who has not appeared here to take his trial, also conducted themselves with bravery ; and that Captain Pring, Lieutenant Robertson, Lieutenant Hicks, Lieutenant Bell, Mr. James Robertson, and the rest of the surviving officers and ships' crew, except Lieutenant M'Ghie, ought to be most honorably ac(|uitted ; and they arc hereby mosi honorably acquitted accordinLfly." i ■ .. • • ^ -i .^ On the 18th of the ensuing month, Lieutenant M'Ghie was also tried, and " the Court, having heard the circum- stances, determined, that the Chubb was not properly carried into action, nor anchored bo us to do the most effectual ser- vice ; by which neglect, she drifted into the line of the enemy : that it did not appear, however, that there was any want of courage in Lieutenant M'Ghie ; and, therefore, the Court, did only adjudge him to be severely repriiniuuled." Captain Pring was made post, Sept. 19, 1815 j and ap- pointed to a command on Lake Eric, June 26, 1816. .^ycn^j.—Meisrs. Goode and Clarke. tiv, , ,, •l\l ^\A<^r;^i'.Il bij.ll) t-Xt»,'« r. u- < .I'l"- POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. 103 FREDERICK WILLIAM BURGOYNE, Esq. Youngest son of Lieutenant-General Sir John Burgoyne, Bart, colonel of the 19th regiment of dragoons, who died in the East Indies, in 1785, hy Charlotte, eldest daughter of General Johnston, of Overstone, near Northampton, and afterwards the wife of Lieutenant-General Eyre P. Trench, brother to William Earl of Clancarty. This officer was educated at the naval academy, Ports- mouth ; made lieutenant in 1797 ; appointed to the command of the Defender gun-brig, about Feb. 1809 ; promoted into the Mutine, of 18 guns, Oct. 22, 1810 ; and afterwards suc- cessively appointed to the Tyrian, Port Mahon, and Spar- rowhawk, sloops. He obtained post rank, Sept. 20, 1815. Captain Burgoyne's only brother. Major- General Sir Mon- tague Roger Burgoyne, represented the county of Bedford in several parliaments, and died Aug. 16, 1817- uigent, M*lnerheny, Esq. JAMES RATTRAY, Esq. Was made lieutenant. Mar. 24, 1807 ; promoted to tlie rank of commander, Feb. 1, 1812; and posted, Sept. 20, 1815. He married, June 2, 1828, Emily, third daughter of the late John Vivian, of Portland Place, London, and Cha- vertoo, CO. Somerset, Esq. JOHN ALLEN (/>), Esq. Was made lieutenant, Sept. 14, 1807 ; commander, Feb. 4, 1814 ; and post-captain, Sept. 20, 1815. jigent* — J. Hinxman, Esq. Ii^^ I 104 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. I WILLIAM HENDERSON, Esq. Nephew to Captain David Willmott, R. N. an officer of the highest reputation, who greatly distinguished himself on many important occasions, was eight times wounded in bat- tle, and at last fell, assisting in the glorious defence of St. Jean d'Acre, April 8th, 1799*. It was about this period, that Mr. Henderson first em- barked as a midshipman, for the purpose of joining 4iis uncle, then commanding the Alliance 20, under the orders of Earl St. Vincent, whose respect for the character of that gallant officer was so great, that he spontaneously took the nephew under his protection, and continued his friendship to him during the remainder of his valuable life. In May 1802, Mr. Henderson was paid off from the Ville de Paris 1 10, late flag-ship of Earl St. Vincent ; and we im- mediately afterwards find him joining the Belleisle 74, Cap- tain John Whitby ; in which third-rate he also served under Captain (now Sir William) Hargood, and bore a part at the erer memorable battle of Trafalgar, Oct. 21, 1805. On that occasion, the Belleisle had 2 lieutenants and 31 men killed, 93 wounded, her bowsprit and all three lower-masts shot away, both sides of her hull terribly mauled, and every boat, except one, destroyedf. After the tremendous conflict, she was in a very perilous situation, and narrowly escaped being wrecked, both off Trafalgar and Tariffa, but by uncommon exertions she escaped destruction, and with great difficulty reached Gibraltar. On Earl St. Vincent hoisting the union flag, as commander- in-chief of the Channel fleet, in Mar. 1806, Mr. Henderson again joined his patron ; and, on the 26th of the same month, being then in the Hibernia 110, was appointed acting lieu- tenant of the Niobe frigate, Captain John Wentworth Loring ; under whom he assisted at the capture of le Nearque, French • See Vol. I. Part I. note at p. 301. + See Siippl Partlll. pp. 184—186. POST-CAPTAINS OP 1815. 105 national brig, of 16 guns and 97 men*. His appointment was confirmed by the Admiralty, April 1 1, following. Early in Mar. 1809, the French troops under Marshal Soult having entered the province of Tras los Montes, in Portugal, occupied the town of Chaves, and proceeded on their march towards Oporto ; the Niobe, then at Lisbon, took on board a quantity of arms, ammunition, &c. and hastened with them to the entrance of the Douro. On her arrival off that river, Lieutenant Henderson was sent up to the city with despatches for the governor, and to superintend the landing of those sup- plies. This was on the 25th March. Next day the enemy appeared, and reconnoitred the defences of the city. On the 27th and 28th, he attacked them, and was each time repulsed ; but on the 29th, owing to the mistrust of the Portuguese in their ofl&cers, he succeeded in forcing their lines, and entered the town with little loss. The scene of murder, rapine, and plunder, which ensued, is not to be described ; suffice it to say, that the streets were covered with the unfortunate vic- tims of a ruthless conqueror. In the meanwhile, a gale of wind had compelled the Niobe to slip her cable and put to sea ; while a heavy surf on the bar prevented Lieutenant Henderson from re-crossing it, and forced him to become a prisoner. He was then placed in close confinement, and ultimately obliged to accompany the French in their forced retreat towards Gallicia. On the 16th May, 1809, being then about two leagues west of Amaranta, Lieutenant Henderson was fortunate enough to effect his escape; and after surmounting great difficulties, and enduring severe privations, he at length got back to Oporto; from whence he returned home in the Nautilus brig. Captain Thomas Dench, whom he found on the point of sailing, with Sir Arthur Wellesley's despatches, announcing the defeat of Marshal Soult, and the capture of a fourth of his army, with all his artillery and baggagef. • See Vol. II. Part II. p. 64?. t The passage of the Douro, May 12, 18()9, has justly been reckoned among the most brilliant exploits of this great general. I I !' J I t * 106 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1815. On the 27th of the ensuing month, Lieutenant Henderson was appointed first of the Active frigate. Captain (now Sir James A .) Gordon, under whom he served, principally in the Adriatic, until Aug. 1 , 181 1 . During that period, he assisted at the capture and destruction of many of the enemy's vessels ; and bore a part in one of the most severe and brilliant actions that has ever been recorded*. For his gallant conduct at the battle off Lissa, which is spoken of by Captain Gordon " in the warmest terras," he was advanced to the rank of Com- mander, immediately the intelligence reached England, and his commission dated back to the day on which that victory was so nobly achieved. On the 27th July, 1811, the boats, small-arm men, and marines of the Active, the whole under the command of Lieutenant Henderson, who had not yet been informed of his promotion, were detached by Captain Gordon, to attack a convoy which had ran. above the island of Ragosniza, and taken shelter in a creek on the main. From the narrowness of the entrance, and three gun-vessels protecting it, with about 150 armed men on each point, Lieutenant Henderson was induced to land in the night, in order to take possession of a hill which appeared to command the creek, leaving the boats, under Lieutenant James Gibson, to push for the gun- vessels the moment a concerted signal was made from the top of the hill. On Lieutenant Henderson and his party gaining the sum- mit, after dislodging several soldiers who fired upon them during their ascent, he found himself immediately above the gun-vessels and 28 sail of merchantmen ; he then made the signal for the boats to advance, and at the same time de- scended the hill, exposed to the fire of one gun-vessel and some soldiers ; but the attack was so well planned, and so gallantly executed, that his party had only time to fire two voUies into the vessels before they were boarded. The enemy, finding themselves attacked so warmly, then fled in all directions, leaving behind them a number of killed and wounded. The guns were immediately turned on the fugi* • See Vol II, Part II. p. 939. ' POBT'CAPTAIMS OF 1815. 107 tivee, and the whole convoy taken posBession of; 21, in- cluding the gun-vessels, were brought out, and all the others burnt. In the performance of this dashing service, the British had not a man killed, and only four wounded. Captain Gordon, in his official account of the enterprise, says : " Lieutenant Henderson, mhose gallant conduct on this and many other occasions since the ship has been employed in the Adriatic, makes it a duty incumbent upon me to recommend him in the strongest manner to the corn- mander-in-chief, speaks in the highest terms of the assistance he received from Lieutenant George Haye, who, though an invalid, very handsomely volunteered. Lieutenant Mears, R. M. and Mr. Charles Friend, niastcr's- mate, n-ho landed with him. Lieutenant Gibson, who gallantly led the boats to the attack, speaks in praise of every oflicer, whose names I beg leave to state to you, as I trust you will recommend them to the notice of the commander-in-chief: — Messrs. Henry Padon Lew, fiedmond Moriarty, Norwich Duff, William Simpkins, Joseph Cammilleri, Nathaniel Barweil, Charles Benthatn, George Moore, William Wood, and William Todd Robinson, all midshipmen. " I am informed by the prisoners, and several persons I have just seen, that the convoy arrived at Ragosniza the evening liefore, chiefly laden with grain for the garrison at Ragusa, and were defended on shore by 300 armed men, which, considering the force opposed to a ship's boats, is a proof that every officer and man did his duty, like a British seaman." On leaving the Active, Captain Henderson proceeded to Malta, from whence he sailed for England, in the Pomone frigate. Captain Robert Barrie : he was consequently wrecked in that ship, on a sunken rock, near the Needles Point, Oct. 14, 1811.* This officer's next appointment was in April 1812, to the command of the Rosario brig, on the Downs station. In May 1813, he conveyed the heroic Duke of Brunswick Oels from Harwich to the Elbe, and was recommended by his Serene Highness to the favorable notice of the Admiralty. On the 7th of the ensuing month, Captain Henderson was removed to the Dasher sloop; and in October following he accompanied the outward bound trade to the Leeward Islands, Surinam, Berbice, and Demerara. The Dasher fonned part of the squadron under Sir Philip V..- r'r >;i See Vol. II. Part II, p. m. I If i ii I' 'in 108 roST-C APT AIMS OP 1815. C. Durham, at the reduction of Guadaloupe, in Aug. 1816* ; and was paid off by Captain Henderson, May 16, 1816. It i» here deserving of remark, that during the time she was in the West Indies, a period of two years and a half, she did not lose a single man from the effects of the climate ; so zealously attentive were her commander and his officers to the comfort of her crew. Captain Henderson's post commission bears date Oct. 9, 181.^. He married, in June, 1817> the second daughter of John Henderson, Esq. many years secretary to the late Admiral Lord Bridport, and sister to Captain George Hender- son, R. N. He formerly had three brothers in the same service, viz. John, a Lieutenant, and commander of the Maria schooner, stationed at the Leeward Islands, which vessel foundered with all her crew, in a hurricane, about Oct. 16, 1807t : Benjamin W., admiralty midshipman of the Leven^ who died on board that ship's tender, in Delagoa bay, whilst employed in surveying the east coast of Africa, in March 1823 J and Richard Willmottf who obtained the rank of Lieutenant, May 26, 1823, and is now serving as first of the Gloucester 74, in the Mediterranean $. 'i.j JOHN HILL, Esq. ' This officer has been principally employed under the Transport and Victualling Boards. He was made com- mander, Oct. 8, 1798 ; promoted to post rank, Oct. 28, 1815^ and appointed to superintend the victualling department at Deptford, in 1820. J ♦»!,< ■ .Iv ," .11 H ' FRANK GORE WILLOCK, Esq. "^^'^ Is a native of the West Indies, and was a midshipman on ■ii)«r,;ift' "*jjii:/i y ^ • See Vol. I. Part II. pp. 454 and 868 et teq. J ^ji ' t See Suppl. Part II. p. 409. I The Leven's tender, out of a complement of 20 persons, lost 14 by deaths in the short space of three months. ;6*; Iti» the not usiy ifort POST-CAPTAINS OF 1816 AND 1816. 109 board the Donegal 74, in Sir John T. Duckworth's action, oflf St. Domingo, Feb. 6, 1806*. He obtained the rank of lieu- tenant, June 12, 1807 ; was made commander, March 4, 1811 ; and posted, Nov. 24, 1815. Agent. —Sir F. M. Ommanney. JOHN CARTER, Esq. Was made commander, into the Hyacinth sloop, Aug. 22, 1809; appointed to the Orestes brig, in Aug. 1811 ; and re- moved to the Thracian, March 23, 1812. On the 7th Feb. 1814, he captured I'Emile French privateer, of 14 guns and 42 men, on the Downs station. His post commission bears date Dec. 7, 1815. i: f: DANIEL ROSS, Esq. Was made lieutenant. May 12, J 799; promoted to the command of the Ariel sloop, Aug. 7? 1810 ; and posted, Feb. 9,1816. He died in 1827. HENRY MEYNELL, Esq. Son of the late Hugo Meynell, Esq. by a sister to the Dowager Marchioness of Hertford. He obtained the rank of lieutenant, Nov. 8, 1809 ; commanded the boats of the The- ban frigate. Captain S. T. Digby, at the capture of a French merchant brig, lying aground under two batteries, near Dieppe, Feb. 2, 1811 ; was made commander, Aug. 24, 181S ; and posted into the Newcastle 60, bearing the flag of SlrPulteney Malcolm, at St. Helena, April 10, 1816. Captain Meynell's mother was accidentally killed, in Aug. 1817. ' Agents. — Messrs. Maude and Co. - • See Vol. I. Part II. p. 694. i 1 1 i i 110 VOST- CAPTAINS OP 1816. ARTHUR PHILIP HAMILTON, Esq. • OaTAfNBD a lieutenant's commission April 28, I8O7 ; ami commanded a detachment of seamen, belonging to the Cale- donia 120 (bearing the flag of Sir Harry Neale), Valiant 74, and Armide frigate, at the capture and destruction of three French transport brigs, which luid sought shelter under a battery upon Point du Chd, near Rochelle, Sept. 27, 1810. The official account of this '* well-conducted, gallant, and successful attack," will be found in the Nav. Chron. Vol. 24, p. 422 et seq. His promotion to the rank of commander took place on the 21st of the following month. He was appointed to the Ceylon troop-ship, Nov. 6, 1813 ; and posted May 31, 18l(>. Captain Hamilton married in 1828, Caroline, only child of the late Lieutcnaut-Colonel Cook, of Chingford, co. Essex. ytgent. — Sir F. M. Omraanney. DANIEL LAWRENCE, Esq. Entered the navy in 1798; and served as midshipman on board the Cynthia sloop. Captain Micajah Malbon, in the expedition to Holland, Quiberon, Ferrol, and Egypt. His first commission bears date May 19, 1808*. We subse- quently find him in the Heureux brig, Captain William Coombe, stationed at the Leeward Islands. On the 28th Nov. 1808, Captain Coombe (who had previ' ously lost a leg in actionf) received information that seven French vessels, some laden and ready for sea, were lying under the protection of two batteries, in the harbour of Bay Mahaut. Thinking it practicable to cut them out, and hav- ing a good pilot, as well as a person to guide his men to the enemy's works, he immediately resolved upon conducting the enterprise in person, and accordingly prepared three boats • Captain M. Malbon died agent for prisoners of war, at Stapleton, in 1813. t See Vol. II. Part I. p. 353. fo ml 8l| ve ol b^ tl tl p^ b^ POST-CAPTAINS OF 1816. Ill for the attack, which took place just after the setting of the moon, on the morning of the 29th. We should here state, that the boats had to row for about six hours before they arrived in the vicinity of the enemy's vessels. At 4 a. m. they dashed on ; and, after a few minutes of desperate fighting, their gallant leader, with 19 men, boarded and carried a schooner of two guns and 39 men. In the meanwhile, Lieutenant Lawrence, Mr. Daly, purser, and the remainder of the party, landed and spiked three 24- pounders in the batteries. Having accomplished this, they boarded a brig ; but, before either of the prizes could be re- moved, the shore was lined with musketry, and three field- pieces brought to bear upon them. In their way out, they unfortunately grounded, and thus became fixed objects for the enemy's fire. Finding it impossible to get them afloat, and day-light appearing, Captain Coombe was in the act of abandoning them, when a 24-pound shot struck him on the left side, and he almost instantly expired, exclaiming, when asked by Lieutenant Lawrence if he had any commands, " No, I have nothing to say to any one in the world ; I die contented ; I die for my country !" The boats did not get out of the range of shot until nearly 6 o'clock. Oh this occasion, Lieutenant Lawrence was wounded by a musket-ball, just above the wrist. Having distinguished himself in various other boat attacks, he was promoted to the rank of commander, as soon as he had served the time neces- sary to render him eligible; his commission consequently bears date May 19, 1810. This officer's next appointment was. May 28, 1814, to the Alceste 38, armed enjliite, which ship he commanded in the expedition against New Orleans, where he received the thanks of Sir Alexander Cochrane for his active and zealous ser- vices. He was advanced to post rank (on paying off the Weser troop- ship, in which he had served at the Leeward Islands), Sept. 2, 1816. Captain Lawrence has two brothers in the royal marine- artillery, both of whom served with great credit in that corps, during the late war between Great Britain and America. jigent.'-'J. Woodhead, Esq. ill 1 I ti I I !ii 112 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1816. I ROBERT HENLEY ROGERS, Esq. Is supposed to be descended from the Rev. John Rogers, Prebendary of St. Paul's, who was burnt in Smithfield, Feb. 4, 1555, the first martyr in Queen Mary's reign, and the precursor of other daring and noble spirits, wlio loved truth more than they feared the flames. Captain Rogers is a son of the late Sir Frederick Lemon Rogers, Bart. M. P. for Plymouth ; whose father was Com- missioner of H. M. yard at Devonport. He was born at Blachford house, near Plymouth, in Aug. 1783 J and appears to have entered the naval service, as mid- shipman on board la Virginie frigate, Captain Anthony Hunt, in 1797* After leaving that ship, he successively served in the Suffolk 74, Victorious 74, and Orpheus 36, on the East India station. He was made lieutenant in Feb. 1803 ; pro- moted to the rank of commander, Feb. 1, 1812; appointed to the Dover troop-ship, July 30, 1814; and posted, Sept. 2, 1816. His eldest brother is the present Sir John Lemon Rogers ; another is major of the 2d dragoon-guards ; and his sisters are the widows of Colonel Templer, of the 10th dra- goons, and the Rev. R. Strode, of Newnham Park, near Plymouth, Agents. — Messrs. Maude and Co. Si lei GEORGE BENTHAM, Esq. Knight of the Royal Sardinian Military Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus. Son of Lieutenant-General William Bentham, R. A. This officer entered the navy in 1799; and served the whole of his time, as midshipman, under the late Lord Gardner, in the Ruby 64, Resolution 74, and Hero of similar force. The latter ship formed part of the fleet under Sir Robert Calder, at the capture of two Spanish line-of- battle ships, July 22, 1805; and sustained a loss of 10 killed and 51 wounded in POST-CAPTAINS OF 1816. 113 Sir Richard J. Strachan's action with Mons. Dumanoir le Pel- ley, on the 4th Nov. following *. ' ' ! • Mr. Bentham's first commission bears date Dec. 24, 1805 ; between which period and Aug. 1810, he successively served in the Hero, Temeraire 98, Bellerophou 74, Pallas 36, and Amelia 38. On the 19th June, 1809, he assisted in storming a Russian land battery, of 4 long 24-pounders, garrisoned by 103 men f. In the autumn of 1810, Mr. Bentham, then flag-lieutenant to Lord Gardner, at Yarmouth, was appointed, by his early friend and patron, acting commander of the Briseis brig, mounting 8 eighteen-pounder carronades and 2 long sixes, with a complement of 75 officers, men, and boys. On the 16th Oct. he addressed an official letter to that officer, of which the following is an extract : ''His Majesty's sloop fell in with an enemy's schooner, at noon on the 14th instant, 80 miles W. by S. of Horn Reef, and, after an anxious chase of eight hours, we succeeded in bringing her to action, which she maintain- ed with determined desperation for an hour, most part of the time the VC3> sels touching. The severe loss on both sides speaks for itself, the enemy before he surrendered having 8 men killed and 19 wounded ; and, I lament to say, 4 have been killed, and 11 badly wounded, on board the Briseis. The prize proves to be the French privateer Sans Souci, of 10 twelve-pound- er (carronades) and 4 long 2-pounders, with a complement of 55 men." On receiving the report of this capture, the Admiralty confirm- ed Capt. Bentham's appointment to the Briseis, by commission dated back to the day of the action. His subsequent appoint- ments were, in Dec. 1812, to the Urgent, of 12 guns ; Oct. 7, 1813, to the Carnation 18; Nov, 29, 1819, to the North Star 20, on the Jamaica station; and July 6, 1816, to the Heron ; which latter sloop was attached to the squadron un- der Lord Exmouth, at the memorable battle of Algiers t* The order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus was conferred upon her commander, in consequence of his having been selected to carry from thence a large sum of money reclaimed by the King of Sardinia. ,. .,', ;) * See Vol. I. Part I. p. 289. t See Commander Robert Pilch. X See Vol. I. Part I. p. 227. SUPPL. PAUT IV. !l 114 POST- CAPTAINS OF 1816. Captain Bentham's post commission bears date Sept. 16, 1816. He married, June 7, 1827, Emma Pellew, daughter of the Rev. John Parker, and niece to Admiral Viscount Ex- mouth. jfgetits. — Messrs Maude and Co. f ^ WILLIAM KEMFfHORNE, Esq. This ofi&cer's father and maternal grandfather were both commanders in the Falmouth packet service : the name of the latter was Goodridge. Mr. W. Kempthorne is a native of Penryn, co. Cornwall. He entered the navy in 1795, and served the whole of his time, as midshipman, unuer Sir Edward Pellew, now Viscount Ex- mouth. He was consequently present at the capture and destruction of many French men of war privateers, and mer- chant vessels. Among the former were I'llnit^ and la Vir- ginle frigates, and les Droits de 1' Homme, a ship of 80 guns ♦. At the age of 16 years, he was taken by the repub- licans, carried into Rochelle, and there confined in the same prison as the common malefactors. After a captivity of six weeks, however, he had the good fortune to effect his escape^ in company with Mr. Henry Gilbert, another Cornish youth ; and in the course of a few days more was again safe on board the Indefatigable. His promotion to the rank of lieutenant took place in 1800. We next find Mr. Kempthorne proceeding with Sir Ed- ward Pellew, in the Culloden 74, to the East Indies, where he was appointed first lieutenant of the Cornwallis frigate, in 1805. He subsequently obtained the command of the Diana brig, mounting 10 twelve- pounder carronades, in which ves- sel he sailed from Bombay, on his first cruise, victualling only 26 officers and men, in May, 1807. On the 8th Aug. follow- ing, while heading his jolly boat's crew in an attack upon the Topaze, an American piratical schooner, near Macao, he •See Vol. T. Port I. pp. 2ir)— 219. POST-CAPTAINS 6t 1816. 115 was knocked overboard, badly wounded in the head and back by boarding pikes, notwithstanding which he renewed the at- tempt as soon as a6-oared cutter arrived to his assistance, and at length succeeded in obtaining possession. The schooner had on board 29 stout fellows, of whom several, including the captain of the gang, were killed and wounded. Three of the Diana's people received severe wounds, but fortunately not a man was slain. The Topaze was subsequently condemned as lawful prize. On the 6th Aug. 1808, Lieutenant Kempthorne ran along- side of, and captured, a Dutch national brig, mounting 6 long 6-pounders, lying at anchor near the fort of Serookie, on the north side, and near the eastern end of Java. This vessel had on board a number of brass guns, intended to strengthen the defences of Sourabaya. Towards the close of the same year, when Kear-Admiral Drury made a demonstration of attacking Canton, in order to enforce some demands on the Chinese government. Lieutenant Kempthorne proceeded up Junk river, with a prize brig and the East India Company's cruiser Discovery under his orders, and effectually blockaded that city until the enterprise was abandoned. iThe Diana and Discovery were afterwards sent to Manilla, to procure the release of the officers and crew of the Grey- hound frigate, Captain the Hon. William Pakenham, recent- ly wrecked on the coast of Luconia. On their return to India, they fell in with two French frigates, the Canoniere and Lau- rel, off Pulo Aor, from whence they were chased down to the straits of Sincapore. The Diana having thrown her guns overboard, escaped in the night, through a narrow channel near Point Romania ; but the Discovery, in which vessel Cap- tain Pakenham had embarked, was taken *. In consequence of Lieutenant Kempthorne's escape, the enemy thought it pru- dent to quit their cruising ground, which was soon afterwards passed over by a valuable fleet of country ships, under the I • See Coptain Peiicy Grace. i2 116 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1816. i' ii I) protection of la Dedaigneuse, a frigate very inferior in force to either the Canoniere or her consort. On the 1 1th Sept. 1809, the Diana, then mounting 10 long 6-pounders, with a complement of 45 men and boys, captured, after an action of one hour and ten minutes, the Dutch nation- al brig Zephyr, of 14 long sixes, near the north end of Cele- bes. In this affair, she sustained no damage of the least con- sequence, and had not a single person hurt : the Zephyr, on the other hand, was much cut up in masts and rigging ; and, out of a crew of 45, had twelve or thirteen men killed and wounded. Among the former was her first lieutenant. Whilst employed in the eastern seas. Lieutenant Kemp- thornemade several important hydrographical discoveries, one of which, an extensive and dangerous patch of coral, to the southward of the Natuma islands, he named after bis little •vessel. The Diana being at length worn out, was condemned by survey, and laid up at the island of Rodrigues, in May, 1810. The late Mr. Steel, in his navy lists of that period, described her as a vessel wrecked, which, we are told, had the effect of retarding Lieutenant Kempthorne's promotion, imtilApril3, 1811. This officer's subsequent appointments were, Nov. 11, 1813, to the Harlequin sloop ; July 2, 1816, to the Beelzebub bomb; and Aug. 29, (two days after the battle of Algiers,) to act as captain of the Queen Charlotte 108, bearing the flag of his early patron. During that sanguinary conflict, on which oc- casion he commanded the division of bombs, his own large mortar was fired once in every ten minutes. He obtained post rank Sept. 16, 1816 j and continued to command the ,Queen Charlotte until she was put out of commission. '.i.i '■.... -1 ARTHUR FANSHAWE, Esq. ' .i ^^' YouNGKsT son of the late Commissioner Fanshawe, whose serriccH wo have rccordtMl at p. 49 vf seq. of Vol. II. Part I. force long tured, ition- ICele- con- ^r, on and, and POST-CAPTAINS OP 1816. 117 This officer was made lieutenant, April 22, 1813 ; com- mander, Oct. 2, 1815 ; and posted, while acting as captain of the Meander frigate, Oct. 17, 1816. He married, Aug. 10, 1820, Margaret, third daughter of the late Hon. Sir John Wilson, one of the Judges of H. M. Court of Common Pleas, and daughter-in-law of Rear-Admiral Griffith, no«v Colpoys, whose fiag-ship, the Newcastle 60, he then commanded on the Halifax station. He was put out of commission January 16, 1822, since which period he has not been employed. Agent, — John Chippendale, Esq. JAMES ARTHUR MURRAY, Esq. Son of the late Right Hon. Lord William Murray, and nephew to the present Duke of Athol. Was made lieutenant, Sept. 25, 1809 j and subsequently appointed to the Unicorn 32, the surgeon of which frigate was sentenced, by a court- martial, to imprisonment in the Marshalsea, for assaulting him at the officers* mess table. He afterwards joined the America 74, Captain Josias Rowley ; and was promoted to the rank of commander, Dec. 6, 1813. His subsequent ap- pointments were. May 14, 1816, to the Griffin brig ; Nov. 16 following, as post-captain, to the Spey, of 20 guns, on the St. Helena station; and, Aug. 14, 1824, to the Athol 28, in which ship he returned home, after a three years' service on the coast of Africa, in the East Indies, and in the Persian Gulph, Sept. 30, 1827. In March 1818, Captain Murray was tried by a court-mar- tial, at the instance of Rear-Admiral Plampin, for neglecting to supply the island of Ascension, and H. M. late sloop Julia''^, with necessary stores. The charges against him were not proved, and he was consequently acquitted. He married, in Dec. 1821, Harriett, youngest daughter of the late William. Coupland, of St. Mary's, Shrewsbury, Esq. Agent.— i. P. Muspratt, Esq. * See Captain Jbnkin Jones. IIB POST-CAPTAINS OF 1816. « 'O «, < ■ f-^ U\ ,U' , WILLIAM HILL, Esq. A SON of the Rev. John Hill j born at Hennock, near Chudleigh, Devon, Nov. 23, 1783. This officer entered the navy in Jan. 1795; and was a midshipman on board the Colossus 74, commanded, pro tempore, by Captain John Monkton, in Lord Bridport'9. action off TOrient, on which occasion that ship had. 5 men killed and 30 wounded •. He subsequently proceeded to the. West Indies, with his first patron, Sir Charles Morice Pole, Bart., in the Carnatic 74 t« We next find him in the Dili- gence brig. Captain Charles B. H. Ross, which vessel was wrecked on the Honda bank, near Cuba, in Sept. 1800. His first commission bears date April 11, 1803, previous to which he had been wounded in the right arm and side, while acting as lieutenant of the Rattler sloop, Captain J. M. Spread, on the Jamaica station. • - - • , .._..,, Mr. Hill returned to England, in the Vanguard 74, after an absence of nearly nine years, during which time he was very frequently employed in boat service. He then joined the Achille 74, Captain Richard King, under whom he bore a part at the glorious battle of Trafalgar }. His last appointment, as lieutenant, was to the Amethyst 42, Captain Michael Seymour, in which ship he assit ted at the capture of la Thetis and le Niemen, French frigates of the largest class, full of men, Nov. 10, 1808, and April 6-, 1809 §. Being the senior officer of that rank in the latter action, he was immediately afterwards promoted, and hit commission dated back to the day on which it was fought. From Sept. 1812 until March 1819, he successively com- manded the Rolla and Bacchus brigs, the Conway 24, and' Towey of similar force, in the North Sea, Bay of Biscay, and South America, at the Leeward Islands, and on the East India station. His advancement to post rank took place Dec. 12, 1816. . . .... ..5 • See Vol. 11. Part I. p. 16. t Sec Vol. I. Part II. p. 547. t See Vol. I. Part I. note at p. 90* § See Vol. II. Part I. p. 295 et tcq. Bi off a tail rw POST-CAPTAINS OF 1817. 110 Captain Hill married, in 1810, Miss Upton, of Cheriton- Bishop, CO. Devon, by whom he has several children » One of his brothers is a Lieutenant-Colonel in the army, and a C. B. ; another perished in a tender belonging to the Mino- taur 74, during the Egyptian expedition ; and a third, Frede- rick Came Hill, is a Lieutenant, R. N. Agent. — ^T. Collier, Esq. , . - . WILLIAM SUMNER HALL, Esq. Was made a lieutenant in 1801 ; commander. May 18, 1806; and post- captain, Jan. 1, 1817* , RICHARD HENRY MUDDLE, Esq, Harbour Master at Demerara and Egtiquibo. Was made lieutenant, July 23, 1803 ; commander, May 22, I8O61; and post-captain, Jan. 1, 181 7* He married, while commanding the Comet sloop, in 1809, Miss Coote, niece to the chief magistrate of St. John's, Newfoundland. ^^cwfe.^-Messrs. Stilwelk • ' . THOMAS REN WICK, Esq. Was made lieutenant in 1797 ; commander, Sept. 25, 1806; and post-captain, Jan. 1, 1817* THOMAS YOUNG, Esq. Was bom in Berkshire, in 1784. He entered the navy in Sept. 1795 ; and served) the whole of his time, as midshipman and lieutenant, under Sir Edward Thombrough, in the Ro- bust 74, Formidable 98, and various other ships. His first commission was signed in Oct. 1^1 ; and his promotion to the rank of commander took place Nov. 5, 1806. From this A.j S^l^.e* (i -. (^07 ! 1 I) 120 POST-CAPTAINS OF 181 7« period, he successively commanded the Curlew and Snake sloops, the Trent frigate, armed en flute, bearing the flag of Sir Edward Thornbrough, and the Redwing brig, on the Downs, North Sea, Leith, Irish, Portsmouth, and Leeward Islands stations, until the conclusion of the war, in 1815. He obtained post rank Jan. 1, 18)7* Captain Young mar- ried, first, in 1812, Mary, third daughter of the late Sir Edwin Jeynes, of Gloucester, and sister to Lady Thorn- brough : secondly, to Anna Maria, daughter of the late Rev. C. Sturges, of St. Mary's, Reading. JOHN PARISH, Esq. Was senior lieutenant of the Arethusa, Captain (now Sir Charles) Brisbane, at the capture of the Pomona Spanish frigate, near the Havannah, Aug. 23, 1806 ; and at the con- quest of Cura9(m, Jan. 1, 1807 *• Previous to the latter event, a commission had been signed by the Admbalty, promoting him to the rank of commander. His subsequent appointments were to the Onyx and Foxhound, brigs. He was made post, Jan. 1, 1817. '- — -^. Captain Parish married. Mar. 28, 1815, the only daughter of the late John Craig, of Finsbury, Esq. VU JOHN BRADLY, Esq. ! ... 1 K'ffJ , Was made commander, Nov. 28, 1806 j and post-captain, Jan. 1,1817. HENRY HIGMAN, Esq. Obtained the rank of lieutenant, Sept. 3, 1603 ; and was wounded while serving as second of the Arethusa, Captain (now Sir Charles) Biisbane, in at-t'..- with the Pomona • See Vol. I. Part II. p. 738 et seq. POST-CAPTAINS OF 1817. m Spanish frigate, near the More castle, Aug. 23, 1806. He was made commander in consequence of the capture of Cura9oa, by commission dated Feb. 23, 180/ j and afterwards successively appointed to the Rattler, Gluckstadt, Fly, and Brisk, sloops of war. The Fly he had the misfortune to lose, by her striking on a reef near the island of Anholt, Feb. 29, 1812» His promotion to post rank took place Jan. 1, 1817; the anniversary of the above conquest. Agent.'-^i. Hinxman, Esq. 'I- i WILLIAM RAMAGE, Esq. Was originally before the mast. We first find him serving on board the Iris frigate. Captain George Lumsdaine, in May, 1793. He obtained a commission. Mar. 14, 1799; and subsequently served as signal and flag-lieutenant to Earl St. Vincent. His promotion to the rank of commander took place Mar. 23, 1807; and he was posted, while commanding the Cherokee brig, Jan. 1, 1817. He died in Jan. 1828. EDWARD O'BRIEN DRURY, Esq. Was made lieutenant in 1801 ; and promoted to the rank of commander, for his gallant conduct while serving as se- cond of the Hydra frigate. Captain George Mundy, in 1807*. His post commission bears date Jan. 1, 1817. GEORGE HEWSON, Esq. Received his first commission in 1795; obtained the rank of commander, Oct. 13, 1807 ; and lost la Fl^che sloop, off the mouth of the river Elbe, May 24, 1810. He subse- quently commanded the Coquette, and was removed from • See Vol. II. Part I. p. 337 et s«q. 122 POST-CAPTAINS OP I817' her to the Griffon brig, in June, 1814. His promotion to post rank took place Jan. 1, 1817. Captain Hewson married, in 1808, Miss Marshall, of Great Grimsby. • - u ^^CTi/«.— Messrs. Cooke, Halford, and Son. r r I'l ti pi! M.1 i: ■■ ALEXANDER M* VICAR, Esq. Is a native of Leith. He was made lieutenant in 1/98, and connnander, Oct. 13, 1807 f appointed to the Apelles brig, Mar. 8, 1813 ; and posted, Jan. 1, 1817. •o ALEXANDER RENNY, Esq. Was made commander, Oct. 13, 1807; and appointed to the Trinculo brig, Oct. 22, 1810. On the 1st and 2d Oct. 1811, a court-martial was htld, in Sheemesa harbour, for the trial of Captain Renny, iq»on charges exhibited against him by Mr. John Hill, late first lieutenant of the Ttlnnnln ; viz. repeated drunkenness, and a flagrant breach of the 10th, 12th, and 13th articles of war*. TbefoUosdng !6> a traoficript of an attested copy of the sentence: , - . . . ?> .3 — ..I " The Goi^t hasiag hQiar4i ^ ^Ideoce produced m support, of tho. ch&Fgea^ a^. well a^ wlpat ^epfi^QDOT' ba(i)ta offer in his defence, i^ld hav-, ihg very maturely and deliberately weighed tlie whole and every part thereof, is of opinion that the charges are not proved ; and does, there* fore, most fully and most honorably acquit Alexander Renny, Esq. com- mander of H. M. sloop Trinculo, of all and every part thereof. And Alexander Renny, Hl^. ^p. is hereby most fi^lly and most honorably acquitted of all and every part of the charges accordingly. "The Clourt is at a loss for an, expries«ipn suiScieiitly 8tnH»g|tq oiark the sense it feel^ of this prosecutipo, which has. disclosed a scene of mar. lice, perversion of facts,, and total im^ubordinatioq. which cannot be too strongly deprecated." * . ' ,^ On the 18th and 19th of the same month, a Mr. Croke, Implying cowardice^ P08T-CAPTAINS OF 1817' 123i late acting lieutenant of the Triuculo, was tried for con- tempt ; fur unofficer-like conduct to a centinel, whUe he himself was under arrest ; for making use of improper lan- guage in the gun-room ; and for being one of a combination against Captain Renny. The Court decided, that he was guilty of the first two charges alleged against him, but ac- quitted him of the latter: he was consequently adjudged to be incapable of receiving promotion for two years, and admo- nished to be more circumspect in his conduct for the future. In Feb. following, Lieutenant Cornelius Lascelles, likewise of the Trinculo, was tried in the some port, for a violation, of the 23d and 27th articles of war, and for conspiring against his commander. The whole of these charges being proved, he was sentenced to be dismissed from the naval service, and rendered incapable, for ever, of serving his Majesty. Captain Renny obtained post rank, Jan. 1, 1817 J and died at Paris, June 13, 1826. .;■; t Ji< JOHN LAWRENCE, Esq. ' j4 Companion of the Most Honorable Military Order of the Bath, This mark of distinction was conferred upon Captain Lawrence for his gallant and zealous services, while com- manding the Fantome brig, under the immediate orders of Rear- Admiral (now Sir George) Cockburn, whose flag we find flying on board that vessel, in April, 1813. The following is a copy of the Rear- Admiral's official letter to Sir John B. Warren, detailing his operatipns against the Americans, at the com- mencement of the ensuing month : '••' » ' •' ' ' ** H. M. S. Mttiditone, at anchor of Turkey Point, = "= ' 3dJHa]/,l8\3. «• Sir,— I have the honor to inform you, that whilst anchoring the brigs and tenders off Spesu^ie island, agreeable to my intentions, notified to you in my official report of the 29th ultimo*, I observed guns fired, and Ameri* can colours hoisted at a battery lately erected at Havre-de-Grace, at the entrance of the Susquehanna river. This of course, immediately gave to • Sec Captain Sir Gborcb A. Westphal. 124 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1817« ,! r; I the place an Importance which I had not before attached to it ; and I there- fore determined on attacking it after the completion of our business at the Island. Having sounded in the direction towards it, and found that the shallowness of water would only admit of its being approached by boats, I directed their assembling under Lieutenant Westphal, first of the Marl- borough, last night at 12 o'clock, alongside the Fantome, when our de- tachments of marines, consisting of about 150 men, under Captains Wy- born and Carter, with a small party of artillery-men, under Lieutenan' Robertson, embarked in them, and the whole being under the immediate direction of Captain Lawrence, of the Fantome, who with much zeal and readiness took upon himself, at my request, the conducting of this service, proceeded towards Havre, to take up, under cover of the night, the neces- sary positions for commencing the attack at dawn of day. The Dolphin and Highflyer tenders, commanded by Lieutenants Hutchinson and Lewis, followed for the support of the boats, but the shoalness of the water pre- vented their getting within 6 miles of the place. Captain Lawrence, however, having got up with the boats, and very ably and judiciously placed them during the dark, a warm fire was opened on the place at day- light from our launches and rocket-boats, which was smartly returned from the battery for a short time ; but the launches constantly closing with it, and their fire rather increasing than decreasing, that from the battery soon began to slacken; and Captain Lawrem^ observing this, very judici- ously directed the landing of the marines on the left, which movement, added to the hot fire they were under, induced the Americans to commence withdrawing from the battery, to take shelter in the town. Lieutenant G. A. Westphal, who had taken his station in the rocket-boat close to the battery, therefore now judging the moment to be favourable, pulled directly up under the work, and landing \\'\\\ his boat's crew, got immediate posses- sion of it, turned their own guns on them, and thereby soon obliged them to retreat with their whole force to the furthest extremity of the town, whither (the marines having by this time landed) they were closely pur- sued, and no longer feeling themselves equal to a manly and open resist- ance, they commenced a teazing and irritating fire from behind the houses, walls, trees, &c. from which I am sorry to say, my gallant first lieutenant received a shot through his hand whilst leading the pursuing party; he, however, continued to head the advance, with which he soon succeeded in dislodging the whole of the enemy from their lurking places, and driving them from shelter to the neighbouring woods, and whilst performing which service, he had the satisfaction to overtake, and with his remaining hand to make prisoner, and bring in, a captain of their militia. We also took an ensign and some armed individuals ; but the rest of the force which had been opposed to us, having penetrated into the woods, I did not judge it prudent to allow of their being further followed with our small num- bers; therefore after setting fire to some of the houses, to cause the pro- prietors (who had deserted them, and formed part of the militia who had ff!i POST-CAPT. 18 1817. 125 fled to the woods,) to understand aii ' feci what ' y were liable to bring upon themselves, by building battc ies and at »jf towards us with so uiuch useless rancour, I embarked in the boats ti guoB fr < the battery and having also taken and destroyed about one hundred hirty st J^ of small arms, I detached a small division of boats up the ^quehanir lo take and destroy whatever they might meet with in it, ani ,n-oceedet ay- self with the remaining boats under Captain Lawrence, m search of a cannon foundry, which I had gained intelligence of, whilst on shore in Havre, as being situated about three or four miles to the northward, where we found it accordingly, and getting possession of it without difli- culty, commenced instantly its destruction, and that of the guns and other materials we found there, to complete which occupied us during the re- mainder of the day, as there were several bnildings and much complicated heavy machinery attached to it. It was known by the names of the Cecil or Principio Foundry, and was one of the most valuable works of the kind in America; the destruction of it, therefore, at this moment, will, I trust, prove of much national importance. " In the margin I have stated the ordnance taken and disabled by our small division this day*, during the whole of which we have been on shore in the centre of the enemy's country, and on his high road between Balti- more and Philadelphia. The boats which I sent up the Susquehanna, re- turned after destroying five vessels in it, and a large store of flour; when, every thing being completed to my utmost wishes, the whole division re- embarked and returned to the ships, where we arrived at ten o'clock, after being twenty-two hours in constant exertion, without nourishment of any kind ; and I have much pleasure in being able to add, that, excepting Lieu- tenant Westphal's wound, we have not suffered any casualty whatever. "The judicious dispositions made by Captain Lawrence, of the Fantome, during the preceding night, and the able manner in which he conducted the attack of Havre in the morning, added to the gallantry, zeal, and attention shewn by him during this whole day, most justly entitle him to my highest encomiums and acknowledgments, and will, I trust, ensure to him your approbation ; and I have the pleasure to add, that he speaks in the most favourable manner of the good conduct of all the officers and men employed in the boats under his immediate orders* particularly of Lieutenants Alexander and Reed, of the Dragon and Fantome, who each commanded a division ; of Lieutenant 0. A. Westphal, whose exemplary and gallant conduct it has been necessary for me already to notice in detailing to you the operations of the day ; I shall only now add, that from a thorough knowledge of his merits (he having served many years with me as first lieutenant) I always, on similar occasions, expect much from him ; but this day be even outstripped those expectations, and though in considerable * Total— 51 guns, and 130 stand of small arms. \ ; m 1»6ST- CAPTAINS OF 181 7- i'4 i 4 pafn from hia wound, tie insisted on continuiiif? to assist me to the last momeht witli his able exertions ; I therefore, Sir, cannot but entertain a confident hope tliat his services of to-day, and the wound he has received, added to what he so successfully executed at French TcWn (as detailed in my letter tu you of the 29th ultimo), will obtain for him your favourable consideration and notice, and that of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. I should be wanting in justice did I not also mention to you, particularly, the able assistance again afforded me by Lieutenant Robertson, of the artillery, who is ever a volunteer where service is to be performed, and always foremost in performing such service, being equally conspiouous for his gallantry and ability ; and he also obliged me by superintending the destruction of the ordnance taken at the foundry. To Captains \yyboru and Cartet", who commanded the marines, and shewed much skill in the management of them, every praise is likewise due, as are my ackuowledg. ments to Lieutenant Lewis of the Highflyer, who, not being able to bring his vessel near enough to render assistance, came himself with his usual active zeal to offer his personal services. And it is my pleasing duty to have to report to you, in addition, that all the other officers and men seemed to vie with each other in the cheerful and zealous discharge of their duly; and I have therefore the satisfaction of recommending their general good conduct on this occasion to your notice accordingly. — I have the honor to be, &c. ^ (Signed) " Geo. Cockburn." On the 5th Oct. 1813, Captain Lawrence captured an Ameri- can privateer schooner, of 5 guns and 45 men. He obtained post rank, Jan. 1, 1817 ; and was appointed to the Edeii 28, fitting for the West India station, Aug. 31, 1822. This officer's sister is the wife of Lieutenant William Low- cay, R, N. . ^en^— Sir F. M. Omnianney. '•[. ^ DAVID BtlAIMER, Esq. ' ' Was made commander, Ajiril 9, 1808; and appointed to the Castilian brig, of 18 gunS, Oct. 22, 1810. On the 2l8t Sept. 1811, his first lieutenant was killed, and one man se- verely wounded, in action with the Boulogne flotilla*. Oh the 4th May, 1812, he assisted at the recapture of H.M. sloop See Supplement, Putt I. p. 76. frOST-CAPTAINS OF 1817. 127 Apelled, as will be seen by reference to p. 114 of Suppl. Part III. In the night of Sept. 1st, 1814, he rescued the officers and crew of the Avon brig, Captain the Hon. James Arbuthnot, which vessel had been reduced to a sinking state by the Wasp, American sloop of war. His post commission bears date Jan. 1, 1817. Agents, — Messrs. Stilwell. RICHARD WALTER WALES, Esq. Was made lieutenant, July 13, 1/90, and promoted to the command of the Ferret brig, in June, 1808. On the 26th Oct. following, he captured la Becune, French privateer schooner, of 3 guns and 38 men. On the 23rd Feb. 1814, being then in the Epervier of 18 guns, he took the Alfred, American brig privateer, mounting 14 long 6-pounders, and 2 carronades, with a complement of 110 men. His subse- quent unfortunate rencontre with the United States* sloop Peacock, of 22 guns, is thus described by Mr. James. "On his way to Halifax with the Alfred, Captain Wales discovered that a part of his crew had conspired with the prisoners, to rise upon the Britisii officers, and carry one vessel, if not both, into a port of the United States. As the readiest mode to frustrate the plan, he persevered against a gale of wind, and, on the 25th, arrived at Halifax. He immediately represented to the commanding officer of the port, the insufficiency of the Epervier's crew for any service ; and, in particular, expressed his doubts about their loyalty, from the plot in which they had recently been engaged. However, the affair was treated lightly ; and on the 3rd March, the E^iervier, without a man of her crew being changed, sailed, in Company with the Shelburne schooner, for the 'protection' of a small convoy bound to Bermuda and the West Indies. *' Having reached her outward destination in safety, the Epervier, on the 14th April, sailed from Port Royal, Jamaica, on her return to Halifax i and, as if the reputation of her officers, and of the flag she bore, was not enough for such a crew as tier's to be entrusted with, she afterwards took on board at Havannah, 1 18,000 dollars in specie. On the 25th April, she sailed from thence, in company with an hermaphrodite brig, bound to Ber> mudn. On the 29th, at about 7-30 a. m., a ship under Russian colours join- ed the Epervier i and, shortly afterwards, another was discovered, apparently in chase of them. At 9 a. m. Captain Wales hauled to the wind on the 128 POST-CAPTAINS OP 1817* larboard tack, so as to keep between his charge and tlie strange ship, which we may at once introduce as the U. S. sloop Peacock, of 20 carronades, 32-pounder8, and 2 long IS's, Captain Lewis Warrington*. " No answer being returned to the brig's signals, the English ensign and pendant flying on board the Peacock did not remove the suspicions of her being an enemy ; and accordingly the Epervier made a signal to that eflFect to her convoy. At 9-40 a. m., the Peacock hauled down the British colours, and hoisted an American flag at almost every mast and stay. At 10 a. m., when within half gun-shot, she edged away, as if to bring lier broadside to bear in a raking position. This the brig evaded by putting her helm up, until close on the Peacock's bow, when she rounded to and fired her star- board guns. With this their first discharge, the three aftermost carronades became unshipped by the fighting-bolts giving way. The guns, however, were soon replaced ; and having, when she got abaft the beam of her oppo- nent, tacked and shortened sail, the Epervier received the broadside of the Peacock, as the latter kept away with the wind on the larboard beam. Al' though the first fire of the American ship produced no material effect, a continued discharge of star and bar shot cut away the rigging and sails of the brig, and completely dismantled her. Just as the Epervier, by a well- directed fire, had brought down her opponent's fore-yard, several of the carronades on the larboard side behaved as those opposite had done, and continued to upset, as often as they were replaced and discharged. " In the midst of this confusion, the main-boom, having been shot away, fell upon the wheel, and tha Epervier, having had her head-sails all cut to pieces, became thrown into a position to be raked ; but, fortunately for the brig, the Peacock had too much headway to do so with more than two or three shot. Having by this time shot away the brig's main-top-mast, and rendereoard ill lieu of her loug sixes and boat gun. rOST-CAPrAFNS OF 181 7« 129 Itcneatli the heavy and u»rcmittiiii» fire of the Peacock, no alternative re- mained but to strike the cuioura, to save tiie lives of tlic few retnaining jEfood nnen in the vessel. This was done at 11-5 a.m., after the firing had lasted an hour; during three quarters of which the eoinhutants lay close together, and during more than half of wliich, owing to the defects in the brig's armament, the successful party had it all to himself. *' Besides the damages already detailed, the Epervier had her fure rig- ging and stays shot away, her bowsprit badly wOuuded, and her foremast cut nearly in two, which nothiag but the smoothness of the water saved from falling. Her hull, as may be imagined, was pierced with shot-holes, both above and below water. Her loss, out of a crew of 101 men and \G boys, amounted to eight killed and mortally wounded, and fifteen severely and slightly wounded, including among the former her very gallant first lieutenant, John Hackett, who, about the middle of the action, had his left arm shattered, and received a severe splinter wound in the hip, but who yet would hardly suffer himself to be carried below. Captain War- rington states, we believe with truth, that the Peacock's principal injury was the wound in her fore-yard. Not a shot, by his account, struck the ■hip's hull, and her loss, out of a crew of 185 picked seamen, without a boy among them, amounted to only two wounded, neither of them dan- gerously. " At the time she engaged the Peacock, the Epervier had but three men in a watch, exclusive of petty officers, able to take helm or lead ; and two of her crew were each 70 years of age ! She had some blacks, several other foreigners, lots of disaffected, and few even of ordinary stature : in short, the crew of the Epervier was a disgrace to the deck of a British man-of- war. We must be allowed to say, that, had her carronades been previously fired in exercLie, for any length of time together, the defect in the clinch- ing of her breeching bolts, a defect common to the vessels of this and the smaller classes, nearly all of them being contract-built, would have been discovered, and perhaps remedied. Even one or two discharges would have shown the insufficiency of the fighting-bolts. We doubt, however, if any teaching at the guns would have amended the Epervier's crew ; the men wanted, what nature alone could give them, the hearts of Britons." Captain Wales was promoted to post rank, vvliile com- manding the Childers brig, at the Leeward Islands, Jan. I, 1817. JOHN MACPIIERSON FERGUSON, Esq. A YOUNGER son of the late celebrated Dr. Adam Ferguson, Professor of Mora! Philosophy in the University of Ediu- SUPPL. P/\HT IV. ■ m 130 roST-CAFfAINS OF ISIJ- burgh, by Miss Burnet, of Aberdeenshire, niece to Dr. Joseph Black, Chemical Professor in the same national establish- ment. The Fergusons are said to have sprung from the family of Dunfallandy, seated in one of the mountainous districts of Perthshire. This officer was made commander, July 13, 1808 ; and appointed to the Pandora brig, about Oct. 1810. On the last day of that year, he captured the French privateer cutter Chasseur, of 16 guns and 36 men. The following particulars of the loss of the Pandora, are copied from a letter, addressed to T. Aldridge, Esq., of North Yarmouth : " Qn the night of the 13th Feb. 181 1, the Pandora struck on the Scaw reef, off the coast of Jutland. In less than five minutes, she lost her rudder; and in an hour's time, she was nearly filled with water; pre- viously to which, her masts were cut away in onler to lighten her. The wind being extremely liigh, the sea broke over her with great fury, and every moment threatened her crew with destruction. The wind svna piercingly cold, and the officers and men had no other prospect l>efore theoi than that of being either washed overboard or frozen to death. Twenty-nine did perish from tlie inclemency of the weather. Next morn- ing, some of the survivors contrived to cut a hole in the weather-side of the deck, which was above water, and by that they were enabled to get down below, one by one, for shelter. About three, p. m., some boats were observed coming off froui the shore to their assistance; but the sea still running very high, they durst not approach the wreck. The surviving crew were so reduced in strengtli as to be unable to launch their own boats, which were covered with ice, and bore the appearance of marble of im- mense thickneos. In the course of the night, however, the wind abated, and the morning of the 15th being ({uite calm, a number of Danes came off, and took every one from the wreck. The officers and men were of course made prisoners, but the enemy treated them with all possible kind- ness and hospitality." Captain Ferguson's next appointment waa, Aug. 27, 1815, to the Nimrod sloop. He obtained post rank, Jan. 1, 181/; and has since commanded the Mersey 20, on the Soutli American station. A memoir of his father is given in the first volume of the " Annual Biography and Obituary," pub- lished in 1818. jigent. — Sir F. M. Ommaimey, POST-CAPTAINS OP 1817* 131 EDMUND WALLER. Esq. Was severely wounded while serving as lieutenant under Captain, now Sir Richard Goodwin Keats, in the action be- tween the Superb and San Antonio, French 2-decker, on the morning of July 13, 1801*. We next find him act- ing commander of the Wolf sloop, in which vessel he cap- tured the Braganza Spanish privateer, of one gun and 54 men, on the Jamaica station. May 1, 1808. His appointment to her was confirmed July 20th following. He subsequently commanded the Goldfinch brig, on the north coast of Spain ; and was removed from her to the Pheasant sloop, Oct. 9, 1814. His post commission bears date Jan. 1, 1817* Agent, — Sir F. M. Oramanney. JOHN GOURLY, Esq. Entered the navy about Mar. 1781 ; and was on board the Belle Foule frigate, Captain Philip Patton, when she captured the Cologne French privateer, of 32 guns and 215 men, commanded by the famous Luke Ryan : who defended his ship with great bravery, until the Berwick 74 arrived within gun-shot, and was about to open her fire. The Belle Poule also formed part of the squadron under Sir Hyde Parker, when that gallant veteran encountered the Dutch Admiral Zoutman, on the Dogger Bank, Aug. 5, ]7Bl>t After the peace of 1783, Mr. Gourly served as midshipman and master's-mate in several line-of-battle ships ; and at the commencement of the French revolutionary war, we find him proceeding to the Mediterranean, with Lord Hood, in the Victory of 100 guns. On his arrival at Toulon, in Aug. 1793, he was promoted by that officer, and sent to command a floating battery, mounting four long 24-pounders and a 10-inch howitzer, stationed above all the shipping in the N. W. arm of the harbour. On the 19th September, Lieutenant Gourly opened his fire • SeeC'jppl. Part I. p. 271. t Sec Vol. I. Part f. note §, at p. Mb, ct »eq. K 2 1ii \ A i i i f: li 132 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1817. upon one of the enemy's encampments, and threw ehells, with considerable effect, into a battery which had given great Annoyance to the British ships. In the course of the ensuing night, the republicans threw up three field-batteries purposely to get rid of such an unwelcome and troublesome visitor; one of three long 18-pounders right abreast of his vessel, and but little more than 300 yards distant ; another, of two long 9-pounders, on her bow; and the other, of two howitzers, right a-head. These all commenced firing at day-light on the 20th, and a heavy cannonade was kept up on both sides until nearly dark, by which time the vessel was in a sinking state, having received about forty shot under water, and more than sixty above. Scarcely was the last man removed from her when she went down, with her colours nailed to the head of her tottering mast. Strange to gay, only one of her crew was killed, and the wounded did not exceed six or eight in number. Lieutenant Gourly was next appointed to command the Vigilant, of 10 guns, and employed in forwarding supplies to the garrison of Toulon, from a bay about 7 niiles distant. On this service he continued four weeks, almost every day annoyed by the enemy's musketry, but without sustaining any serious loss. We subsequently find him cruising on the coast of Italy, and assisting at the sieges of St. Fiorenzo and Calvi. After the reduction of Corsica, Lieutenant Gourly joined the Britannia, a first rate, bearing the flag of Vice -Admiral Hotham, by whom he was appointed to command the Vanneau armed brig, recently captured from the French, and employed in carrying despatches to various parts of Italy. A circum- stance occurred in the spring of 1795, which we cannot for- bear relating. Ten musters of jnerciiant vessels, and a little boy, who had been taken prisoners by the French, and kept in close confine- ment for two years, obUiined their liberty at the above period, and arrived at Bastia, in a cartel, without cloaths or any means of subsistence ; no person there knew any of them— no one would give them money for their bills on England. The Vanneau cunic from the adjacent coast, while they were POST-CAPTAINS OF 1817. 133 wandering about the streets in this deplorable condition, and Lieutenant Gourly,the moment he heard of their distress,invit- ed the whole of them to dinner, after which he went on shore and requested the Hon. John Erskine, then commissary-gene- ral, to cash him a bill for 551. which sum was all that they required for their present support. That gentleman refused to take the bill, but oflFered to lend him as many dollars as he wanted. Lieutenant Gourly then mentioned how he intend- ed to apply them, upon which his friend said, " I will not lend the money to you for any such purpose — I will lend it to the men myself — the loss of such a sum might greatly hurt a poor officer, but will not harm me if I were to lose it, which I am sure I shall not : there is the cash, tell the poor fellows I will trust them with double the amount if they want it." In a few days afterwards, the Vanneau took these men to Leghorn, from whence they promptly remitted every shilling to their generous benefactor. One of them is at this time a meritorious officer in the navy. In June, 1796, when General Buonaparte took possession of Leghorn, Lieutenant Gourly contributed by his exertions to rescue the British Factory, and property of considerable value. On the 10th of the following month, he witnessed the surrender of Porto Ferrajo, in Elba, to the forces under Commodore Nelson and Major Duncan, R. A. the latter of whom had sailed from Corsica under the protection of the Vanneau. In a short time after the occupation of the above place, orders were given by Sir Gilbert Eliot, Viceroy of Corsica, to take possession of Capraja, an island then belonging to the Genoese, but which had long afforded shelter and protection to French privateers, as well as to pirates of all nations. Having embarked a body of soldiers, u\ider Major Logan, of the 51st regiment, on board the Captain 74, and Gorgon troop-ship. Commodore Nelson sailed from Bastia, accompa- nied by the Vanneau and Rose, the latter vessel a cutter, com- manded by Lieutenant Walker. On the following day, la Minerve frigate. Captain George Cockburn, joined him, and was attached to the expedition. ' ' During the passage thither, Lieutenants Walker and • I mm ■'If 134 POST-CAPTAINS OF 181 7« J !l Gourly were called on board the commodore's ship, by sig- nal, to furnish whatever information they possessed respect- ing Capraja, and to point out the best spot to disembark at. Nelson knew that they were both well acquainted with the localities of the island. They agreed, that it might be effected at a place which he mentioned when shewing them a chart, but added, that there was another, much more eligi- ble, on the northern, or opposite side. He replied, you shall have 250 soldiers sent on board your vessels immediate- ly; make sail, and land them there. In three hours after this, these men were safely put on shore, and they soon got possession of a 2-gun battery, together with the heights above ; the enemy flying into the town. Meanwhile, Nelson was baffled in his attempt to effect a landing on the southern side of the island ; the sand being so loose that the men who jumped on shore sunk almost to their knees at every step, the ascent very steep, and the enemy nu- merous and strongly posted. The intervening high land prevented him from knowing what had been accomplished on the other side, until the Rose, using her sweeps, brought him the gratifying intelligence. There were then lying in the harbour of Capraja, three French privateers, full of men ; and to prevent their escape. Lieutenant Gourly placed his brig within musket-shot of the biitteries at the entrance, where he continued watching them until la Minerve, favoured by a light breeze, came to his assistance. Next morning, Sept. 18, 1796, the commodore also got round j the troops were landed, and the privateers destroyed by their crews: the island then surrendered without any further resistance. In his ofl&cial report of this occurrence. Nelson highly commended the commanders of the Rose and Vanneau, for their diligence, intelligence, and zeal. , ;.^., ;c;t ,1; ',, The Vanneau was subsequently selected to perform a secret service; but in working out of Porto Ferrajo, she un- fortunately struck, and was bilged, on a sunken and previously unknown rock. In June, 1797, Lieutenant Gourly was appointed to com- mand the Thunder bomb- ketch; and on the 2d of the POST-CAPTAINS OP ISIJ- 135 following month, we find him joining the fleet under Earl St. Vincent, off Cadiz. The naval bulletins of that year aftord ub the following information : Sir Horatio Nelson to Earl St. Fincent, July A, 1797. " In obedience to your orders, the Thunder was placed, by the good manafirement of Lieutenant Gourly, assisted by Mr. Jackson, master of the Ville de Paris, within 2500 yards of the walls of Cadiz, and the shells were thrown from her with much precision, under the direction of Lieu- tenant Bayncs, R. A. Unfortunately, iL was soon found that the large mortar was materially injured from its former services ; and I therefore judged it proper to order her to return. The Spaniards having sent out a great number of mortar-boats, gun-boats, aivd armed launches, I directed a vigorous attack to be made on them, which was done with such gallantry that they were drove and pursued close to the walls, and must have suffered considerable loss. I have the pleasure to inform you, that two mortar-boats and an armed launch remained in our possession.*" Earl St. Vincent to Evan Nepean, Esq. July 10, 1/97. " Rear-Admiral Nelson ordered a second bombardment of Cadiz, on the night of the 5th, and appointed Mr. Jackson to place the Thunder, Terror, and Strombolo. It produced consideral)te effect in the town and among the shipping. Ten sail of the line, among them the ships bearing the flags of Admirals Mazarredo and Gravina, warped out of the reach of shell, with much precipitation, the following morning. This important service was effected with very little loss on our side.f The Rear-Admiral meditated another operation on the night of the 8th, but the wind blew so strong ilown the bay, he could not get his foomh-vessels up tu the point of attack in time.** Lieutenant Gourly returned to England, in very ill health, at the close of 170/; ^^nd he does not appear to have been again actively employed during the remainder of that war. After the renewal of hostilities, in 1803, he commanded one of the revenue cruisers, then under the orders of the Admiral- ty, and was presented by the owners of some Greenland ships, at Leith, with a gold watch, for his attention in con- voying them on their outward voyage. In Dec. 1804, he visited the Texel, with a flag of truce, and was very kindly received by the Dutch Admiral, Verdoroon, who compli- mented him in the most flattering manner, on his seamanship. t wounded * See Suppl. Part 1. p. 270. 3 sailors killed ; 3 ofEcers, 2 midshipmen, and 1 1 other persons, 136 roST-CAPTAlNS OF ISl/- perseverance, and success, in entering the Nieuve Diep under circumstances of extreme difl&culty and danger. Admiral Verdoroon not only received him courteously, but kept him to dinner, and irvited all his captains to meet him ; a circum- stance which gave great offence to the French general then commanding at the H elder. Shortly after his return from Holland, Mr. Gourly was appointed flag-lieutenant to Rear-Admiral Vashon, in which capacity he served at Leith until 1807, when he joined the Trident 64, and again sailed for the Mediterranean. On the arrival of that ship at Malta, the governor. Sip Alexander J. Ball, gave Lieutenant Gourly an order to act as commander of the Tuscan brig, and sent him to the Barbary coast. On his return from thence, he received an Admiralty commission, dated Sept. 14, 1808, promoting him to the command of the San Juan, formerly a Spanish 74, then lying at Gibraltar, without guns, and with only men enough for a single boat's crew belonging to her. From that ship he was removed, to act as captain of the Atlas 74, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Purvis, whom he assisted in equipping the Spanish men-of-war at Cadiz, and removing them out of the reach of the French invading army. ' - • In March 1809, Captain Gourly returned to Gibraltar, where he soon completed the crew of the San Juan, and in conformity to an order from Lord CoUingwood, fitted out a small frigate for the Emperor of Morocco. He also under- took the superintendence of the dock-yard, the victualling ofiice, and other naval establishments on the rock ; restored twenty decaying gun-vessels to a serviceable state ; and left nothing undone that could possibly be performed with the resources at his command. His indefatigable exertions were thus generally acknowledged by Lord CoUingwood, a short time previous to the demise of that excellent officer ; *' When you joined the San Juan, the was merely a sheer-hulk ; now she is every thinf( that can be expected of her, and truly beneficial to the whole fleet." Captain Gourly was in bad health when Sir Charles Cotton arrived at Gibraltar, on his way to assume the chief command in the Mediterranean, as successor to the |p under Ldiniral him to -ircum- il then fy Was which led the o act the ed ai> him then ough iphe POSt-CAPTAlNB OF 181 7- 137 deceased admiral. In answer to his representations to that effect, he was told, that Sir Charles had heard much of his useful services; that he had then no officer near him fit to be entrusted with such a charge ; and that he must conse- quently remain in the San Juan until one could be sent from the fleet off Toulon. Not long afterwards, a commodore's broad pendant was displayed at the rock, as will be seen by reference to p. 462, of Suppl. Part II. Captain Gourly returned to England in Aug. 1810 ; and remained on half- pay until Feb. 1812. Some ten or twelve years have now elapsed since the author of this work received the following communication : "Captain B begs to suggest, that the scientific remarks which follow, respecting the Gut of Gibraltar, are worthy of insertion, as they may excite observation from those >vho are at all inclined to doubt their accuracy. " ' It has long been a prevailing opinion, amongst seamen, that there is, what they call, an underset of the ocean, beneath the surface of the sea, in the Straits of Gibraltar, which returns to the Atlantic the super- abundant waters that are continually pouring into the Mediterranean through that narrow passage. Captain Gourly is of opinion, founded on his own experiments, that there is no return whatever of those waters, further than what the diurnal tides occasion; that the sea, 15 fathoms under the surface, is in a state of perpetual rest ; that the rate of the su- perficial current is increased or lessened according to the degree of eva- poration occasioned by the action of the sun and wind on the surface of the immense sea within those narrow Straits ; that the Atlantic ocean supplies the constant exhalation ; and that this occasions the perpetual influx. Ships * (says Captain Gourly) ' may work out of the Gut, with the wind westerly, in moderate weather, if they attend to the tides, keep the Spanish shore on board, anchor at low water, and weigh when it has ceased to flow.' ** . i . • j- In Feb. 1812, Captain Gourly was directed by the Ad- miralty to raise a quota of men, from those employed in the fisheries on the coast of Scotland, and in the Orkney and Shetland islands. He succeeded in securing the services of above 200 men and boys. At later periods of the war. Captain Gourly assisted the magistracy of Aberdeenshire, in suppresising two very serious riots ; and obtained the well-merited encomiums of the civil >'i; 138 POST-CAPTAINS OP 1817» authorities for his energetic conduct on both occasions. His last appointment waSj Sept. 16, 1814, to the Pelorus brig, of 18 guns, which vessel he paid off, in Sept. 1815. On the 18th Dec. following. Captain Gourly had the misfortune to lose his only son, liieutenant John Charles Gourly, R. N. who lost his life in attempting to save a boy from perishing in Loch-End, near Edinburgh, then but par- tially frozen over. We can, from our personal knowledge of the defunct, state, that he was a truly estimable young man. Captain Gourly obtained post rank, Jan. 1, 1817. One of his daughters married, in 1826, Mons. llueile de Bonnechose, staff-officer in the French army, and second son of the Che- valier de Bonnechose, Secretaire Generale, Versailles*. Agent. Clernentson, Esq. AUGUSTUS BALDWIN, Esq. AVas made lieutenant in 1800; commander, Sept. 19, 1808, appointed to the Tyrian brig, Feb. 7, 1812; re- appointed to the same vessel, on the peace establishment, Sept. 10, 1815; and posted from her Jan. 1, 1817. He married, at York, Upper Canada, Augusta Mary Melissa, daughter of John Mills Jackson, Esq. Agents. — Messrs. Stilwell. GEORGE WASTELL HOOPER, Esq. ;. Was made lieutenant in 1800; commander, Nov. 9, 1808; appointed to the Raleigh brig, Oct. 22, 1810; and posted. Jan. 1,1817. Agent.— J. Woodhead, Esq. • Captain Gourly'a contributions to " Clarke's Progress of Maritime Diicovcry," are ackno\vle I8O7. In the following year, he assisted at the destruction of several newly constructed scmaphoric telegraphs, fourteen guard-houses, a battery, and a strong tower, on the southern coast of France *. He also served on shore, at the defence of Rosas, in Dec. 1808 f. Mr. Stewart passed his examination, at Portsmouth, in July* 1811; obtained a commission on the 1st of the ensuing month j became flag-lieutenant to Lord Keith early in 1813; was made commander, Aug. 13, 1814 ; appointed to the Shark, receiving-shiit) at Jamaica, Jan. 18, 1815 ; to the Royalist brig. • See Commander David Mapleton. tISee Captain Fredsrick Marryat, C. B. .ii li^UI' t; ,i 7tl 142 POST-CAPTAINS 0? 1817. July 14, 1815; to the Rifleman brig, Aug. 17, 1816; to the Salisbury 50, bearing the flag of Rear- Admiral John Crskine Douglas, Mar. 13, 1817 ; promoted to post rank, June 10, 1817 ; and appointed to the Menai 26, fitting for the Halifax station, Oct. 21, 1823. He returned home from thence, Dec. 14, 1826. Captain Stewart married, Feb. 10, 1819, Martha, youngest daughter of Sir William Miller, of Glenlee, Bart, a Lord of the Court of Session in Scotland. Agents. — Messrs. Maude and Co. EDWARD BARNARD, Esq. Servkd under Captain (now Sir Richard) King, in the Achille 74, at the battle of Trafalgar ; obtained the rank of lieu- tenant, Jan. 7, 1806; was made commander, Aug. 10, 1814 ; appointed to the Bacchus brig, Dec. 17, 1316; and posted, by the above officer, into the Conway 24, on the East India sta- tion, July 4, I8I7. Agents. — Messrs. Stilwell. ti' ;ii ' BASIL HALL, Esq. A Fellow of the Uoyal Societies of London and Edinburgh ; and 11 Mem- ber of the London Astronomical and Madras Asiatic Societies. This officer is the son of Sir James Hall, Bart, of Dunglass, N. B. by Lady Helen Douglas, a daughter of the xourth Earl of Selkirk, who was present at St. Mary's Isle when the noted Paul Jones made a descent on the coast of Galloway with the intention of seizing her father ; but finding him absent, was obliged to allow his people to carry off the family plate, every piece of which, however, he restored some years after- wards * ! • " The Life of Paul Jones," from original documents in the possession of John Henry Sherburne, Esq. Registrar of the United States' navy, was published by Mr. Murray, of Allicu»arlc street, London, in 1825. POST-CAPTAINS OF 18 1/. 143 ■ Mr. Basil Hall entered the royal navy in May, 1802 ; and , served the whole of his time, as uiidshipman, in the flag-ships of Sir Andrew Mitchell and the Hon. George C. Berkeley, on the Halifax station. His first commission bears date Jane 10, 1808 r, at which period he was appointed junior lieutenant of the Endymion frigate. Captain the Hon. Thomas Bladen Capel ; under whom he assisted in covering the retreat and embarkation of Sir John Moore's army, at Corunna, in Jan. 1809. We subsequently find him serving on shore in co- operation with the Spanish patriots *. Lieutenant Hall's next appointment was, Mar. 9, 1812, to the Volage 22, from which ship he removed to the Illustrious 74, bearing the flag of Sir Samuel Hood, on the East Indian station. In 1813, he had the acting command of the Theban frigate, under the orders of the same distinguished officer, whom he accompanied during a journey over great part of the island of Java. His promotion to the rank of commander took place, Feb. 22, 1814 ; on which occasion he was appoint- ed by the Admiralty to the Victor sloop, then building at Bom- bay. The Victor arrived in England about the time that the em- bassy to China, under Lord Amherst, was projected ; and Captain Hall had not been long on half-pay when he was ap- pointed to the Lyra, a 10 gun brig, attached to that expedi- tion. On his return home, in 1817» he published a very in- teresting account of ^*A Voyage of Discovery to the Western Const of Coretty and the Great Loo-Choo Island^ in the Japan Sea t, with a Vocabulary of the Language of the Island {by Lieutenant H. J. Cliffitrd, R. N.), and an Appendix, con- taining Charts and various Hydrographical and Scientific Notices. Illustrated by eight coloured engravings of Scenery f and the Costume of the People of Corea^ and particularly of the more interesting Inhabitants of Loo-Choo,'* The second edition of " Loo-Choo," published in 1820, U * See Commander Charles Thomas Thruston. t Performed while the British Ainbassudor whs cn^ngrd in dignified dis- cussion with the flower of ilic hiimun rnt'c. 11 IS' « i! ( f 144 POST-CAPTAINS OP 181 7.' confined to the narrative alone, to the exclusion of all techni- cal and other details, not calculated to interest the general reader. A later edition, forming the first volume of " Con- stable's Miscellany," consists partly of matter entirely new, and partly of what was previously before the public ; the lat- ter, however, carefully revised, and, in some places, aug- mented by further selections from the original notes : one of the new chapters in this edition contains an account of Cap- tain Maxwell's attack on the batteries at Canton, Nov. 12, 1816^ ; and from which we shall here extract a passage or two. ** On leaving our primitive and kind friends at Loo-Choo, \vc steered directly across the Japan sea, and having sailed between the Philippine Islands and Formosa, made directly for the anchorage of Lintin, which takes its name from an island lying opposite the mouth of the great river flowing past Canton. On the 3d of November, 1816, shortly after an- choring, we received despatches from the British Factory, announcing the unsuccessful issue of the embassy, and the expected return of Lord Amherst. The failure of the mission, it appeared, had disposed the Chi- nese authorities at Canton to treat the interests of the British Factory w lil great contempt, and in several instances to visit his Mtgesty's peace;' V- suhjects with insult and direct injury. Next morning was received a co|i of a recent edict, or proclamation, of the Viceroy of Canton: in this document, worded in the most offensive terms, it was stated that the Am- bassador would not be permitted to embark in the river, but must find his way as he best could to the ships, which were to remain at anchor amongst the Ladrone Islands, almost in the open sea. There was every reason for supposing that this insulting mandate was a gratuitous piece of impertinence on the part of the local authorities, not authorized by the Supreme Government. In China every thing is regulated by custom ; and the precedent of the embassy under Lord Macartney was more likely to be adhered to, than that so inconvenient and degrading a mode of embarka- tion should be wantonly assigned to Lord Amherst. The hostile senti- ments of the Viceroy towards all foreigners, and especially the English, had long been well known to our establishment at Canton; and as these proceedings were precisely what had been anticipated, the greatest anxiety was felt by our countrymen, and iudeed by all the foreign residents, as to the line of conduct which Captain Maxwell would adopt on the occasion. " Nothing could be conceived more dissimilar to our recent occupations than the duties which now devolved u|>on tliis oilicer. Instead of the pn* • Sec Vol. 11. Part II. p. HOB. I » POST-CAPTAINS OF 1817. 145 aug- cJfic, timid, ho3pitaI>le Loo-Chooaiis, he had to deal with the arbitrary and unsociable military authorities of China, at no lime very friendly, and at the present moment professedly hostile to his nation. Tlie same delibe- rate Rood sense, however, carried him successfully throu;^h these diame- trically opposite services, and what in one instance took the character of patient forbearance, liecame in the other the most prompt and vigorous action. Both lines of conduct were so admirably suited to the occasions respectively, that had their order been reversed, as they might readily enough have been by a less judicious officer, the consequences roust have been mischievous in the highest degree. It should not be forgotten, that as neither our visit to Looas of tiie service, to visit the sins of the frigate upon the sloop of war. But to my surprise I beheld them all getting under weigh in the utmost hurry and confusion, as if the pigmy Lyra was going to swallow these giants up ; and without waiting for order of battle, or any order at all, ran off as hard as they could scamper out of our reach, into the inner harbour of Macao, where they crowded them- selves together like sheep, and moored in a compact body, actually touch- ing one another. " As I knew nothing of the Alccste's j>rocecding9, except through the re- ports of the Chinese and Portuguese, whid» varied every hour, I resolved ti> wait Captain Ma.xwell's further instructions. It was a week before 1 heard from him, and my orders then were to proceed up the river, to where tlie Alcfeste lay, and not to return the fire of the batteries, should they recom- mence hostilities, but in that case to anchor below the Bogue, until I was joined by the frigate. In order to avoid all mistakes, or misunderstaml- iags, he also sent me positive directions to avoid all intercourse with the Chinese, whatever advances might be made by the commanders of the forts or fleets. In pursuance of these directions, I tripped my anchor on the 25tli, and sailed out of the Typa ; but the tides not being favourable, wc were obliged to force our way through the mud, and at one place actually sailed for upwards of half a league in two feet less water, by the sounding line, than the ship drew : that is to say, we appeared to be in ten feet water, while the vessel drew twelve. The moment our sails were set, wc ob- served a stir amongst the men-of-war junks, and in a little while they came out one by one. As the wind was against us, wc had to make a tack to- wards the harbour's mouth, where we were n»cl !»y the whole eight sail of the line, gaily dressed out in long swallow-tailcd streamers, and led by their gallant commodore, who carrie I a flag twice as large as any of the rest. At sunset it fell (.-alni, uiid the tide having turned, we all anchored together, no one of the junks being uliove a cable's length, or two hun- dred yards from the brig. As soon as the sails were furled, the coinrno- ;ty of wi" lend coin- long \vUI> in mediate awe; foK a grHiui tlip «lefks, >ant to he mnnt, tilt' Maxwell d lip the t went oil t knowing the sins of d them all the pign»y J for order miper out ded thein- dly toueb- rgh the rc- resolved to 3re 1 heard where ilie ley recon>- tintil I was nderstaml- >e with the )f the forts 1 the 25th, ', wc wer»! tally sailed fiding line, eet water, !t, wc ob- thcy came a tack to- ght sail uf And led by any of the anchored two hUM- i coiiitno- 1 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1817. 147 I h dore manned his barge, and came himself to pay the Lyra a visit. I should liavc been very glad to have received him, but Captain Maxwell's orders Against any intercourse being explicit, I could do nothing but decline his civility, and keep him off. In spite of all I could do, however, he rowed alongside, and sent an officer up with his card. This personage, who forced his way on board, addressed me in these words, ' I come to see about your pigeon.'—* My pigeon,' said I ; ' I have no pigeons on board, and you must go away — I cannot receive you — go down the side, if you please.' — * No ! no,' exclaimed he, by way of clearing up the mystery, ' my master, this great Mandarin,' pointing to his chief, ' has come to see about the ship's pigeon.' While I was puzzling over this speech, I ob- served the commodore and two or three of his attendants climbing on board tlie brig, and therefore called out to some of the sailors, ' Here, my lads, put this gentleman into his boat again.' In an instant a couple of strapping fellows, who liked no better sport, leaped up, and would have tumbled the poor Chinese over the gangNvay in a trice, had I not caught their arms. The interpreter, seeing what was going to happen, made a wise and precipitate retreat, dragging the coinmander-iu-chief along with him by the tail, and screaming to the boatmen to shove off. " I was really extremely sorry to be guilty of such rudeness ; but my or- ders being imperative, I had no other \vay of resisting such detenniued in. trusioD, but that of threatening to throw the foremost of my visitors over, board. I was glad it was not tiie chief himself who led the way, as I must Iiave used some equally uncivil arguments with him, which I confess would have been a monstrous breach of naval eti(|uctte. "I afterwards learned that the word 'pigeon,' in the strange jargon which is spoken at Canton by way of English, means business, so that what the linguist meant to say was, ' I am come to see about your busi- ness.* It is, perhaps, not generally known, that all transactions between foreigners, of whatever nation, are carried on here in a singular dialect, called English, but which is scarcely intelligible at first, even to an Eng- lishman, and must be totally unintelligible to every other foreigner. It is made up of English, Portuguese, and Chinese, and although barbarous in the highest degree, must be studied by every trader at the port. Until very lately, all butiness was transacted by the British Factory in this most absurd language. O' late years, however, the ('ompany's servants at Canton have made themselves acquainted both with the written and spoken Chinese, and every thing material now passes in the language of the country. The natives themselves, whose principle it is to discourage all assimilation, sometimes lament this newly acquired power of communica- ting, and look back wi'h regret to the times when the supercargoes drank a great deal of wine, and spoke not a word uf their language. ' Now,' as I heard one of the Hong merchants say, with a sigh and a shake of the head, ' the English speak Chinese as well as I do, and drink nothing but I |1 ti 1 ' ii water, l3 If r ' il I4g Ie9t sailers were just in sight at sunset, far to leeward, but beii>.s»- well acquainted with the river they had no occasion to anchor, and before midnight, they were once more clustere>eatcn together. As the Alceste passed considerably within her own length of the buttery, and the water was perfectly smooth, every shot must have told. " We were greeteats, and T8; suit- The elo* king the lier than : to end, >ugh one > and re- I Scotch, r, which rove my triend into a towering passion ; and before I could stop him, he caught up « fowling-piece, lying on the stern sheets, and discharged it directly at a titick cluster of Chinese, not one of whose faces could be seen, but whe nevertheless offered a most conspicuous front to his aim. Fortunately the piece was loaded with snipe-shot, and the distance being considerable, the an- ton, that I shall be excused for not entering on so threadbare a subject. We were allowed to walk about the streets to a great distance from the Factory, without meeting any kind of obstruction or insult ; and when we happened to come near the gates of the citadel or inner town, were warned off by sen- tinels with long poles, but no impediments were ever thrown in the way of our examining the shops, or the different manufactories, with which the other parts of this immense city abound ; and as the sight of Europeans was familiar to the people, no notice was taken of us, and every one continued at his business as if no stranger was looking on. The gentlemen of the Embassy, when they returned from travelling upwards of a thousand miles through the interior of the country, declared that in a few days they had seen m Canton not only everything they had met with before, but could ob- serve it to better purpose than during the journey. " The only evil likely to attend these perambulations through ths streets. POST-CAPTAINS OF 1817. 153 was tlie loss of a handkerchief or two. A Chinese thief picked my pocket one day, so dexterously, that I did not perceive tlie loss : but my companion, the same gentleman who had silenced the significant salutation of the Chi- nese boatmen, and vvho was better acquainted with the people, detected the rogue, and caught him by the end of his long tail, as it was whisking round the corner of the street. He began instantly to belabour the thief with his cane, and what seemed odd enough, to the entire satisfaction of the multi- tude, who, so far from attempting a rescue, encouraged the due infliction of tliis discipline. After a certain number of blows had been given, however, tliere was a cry of 'enough,' and I was informed that if the punishment had not been discontinued at once, the extra allowance bestowed on the cul- prit, would have been paid back to the donor with a certain per-centa;OST-CAPtAlKS OK IBI7. annoyed l>y such a host of tncu in their city, for there were thirty latf^e boats, each carrying about sixteen men, all dressed alike, and kept in the strictest discipline under their respective otiicord. These preparations were made to ensure the Ambassador as respectalilc an entry into the city aa possible, but not until it was found, upon application to the local govern- ment, that it was intended to pay him none of the usual honours. Wlien the bai&ed Viceroy, however, beheld boat after boat arriving in his city, he would have been glad to have made any conditions on the subject of Lord Amherst's reception ; but Captain Maxwell had taken his line, and it was now too late. "When tite procession reached the Factory, the boats drew up and Ba< lute:o Calcutta with despatches to the Governor-general ; from whence she proceeded to Madras and the Isle of France, and after a prosperous and pleasant passage round the Cape of Good Hope, anchored at St. Helena on the 11th of August. "Of course, nothing could engage our attention on arriving at this island 80 strongly as its wonderful inhabitant. Napoleon Buonaparte. For mauy weeks before, the probability of seeing him had engrossed the thoughts of every one on board in a degree which it is difficult to describe, and would hardly be credited by those who, from distance or other circumstances, never by any possibility could have been admitted to his presence. What- ever prejudices or opinions we might previously have entertained respect- ing his character, every former sentiment was now overwhelmed by the in- tense anxiety to see a man who had exercised such an astonishing influence over the destinies of mankind. The vivid interest recently excited in our minds by travelling into remote countries, and being the first to contemplate unknown nations, and a totally new state of manners, high though it had k! >!| t»rtST-CAl»TAINS OK 18l7. 155 If i hecn, and universally fell, was feeble in comparison to what wc now cxpc- Henccd, vvlicn conscious of being within so short a distance of such a man as Napoleon. I sny this without the least affectation, hut simply as a ciiri< 0U8 fact in the history of curiosity, if I may use ao quaint an expression, by which every individual on boanl.hii^h as well as low, was infinitely more occupied about this one man, than he had been with all the incidents of our singuhr voyage put toi^ether. Even those of our number who, from their situation, could have no chance of seeing him, caught the fever of the mo-* ment, and the most cold and indifferent person on board was roused on the occasion into unexpected excitement. If this were true of others, it was ten times more striking in the case of those who had any expectation of being admitted to an interview ; and I landed with two gentlemen who were passengers in my ship, in a state of greater anxiety than I ever cxpe-* rienced before or since. " As I had the pleasure of h.-]r\^ personally af)\!ainted with the govern- or and his family, auu had received an invifuti-.^i to live at Plantation House, I calculated with some c<^nfii'.vAi^c ttii 'iAdMkh^iuce whi';h this acquaintance would aflford in forwasdm* the objjot 'v> vu:\v. Before taking any steps, however, I waited upon the A'i:(>lj'a) t.; receive his orders for my further proceedings. Ho had vn o^je .'I'ons t'» uiy attemptikig io riee Buonaparte, but gave me very slender iikpes of s'jcoess : an8t kindly, hut it seemed he had not taken the slightest notice of the communi- cation. Captain Blakcney added, that he thought it might be as well for me to come to Longwood, as Buonaparte might possibly choose to receive 156 roST-CAPTAINS OF 1817. Mie if actually on the spot : I accordingly rode over, accompanied by my two companions. " Dr. O'Meara and Captain Blakeney received us as «e entered the grounds of Longwood, but gave us no hopes. Buonaparte, they were sorry to say, was not in a humour to see any one : he had not even nieiiiioned my name ; and in all probability did not choose to have the subject spoken of again. It was a pity, they said, that we had not been a few minutes soon- er, as he had been walking in tlie garden, and we might at least have had the satisfaction of seeing him. Here was a fresh mortification, and we felt that we could have gone away contented and happy had we got but one glimpse of him, and have had it to say, or rather to feel and recollect, that so prodi- gious a meteor bad not shot across the political sky of our times without arresting, if only for an instant, our actual observation. " I have often heard this description and degree of curiosity called unrea- sonable, and have even known some people who said they would have cared mighty little to see Buonaparte ; that in short they would hardly have crossed the street merely to see bim. With such persons I can acknowledge no sympathy in this matter; and without fearing to lay myself open to the charge of trifling, I can assert with confuleiicc, that no exertions I have ever made, have been nearly so well repaid by subsequent reflection, as those which have had for their object to get even a momentary view of distinguish- ed men. This is most especially true in the case of Buonaparte; and it would be easy, were it not tedious and out of place, to explain, and, as I think, to justify all this. " Meanwhile we proceeded onwanls to Count Bertrand's house, at the bottom of the gently sloping lank, on the western brow of which stood the dwelling of Buonaparte. Between (he two bouses lay a neat flower-garden, intersected by gravel walks, and enclosed by a low hedge : the inunediatu vicinity was distinguislied from the surrounding bleak and desolate country by a few trees, dropped as if by accident in the desart. The Countess Bertrand received us in the midst of her family, in a small, low, uncom- fortable apartment, which was rendere^ht hnve thought slie was one of the party who were endeavouring to see him for the first time. Her hushaiid was also very ohiiging, and seemed willing to forward our views as much as lay in his power ; but he partook little of the vivacity of his wife, and seemed upon the whole rather out of spirits, and not altogether pleased with his situation. He described himself, indeed, as having suffered can- siderably in health from the confinement and the insalubrious air of the climate. " After sitting for about half an hour chatting on various topics, bitl always coming round to the original subject which filled our thoughts. Count Bertrand caught some portion of the interest we felt, and in which his wife so strongly participated. He said it was just possible the Em- peror might admit us ; at all events he would wait upon him, to commu- nicate our wishes, and return presently to let us know how he had fared in his mission. The interval was passed in a state of the utmost anxiety, and at every casual sound which we thought might be Count Rertrand's footstep, we started up, in expectation of a summons. IVIadame Bertrand meanwhile alternately consoled us, and rallied us upon our taking the mnt. ter 80 much to heart. Half an hour at least elapsed before we heard any- thing of his success : at h "igth the door opened, and instead of the Grand Marshal himself, a servant entered and said he was desired to tell us, that the Emperor, on returning from his walk, had thrown off his coat, and lair down on the sofa ; in short, that he did not choose to receive any visitors. " Here, then, was a termination to all our expectations; and we rose to take leave with a mixed feeling of regret at having lost the pleasure wc had promised ourselves ; some degree of provocation at Napoleon's cava- lier treatment of us ; and perhaps a little dash of self- reproach, for having given the whole affair such immense importance. " After mounting our horses, and riiling away for about a quarter of a mile, it was recollected we had not seen Dr. O'Meara on leaving the grounds of Longwood ; and, having heard that this gentleman was inti- mately ac(|uainlc affipictedly delighted to hear the news. Her rooms were now al! in order, the toothache gone, and everything wore a more smiling aspect than on the day before. "The Count informed us it was the Emperor's desire that I should be introduced first, alone, and my companions afterwards, together. As I had been told of his impatient manner to those who understood French imper- fectly, I requested General Bertrand to be present, in case I should hap- pen not to understand what was said, or, from want of familiarity with the language, not be able to make myself understood. He assured me that there need be no difficulty on this head j and observed, that I was quite mis- taken in supposing the Emperor at all impatient on such occasions, since, on the contrary, he was extremely considerate, and always ready to make allowances. Thus reassured, I proceeded to an anti-room, where I waited for about ten minutes, till a servant announced, that his Majesty the Euu peror was ready to receive me. "On entering the room, I saw Buonaparte standing before the fire, wiih his head leaning on his hand, and his elbow reftling on tht diimney. piece. He looked up, and came forward two paces, returing my salutation with a careless sort of bow, or nod. His lirst question was, ' What is your name ?' , t /■ I'OST- CAPTAINS OF 181/. 159 nnli;jh- man 1 ever saw, and I have recollected him all my life on that account.' " ft may be right to mention here, that although the conversation was carried on entirely in French, I prefer reporting it in English, as I can be certain of conveying the correct meaning in a translation, while I could hardly pretend to give the precise words in the original language ; certainly not the exact turn of expression ; and a false conception might therefore be formed of what passed. The notes from which this account is drawn up, were made within a few hours after leaving Longwooil, before I slept, or was engaged in any other occupation. But in fact, the impression left upon my mind by the whole scene dtvelt on my thoughts, to the exclusion of al- most every thing else, for many days afterwards. "In a few seconds after making this remark, Buonaparte asked, with a playful expression of countenance, as if atnuned with what he was saying, * Have you ever heard your father speak of me?' I replied instantly, 'Very often.' Upon which he said, in a (juick, sharp tone, ' What floes he say of me?' The manner in which this was spoken seemeil to demand an imme- diate reply, and I said that I had often heard him express great admiratioa of thcenconragentent he had always given to science while he was Emperor of the French. He laughed and nodded repeatedly, as if gratified by what was said. " His next question was, ' Did you ever hear your fatlier express any desire to sec me?' I replied that I had hcanl him often say there was no man alive so well worth seeing, and that he had strictly ciijnined me to wait upon him if ever I should have an opportunity.' * Very well,' retorted Buonaparte, 'if he really considers me such a curiosity, and h so desirous to see me, why does he not come to St. Helena for that purpose ?' I was at first nt a loss to know whetlicr this question wab put seriously or ironi- cally { but as I saw him waiting for an answer, I said my father had too many occupations and duties to fix him at home. ' Ha.« h<< ertinacit]r atedly ex- ration and which was He asked 0, and ap> learance of lich, as he s of both, since the nds of the . In Loo« ite of tlie n anomaly > any satis* uiity when \n, he was c cIieerfuK , not only itu-get that y wish on Ic in topics le of fresh nore than decree of 0 checked ine strain* e next in* POiiT-CAPTAINS OF 1817. 163 " • What firm and muscular. There was not the least trace of colour in his cheeks; in (act, his skin was more like marble than ordinary flesh. Not the small- est trace of a wrinkle was discernible on his brow, nor an approach to a fur- row on any part of bis countenance. His health and spirits, judging from appearances, were excellent ; though at this period it was generally believ- ed in England, that he was fast sinking under a complication of diseases, and that his spirits were entirely gone. His manner of speaking was rather slow than otherwise, and perfectly distinct : he waited with great patience and kindness for my answers to his questions, and a reference to Count Bertrand was necessary only once during the whole conversation. The bril- liant and sometimes dazzling expression of his eye could not be overlooked. It was not, however, a permanent lustre, for it was only remarkable when lie was excited by some point of particular interest. It is impossible to imagine an expression of more entire mildness, I may almost call it of be- niguity and kindliness, thun that which played over his features during the whole interview. If, therefore, he were at this time out of health and in low spirits, his power of self command must have been even more extraordinary than is generally supposed ; for his whole deportment, his conversation, and the expression of his countenance, indicated a frame in perfect health, and a mind at ease. " We sailed next moniing from St. Helena, and reached England in the middle of October, 1817, after an absence of twenty months. In that brief interval we had traversed a distance of nearly forty-two thousand miles, or little short of twice the circuit of the globe, having visited great part of the coast of China, many islands of the Eastern Archipelago and Japan Seas, several of the principal stations on the continent and islands of India, and twice rounded the Cape of Good Hope." ^ ^ Captain Hall obtained post-rank, Nov. 5, 1817 ; and sub- 8e(]uently made a tour on the continent of Europe. In May, 1820, he was appointed to the Conway 26 ; and on the 10th Aug. following, he sailed from England for the South American station. After touching at Teneriife, Rio de Janeiro, and the River Plate, he received orders from Commodore Sir Tliomas Hardy to proceed to Valparaiso, where he arrived *' at a mo- ment when the Christmas festivities were at their height ; and nmltitudes of people had been attracted from the country to witness the bull-fights and other shews." The following are extracts from a journal written by him while employed on the coasts of Chill, Peru, and Mexico, in the years 1820, 1821, and 1822 :— "Whilst we were establishing an agreeable acquaintance with the inhabi- tants of the capital, our intercourse was suddenly cut short by a circum- i ia cheeks; :he small* Ii to a fur- ging from ly believ- diseases, vas rather t patience to Count ThebriU 'erlooked. hie when ossible to Hit of be. luring the ind in low ^ordinary ation, and ealtb, and nd in the that brief miles, or art of the pan Seas, ndia, and lid sub- n May, lie 10th nierican find the liomas a mo- t ; and , itry to ng are on the 1821, iohabi- clrcum- ' POST-CAPTAINS OP 1817. 165 Stance which obliged me to return with ray officers to the port. Accounts had reached Santiago, that a French line-of-battle ship and a frigate had touched at Conception, and intended soon to visit Valparaiso. The arrival of such a force at this moment, excited considerable sensation among the Chilians, many of whom entertained apprehensions of its object being hos- tile. Whatever might be the intention of the French Admiral towards the Chilians, I felt it right to be on l»oard the Conway at the time of his arri- val ; and therefore lost not a moment in returning to Valparaiso. To quit the capital at this time was to me a matter of considerable regret, both on account of the agreeable society, and of the importance of cultivating the personal acquaintance of men with whom I was likely afterwards to hold official intercourse. "The independence of the South American states had not yet been acknowledged by England ; neither had any consuls, or accredited political agents, been sent out. The commercial intercourse, however, between the two countries, being already very extensive, and every day increasing, points of doubt often arose, which made it necessary to open frequent correspondence of a diplomatic aud commercial nature with the various local governments. The only constituted authority on the part of Eng< land, in that quarter of the globe, was the naval commander-in chief ; and upon him necessarily devolved the whole responsibility of all these dis- cussions. The task was one of great difficulty aud importance, chiefly from the vast extent of his command, and the uncertainty and delay of all communications. The varying nature also of every political relation in those countries — the instability and inexperience of the governments — the agitated state of the public mind, with the consequent absence of mer- cantile confidence — the novelty, in short, of every institution — all con- spired to complicate, in a remarkable degree, a subject at no time simple, or of easy management. Owing to the difficulty of communication be- tween the different parts of the station, it became impossible for the com. roander-in-chief to attend to the details of business at more than one apot : the ships of the squadron were therefore distributed at those points where the presence of a British authority was most essentially required, namely, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil; Buenos Ayres in the River Plate; Valparaiso in Chili ; Lima in Peru ; and San Bias on the coast of Mexico. There were, besides^ many intermediate ports, where the activity of our merchants had found means to introduce a taste for our manufactures ; and all these places required to be occasionally visited, that th > British interest might not want protection. '* Without going into details which might perhaps seem tedious, it would be difficult to give a comprehensive view of the various duties, which at this juncture devolved upon the captains of his Mtyesty's ship^ stationed along the coast of South America and Mexico, It may be suf- ficient to mention, that as the whole of the consulate affairs fell to their charge, every dispute which arose between British subjects and the loc^l i % i'J\ » ! » t 1 ih I •1 ' i I 1!' [.' ' ! ill 11 ■'* ri I i IH 166 POST-CAPTAINS OF ISi/. gOTeraments was necessarily carried on through them. This was rather a new class of obligations for naval officers, but it was one which, from their being the only disinterested individuals on the spot, they alone were qualified to undertake. The greater number of the misunderstandings aHuded to arose out of commercial regulations, which the mercliauts com- plained of as oppressive; sometimes they originated in the actual seizure of English vessels, on the plea that attempts were made to introduce goods without paying the established duties ; sometimes the merchants were accused of concealing Spanish property in their ships ; at others the laws of the port, or of the country generally, were said to be infringed, the imputed delinquency being followed by imprisonment, or by con- fiscation of property. On these, and many other occasions, appeals to Government, from the captains of his Majesty's ships, were looked for ; it was, however, their special duty merely to remonstrate, and, if possible, to arrange matters amicably, but on no occasion to threaten or to act hostilely without instructions from the commander-in-chief, in reply to the representations made to him of all the circumstances. But, in almost every case, it was of immediate consequence to the advancement of the commercial interests, that such disputes as have been alluded to should be settled at the moment. The state of trade, indeed, and of every po- litical circumstance in these countries, was liable to such perpetual fluctuation, that, long before an answer could be received from the Com- modore, every thing material in the case might be altered. The impossi- bility of foretelluig changes, or of estimating, with any precision, the probable effect of the great political convulsions by which the country was torn, rendered it a matter of great difficulty for the commauder-in- chief to give instructions to his officers, for whose proceedings, however, he was officially responsible. Still less, it may be supposed, could his Majesty's Government at home have any clear conception of what ought to be the details of management, in the midst of such a prodigious con- fusion of circumstances, varying every hour. In the end, it became ob- vious that the only method was, to make the officers well aquainted with the general principles by which their conduct was to be regulated, and tp leave them afterwards, as a matter of absolute necessity, to act to the best of their judgment and abilities, according to circumstances, but always in the spirit of their instructions. With every possible care, however, cases would sometimes occur, so difficult and complicated, as to seeui ut- terly incapable of adjustment, without an extension of their powers. On such occasions, a reference to higher authority became indispensable. " The port duties, on the other hand, were of an easier nature, relating chiefly to matters of difference between our own countrymen, and regu- lated, to a certain extent, by established written authorities, which might be referred to. As the number of merchant ships in harbour was generally considerable, these discussions became very engrossing, and, when super- added to our ordinary professional avocations, often left us little leliotefor 0 B was rather vhicli, from alone were IvrstandinjTs diauts com- tual seizure introduce merchants t others the e infringed, or by con- appeals to looked for ; if possible, I or to act in reply to ;, iu almost lent of the d to should f every po- perpetual 1 the Com- le impossi- cision, the le country mauder>in- , hoivever, could his I'hat ought gious con- ecame ob- inted with ed, and tp o the best 'Ut always however, seetii ut- 'ers. On ible. , relating ind regu- ch might generally en super- eiiarefor POST-CAPFAINS OF 181 J. 1^ attending to the novel scenes of a local and characteristic nature, daily passing around us. " It will readily be understood how materially oar objects, in the official intercourse above alluded to, were likely to be forwarded by a previous personal acquaintance with the parties on both sides of the question. For it often happened that both were to blame ; and the only mode of adjust- ment, therefore, was by compromise, through the instrumentality of a disinterested third party, the success of whose interference would evi- dently depend very much upon his knowledge of the respective characters of the disputants. It was on this account, chiefly, tliat I wished to have remained longer in the capital, to have seen more of the different members of Government, as well as to extend my aciiuaintance amongst the English residents, and the merchants of the country. " I reached Valparaiso before the French ships made their appearance, and was much struck with the ill-suppressed anxiety with which the inha- bitants awaited the event. National pride forbade the expression of any alarm, but a knowledge of the defenceless state of the place filled them* with very natural apprehension. Nothing, however, as the event proved, could be more unfounded than such fears ; for the Frenchmen, after a short and friendly visit, suled away ag^n, carrying off the hearts of half the ladies of the port." On the 22(1 Jan. 1821, the Owen Glendower frigate arrived at Valparaiso ; and on the 27th, the Conway sailed for Callao^ the sea-port of Lima^ where she arrived after a passage of nine days. " At the time of our arrival, the state of Peru, both domestic and political,, was highly interesting, though differing in almost every particular from that of Chili. " In Chili, national independence had been for several years established^ and a free and extensive commerce had, as a natural consequence, speedily sprung up; knowledge was gradually making its way; the moral and political bonds in which the minds of the people had been so long con- strained were broken asunder: and tlie consequences of such freedom were rapidly developing themselves in a thousand shapes. In Peru, on the con- trary, the word Independence was now heanl for the first time ; but as yet only in whispers, under the protection of San Martin's cannon. In Lima, where such free sentiments were still deemed treasonable, prejudice and error had established tiieir head-()uarters ; and the obstinate bigotry with which old customs and opinions were adhered to, was rather strengthened than diminished by the apprehension of a total subversion of the whole system. The contrast between the two countries. Chili and Peru, as it met our eyes, was most striking ; and if due justice could be done to the description of each, a pleasing inference would be dra\vn by every Englislunaa in favour of the popular side of the question. 168 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1817. «*The contrast between a country in a state of war, and one in a state of peace, was, perhaps, never more strikins;!/ displayed than upon this occa- sion : but, besides the interest arising out of such contrast, as applicable to the states of peace and war, the view was curious and instructive, as displaying the rapid effect produced by a change in the government of one ofthe two countries. As loni? as hotli were similarly administered, Peru had an infinite advantage over Chili in wealth and importance ; but as soon as Chili became independent, she at once assumed the superiority. **We left Valparaiso harbour filled with shipping; its custom-house whirfs piled high with goods, too numerous and bulky for the old ware- houses J the road between the port and the capital was always crowded with convoys of mules, loaded with every kind of foreign manufacture ; while numerous ships were busy taking in cargoes of the wines, corn , and other articles, the growth of the country ; and large sums of treasure were daily embarked for Europe, in return for goods already distributed over the inte- rior. A spirit of enquiry and intelligence animated the whole society ; schools were multiplied in every town ; libraries established ; and every encouragement given to literature and the arts : and as travelling was free, passports were unnecessary. In the manners, and even in the gait of every man, might be traced the air of conscious freedom and independence. In dress also a total change had very recently taken place, and from the same causes. The former uncouth, and almost savage costume of the ladies, and the slovenly cloaks worn by the men, had given way to the fashions of Eu- rope : and although these may be deemed circumstances almost too minute to mention, they are not unimportant when connected with feelings of na- tional pride, heretofore unknown. It is by these, and a multitude of other amall changes, that these people are constantly reminded of their past com- pared with their present situation ; and it is of essential use to their cause, that they should take delight in assimilating themselves, even in trifles, with other independent nations of the world. *'No such changes, and no such sentiments, were as yet to be found in Peru. In the harbour of Callao, the shipping were crowded into a corner, encircled by gun-boats, close under the fort, and with a strong boom drawn round them. The custom-house was empty, and the door locked ; no bales of goods rose in pyramids on the quays ; no loaded mules covered the road from Callao to Lima; nor during the whole ascent was an individual to be seen, except, perhaps, a solitary courier galloping towards the fortress. In Lima itself the difference was as striking: jealousy and distrust of one ano- ther, and still more of strangers, tilled every breast ; disappointment and fear, aggravated by personal inconvenience and privation, broke up all agreeable society ; rendering this once great, luxurious, and happy city, one of the most wretched places on earth. , t- *'Lima was not, however, on this account, the less interesting to a stran- ger : and although we often regretted not seeing it in its days of glory, we could not but esteem ourselves fortunate, in having an opportunity of wit- lii J « ♦ POST-CAPTAINS OF 1817. 160 nesiiniir the effect of a combination of circumstances, not likely to be met w\t]i a^ain. Tho immediate cause of this unhappy state of tilings, was the spirit of independence which had recently burst forth in South America; and it may lie remarked, that none of those free states have achieved their liberty without first running a similar cotirne of suffering — a sort of ordeal, to purify them from the contamination of their former degradation. " Lima, up to this period, had been exempted from the sufferings of the countries by which she was surrounded. It is tr«je there had been wars of a revolutionary character, in the interior of Peru ; but their desolating effect had not till now reached the capital, the inhabitants of which went on in their usual style of splendid luxury, in thoughtless ease and security, till the enemy came and knocked at the 'silver gates of the city of the kings,* as Lima was proudly called in the days of her magnificence. San Martin's expedition took the Limenians quite by surprise ; for they had always held Chili in contempt, as a mere appendage to Peru, from which no attack could be apprehended. The attack, however, was made, by land and by sea; and while San Martin was making head steadily with his troopsi drawing nearer and nearer to the capital, cutting off its supplies, and gaining over to his cause all the districts through which he passed ; Lord Cochrane swept the sea of Spanish ships ; blockaded the Peruvian ports ; and carried off their finest frigate, from under the very guns of their strongest fort. "The violent irritation produced in Lima, by these operations of the enemy was quite natural ; for the fortunes of the inhabitants, who had been accustomed for ages to revel in luxury and wealth, were now reduced to the lowest ebb ; and the Spaniards, proud by birth and education, were cut to the soul by such humiliating reverses, of which these unaccustomed privations made them only the more sensible. As they were aware that Lord Cochrane and the greater part of his officers and crew were English, it was to be expected they would be jealous and distrustful of all Englishmen, however unconnected with the Chilians, or however circumspect in their conduct. A person professing neutrality is placed in an awkward situation, between two contending parties : his indifference is ascribed to ill-will— the slightest expression which escapes him in favour of the other party is resented as hostility — and any agreement, on a single point, is instantly seized upon as an indubitable proof of his friendly disposition. ** To a mere traveller, this state of things might have been amusing enough ; but to us, who had a particular line of conduct to pursue, and a number of objects to attend to, it was frequently the source of consider- able embarrassment. We were obliged to communicate occasionally with both parties, on business relative to commerce, and other matters affecting the British interests ; and as th« nature of the subject often required personal intercourse, we were inevitably led, at times, to a greater degree of apparent familiarity with one party, than the other could allow to be consistent with our professed neutrality. Each, however, in turn, invaria^ t- !l! 14] 170 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1817 ii bly foi^ot this reflection, when the intercourse happened to lie with them- selves : so that, to maintain our neutral character on the«c occasions, and not at the same time to giye offence, required some address. With the Chilians, who were advancinf;, it was not so difficult as with the Spaniards, who stood in need of countenance. The Chilians also had good reason to believe that we wished them success on account of our trade ; as well as frem the sentiments known to l»c expressed on the siiltject in England- But with the Spaniards, who were sinking in the world, it was otherwise : iiothing would satisfy them but a declaration of cordial adherence to their cause, and hatred to that of the Insurgents, as they, in the bitterness of their hearts, called the Patriots. At the same time they always aflectcil to despise their enemies, and to be perfectly indifferent to our opinion ; yet, with the pervcrsest spirit of inconsistency, they occupied themselves in watching us, and misinterpreting all our actions and expressions to such a degree, that nothing was too extravagant to be told and believed in Limn respecting our breaches of neutrality. It was in vain, by a frank and open behaviour, to hope to escape suspicion ; for it had become a sort of disease amongst the Spaniards to suspect the English ; and its symptoms were aggravated every moment by the increasing distresses to which they were exposed. It will be easily conceived that, under such circumstances, we had not much enjoyment in visiting liiinn, and that, situate diately turn the fortunes of the day, and even in the city, a faint hope fur a moment animated the inhabitants : but mur^t rcAociing persons saw clearly, that these violent proceedings only belrayeot, and, indeed, could not be competent Judires of these proceedings, and were not accreditell these letters and measagcs in person. The letters were tew, but the neighbours flocked in o d w h d a >er com- kiug their ih me to »vcrc fil- ukc any "jr, and ciicc or ssion to 'c I \vu« a word. ■ J| f : I ) , ~ 174 POST- CAPTAINS OP 1817. them had ever set their foot on board any one of the Chilian squadron. The Viceroy admitted that the character of the witnesses vas utterly worthless ; but he did not, or, perhaps, could not, do me the ju rice to act upon that admission. It was clear enougfh that he doubted his own power; for he said very candidly, that the tide of popular feeling could not be safely re- sisted, without a little delay. This want of confidence on the part of the Executive Government was a real source of alarm ; and I was made still more uneasy, l>y learning that the officers were to be tried by a military commission — an ominous court at best, and one, in such times, of a nature not to be trusted. " The Viceroy told me, at this interview, that he had just received advices of ten or twelve deserters from the Cliiliau squadron having arrived : he had ordered them to Callao, that their evidence migiit also be taken in the case of the officers. The testimony of these men, he tnouf^ht, would probably not agree with that of the first five witnesses, who might well be suspected of having concerted their story. This seemed sensible enough ; but the manner in which the scheme was carried into execution was highly charac- teristic. The Government considered that they hud done everything towards the advancement of justice, in orijjfinating the idea of this cross-evidence ; and, therefore, merely gave an order for the deserters to be sent to Callao, without stating that they should be kept apart from ihc first witnesses : so that they absolutely were placed, fur a whole night, in the same room with the very men whom they were sent to confront. " I attended next morning, along with the officers, whilst the declarations of all the witnesses were taken, by the commission appointed for that pur- pose; when fifteen men swore on the cross to the fact of these two gentle- men, whom they pointed out, having served upwards of two years with Lord Cochrane. They were all men of the most abandoned character, and well known at Callao as such ; but that ciroumstancc mattered little, as their evidence ministered to the heated imagination and violent prejudices of the people. As far, therefore, as this sage inquiry went, it would cer- tainly have left matters worse than it fouivl them, had not three Spanish gentlemen voluntarily come forward, greatly to their honour, iti the very face of the popular clamour, and in a manner well deserving our acknow- ledgments. Two of them were naval oflicers, the other a resj.ct table mer- chant: all three had been prisoners of war on board Lord Cochrane's ship at the time specified by the witnesses i and tlioy swore positively, that nei- ther of the prisoners had then been on board the flag-ship, nor in any other of the Patriot squadron. " Had not the latter witnesses fortunately conic forward, there is no saying what might have been the result of the iur|uirv. The military com- mission, however, appointed to consider the evidence, after a violent dis cussion, in the course of which it was seriously propose the statements so ofteu made, of their c(»lilne8s and indifference 1 1 their domestic relations. After delivering all my letters and messages, I was overpowered by questions fronv the bdius us to the appearance, maiinors, and various other qualities of persons whont ti.ey hud not seen, but who had married into the families of thitir relatives in Peru. This was a hard task ; but the little I recollected was extremely well bestowed, and it was pleasing to observe the cffecl ^11 I ,1 -I 176 POST-CAPTAIN8 OF 181/. ^vhich all this produced in developing character. Many people, who had always been cold and formal before, came up and offered their hands with a cordiality and frankness, quite contrary to what had seemed their natural dis- position, but which proved ever afterwards sincere and steady. " Just as I was leavinp^ the house to return on board, two young men came to enquire for their sister, a widow lady, of whom they had not heard for more than a year. It so happened that this very person was one of my passengers, and nothing would satisfy the brothers and their wives, and two or three more, but going on board the Conway instantly, though it wan near midnight. Accordingly I stowed the whole party in my boat, and carried them off, to the great joy and astonishment of the wir )w. *' As the Commander-in-chief was at the capital, I proceeded there on the 23d to make my report." •••••• " From the 5th of April to the 26th of May, we remaiird at Valparaiso ; but our occupations, however interesting to ourselves, were not of a nature to be here detailed. The few leisure moments which our professional avo« cations left us, were employed in making burveys, in astronomical observa- tions, principally on a comet which remained in sight from the 1st of April t ) the 8th of June, and in experiments with Captain Katcr's pendulum, the oliject of which was to determine the figure of the earth. " The observations on the comet were successful, as they furnished data for the computation of its orbit : a task performed by Dr. Brinkley of Dub- lin. The results of his computations have been published, together with the original observations, in the Philosophical Transactions fur 1822. " The experiments with the pendulum were of a more delicate and com- plicated nature, and required much care and exclusive attention. But the circumstances under which we were placed deprived us of that degree of leisure and abstracted thought, which this difficult and extensive problem requires. In all its details, however, it carries along with it the liveliest interest ; yet only those who have been similariy empiuycd can have a cor- rect idea of the cruel disappointment which a cloudy night, or any other interruption, produces ui the midst of a series of observations. On such occasions, when all our hopes were gone, and our day's labour wasted, for want of a few clear hours of star-light, we employed the unwished*for lei- sure in visiting our neighbours near the observatory, or in calling on the English residents, and other well-informed persons. In this manner wo were enabled to form a tolerable estimate of the state of political feeling at Valparaise, where the intercourse with sfanircrs was the greatest; and by comparing it with thai at Santiago, of wh' !» also, we had now seen a good deal, to draw conclusions on the grand (juestion of the effect of the Revolu- tion on public opinion throughout the country." •••••• On the 26th May, Captain Hall sailed from Valparaiso, and proceeded along the coast towards Lima. During the greater part of this vo iigc the land was in sight, and he had who had ds with a turaldis- IKiSt-CAPTAINS OF 181 J. IJJ many opportutiities of seeing not only the Andes, but other interesting features of the country. On the 7th June, he anchored off Arica, and on landing found the town almost completely deserted, and exhibiting in every part marks of having been recently the scene of military operations. In the evening of the 9th, he had a fine view of the Cordille- ra, or highest ridge of the Andes, not less than between 80 and 100 miles off. On the 12th, he anchored at Ylo, a town which, as well as Arica, is often celebrated in the voyages of Dampier and the old Buccaneers. " We landed," says he, " at a little sandy beach, sheltered from the swell of the sea by a reef of rocks, on which the surf broke with prodigious violence, and covered hulf the bay with foam. We were greeted by two men and a woman : the lady was evidently a native : her two companions also were deeply dyed with ab- original blood ; one was a young and active man, the other an old ragged beggar-like person. I asked the first to point out the Alcalde's house. * This is the Alcalde himself,* said he, pointing to his aged companion ; and certainly, of all the constituted authorities whom we had to deal with on the shores of the Pacific, the * Alcalde or Mayor' of Ylo was the least like what the imaginationconceivesof a chief magistrate. But things must be judged with reference to their mutual fitness ; and in this view, our shabby Alcaldd was appropriate to his office ; for in his town we encountered only three living things— a half-dressed wild-looking patriot soldier — an Indian from the mountains, asleep in the middle of the street — and a lean, half-starved, solitary jack-ass. On our way back, the Alcalde told us the cause of the present deserted state of the town, and described the miseries of the war in language which showed him worthy of a higher office. We invited him to go on boavd the Conway, but could not prevail upon him to ac- company us." "In the morniug of tlic I3th June, \vc anchored in ihc open roads of Mullcndo, fur there arc no harl>ourd on this coast; u circumstance nearly immaterial, since the wind is always so gentle, that ships anchor and lie exposed in perfect secnrity. The water hein^ deep, vessels are ohlijjed to approach the shore, within a (]uartcr of a mile, hefure tlicy can find an- SUI*PL. PART IV. W li 1^ m J78 POST- CAPTAINS OP 1817« 1^ i ii w. chorinff ^rouud; ami, as there is nothing to break the prodiijlou* swell which rolls in from the Pacific againat the rocky coast, a aurf is caused of enormous magnitude, which dashes up and roars along the base of the cliffs in the most terrific manner, trying the nerves of strangers, who, in spite of their conviction that all is safe, and that no storm will occur, cannot at once divest themselves of the most disagreeable associations, connected with a shore so formidable in appearance. "The operation of landing, at such a place, is both difficult and danger- ous, especially at the full and chai ge of tl»e moon, when the swtil is al- ways much increased ; a remark which applies to the whole const. I had !>een told that ships' boats seldom succeeded in crossing the surf, and that the balsa, or canoe of the country, was the proper thing to use ; I made the experiment, however, in my own boat, which was acconlingly swamp-, ed, and I got soundly ducked for my pains. The balsa, which we em- ployed ever afterwards, is made of two entire seal-skins inflated, placed side by side, and connected by cross pieces of wood, and strong lashings of thongs ; over all a platform of cane mats forms a sort of deck, about four feet wide, and six or eight feet long. At one em) the person who manages the balsa kneels down, and by means of a double-bladud paddle, which he holds by the middle, and strikes alternately on each side, moves it swiftly along; the passengers, or goods, being placed on the platform behinU8 swell caused of ISC of the , who, in 'ill occur, ociatioiis, id ilaniTcr. v(.il in af- st. I had and tliat I made y swamp* we cin- d, placed ishinpfs of bout four manai^ps which he it swiftly m behind e surf in ordinary R interior, it bars of rn for I he gh secure than our liers, and I the best lis friends r, having raised on ;h a fresh hored in »." • • • I Martin, roads for l the late . • • « • B of agi- abandon » violent ] r0ST-CAl>TAINS OP 1817. 17^ reTuUion must take place ; but as no one knew, or could guess, what its extent might prove, every one deemed the crisis full of danger and difli- culty. The timorous were distracted by the wildest fears ; the bold and steady knew not how to apply their courage ; and the irresolute were left in the most pitiable state ; but the strangers, unwilling to offend cither side, did wisely by putting a good face on the matter, and taking their chance •••*•. On every .successive day things became worse ; and towards the close of the week, the terrors of the people, assuming the character of despair, it was utterly useless to reason with them, or to at. tempt impressing upon their minds the value of Ciilmness and patience at such an alarming moment. "On the 5th of July, the Viceroy issued a proclamation, announcing his intention of abandoning the city, and pointing to Callao as an asylum for those who felt themselves insecure in the capital. This was the signal for immediate flight : a rush was made towards the castle by multitudes, who, when questioned as to their "easons for leaving the city, could give nunc but that of fear; and, indeed, the majority acted from mere panic, which spread amongst them in the most extraordinary manner. I had gone to the ship in the morning, but hearing that the capital was certainly to be deserted by the Royalists next day, and wishing to be near the British merchants, whom I had recommended, come what might, to stay by their property in Lima, I landed, and proceeded along the Calluo road. It was with no small difliculty that I could make head against the crowd of fugi. tives coming in the opposite direction : groups of people on foot, in carts, on horseback, hurried past ; men, women, and children, with horses and mules, and numbers of slaves laden with baggage nnd other valuables, travelled indiscriminately along, nnd all was outcry and confusion. " In the city itself the consterna 'ion was excessive ; the men were pacing about in fearful doubt what was to be done ; the women were flying in all directions towards the convents ; and the narrow streets were literally choked up with loaded waggons and mules, and mounted horsemen. All night lung the confusion continued ; and at day break the Viceroy marched out with his troops, not leaving even a single sentinel over the powder ma« gazine. Up to this moment many people, with a strange degree of incredu- lity, arising out of long cherished prejudice and pride, would not believe that such events were possible : when the moment actually arriveOSr-CAPTAlNS OP I8I7. IHI of Scotland i" — Guasco, a port where the produce of the copper muies is shipped for exportation ; — and tlie harhour of Copiapd, which one of her midshipmen trigonometrically sur- veyed, and carefully sounded, while Captain Hall, with two of his officers and three passengers, rode into the country, to witness the effects of the great earthquake of April, 1819, and also to visit the silver mines in the mountains near the town. Speaking of the change produced by the revolution in Peru, Captain Hall says : — " Our stay at Lima, upon tins occasion was short, but very iutcrcstin?. We anivcd on the 9th, and sailed on the I7tl» of December, 1821. In the interval of four months, which had elapsed since we left Peru, the most re- markable chanf^e had taken place in the aspect of affairs. The flag of Spain had been struck on the castle of Callao ; and in its place was displayed the standard of Independence. The harbour, which we had left blockaded by an eneiny, was now open and free to ail the world ; and, instead of containiu<>; merely a few dismantled ships of war, and half a dozen empty merchant ressels, was crowded with ships unloading rich cargoes ; while the bay, to the distance of a mile from the harbour, was covered with others wailing for room to laud their merchandize. On shore all was bustle and activity. The people had no longer leisure for jealousy ; and, so far from viewing us with hatred and distrust, hailed us as friends; and, for the first time, we landed at Callao without apprehension of insult." On the 13th Dec, Captain Hall went to the palace to break- fast with the Protector of Peru, and to see a curious mummy, or preserved figure, which had been brought the day before from a village to the northward of Lima, and is now in the British Museum, it having been sent to England in the Con- way. On the IGth, he witnessed the ceremony of instituting the Peruvian Order of the Sun. TImj Conway sailed from Lima, this time, with orders to visit the coast of South America, as far as the isthmus of Panama ; thence to proceed along ti»c shores of Mexico, which are washed by the Pacific, to call at the various ports by the way, and then to return to Peru and Chili. Circumstances, however, occurred to prevent the completion of this plan, and to render it necessary for Captain Hall to repass Cape Horn, without again visiting the western coast. His Journal informs us, that he successively touched at Payta, a place celebrated in 1 I '(,'i \ Am H IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) I.C I.I UiM2M |2.5 |50 ■■■ ■■■ ■^ Ui |2.2 l!f 144 ■■ u Ufi 12.0 muu 1*=^ II '-^ IJ4 < 6" ► Photographic Sdencec Corporation ^ \ ^ \ \ -f^. ^. <^ >. 33 WIST MAIN STRUT WIMTH, NY. MSM (7U)l7a-4»03 \ |g2 POST-CAPTAINS OP 1817' *' Anson's Voyage," as well as in the histories of the old « Buccaneer8;"--at Guayaquil, the principal port of Quito ; —at the Galapagos, un uninhabited group of volcanic islands, scattered along the equator, at the distance of 200 leagues from the main land, and serving as a place of resort for ships employed in the whale fishery ;— at Panama, then occupied by a detachment of Bolivar's troops ;— at Acapulco, a name fa- miliar to the memory of most people, from its being the port whence the rich Spanish galleons, of former days, took their departure to spread the wealth of the Western over the East- ern world;— and at San Bias near the gnlf of California, where he arrived on the 28th March, 1822, having completed a coast- ing voyage from the island of Mocha, on the south coast of Chili, a distance of 4,600 miles ; during the whole of which, with inc c. -eption of about 200 leagues between Guayaquil and Panama, the land was constantly in sight. As no English man-of-war had ever before anchored in the port of San Bias, the arrival of the Conway created consider- able interest ; and she was scarcely secured before boats were seen bustling on board, from all quarters, to enquire for and to give news. On the next day. Captain Hall set out for the neighbouring town of Tepic, to learn the state of the commer- cial intercourse with England, and whether he could in any way contribute to advance the interests of the British trade in that quarter. On his arrival there, he had several conferences with the merchants of that place, and with the agents of those at Guadalaxara, the capital of New Galicia ; when it appeared, that the commercial capitalists of this part of Mexico were desirous of opening, for the first time, a direct communication; and, in order to do this safely and eiTcctually, they proposed to remit a considerable quantity of specie to London, in the Conway, for which returns were to be made in English goods, in the manner practised ever since the opening of the trade in Peru, Chili, and Buenos Ayres. After a long discussion, he agreed to remain till a certain day, to give time for communi- cations to be held with Guadalaxarn, and with Mexico, it be- ing necessary to obtain permission from the Supreme Govern- ment, before any treasure could be exported. i POST-CAPTAINS OP 1817. ^ 18S On the 26th April, a favorable answer was received from Mexico ; and on the 6th May, more than half a million of dol- lars were embarked in the Conway : other large sums were subsequently received on board, all destined for London. Some of this treasure was sent by Spanish merchants; a small quantity by Mexicans; but the whole intended for the purchase of British goods. During their stay at San filas, Captain Hall and Mr. Fos- ter made some experiments with an invariable pendulum of Captain Kater's construction ; as they had before done at Abingdon Island, one of the Galapagos. The details of these experiments were published in the Philosophical Transactions for 1823. They also surveyed the harboui and the town of San Bias, under t!ie sanction of the commandant, "a remark- ably sensible, unprejudiced, and well informed old Spaniard." On the 15th J mie 1822, tlie Conway sailed from thence ; and after a voyage round Cape Horn, of nearly 8,000 miles, an- chored in Rio de Janeiro on the 12th September ; having been at sea upwards of twelve weeks without seeing land. She returned to England, and was paid off in the spring of 1823. On the 17th April 1827, Captain Hall embarked at Liver- pool, with his family, and sailed for New York, from whence he returned to the Isle of Wight, on the 22nd July 1828. During this interval of fifteen months and five days, independ- ently of the double voyage across the Atlantic, he had travelled in North America, both by land and water carriage, 8,800 miles. In the course of his extensive tour, lie made a visit, by invitation, to the Count dc Survilliers, elder brother of Na- poleon Buonaparte, and formerly King Joseph of Spain, who has resided for some years near Bor Jentown, in the state of New Jersey. Captain Hall is tiic author of the following publications. I. A Voyajfc to tlie West Coast of Corcu and the Great Loo-Choo Island. II. Extracts from a Journal, written on tlic coasts of Cliili, Peru, und Mexico, in the years IH20, 1S21, nml 1822, with an Appendix, containing a Memoir on t'lc Navigation of the South American Station; — A Table, by Mr. Henry I'ostcr, of the Latiludo^*, LongitudcH, and Variotion of the <'om- pass, of the various Ports on tlic Shores of the Pacific Ocean, visited by the n 1.4 I 184 rOST-CAPTAINS OF 1817. Conway;— A List of Minerals collected on those Shores, and since present- ed to the College Museum of Edinburgh, tlie Geological Society of London, and the Royal Institution of Liverpool ;— A Notice, l)y Mr. George Birnie, Surgeon, on the Climate of the Western Coasts of South America and Mex- ico ; and a Sketch, by Captain Hall himself, of the Duties of the Naval Com- mander-in-Chief on that Station, before the appointment of Consuls. III. Travels in North America in the years 1827 and 1828. IV. An Account of the Geology of the Table Mountain. V. A letter to Captain Katcr, detailing experiments made with an inva- riable Pendulum in South America, and other places, for determining the Figure of the Earth. VI. A Series of Observations made on a Comet seen at Valparaiso. VII. An Account of the Ferry across the river Tay at Dundee, published in Jameson's Journal. VIII. A Paper upon the Use of Chain Cables. IX. A Sketch of the Professional and Scientific Objects which might be aimed at in a Voyage of Research. X. A Paper on the Method of laying down Ships' Tracks on Sea-Charts ; — published in Brewster's Philosophical Journal. XI. A Letter on the Trade Winds ; published in the Appendix toDaniell's Meteorological Essays. In this paper, he describes the actual direction and variations of these winds, and gives a theory of their action, which he con- ceives may be useful to practical seamen *. Captain Hall married. Mar. ], 1825, Margaret, youngest daughter of the hite Sir John Hunter, his Majesty's Consul- General in Spain, and by that lady has issue. jigent. — Sir F. M. Ominanney. JAMES WALLIS, Esq. We first find this officer serving as senior lieutenant of the Vincejo brig. Captain John Wesley Wright, when that ves- sel was sent to cruise between the Loire and I'Orient, for the purpose of carrying on the communications between this coun- try and the French royalists, which led to the mysterious death of her gallant commander in the tower of the Temple at Paris. The Vincejo was a deep-waisted brig, formerly Spanish, • Nos. IV. V. and VI. were published in the Reports of the Royal Soci- eties of Edinburgh and London. POST-CAPTAINS OP 181 /. 1S5 pierced for 28 guns, mounting only 18-pounder carronades on the main-deck, with an established complement of 96 officers, men, and boys. The flotilla by which she was attacked and captured at the entrance of the Morbihan, May 8, 1804, con- sisted of six brigs and eleven luggers, each of the former mounting one long 24 and two I8-pounders, the latter armed with twelve long guns of the same calibre, and five33-pound- er carronades throwing shells. The following is an extract of Captain Wright's official account of the action : — "By half-past 8 A. m., the enemy had advanced withhi extreme range, and opened their Arc : they continued rapidly gaining upon us until about half-past 9, when they were so near that I was compelled to sweep lier broadside to, and engage under the greatest disadvantages the Vincejo could possibly be exposed to ; — a perfect calm; astrong flood tide then made against Iter; the people fatigued by hard labour at the sweeps, and divided, during the action, between the larboard guns and the starboard oars. " This unequal contest was maintained with great animation and with frequent cheers, by my weak but gallant ship's company, for nearly two hours, \vithin grape and hailing distance ; the hull, masts, yards, and rig- ging, had at length received great damage ; three guns were disabled ; the fire was slackened, notwithstanding every effort to revive it, to one gun in about five minutes, by the booms falling upon the main deck, and the flow- er of my men being killed or wounded. "In this painful situation, without a chance of escape, or hope of sue • cour, closely pressed in a dead calm by seventeen vessels advancing to board with numerous trcips; with a crew reduced to 7?/?// efficient officers and seamen. Including seventeen boys, I might still perhaps have opposed a mo- mentary, though vain resistance, to such superior force ; but I felt it a duty I owed my country, to surrender iu time, to preserve the lives of my brave men for some better occasion. " Of the conduct of my officers and ship's company in general, their Lord- ships will form an a IH18; and died at Bermuda, in command of the Tyne 26, on the 2nd March, 1828. ! JOHN ROSS, Esq. A Knight of the Royal Swedish Military Order of the Sword; and a Member of the London Astronomical Society. This officer was made lieutenant, Mar. 13, 1805 ; advanced to the rank of commaiider, Feb. 1, 1812 ; and appointed to the Briseis brig of 10 guns, on the Baltic station, Mar. 21, in the same year. In the night of June 28th following, his lieutenant, Thomas Jones, with a midshipman and 18 men, most gallantly attacked and recaptured an English merchant ship, lying in Pillau roads, armed, in expectation of such an attempt, with six guns and four swivels, defended by a party of French troops on her deck, and surrounded by small craft in the act of receiving her cargo. In this dashing affair, tiie British had one man killed, and the midshipman, one sailor, and one marine wounded. In October, the Briseis captured le Petit Poucet, French privateer, of 1 guns and 23 men; and drove on shore three other vessels of the same description. Captain Ross's subsequent appointments were, June 7, 1814, to the Actfeon of 16 guns ; Aug. 22, 18|5, to the Driver ship- sloop ; and, Jan. 4, 1818, to the Isabella, then fitting for the purpose of exploring Baffin's Bay, and inquiring into the pro- bability of ejecting a North- West passage to China. On his return home, he published an account of that " Voyage of Discovery," in two volumes 8vo. with map and plates. Since then he has laid before the public another work, entitled, "A Treatise on Navigation uy Steam: comprising n History of the Steam Engine, and an Essay towards a System of the Naval Tactics pecU' liar to Steam Navigation, as applivahle to Commerce and Maritime fFar- fare ; including a comparison of its Advantages as related to other systems in the circumstances of speed, safety, and economy, hut more particuhrly ia that of The National Dkfknck." .'.I \' I ■" .. .1:1 If I ' 200 posT-cArrAiNs of 1818. On the 23rd May, 1829, Captain Ross left Woobvich, in the Victory steam-vessel, equipped, we are told, at the sole ex- pence of a private individual, for the purpose of making ano- ther attempt to discover the N. W. passage. This indeed, from the way in which it is related, appears to have been one of the noblest traits of patriotic benevolence, which we have yet heard of. Captain Ross's post commission bears date, Dec. 7, 1818. JAMES STIRLING, Esq. Civil Superintendent 0/ the New Settlement on the Western Coast of Australia. This officer was made lieutenant, Aug. 19, 1808; advanced to the rank of commander, June 19, 1812; appointed to the Brazen of 18 guns, Oct. 12 following; re-appointed to the same vessel, on the peace establishment, Sept. 5, 1815 ; and posted, Dec. 7> 1818. In that sloop he was principally em- ployed on the Jamaica and Leeward Island stations. Captain Stirling's next appointment was, Jan. 25, 1826, to the Success 28, fitting at Plymouth, for the East India station. In the early part of 1827, he was sent to examine the western coast of New Holland, from Cape Leeuwin northwards, in order to ascertain an eligible situation for the establishment of a colony ; and the report made by him, after a survey of 500 miles of coast, led to the selection of the Swan River, which he explored to its source, through an "exceedingly picturesque country." In December, 1828, the terms on which emigrants would be permitted to locate there were is- sued from the Colonial Office, and it was at the same time an- nounced that the government of the projected settlement would be administered by Captain Stirling, as civil superintendent. He has since returned thither in the hired ship Parmelia, ac- companied by Commander Mark John Currie, R. N. as har- bour master. Lieutenant Roe, R.N. as surveyor-general, and some other officers, selected for their scientific acquirements, who are to hold subordinate appointments in the colony. The POST-CAPTAINS OP 1818. 201 Sulphur bomb- vessel, Commander William Townsend Dance, sailed at the same time, having on board a detachment of the 63rd regiment, under Captain Irwin, to be landed as a pro- tection against the incursions of the natives. AMOS FREEMAN WESTROPP, Esq. Was made lieutenant, in 1797; commander, Aug. 12, 1812; and post-captain, Dec. 7, 1818. On the 24th Oct. 1812, being then in the Peruvian brig, stationed at the Lee- ward Islands, he captured the American privateer schooner Yankee, of 7 guns and 44 men. He subsequently commanded the Bucephalus troop-ship, and Childers sloop of war. Agetits. — Messrs. Atkins and Son. GEORGE BRINE Esq. A SON of the late Admiral James Brine, and brother to Cap- tain Augustus Brine, R. N. This officer entered the navy, in 1797> as midshipman on board the Glory 98, then commanded by his father, and at- tached to the Channel fleet. In the following year, a diabo- lical plan, formed by about 150 of her crew, to throw all their officers overboard, and then run the ship into Brest harbour, was disclosed by one of the conspirators, who had taken of- fence at his infamous colleagues' refusal to spare Mr. George Brine, from whom he had received frequent marks of kind- ness * On his father being made a Rear-Admiral, in 1799, Mr. Brine joined the Prince 98, bearing the flag of Sir Roger Cur- tis, with whom he afterwards proceeded to the Cape of Good Hope, in the Lancaster 64. His promotion to the rank of lieutenant took place on that station, April 15, 1803; and he returned from thence, with the same officer, in the Diomede of 50 guns. * See Vol. II. Part II. p. ^2. 202 POST- CAPTAINS OF 1818. The Diomede subsequently bore the flag of Sir James Saumarez, at Guernsey ; and Lieutenant Brine continued in her until his father's appointment to the second command at Plymouth, when he proceeded thither, and served under his flag as long as it remained hoisted. He was afterwards suc- cessively appointed to the Boadicea frigate, Rose sloop, and Victory first rate; the latter fitting for the reception of Sir James Saumarez, as commander-in-chief on the Baltic station. This was in 1808; and Lieutenant Brine appears to have con- tinued serving under the same distinguished officer until pro- moted by him to the command of the Reynard brig, Aug. 13, 1812. Towards the close of the same year, he was removed to the Sheldrake 16, on the North Sea station, which vessel he paid off at the termination of the war. Captain Brine's last appointment was, Aug. 25, 1815, to the Mosquito 18, fitting for the St. Helena station, from whence he returned to Portsmouth, Nov./, 1818. He obtained post rank on the 7th of the ensuing month. Agent. — J. Hinxman, Esq. RIGHT HONORABLE LORD JOHN HAY. Third son of George, seventh Marquis of Tweeddale, who died at Verdun, in France, Aug. 9th, 1804, by Lady Hannah Charlotte Maitland, daughter of James, fifth Eari of Lauder- dale. This officer lost his left arm in a boat attack, while serving as midshipman of the Seahorse frigate, Captain John Stewart, on the Mediterranean station*. He was made lieutenant, April 1, 1812 ; commander, June 15, 1814 ; and post-captain, Dec. 7> 1818. His eldest brother was aide de-camp to Lord Wellington, and wounded at the buttle of Busaco. Agents. — Messrs. Stilwell. * Nuv. Chron v. JD.p. 2C-J. POST-CAFfAlNS OF 1818. 203 CONSTANTINE RICHARD MOORSOM, Esq. Son of Vice-Admiral Sir Robert Moorsom, K. C. B. This officer was made lieutenant, June 6, 1812 ; comman- der, July 19, 1814; and post-captain, Dec. 7, 1818. He commanded the Fury bomb, at tlie battle of Algiers. Agent. — W. M*lnerheuey, 12sq. HON. GEORGE JAMES PERCEVAL. Third, and eldest surviving son of Lord Arden, by Mar- garetta Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Sir Thomas Spencer Wilson, Bart. This officer was born on the 15th March, 1794 ; made lieu- tenant, June 7> 1814; advanced to the rank of commander, June 13, 1815; and posted, Dec. 7. 1818. He served in one of the boats of the Tigre 80, Captain Benjamin Hallo- well, at the capture and destruction of a French convoy in the Bay of Rosas, Nov. 1, 1809* ; and commanded those of the Tencdos frigate, Captain Hyde Parker, in a successful expe- dition up the Penobscot river. North America, in Sept. ISHf. We lastly find him commanding the Infernal bomb, at the battle of Algiers. Captain Perceval married, July 24, 1819, Eliza, eldest daughter of John Hornby, of Hook House, near Titchfield, Esq. HON. JOHN GORDON. A GRANDSON of the late Earl of Aberdeen, and brother to the present peer. He was made lieutenant. Mar 21, 1812; ad- vanced to the rankof commander, June 15, 1814 ; and posted, from the Carnation of 18 guns, into the Tamar 26, at New- foundland, Dec. 31, 1818. • See Suppl. Part 111. p. 159. t Sec Vol. II. Part II. pp. "29-733. I' I ( I ii 204 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1819. WILLIAM POPHAM, Esq. Eldest son of the late Rear- Admiral Sir Home Riggs Pop- ham, K. C. B. who died at Cheltenham, Sept. 11, 1820. This officer passed his examination in June, 1811 ; was made lieutenant, Feb. 14, 1812 ; advanced to the rank of com- mander, Dec. 23, 1814 ; and appointed acting captain of the Sybille frigate, bearing his father's flag, on the Jamaica sta- tion, Feb. 2, 1819. This appointment was confirmed by the Admiralty, May 19th following. Captain Popham commanded the Hecla bomb, at the battle of Algiers. Agent. — ^T. Collier, Esq. JAMES TOMKINSON, Esq. Obtained the rank of lieutenant, Sept. 19, 1805 ; and was first of the Comet sloop, Captain Cuthbert Featherstone Daly, at the capture of la Sylph, French national brig, of 18 guns and 98 men, Aug. 11th, 1808. " His zeal and activity in this contest" were duly reported by Captain Daly, whose official account of the affair will be found at p. 386 et seq. of Suppl. Part I. Lieutenant Tomkinson's promotion to the rank of commander took place Mar. 12th, 1810. We next find this officer engaged in a series of arduous and most important services, off Isle Bourbon, under Captain (now Sir Josias) Rowley ; who, when reporting the capture of la Veims French frigate, and the re-capture of H. M. S. Ceylon, on the 18th Sept. 1810, *• thought it his duty to notice the active zeal shown by Captain Tomkinson of the Otter, and Lieutenant Street, commanding the Staunch gun- brig,*' both on that and former occasions. The Ceylon was taken possession of by Captain Tomkin- son, who appears to have commanded her at the subsequent reduction of the Isle of France. His post commission bears date, Aug. 12th, 1819. of f- P08T-CAPTAIN3 OF 1819. 205 Captain Tomkinson married, July 13, 1820, Frances Eliza, widow of Major George Beane, R. H. A. Agent. — J. Hinxman, Esq. JAMES HAY, Esq. Obtained the rank of lieutenant. Mar. 1st, 1836; and, while serving as first of the Amaranthe sloop, commanded the boats of a squadron under Captain F. A. Collier, at the destruction of la Cygne, French national brig, of 18 guns and 140 men, laden with flour, guns, &c. for the re- lief of Martinique, Dec. 13, 1808 *. During the operations afterwards carried on for the reduction of that island, he acted as commander of the Amaranthe, in the absence of Captain E. P. Brenton, then serving on shore with the army. His pro- motion to that rank took place May 2, 1810 j on which oc- casion he was appointed to the Paplllon brig, of 16 guns, afterwards employed on the Mediterranean station. His post commission bears date, Aug. 12, 1819. Agent. — J. Clementson, Esq. SIR CHARLES THOMAS JONES, Knt. Was made lieutenant in 1798 ; advanced to the rank of commander, Aug. 15, 1810 ; appointed to the Harrier sloop, June 16, 1814; re-appointed to the same vessel, on the peace establishment, Aug 16, 1815; and posted Aug. 12, 1819. AgenL — Sir F. M. Ommanney. CHARLES BURROUGH STRONG, Esq. Was made lieutenant in 1801; and we first find him serv- ing under Captain (now Sir Edward) Owen, who makes the following mention of him in a letter to Rear- Admiral Louis, reporting an action between the Immortality frigate and a di- vision of the Boulogne flotilla, Oct. 23, 1804 : • See Supplement, Part I. p. 421'. \ ■I 1 206 POST- CAPTAINS OP 1819. " It is not possible for me to speak too highly of the conduct of every officer and man ; each, in his station, gave me the fullest satisfaction: but it gives me serious pain to add, that of these brave fellows, one was killed, and ten wounded (three mortally), besides the third lieutenant, Charles Burrough Strong, of whose assistance I was deprived before a shot was fired by us, and whose loss I feel the more, as two years' service with me in this ship has fully proved to me his worth : his wounds, however, are not dangerous." Lieutenant Strong removed with the same excellent officer into the Clyde frigate, as first lieutenant, and commanded her boats on many services against the enenjy, particularly during the Walcheren expedition. VV^hen reporting the complete evacuation of that island, in Dec. 1809, Commodore Owen informed Sir Richard J. Strachan, that, " the peculiar circumstances he had been placed in, obliged him to leave the management of his own ship wholly to Lieutenant Strong, and thereby gave him an opportunity to confirm the good opinion he had formed of him in the course of seven years' service together." Mr. Strong was promoted to the command of the Bustard, a IG-gun brig, on the Mediterranean station, Mar. 14th, 1811; and posted while commanding the Morgiana 18, on the coast of Africa, Aug. r2th, 1819. ^gmt, — J. Woodhead, Esq. JOHN BALDWIN, Esq. Was made lieutenant. Mar. 25, 1803; and obtained the next step by his able and gallant conduct, as first of the Astrflea frigate. Captain Charles Marsh Schomberg, in action with a French squadron off Madagascar, on the 2()th May, 1811 *. His commission as commander bears date Nov. 1 8th follow- ing, at which period he was appointed to the Trojan brig of 10 guns, on the North Sea station. He subsequently com- manded the Flamer 12; and, since the peace, the Fly 18, at Newfoundland. * See Vol. II. Part II. p. 835. POST-CAPTAINS OF 1819. 20/ are The Fly was wintering at St. John's when Vicc-Atliniral Pickmore, died there, Feb. 24, 1818. The next day, she was ordered to commence cutting through the ice, for the pur- pose of conveying tlie body of the deceased governor to Eng- land ; but although there were about 300 men, besides her own crew, daily employed on it, the cannl was not sufficiently large to permit her to pass through until Mar. ISth, a period of three weeks. The distiince cut was 2850 yards; the ic« was from two and a half to five feet thick ; the blocks cut out of it were from 33 to 35 feet in breadth, all of which were haul- ed up on the main body by a single rope. Added to this la- bour, the channel cut was almost every morning frozen to between six and seven inches thick ; and the operation of clearing this away was obliged to be performed daily. The Fly arrived at Portsmouth, April 16, 1818, and was soon after- wards paid off for re-commissioning. Captain Baldwin's promotion to post rank took place Aug. 12th, 1819. jigents. — Messrs. Cooke, Halford, and Son. ROBERT RIDDELL CARRE, Esq. This officer is the third son of William Riddell, of Camies- town, in Roxburghshire, Esq. by Elizabeth, only daughter of John Carre, of Cavers-Carre, in the same county, Esq. On both sides he is descended from ancient families, for many centuries settled in that part of Scotland. He was born in Edinburgh, Feb. 27, 1782 \ and did not add the name of Carre to that of his paternal ancestors until the year 1817' Mr Robert Riddell entered the navy in 1796, as midship- man on board the Albatross brig, Captain (now Rear-Admiral) George Scott, where he remained until that officer's promo- tion, in June, 1798. Previous to his leaving the Albatross he witnessed the suppression of a mutiny among her crew; and as- sisted in capturing two of the enemy's privateers *. He after- ^u r4\ \%m • See Vol. II. Part I. p. HH. i' i I 208 POST-CAPTAINS OP 1819. wards successively served under Captains William Brown, Charles Lydiard, and Archibald Colling wood Dickson, in the Kite brig and Veteran 64, on the North Sea and Baltic stations *. In April, 1803, Mr. Riddell, who had been serving on board one of the guard-ships at Plymouth, during the short peace of Amiens, joined the Sceptre 64, and proceeded with his former captain, then Sir Archibald C. Dickson, to the East India sta- tion, where he was appointed lieutenant of the same ship, in 1804 ; his commission, however, was not confirmed by the Admiralty until Oct. .5, 1805. He returned home from thence, invalided on account of ill health, in April, ISO/. Mr. Riddell's next appointment was, in July following, to the Orion 74, and he continued in that ship, the latter part of the time as senior lieutenant, under Sir Archibald C. Dick- son, in the North Sea and Baltic, until his advancement to the rank of commander, Feb. 1 . 1812. From Dec. 8 in that year, until Nov. 15, 1816, he commanded the Britomart of 10 guns, successively employed otf the Scheldt and the Texel, on the Irish and Portsmouth stations, and in the brilliant expedition against Algiers f. Captain Riddell assumed the name and arms of Carrti, in conformity to the will of his maternal uncle, Alexander Carre, Esq. who died in 1817, bequeathing to him the small but old family estate of Cavers Carrii, where he has ever since resided. He obtained post rank, Aug. 12, 1819. Sir GEORGE AUGUSTUS WESTPIJAL, Knt. Was a midshipman of Nelson's flag-ship, and wounded, at Trafalgar : his first commission bears date Aug. 15, 1806. We next find him serving as senior lieutenant of the Belleisle 74, Captain (now Sir George) Cockburn, and commanding a sub- division of gun-boats during the attack on Flushing, between the 8th and 15th August, 1809. Early in the following year he was appointed, with the same officer, to the Implacable of • See Vol. I. Purt II. p. 75.9. + See Vol. I. Part I. p. 227. irrtl, in 7. POST-CAPTAINS OP 1819. 209 similar force, and selected by him to land the Baron de Kolli in Quiberon bay, from whence that personage had undertaken to proceed to Valenpay, in order to arrange the escape of Fer- dinand VII, whose subjects were invoking the aid of Heaven and of England^ for the restoration of their then beloved mo- narch, at whose presence discord, war, and famine^ were fondly expected to cease *=. The Implacable was next ordered to Cadiz, from whence Lieutenant Westphal accompanied his captain in an expedi- tion sent against the French at Moguer, a town on the Hue- bla, over a branch of which river the Spanish troops com- manded by General Lascy, were transported by eleven flat boats under his directions j thereby greatly facilitating the ob- ject in view. The result of this enterprise was the expulsion of the enemy from Moguer and the adjacent coast, with con- siderable loss in killed, wounded, and prisoners. Captain Cockburn, in his official report to Rear- Admiral Sir Richard G. Keats, dated on board the Jasper sloop, Aug. 25, 1810, after detailing the proceedings of the allied forces, says : " It is now. Sir, a pleasant duty incunabent on inc, to assure you, that nothing can exceed the good conduct of the officers and men you have placed under my orders ; and I must beg leave particularly to mention to you the unremitted assistance I have received from Captain Daniel of this sloop, and from Lieutenant Westphal, first of tlie Implacable, who, by his conduct on this service, has added to the many claims he already had to my particu- lar notice and recommei^dation." From this time we find no particular mention of Lieutenant Westphal until the period when Rear-admiral Cockburn, whose fortunes he constantly followed, arrived on the North American station, mid commenced a series of active and un- nortant operations in the rivers at the head of the Chesapeake bay The first service performed is thus described by the Rear- Admiral, in an oflicial letter to Sir John B. Warren, command- cr-in-chief, dated on board the Fantomc sloop, m the Elk River, April 29, 1813:— ,-! have the honor to acquaint yo.t, that having yesterday gained isir. •Brenton.Vol. IV. p. 422. 8UPPL, PART IV. 210 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1819. informaiion of tlie ddpfit of flour (alluded to in your note of the 23wl instant) being with some military and other stores, situated at a place called French Town, a considerable distance up the river Elk, I caused H. M. brigs Fantomc and Mohawk, and the Dolphin, Racer, and Highflyer, tenders, to he moored, yesterday evening, as far within the entrance of this river as could be prudently effected after dark ; and at eleven o'clock last night, the detachment of marines now in the advanced squadron, consisting of about 150 men, under Captains Wyhorn and Carter, of that corps, with five ar- tillerymen, under first Lieutenant Robertson, R. A. (who eagerly volun- teered his valuable assistance on this occasion), proceeded in the boats of the squadron, the whole l»eing under the direction of Lieutenant G. A. WesU phal, first of the Marlborough, to take and destroy the aforesaid stores, the Ilighflyer, under the command of Lieutenant T. Lewis, being directed to follow, for the support and protection of the boats, as far and as closely as lie might find it practicable. " Bciii-if ignorant of the way, the boats were unfortunately led up the Bo- hemia river, instead of keeping in the Elk, uiid it being day-light before this error was rectified, they therefore did not reach the destined place till be- tween eight and nine o'clock this morning, which occasioned the enemy to have full warning of their approach, and gave him time to collect his force und make his arrangements for the defence of his stores and town, for the security of whidi a six-gun battery had lately been erected, and from whence a heavy fire was opened on our boats the moment they approached within its reach ; but the laimches, with their carronades, under the orders of Lieu- tenant Nicholas Alexander, first of the Dragon, pulling resolutely up to the work, keeping up at the same time a constant and well directed fire on it, and the niiuines being in the act of disembarking on the right, the Ameri- cans judged it prudent to quit their battery, and to retreat precipitately into thecountry, abandoning to their fate French Town and itsddpots of stores: the whole of the latter, therefore, consisting of much flour, a large quantity of army clothing, of saddles, bridles, and other equipments for cavalry, &c. &c. &e. together with various articles of merchandize, were immediately set fire to, and entirely consumed, as were five vessels lying near the place; and the guns of the battery, being too heavy to bring away, were disabled aa cITectually as possible, by Lieutenant Robertson and his artillerymen ; after which, my orders being completely fulfilled, the boats returned down the river without molestation, and I am happy to add, that one seaman, of the Maidstone, wounded in the arm by a grape-shot, is the only casualty we have sustained. "To Lieutenant G. A Westphal, who has so gallantly conducted, and so ably executed this service, my highest encomium and best acknowledgments are due ; and I trust, Sir, you will deem him to have also thereby merited your favorable consideration und notice. It is likewise my pleasing duty to acquaint you, that he speaks in the highest terms of the ze-xl and good conduct of every oflicer and man employed with him on this occwionj but POST-CAPTAINS OF 1819. 2H particularly of the very great assistance lie derived from Lieutenant Robert- son of the artillery. Lieutenant Alexander of the Dragon, Lieutenant Lew- is, of the Highflyer, and Captains \Vyl)orn and Carter, of the royal marines. '* I have now anchored the above mentioned brigs and tenders near a farm, on the right bank of this river, where there appears to be a considerable quantity of cattle, which I intend embarking for the use of the fleet under your command, and if I meet with no resistance or impediment in so doing, I shall give the owner bills on the Victualling Office for the fair value of whatsoever is taken; but should resistance be made, I shall consider them as prize of war, which I trust will meet your approbation ; and I pur- pose taking on boanl a further supply for the fleet to morrow, on similar terms, from Spesu^ie Island, which lies a little below Havre de Grace, and which I have been informed is also well stocked. I have the honor to be, &c. (Signed) "G, Cockburn." The Rear-admirars subsequent proceedings have been offi- cially described in our memoirs of Captains John Lawrence, C. B. and the Hon. Henry Dilkes Byng, then commanders of the Fantome and Mohawk. By reference to p. 124, it will be seen that Lieutenant Westphal received a shot through his hand whilst leading a party in pursuit of some American troops at Havre de Grace, on the 3rd May ; and that, with his remaining iiand, he made prisoner, and brought in, a cap- tain of their militia. " From a thorough conviction of his merits,'* says Rear-admiral Cookburn, " he having served many years with me as first lieutenant, I always, on similar occasions, expect much from him ; but tiiis day he even out- stripped those expectations, and tliough in considerable pain from his wound, he insisted on continuing to assist me to the last moment with his able exertions : 1 therefore, Sir, cannot but entertain a confident hope that his services of to day, and the wound he has received, added to what he so successfully executed at French Town, will obtain for him your favorable consideration and notice, and that of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty." On the 11th July following, Rear-admiral Cockburn, in the Sceptre 74, Captain Charles Bayne Hodgson Ross, took up tlie anchorage off Ocracoke bar, with the Romulus, Fox, and Nemesis, troop-ships, the Conflict brig, and the High- flyer and Cockchafer, tenders, having on board a boiiy of troops under Licutcimnt-CJoloncl Napier, of the 102nd regi- p2 l^ « 212 POST-CAPTAINa OF 1819. nient. Conceiving that much advantage was likely to be derived by carrying into immediate execution the orders he had received, for putting an end to the commerce carried on from the port of Ocracoke, by means of the inland navigation, and for destroying any vessels tha< might be there, he directed preparations to be instantly commenced for the debarkation of the troops, and for making the intended attack. An advanced division of the best pulling boats, with armed seamen, and some marines of the Sceptre, were directed to precede the others, for the purpose of attacking the enemy's shipping, and of occupying and diverting the fire of any armed vessels stationed at the place; Lieutenant Westphal, then first of the Sceptre, was entrusted with this division, sup- ported by Captain Ross, with the rocket-boats. Captain David Paterson, of the Fox, commanded the di- vision of flat and heavier boats, with as many soldiers as they could carry, destined to attack and occupy such positions on the surrounding lands as circumstances and the enemy's means of defence might point out the propriety of, after day-light. The third and last division was composed of the Conflict, Captain Henry Loraine Baker, the armed tenders, and several other small vessels, which were directed to take the remainder of the troops on board, and to follow the boats into the harbour, as fast and as far as might be found practicable : Cciptain Ross was charged with the general superintendence of the whole arrangement ; and Captains George William Henry Knight and the Hon. James Ashley Maude, "with much laudable zeal" also attended to render Rear-admiral Cock- burn their personal assistance wherever circumstances might require It*. The whole moved from the ships towards the shore about 2 A. M. on the 12th j but owing to the great distance from the bar to the harbour, and the heavy swell which was running, • Captain Paterson, of tlie Fox, died Sept. .9th foUowuig, on His passage from the Chesapeake to Halifax. His activity during the time that lie was employed in America had been very great, and his exertious contributed to bring ou that sickness which terminated so latally. sup- 1 POST-CAPTAINS OP 1819. 213 it was considerably after day-light before the advanced di- vision turned a projecting shoal point, behind which the ves- sels lay, and round which is the only possible way by which the shore can be approached with safety ; the enemy, there- fore, had some little time to prepare for defence, which he did not fail to avail himself of, and immediately the boats dou- bled the point, a heavy fire was opened on them from a brig and schooner, which hoisted American colours, and were soon discovered to be the only armed vessels there : Lieute- nant Westphal, therefore, with his division, " pulled directly and resolutely for these," under cover of some rockets, which were thrown by Captain Russel, R. A. with admirable preci- sion. The fire of the brig now began to slacken ; and on Lieute- nant Westphal's approaching her bow with the advanced boats, the enemy cut her cable and abandoned her ; the schooner's colours were then hauled down. The troops in the meantime having effected a landing, without further op- position, took possession of Portsmouth and Ocracoke island, where all surrendered to their mercy. The brig proved to be the Anaconda, mounting 18 long 9-pounders, a most beauti- ful vessel, coppered, and fit for his Majesty's service ; as was also the schooner, a letter of marque of 240 tons, mounting 10 guns. Lieutenant Westphal was promoted by the Admiralty, July 8th, 1813 j just four days previous to the capture of the Anaconda, which vessel was commissioned and placed under his command. We next find him serving in the expedition against New Orleans, where he was employed on shore with the naval brigade under Captain Sir E. Thomas Troubridge, Bart, who, in his official report to Vice-admiral Sir Alexan- der I, Cochrane, stated, that the conduct of all the officers and seamen had met very general approbation, and that he felt it his duty "to particularize the exertions of Captaina Money, Rogers, and Westphal." Captain Westphal obtained post rank, Aug. 12th, 1819; and was appointed to the Jupiter 00, fitting for the convey- ance of Lord Amherst and suite to Bengal, May 27th, 1822. fill i W I 1 :| |i- I 214 POST- CAPTAINS OF 18,19. He returned to England, Dec. 20th, 1823 ; and had the honor of knighthood conferred upon him shortly after his arrival. ^gent. — Sir F. M. Omuianney. PROVO WILLIAM PARRY WALLIS, Esq. This officer has passed the greater part of his professional life on the Halifax station. He was there made lieutenant by the late Hon. Sir George C. Berkeley, into the Triumph 74, Captain Sir Thomas M. Hardy ; and it was there that he obtained the rank of commander, for his gallant conduct as second of the Shannon frigate, at the capture of the U. S. ship Chesapeake, June 1, 1813* ; since the peace, he has served there, as captain of the JSiemen 28. His first com- mission bears date Nov. 30, 1808; he was made commander, July 9, 1813 ; posted, Aug. 12, 1819 ; and appointed to the Niemen, June 4, 1824. His sister is married to Lord James Town send. Captain R. N. Agent. — J. Hinxman, Esq. HON. FREDERIC NOEL, Sixth son of the late Diana, Baroness Barham, in her own right, by Gerard Noel Edwardes, of Exton Park, Cottesmore, Ketton, and Catmore Lodge, all in the county of Rutland, Esq. M. P. who assumed the name and arms of Noel, by royal sign manual. May .5th, 1798, in compliance with the will of his maternal uncle, Henry Earl of Gainsborough, and succeeded on the death of his father-in-law. Lord Barham, to the title of baronet. This officer was born at Betch worth, co. Surrey, April 26th, I79O; and we first find him serving as midshipman, in one of the boats of the Tigre 80, Captain Benjamin Hallo well, at the capture and oes traction of a French convoy in the bay of Rosas, Nov. 1, i809t. He was made lieutenant, J;Iy !8, * See Vol. II. Part I. pp. 374-380. f See Suppl. Part III. p. 159. e honor rival. Esq. 'essional juteiiant Mumph I that he iduct as be U. S. , he has st com- mander, id to the d James her own esmore, Jutland, Joel, by vith the igh, and 'ham, to ril26th, in one >well, at B bay of I. p. 159. POST-CAPTAINS OP 1819. 215 1811 J promoted to the command of the Weazle sloop, in the Mediterranean, July 29, 1813 j appointed to the Pandora of 18 guns, fitting for the Cork station, Aug. 28. 1816; and posted, while commanding the Spey 20, on the 12th Aug. 1819. Captain Noel married, Sept. 7j 1815, Mary, eldest daugh- ter of the late William Woodley, Esq. Governor of Bcrbice. WILLIAM SARGENT, Esq. Is a native of Durham, and we are told that he commenced his nautical life in the merchant service. He obtained the rank of lieutenant, Oct. 24, 1799; and was made commander, Dec. 4, 1813. In the following year he served jis volunteer with Captain Edmund Palmer, who acknowledges having "derived the greatest assistance from his professional abi- lity" during the action between the Hebrus and I'Etoile, which ended in the capture of the French frigate after an ob- stinate and sanguinary contest of two hours and a quarter.* On the 18th May, 1814, Captain Sargent was appointed to the Cordelia brig, of 10 guns, in which vessel we find him present at the battle of Algiers : he subsequently commanded the Mutine sloop, on the Irish station. His promotion to post rank took place Aug. 12, 1819. Agent, — J. Clemeutson, Esq. HUGH PATTON, Esq. Son of the late Governor Patton, of the island of St. Helena ; and brother-in-law to Major-General Sir Henry Torrens, K.C.B. &c. &c. This officer obtained the rank of lieutenant, Feb. 1, 1811 ; and was promoted to the command of the Fairy sloop, Dec. 6, 1813. His advancement to post rank took place, Aug. Pith, 1819; since which he has commanded the Rattlesnake 28, « Sec Suppl. Part I. p. 215, c/ sco. i I 216 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1819. on the West India station, for the usual period of three years. ALEXANDER DOBBS, Esq. A Companion 0/ the Most Honorable Military Order 0/ the Bath. FouiiTH son of the late Counsellor Francis Dubbs, who was a member of the Irish parliament. This officer appears'to have been born at Dublin, about the year 1784 j and he entered the navy under the auspices of Vice- Admiral (afterwards Sir Robert) Kingsmill, as midshipman on board the Santa Margaritta frigate, Captain George Parker, in 1797. His first commission bears date Nov. 9, 1804 j on which very day, being then a passenger in the Thetis, out- ward bound West-Indiaman, mounting 16 small guns, with a crew of 49 men and boys, he assisted in beating off le Buonaparte French brigprivateer, of ISlong 8-pounders and 170 men, of whom 20 were killed and 30 wounded. The Thetis's loss amounted to only 2 slain and II wounded.* On the day after this action, Mr. Dobbs arrived at Barba- does, and was immediately appointed by Sir Samuel Hood to the Epervier brig, stationed at the Tveevvard Islands, from whence he was soon obliged to return home in consequence of yellow fever. His subsequent appointments were to the Confiance 22, Topaze frigate, Northumberland 74, and Levia- than of similar force ; the latter ship commanded by Captain Patrick Campbell, on the Mediterranean station. On the 29th April, 1812, the boats of the Leviathan, under the direction of Lieutenant Dobbs, attacked several French vessels lying at Agaye, near Frejus ; four merchsintmen were broiight out, and a privateer brig of 14 guns was set on fire, but not so effectually as to cause her destruction : in the per- formance of this service two men were killed and four wounded by the enemy's fire from the shore. On the lOth of the following month. Lieutenant Dobbs assisted at the destruc- • Le Buonaparte was taken two days afterwards by the Cyane sloop, Captain the Hon. George Cadogan. U P04T-CAPTA1N8 OF 1819. 217 out- tion of eighteen deeply laden settees, under the town and batteries of Languilla, in the Gulf of Genoa * : the Leviathan's loss on this occasion consisted of two men slain and eight wounded. The destruction of another French convoy is thus described by Captain Campbell, in a letter to his senior officer Captain Josias Rowley, dated June 27, 1812 : " Sir, — Eighteen sail of square and latino-rigged vessels having assembled at Languilla and Alassio, and the Cura^oa having joined, which, with the Iinpdrieuse and PEclair, made Our force, I conceived, sufficient to attack both places, this morning, about an hour before day-break, the marines were landed between the towns, under the command of Captain Owen, R. M., of this ship, covered by I'Eolair. They had hardly formed on the beach, before they were attacked by treble their number. Prisoners re- port they had upwards of 500 men in the two towns, a company having come to each in the evening, independent of one in each as its garrison; but nothing could withstand our brave fellows ; they dashed at them with the bayonet, and drove them from their batteries into the towns, killing a great many, and taking fourteen prisoners. After spiking the guns (nine in number) and a mortar, and destroying the carriages, they were embark- ed ; but, though the ships were anchored within less than musket-shot of the towns, and I'Eclair on her sweeps, going where she could be of most effect, the launches, and other boats with carronades, keeping up a heavy fire, we could not effectually drive them from the houses, so as to enable our boats to bring the vessels off, which were made fast in all manner of ways, with sails unbent, rudders unshipt. &c. without risk of great loss — we therefore destroyed them with our guns. " I want words sufficiently to express my admiration of the conduct and gallantry of Captain Owen, and the officers, &c. of royal marines, as also of the officers and seamen employed in the boats. I feel much indebted to Lieutenant Dobbs, first of this ship, for his judicious arrangement in disembarking, embarking, and covering the marines, as they advanced to the different batteries. It is most painful to me to add, we have suffered severely f . I have the honor to be, &c. (Signed) " Patrick Campbell." In 1813, Lieutenant Dobbs went out with Sir James L. Yeo to the Canadian Lakes, and on his arrival there was ap- pointed an acting commander ; in which capacity we find him * See Vol. h Part IL p. 633. t Leviathan, 2 men killed, and 17 wounded. The total loss in the squadron was 9 slain and 31, including Lieutenant William Walpole, of the Impericuse, wounded. ';♦♦:., H • 1 Si ,) 'ilB rOST-CAPTAlMS OF IQlXd, present at the attack upon Sackett's Harbour, ending in the destruction of a small 10-gun brig (formerly British) and a barrack containing, among other valuable articles, the whole of the naval stores recently captured at York, by the Ameri- can Commodore Chauncey. The other naval operations of that year are detailed at pp. 91 — 93. On the 14th Feb. 1814, Lieutenant Dobbs was promoted to the rank of commander ; and in May following, " he be- haved much to the satisfaction" of Sir James Yeo, at the at- tack and capture of Oswego *. After this important event, two brigs and two schooners were placed under the orders of Captain Dobbs, and sent up the Niagara to co-operate with Lieiitenant-General Drummond, on which service they remained during the whole campaign. In the early part of August, the American schooners Ohio, Somers, and Porcupine, were stationed close to Fort Erie, then in the enemy's possession, and Captain Dobbs resoi\cd to attempt their capture or destruction. For this purpose he landed a detachment of 7^ men, and caused them to carry his gig upon their shoulders, from Queenstown to French- man's creek, a distance of 20 miles. From the latter spot, by the aid of the Canadian militia, five batteaux, as well as the gig, were got across through the woods to Lake Erie : the result of this extraordinary enterprise i.: shewn by bis ofi&cial report, dated Aug. 13, 1814. " Sir, — Having succeeded in getting my gig and five batteaux across from the Niagara river to Lake Erie, a distance of eight miles by land, I last night attacked the enemy's schooners that had anchored close to Fort Erie for the purpose of flanking the approaches to it. Two of them were car- ried sword in hand in a few minutes, and ihe third would certainty have fallen, had the cables not been cut, which made us drift to leeward of her, among the rapids. The schooners taken are the Ohio and Somera, com- manded by lieutenants, and each mounting three long 12pounders, with a complement of 36 men. My gallant friend. Lieutenant (Coplestoa) Rad- cliffe, and one seaman, fell in the act of boarding, which, with four wound- ed, is our whole loss. The enemy had one man killed and seven wounded ; among the latter is Lieutenant (A. M.) Conklin, commanding the squadron. See Suppl. Part II. p. lil(>. POST-CAPTAINS OF 1819. A9 coin« I aa well as two of his officers. The steady and gallant conduct >i tliu ulU- cers, aeainen, and marines employed on this service, were such as to huvo ensured me success against a greater force, and has called forth a very handsome public order from Lieutenant-general Drummond. I beg leave particularly to mention Mr. (John) Grindrcd, mate of the Star, and Mr. Hyde, mate of the Cbarvveli, not only for their gallant conduct in the at- tack, but fur their skill in bringing the vessels into the Niagara, through shoals and rapids, and under a constant and heavy fire. I have the honor to be, &e. (Signed) "Alexander Dobbs." " To Commodore Sir J. L. Yeo, ^c. ^c 8fc" This exploit proved that British seamen could find expedi- ents to capture two out of three fine American armed schoon- ers, in a quarter where the gig and five batteaux of the con- querors were the only vessels they had afloat ; and even tliese were so much shook by travelling, that when launched they were nearly half full of water. On the same day that the above letter was written, Lieute- nant-general 'Drummond commenced battering Fort Erie, preparatory to a grand assault upon the enemy's works ; and Captain Dobbs, leaving his valuable prizes off Frenchman's creek, hastened with 120 officers and men to the British camp. On his arrival there, he immediately volunteered to lead to the attack, and offered the services of his followers to carry the scaling ladders. The result was unfortunate, as will be seen by the following extracts of the military commander's report : " Camp before Fort Erie, Jug. 15, 1814. " Sir, — Having reason to believe that a sufficient impression had been produced on the works of the enemy's fort, by the fire of the battery which I had opened on it on the morning of the 13th, and by which the stone building was much injured, and the general outline of the parapet and embrasures very much altered, I was determined on assaulting the place ; and accordingly made the necessary arrangements for attacking it, by a lieavy column directed to the entrenchments on the side of Snake-hill, and by two columns to advance from the battery, and assault the fort and en- trenchments on this side. " The troops destined to attack by Snake-hill, under Lieutenant-colonel Fischer, marched at four o'clock yesterday afternoon, in order to gain the vicinity of the point of attack in sufficient time. " It is with the deepest regret I have to report the failure of both at- tacks, which were made two hours before day-light this morning. A copy of Lieutenant- colonel Fischer's report, herewith enclosed, will enable your w'\ Mi 220 POST-CAPTAINS OP 1819. excellency to form a tolerably correct judgment of the cause of the failure of that attack ; had the head of the column, which had entered the place without difficulty or opposition, been supported, the enemy must have fled from his works, (which were all taken, as was contemplated in the instruc- tions, in reverse,) or have surrendered. " The attack on the fort and entrenchments leading from it to the lake, was made at the same moment by two columns, one under Lieutenant-co- lonel Drummond, 104th regiment, consisting of the flank companies 41st and i04lh regiments, and a body of seamen and marines, under Captain Dobbs, of the royal navy, on the fort : the other, under Colonel Scott, 103d, consisting of the 103d regiment, supported by two companies of the royals, was destined to attack the entrenchments. These columns advanced to the attack as soon as the firing upon Colonel Fischer's column was heard, and succeeded after a desperate resistance, in making a lodgment in the fort through the embrazures of the demi-bastion, the guns of which they had actually turned against the enemy, who still maintained the stone building, when, most unfortunately, some ammunition, which had been placed under the platform, caught fire from the firing of the guus in the rear, and a most tremendous explosion followed, by which almost all the troops which had entered the place where dreadfully mangled. Panic was instantly com- municated to the troops, who could not be persuaded that the explosion was accidental, and the enemy, at the same time, pressing forward, and com- mencing a heavy fire of musketry, the fort was abandoned, and our troops retreated towards the battery. Our loss has been severe in killed and wounded : and 1 am sorry to add, that almost all those returned ' missing' may be considered as wounded or killed by the explosion, and left in the hands of the enemy. •»»*»• The exertions of Captain Dobbs, R. N. commanding a party of volunteer seamen and marines, are entitled to my acknowledgments. (Signed) " Gordon Drummond." " To H. E. Sir George Prevost, Dart. ^c. ^c. ^c." llie loss sustained by the naval detachment, on this disastrous occasion, consisted of 28 missing and 25 wounded ; among the former was Mr. Hyde ; and in the latter list we find the names of Captain Dobbs, Lieutenant Stevenson, Mr. Harris (master), Mr. Grindred (mate), and Mr. Arthur (midshipman) : the latter, although only fifteen years old, was one of the first that entered the fort. Captain Dobbs obtained post rank Aug. 12, 1819 ; and died at Milan, in the year 1827. One of his brothers. Captain Jo- seph Dobbs, of the 52d foot, was killed at the storming of Ciudad Rodrigo j another. Captain John Dobbs, of the same corps, was wounded before Bayonne. POST-CAPTAINS OF 1819. 221 HON CHARLES ORLANDO BRIDGMAN. Skcond son of Orlando, first Earl of Bradford, by Lucy Elizabeth, daughter of the fourth Viscount Torrington. This officer was born Feb. 5, 1/91 ; made lieutenant, Sept. 10, 1810, and commander, May 16, 1814; appointed to the Icarus brig, of 10 guns, fitting for the South American station, June 24, 1817; and posted, Sept. 2, 1819. At present he commands the Rattlesnake 28, in the Mediterranean. He mar- ried, Dec. 2, 1819, Eliza Caroline, eldest daughter of Henry Chamberlain, Esq. British Consul at Rio Janeiro. Agent. — Sir F. M. Ommanney. j i HENRY SHIFFNER, Esq. A Magistrate for the County of Sussex. Eldest surviving son of Sir George Shiffner, Bart. M. P. by Mary, only daughter and heiress of Sir John Bridger, of Coombe Place, Lewes, Knt. *. This officer was born, Nov. 4, 1789, and educated at the Royal Academy, Portsmouth, from whence he joined the The- tis frigate. Captain (now Rear-Admiral) William Hall Cage, in 1805. His promotion to the rank of lieutenant took place Feb. 10, 1809 ; on which occasion he was appointed to the Trusty, of 50 guns. In the following month, he was removed to the Owen Glendower 36, Captain William Selby, under whom he assisted at the capture of the island of Anholt, May 18th follo».ving f. We subsequently find him in the same ship, on the East India station, where he continued under the com- mand of Captain Brian Hodgson, until Nov. 1814 ; when he received a commission from England, dated Feb. 22nd, pro- ♦ Sir George Shiffner is the son of the late Henry Shiffner, of Pontrylass, CO. Hereford, Esq. formerly in parliament for Minehead, by Mary, daugh- ter and co-heiress of John Jackson, Esq. appointed Governor-General of Bengal in 1 748, whose wife was niece to John Lord Bellendeu. tSee Vol. n. Parti, p. 121. s ';p! 222 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1819. ■ I* niotiiig him to the command of the Sphynx sloop, then build- infif at Bombay : he returned home, on adminUty leave, hi the year 1815. His subsequent appointments were, Jan. 6, 1818, to the Drake of 10 guns, fitting for the Newfoundland station; May 30, 1819, to the Carnation 18 ; and, Sept. 1 1th following, to the Egeria 26, at St. John's. He obtained post-rank Nov. 10th in the latter year ; and paid off the Egeria Jan. 5, 1820. Captain Shiffner married, July 9, 1825, Emily, second daugh- ter of the late Thomas Brooke, of Church Minshull, Cheshire, Esq. His eldest brother, John Bridger Shiffner, a captain in the 3rd regiment of foot guards, was mortally wounded at the sortie from Bayonne, April 14, 1814, and died the following day : he has another brother, George, in holy orders ; and one of his sisters, Frances, is married to the Rev. C. E. Keene. Agents. — Messrs. Maude and Co. r \ HENRY FORBES, Esq. Was acting lieutenant of the Donegal 74, Captain (now Sir Pultency) Malcohn, at the battle off St. Domingo, Feb. 6, 1806 * ; and confirmed by the Admirjilty, April 9th following. He obtained the rank of commander, Feb. 1, 1812; and was posted, while commanding the Larne sloop, on the Mediterra- nean station, Dec. 7. 1B19. Captain Forbes married, Sept. 28, 1822, Jane, eldest daugh- ter of Sir Everard Home, Bart. F. U. S. Sergeant-Surgeon to the King, Agents. — Messrs. Stilwell. WILLIAM WALPOLE, Esq. Wk first find this officer serving as midshipmanof the Ajax 80, in the expedition against Constantinople. After the de- struction of that ship by fire. Fob. 14, 1807 f, he joined the Endymion frigate. Captain the Hon. Tliomas Bladen Capel j • See Vdl. 1. Pint ir. p. :>\)\. t See id. p. (I^H. Ill 4 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1819. 223 and continued in her until iiis promotion to the rank of lieu- tenant, Aug. 8, 1808. During the lust four years of the war with France, he served under Captain the Hon. Henry Dun- can, in the Imperieuse 38, on the Mediterranean station. We have hefore stated that he received a wound on the 27th June, 1812, while assisting at the destruction of the enemy's bat- teries and shipping at Languilla and Alassio, in the gulf of Genoa *. The official account of that service has been given at p. 217. Captain Walpole's commission as commander bears date June 15, 181 4 f. His next appointments were, May 13,1815, to the Thames 38, armed en flutes which ship he re-commis- sioned in Sept. following ; and Feb. 10, 1818, to the Curlew 18, fitting for the East India station. In 1819, the Bombay government fitted out an expedition to destroy the pirates of the Persian Gulf, who, forgetting the chastisement inflicted on them by Captain Wainwright and Lieutenant-colonel Smith, in Nov. 1809 1, had begun again to follow their former atrocious practices. The command of the troops was entrusted to Major-general Sir William Grant Kcir, Knt. K. M. T. ; and the naval part was placed under the directions of Captain Francis Augustus Collier, C. B. whose force consisted of his own ship, the Liverpool 50 j the Eden 26, Captain Francis Erskine Loch ; the Curlew sloop, Captain Walpole; several of the Hon. Company's cruisers ; and a num- ber of gun and mortar-boats. The following is an outline of the operations before Ras-al-Khyma, by an officer of the squadron : " On the 2n(l December, the expedition cast anchor off Ras-al-Khyina. On the passage thither, we had been joined by several frijratcs belonging? to his Highness tlio Iinaiun of iMuscat. At 4 o'clock iu the morning of the 4th, the first division of troops effected a landing two miles S. W. of the place. The gun-boats and an armed piimace covered the debarkation : no opposition was made. Captain Loch acted as beach-master, and Captain Walpole commanded the flotilla. The men immediately commenced the formation of a camp. During the day, the remainder of the army landed, • Scii Vol. 11. Part II. pp. 992— !)!M). + See id. p. lOOl. X See Stippl. IVrt III. pp. 8/— 90. if I J { •»'■• :,'■ ■' M 1'^ ;if 224 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1819. and parties of seamen were sent on shore to assist in the erection of the bat^ teries. " Ras-al-Khyma appeared of considerable extent; the buildings large and flat-roofed ; the furtiflcations iu good repair, with high walls built of mud and stone, and flanked by heavy ramparts. It stood upon a sandy peninsula, the isthmus of which was defended by a well flanked battery, whilst the line towards the sea was fortiflcd throughout the space of one mile and a quarter by batteries mounting only one gun each, ranged at re- gular intervals. A suburb of bamboo huts adjoined the town, immediately behind which lies a capacious basin, unapproachable to large vessels, in consequence of a bar of sand stretching across its mouth, so that large ships must discharge their cargoes previous to crossing the bar. The batteries of the town bore directly on the entrance of the port ; — the harbour vas full of shipping. The main land on the opposite coast appeared picturesque and verdant, with innumerable date-trees : the mountains of Arabia reared their dim, hazy outline in the back -ground. The place of our encampment, and the soil of the tongue of laud, was parched, sandy, and herbless. Two thou- sand of the Imaum's troops joined us ; they had forced the passes in the hilU, deemed impregnable, and brought in some prisoners. "On the 4th Dec. the Curlew weighed, and stood nearer the shore, open- ing her fire on the town. Smart skirmishing took place during the day. The rifle company of the 65th advanced within twenty yards of the largest gro- Larrie, and reconnoitred. The gun-boats particularly distinguished them- selves by their activity. "The first line of trenches having been made by means of sand-bags, an advfinecd battery opened on the place, utthe distance of three hundred yards. A mortar battery to the right was served very effectively. There was a gun from one of the enemy's batteries which enfiladed the trenches, whilst w« could get none of our artillery to bear on it. It did considerable execu- tion among the men. Major Molesworth, of the 47th, mounted the para- pet of the trench, to reconnoitre more minutely, and to ascertain how that formidable gun could be silenced. ' I see them loading it now,' said he ; ' now, now, they are running it out ! Look to yourselves, my lads ?' In an instant he fell back in the trench, his head blown to atoms. At length, how- ever, we succeeded in silencing that annoyance, and disabled the piece. " The Liverpool and Eden having approached nearer the town, in conjunc- tion with our butteries, opened a most vigorous fire on the morning of the 5th. Shells were thrown with evident effect; the gun-boats contributed, as before, their powerful assistance. Towards the close of that day's work, a Joasmce spy was brought in prisoner; he informed us that the enemy iiad suflfered great loss, nearly ninety killed, besides wounded. The Sheikh's bro- ther had lost his log by u cannon-shot. " The duties of the seamen in the trenches were severe and unremitting. Whilst the soldiers were relieved every four hours, (he sailors remained fre- quently twcntyfotir hours, without any rest or respite. Jack grumblod n '.•fiKk PbST-CAPTAIXS OF i819. 225 g^od deal at this unfair distriburton, though he did not work thobteas stre- nuously. It was not a little vexatious to be saluted with a ' QpBod night' i)y several parties in succession as they quitted the trenches, with the pros- pect of comparative comfort in the camp, whilst the poor devils left behind had to pass the time as they best could. " The firing from the ships and batteries still continued on the 6th ; that of the Arabs was very faintly returned and ill-directed. They evidently did not possess the requisite and proper materials of ammunition ; large stone shot came hailing in upon us, but often wide of the mark. As soon as a discharge was made from our guns, the Arabs were seen leaping out of the embrasures to pick up the round-shot, which they immediately returned. There was no mistake in this ; for to satisfy ourselves, we examined the balls, and found they bore the King's mark. The walls and towers did not exhibit any very decided traces of the efficiency of this day's cannonade. ** The firing had terminated for the day, the men had been relieved, silence reigned in the batteries, the night was veiy dark, and the pickets, as usual, on the alert. About one, a dark object, like a large black dog, was seen creeping along on all fours, several similar objects following. The advanced pickets were instantly cut down ; all was hurry, shout, and bustle. The trenches were filling with a large party of Arabs, engaged in close contest with our men, who were speared and stabbed in a tvvinkting. Already the Arabs had succeeded in dragging away a howitzer in triumph. The alarm spread like wildfire through the trenches. A party of the 65th foot, under Major Warren, instantly advanced in double quick time, attacked the asaiU ants, drove them out of the trenches, and recaptured the howitzer. A des- perate conflict ensued ; the Arjibs fought like furies, but they were soon bayoneted ; nearly all of them, ninety in number, were found Ij'ing in the trenches. They had divested themselves of their upper garments to fa. cilitate their onset, u^i their bodies seemed anointed with oil. " It being found that our 12 and IS-puundcrs produced but a slight im- pression on the walls and towers, while the enemy availc B. D. rector of Cranfield, in Bedfordshire. Agent. — W. M'Inerheny, Esq. JOHN WILLIAM MONTAGU, Esq. Is the second son of Admiral Sir George Montagu, G.C.B, and was born, Jan. 18, 1/90. On the 20th March, IS JO, in the House of Commons, Sir Charles Morice Pole, Bart, moved for the production of cer- tain papers, respecting the case of this gentleman ; which from the explanation of Robert Ward, Esq. one of the Lords of the Admi Jty, appeared to be as follows : — By the con- stitution of the Naval Academy at Portsmouth, every young- ster who had been three years there, and three years afloat, was entitled to pass an examination for lieutenant. In 1806, the plan of a Naval College was adopted in its stead, by Sue Suppl. Purt II, note at p. 344. and wan V, Bart, April 30, le demise k of (rom- ophie 18, id posted 12,1820*. ^28, and ike, C. B. 1812, at es Mack- , April 5, je Davies, u,G.C.B. imons, Sir [)n of cer- m; which the Lords r the coii- ry young- \rs afloat. In 1806, fitead, by POST-CAPTAINS OF 1820. 321) xpliicli lads were to go through a particular course of educa- tion, without any specific time being fixed, and having been four years afloat, they were then entitled to pass. The Naval College was not, however, actually in existence, till 1808, and the Naval Academy, at which young Montagu was educated, subsisted till that time. But when the above regu- lations were established by an Order in Council with regard to the Naval College, by an inadvertence, no provision was .made for those who had been at the Naval Academy be- tween 1806 and 1808. In consequence of this, it happened that Mr. John W. Montagu, when with the Mediterranean fleet, in 1809, did present himself to the examining cap- tains to pass, and they conceived it their duty to take this exception, that he liad not served four years afloat, as was required by the new regulations. Admiral Montagu, on hearing this, took a very natural interest in the case of his son, and wrote up to tiie Admiralty for redress. The case was twice, in different shapes, laid before the Admiralty coun- sellor, who stated it as his opinion, that, however unfortunate the circumstance might be, the law was still in the teeth of any redress being obtained, it was at last submitted to the crown lawyers ; and a very few days before Sir Charles made his motion the Admiralty had received an opinion from them, that Mr. Montagu was entitled to pass. In consequence of this, the First Lord had decided that he should be allowed to take rank from the time when he presented himself to be ex- amined in the Mediterranean, Oct. 9, 1809. We first find Mr. J. W. Montagu serving as lieutenant of the Cerberus frigate. Captain Thomas Garth, employed in the blockade of Corfu. On the 29th Jan. 1813, he commanded one of her boats at the capture of a trabacolo, armed with two guns, and deeply laden with corn and flour, for the gar- rison of that island. In May following, he assisted in bring- ing out from under a martello tower, to the southward of Brindisi, a vessel mounting one 0- pounder, from Otranto bound to Ancona. He also witnessed the capture of two gun-boats, and assisted in securing nine merchant vessels, a service thus officially reported : I'-: tao POST-CAPTAINS OF 1820. il " h.M. S. Cerberus, May SO, 1813. " Sir, — Having reconnoitred the port of Otranto on the 27th instant, and observed a convoy collected, which I thought would make a push for Corfu the first N. W. wind, I took a statinn off the island of Fano on the following morning to endeavour to intercept them, and sent the bar^ and gig you were good enough to leave with me, under Lieutenant William Henry Nares, of the Apollo, and the barge and pinnace of this ship, under Jiieutenant John William Montagu, close in shore, when, as was expected^ about one a. m. they came over, protected by eight gun-boats. Notwith- standing this strong force, aided by three more gun-boats from Fano, and the cliffs covered with French troops, they were attacked iu the most de- termined and gallant manner. lieutenant Nares, in the Apollo's barge, boarded «nd carried one gun-boat, and Mr. Hutchison, in your gig, ac- tually boarded and carried another before our barge could get alongside. " It is with the deepest regret I am now to inform you, that Mr. Suett *, master's-mate of the Cerberus, was shot through the heart in boarding another gun-boat ; in him the service has to lament thn loss of a most gallant young man ; one seaman also killed, and a marine dangerously wounded, belonging to this ship, is the amount of our loss. *' The gun-boats taken had each a 9-pounder in their bow, and two 4- pounders abaft, going with troops to Corfu ; four of the convoy were also taken. (Signed) «*Th08. Gauth.** " T9 Captain B. fF. Tafflor, H.M.S. Apollo, Senior Officer off Corfu.** ** Mr. Hutchison, master's-mate, had but seven men on b aard the gig he was in, with which he not only captured a gun-boat, but also took three other vessels. The Apollo returning from the southward, where she had been watering, captured five more of the convoy, with grain, under Otto- man colours, which the Cerberus was chasing, and the boats had prevented getting into Corfu. (Signed) " B. W. Taylor." *' To Rear- Admiral Freemantle** This officer was made commander, May 31, 1814; ap- pointed to the Brisk, of 10 guns, Mur. 31, 1819 j and posted, Nov. 30, J 820. JgmU—^iv F. M. Ommanne5\ ■ il HON. GEORGE PRYSE CAMPBELL. M. P. for the Counties of Cromartie and Nairn, N. D. Youngest son of .John, first Lord Cawdor, by Lady Caro- Son of the comedian of that name. I8I3. I instant, push for 10 on the arj^ and Wlliiann ip, uqder expected, Notwith- 'anOj and most de- •s hMge, gig. ac- ingside. '. Suett •, boarding f a most igerously d two 4- were also d the gig >ok three e she had dcr Otto- )revented fLOR." 4; ap- postetl. ut y Caro- FOST-CAPTAIN8 OF 1881, 231 line Howard, eldest daughter of Frederick, Earl of Carlisle, K.G. Tliis officer obtained the rank of lieutenant, Mar. IT^, 1811; and was third of the Belvidera frigate, Captain Richard By- ron, when that ship fell in with and effected her memorable escape from an American squadron, under Commodore Rod- gers, in 4une, 1813 *, He was made commander, May 16, 1814; appointed to the Racehorse, of 18 guns, fitting for the Mediteirranean station, May 5, 1818; and posted, as an ex- pression of the high sense entertained by the Board of Ad- miralty of the character and services of his deceased uacle> Admiral Sir George Campbell, Jan. 27, 1821. -<%e»/.v.— -Messrs. Stilwell. DONAT HENCHY O'BRIEN, Esq. Is lineally descended from one of the ancient monarchs of Ireland, and was born in the county of Clare about the year 1785. He entered the navy, as midshipman on board the Overyssel 64, in Dec. 1796 ; and commanded a flat-bottomed boat at the landing of the British army, near the Helder, Aug, 27, 1790 !• After the invasion of Holland, he was placed in charge of a merchant vessel laden with granite, one of a dozen or thirteen similarly filled, intended to be aunk at the entrance of Goree Harbour, to prevent the egress of three Dutch line- of-battle ships. The whole of these vessels, we believe, found- ered in a heavy gale of wind, on their passage across the North Sea, and Mr. O'Brien appears to have owed his presei*vation to the humanity and intrepidity of Lieutenant Tatham and a boat's crew belonging to the Lion hired armed cutter, by whom he was rescued, together with the few men under him, only three minutes before his stone-ship went to the bottom. Mr. O'Brien nextjoinedthe Amphion32,and served in that 1 * ''at ^af; j '%rn H i ■'.'• • See Vol. II. Parr II. p. (i24. t Sec Vol, I. ruril. note ut pp. 4M — 117- ■ I i m k w dds poer- CAPTAINS OF 1821. frigate; under Captains Richard Henry A. Bennett*, Alex- ander Frazer, and Thomas Masterman Hardy, until the re- newal of hostilities with France, in 1803. He was then re- moved to the Hussar 38, Captain Philip Wilkinson (now Vice- Admiral Stephens) ; the destruction of which ship has been noticed at p. 577 of Vol. 1. Part II. The circumstances at- tending her loss are thus detailed in a " Narrative" published by the subject of this memoir, in 1814, containing "An Ac- count OP HIS Shipwreck, Captivity, and Escape from Francu, after undergoing a series of silverings which lasted fornearly five years ^y - ..•.;; "On the 6th Februar}', 1804, the Husaar made sail from Ayres bay, in Spain, with despatches from Sir Edward Pellew, for England, with a fresh breeze from the S. W. — Wednesday, 8th, wind and weather the same, steer- ing (as near as I can recollect) N. E. b. E. running nine knots an hour. At about 10-45, steering tlie same course, and running about seven knots, in dark hazy weather, we struck on the southernmost part of the Saints, beat over an immense reef of rocks, carried away our tiller, unshipped the nid- der, and, from the violence of beating over, damaged the ship's bottom considerably, so that she made a great deal of water. At length we got into deep water, and let go our bower anchors to prevent being dashed to pieces on immense rocks a-head, on which we ^vere fore-reaching. Sent top-gallant-yards and masts upon deck, and used every possible means to ease and lighten the ship ; the major part of the crew were at the pumps ; the remainder, with the officers, employed as most expedient, staving the water casks in the hold, and shoring the ship up, as the ebb tide had now made, and she was inclining to starboard. The carpenter reported her to be bilged, and we could distinctly hear the rocks grinding and working through her, as the tide fell. " At day-light, Mr. Weymouth (master) was sent to sound for a passage amongst the rocks, imagining we might be able to buoy the ship through : but he returned without success, though had he accomplished it, from the Htatc the ship was in, there could have been little hope of getting her out. A divit^ion of the seamen and marines, with their respective officers, was then ordered to go and take possession of the island, that in the last extre- n)ity there might be an asylum secured for the crew and officers. The • Captain Bennett died at North Court, in the Isle of Wight, Oct. 11, 1818, aged 48 years. t The publication of the papers entitled " Nui'cil Bulletins,''* which appear- ed in the Naval Chronicle for 1812, 1813, and 1814, was not sanctioned by (y'aptain O'Brien: the pamphkl now before us is the only production he acknowledges as his own. POST-CAITAINS OF 1821. 233 rest of the tncn-remained at the pumps, hut with very little success, as tlie leak kept gaining upon them. The island was taken without any opposition, the only people on it being a few distressed fishermen, and their families. " Feb. 9th, at about 1 p. m. every bo I lished their rsiinoniouB ! use of her r what she mngfroid, ley cannot out of my they shall nuustance, an idea of oney were ey, during 3rn out by » on straw, :uards that Brien and leel) I3ren- neral Wir- • had, after nducted to J3rd of the nd passing Jnly, IR04. winter, (kc- inuiely, and eratiniis had I could not I reasoned vity. I satv f being pro- gh any per. e in France, least assist- some days : r. Tutliill. A fivaijsing the leme, form. i>gdr|ni\i'd 1 s P08T-CAPTAIN8 OP 1821. 23/ of their permission to go out of town (what the French termed parole), and making their escape to their native country. This was to me the most flattering intelligence — it was what I had been revolving in my own brain for some days. We accordingly met to deliberate upon the best method of putting in execution the business we were about to commence ; and agreed it was necessary to procure knapsacks, provisions, bladders to contain wa- ter, &c. prior to our getting close confined ; as we should be under the ne- cessity of travelling by night, and concealing ourselves iu the woods during the day-time. " The requisite materials having been provided, tuz, files, gimlets, saws, &c. ; that, in cuse of being taken, we might be able to break our fetters and to escape from the slavery ami punishment we were well aware would awa't us, we commenced by mi^ssing one appel ; but to our great astonishme it this bre^ich of discipline was overlooked *. \Ve next remained out of town very late; this was also forgiven, though we got into the guard-house, itc. In short, it was several days before we succeeded in being deprived of our passports or permissions ; and we now felt confident, from the lenity shewn us, that they suspected our intentions. However, August 28ih, 1807, hav- ing found, from the opinion of several officers whom we consulted, that no tie of honor could, under our present circumstances, retain us, being literally in close confinement, and that, perhaps, we might never have so good an opportunity again, we determined to lake ' French leave,' having an exccl- leut rope to scale the ramparts. "The sea coast was the place fixed upon for us to make for; and we agreed, that about Etapies was the most likely part to procure a boat. The anxiety and uneasiness which we felt the next day, were beyond description. Some of our countrymen, who called to see us, en passant, threw out such •insinuations and made such remarks upon our comluct of late, that we were under the most serious apprehensions of being shackled, and on the road to Bitche, before the much de«lred hour, eleven at night : being well aware, that there were several Englishmen employed and paid regularly, for con- veying the most trivial occurrence that might take place amongst the (iri- soners, to the French general. I have frequently known prisoners of war, through malice, to be taken out of their beds in the night, fettered and con- ducted to the ddpdts of punishment, without ever l)eing informed of the crime or fault they had been accused of, from some of those rascals giving false information, to be revenged for any private animosity they might have had against the persons so treated. These spies were so numerous, I repeat it with regret, that it was morally impossible to know them all ; conse- ,. ...:>. • Midshipmen were allowed to walk in the suburbs of Verdun, but ord*""" cd to alteiu) two nppeli or musters per day ; and otl'onders against this re< gplation were generally sent cither to :$t. Louis or liitchc, the d(?p«^t8 of pu< nishment. ;f? ;i;i 1 u L > ^m POST-CAPtAINS OF 1821. quently, the most watchful and cautious amonfrst us were liable to be en- trapped. We fortunately escaped their unnatural and detestable snares." The desired and long wished for moment at length arrived, Messrs. O'Brien, Ashworth, Tuthill, and Easel (the latter a naval lieutenant, who wished to be off aluo), met agreeably to appointment. Every thing was favorable and quiet ; and in a very few minutes, with the assistance of their rope and a friend, they got down the ramparts, about 72 feet high, with very Httle injury, except losing some of the skin off their hands. Each had his knapi^ack, &c. properly placed : their course was N. W. which they carefully followed, over ploughed fields, mountains, and marshes — nothing was allowed to interrupt their progress. The happiness they, even at this moment felt, was inexpressible ; they considered themselves " literally 03 regenerated creatures." Their stock of provisions principally consisted of light biscuit and sausages ; their hats were de- stroyed before day-ligl»t in a wood near Varennes *, and re- placed with caps d la Francaise. Captain O'Brien thus des- cribes a very serious accident he met with, on the morning of Sept. Ist., and his consequent sufferings. ** Just before day-li}(ht we entered a most excellent thick wood, admira- bly well calculated for night-walkers ; took some refreshment, and endea- voured to sleep a little after the fatigues of the night, and after congratula* ting one another at being tiius far successful. At about ten o'clock, we were alarmed by the voices of people apparently close to us. We found that they were passing on an adjacent path-way, which we had not before dis- covered; but we were too well place toST-CAPTAlNS OF 1821. 239 c snares. lenjifth, wefouml very deep; in fiict it aurpaesed any conception we could form of it. We surveyed it, mareliinuf first iu oue direction, then in ano- ther, withont coniinpf to any resolution : however it was evident that we mnst cross it. I at length discovered one part apparently narrower than the rest, which made nie resolve to try and leap over it. I accordingly ^ave myself room for a ran to that narrow part, and landed on the opposite side some feet from the edge of the bank. It was not near so broad as it ap- peared ; and knowin* that it was excessively deep, made, me the more anx- ious to secure a good iandina;', lest I might fall back into it : the conse- quence was, the opposite bank being extremely sandy and hani, and the knapsack on my shoulders lifting and coming with a sudden jerk — the mo- ment I touched on it 1 was thrown on my side, and my right knee twisted in the joint to that degree, that I absolutely tliought it was snapped in two. In this condition I remained, extended in the most excruciating pain, recom- mending to my compani(ms to be more cautious, until Lieutenant Essel and the other two joined me. They examined, and found, to my inexpressible joy, that the boue was not broken ; but this unfortunate business, at the moment, deprived me of every ho[)e of being able to prosecute my intended journey. Divine Providence, always ready to assist those who repose con- fidence in it, deigned to interpose its clemency. My comrades began to chafe and rub the part afl'ected with spirits, a small ({uantity of which each of us carried. I foutul instant relief from this remedy, and, in a short time, ' itU their assistance, I was able to stand u;). To their repeated inquiries 1.1 I ny knee, I replied, that I felt much better, though in fact I had little u s )f being able to continue with them ; but I feared discouraging these Lfiave fellows, who declared their determination not to (juit me. " This noble declaration inspired me with enthusiasm, and gave me frosit vigour and courage. I made an effort to step out, but was under the ne- cessity of requesting that one would assist me on each side, which they did. Thus we moved on slowly, and passed the village that we were so anxious about. My knee, I was happy to feel, was gradually getting better ; and we managed to get on in this state about three leagues, when we discovered a very fine commodious wood. It was about two o'clock on the 2d, my comrades proposed that we should rest there during the ensuing day ; they would not on my account proceed farther ; besides, it was uncertain whether they might fall in with another wood before day- light. " No intelligence could be more congenial to my feelings than this. I was excessively weary and fatigued. So having found a proper part of the wood, each took his position and a little refreshment, and then endea- voured to take rest : but so violently did my knee pain mc, that I was obliged to have two of my friends lying with their whole weight on my leg, thigh, and right side. They fell fast a.st in a direct line towards them. Tiie joy they felt at tliis hair-breadth escape, can only be conceived by people who have been in a similar situation. The ensuing night was excessively dark, and everyone of the party had a vast number of falls ; tliey, however, managed to cross the Oise, a very serpentine river, in two diiVerent places, and took sliriM.. PART IV. it wf 242 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. lip their abode for the following day in a most commodio'JS wood. Lieutenant Essel was now very much indisposed, and from the great alteration in his appearance apprehensions were entertained that he would be under the necessity of stopping on the way. Their stock of provisions was reduced to less than a pound of biscuit, literally crumbled to dust, a very small -quantity of sausage, and some apples. Next night, however, they had a hearty meal of bread, cheese, and small wine, at an obscure village, where they also obtained a large loaf and some brandy for their future sustenance. On the 8th, the poor fugitives were again alarmed by a well dressed woman and two children, passing so close as to touch the very bush that covered them, preceded by a servant shaking the brambles and knocking the wet off the trees. On the 9th, at day-light, after a tedious march, having traversed a number of deep- ploughed and stubble-fields, crossing hills and vales, they found themselves in open ground j Mr. Essel scarcely able to move. " Tills," says Captain O'Brien, " was the worst situation we had been placed in since we began our journey. On surveying with the utmost at- tention all around, we thought we could descry trees at a considerable dis- tance, yet out of our course. We nevertheless made towards them. It commenced raining very fast ; and, when we had reached the much-desired spot, it proved to l)e only a thin orchard, with a few scattered apple-trees. Wc still kept walking on, being well assured there was no shelter for us in our rear, at least close at hand. Wc soon discovered a little village in the very direction we were going, and near it appeared a small wood. We advanced tolerably fast; poor Essel a great way behind — Met an old peasant, and enquired the name of the village (Petit Essigny). He told lis there was a path-way on the right of it, if we wished to avoid pass- ing through. We were, he said, five leagues from St. Qucntin *. This old man's remarks appeared to us very singular: he took his leave, and we walked on. It rained, and the morning was advancing, now near- ly 8 o'clock. What we imagined to be a wood, adjacent to the village, proved, upon approaching it, to be only a few shrubs. We arrived at these shrubs, and found they were pretty thick and the grass very high, su;- rounded by a (juick-set hedge. Wc instantly got through the hedge, and lay close down. Our situation was very unpleasant ; the grass, which was excessively wet, added to our having been wet nearly to the skin before we •22 miles south of Cnmbray. POST-CAPTAINS OP 1821. 243 iimodio'JS osed, and ehensions cessity of s reduced to dust, a s. Next leese, and obtained lance. med by a ilose a8 to a servant trees. On traversed ssing hills Mr. Essel ive had been i utmost at- iderable dia- ls them. It nuch-desired apple-trees. Iter for us iii /illage in the 1 wood. We Met an old y). He told 0 avoid pass- ritin*. This k his leave, K, now near- ) the village, rived at these y high, su;- le hedge, and is, which was sin before we P entered it. The rain came literally upon our poor bodies in sluices, off the bushes. Poor Essel was now hardly able to move or speak ; however, this was preferable, we thought, to the risk of going into the village, where we suspected that gens d'armes might be lurking, being so near a large town. We continued in this miserable plight until about four o'clock, when !Mr. Essel became quite weak and feeble, and the reat of our little party were not much better; which induced as to quit this wretched place and endea- vour to get shelter in a house, let the consequence be what it might. Ac- cordingly we approached a single hut at a short distance from the village — entered it, and found in it a poor old peasant and two lads, who proved to be his sons ; they were sliivering over a few cinders, and appeared very miserable. We requested they would make a fire, and allow us to dry our things and warm ourselves ; which they did, upon our promising payment ; they seemed to be very much asto- shed at our appearance, and greatly at a loss to know who and what we \v ere. The fire being now made, we proceed- ed to wring the water out of our clothes, and to endeavour to get them dry. We made the old peasant bring us some bread ; he also gave us a little but- ter, which by chance he had in the house, the old dame, l\U wife, having taken all the rest that morning to St. Quentin's market. We imagined we should do extremely well, if he would allow us to remain all night even by the iire-side ; as it was impossible to attempt to travel, it rained so excessively hard. This we intimated to our venerable host ; but he without hesitation assured us it was out of his power. There was a public house in the village, he observed, where we could get supplied with every thing we might want ; and as it was so very near, there could be no great difficulty attending our getting there. At that moment two peasants were passing his door, and he added, ' those two men belong to the village, they will point out the house to you.* He then called them ; they appeared very civil — there was no alternative, so we paid the old man for his fire, bread, butter, &c. and accepted of the offer of these men. The figure of this said host of ours, is still before me. He was a tall, thin, squinting fellow, with an iron countenance, that gave the unfortunate but little to expect. We soon ar- rived at the village, and to our inexpressible joy found it to be a very mi- serable one. Our guides shewed us the public house, and went away. We entered it, and found the good landlady had nothing to give us but bread and eggs : and no bed, but a loft full of clean hay. This was the only inn (as they termed it) in the village. We appeared to heeitiite, whether we should remain here or proceed to the next considerable town, St. Quentin ; inquiring what distance it might be. Our hostess replied, not above three or four miles to a tolernOh/ large village. It rained too hard, we told her, to go that distance, and inconvenient as it was, we would remain with her and sleep in the huy-lofl that night, in prelcrence to being exposed any longer to the inclemency of the weather. This was indeed the kind of tavern and lodgings that suited us; I was never more pleased than at this re- ception. We got a good fire made, conipleted the drying of onr clothes, K 2 'm iJl'i'll 4 'ifl^H w l& i 'i' i ■i . 1 'i I i I t 244 POST-CAPTAfNS OF 1821. p:ot some supper, and retired to the bay-luft. The good woman gave us two blankets to cover us. We found this accommodation sufficiently good, and very soon fell fast asleep. " Tlie next day, fortunately for us, (as it kept us under cover) was very bad, raining without intermission. We kept in our loft, except one who went to procure breakfast, and to inform the landlady, (who we found was a widow) that we would stay until evening, in hopes that the rain might cease. We sent her our trowsers, stockings, &c. to mend for us. We could move about without much fear in this place, and found they were utter strangers to the sight of agend'arme. The good lady took us for conscripts, and commiserated our situation. She had a brother in the army, then in Prussia ; and she brought us a letter to read that she had lately received from him. — I had served in the same regiment : She was very much pleased to hear it. At about seven we paid this worthy old hostess, and took our leave. The night was clear star-light and promised favourably ; but the ground was so excessively slippery and muddy, that we could scarcely pre- vent ourselves from falling every step wc took. At about ten Air. Essel was seized with a violent bleeding of the nose and mouth. We feared that he had burst a blood vessel. This, together with a dysentery, which he had been troubled with some time, rendered him so excessively weak, that he could not move a step. We were greatly affected at this misfortune, and agreed to convf / him to the next house we should find. Fortunately the village alluded to by our landlady, when we first arrived at her house, was in sight, and the view of it gave our sick friend fresh courage ; but we were apprehensive it was too large ; however, we were resolved at all events, to procure him a lodging there ; and, if we perceived any danger, to be off in- Htantly. About half-past 11, we arrived at this village, which proved to be far inferior to what we had expected. Mr. Ashworth went into a [)ublic house to reconnoitre, and to inquire if oi»r friend could be supplied; here- turned shortly, and said he had sm-c^eded, and assured us, from every ap- pearance therein, that there was not the smallest risk attending our remain- ing there for the night, and even the next day. We wished very much to continue if possible together ; indeed, from their very great attention to me, when scarcely able to move, I was determined not to desert or abandon any of them that might be indisposed, unless impelled by the greatest ne- cessity. We accordingly agreed to remain with our friend, sincerely hoping that he might, by the next night, recruit his strength. The bleeding had ceased, which was a great deal in his favor : we accordingly went into the public house, the sick gentleman and myself last. We were very civilly re- ceived by the hindlord, who was a young decent man; he shewed us into a nice, clean, back room, where we had beds for each of us : he assured us we were perfectly safe with him. ' /have been situated in a similar ;«i\4. This is a d^pot fur seamen, and one of punishmeat for otiicejs who may transgress; but it is many degrees superior to th ; one at Bifc'ii';. wlvicb w.; were ordered to. Several of our countrymen obtained pcravis; i »p. io aec; US; and from one I received a small map of Gerrfl?,oy, torn out of sm okl book of geography, which I carefully st'tched in the Viuint?: of vas waist- coat. We were now joined by those left in Met;: pi ison, awA were soon again on the march towards our destined habitation s the sam;, precaiitioas were taken for securing us, and but little or no hop os ware, left of our ct- caping. We arrived at Sarreguemine, only 6 or 7 le'ij^ae-j trora Bitchc-, and were secured as usual i'l the jail. The next day we expe>ctcd w v.xtvQ at our horrible abode, about four iu the afternoon. In the raorniag our guards came with a large waggon, in which we Avere placed, and to my great astonishment and delight we were not chained. I cousvd.^rtd this as a most wonderful circumstance, and as a favou'-ah 'e jpFortunity that ought to be embraced, particularly as there could he no ncpcs of viy other chance ; indeed it appeared an Interposition of Divine Providence in our favour. I communicated my intent ioas to wy compauions, and after we had got out of the town, we desrcndcO. from cur waggon, observing to the guards that wc preferred v/alking a little. Mr. Essel remained in the waggon. Messrs. AsKworih, Tuthill, and Baker, of the merchant service, with .tiyself, were walking a-head of the waggon. We had not got more than two or three miles when I discovered a wood at about 150 yards from 'M' ■Si-!'"*"' ■i; 250 P0ST-CAPTAIN8 Ot 1821. the road ; otir guards were about 60 yards behind us ; they were on horse- back. Although there were no leaves on the trees, we were certain our guards could not pursue us without a ^reat deal of difficulty, owing to the branches ; and if they dismounted, we were well assured we could out-run them*. — ^The important and anxious moment arrived ! — I gave my friends the signal, which was a loud cheer, and away we ran — the guard in full spet t our heels. The ground being very heavy, a kind of fallow field between the road and the wood, Mr. Baker fell down and was instantly seized. We were more fortunate — crossed each other frequently in the wood, quite out of breath. I called out to them, that they must be very cautious in keeping out of pistol sliot of the guards, who were now riding in all directions through the trees, exclaiming — Arrctes coquins ! They quitted me, and I, fortunately at that instant having a tree between me and them, sat down. I observed the guards pursuing my companions. The moment I lost sight of the fcrmer I drew towards the borders of the wood, on the opposite side to tiie " I lay cold and quiet enough in my wet and muddy bed, anxiously wishing for night to arrive and dispel part of my apprehensions. I was ohliged frequently to shift from one side to the other, the moisture becom- ing very severe ; in a short time I was wet through in every part, and extremely chilly, having been in great perspiration when I entered the islet. I could distinctly hear the alarm bells ringing in the adjacent vil- lages, and the whistling, howling, and shouting of the peasantry in the di- rection J had just quitted; and frequently I heard voices close to me. " But now the much desired moment of darkness \« as approaching fast ; the sun was setting, and, to my great mortificaticn, with every appearance of bad weather. It already began to rain very hard, which obscured the moon, about that time eight o" nine days old. Reflecting on my present state, I found it truly pitiable — with only the small old map already men- tioned to direct my course ; without compass or guide, meat, drink, or companion, and in the dreary month of November. The nearest friendly town to me was Satsburgh (in Austria), between ^ and 800 miles distant. Nevertheless, having escaped from the clutches of tyrants, and being my own master, more than compensated for a thousand severe hardships. I cut a stick out of the bush I had lain ail day concealed in, and picked a number of haws off it, which I put in my pocket, and swallowed stones and all, occasionally. About half-past seven I ventured out, shook and cleaned my cloathcs as well as I could, recommended myself to a Merciful Creator; and proceeded, with great precaution, towards the wood, in which I had separated from my companions, supposing that they would return there also, to meet me. It rained very hard, and every thing was profoundly silent. I traversed the wood about three or four miles in diflfer- ent directions, but to no puipose : now and then I whistled, which was a former signal established amongst us, but all without success. I remained 4lon«— cold, fatigtifd, and drcnchod with wet. \-\i ^ S ' y. r H I' li M 4 ; I' 252 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. *' The moon being^ again entirely hid, in consequence of the inclemency of the weather, prevented my knowing to a certainty what course to take. The risk was too ^rcat to venture on the hi&^h road : I knew this from sad experience, and yet I was so nearly perished with eold and wet, that it was impossible to remain still. I, therefore, kept running and walking onwards during the night, frequently impeded hy the course of the Sarre, which confused me greatly. At length, being very much fatigued, from the commons, deserts, &c. which 1 had gone through, and finding a con- venient wood, though destitute of leaves, I got into it anlight it ceased raining ; the stars shewed themselves, and 1 had the mortification of discovering that I had been going diatnetrically opposite to my proper course. What added to my miseralde i^ituation, there was neither wood nor any place in sight to cover me for the ensuing day. " In this unhappy dilemma, I still kept advancing, being contident I had no secure retreat behind me. When, at length, some time after day-light, I discovered a very thin wood, on the side of a hill, which I immediately l)etook myself to, and there remained until night. There was a drizzling rain the whole of the day ; the cold was extreme. I did not feel hungry, but excessively weak. During the preceding night, I had taken several rning ; and I onsolation in whole of this d falls down !il>le. About ses, &c. and r some time, crtain as the ite for travel- »e side of tl'c , imagine my I was chaU iorscl)ack. I int moment ; it, and crawU me to gather e wood with- ry dark, wet idded greatly -I, however, fell in with a L'ntifully, and \ftcrward8, I re-entered the wood, in which I remained all day. At night I recommen- ced my journey, still embarrassed in consequence of the weather to know which way to go. This was the most severe night (if possible) I had yet experienced — the roads, pathways, and fields were deep and heavy from the constant rains ; rivulets had become dangerous rivers, and I had to wade through several. I had an opportunity again this night of feasting upon cabbage stalks, leaves, and turnips, and filled my pockets also. " My feet now began to get blistered, and very sore. I was also becom- ing excessively weak, it being my fifth day of living upon cabbage leaves and stalks. About half-past 2, in the morning, I perceived a lonely house on the side of a wood. I imagined I might approach it and thus endeavour to procure some refreshment ; being of opinion, that after so long a ram- ble (even allowing for the traverse I must unavoidably have made) I was still a great distance from the place whence I had escaped; I was there- fore tempted to try. Accordingly made towards it. Saw a light in the window, got close to the door, peeped through the key-hole and window alternately, and at last saw a woman spinning by a rousing fire. How anxiously did I wish to be seated by it 1 Twice had I the knocker of the door in my hand, and as often did I drop it ; so great were my apprehen- sions and fears of approaching any dwelling place. My last rencontre had greatly heightened them, and not having plenty of cash to purchase myself otf, was another powerful reason for alarm. Notwithstanding all my fears and all the embarrassments I laboured under, I at last seized the knocker the third time, and rapped. The door was opened by a man, who surveyed me from top to toe. I was covered all over with mud and dirt, and drip- ping wet. He could clearly perceive from my appearance and miserable aspect, that I had been secluded for some time from ." • fellow creature, and had been doomed to associate or rather herd wiih the animals that inhabit the forests ; indeed the voice of the screech-owls, during my night wanderings, was the only one I had heard for some time, which had become quite habitual to me. Whilst this fellow remained with his eyes rivetted upon me, 1 assured him in French, that I was very thirsty, and asked him if he would have the kindness to give me something to drink ? — He could not speak French, but made me understand he had nuthing whatever to give me. — I discovered a pail of water and pointed to it, upon which he brought me a ladle fidl. I then took the liberty of sitting down by the fire, though this inhos- pitable boor never asked mir. I did not n>uch like the appearance of the place, nor did it oflTer any thing th; could be of the smallest service. I asked him the road to Strasbourgh — it was close by. f was about to quit his fire side, when a tailor arrived to work for the family ; and he also began U) snrvey me very closely. 1 heard him whisper to the man of the house, and mention very distinctly the words Englandcr and liitchc. He then addressed me, and asked, if I were authori<rwflf«;v/it' presented himself, and with a gruff over- bearing voice, desired us to prepare for our march. He had very little difficulty in getting this summons obeyed, but he told us we must first of all clean out our cell ! ' Where is the Englishman?' said he, ' let him do that part!' I advanced, and told him, I absolutely would not — I had caused no accumulation of filth since my arrival, therefore was determined not even to assist. The fellow was getting into a rage, when the deserters interfered, and assured him that what I stated was true, and they insisted upon their emptying it out ; which being done, we commence*! our journey as before ; the two sick wretches were not exempted from fetters, although the weather was excessively inclement — blowing and snowing right in our teeth. JMy wrists were swollen and sore : however this was the last stage, and I expected at least to get clear of the handcuffs. The sick repeatedly recpiested permission to halt where they saw a frozen rivulet, to endeavour to procure some water, but to no efffct. Those flint-hearted brutes would not suffer them, and the poor creatures ate haudfuls of snow, to try to ex- tinguish their burning thirst. The guard would not even condescend to unchain them on any occasion, and they were consequently exposed on the liigh road to every one. "On the 21 St, at noon, the high turrets of the gloomy mansion I was going to inhabit presented themselves to my sight. The outward appear- ance was of ilscif sufficient to strike the mind with horror. The idea of being shut up in that detestable ftutress for, perhaps, the remainder of my lii ishman, and ament under uffa until the at Haguenuu le of which I ill day. For 0118 that ever only a small I a great deal ilaiii, when a permitted to lie charitalilu red to move ; f companions on. The air , that I never I were seized led greatly to I description ; iment arrived, I, crceking of a gruflF over- liad very little we must first he, ' let him Id not — I had as determined I the deserters d they insisted mI our journey Iters, although g right in our the last stage, ick repeatedly , to endeavour 1 hrutes would V, to try to ex- condescend to imposed on the mansion I was itward appear- . The idea of muindcr of my POST-CAPT.VrNS OF 1821, 259 Existence, was not of the most pleasing nature ; however, death was much tnorc prcfcrahle than a continuation of uiy persecutions, and I sometimes wished to he at rest. In an hour 1 was in the centre of tha fort of Bitc'hc — stared at on all sides by my unfortunate countrymen, who hap- pened to be out of their souterrains at this moment to respire. Several I could liear arguing wliellier I was a British sidyect. * He must have been,' said tlioy, * at the head of some handitli — perhaps he is the olGcer who commanded the soldiers he is chained to — It is impossible that any prisoner of war could be loaded in such a manner with fetters!' Others, who recognized ine, shook their lieads, and dared not approach near enough to ask a question : but 1 couM perceive they imagined I had com- mitted some atrocious offence. Indeed it struck me, that they thoughi, I had killed somebody, which I afterwards found was the general opinion. *' It was not many seconds before my olil friends and companions, Messrs. Ashworth and Tuthill, found means to get to me. I never was more thunderstruck in my life, ns I supposed they were, l)y that time, on their passage to, or had safely arrived in, England. INIr. Baker, of the merchant service, and all the others, exce|)t Lieutenant Essel, who had been lately dashed to pieces in endeavouring to g^ over the walls, like- wise came to see mc. Messrs. Ashworth and Tuthill had been arrested, about two hours after they parted from me in the wood. It had been so suddenly surrounded by soldiers, peasantry, &c. that it was impossible to escape from it. They could not account for my getting clear. The others, whom we had left with the waggon, never attempted to escape. ** I shall not attempt to describe the fortress of Bitche ; to give a minute detail of its strength, souterrains, &c. would fill a volume; therefore I shall only observe, that it is reckoned the strongest fortification in France, built on the summit of an immense rock, out of which all its subter- raneous caves are hollowed. It has three ramparts ; the first, from 90 to 100 feet high ; the second, from 40 to 5{» ; and the third, from 25 to 30 ; with redoubts, entrenchments, &c. innumerable. It appeared, at that moment, a moral impossibility to escape from it ; and I was filled with despair on beholding its works. Being now arrived at the wretched dun- geon I was to inhabit, my handcufts and chains were taken off; and the <'orsican deserters were conducted to the condemned cells ; they were, I Itelieve, soon afterwards shot. I found a Mr. Worth, midshipman, and a Captain Brine, of the merchant service, here. The latter was one of those who came from Verdun with me. They were on a door, which they hud managed to uidiinge, and which lay as a platform to keep thetn out of ex- crement and wet, which was more than ancle deep. They informed me they had been companions of the unfortunate Essel, in the late attempt to get over the ramparts ; six in numhcr had broken out of their cave — had got a rope made of sheets, and were on the point of lowering them- selves down, when they were discovered, and the aliirin given; which er, thai was only stnnig /'iioii;;!! li 1 . il ..it. hem all clap on the rope top b ^ I 200 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. .1 to bear the weijjflit of one at a tiinc, and consequently broke. One was* tlaslied to pieces, and three others were so severely mangled and bruised, that little hop^s were at first entertained of their recovery •, however, they were then improving fast, and expected in the d«n<>;con the moment tl»« surgeon reported them well enough ; after which they wouM have to remain therein thirty-one days, tlie usual time of being l)urie(l alive in the first am! most liorri!)le gradution of our captivity. It was about fifty deep stone steps underground, and t!»e most dark an 1 itUriciitc passages led from it to the jailer's house * • • • * * " We now again began to ec't whatever J means to rc- ere procured, isatked every rt of the rock L-end the rani- ujrly, throngU , contrived to wanted) and then a ball of made a rope lainder of the . Our work- the fresh air. light, and we ,3 consequent- ht some day, f^ilancc of the to be accoiii- ated from our pportunity of ng to us ; the •ished by each ions oocusion- , and how we iibjccts of our n the dungeon ty steep stone r countrymen, 'heming every wore the rope I had very lit- "This continued during the months of February, IVIarch, April, May, and June, at the expiration of which the commandant had the kindness to allow me to go up into a room, Adhere there were already twelve more. This in- dulgence, he had the courtesy to say, was in conse(|ucnce of my good con- duct. Messrs. Tuthill, Ashworth, and Brine, were of llie number ; the lat- ter wore his rope as I did, and was the only person of the party, then in the room, who knew I had one. We l)ecame daily more intimate from this con- fidence in each other ; and after a vast number of fruitless endeavours, on the 17th July 180S, the term of our slavery appeared to be drawing to a conclusion : I was on that day told in confidence by one of the seamen, that a party had thoughts of breaking out that night from the souterrain — that he was one of them, and he informed me who the other principal people were. I bcgaij to regret having ever left the cave. However, I imagined there was a probability of getting down to them for the night. I accord- ingly wailed on the heads of the party, during tlioir breathing time, and re- quested they would have the goodness to allow me to visit them that even- ing, without intimating my motives. Tiiey stared; and it iumiediately struck them, that I hud a knowledge of their project. I therefore did not hesitate telling them the truth. They assure! me, they could not permit my cominjf down to them, as it ha 1 been alreaily fixed, that none of those upstairs were to he admitted : iheir reason was, that they supposed it might cause suspi- cion, as it would be necessary to o!)tain the marfechal de logis's leave, before any of us coub-i get below. I felt greatly mortified at their resolution. They were locked down at the usual hour (C o'clock), and I told them at parting, that I had still hopes of spending the evening amongst them. After they had been locked down, the marJiihal de logis generally \''them to join in celebrating the birth- night. I was afraid that their applying would cause suspicion, and prevent even my being allowed; however it did not. As we approached the cave, the noise which was made to prevent the working of saws, chisels, and other tools from being heard, convinced me they had already commenced their operations. Some wire singing, others shouting, dancing, and their dogs barking. Before seven we worcamongst them, having taken u few necessaries I * In summer thoy allowed us to remain until seven. I« intoxicated, 1 who I was, being done, as he could- a of getting ing the first lat he would one ; but on rid oath that :honicntly at toniblc con- POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 263 splracy!' * Where are those visitors,' cried he, 'wlw, I understand, pre- vailed on the ff-rnd'arme to be admitted down ; they must be the heads of this business ?' They then called over the names of Tuthill, Ashworth, ' and O'Brien. I was too old a man of wor's man to answer the hrst call. The two former answered, who were stripped and by this time in bed : However, this did not protect them; they were desired to put on their clothes instantly, and ordered to be conducted to my former habitation, the dungeon. They again repeated my name ; Mr. Brine, through mis- take, answered ; and he was immediately ordered lu join the other two. I remained close covered, whilst the servant sat up in the bed, and declared (when they were advancing towards him), that there was only himself there. This they took for granted, and passed to the next beil. I saw no prospect whatever of escaping from being discovered (as they were ocr- tain of my being below), and I was frequently on the point of jumping up and joining my comrades, who were now marching out for the dungeon. The servant (though intoxicated) observed, it would be time enoui^h to join that party when I was oon be found out. Light days pusscd on. — 1 Ircquenlly puid those poor fellows a visit during the time, liuchc'' aas then rcka.^cd, and I was (^iged to keep conslunily in the room when he wus on duty; and, when he came to nnister us, I wus c«tvere(l over in bed. They never call the names, to coimt beads is their method, which suited me adnurably. Five more days hud passed away in a similar manner, when we received orders to prepare for a general review, which usually takes pluce once a montli. " Augutt ilh. i)i\ this duy we were all placed in ranks and minutely innpre.cd. It at,pe»red to my friends und myself, that I could not now a»oid disvov'iy, as ull the griuhinnrM alletuhd. There is no excep- tion or excuse of sickness to be made ; if a prisoner be able lo truwl ho POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821, 205 nciit, wliicli le commaiw tdod about 9 They were ill so short saw, a haiii- culty to con- led to be of iiiy fute. Permission tie up for it. to throw the } but forlu- lled to opcu guard bcii)); mu througli brini<;in^ the 1*8 eyca were 'he sentiiiuis they had just nut belong to the prisoners 1 the habit of aking. They few iniuutes f niiartiiieiit, Tluis did I med that my und horrid c ffetuVurme 1, I obtuitikd I'omlulc uitii ired it wuuhi d tiiose pour . and 1 WHS ; and, when ever call the ably. Five rived oi t was left. - le 11 til (if 1* ! moment. •eivod per- y seven in riie foiirtli - a aerviee ; ad eonjee- !•! partake ly the sen- : were put i... very dan- y run tlic sinee Mr. taking nil ^ i id proved j| ope m:ide f et in. Ft 1 ore denpe- .i oned, and 'i l< J,Mt into i H pojiiioii ' until urulni^ht, without any sncoesa. The sentinels were on the alert dur- mg the whole time, and without their ^'reat coats. It was ilicn ac;rced to return to our apartments until tiie ensuini; night, and to deposit all our apparatus in places that ha>lit might not be so very active, and therefore continued in expectation until two in the morning, when we returned, iiaving secured our door, &e. and went to bed. The souler- raiu was opened at the usual imur, and our friends came running up, imagining, from the inclemency of ihe night, that we must itavc succeed- ed i but were greatly disappointed at finding us all in our beds. I related the circUMislances to tliem ; and they, with oursehcs, were not sanguine at our being able to pass in fair weatiicr, if we cuuld not in such a night an the last hud been. I never saw soldiers more on ihc alert thau the French sentinels. " Doctor Barklimore had recently rcco"prcd from a severe fit of the ague, and was atill vt-ry wc^ik : I was much afraid, even if we did succeed in getting out of ih'" fort, that he would not be able to perform the very long journey we were going to take. However, he was resolved to try. " On the 14ih, we dined early, that we might have the pleasure of our souterruin friends' company at u farewell dimior, during their breathing lime. We got a good large piece of beef, and had it roasted ; we had also bread, vegetables, and beer. They stated the number of difiicullies we should have to surmount in passing the guards : the danger that would attend it ; and expressed the anxiety they were under for us. W'e, how- ever, were determined not to relinquish our undertaking, and to be ready every night until an oppcu'tunity oO'ered. We parted as we had done the night before. They did not suppose we should have any chance that night, us the weather was moderate and fair. At our usual hour we were lockoti up, and immediately re-commenced our preparations. We thouglit, 2 ihaps, the sentinels might be nuire careless early in the evening, that is to say, before 8, which was the usual litnc to set the ni^^ht watch uiul give the necessary «)rdcrs. " We were now all ready — Our door was opened, and wc could sec the sentinel, whom we had most to fear, w:dk up and down before our win- dows. His box was in front of llie door, in the yard through which wc had to go; but us our guards lived underneath our apartments, wc thought, he would lake any boily's moving about so early, for one of them; and it was uniisiud to challenge any one btdore ^< o'clock. " .\t about 7, the fellow entcird his box. 1 iiistaiilly descended ihc btairs that led into the yard — It wa^ jii-^t dusk; and I was to take six mi- nutes on the forlorn hope, us it might justly lie termed, (o fix our rope to a palisudu and to descend the lirst rampart, before INIr. Ilcwson followeil, who was next on the list. I passed liic seniincl (piite close, and could sec him leaning over hi-^ mu>kil. lie never moved, tiioiigh I met his eye, probably taking in.', for one of the f;uar(U ; and I arrived providenliuHy, i l|f:l<: ■'f i! M r ! ^-irli I 208 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. ■I at ilie .h to po down the ihinl rampart. We hud taken the precaution of providinjj two lung boot-hooks to stick in the wall, to make onr ro()e fast to, in case we had no other means ; and these we found of the greatest service in descending the last rampart, as there was nothing whatever besides that we could fasten it to. Having now descended three walls, we had only to pass the outride sentinels, who were few, and which we fortunate- ly succeeded in doing; after descending the third wall, we remained in a large fosse or ditch, and had to watch the turn of a sentinel whom wc observed walking just above us. — .Vs soon as bis back was turned wo rolled on our sides down the glacis. In a short time, we were on the high road to Stras!)ourg; on which we continued, running as fast as we could for nearly half an hour. Wc then halted to put on onr shoes, which we had hung round our necks ; and also to take a last view of the ' man- sion of tears*.' We returned our thanks to (iod, and shook hands with each other, replete with joy at thi? ujiraculuus escape. I Hach took a little spirits out of a cauline procure 1 fur the journey ; and which, from expe- rience, I knew was necesary to preserve health when lying in l!ie woods, drijjping wet, in the day lime. The transactions of the last hour actually appeared to me like a dream. I wished only that our three sick comrades who were in the ro')n«, had been with us ; but we had left our door locked, and the window (»pen, to deceive the commandant anti save our friends. — I could hardly supiKiso I was again free and my own master. I freipicntly stared at uiy com|uuiionH, and said to myself, ' my (tod ! id it then possible, that we are clear of the tyn 'tween tha frontiers of two nation!*; one would not allow ns to advaiice withoit tlit; propc-r documents, and the other, if we remaiaud a inoineut, woidd pursue aiil arrest us for havliijf passed theirs without slii'win;; them what entitled u?s to do so. \>'ell knowinfr which power we had to apprelic"! most, I proposcil to endeavour to avoid the Austrian ollieer, and to ut also ealculatin;; in Uc'u\<^ too far in their dominions, for any one to return us to the Havarians. I need not say that we ad- v.uieed very briskly, until we ^jol into the wood, (piile out of breath, tole- rably sure that we were ii.nv in Aoiitiia, and astonished that we were not pursued After atoppiny; some little lime to breathe, \vc ajfaln proceeded. It was impossible to cross the mountains, they were ipiite inaTes.-ible. Wc therefore kept the wood as loni; as it lay in the direction that suited us ; tind, in a short lime, we si»w the hi:,'ii road, ami found we were about a mile uilhin I'.iu Imperial bairior. This was an ine.xprcshiblc consiila- tion. "We proceeded with coaftdeiuii to the road; wlicn, ju^t ns(!rving, that our finances were greatly reduced — upon which, he very handsomfly removed the dillicidty, hy saying, that the government would allow us a ccrtiiiu sum per day, agrecahte to our rank, &c. whilst we were detained l»v llic .1. We all f(;lt very se sihie of his goodness, and returned him our warmest tiianks. He n'(iuesteer verygrave and pensive, informing us, he was fearful we should again be sent back to France. We were not so ignorant ot'physittgnomy, as not to be able to discern that he had no such ap|)rc'hensinn ; but had, on the «-iintrary, received some joyful inteU ligence. He then congratulated us upon being once more freemen, uud informed us, that the director I' ad received an order frcm the Aus- trian g(tvernmenf, to grant us passports to proceed where we pleased; and that we might tpiit the toun that duy if we wished. (Jood (Jod ! what intelligence to people who hud bicn nearly five years iu slavery ! We sprang out of bed, fell on our knees, and greeted each other as free people. It is in)possible to describe our joy and Imppiness at that moment. We instant- ly agreed to wait upon our old and worthy friend, the director, and shew him how grateful we were for his atleniion and kiiulness. He received us in the most handsome m;uiner, and appeared as much elated as if he had been in our situation. He wished to know how wc meant to trave! to 'I'ri- cste ? We answered on foot, as our finances weiolow; thoiiyh wc dreaded !l f» from tliC ch, that lis to ac(|uulnt ahoulil have )u /uiife fif't'n >i to remain I could not which, he ffovernmeiit , &c. whilst luliiesR, and ke ourselves heard frt)in >n wrote the forwardinif mrknngcii- ij, to recDii- itat, in case bed, that a !Ctor wished During our plcxod slate, inpossihie to aded lest the et still I coM- h a (over and hensious, aU [<• had coin- '. and pensive, France. NN'e II that he had 3 joyful Intel, 'reenicn, and tn the Aus- we pleased ; .1 (lod ! what ! We sprau)^ >cnple. It is We instaut- ir, and shew e received us . ns it' he hud trave? i(» 'i'ri- i wo dreaded POST- CAPTAINS OF 1821. 273 the doctor's incapacity, on account of his late indisposition : His last fit haviufT heen so severe, that he was under the necessity of employing mcdi> cal assistance ; and had been hied and blistered several times, but he was then somewhat better, though weak. " Our passport for Trieste was at this time making out, and in half an hour we were to return for it. In the mean time we went hack to the tavern to make the necessary preparations, and get some breakfast. It was a lux- urious meal. The moment we entered, the landlord presented us with an answer to Mr. Hewson's letter from his friend at Vienna ; and what joyful news did we receive iit that letter! It informed us of the success that had attended our applicatien at that city, with respect to our passport, and con- tained an order on his banker at !Salzt>urgh, to supply us with what money we might deem necessary to defray our expcnces, and enable us to travel with case and comfort — a moile of conveyance that we had hitherto been strangers to. IVovulence appeared too bountiful. We waited on the bank- er, got the sum necessary, and called on the director, to give him the intel- ligence, lie appeared much pleased, congratulated us on our success, and ordered our passport to be made out to go by the diligence. I'his proved very fortunate for our sick companion, who feared much we should have been separated had we been obliged to walk. " Tlie wishedfor morning at length arrived ; we took a grateful leave «if the director, and placed ourselves in the diligence. The first night we had a most intricate and diilicult road to pass, through immense moun- tains covered with snow. Nothing particular occurred. The conductor of the vehicle was inclined to be insolent, and assisted the innkeepers to e.v- tort from us; however, at the fourth stage we forlunatciy got clear of him, and were placed in a waggon that took us to Villaeli, and thence ti» Clagenfurt, the capital of Carinthia. There we were apprised that we had better perform the 'ie.\t day's journey on foot, as the mountains were so excessively high, that if even we had a carriage we should Ite obliged to walk the greater part of the way. Next morning (Sunday, 30ih Oct.) we rose at day-break, and commenced our journey. We walked twelve leagues before 7 i'. M., six of them ascending almost perpendicularly, and the rest descending in the opposite direction. After undergoing a strict inspection at a small post town, we took carriage for Laubach, the capital of Car- niola, and travelled all night. On the ;vn ; requestinjf tliat we would still say we were Americans. A liorea, or N. E. wind, which in the Adriatic is most violent, was then setting in : he assured us, it would be impossihie to get cnil)arked until the gale abated, hut that he would render us every assistance in due time; we took our leave, greatly re- joiced at this reception, and proceeded to the inn ; thence we went and waited on the American consul. He received us civilly, and informed us, there was a gentleman named Donolan (wlio was formerly the English vice-consul) then in town. We waited on this geiitlcnan, and he proved, in every sense of the word, a real friend ; he engaged to get us embarked, supplied us with cash, nnd offered us lo remain at his house if we wished ; his wife was equally polite and attentive. The inclemency of the weather was the only thiiig at thii moment that prevented our happinesa being complete. " Wc rcturnrd to the tavern, and passed our moments as comfortably as possible ; dined at the f'tffle d'/wlr, with the ollicers of the Russian squadron, who at first supposed we actually were Americans ; but after- wards, from a number of insinuations thrown out by thein, and the marked attention they paid us, I am confiilent they discovered what we were. " Notwithstanding the severity of tlic weather, INIr. Hewson and myself used to walk out to on adjacent height, to contemplate the ocean, and to Bee our frigate, that lay violently tossed and agitated on that boisterous clement. Not another British vessel was to be seen ; and the idea of this single jhip blockading, as the iidiabitants termed it, so superior a force, increased our admiration. It was highly flattering to us to feel at that moment, that we belonged to so superior a country, and to that service which ruled so triumphantly, feared and admired by the whole world. " On Monday night (November 7th), the weather became moderate. The frigate got under weigh, and I feared she might, perhaps, be quitting the station. Wc waited instantly on our friend Donolan, who assured us we should be embarked that night, and he kept \m proniise. Every mat- ter was arranged, the boat, &c. in readiness ; and at about half-past eight we embarked, and were in a very short time clear of the harbour. " Our crew kept rowing towards the point they expected to find the frigate in; hut to our mortification we were disappointed. They then agreed to get close in on the coast of Istria, until the moon rose, and to come to a grapnel, which was executed. The moon being up, wc weighed and rowed out again, in the hope of discovering the frigate ; but with no better success. I protest I thought she had gone ofiT the station, and felt very unhappy, but did not disclose my ideas to my companions, lest I should make them also miserable. In this kind of manner we kept rowing in different directions until - serving the loss wc had sustained, made towards the trabacolo, wlili r 2 t'.*!' Ill } -^0/^ ^V^ ^ 1p M:> ^ 276 rOST-CAPTAINS OF 1821, 'W ':■ twenty-two men. We had no alternative, but were under the necessity of sheeruijj^ off, and it was only to their cowardly and dastardly conduct, that we remained indel)ted for not heiuof ajyain made prisoners. The frigate was out of sijfht, and the confused state of our little crew, two killed and five wounded, would have rendered us no diflicult conquest to so superior a force, had they hut persevered. " Lieutenant Jones never made the sli^rhtest complaint, nor did he let any one know he was wounded, until we were well clear of them, although it proved to be a most painful and dangerous wound which he had re- ceived; he had also several musket balls through the crown of his hat. My wound was from a musketoon shot through the right arm, which entirely disabled it then ; nor do I ever expect it will recover its former strength. " At about half-past noon, we got alongside my good old ship. Cap- tain Hoste, although a stranger to us, behaved like a parent; his very great humanity will never be erased from my mind. The other two lieutenants, Williap^ "'"-••"'land C.G.R. Phillott, had been on board the Amphion also, iu my time; consequently I felt (juito at home amongst my friends : the whole of the officers vied with one another in paying us attention, and afforded us every succour that could be expected by people in our desti- tute situation from their generous countrymen. "Sixteen days had elapsed, most of which time I was confined to my bed, when H. IM. brig Spider, Lieutenant (William Sanford) Oliver, commander, arrived from MaJta, with despatches, and to return immediately. We solicited (y'aptaiu Hoste's permission to take a passage in her, which he readily granted, giving us a letter of introduction and recommendation to Sir Alexander Ball, the port-admiral and governor, who ordered Dr. Bark- limore a passage to England, and advised iMr. Hewsou and myself to join the fleet off Toulon with all possible expedition."* Off Corfu, the Spider captured a French bombard, laden wit!) great coats and wool, and she was not released from quarantine until the arrival of the Amphion at Malta, with Mr. Battley on board, whom that frigate had picked up off Trieste, a few days after the departure of his late companions. On joining Lord CoUingwood's flag-sliip, Messrs. O'Brien and Hewbon had tlie gratification of seeing five more of their fel- low sufferers, who had iled from Bitche in consequence of letters they had written at Trieste, pointing out the best course for them to pursue. Among these were Messrs. Tuthill and Brine. fj • Mr. Barklimorc is now in practice as a surgeon, &c. ftt No. 10, Char- lotte Struul, Dluom&bury, Ljudon. POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 2/7 On the 29th Mar. 1809, Lord CoUingwood appointed Mr. O'Brien lientenaiit of the Warrior J4, Captain John William Spranger, in which ship he assisted at the capture of the is- lands of Ischia and Procida, Zante, Cephaloiiia, &c. &c. &c., in June and October following *. On the 2nd Mar. 1810, he joined the Amphion, as junior lieutenant of that frigate ; and shortly afterwards bore a part in a gallant exploit, the result of which was the surrender of the garrison of Grao, in the Friule, and the captin-e and destruction of about 35 vessels, chiefly laden with steel, iron, and merchandize f . Lieutenant OlJrien was second of the Amphion at the bril- liant battle near Lissa, Mar. 13, 1811 J ; and after that event we find him conducting la Bellona, one of the captured French frigates, to Malta. His next appointment was, Nov. 16th in the same year, to be first of the Bacchante 38, on that day launched at Deptford. The Bacchante sailed from Spithead, for Cadiz and the Me- diterranean, June 2nd, 1812 ; captured la Victoire French pri- vateer, near Palermo, July 26th, and arrived at Lissa on the 10th of the ensuing month. Three weeks afterwards, Lieu- tenant O'Brien conducted a dashing enterprise, which was thus officially reported to the senior officer in the Adriatic : •• H. M. S. nacchnnte, ofRovigno, Sept. 1, 1812. «« Sh-,— Having received infonnaliou that sevt-n vessels were laden with ship timber for tlie Venetian government, at Port Lema, on the coast of Istria, I yesterday evening detaclied tlie hoats of this ship, iiudcr the di- rection of Lieutenant O'Brien, to bring them out, wliich I am iuippy to say lie completely effected, though they were lying under the protection of a French xebec and two gun-boats. " Lieutenant O'Brien received information of this uncxp'^cted force of the enemy from two merchant vessel he captured at the entrance of the port, nnd who stated their force to be very superior to his own ; notwithstaiuhng which he proceeded to the attack, and very gallantly carried them by board, ing, as well as the tin»ber vessels. At day light, 1 had ti»e pleasure of see- ing the whole coming towards the ship. •See Supplement, Tart I p. 81) et .vry, and Vol. L Part II. p. 7lf>. t See Commander William Slaioutkr. I See Vol. II. Parti, p \T2 et scr defence and for bush-fighting, and which completely commanded the coast. *' In this situation they awaited our l)oats, which were led to the attack by Lieutenant O'Brien with his accustomed gallantry } and I want words. Sir, to convey to you my admiration of the determined manner in which this service was performed. The hoats, pushing through a very heavy fire of grape and musketry, carried all before them ; boarding and driving the enemy from their vessels in every direction. The marines at the same time landing, forced them from their position in the wood, leav- ing our brave men in quiet possession of this valuable convoy, consisting of twenty-six vessels, laden chiefly with oil and almonds, from Barri, bound to Veuioe. I enclose herewith a statement of their armed force. " Lieutenant O'Brien was most ably seconded by Lieutenant (iSilas Thomson) Hood, second of this ship ; also by Lieutenant Haig, R. M., any loss on sfLieutenant i boats to the »se under hi» is) Gostling, en under his nal xebec, of one 9 pound- uder and 20 Istrla, from . HOSTE.'* boats was ated Sept. It day-break, on the coast iffiinfr winds detached the our to inter- id in. of this ser- e merchant- I themselves le, uho took lose aground well adapted commanded to the attack want words, iner in which I very heavy oarding and e marines at 8 wood, leav- y, consisting from Barri, tied force, tenant (8ilas Haig, R. M., I POST-CAPTAINS OP 1821. 279 who lets no opportunity of distinguishing himself escape ; and he speaks in the highest terms of the whole of the petty officers and men employed with him. I have the honor to be, &c. (Signed) " VV. Hoste." The captured armed vessels consisted of the Andre Ro» going, and Vincenzo del Mondo, each mounting one long 12-pounder and three swivels, with a crew of 16 men; the Nicolo Pascoliclo, of one Ti-pounder and 16 men j and five others (names unknown) of one 12-pounder and 12 men each. In the performance of this very gallant and important service, the British had not a man killed, and only two wounded. The foregoing letters were published by the Admiralty, Jan. 22, 1813; and on the same day Lieutenant O'Brien was advanced to the rank of commander : he did not hear of his promotion, however, for nearly three months afterwards. On the 13th and 14th Nov. 1812, he assisted in bringing off a large quantity of government oak timber from the beach near Fesano, a small town in the vicinity of Pola, where the enemy had 300 soldiers, but made no effort to pi event its being taken away. Only a very brief extract of the follow- ing official letter was ever published in the London Gazette : " Bitcchante, off Otmnto, Jan. 6, 1813. "Sir, — 1 have to inform you, that at day-break this morning, in compa- ny with H. M. sloop Weazle, I discovered a division of the enemy's flotilla close to us, steering for che coast of Italy ; it was nearly a calm. The ene- my, on seeing us, separated ; and I detached the boats of ibis ship, under Lieutenant O'Brien, to attack one division, and directed the Weazle's boats, with one from the Bacchante, to pursue the other, then endea- vouring to gain the island of Funo. The Weuzle was directed to support her boats, whilst I continued, with what little wind there was, the chase of those my own boats were after ; and I have much satisfaction in stating the capture of the whole without the loss of a man. Tlie enemy waited in line to receive the attack ; but the judicious disposition of the commanding lieutenant, and his prompt measures for boarding them, occasioned their surrender after a good deal of firing, and a very spirited resistance from the stemmost gun-boat. It is my duty to state the conduct of my first lieute- nant, O'Brien, whose judgment and bravery are highly conspicuous : and it is only a contir. nation of a variety of boat services which that ollicer has been engaged in, and which has been invariably crowned with success. " I beg leave to recommend hini to the notice of the conHnauder-in-chicf, as a brave deserving ollicer. u.n ,iii'i m in ; I III 280 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. ** The officers and men displayed the same eager desire to distiuguiah themselves which I have had occasion to mention more than once, and are deserving of praise for their exemplary conduct ; Captain Black assures roe, that the conduct of the officers and men employed in the Weazle's boats was equally meritorious. " The Weazle joined mc in the evening with the two gun^boats she had been sent in pursuit of; and a circumstance occurred in the capture of them, which will, I trust, recommend the midshipman to the notice of the com- mander in chief. Notwithstanding the exertions of the Weazle, the boats were enabled to close with the enemy before her, and the then leading boat, commanded by Mr. Webb, of the Bacchante, got up with the sternmost, who received him very warmly : he, however, boarded and carried her. She mounted one 14-pounder in the bow, one 6-pounder in the stern, and had forty men actually on board. He left her to be taken possession of by the boats that were coming up, and pushed on after the headmost, which he boarded and carried in the same gallant manner. This one had a 9- pounder in the bow, a 6-pounder in the stern, and 32 men actually on board. Mr. Webb's boat mounted a 3-pounder in the bow, and he had 18 men only with him. He has passed his examination as lieutenant, has been two years acting lieutenant, and is a very promising meritorious young man. " The enemy had quitted Corfu the evening before, and were bound to Otranto to convey money for the payment of the troops on that island. They are very fine vessels, and sail remarkably fast. Their guns are fit- ted so as to turn on a pivot, and may be fired in any direction without al- tering the course, which enabled them to keep up a very smart fire, as our boats approached. As it is the only force of this description the enemy have at Corfu, the capture of them will be of considerable annoyance to the island. The enemy had two men severely wounded. I am happy to say, we had no casualty whatever. I have the honor to be, &c. (Signed) " W. Hoste." " To Rear-Admiral Freemantle." The Corfu flotilla consisted of I'Arrogaiite, la Diligente, and rindomptable, each mounting two guns (long 14 and 6- pounders), rowing 30 sweeps, and manned with from 36 to 40 men ; la Salamine, of two guns (9 and G-pounders), 30 sweeps, and 32 men ; and la Calypso, of one long 12-poundcr, 28 sweeps, and 30 men. Three of them were commanded by enseignes de vaisscaux, the others by aspirants. The follow- ing officers and midshipmen were employed in the boats of the Bacchante and her consort on this occasion : Lieutenants Hood and Gostling * ; Lieutenant Haig, R. M. ; Messrs. * The laltcr afterwards killed near Manfredonia— sec Nav, Clwon, xxxi,512. POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 281 George Eyre Powell, Edward Webb, Hon. Henry John Rous, Hon. Wil- liam Waldegrave, James M'Kean, James Leonard Few •, Thomas Edward Hoste, and Edward O. Pocock f ; Lieutenant Thomas Whaley, of the Weazic ♦ ; and Mr. James Steuart, ditto §. The following is a copy of the last night-order issued by Captain Hoste, ivhile Commander O'Brien was doing the duty of first lieutenant : '• H. M. S. Bacchante, Malta, Jpril 20th, 1813. " Turn the hands up at day-light, let the decks be swept and swabbed, the hammocks stowed under the half-deck, the boats to go for bread, and every thing be ready for unmooring after breakfast. — Painting the quarter- deck or fore-castle out of the question, as the ship will certainly go to sea. As Captain O'Brien will most probably resign the duty of first lieutenant on the ship's going to sea — he having been promoted to the rank of command- er— to which his gallant services have so justly entitled him, I beg leave, in this most public way, to express my most sincere thanks for the ready assistance and cordial co-operalion for the benefit of the service which he has at all limes afforded me ; and though I am sure T can l)ear witness that no stimulus is necess'sary to the exertions of the officers of this ship, yet Tiieuteuant O'Brien's promotion, as it has been gained entirely by his own exertions, unassisted by interest, holds further to the remaining officers a striking- example that meritorious service will meet its own reward. *' Lieutenant Hood will take on him the charge of first lieutenant when- ever Captain O'Brien gives up the duty. (Signed) " Wm. Hoste." On the 4th May, 1813, the plague broke out at Malta, and Captain O'Brien could find no opportunity of quitting that island until the 29th, when he embarked, and sailed for Eng- land, in the Thunder bomb, Captain VVatkin Owen Pell. As we have been obliged to pass over many interesting parts of his printed narrative, without any notice whatever, we shall here transcribe two letters, which were addressed to him by Admirals Lord lladstock and Viscount Exmouth, after reading the account of liis extraordinary adventures. "Shir lei/ Cottage, Croydon, Aug. 22, 1814. "My dear Sir, — Your kind letter, and its accompanying valuable present^ although dated June the 12th, did not reach my hands until my return from • Drowned near Ziinte, when in charge of a prize, f Lost in a captured vessel on the coast of Apulia. jDicdiaOct. 1920. ^Sce Suppl. PartllL |). 121. r ¥ m 282 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. viewin/? the fire-worka in the Park, August 12th. As my family were then ill the country, and I myself was compelled to remain in town upon business, it was not till the other day that we could begin your narrative, as I determined that it should be read by us aloud, well knowing the interest that each individual would take in llie adventures and miraculous escapes of our dear William's friend. And now, my dear Sir, how shall 1 ever find words to express to you the various strong feelings, the anxiety of mind, the successive hopes and fears, which we all experienced during the course of your wonderful flight ; and above all, the inexpressil)le joy and delight we felt at the moment of your obtaining the Austrian pasport ! But I will not attempt that which I know to be impossible. Suflice it then to say, that if I before esteemed you for your general character, and the parental kindness which you so long showed to my dear boy, to these feel- ings must now be added, that admiration of your talciUs and of that almost unparalleled fortitude of mind which you so nobly disjtlayed in the hour of trial. Your narrative is so artlessly, so naturally related, that I can assure, without the slightest exaggeration, there were moments when I so strongly imagined myself to be one of your party, that I could scarcely venture to stir, or even draw my breath. My wife and daughters expe- rienced nearly similar feelings, and we all regretted that such courage and talents should have been employed during so long and cruel a captivity, instead of having been exerted against the enemies of your country, the foes of mankind. I hope and trust that you have sent a copy of your narrative, not only to every lord of the admiralty, and the (wo secretaries, but to all the leading members of the cabinet; and then, a well directed and well backed memorial cannot, I should apprehend, fail of obtaining for you that promotion which your merits so richly deserve. Lady R. and my daughters unite in best wishes for all that can contribute to the happiness of a man of Captain O'Brien's worth. Yours most truly and sincerely. (Signed) "Radstock." " London, Uth May, 1825. *' My dear Sir, — I found on my table, on my return home, your kind note and your narrative. I feel very much obliged to you for both, but particularly for the latter, which I shall preserve well bound, that my grand-children may read and admire your manly and unconquerable spirit, your indefatigable zeal and perseverance, giving a noble example to their young minds of what a British officer can do for the honor of his country and his own. Accept my sincere and cordial thanks, and believe me, my very sincere good \ri8hes will ever attend you. I have the honor to be, my dear sir, most faithfully and much yours, (Signed) " Exmouth." As Captain O'Brien was made commander for services performed antecedent to the capture of the Corfu flotilla, he POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 283 naturally indulged the hope that that exploit would have pro- cured him immediate employment. He remained on half pay, however, until Aug. 1818, when he received an appoint- ment to the Slaney ship-sloop, of 20 guns, fitting at Ply- mouth for the South American station. After visiting Madeira, Rio Janeiro, and Buenos Ayres, Captain O'Brien proceeded re ul Cape Horn, and was placed, by Commodore Bowles, under the orders of Captain William Henry Shirreff, then at Valparaiso, and employed as senior officer in the Pacific. The numerous and complicated duties which of necessity devolved upon him, in common with other officers commanding ships of war at the different ports in South America, have been described in our memoirs of Sir Thomas M. Hardy and Captain Basil Hall ; and the follow- ing copies of letters addressed to Captain O'Brien will serve in some degree as an illustration of part of them. The first, second, and third, allude to circumstances which occurred through an attempt made by Lord Cochrane, at the com- mencement of the blockade of Callao, to take possession of some British merchantmen then under the protection of the Slaney : " Lima, 2d October, 1819. " Dear Sir, — I assure you it is with sentiments of the greatest respect and admiration, that I take up my pen to return you thanks for the zeal and resolution you displayed on the 29th ultimo, in so happily preserving from a ruinous detention, my own, and other British property, in defiance of such a powerful force as was opposed to you ; and I hope you will ac- cept these my most grateful acknowledgments, as a small testimony of the sentiments I cherish towards you, for the protection so happily afforded to my property ; and am, dear Sir, with respect, your mc obedient and humble servant, (Signed) " Thomas Guthrie, commander of the hulian Oak, extra East Indiaman." " Lima, 2Stfi October, 1819. " Sir, — From the kind attention with which you have been pleased to view our interests, and the exertions you have made to forward our views, we cannot commence this letter but by assuring you of our gratitude for the protection we have received, and the advantages we have obtained, since this port has been favored by your presence ; nor should we thus have intrudu<> (Kscq. SUPPL, TART IV. V 290 POST-CAPTArNS OP lS*2f. ffl its^a '4i"a < ^ III ROBERT HOCKINGS, Esq. Recbived his first commission in 17^7; and was pro- moted to the rank of commander, for conducting a fire-vessel into A\x roads, April 11th, 1809; at which period he was serving as lieutenant of the Caledonia. On the 11th Sept. 1812, being then in the Dominica brig, on the Leeward Islands station, he captured the American privateer schooner Providence, of 12 guns and 60 men. His next appointment was, Dec. 26th, 1820, to the Medina ship-sloop, in which he afforded protection to the Evessels on the lake, cover- ing the right flank ; and Captain Cochrane, with the sloops of war and armed boats, protecting the left.* The position which the Major-General took up, and that occupied by our little squadron, completed the blockade of the town t- ••••♦• General Mcnou, finding himself closely pressed on the eastern side of the town by the commander-in-chief, who had carried some important redoubts, and established strong batteries againut the enemy's entrenched lines ; and on the western side by Alajor- • See Suppl. Part I., p. 478. t Mareotis was dry, when the British first landed in Egypt, although the bed was nearly ten feet below the level of lake Maadic, &c. When agaiu filled, it anwcred all the purposes of barrier and navigation. emy*9 (one It off all faN I proceeded the strength rtained that on could be to carry the nterruption, flotilla, was which the der the pro- in check till h, the boats otii), \rith a9 rpose of re- d with little c of Captain their armed this and the r hands. In ablish batte- the entrance m the town important to command of om the ships stingy of near oners of war ment moved 0 the town, the harbour 1 lake, cover- of war and ajor-Gcneral the blockade mself closely a-chief, who nfr batteries le by Alajor- pt, although &c. When on. POST-CAPTA1N8 OP 1821 . 295 General Coote, who had^ during tlie preceding night, driven In several of their out-posts, and advanced close up to an important position which they seemed conscious of being unable to defend ; sent out, on the evening of the 26th, proposals for an armistice of three days, to arrange terms of capitulation, which 1 have no doubt will soon terminate in the surrender of the town." lAeutenant-General Hutchinson to Lord Hobart, one of the Principal Secretftries of State, d&ted Sept. 5ih, 1801. " The forts and town of Alexandria have surrendered to his Majesty's troops, who, OH the 2nd instant, took possession of the entrenched camp, the heights above Pompcy's Pillar, &c. &c. By the capitulation, the gar- rison are to be embarked for France, in the course of ten days, provided the shipping is in a state of preparation to receive them. • • ♦ * The exertions of individuals have been splendid and meritorious. I regret that the bounds of a despatch will not allow me to specify the whole, or to mention the name of every person who has distinguished himself in this arduous and important service. • • • Great perseverance and ewertions tcere required to get up heavy guns through a difficult and almost impracti- vahle country. The labour and fatigue of the navy have been continued and excessive. I have every reason to be satisfied with the zeal and con- duct of Captain Stevenson ; the crews of the gun-boats displayed great gallantry, under his guidance, in the new irmndation; and much approba- tion is also due to the naval officers who acted under his orders." Mr. Lloyd received a severe contusion whilst he was recon- noitring the enemy's positions from the mast-head of his djerm, at the commencement of those operations ; hut his anxious zeal for the service would not allow him to attend to it until all the guns were conveyed up Lake Mareotis, trans- ported across the isthmus, and placed in battery against Fort Marabout. The pain he then suffered was so great as to oblige him to return on board the Dictator, which ship soon afterwards proceeded to Cyprus, vith convalescents, for sup- plies and refreshments. She was put out of commission in March 1802 ; and a few weeks afterwards, Mr. Lloyd was again paid oif, from the Hermes sloop of war. This officer next served on board the Leda frigate, com- manded for a short time by his first naval friend, Captain Hardy, and subsequently by Captain Robert Honyman, who not only continued him in his rating as master's-mate, but gave him charge of a watch as lieutenant, which he retained until hia removal to the Diadem, ()4, on promotion. 296 POST-CAPTAINS OF 18*21. f m ii if I! 13 lu After the renewal of hostilities in 1803, the Leda bore the flag of Rear-Admiral (now Sir Edward) Thornbrough, and was employed for some time in the North Sea, chiefly cruis- ing off Goree, on which station she detained several home- ward bound Dutch West Indiamen, and cut out and destroyed numerous vessels and boats, many of them intended to join the invasion flotilla at Boulogne. She was afterwards era- ployed in watching the movements of the enemy at the latter place, and Mr. Lloyd appears to have been a constant volun- teer in frequent nightly excursions along the coast, for the purpose of intercepting their armed craft proceeding to the same general rendezvous from the eastward. He also bore a part in several warm skirmishes with the land batteries, and particularly distinguished himself under Lieutenant Neil M'Lean, in a most gallant but unsuccessful attempt to cut out a mortar-vessel, in the night of July 29th, 1804. This enterprise is thus described by one of the Leda's officers ; — "Lieutenant M'Lean, dining- the short time he belonged to the Leda, hud, from his great anxiety to perform some exploit worthy of notice, been inshore with two boats every night that the weather permitted j but the vi- gilance of the enemy had hitherto rendered his efforts fruitless. On the 29th July, he received a letter informing him that he was made a com- manderj but the whole of the Boulogne flotilla being then outside that har- bour, he again requested Captain Honyman to let him have the same boats, and, together with Iiis usual night companions, Mr. Lloyd (com- manding one of the boats) Messrs. Lamont, Stewart, and Crawford, mid- shipmen, made for the weathennost vessel of the enemy's outer line, moored near a battery to windvvard of the pier, full of troops (apparent- ly dragoons), and in every way prepared for defence. The Frenchmen gave their (jiti rive before the boats could reach the vessel's bows, and made considerable resistance after her boarding nettings were cut through, and the assailants had got on her deck, but were overpowered, notwith- standing their superiority in number, and the great advantage of their long and heavy sabres over the very short and light cutlasses then used iu the British navy. Her deck being cleared, and cables cut, the prize was imme- diately taken in tow ; but to the extreme mortification of the gallant cap- tors, she was quickly hauled back between two larger vessels, by means of a chain or hawser fastened to her keel. Repeated vollies of musketry were now poured into her, and she was soon boarded on both quarters, by au overwhelming force. Lieutenant M'Lean made a most heroic resistance, received several severe wounds, and at length fell, sword in hand, cheering POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821, 129/ on bis gallant associates to the very last moment. Mr. John Lamont and several men were likewise killed; and only 14 out of 38 persons succeed- ed in effeclinaf their escape : even some of these, including IMr. Lloyd, were wounded." The enemy marked their sense of the extraordinary bold- ness of this attack, by interrhig the remains of Messrs. M'Lean and Lamont with military honors ; and the managers of the Patriotic Fund evinced their admiration of the same, by voting Mr. Lloyd a pecuniary reward, to which was added an honorary testimonial, it not being in the power of the committee to grant him a sword instead of the donation, as he had particidarly requested. Captain Honyman's official letter was never made public. On the 24th April, 1805, Mr. Lloyd assisted at the cap- ture of seven schuyts, from Dunkirk, bound to Ambleteuse, armed with eighteen guns and one howitzer, and havin"- on board 168 men, exclusive of officers. About the same period he volunteered his services in a ''catamaran" expedi- tion, and placed one of the explosion machines precisely as directed : the peg is still in his possession. Some other services in which he was a participator, have been noticed at p. 127 et seq. of Vol. II. Part I. In the ensuing summer, this officer was strongly recom- mended by Admiral Sir John Colpoys to the commander-in- chief on the Jamaica station ; but, although certain of promo- tion if he proceeded thither, he declined, in consequence of the Leda being ordered to join a secret expedition, preparing for the reduction of the Cape of Good Hope. By his careful look-out and timely exertions, as officer of the middle watch, that fine frigate was saved from destruction, Nov. I, 1805, when the King George transport and Britannia East India- man were both totally lost, in consequence of striking on the Roccas, near Fernando Norunha, about four degrees south of the equator. The particulars of her escape and their destruc- tion are giveij in the Naval Chronicle, Vol. 23rd, pp. 483-485. During the operations against the Dutch force at the Cape of Good Hope, in Jan. 1806, Mr. Lloyd served as a volunteer on shore, and was employed in bringing forward the field- Jh^J 'it, V m i|9| m in 1 H 1 li 1 1 1 ^ ■HH 298 rOST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. pieces tind howitzer belonging to the division of the army thut first effected a landing, under Brigadier-General (now Sir Ronald) Ferguson, whose movements are thus detailed by the military commander-in-chief. •'The whole sliore of Lospards' bay had been very closely inspected by the Brigadier, and, l)y hii$ spirited exertions and example, our efforts to land were at lenj^th crowned with success, though a confined and intricate channel, and a tremendous surf, opposed the passage of the troops. " The enemy had scattered a party of sharp-shooters over the contigu- ous heights," (also in the brushwood near the beach) " and commanded the landing; but the casualties of this service arose principally from natu- ral difficulties; and it is \viih the deepest concern I have the honor to state, that we lost one drummer and thirty-five rank and file of the 93d regiment by the oversetting of an Indiuman's boat, notwithstanding every possible effort to rescue these unfortunate men.* " The remainder of the troops could only be brought on shore on the succeeding day, when the extraordinary obstacles to all intercourse with the fleet, which nothing but the courage and perseverance of British seamen could surmount, barely enabled us to obtain the indispensible supplies of water and provisions for immediate subsistence. '* On the morning of the 8th the army, consisting of the 24th, 39th, 7lst, /2d, 83d, and .93d regiments, about four thousand strong, was formed into two brigades, with two howitzers and six light field-pieces, and moved off towards the road which leads to Cape-Town ; and having ascended the summit of the Blaw-Berg, or Blue Mountains, and dislodged the enemy's light troops, I discovered their main body, drawn up in two lines, prepared to receive us, and even in motion to anticipate our approach. "The enemy's forcef apparently consisted of about five thousand men, the greater proportion of which was cavalry, and twenty-ihree pieces of cannon, yoked to horses, the disposition of which, and the nature of the ground occupied by the enemy's troops, made it evident that they intended to reserve their right wing, and with their left attempt to turn our right flank ; but to frustrate their design, I formed the army into two columns, the second under Brigadier General Ferguson keeping the road, wliiUb the &nt struck to the right, and took the defile of the mountains^ * One of the principal impediments to the landing was an immense quantity of long and very thick sea>\veed, extending to a considerable dis- tance from the shore, and often rendering the boats' oars useless. •|- Under the personal commaiid of General Jansscns, governor of the colonyi Post- CAPTAINS of 1821. 290 Havlnif accompHsheil my purpose, our line was formed wlih equal celeri- ty and order ; and the left wing, composed of the Highland brigade, was thrown forward, and advanced with the steadiest step, (accompanied by the seamen, field-pieces, and howitzer,) under a heavy fire of round shot, grape and musketry. Nothing could surpass or resist the determined bra- very of the troops, headed by their gallant leader, Brigadier-General Fer- guson, and the number of the enemy, who swarmed the plain, served only to augment their ardour and confirm their discipline. The enemy received our nre, and maintained his position obstinately; but in the moment of chargiog, the valour of British troops bore down all opposition, and forced him to a precipitate retreat. " The first brignde, composed of the 24th, 59th, and 83d regiments, and commanded in the absence of Brigadier-General Beresford, by Lieutenant- Colonel Baird, was unavoidably precluded, by their situation, from any considerable participation in the triumph of the British arms, though the flank companies of the 24th had an opportunity of distinguishing them- selves in dislodging a number of horse and riflemen from the heights on our right flank. This brilliant achievement however was clouded by the loss of Captain Foster, of the grenadiers, whose gallantry is best recorded in the bosoms of his brother soldiers, and the universal regret of the army.* "It is utterly impossible to convey an adequate idea of the obstacles which opposed the advance, and retarded the success of our army; but it is my duty to stato, that the nature of the country — a deep, heavy, and arid land, covered with shrubs, scarcely pervious to light bodies of infantry; and above all, the total privation of water under the effects of a burning sun, liad nearly exhausted our gallant fellows in the moment of victory, and with the utmost difficulty were we able to reach the Reit Valley, where we took our position for the night. A considerable portion of the provisions and necessaries with which we started, had been lost during the action, and we occupied our ground under an apprehension that even the great exer- tions of Sir Home Popham and the navy could not relieve us from starva- tion. *• On every occasion where it has been found necessary to call for the co-operation of British seamen in land enterprises, their valour has been so conspicuous, and their spirit of labour and perseverance so unconquer- able, that no tribute of my applause can add a lustre to their character ; but I discharge a most agreeable portion of my duty in reporting that on •. i h^]ii-fl\ * The enemy's riflemen were all Hottentots, but very excellent soldiers. One of these men shot Captain Foster,^ and wa& afterwards in the British Hottentot corps. On the surrender of Cape Town, the grenadiers of the 24th regiment marched into the place with their arms reversed, as a mark of respect to the memory of their lute gallant leader. m 300 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. the recent employment of their services, they have maintained their reputa- tion : and in this place it behoves me to declare, that the uniform good conduct of those gallant fellows, and the zeal of Captain George Byng *, who commanded them, together with that of every subordinate officer, have merited my fullest approbation. " The loss of the enemy in this engagement is reputed to exceed 700 men in killed and wounded ; and it is with the most sensible gratiHcatiou that I contrast it with the return of our casualties t. " On the morning of the 9th, recruited by such supplies as the un- wearied diligence and efforts of the navy could throw on shore, we pro- secuted our march towards Cape Town, and took up a position south of Salt River, which we trusted might preserve a free communication with the squadron. In this situation, a flag of truce was sent to me by the commandant of the gaiTJson, requesting a suspension of hostilities for 48 hours, in order to negociate a capitulation. In answer to this overture, I despatched Brigadier-General Ferguson, accompanied by Lieutenant- Colonel Brownrigg, to stipulate, as the condition of my acquiescence, the surrender of the outworks of the town within six hours. My proposition being assented to, the 59th regiment marched into Fort Knokke ; and the next day, his Majesty's forces were put in possession of the several de- fences of the town. (Sii>iied) " D. Baikd, Major-General." - On the completion of this service t? Mr. Lloyd was re- moved to the Diadem, bearing the broad pendant of Sir Home Popham, who, in a few days afterwards, appointed him lieutenant of the prize frigate la Volontaire§; but on her being ordered to England he exchanged into the Raison- able 64, preferring to remain abroad, as more active service. His commission, however, was not confirmed at home till Jan. 14, 1808; the former Board of Admiralty having re- fused to sanction Sir Home's appointments. The manner in which he was afterwards employed will be seen by the following testimonial : — " Mr. Edward Lloyd served as lieutenant in H. M. ships Raisonable and Boadicea, under my command, in the years 180G, 7, 8, 9, and 10. He commanded the seamen landed from the former ship at the capture of Monte Video, and afterwards at the attack on Buenos Ayres. He particu- larly distinguished himself in boarding and bringing out from under the batteries of St. Rose (Isle Bourbon) a large armed ship called the Tadg • Now Viscount T irington. f Killed, 16; wounded, 189; missing, 8. X See Vol. I. Part II. p. 623. § See Suppl. Part I. p. 186. ;is| their reputa- (liforin good )rge Byng *, iiate officer, exceed 700 gratification s as the un- orc, we pro- on south of ication with me by the ilities for 48 lis overture. Lieutenant- esceiice, the proposition ke ; and the several de- General." - 1 was re- lUt of Sir appointed ); but on e Raisoii- e service, home till aving re- 2 manner n by the Raisonubic , 9, and 10. capture of He particu- (1 under the i the Tadg uiissing, 8. p. 186. POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 301 Bax, which service rcccive;hly gratifies nie that I have an opportunity of assuring yon, that, from the commencement of the attack to the capture of the place, your zeal, gallantry, and activity were so conspiciioiM, as to be noticed by every one, and would give me confidence in having you with me in uny arduous service. I am, my dear Sir, yours faithfully, (Signed) '* N.J. WiriLoiKJiinv." • Sec V(d. I. Tart II. p t>-2() rt srq. ; and Snppl. Part IF. pp. II?— 145. f Tvvo of Lieutenant Lloyd's party were Uillcd and six wo'uidt d : the total loss was seven killed, eighteen wunnded, iind one missing. Not a man or buy of any du; ci iplioii was hurt on bitaifl the Sirius or any oilier ship of the iupiadron. fonnoitring It was on ir, and by IX, secured eavy cross 5 when at- ir defence, served on able's well 's, in Isle amen, and I immense iefences of id la Caro- rchantmen ifficer pre- rtie, coni- hiniself as the nature of i enemy, "'as indcd, I have ttliew) H(t\v- lealously for- ed the fol- ncuioir :— to state my ittack of St. pportunity of I the capture iouoiiH, as to I having you lithfully, OUOIIUY." . 1 1?— 145. ()!iii(!((l : the siii;r. Not a or uny oilier POST- CAPTAINS OF 1821. 303 Some time subsequent to the capture of St. Paid's, Lieu- tenant L'oyd, whose wound on that occasion was a very se- vere one, removed with Captain Rowley, into the Boadicea frigate, and assisted at the reduction of IJourbon *, where he was left in charge of the signal posts, in order to watch and report the movements of the enemy's squadron which block- aded that island after Captain Pym's disastrous attack upon Mons. Duperrd, in Port Sud-Est f. This arrangement led to the recovery of H. M. ships Africaine and Ceylon, and the capture of la Venus frigate, mounting 44 guns, and bearing the broad pendant of Commodore Hamelin, senior officer of the French force in the Indian ocean +. In the middle of Oct. 1810, Vice-Admiral Bertie arrived at St. Paul's, and shifted his flag from the Nisus frigate to the then totally dismasted Africaine ; directing Mr. Lloyd to join the latter ship, as first lieutenant, and to use every exertion in getting her ready for sea. This could only be accom- plished by taking in a re-captured Indiaman's lower masts, yards, sails, &c. On the 14th of the following month, she weighed, and proceeded off Port Louis, manned with 30 sai- lors, a company of the 87th regiment, and about 120 raw negroes lent from different plantations. Thus tolerably equipped, but most miserably manned, she cruised oil' the enemy's principal harbour, in company M'ith the Boadicea, Nisus, Ceylon, Nertide (late la Venus), and Staunch gun- brig, until the arrival of some other ships from India, to assist in a grand attack upun the Mauritius. The com- mander-in-chief then sailed f(»r Roderiquez, to meet the several divisions of an expedition coming from Bengal, Bom- bay, and Madras, leaving Commodore Rowley in command of the squadron, and Captain Philip Beaver (just removed from the Nisus to the Africaine) to arrange the plan of de- barkation. The greatest obstacles opposed to an attack on this valu- able colony with a large force, hud hitherto " been con- • See Snppl. Part H. p. IMr/ .vry. f Sec iif. pp. HJl— lOd. I Sec Conlinaixlor Joseph Cnv.w Ti'LLnx-r;. 1 i ^:,^ t,'!^'i i \k !l 304 POST- CAPTAINS OF 1821. fr 'If Jf sidered to depend on the difficulty of effecting a landing, from the reefs which surround every part of the coast, and the supposed impossibility of being able to find anchorage for a fleet of transports. "These difficulties," says Major- General Abercromby, " were fortunately removed by the indefatigable exertions of Commodore Rowley, assisted by Lieutenant Street, of the Staunch, Lieutenant Blackiston, of the Madras engineers, and the masters of the Africaine and Boadicea. Every part of the leeward side of the island Avas minutely examined and sounded, and it was discovered that a fleet might anchor in the narrow passage formed by the small island of the Gunners' Quoin and the main land ; and that at this spot there were openings through tlie reef, which would admit several boats to enter abreast. These obvious advantages fixed my determination, although I regretted that circumstances would not aUow of the disembarkation being effected at a shorter distance from Port Louis. Owing to light and baffling winds, the fleet did not arrive in sight of the island until the 28th November ; and it was the morning of the following day before any of the ships came to an anchor." At 11 A. M. the whole of the transports and covering ves- sels, consisting of from 50 to 60 sail, brought up in ten fathoms water, on a bottom of coral, the heads of which were clearly seen through the translucent stream. At 2 p. m., the boats, with the first division of the army, under Major- General Henry Warde, pulled towards the shore, and effected a landing in the bay of Mapou, under an extensive line of sea-wall, without the smallest opposition. In order to ascer- tain whether any of the enemy's troops M'cre concealed be- hind this natural defence. Lieutenant Lloyd had obtained permission to land by himself; and on his ascending the bank, and finding only a few unarmed negroes there, he waved his hat to the anxious spectators afloat, cheering at the same time as a signal for the boats to advance. The disembarkation continued till 8 o'clock, by which time moat of the troops, with all the requisite anmiunition, provisions, &c. were safely put on shore. POST- CAPTAINS OP 182U 305 Lieutenant Lloyd, again a volunteer for land service, was now attached to the naval brigade under Captain William Augustus Montagu, and directed, in addition to his other duties, to communicate the movements of the troops, by telegraph, to the Admiral. During the advance upon Port Louis, he had charge of the guns with the leading column, and the first flag of truce sent out, by Governor- General De Caen, was received by him. The operations on shore are thus detailed by the military commander-in-chief : — " As soon as a sufficient part of the European force had been formed, it became necessary to move forward, as the first five mites of the road lay through a very thick wood, which made it an object of the utmost import- ance, not to give the enemy time to occupy it. The columns marched about 4 o'clock, and succeeded in gaining the more open country, with- out any efforts having been made by tlie enemy to retard our progress, a few shot, only, having been fired by a small picquet, by which Lieutenant- Colonel Keating, Lieutenant Ash, of H. M. 12th regiment, and a few men of the advanced guard, were wounded. Having halted for a short time during the night, the army again moved forward before day-light, with the intention of not halting till arrived before Port Louis ; but the troops having become extremely exhausted, not only from the exertion which they had already made, but from having been almost totally deprived of water, I was compelled to take up a position at Moulin a Poudre, about five miles short of the town. " Early the next morning, Lieutenant-Colonel M'Leod, with his bri- gade, was detached to seize the batteries of Tombeau and Tortue, and open a communication with the fleet, as it had been previously arranged that we were to draw our supplies from these two points *. The main body of the army, soon after it had moved off its ground, was attacked by a corps of the enemy, who, with several field-pieces, had taken a strong^ position, very favorable for attempting to make an impression on the head of the column, as it shewed itself at the end of a narrow road, with a thick wood on each flank. The European flank battalions, which formed the a ceived every assistance from Vice-Admiral Bertie, and the squadron under his command. A body of seamen was landed under Captain Montagu ; the exertions used to bring forward the guns, through a most difficult country, were such as to attract the admiration of the whole army, and fully entitles Captain Montagu, Lieutenant Lloyd, of the Africaine, and every officer and sailor, to all the encomiums I can pass on their conduct." Captain Montagu, in his official report to the naval com- mander-in-chief, says, " The zeal and ability of Lieutenant Lloyd, senior lieutenant on this service, are too well known to you to render any encomium from me necessary j" and Vice-Admiral Bertie, when transmitting the same to the Admiralty, " begged to recommend to their lordships* notice. Lieutenant Edward Lloyd, who volunteered his services un- der the immediate eye of the commander of the land forces, and in this, as well as many former instances, received the most honorable testimonies of his gallantry." Some ex- tracts of Major-General Abercromby's public orders., wherein he paid repeated compliments to the naval brigade, have been inserted at p. 220 of Siippl. Part I. After the conquest of the Mauritius, Lieutenant Lloyd was appointed to the command of the Ilesper sloop, and selected by Major-General Abcrcromby to convey him and his staff to Bombay. On his arrival there, he had the mortification to find an officer waiting to supersede him by order of the then deceased Vice-Admiral Drury, who, in consequence of a dis- agreement with Vice-Admiral Bertie, hud taken this step long before the Hcsper arrived within the precincts of the East India POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 30/ station, and whose death deprived him of the power of appeal- ing to his justice for a reconsideration of the injiiry he had done him J that too, at tlie moment when the Hesper was ordered to join the expedition fitting out for the reduction of Java. In preference to returning home, Lieutenant Lloyd re- mained passenger on board the Hesper, until her arrival at Malacca, where he found his old Monte Video friend, Lieutenant-General Sir Samuel Auchmuty, and immediately volunteered to serve under him in the approaching campaign. His offer being readily accepted, he landed with that officer's staff at Chillingching, bore a part in the skirmish between the advanced divisions of the British and Dutch armies, which ended in the defeat of the latter, and the capture of the im- portant post of Weltervreeden ; also at the battle which took place when the enemy made a sortie from Meester Cor- nells ; assisted in storming their entrenched camp at the latter place ; and shared in every operation on shore previous to that brilliant event*. He afterwards embarked with Captain (now Sir Christo- pher) Cole, in the Caroline frigate, for a passage to England, where he arrived about the middle of Dec. 181 1 ; and had the satisfaction of finding himself confirmed as a commander from the 9th May preceding. We should here remark, that he left England as master's mate, and that he obtained each step of professional rank by his services alone, without the aid of any interest whatever at the Admiralty. This officer's next appointment was, .Ian. 21, 1814, to the command of the Raven, 16-gun brig, then stationed in the Woopherkdyk, to blockade the enemy's flotilla at Ter Veere, during the occupation of the East Scheldt, by the fleet under Admiral William Young, who refused his offer to join in the attack upon Bergen-op-Zoom, but afforded him this oppor- tunity of witnessing the operations against Batz. After the emancipation of Holland, Captain Lloyd convey- ed despatches to Halifax, encountering on his passage thither a violent hurricane, which obliged him to throw overboard 'r' fill V,,-'l ( -lb '.1! • Sec Vol. II. Fan I. pp. 364—357. x2 308 POST-CAPTAINS OP 1821. n yu one half of the Raven's guns. When refitted, he was ordered to join the expedition collecting in the West Indies for the pur- pose of attacking New Orleans ; but on his arrival at Barba- does, he was detained by the commander-in-chief at the Lee- ward Islands, and sent down to Trinidad, where he received the public thanks of Sir Ralph Woodford, governor of that island, for his successful exertions in favor of British mer- chants trading to the Spanish Main, who, through him, ob- tained some exclusive and important privileges. While in charge of the Gulf of Paria, and holding an inter- course with South America, he also exerted himself most strenuously in the cause of humanity, as well as of his coun- try's commerce, by constantly endeavouring to save the effu- sion of blood, and exacting, both from the independents and the royalists, promises, which he ibrced them strictly to observe, that no executions, on account of political enmities, should take place while a British pendant was flying at any of their anchorages. The scene which he witnessed on his first visit to the Spanish main was of the most terrific description ; the beach being literally covered with the bodies of respectable persons of both parties, whose respective slaves had been en- couraged to murder them with the knife, in cold blood. The Raven returned home without the loss of a single per- son by yellow fever, and was paid off at Woolwich, in Sept. 1815 ; from which period, notwithstanding oft- repeated ap- plications for employment. Captain Lloyd remained on half- pay till Aug. 9th, 1820, when he received an appointment to the Esk of 20 guns. Some time previous to this, he had presented a memorial to the Admiralty, recapitulating his long and arduous services, requesting a share of the favorable consideration so liberally awarded in other cases of just claims, and accompanied by the following documents, to prove that his pretensions to superior rank were not exaggerated. • >' ' ' ' '• Mmiraltjf House, Coveo/Corh, Oct. 15, 1819, " My d«ar Sir,— If anj statetnent of your services while ui-'ei v^^' command, or any expression of my approbation of your conduct, can at all assist in forwarding your views of promotion, I feel tliat you have a POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 309 just claim to command them, and most sincerely do I hope that they may conduce to the attainment of that rank in the service, the duties of which, my knowledge of your ability and zeal enables me to say, you are so well qualified to fulfil. The enclosed is a brief enumeration of your services while under my command, tho' I cannot at present make a reference to the dates of them*. I remain, my dear Sir, very faithfully yours, 4i.ii* y.j (Signed) " JosiAS Rowley, Rear-Admiral." ** To Captain Edwnrd Lloyd, R. N." • ,.. ..^.i . .= ••■-' -•— ■ ' (II.) "'*•■-■ ^r •■ '*Donnington Priory, Oct. 29, 1819, " Captain Edward Lloyd having applied to me to certify my opinion of his services during the time I was commander-in-chief on the Cape of Good Hope station, it is in justice to him that I say, he was recommended to me by Sir Josias Rowley for his long and tried services under that officer's command, and that he shewed very great zeal and ability on every occasion where he was employed by me. (Signed) "Albkmarlb Bbrtie, Admiral.'' ^ ^ =^- ^' ^5 *'H. M. S. Phiieton, Portsmouth, Nov. 5, 1819. **My dear Sir, — If any testimony of mine can assist your views, I beg that you will command me. The time you acted under ray command, at the capture of tlie Isle of France, your zeal and your ability, were alike conspicuous. I know how much it was the wish of General Abercromby that you should be recommended for immediate promotion. I spoke to Admiral Bertie on the subject, who admitted your merits and your claims i but as I proceeded to England in the ship that carried the despatches, it was not possible for me to press your promotion. I have, however, no doubt but Sir Albemarle Bertie will be ready to do his utmost in the furtherance of your wishes. Believe me, my dear Sir, moat faithfully yours, - - ■ • (Signed) " W. A. Montagu." : ^'''••' ^/ ' • (IV.) The letter from Captain (now Sir Niabet) ^Villo^ghby, of which we have given a copy at p. 302. The Esk sailed for the Leeward Islands, to join the squad- ron under Rear- Admiral (now Sir William C.) Fahie, Nov. 8th, 1810 J and we soon afterwards find Captain Lloyd en- tering into a correspondence with the governor of Cumana, relative to the murder of Mr. George M*Arthur, master of the British merchant schooner Eagle, by one Manuel Nieves, a native of Portugal, professing himself authorized to cruise i t. ■;;iii ;:.:ii 'i-A ■4 7ffi\ia^y • Sec the document at p. 300, ct seq. ii I 1 -t '^^^^^^^■M SFt'.'t 4 ^^^^^^^^^^^H SH K f \^^^^^^^|^^E^B W W '■IKv- s i;'.^^^^^^H ■m m^ -'^^^^H Hb ffif ''J ^^^^^^^H ^BB' ffl - \^^^^^^H ■1 w Sii m ^'^^^^^^H n 1 310 POST-CAPTAINS OP 1821. % ■) against all vessels trading to ports occupied by the indepen. dent forces. The complaint that gave rise to this corres- pondence was made to Captain Lloyd by a Mr. James Fra- ser, who stated, that on the 4th October, 1820, whilst on a voyage from the islands of St. Vincent and Trinidad to An- gostura, and being then at the entrance of the river Orinoco, the Eagle was fired at by a brig under Spanish colours, and notwithstanding an English ensign was immediately hoisted, an^ sail shortened, still the firing continued until the schooner was boarded by a flecherra, mounting two guns, and carrying about 20 men, at the head of whom was Manuel Nieves. Im- mediately upon boarding, the crew of the flecherra spread themselves in all parts of the schooner, taking possession of every thing they could find, including personal property. Mr. M'Arthur expressed his disapprobation of this conduct, but in the most moderate language. The crew being taken out, and removed to the brig, by a second flecherra, Nieves then searched the trunks of the passengers, and upon Mr. M'Arthur remarking, that he had been twice taken by the enemies of his country, but never before experienced such treatment, the miscreant, without any further provocation, rushed forward with a drawn sword, and ran it thrice through his body. The unfortunate man was then thrown below, followed by seven blood-thirsty fellows, who tied his arms behind, whilst others held themselves in readiness to haul him up again by the same rope with which be was pinioned. This was no sooner done, than Nieves, grasping his sword in both hands, again stabbed him in three several places, and ended by ordering him, although yet alive and groaning, to be thrown overboard. Mr. Fraser and three other passen- gers, Messrs. James W. Brown (part owner), James Bodding- ton, and George Davidson, the latter a military officer, were then seized and tied in a similar manner, preparatory to their being shot, which was about to be carried into effect, when a Spaniard, named Jose Freyre, humanely interfered in their behalf, representing to Nieves, that they had done nothing which merited death, imploring him to reflect on the proba- ble consequences of such a massacre of Biitiah subjects, and lij FbST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 311 declaring, tbat he would not conceal so atrocious an act on their arrival at Gumana. In consequence of this remon- strance, the Portuguese countermanded his sanguinary orcfef, but carried the Eagle, with her crew and passengers, first to Carupano and then to Cumana, where the vessel was con- demned as lawful prize previous to their being set at liberty. Many letters passed between Captain Lloyd and Don An- tonio Tobar, governor of Cumana, on the subject of thia piracy and murder ; the one energetically demanding retribu- tive justice, the other declaring his inability to punish Nieves, as a Spanish tribunal had already investigated the case, and declared him innocent. The infamous wretch, however, was subsequently caught in the act of committing depreda- tions upon the royalists also, and his captor, the Spanish Commodore Laborde, having been informed by Captain Lloyd, of bis former conduct, immediately arraigned him before the superior court of admiralty at Puerto Cabello, where he was at length sentenced to expiate his crimes on the scaffold. In March, 1821, the Esk, when running between the island of Margaritta and the main, with a pilot '**' on board, both leads going, and look-out men aloft, struck on a bank of coral and hard sand, near Point Avara, where she lay, beating heavily for 48 hours, during which time, by the as" sistance of small vessels from Cumana, all her guns and stores were got out, and she was lightened sufficiently to be hove off, by the chain cable brought to the capstan, after the mes- senger and all other purchases had given way. From the peculiarity of her construction, she did not make any water for several hours afterwards, and then but very little ; how- ever it was thought advisable to heave her down at Antigua, when the main keel was found rubbed off nearly its whole length, and great part of the dead wood entirely crushed f. I i;i ''I'i ■ j h •I A i t 'r m ill 'J^ I • Mr. Mathison, port-captain of Trinidad, and many years a trader in those, seas. t The Esk was built according to, the system of diagonal timbering, for which the British navy is indebted to Sir Robert Seppings. Tlie frame of her hold consisted of a series of triangles, united by trusses, and the :'.\^ 311^ POST-CAPTAINS OT 1821: 1> i Frotn the reduced state of the naval yard at Antigua, the cremr of the Esk were subjected to much additional fatigue in heaving down, and the consequence was, that the fever of the country went through the whole ship's company, not an officer, man, or boy escaping a severe attack, and many hav- ing violent relapses ; yet not a single death occurred during the whole time Captain Lloyd commanded her, except in the case of the ship's cook, previously worn out in the service. This he ascribes, under Divine Providence, to the habitual cleanliness of the crew, and the skill and attention of his sur- geon, Mr. Peter Comrie, who was equally successful in his subsequent treatment of numerous patients on board the Pyramus frigate. ;--' « ,» After completing her re-equipment, the Esk, in conse- quence of the debilitated state of her commander, officers, and crew, was sent to pass the hurricane months at Bermu- da, and on her return from thence to the Leeward Island.. Captain Lloyd, who had previously captured three smuggling vessels, met with Captain Arthur Lee Warner, sent out to supersede him, on account of his advancement to post rank, which had taken place on the coronation of his Majesty, July 19, 1821 *. Being then in too weakly a state of health, from long continued illness, to proceed on to Jamaica for a passage home in a vessel of war, he had to retui n to England at his own expence. Since his recovery, he has made many applications, and used every exertion to obtain employment, but hitherto without success. ^ H Captain Lloyd married, in Aug. 1816, Colin Campbell, youngest daughter of the late James Baillie, of Ealing Grove, CO. Middlesex, Esq. formerly M. P. for Horsham, in Sussex ; and has issue, two sons and one daughter. , Agents,'— 'Messrs. Cooke, Halford, and Son. I.i!',) openings between the ribs or outer tioabers, were filled up with slips of wood, caulked within and without, and covered with a coat of cement, over which wai another of ceal4ar. • See p. 289. * '^ til ft M 'rl POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. d 3 ■'S'M ;*vrf<'^■■.** . ».* i.-r »,,,. ,i «! .'.■..-., 1 ;'rt»J^^l..;^Mii »e.«j JOHN GEDGE, Esq. Was made lieutenant in 1798 ; and promoted to the rank of commander for his gallant conduct in an action near Calais, of which the following is the official account : " H. M. sloop Skglark, in the Dowru, Nov. 11,1811. " At eight o'clock yesterday roorniiigf, Cape Grisnez bearing S.S.W.. distant seven miles, I observed a diviyion of ihe enemy's flotilla, consisting of twelve gun-brigs, standing alongshore to the eastward, it then blowing strong from the southward : H. M. sloop under my command made all sail in chase. During the morning I had the satisfaction to see H. M. gun-brig Locust in shore to windward, standing towards the enemy ; and I have to state, that one of the enemy's brigs. No. 26, of four long 24- pounders and 60 men, commanded by finseigne de vaisseaux Bouchet, has been cut out from under the fire of the batteries and musketry on the beach, and close to the rest of the flotilla, who had taken shelter in the roads of Calais. The commodore was driven on shore, and an attempt made to bring him out also ; but finding a great number of troops had got on board, I relinquished the attack. " It is impossible for me to speak too highly of the conduct of Lieu- tenant Gedge, commander of the Locust, who, from being in shore to windward, was the principal cause of the vessel being taken, and during the whole of the attack on the flotilla, exposed as we were for four hours to the fire of (he enemy's batteries, deserves my highest praise and re- commendation ; and I beg leave to add, that the officers and crew of the Skylark conducted themselves to my entire satisfaction. (Signed^ " James Boxer." *' To Rear- Admiral Foley:* Lieutenant Gedge had previously captured, close to Dun- kirk, a French national vessel, carrying two long 12-pound- ers, with small arms. His commission as commander bears date, Nov. 15, 1811 j from which period we find no mention of him until his appointment to the Cadmus, a 10-gun brig- sloop, Sept. 10, 1816. He obtained post rank, July 19, 1821. Agents^ — Messrs. Cooke, Halford, and Son. : ; . , >t<' BENEDICTUS MARWOOD KELLY, Esq. Was made lieutenant, Jan. 31 , 1806 ; promoted to the rank of commander, Nov. 28, 181 1, appointed to the Pheasant ship- "i\ ■ V VI <| \.m :ti t] I ^^M ■ m i ' ■BHb ^vM B^H l^n IB B3 ^niLgl'^^fi^ H^^HI ^^adfwvKui Hh '1^ 1 m^ \ iffl^^^HJi^H I^En KB 1 li 1 ^afP^MaB' • iSBto I ;U i ll^Hi 'Kr'sl^ 1 m% it 1 i 'IMB mim 1 W) J'Bwfi'.! m ^l| S| IkX^'^ iIKp '^ 'i^^^S^H ll^lli ^J^^^^HH^B BKI B^l:'; 1 ^'^^^^^^H ^nB^fcr 'i B^B'i'' 314 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. sloop, fitting for the African station, Sept. 38, 1818 ; and posted, July 19, 1821. Agents, — Messrs. Goode and Clarke. ; HENRY FYGE JAUNCEY, Esq. Was second lieutenant of the Ethallon frigate. Captain (now Vice -Admiral) James Young, at the capture of a Spanish galleon, Oct. 17> 17^« His share of prize-money, on that occasion, amounted to more than 5000/. ^ He soon after- wards suffered shipwreck on the coast of France, while serv- ing under the command of Captain John Clarke Searle f, from whose narrative of the loss of the Ethalion we make the following extract :— ** I wish it was in my power to descAbe the very great merit of all the officers and ship's company ; sure I am their exertions, their promptness in executing my orders, and the steady perseverance they shewed, were never on any other occasion exceeded : for in no similar instance was there ever less confusion." J .. , v- ^ ,: Lieutenant Jauncey subsequently commanded the Griper and Cracker, gun-brigs. In the latte^* vessel, he captured a small French privateer, Nov. 20, 1810. He was advanced to the rank of commander, Feb. 1, 1812 j appointed to the Hope, of 10 guns, June 7j 1814 ; re-appointed to the same sloop, Sept. 6, 1815 ; and posted, July 19, 1821. Agents, — Messrs. Cooke, Halford and Son. ARMAR LOWRY CORRY, Esq. ^1 Member of the London /Astronomical Societjf. Entered the navy on the 1st. Aug. 1805; and served un- der Sir Home Popham, in the Diadem 64, at the capture of the Cape of Good Hope and Buenos Ayres ; from whence he returned home in the Sampson 64, Captain WUliam Cuming. • See Vol. I. Part II. p. 684. f See id. p. 729. I See Schomberg's Nav. Chronology, III. 221. POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 315 On that ship being p«id off, in 1807, he joined the Leda fri- gate, Captain Robert Honyman, and continued in her until she was wrecked near the entrance of Milford Haven, Jan. 31, 1809. The Leda formed part of the fleet under Admiral (now Lord) Gambier, at the capture of the Danish navy, in 1807. In May, 1809, we find Mr. Corry on board the Warspite 74, Captain the Hoi . Henry Blackwood, with whom he com- pleted his time as midshipman, on the North Sea, Channel, and Mediterranean stations. He was made lieutenant, April 28, 1812 ; and afterwards successively appointed to the Ne- reus frigate, Montagu 74, Impregnable 98, and Tay 20. The first two ships were commanded by Captain Peter Hey wood ; the Impregnable conveyed the Emperor of Russia, the King of Prussia, &c. &c. to England, in 1814. His promotion to the rank of commander took place June 13, 1815. Captain Corry afterwards accompanied Earl Belmore in a tour through the Levant ; successively visiting Egypt, Nubia, Palestine, Asia-Minor, Constantinople, and Greece ; he also travelled with his Lordship through Italy and other European states. In Oct. 1820, he was appointed to the Satellite 18, fitting for the East India station, where he was posted, by Sir Henry Blackwood, into the Topaze frigate, July 23, 1821, Agents, — Messrs. Cooke, Halford, and Son. I j;. i 'I. '■i\\ -! V\ M^ Sir WILLIAM EDWARD PARRY, Knt. Doctor of the Civil Law; Fellow of the Royal Society ; Member of the London Astronomical Society; and Honorary Member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences at St. Petersburgh. Fourth and youngest surviving son of the late Dr. Caleb Hillier Parry, an eminent physician of Bath, F.R.S., by Miss Rigby, of Norwich, sister to the late Dr. Rigby *. •Dr. Parry died March 9th, 1822. Besides various papers in the Bath Agricultural Society's collection, the memoirs of the Medical Society of London, and other miscellaneous works, he was the author of " An Inquiry into the Symptoms and Causes of the Syncope Anginosa, commonly called ul ■f m \ '■; ' , J l\4 , ■;' - v,\ i f- 1 % 3)6 POST-CAFTAINS OF 1821. This officer was born at Bath, Dec. 19th, 1790; and re- ceived the rudiments of hia education at the grammar-school of that city, under the superintendence of the Rev. Nathaniel Morgan, the preceptor of many other distinguished charac- ters. In 1803, he was recommended to the patronage of Admiral the Hon. William Cornwallis, then commanding the Channel fleet, who received him on board his flag-ship, the Ville de Paris 110, and placed him under the tuition of her chaplain, the Rev. William Morgan. In a letter written by that veteran chief, bearing date Aug. 4th, 1804, there appear the following passages : " In regard to any civility I may have shewn young Parry, I never knew any one so generally approved of. He will experience civility and kind* ness from all whilst he continues to conduct himself as he has dune, which, I dare believe, will be as long as he lives. • • • • • He is a fine steady lad. It is almost a pity he had not gone to sea sooner, for he will, I am sure, be fit for promotion before his time of servitude is out." On the 23rd May, 1806, Mr. Parry was removed from the Ville de Paris to the Tribune 36, Captain Thomas Baker, with whom he completed his time as midshipman, in the Vanguard 74, on the Baltic station, where he was more than once engaged in action with the formidable Danish gun-boats. His first commission bears date, Jan. 6th, 1810, at which period we find him appointed to the Alexandria frigate, then commanded by Captain John Quilliam^ but subsequently by ": m & Angina Pectoris." *' Facts and Observations tending to shew the Practi- cability and Advantage of producing in the British Isles Clothing M'ool equal to that of Spain, together with some Hints towards the Manageukcnt of Fine-woolled Sheep." "Observations on the Pulse." "The Elements of Pathology." And " A Treatise on Hydrophobia and Tetanus." His eldest surviviiigson, Dr. Charles Henry Parry, M. D., F. R. S., D. C. L. and a Member of the Physical Society at Oottingen, has published " De Grae- cariem atque Rumanarum Religionum nd mores formandoi vi et eflicncia commentatio. In concert, civium acad. Georgiaa Augustas, die IV. Jan. 1799. abord. Ampliss. Philosoph. loco secundo victrix pronunciata. Got- ling. 4to. 1799" "O. C. Reich on Fever and its treatment in general, translated into English," 8vo. IHOI . And " Cases of Tetanus and Rabies Contagiosa, or Cauiue Hydrophobia," 8vo. 18H. '90 5 and re- tiimar-school ev. Nathaniel shed charac- patronage of imanding the flag-ship, the uition of her er written by there appear ry, I never knew ivility and kind- is he has dune, ► • • He is a :a sooner, for he ■vitude ia out." oved from the homas Baker, ipman, in the as more than sh gun-boats. $10, at which frigate, then )8cquently by shew the Practl- Clothing \^'o(d ic Management •The Elements Tetanus." His S., D. C. L. and shed " De Grae. i» vi et efiioncia tas, die IV. Jun. niunciata. Got- incnt in general, Eiaus Mid Rabies POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 31^ Captain Robert Cathcart, and employed in protecting the Spitsbergen whale fishery. While serving under the latter officer, in 1811 and 1812, Lieutenant Parry devoted much of his time to astronomical observations, and made a survey of Balta Sound and the Voe, a harbour very little known, and the only one capable of receiving large vessels, in the north-eastern part of the Shetland islands. This chart was transmitted to the Lords of the Admiralty, who were pleased to signify that it was highly acceptable. Several others, of places on the coasts of Den- mark and Sweden, had been formerly received from him at the Hydrographical Office. In the course of 1812, Rear-Admiral Sir Francis Laforey, who had before endeavoured to assist Mr. Parry's profes- sional advancement, gave his friends the strongest assur- ances that he would promote him if they could procure his appointment to any ship on the Leeward Islands station, where he then held the chief command; but no opportunity occurred previous to that officer's supercession. In Jan. 1813, Lieutenant Parry was appointed to la Hogue 74, Captain the Hon. Thomas Bladen Capel, on the North American station, and ordered to proceed thither in the Sceptre 7^, Captain Robert Honyman, then about to sail for Barbadoes and Halifax. On his arrival in Carlisle bay, he was received very kindly by Sir Francis Laforey, who ex- pressed great regret that he had not joined him before, add- ing, " had you come here twelve months earlier, you would have been twelve months a commander." On the 8th April, 1814, Lientpnant Parry assisted at the destruction of three large American privateers, twenty-four merchant vessels, a great number of boats, and a large quanti- ty of naval stores, at Pettipague Point, in the Connecticut river, by a detachment of seamen and marines under the direction of Captain Richard Coote*. In the course of the same year, he furnished many of the junior officers on the Halifax station with copies of his '•' Practical Rules for observing at night i " If ■'■)'•' 4 .1 * Sec Commander Hbmrv Pyme. 318 POST-'CAPTAINS OF 1821. mi'i :i A by the fixed stars/' which treatise was afterwards published, in order to " facilitate the acquisition of a species of knowledge so highly conducive to the welfare of the naval service." Lieutenant Parry subsequently exchanged into the Maid- stone frigate. Captain William Skipsey. His next appoint- ment was, we believe, in June 1816, to the Niger 38, Cap- tain Samuel Jackson, C. B. About this latter period. Dr. Parry, senior, had a sudden attack of palsy, the effects of which were so complete and universal, as to totally annihilate his faculties. On hearing of this severe affliction, the lieutenant obtained leave to re- turn home, where he arrived in May 1817. On the 14th Jan. 1818, he was appointed to the command of the Alexander brig, hired for the purpose of accompanying Captain John Ross in an expedition to the Arctic regions. The history of that voyage is well known to the world, and we again forbear to enter into any needless details relating to it. It is suffi- cient to say, that neither the public nor the government were satisfied with its issue. The result of the discussions which followed was the equipment of a new expedition, to sail in the spring of 1819, under the sole direction of Lieutenant Parry, who was consulted in the choice both of his ships and officers. The vessels selected and fitted out for the second attempt to discover a N.W. passage, were the Hecla bomb and Griper gun-brig, the latter commanded by Lieutenant Mat- thew Liddon, formerly of the Maidstone and la Hogue. The other officers and gentlemeti attached to the expedition were, in the Hecla, Lieutenant Frederick William Beechey ; Cap- tain Edward Sabine, of the royal artillery, astronomer ; Mr. John Edwards, surgeon; Mr. William H. Hooper, purser; Messrs. Joseph Nias, William Justin Dealy, Charles Palmer, James Clark Ross, and John Bushnan, midshipmen; Mr. Alexander Fisher, assistant-surgeon ; and Mr. James Halse, commander's-clerk. Griper, Lieutenant Henry Parkyns Hoppner; Messrs. Andrew Reid, Andrew Motz Skene, and William Nelson Griffiths, midshipmen ; Mr. Charles Janjcs Beverley, asgistant-surgeon ; and Cyrus Wakehani, clerk. POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 319 Two inaster-marlnera, Messrs. John Allison and George Fife, of long experience in the Greenland whale fishery, were like- wise taken into his Majesty's service on this occasion. In his official instructions from the Admiralty, Lieutenant Parry was ordered to make the best of his way to the en- trance of Davis's Strait ; to advance, when the ice would permit, along the western shore to Baffin's Bay ; to enter Sir James Lancaster's Sound, explore the bottom thereof, and, if possible, pass through it to Behring's Strait. This was the most favorable supposition ; other directions were given, in case the route here marked out should not be found prac- ticable. If he succeeded in getting through Behring's Strait, he was to proceed to Kamtschatka, and send, through the Russian governor, a duplicate of his journal to London. From thence he was to proceed either to the Sandwich Is- lands or to Canton, to refit the vessels and refresh their crews } and then to return home, by such route as he might deem most convenient. It was left to his own judgment, when on the spot, to decide upon the propriety of wintering in the Arctic regions ; and minute directions were given as to the observations to be made with the various philosophical instruments on board. Though the finding a passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific was the main object of the expe- dition, yet the ascertaining many points of natural history, geography, &c. was consider d o most important one, never to be lost sight of. Whenever a landing was made on the northern coast of North America, a pole with a flag was to be erected, and a bottle buried cat the foot of it, containing an abstract of his proceedings and future intentions, for the in- formation of Lieutenant John Franklin, who was sent, at the same time, on a land expedition, to explore that coast, from the mouth of the Copper Mine River to the eastward. The Hecla and her consort were prepared with great attention for the voyage, as well as with every thing for the scientific ob- jects of the expedition, and the comfort of their crews. The total number of persons, on board both vessels, was 94, nioit of whom bad served under Captain Ross, in 1818; and every individual was ordered to receive double the ordinary pay of Ilia Majesty's navy. MS t-i'V n m .11 320 POST- CAPTAINS OP 1821. •i The expedition left Deptford in the beginning of May, 1819 ; rounded the northern point of the Orkneys, on the 20th of the same month ; fell in with the first ''stream" of ice, on the 18th of that ensuing; and crossed the Arctic circle, in long. 57° 2/' W., at 4 p. m. on the 3d July, in the course of which day at least fifty ice-bergs were passed, many of them of large dimensions *. "Towards midnight,'* says Lieu- tenant Parry, " the wind having shifted to the S. W., another extensive chain appeared : as we approached them, the breeze died away, and the ships' heads were kept to the northward, only by the steerage way given to them by a heavy southerly swell, which, dashing the loose ice with tremendous force against the bergs, sometimes raised a white spray over the latter to the height of more than 100 feet, and being accom- panied with a loud noise, exactly resembling the roar of dis- tant thunder, presented a scene at once sublime and terrific. We could find no bottom near these ice-bergs with 1 10 fa- thoms of line. At 4 a. m. on the 4th, we came to a quantity of loose ice, which lay straggling among the bergs ; and as there was a light breeze from the southward, and I was anxious to avoid, if possible, the necessity of going to the eastward, I pushed the Hecla into the ice, in the hope of being able to make our way through it. We had scarcely done so, however, before it fell calm, when the ship became perfectly unmanageable, and was for some time at the mercy of the swell, which drifted us fast towards the bergs. All the boats were immediately sent a-head to tow; and the Griper's sig- nal was made not to enter the ice. After two hours' hard pulling, we succeeded in getting the Hecla back again into clear water, and to a sufficient distance from the ice-bergs, which it is very dangerous to approach when there is a swell. At noon we were in lat. 66" 50^ 47", long. 57° 7' 56", being near the middle of the narrowest part of Davis's Strait, which is here not more than fifty leagues across." Of the situation of the Hecla and her consort, on this day, there is an awfully grand view (in the quarto edition of " Parry's First Voy- * A " ■tr«ain" ia a long and narrow cullectioa of broken roastes of ice. broken masics of POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 321 age"), from a sketch by Lieutenant Beechey. On the 2bth July, they had passed every impedhnent which obstructed their passage into Lancaster's Sound, reaching the entrance of it just one month earlier than the Alexander and her con- sort had done in the preceding year, although those vessels Siiiled above a fortnight sooner, with the same general object in view. The following extracts of Lieutenant Parry's pub- lished narrative contain a summary of his subsequent pro- ceedings and discoveries : " We were now about to enter and to explore that jfreat sound or inlet wblcb bas obtained a degree of celebrity beyond what it might otherwise have I)een considered to possess, from the very opposite opinions which have been held with regard to it. To us it was peculiarly interesting, as being the point to which our instructions more particularly directed our attention ; and, I may add, what I believe we all felt, it was that point of the voyage which was to determine the success or failure of the expedition, according as one or other of the opposite opinions alluded to should be corroborated. It will readily be conceived, then, how great our anxiety was for a change of the westerly wind and swell, which, on the 1st August, set down Sir James Lancaster's Sound, and prevented our making much progress. We expe- rienced also another source of anxiety. The relative sailing qualities of the two ships were found to have altered so much, that we were obliged to keep the Hecla under easy sail the whole day, to allow the Griper to keep up with us, although the latter had hitherto kept way with her consort, when sailing by the wind. We stretched to the northward across the en- trance of the sound, meeting occasionally with some loose and heavy •streams' of ice, and were at noon in latitude, by observation, 73» 56' 18", and longitude, by the chronometers, 77" 40'. •••••• "The weather being clear in the evening of the 2nd, we had the first distinct view of both sides of the sound, and the difference in the character of the two shores was very apparent, that on the south consisting of high and peaked mountains, completely snow-clad, except on the lower parts, while the northern coast has generally a smoother outline, and had, com- paratively with the other, little snow upon it ; the difference in this last respect appearing to depend principally on the difference In their absolute height. The sea was open before us, free from ice or land ; and the Hecla pitched so much from the westerly swell in the course of the day, as to throw the water once or twice into the stern windows, a circumstance which, together with other appearances, we were willing to attribute to an open sea in the desired direction. More than forty black whales were teen during; the day. " We made little progress on the 3rd ; but being favored IIJPPL. PART IV, T ii IM 1 :[i M '\t 1 it ' i K ll •Uw •I ' : 322 POST-CAPTAINg OF 1821. if"** at length by tbe easterly breeze which was bringing up the Griper, a crowd of sail was set to carry us with all rapidity to the westward. It is more easy to imagine than to describe the almost breathless anxiety which was now visible in every countenance, while, as the wind increased to a fresh gale, we ran quickly up the Sound. The mast-heads were crowded by the officers and men during the whole afternoon ; and an un- concerned observer, if any could have been unconcerned on such an occasion, would ha\e been amused by the eagerness with which the various reports were received, all, however, hitherto favorable to our most sanguine hopes. " Between 4 and 6 p. m., we passed several ripplings on the water, as if occasioned by a weather-tide, but no bottom could be found with the hand-leads. Being now abreast of Cape Castlereagh, more distant land was seen to open out to the westward of it, and between the cape and this land was perceived an inlet, to which I have given the name of the Navy Board's Inlet. We saw points of land apparently all round this inlet, but being at a very great distance from it, we were unable to determine whether it was continuous or not. As our business lay to the westward, and not to the south, the whole of this extensive inlet was in a few hours lost in distance. *' In the mean time the land had opened out, on the opposite shore, to the northward and westward of Cape Warrender, consisting of high moun- tains ; and, in some parts, of table-land. Several head-lands were iiere distinctly made out, of which the northernmost and most conspicuous was named after Captain Nicholas Lcchmere Pateshall, R. N. The bay into which it extends, and which, at the distance we passed it, appeared to be broken or detached in many parts, was named Crokers-bay, in honor of the secretary of the admiralty ; I have called this large opening a bay, thouo^h the quickntiss with which we sailed past it did not allow us to determine the absolute continuity of land round the bottom of it; it is, therefore, by no means improbable, tbat a passat^c may here be one day found from Sir James Lancuster's Sonufl into the nortbern sea. The cape on the western side of Crokcr's bay was named after Sir Everard Home. " Our course was nearly due west, and the wind still con- tinuing to freshen, took us in a few hours nearly out of sight <;f the Griper. The only ice we met with consisted of a few inging up the ill rapidity to M\ to describe sible in every fresh gale, we ire crowded by I ; and an un- [iconcerned on the eagerness 1, all, however, • al ripplings on but no bottom now abreast of I to open out to d this land was he name of the d apparently all ance from it, we itinuous or not. ot to the south, iW hours lost in , opposite shore, to isting of hifih moun- ad-lands were liere ost conspicuous was , N. The bay into id it, appeared to be ■bay, in honor of the ening a bay, though How us to determine [; it is, therefore, by ; day found from Sir cape on the western |ie. Le wind still con- Larly out of sight tonsisted of a few POST-CAPTAINS OP 1821. 323 large bergs very much washed by the sea ; and the weather being remarkably clear, so as to enable us to run with per- fect safety, we were, by midnight, in a great measure reliev- ed from our anxiety respecting the supposed continuity of land at the bottom of this magnificent inlet, having reached the longitude of 83" 12', where the two shores are still above thirteen leagues apart, without the slightest appearance of any land to the westward of us for four or five points of the compass. A great number of whales were seen in the course of this day's run.'* AuguHt Ath. " At noon, being in lat. 74** 15' 53" N , long., by chrono- meters, 86« 30' 30", we were near two openings, of which the easternmost was named Burnet Inlet, and the other Stratton Inlet. The land between them had very much the appearance of an island. Sounded, and found no bottom with 1 70 fathoms of line ; the water of a dirty light green colour. We soon after discovered a cape (Fellfoot), which appeared to form the termi- nation of this coast ; and as the haze which prevailed to the southward prevented our seeing any land in that quarter, and the sea was literally as free from ice as any part of the Atlantic, we began to flatter ourselves that we had fairly entered the Polar Sea, and some of the most sanguine among us had even calculated the bearing and distance of Icy Cape, as a matter of no very difficult or improbable accomplishment. This pleasing prospect was rendered the more flattering by the sea having, as we thought, regained the usual oceanic colour, and l»y a long swell which was rolling in from the southward and eastward. At 6 p. m., however, land was reported to be seen a-head. Tiie vexation and anxiety produced on every countenance was but too visible, until, on a nearer approach, it was found to be only an island, of no very great extent, and that, on each side of it, the horizon still appeared dear for several points of the compass. More land was also dis- covered beyond Cape Fellfoot, immediately to the westward of which lies a deep and broad bay, which I named after my friend, Mr. Maxwell. At 8 p. M. we came to some ice of no great breadth or thickness, extending several miles in a direction nearly parallel to our course; and as we could see dear water over it to the southward, I was for some time in the hope, that it would prove a detached ' stream,' from which no obstruction to our progress westerly was to be apprehended. At twenty minutes past 10, how- ever, we perceived that the ice, along which we had been sailing for the last two hours, was joined, at the distance of half a mile to the westward of us, to a compact and impenetrable body of ' floes'% which lay across the • A •• floe" is an extensive sheet of ice, the limits of which can be distin- suislied from a ship's mast-head. V 2 t m :. ■; ^li il : ' I ■ '' ii I Mi Ml 324 POST-CAPTAINS OF 18*21. whole breadth of the strait, formed by the iaiand, and the western pohit of Maxwell Bay. We hauled our wind to the northward, just in time to avoid beins; embayed in the ice, on the outer edge of which a considerable surf, the effect of a late gale, was then rollinjf. A p^cond island was discovered to the southward of the former, to both of which I gave the name of Prince Leopold's Isles. Immediately to the eastward of them, there was a strong • water-sky,* indicating a considerable extent of open sea ; but an * ice-blink» to the westward afforded little hope, for the present, of finding a passage in the desired direction *." August 5th. " A steady breeze springing up from the W. N. W. in the afternoon, the ships stood to the northward, till we had distinctly made out that no passage to the westward could at present be found between the ice and the land. About this time we perceived that there was a large open space to the southward, where no land was visible ; and for this opening, over which there was a water-sky, our course was now directed. It fell calm again, however, in a few hours, so that at noon, on the 6th, we were still abreast of Prince Leopold's Isles, which were so surrounded by ice, that we could not approach them nearer than four or five miles." Aug. 6th. — " A breeze sprung up from the N.N.W. in the evening, and we stood to the southward. The land, which now became visible to the south-east, discovered to us that we were entering a large inlet, not less than ten leagues wide at its mouth, and in the centre cf which no land could be distinguished. The western shore, which extended as far as we could see to the S. S. W., was so encumbered with ice, that there was no possibility of sailing near it. I, therefore, ran along the edge of the ice, between which and the eastern shore there was a broad and open channel, with the intention of seeking, in a lower latitude, a clearer pas- sage to the westward than that which we had just been ob- liged to abandon, lying between Prince Leopold's Isles and Maxwell's Bay. The headland which forms the western point of the entrance into this inlet was honored by the St}l • A " blink" is a peculiar brightness in the atmosphere, often assuming an arch-like form, and generally perceptible over ice, or land covered with snow. The " blink" of land, as well as that over large quantities of ice, is usually of a yellowish cast. A " water-sky" is a dark appearance in the atmosphere, indicating clear water in that direction, and forming a striking contrast with the "blink" overland or ice. , . I»d9T-CAPTAlN8 OF 1821* 32Si name of Cape Clarence ; and another, to the south- eastward of this, was named after Sir Robert Seppings. " Since the time we first entered Sir James Lancaster's Sound, the sluggishness of the compasses, as well as the amount of their irregularity, produced by the attraction of the ship's iron, had been found very rapidly, though uni- formly, to increase, as we proceeded to the westward j so much, indeed, that, for the last two days, we had been under the necessity of giving up altogether the usual observations for determining the variation of the needle on board the ships. This irregularity became more and more obvious as we now advanced to the southward, which rendered it not improbable that we were making a very near approach to the magnetic pole. For the purposes of navigation, there- fore, the compasses were from this time no longer consulted ; and in a few days afterwards, the binnacles were removed, as useless lumber, from the deck to the carpenter's store-room, where they remained during the rest of the season." Aug. Ith. — " Running close along the edge of the ice, which led us nearer and nearer to the eastern shore, so that, by midnight, the channel was narrowed to about five miles. The colour of the water had changed to a very light green at that distance from the shore, but we could find no bottom with 5U fathoms of line, and had 35 fathoms while rounding a point of ice at three miles' distance from the beach. The weather was beautifully serene and clear, and the sun, for the second time to us this season, just dipped below the horizon, and then rc-appeared in a few minutes. " A dark sky to the S. W. liad given us hopes of finding a westerly pas- sage to tl»e south of the ice along which we were now sailing; more espe- ciiilly uji the inlet began to widen cunsiderubly as we adxanced in that direction : but at three a. m., on the Bib August, we perceived that the ice ran close in with a point of laud i)caring S. b C. from us, and which appeared to form the southern extremity of the eastern shore. To this extreme point I gave the name ot Cupe Kuter, in cninpliinent to one of the Commissioners of the Board of Longitude, to whom science is greatly in- debted for his improvements of the pendnlun), aud the mariner's compass. " With the increasing width of the inlet, we bad flattered ourselves with increasing hopes; but we soon experienced the mortification of disap- pointment. The prospect from the crow's nest • began to assume a very • A small circular house like a cask, fixctl at the mast-head, in which ai !,.; 141 :i; % llif '' ill ^96 pbsT-CAPTAINB OF 1821. h I m mM^M unpromising appearance, the whole of the western horizon, from north round to S. b. E., being completely covered with ice, consisting of heavy and extensive does, beyond which no indication of water wa^ visible. The western coast of the inlet, however, trended much more to the westward than before, and no land was visible to the S. W., thoui?;!i the horizon was so clear in that quarter, that, if any had existed i>r moderate heififht, it might have been easily seen at this time, at the distance of 40 or 12 lea- gues. From these circumstances, the impression received at the time was, that the land, both on the eastern and western side of this inlet, would be one day found to consist of islands. As a fresh northerly breeze was drifting the ice rapidly towards Cape Kater, and there appeared to be no passage open between it and that point, I did not consider it prudent, tinder present circumstances, to run the ships down to the cape, or to attempt to force a passage through the ice, and therefore hauled to the wind, with the intention of examining a ^ay which was abreast of us, and to which I gave the name of Fitzgerald Bay. " A boat from each ship was prepared to conduct this examination ; but we found, on approaching the shore, that the bay was so filled with ice, as to render it impracticable to land. I therefore determined, as the season was fast advancing to a close, to lose no time in returning to the north* ward, in the hope of finding the channel between Prince Leopold's Isles and Maxwell Bay more clear of ice than when we left it, in which case there could be little doubt of our effecting a passage to the westward. The distance which we sailed to the southward in this inlet was about 120 miles. Cape Kater being, by our observations, in lat. 71° 53' 30", long. 90^ 03' 45^. As we returned to the northward, we found that the ice had approached the eastern shore, leaving a much narrower channel than that by which we had entered; and in some places it stretched completely across to the land on this side, while the opposite coast was still as inac* eessible as before. " On the 10th, the weather was very thick, with snow ; which was suc« ceeded by fog and rain. The sun being obscured, we had no means of knowing the direction in which we were going, except that we knew the wind had been to the southward before the fog came on, and had found by experience that it always blew directly up or down the inlet, which en- abled us to form a tolerably correct judgnteut of our course." ^ug. \2th. — ^This being the anniversary of the birth-day of H. R. H. the Prince Regent, it naturally suggested to Cap- tain Parry the propriety of honoring the large inlet, which he had been exploring, and in which he still was sailing, with the name of Prince Regent's Inlet ; and, speculating on its ex- the look-out man sits, cither to guide the ship through the ice, or to give notice of whales. the ice, or to give POST- CAPTAINS OF 1821. 8^ tent, he then tliought it probable that a communication would one day be found between it and Hudson's Bay, either through Sir Thomas Rowe's Welcome, or perhaps through Repulse Bay, neither of which had yet been satisfactorily examined. He thus continues: " The weather was beautifully calm aiul clear on the 13th, when, being near an opening' in the eastern shore, I took the opportunity of examining it in a boat. It proved to be a bay, a mile wide at its entrance, and three miles deep in an E. b. S. direction, having a small but snug cove on the north side, fornied by an island, between which and the main land is a bar of rocks, which completely shelters the cove from sea or drift ice. We found the water so deep, that in rowing close along the shore we could seldom get bottom with seven fathoms of line. The cliifs on the south side of this bay, to which I gave the name of Port Bowen, resemble, in many places, ruined towers and battlements ; and fragments of the rocks were constantly falling from above. At the head of the bay is an exten- sive piece of low flat ground, intersected by numerous rivulets, which, uniting at a short distance from the beach, formed a deep and rapid stream, near the mouth of which we landed." The latitude observed here was 73° 12' 11", and the longitude, by chronometers, 89o 02' 08". " Soon after I returned on board, a light breeze from the southward enabled us to steer towards Prince Leopold's Isles, which we found to be more encumbered with ice than before. Tiiree or four miles to the northward of Port Buwen we discovered another opening, having every ap- pearance of a harbour, with an island near the entrance ; I named it after Captain Samuel Jackson, R. N." Aug: 17 th. — " We had a fresh breeze from the S. S. W., with so thick a fog, that in spite of the most unremitting attention to the sails and the steerage, the ships were constantly receiving heavy shocks from the loose masses of ice with which the sea was covered, and which, in the present state of the weather, could not be distinguished at a sufHcient distance to avoid them. On the weather clearing up in the afternoon, we saw, for the first time, a remarkable bluff headland, which forms the north-eastern point of the entrance into Prince Regent's Inlet, and to which I gave the name of Cape York. " On the iSth, there being still no prospect of getting a single mile to the westward, in the neighbourhood of Prince Leopold's Isles, and a breeze having freshened up from the eastward in the afternoon, I d^ter- mined to stand over once more towards the northern shore, in order to try what could there be done towards effecting our passage. At 9 p. m., after beating for several hours among * floes' and ' streams' of ice, we got into clear water near that coast, where we foimd some swell from the east- ward. There was just light enough at midnight to enable us to read and write in the cabin. m'^h 'i. ii'i! £1 w I f i 'd Hi m 399 FOSt-CAPTAINS OV 1821. ^^H ^^^^1 If ^H Hi ^^H ni Wm 1 " The wind and sea increased on the 19lh, with a heavy fall of snoir^ which, t(^tber with the uselessness of the compasses, and the narrow space in which we were working between the ice and the land, combined to make our situation for several honrs a very unpleasant one. At 2 p. m., the weather being still so thick, that we could at times scarcely see the ship's length a-head, we suddenly found ourselves close under the land, and had not much room to spare in wearing round. We stood off and on during the rest of the day, measuring our distance by Massey's patent log, an invaluable machine on this and many other occabions ; and in the courtse of the afternoon, found ourselves opposite to an inlet, which I named after my relation, Sir Benjamin Hobhouse*. The snow was succeeded by rain at night ; after which the wind fell, and the weather became clear, so that, on the morning of the 20ili, we were enabled to bear up along shore to the westward. The points of ice led us occasionally within two miles of the land, which allowed us to look into several small bays or inlets, with which this coast appears indented, but which it would require more time than we could afford, thoroughly to survey or examine. Maxwell Bay is a very noble one, having several islands in it, and a number of openings on its northern shore. A remarkable headland, on the western side, I named after Sir William Herschel. "On the 21st, we had nothing to impede our progress but the want of wind, the great opening, through which we had hitherto proceeded from Baffin's Bay, being no.y so perfectly clear of ice, that it was impossible to believe it to be the same p'^rt of the sea, which, but a day or two before, had been completely covered '>vith • floes' to the utmost extent of our view. In the forenoon, being off a heudland, which was named after Captain Thomas Hurd, hydrographer to the admiralty, »ve picked up a small piece of wood, which appeared to have beon the end of a boat's yard, and which caused sundry amusing speculations among our gentlemen, some of whom had just come to the very natural conclusion, that a ship had been here before us, and that, therefore, we were not entitled to the honor of the first discovery of that part of the sea on which we were now sailing; when a stop was suddenly put to this and other ingenious inductions, by the information of one of the seamen, that he had dropped it out of liis boat a fortnight before. I could not get him to recollect exactly the day on which it had been so dropped, but what he stated was sufficient to con- vince me, that we were not at that time more than ten or twelve leagues from our present situation, perhaps not half so much ; and that, there- forej here was no current setting constantly in any one direction. A bay to the northward and westward of Cape Hurd was called Rigby Bay. " On the following day, we found ourselves abreast another, to which the name of Radstock Bay was given, by Lieutenant Liddon's desire. It is * His uncle in- law. POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 329 vy fall of Booty* and the narrow lan(l» combined me. At 2 p. m., scarcely see the under the land* stood off and on isey's patent \og, and in the course oh I nnmed after ucceeded by rain ne clear, so that, ilong shore to the two miles of the s or inlets, with equire more time e. Maxwell Bay mber of openings le western side, I IS but the want of ;o proceeded from was impossible to lay or two before, xtent of our view, led after Captain 1 up a small piece yard, and which emen, some of it a ship had been to the honor of were now sailing ; us inductions, by )ped it out of bis exactly the day sufficient to Con- or twelve leagues and that, there- direction. A bay Rigby Bay. mother, to which on's desire. It is formed by a point of land, on the eastern side, which I named Cape Eard* ley Wilinot ; and on the western, by a bluff headland, which was called after Captain Tristram Robert Rickctts, R. N. As we advanced slowly to the westward, the land on which Cupe Ricketts stands appeared to be nearly insular; and, immediately to the westward of it, we discovered a considerable openinir, which we called Gascoyne's Inlet. In the after- noon, the weather became very clear and tine, the wind light from the westward. As this latter circumstance rendered our progress very slow, the opportunity was taken to send boats on shore, for the purpose of making observations ; and at the same time, a boat from each ship, under Lieutenants Beechey and Hoppner, was sent to examine a bay, at no great distance to the northward and westward of us. The hrst party landed at the toot of a bluff headland, which forms the eastern point of this bay, and which I named after my friend Mr. Richard Riley, of the Admiralty. They had scarcely landed ten minutes, when a fresh breeze sprung up from the eastward, and their signal of recall was immediately made. Lieutenant Beechey found that the land, which at this time formed the western extreme, and which lies on the side of the buy, opposite to Capo Riley, was insular; to which I, therefore^ gave the name of Beechey hland. , . "As soon as the boats returned, all sail was made to the westward, where the prospect began to wear a more and more interesting appearance. We soon perceived, as we proceeded, that the land along which we were sailing, and which, with the exception of some small inlets, had appeared to be hitherto continuous from Baffin's Bay, began now to trend umch to the northward, beyond Beechey Island, leav- ing a large open space between that coast and the distant land to the westward, which now appeared like an island, of which the extremes to the north and south were distinctly visible. The latter was a remarkable headland, having at its extremity two small table hills, somewhat resembling boats turned bottom upwards, and was nanud Cape Hotham. At sunset, we had a clear and extensive view to the northward, between Cape Hotham and the eastern land. On the latter several headlands were discovered and named ; between the northernmost of these, called Cape Bowden^ and the island to the westward, there was a chaiuiel of more than eight leagues in width, in which neither land nor ice could be seen fr.>n5 llie mast-head. To this iioblo channel I gave the name of Wellington. The arrival ofT it was an event for ?«i ij hi 330 p6st-cai>tains op IB2I. m which we had long been looking with much anxiety and im- patience; for, the continuity of land to the northward had always been a source of uneasiness to us, principally from the possibility that it might take a turn to the southward and unite with the coast of America. The appearance of this broad opening, free from ice, and of the land on each side of it, more especially that on tlie west, leaving scarcely a doubt on our minds of the latter being an island, relieved us from all anxiety on that score ; and every one felt that we were now finally disentangled from the land which forms the wes- tern side of Baffin's Bay ; and that, in fact, we had actually entered the Polar Sea. Fully impressed with this idea, [ ventured to distinguish the magnificent opening through which our passage had been eflfccted from Baffin's Bay to Wellington Channel, by the name of Barrow's Strait, after my friend Mr. Barrow, secretary of the admiralty ; both as a private testimony of my esteem for that gentleman, and as a public acknowledgment due to him for his zeal and exer- tions in the promotion of northern discovery. To the land on whirli Cape Hotham is situated, and which is the eastern- most of the group of islands (as we found them to be by sub- sequent discovery) in the Polar Sea, I gave the name of Cornwallis Island ; and an opening, seven miles to the north- ward of Cape Hotham, was called Barlow Inlet. " A cahn, which prevailed during the night, kept us nearly stationary ofTBeechey Island till three a. m. on the 23(1, when a fresh breeze sprui)); tip from the nortliward, and all sail was made for Cape Hotham, to the Bouthward of which it was now my intention to seek a direct passage to- wards Behring's Strait. Wellin^jton Channel was as o|)en and navijjfultlc to the utmost extent of our view as any part of the Atlantic ; hut as it lay ut right angles to our course, and there was still an opening at least ten leagues wide to the southward of Cornwallis Island, F could fortunately have no hesitation in dccitling which of the two it wus our business to pur- sue. If, however, the sea to the westward, which was otir direct course, had been obstructed by ice, and tiie wind had lieen favourable, hucIi was the tempting appearance of \V(|lingl(tn Cliannel, thut I should proba- bly have been induced to run through it, as a degree more or less to the northward made little or no ditT^Trnce in the tli^lance we had to run l(> Icy Cape. It is impossible to conceive any thing more animating than tiic quick and unobstructed rim niihwhicli we were favoured, fidui Heechey I- 1- POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 331 Island across to Cape Hotbam. Most men have, probably, at one lime or other, experienced that elevation of spirits which is usually produced by rapid motion of any kind ; and it will readily be conceived liow much this feeling was heightened in us, in the few instances in which it occurred, by the slow and tedious manner in which the greater part of our navigation had been performed in these seas. Our disappointment may therefore be imagined, when, in the midst of these favourable appearances, and of the hope with which they had induced us to flatter ourselves, it was sud- denly reported from the crow's-nest, that a body of ice lay directly across the passage between Cornwallis Island and the land to the southward. As we approached this obstruction, which commenced about Cape Hotbam, we found that there was, for the present, no opening in it through which a passage could be attempted. After lying-to for an hour, however. Lieu- tenant Beechey discovered from aloft, that one narrow neck appeared to consist of loose pieces detached from the main ' floes' which composed the barrier, and that, beyond this, there was a considerable extent of open water. The Hecla was immediately pushed into this part of the ice, and after a quarter of an hour's * boring,' during which the breeze had, as usual, nearly deserted us, succeeded in forcing her way through the neck.* The Griper followed in the opening which the Ilecla had made, and we continued our course to the westward, having once more a navigable sea before us. An opening was seen in the southern land, which I distin- guished by the name of Cunningham Inlet. A blutf and remarkable cape, which forms the eastern point of it, obtained the name of Cape Gitlbrd. To the eastward thereof, a thick haze covered the horizon, and it prevented us seeing more land in that direction ; so that its continuity from hence to Cape Clarence still remained undetermined, while, to the westward, it seemed to be terminated rather abruptly by a headland, which I distin- guished by the name of Cape Bunny. " At noon, we had reached the longitude of 94® 43' 15", the latitude, by observation, being 74° 20' 52", when we found, that the land which then formed the western extreme on this side was a second island, which I named after Rear-Admiral Edward Griflith. ••At2 1». M., having reached the longitude of 95° 07', we came to some .icavy and extensive 'floes,' which obliged us to tack, there being no passage between them. We beat to the northward during the whole of the after- noon, with a fresh breeze, in the hope of linding a narrow channel under the lee of Grillilh Island. In this expectation, however, we were disappointed, for at 8 i». M. we were near enough to pii ceive, not only that the ice was quitu close to the shore, l)Ut that it appeared not to have been detached from it at ^i| Ml p'li I . li • The operation of " boring" thnnigli loose ice consists in entering it under a press of sail, and forcing the ship through by separating the masses. I : fit i 332 POST- CAPTAINS OF 1821. all during this season. We therefore bore up« and ran again to the south" ward, where the sea by this time had hecorae rather more clear along the lee margin of a large * field* of ice, extending far to the westwanl*. The ice in this neighbourhood was covered with innumerable hummocks, and the ' floes' were from seven to ten feet in thickness. ** It may here be remarked, as a fact not altogether unworthy of notice, that, from tlie time of our entering Sir James Lan- caster's Sound, till we l»ad passed the meridian of 92", near which the northern shore of Barrow's Strait ceases to be con- tinuous, the wind had invariably blown in a direction nearly due east or due west, being that of the shorea of the strait. "When, therefore, we experienced to-day, for the first time, a fresh breeze blowing steadily from the northward, or directly off the land, we were willing, though, perhaps, without much reason, to construe this circumstance into an additional indi- cation of the shores near which we were now sailing being ako- gether composed of islands, down the channels between which the wind blew, and that no obstruction from continued land was any longer to be apprehended. • i *' After various unsuccessful attempts to get through the ice which now lay in our way, we were at length so fortunate as to accomplish this object by 'boring' through several heavy 'streams', which occasioned the ships to receive several severe shocks: and, at half an hour before midnight, we were enabled to pursue our course to the westward," the messes of ice being so much separated as to allow the ships to sail among them. August 2\th. — " At 7 A. M., we saw land to the northward of us, at the distance of nine or ten miles, which subse(|ueiitly proved to lie an island, and was named after Vincount Lowther." Some high and bold lund to the southward, terminated to the eastward by abluff hcudland, was named after Mr. Walker of the Ilydrogrupliical Office. " We here obtained soundings in 63 fathoina. '* It now became evident that all the land around us consisted of islands, and the comparative shoulness of the water niudc great caution necessary in proceeding, surrounded as we were by both land and ice in almost every direction." Two of: hese islands were named after Sir Humphrey Davy and Eurl Bathurst. jiugutt 25th.—*' It was encouraging to find, while advancing to the westward as fast as an unfavorable wind would permit, that, although the • When a sheet of ice is too extensive to be seen over froiu • ship's niasi-hcjid, it is called a "field." " '? "^ POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 333 sea beyond us wrag for the most part covered with a compact body of ice, yet tbat a channel of sufficient breadth was still left open for us between it and the shore, under the lee of Bathurst Island. The westernmost land now in si^bt was a cape, which I named after Sir Georjye (Joekburn. The water became very liijht coloured, as we stood in towards this part of the coast, and we tacked hi 26 fathoms, at six or seven miles' distance from it." August 26th.—" While beating round Cape Cockburn, we observed that the land to the westwanl of it swept into a large bay which I named after Sir Graham Moore. The weather was at this time remarkably serene and clear. We saw a line of ice to the southward of us, lying in a direction nearly east and west, and some more land appeared to the westward; yet the space of open water was still broad, and the prospect from the mast- head flattering. About 7 p. m., wo were sufficiently near to the western land, to ascertain that it was part of another island, which I named after Sir Thomas Byam Martin ; and by 8 o'clock we perceived that the body of ice to the southward, along which we had been sailing, took a turn to the north, and stretched quite in to the shore, near a low point, oflf which a great quantity of heavy ice ivas aground. At 10, finding that there was at present no passage to the westward, we hauled off to the S. E., in the hope of meeting with some opening in the ice to the southward, by which we might get round in the desired direction. We were encouraged in this hope by a dark ' r. .t««r-sky', but after running along the ice ♦ill half-past eleven, without suvx- "e again bore up to return towards the island. As we ap- proached t^ .. point of it, to which I gave the name of Cape Oillman, we found th- >t.e m the same position as before ; and I therefore hauled to the north-east, with the intention of attempting a passage round the north side of the island. Tn standing towards Cape Gillman, our soundings gra- dually decreased from 80 to 23 fathoms, the latter depth occurring at the distance of two to four miles from the shore." . . August 2SM. — *' At 10 A. M., the wind being very light from the S. S. E., I despatched Captain Sabine and Mr. Ross, accompanied by Messrs. Cdwards and Fisher, to the eastern point of the island, which we were about to round, in order to make the necessary observations, and to examine the na- tural productions of tiie shore. Our latitude at noon was 7;)«»3' 12", longitude 103" 44' 37 ", and the depth of water 40 fathoms. The gentlemen reported, on their return, that they had landed on a sandy beach, and found the island more productive, and altogether more interesting, than any other part of the shores of the polar regions which we had yet vi- sited. The remains of Esquimaux habitations were found in r '•m* : I ■:' m 334 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. four different places. The latitude of the place of obserration was 75° ^ 23", and the longitude, by chronometers, 103<» 44' 'df. The dip of the magnetic needle was 88» 25' 58", and the variation was now found to have changed from 128° 58' VV., in the longitude of 91° 48^, where our last observations on shore had been made, to 165° 5(y 9" E., at our present station ; so that we had, in sailing over the space included between those two meridians, crossed immediately to the northward of the magnetic pole, and had undoubtedly passed over one of those spots upon the globe, where the needle would have been found to vary 180°, or in other words, where its north pole would have pointed due south. " The witul now became very light from tlie eastward, and the weather was 80 foi^gy that nothing; could be done during the night but to stand off. and-on, by the soundings, between tiie ice and the land ; as we had no other means of knowing the direction in wliich we were sailing, than by the decrease in the depth of water on one tack, and by making the ice on the other. The fog froze hard upon the rigging, which always makes the working of the ship a very laborious task, the size of the running ropes being sometimes thus increased to three times the proper diameter. About 4 A. M. on the 29th, the fug partially cleared away for a little while, when wc observed that the ice was more open off Cape Gillman, than when we had before attempted to pass in that direction. At 5 o'clock, therefore, wc made sail for the point, with a light easterly breeze; iiut at 7, when we had proceeded only two or three miles, the fog came on again as thick as before : fortunately, however, we hud been enabled to take notice of several pieces of ice, by steering for each of which in succession we came to the edge of a ' floe,* along which our course was to be pursued to the westward. As long as we had this guidance, wc advanced with great confidence ; but as soon as we came to the end of the * floe,' which then turned off to the southward, the circumstances luider which wc were sailing were, perhaps, such as have never occurred since the early days of navigation. To the northward was the land } the ice, as we supposed, to the southward ; the compasses useless ; and the sun completely obscured by a fog, so thick that the Griper could only now and then be seen at a cable's length astern. We had, literally, no i.iode of regulating our course but by once more trusting to the steadiness of the wind ; and it was not a little amusing, as well as novel, to see the quarter-master con- ning the ship by luukin^ at the dog-vane. " On the .'ilst, we occiisionnlly caught aglimjwe of the land through the heavy fog-banks, with which the horizon was covered, which was Hufficicnt to give ui an idea of the true direction in which we ought to ^cer. Soon POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821; 335 after noon, we were once more enveloped in a fog, which, however, was not 80 thick as to prevent our having recourse to a new expedient for steering the ships. Before tlie fog re-commenced, and while we were sailing on the course whicli hy the hearings of the land we knew to he the ritfht one, the Griper was exactly astern of the Hecia, at the distance of aliont a quarter of a mile. The weather heing fortunately not so thick as to prevent our still seeing her at that distance, the quarter-master was directed to stand aft, near the tafFrail, and to keep her constantly astern of us, hy whiclj means we contrived to steer a tolerahle straight course to the west- ward. The Griper, on the other hand, naturally kept the Hecla right a-head ; and thus, however ridiculous it may appear, it is, nevertheless, true, that we steered one ship entirely hy the other for a distance of ten miles out of sixteen and a half, which wc sailed hetween one and eleven p. m." Sept. 1. — "At half-past 8 a. m., the fog having suddenly cleared up, wc found ourselves within four or five miles of a low point of land which was named after Mr. Griffiths, and which, heing at the distance of six or seven leagues from Byam Martin Island, we considered to he part of another of the same group. At one a. m. on the 2ud, a star was seen, heing the first that had hcen visihle to us for more than two months. As we were making no way to the westward, I directed two boats to he pre- ]mred hy each ship, for the purpose of making observations on shore, as well as to endeavour to kill deer; and at one p. m. I left the Hecla, ac- companied by a large party of officers and men. We landed on a very flat sandy beach, which did not allow the boats to come nearer than their own length. The latitude of the place of observation here, which was within 100 yards of the beach, was 74° 58', the longitude, by chronometers, 107° 3' 31", and the variation of the magnetic neelle 151" 30' 3" easterly. We returned on board at half-past 8, and found that Lieutenant Beechey had, in the mean time, taken a nutnber of useful soundings, and made other hydrographical remarks for carrying on the survey of the coast." Oil the 4th Sept., at 9-15 p. m. Lieutenant Parry had the satisfaction of crossing the meridian of 1 10" west from Green- wich, in the latitude of 'J\° 44' 20" ; by which the expedition under his orders became entitled to the sum of Five Thousand Pounds, being the reward offered by Government, with tlie sanction of Parliament, to such of his Majesty's subjects as might succeed in penetrating thus far to the westward within the Arctic Circle. The M'estern extreme of the land seen that day was named after Samuel Ilearne, the well- known Ame- rican tr.iveller ; and a biglit of considerable extent, to tliC noith-castward of it, was afterwards called tlie Buy of the 1 i I ^; ^ii 336 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. mi Hecla and Griper. The names of Ross and Palmer had been previously given to two points of land ; those of Skene, Beverley, and Bridport, to three inlets ; and that of Dealy to a low i^andy island near the entrance of the latter opening. " We continued our course toward Cnpe Hearne till midnight, when the weather iteing too dark to run any longer with safety, the ships were hovc- to. One black whale was seen in the course of this day's navigation, o(f Bridport Inlet. " At a quarter before 3 a. m., on the 5th, we tacked, and stood to the westward, with the hope of getting past Cape Hearne, the wind being mo- derate from the northward, and weather thick with snow ; shortly after we shoaled the water quickly from 25 to 13, and then to 9 fathoms. Tacked in the latter depth, believing that we were approaching a shoul. We after- wards found, that we had at this time been actually within 300 or 400 yards of Cape Hearne, which is so surrounded by heavy ice at a sufficient distance from the shore, that it would perhaps be difficult to run a ship aground upon it. The error into which we were' here led, as to our distance from the beach, arose from the extreme difficulty of distinguish- ing, even in broad day-light, between the ice and the land, when the latter is low and shelving, and completely covered with snow; by the uniform whiteness of which, they are so completely blended, as to deceive the best eye. ■• • • ' - - *' Having stood again to the westward, to take a nearer view of the ice, we perceived that it lay quite close in with Cape Hearne, notwithstanding the northerly wind which, for the last 36 hours, had been blowing from the shore, and which had drifted the ice some distance to the southward, in every part of the coast along which wc had lately been sailing. This cir- cumstance struck us very forcibly at the time, as an extraordinary one ; and it was a general remark among us, that the ice must either be aground in shoal-water, or that it butted against something to the southward, which prevented its moving in that direction. Appearances being thus discourag- ing, nothing remained to be done but to stand off-and-on near the point, and carefully to watch for any opening that might occur. " The wind increasing to a fresh gale from the northward in the after- noon, and the ice still continuing to oppose an impenetrable barrier to our further progress, I determined to beat up to the northern shore of the bay, and, if a tolerable roadsted could be found, to drop our anchors till somo change should take place. This was accordingly done at 3 p. m., in seven fathoms' water, the bottom being excellent holding ground, composed of mud and sand, from which the lead couhl with difficulty be extricated. When we veered to half a cable, we had ten fathoms' water under the •tern. I had great reason to be satisfied with our having anchored, ns the wind shortly after blew a hard gate from the northward. The island, on which our boats now landed for tlie second ime, and which is much IhQ if POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. Palmer had ose of Skene, it of Dealy to ;r opening. [inisht, when the ships were hove- 1 navigatioi), off and stood to the I wind being mo- shortly after we thorns. Tacked shoal. We after- ithin 300 or 400 ice at a sufficient lilt to run a ship ; led, as to our ty of distinguish- tand, when the h snow; by the led, as to deceive r view of the ice, notwithstanding blowing from the le southward, in ling. This cir- tranrdinary one; ther be af^round uuthward, which thus discourug- iar the point, and ard in the after- le barrier to our Rhore of the bay, inchors till somo 3 p. M., in seven id, composed of be extricated, water under the anchored, as tlie The island, on lich n much iho 337 largeit of the group we had lately discovered, I honored with the name of Melville Island, after the First Lord of the Admiralty •. "The Bay of the Hecia and Griper was the first spot where we had dropped anchor since leaving the coast of Norfolk ; a circumstance ren- dered the more striking to us at the moment, as it appeared to mark, in a very decided manner, the completion of one stage of our voyage. The ensigns and pendants were hoisted as soon as we had anchored, and it cre- ated in us no ordinary feelings of pleasure to see the British flag waving, for the first time, in these regions, which had hitherto been considered be- yond the limits of the habitable part of the world." On the following day, a small harbour was discovered, and named after Mr. Fife, the Greenland master of the Griper, At 6 p. M., the expedition succe« d in rounding Cape Hearne, at the distance of a mile and a quarter ; and Lieute- nant Parry was beginning once more to indulge in flattering hopes, when he perceived, from the crow's nest, a compact body of ice, extending completely in to the shore near the western extreme, which was called Cape Providence, from the circumstance of Mr. Fife and two men, who had lost their way while on a shooting excursion, having returned on board in safety, after an absence of ninety-one hours. In less than two hours after their return, the wind increased to a hard gale, and the thermometer had fallen to 15°; "making alto- gether so inclement a night, that it would have been impos- sible for them, in their already debilitated state, to have sur- vived." One of thes*^ men, when asked what they had lived upon, dryly replied. Lived upon — the Duke of Wellington never lived so well. We had grouse for breakfast, grouse for dinner, and grouse for supper, to be sure !" On the 14th Sept., at 3 A. M., the thermometer fell to 9° ; " and from this time," says Lieutenant Parry, "the commencement of winter may fairly be dated. On the following day we were abreast of Cape Providence, and observed another headland, more Ijigh and bold in its appearance, which was called Cape Hay. " We remarked now, for the firs', time, that a strong current was setting to the westward, directly against a fresh gale from that quarter, and this I' -^t f»f«- §■.*■ • The length of Melville Island, in an E. N. E. and W. S. W. direction, is about 135 miles, and the breadth from 40 to /3U miles. SUP PL. PART IV. Z fej ;•; \ :\ .^ -AL 11 \i\ Hi'] i lU! 4 .^^^^^^^1 11 >:-^^H ^H h^^Bk '^'^^^^^B 1 Hi ; .^^^^^H 1 m ^^H W^M 938 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. !l observation we had frequent opportunities of repeating, immediately after the springing up of a breeze, in the Polar 6eas. But on the 20th, the a(U ranced period of the season, the unpromising appearance of the ice to the westw^ard, and the risk to the ships with which the navigation had been ^attended for some days past, naturally led me to the conclusion that, under t^ese circumstances, the time had arrived, when it became absolutely .necessary to look out for winter-quarters * * * *. The opinions of the officers entirely concurring with my own,' as to the propriety of imme- diately resortmg to this i|ieasune, I determined, whenever the iee and the weather would allow, to run back to the Bay of the Hecia and Griper, in which neighbourhood alone we had any reason to believe that a suitable harbour might be found." On the 22ndj at 8 p. m., the Hecla brought up a little to the eastward of her former anchorage ; but the Griper, having dropped several miles astern in the course of the day, was obliged to be secured to the grounded ice off Cape Hearne, to prevent her being frozen up at a greater distance from the land. Next day Lieutenant Parry examined Fife's harbour, and proceeded from thence to another, a short distance to the westward, which he selected for his winter-quarters, deter- mining to cut a canal through the ice, in order to get the fihips into a secure situation. By half-past 8 a. m. on the 24th, both of them were anchored in the proper position for commencing, this laborious tapk^ the performance of which he thus describes. *'As eoon as our people had breakfasted, I proceeded, with a small party of men, to sound *, and to mark with boarding-pikes upon the ice, the most direct channel we could find to the anchorage ; having Left direc- tions for every other officer and man in both ships to be employed in cutting the canal. This operation was performed by first marking out two parallel lines, distant from each other a little more than the breadth of the larger ship. Along each of these linefi a cut was then made with an ice-saw, and others again at right angles to them, at intervals of from 10 to 20 feet apart ; thus dividing the ice into a number of rectangular pieces, which it was necessary to subdivide diagonally, in order to give room for their being floated out of the canal. To facilitate the latter part of the process, the seamen, who are always fond of doing things m their own way, took ad- vantage of a fresh northerly breeze, by setting, some boats' sails upon the pieces of ice, a contrivance which saved some time and labour. This part of the operation, however, was by far the most troublesome, prlnci- By making holes in the ice and dropping the leads through. POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 339 ;ular pieces, which it I leads through. pally on account of the quantity of young ice which formed in the canal, and especially about the entrance, where, before sun-set, it had become so thick that a passage could no longer be found for the detached pieces* without considerable trouble in breaking it. At half-past 7 p. m. we weighed our anchors, and began to warp up the canal, but the northerly wind blew so fresh, and the people were so much fatigued, having been almost constantly at work for nineteen hours, that it was midnight before we reached the termination of our first day's labour. " All hands were again set to work on the morning of the 25lh, when it was proposed to sink the pieces of ice, as they were cut, under the floe, instead of floating them out, the latter mode having now become imprac- ticable on account of the lower part of the canal, through which the ships had passed, being hard frozen during the night. To effect this, it was ne- cessary for a certain number of men to stand upon one end of the piece which it was intended to sink, while others, hauling at the same time upon ropes attached to the opposite end, dragged the block under that part of the floe on which they stood. The officers of both ships took the lead in this employ, several of them standing up to their knees in water frecjuent- ly during the day, with the thermometer generally at 12", and never higher than 16o. At six p. m., we began to move the ships. The Griper was made fast astern of the Heda, and their crews being divided on each bank of the canal, with ropes from the Hecla's gangways, soon drew them along to the end of our second day's work. Sunday the 26/A. — " I should, on every account, have been glad to have made a day of rest to the officers and men ; but the rapidity with which the ice increased in thickness, in proportion as the general temperature of the atmosphere diminished, would have rendered a day's delay of serious im- portance. I ordered the work, therefore, to be continued at the usual time in the morning ; and such was the spirited and cheerful manner in which my orders were complied with, as well as the skill which had now been ac- quired in the art of sawing and sinking the ice, that althouirh the thermo- meter was at 6" in the morning, and rose no higher than 9° during ilie day, we had completed the canal at noon, having effected more in four hours than on either of the two preceding days. The whole length of this canal was 4082 yards, and the average thickness of the ice was seven inches . " At half-past one, p. m., we began to track the ships along in the same manner as before, and at a quarter-past three we reached om' winter-quarters, and hailed the event with three loud and hearty cheers from both ships' compa- nies. The ships were in five fathoms water, a cable's length from the beach on the north-western side of the harbour, to which I gave the name of Winter Harbour ; and I called the group of islands which we had discovered in the Polar Sea, 7. 2 M \ I :i;i ^.ll' 1..' f f 1 i i 340 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. New Georgia s but having afterwards recollected that this name is already occupied in another part of the world, 1 changed it to that of the Nokth Gkoroian IsLAJNDS^in honor of our gracious Sovereign." ,r< Among the many fortunate circumstances which had at- tended the Hecla and Griper during this first season of their navigation, there was none more striking than the opportune time at which they were securely placed in Winter Harbour ; for on the very night of their arrival, the thermometer fell to — 1° ; and, on the following day, the sea was observed from the hills to be quite frozen over, as far as the eye could reach; nor was there any open water seen after this period until the early part of July, 1820. " Having reached this station, where, in all probaMlity, we were destined to reinahi for at least eight or nine months, during three of which we were not to see the face of the sun, my attention was immediately, and imperious- ly, called to various important duties; many of them of a singular nature, such as had for the first time devolved on any officer in H. M. uavy, and might indeed be considered of rare occurrence in the whole history of navi- gation. The security of the ships, and the preservation of the various stores, were objects of immediate concern. A regular system to be adopted for the maintenance of good order and cleanliness, as most conducive to the health of the crews, during the long, dark, and dreary winter, equally de- manded my attention. Not a moment was lost, therefore, in the commence- ment of our operations ; (he whole of the masts were dismantled except the lower ones, and the Hecla's main-top-mast ; the lower yards were lashed fore and aft amidshipi>, to support the planks of the housing intended to be erected over the ships ; and the whole of this was afterwards roofed over \\\i\\ a cloth" similar to that with which waggons are usually covered. The boats, spars, running-rigging, and sails, were removed on shore ; and as soon as the ships were secured and housed over, my whole attention was directed to the health and comfort of the officers and men. . j: < J- " Under circumstances of leisure and inactivity, such as we were now placed in, and with every prospect of its continuance for a very large por« ticn of the year, I was desirous of finding some amusement for the men during this long and tedious interval. I proposed, therefore to the officers of both ships to get up a play occasionally on board the Hccla, as the readiest means of preserving among our crows that cheerfulness and good- humour which hud hitherto subsisted. In this proposal I was readily se- conded liy them; and Lieutenant Beechey having been duly elected as stage-manager, our first perfornionce was fixed for thi* 6ih Noventbcr, to the great delight of both ships' companies. lu these amusements I gladly POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 341 ccted that this jf the world, I LANDS, in honor 1 which had at- ; season of their n the opportune Winter Harbour; mometer fell to bserved from the could reach; nor d until the early ty, we were destined ;e of which we were ktely, and imperious- of a sinjjular nature, in H. M. navy, and rhole history of navi- ilion of the various lystem to be adopted i03t conducive to the I? winter, equally de- •e, in the coinineme- ! dismantled except rer yards were lashed using intended to be ;erwards roofed over ually covered. The (1 shore ; and as soon tention was directed uch as we were now 'or a very large por- sement for the men refore to the officers I the Hccla, as the eerfulness and good- isal I was readily se- lecn duly elected as 5ih November, to unusements I gladly undertook a part myself, considering that an example of cheerfulness, by giving a direct countenance to every thing that could contribute to it, wa> not the least essential part of my duty. " In order still further to promote good humour among ourselves, as well as to furnish amusing occupation, during the hours of constant darkness, we set on foot a weekly newspaper, which was to be called the ' North Georgia Gazette and Winter Chrouiclc,' and of which Captain Sabine mi- derlook to be the editor, under the i)romi.sc that it was to be supported by original contributions from the ofHcers of both ships ; and though some ob- jection may, perhaps, be raised against a paper of this kind being generally resorted to in ships of war, I was too well ac(|uainted with the discretion, us well as the excellent dispositions of my officers, to apprehend any unplea- sant consequences from a measure of this kind : instead of which I can safely say, that the weekly contributions had the happy eflfect of employing the leisure hours of those who furnished them, and of (livertin with very few exceptions, they were invariably distinguished. •• Our theatrical entertainments took place regularly once a fortnight, and continued to prove a source of infihite amusement to tbe men. Our stock of plays was so scanty, consisting only of one or two volumes, which happened accidentally to be on board, that it was with diliiculty wu could find the means of varying the performances sufficiently; our authors, therefore, set to work, and produced as a Christmas piece, a musical enter- tainment, exprt ssly adapted to the audience, and having such a reference to the service on which we were engaged, and the success we had so far experienced, as at once to afford a high degree of present recreation, and to stimulate, if possible, the sanguine hopes which were entertaiued by all, of the complete accomplishment of our enterprise. " We were at one tiiuc apprehcDsive, that the severity of the weather wouUl have prevented the continuance of this anuiseinent ; but the perseverance of the officers overcame every difficulty ; and, perhaps for titc first time since thea- trical entertainments were invented, 7nore than one or two plays were performed, o)i board t •; Hecla, with the thermo" meter below zero on the stage. " The snow which falls during the severe winter of this climate is com- posed of spiculiu 80 extremely minute, that it recpiires very little wind to raise and carry it along. To mark Chfistmas day in the best manner which circumstances would pL-rmit, divine service was performed ; and I di- rected a small increase in the usual proportion of fresh meat, us well as an additional allowance of grog; a piece of li)iigli»h roast-beef, which formed part of the oflicers' diimer, had been <»n board since the pa-ceding May, and preserved without salt during that period, merely by the antiseptic pro- perties of a cold atmosphere*." • A large quantity of the meats preserved by IMcssri. Donkin and Co* without salt, as well as of their vegetable and concentrated soups, was em- barked, and placed at the discretion of Captain Parry, who, by the substi- Witiun of them, in lieu of proportional quantities of salt beef, greatly im- proved the diet of the men. '► . ti 4 346 POST-CAPTArNS OF 1821. y ^^M ■Bi;i'H 'mt Hlp^ 1 ij B^u^ H'^i •1H WiB ' \\ The 7th of January, 1820, Avas one of the most aevere days to the feelings which our voyagers experienced during the winter ; the wind, in the morning, blowing strong from the northward, with a heavy snow-drift ; and the tempera- ture of the atmosphere, at noon, having got down to 49° be- low zero, being the greatest degree of cold which they had yet experienced. On the evening of the 16th, the atmos- phere being clear and serene, they were gratified by a sight of the only very brilliant and diversified display of Aurora Borealis, which occurred during their stay in Winter Har- bour. It is almost impossible for words to give an idea of the beauty and variety which this magnificent phenomenon displayed. On the 3rd of February, at 20 minutes before apparent noon, the sun was seen from the Hecla's main-top, being the first time that this luminary had been visible since the 1 Ith of November, a period of exactly twelve weeks. The time of its remaining actually beneath the horizon, independently of the effects of atmospherical refraction, was 96 days. In the course of the winter, there was often an appearance in the southern horizon very much resembling land at a dis- tance. This appearance was unusually well defined, on the 3rd Feb., and seemed to terminate in a very abrupt and decided numner, on a S. b. E. bearing from the Hecla. On the 24th of that month. Captain Sabine's observatory on shore ■was burnt down, but fortunately the clocks, transit, and other valuable instruments were saved, and nothing of any material consc(iuencc suffered injury. This house had been built of fir-plank, intended for the future construction of spare boats, and its sides being double, with moss placed be- tween the inner and outer planks, a high temperature could be kept up in it without difficulty by a single stove. Speak- ing of its destruction, Lieutenant Parry says : — " The appearance which our faces presented at the fire was a ciirioui one, almost every nose and clieek having heeomc quite white with frost- bites in five minutes after being exposed to the weather; so that it was deemed necessary for the medical gentlemen, together with some othcri appointed to assist them, to go constantly round, while the men were working at the firr, and tu rub with snow the parts affected, bi onlcr to POST-CAPTAINS OP 1821. 347 restore animation. Notwithstanding tliis precaution, wliicb, however, saved many frost-bites, wc had an addition of no less than IG u^en to the sick-lists of both ships in consequence of the accident. Aaion^ these there were four or five cases which kept the patients confined for several weeks; but John Smith, Captain Sabine's servant, who, together with Serjeant Martin, of the artillery, happened to be in the house at the time the fire broke out, was unfortunate enough to suffer much more severely. In their anxiety to save the dipping-needle, which was standing close to the stove, and of which they knew the value, they imme.ia' Uy ran out with it ; and Smith, not having time to put on his gloves, had lis fingers in half an hour so benumbed, and the animation so completely suspended, that on hi? being taken on board by Mr. Edwards, and having his hands plunged into a basin of cold water, the surface of the water was immediately frozen by the intense cold thus suddenly communicated to it; and, notwith- standing the most humuiie and unremitting attention paid to them by the medical gentlemen, it was found necessary, some time after, to resort tu the amputation of a part of four fingers on one hand, and three on the other." Tl e 5th of March was the first day to which they could attach the idea of spring, and they now began to flatter themselves, that the season had taken that favorable change for which they had long been looking with extreme anxiety and impatience. This hope was much strengthened on the /th, by the thawing of a small quantity of snow in a favor- able situation upon the black paint work of the ship's stern, which exactly faced the south, being the first time that such an event had occurred for more than five months. The thermometer had then got up to zero, which it had never before done since the IJth of December. On the 9th, how- ever, the wind blew a hard gale from the N. W., raising a snow-drift which made the day almost as inclement as in the midst of winter; and, on the Htli, the thermometer had once more fallen as low as —28". On the 2:ird, the ice was still ()^ feet thick in the middle of Winter Harbour ; and the snow on its surface eight inches deep. Tlie length of the day iiad now so nujch increased, that at midnight on the 2Gth, " there was a very sensible twilight hi the northern quarter of the heavens ; and," says Lieutenant Parry, " such was the rapidity with which this part of the season appeared to us to have come round, that wc could with difliculty picture to i i ;:t| li I iH 1 H !i 348 POST-CAPTAINi OP 1821. ourselves the total darkness from which we had so lately emerged. . " Being extremely anxious to "fet rid, as early as possible, of the drying of our washed clothes upon the lower deik, I had to day a silk hantlkcr- chief washed, and hung up under the stern, in order to try the effect of the sun's nys upon it. lu four hours it iK'came thoroughly dry, the thermo- meter in the shade being from — 18° to — Go at the time. This was the first article that had been dried without artificial heat for six months, and it was yet another month before flannel could be dried in the open air. When this is considered, as well as that, during the same period, the airing of the bedding, the drying of the bed-places, and the ventilation of the inhabited parts of the ship, were wholly dependent on the same means, and this with a very limited supply of fuel, it may, perhaps, be conceived, in some def:;ree, what unremitting attention was necessary to the preserva- tion of health, under circumstances so unfavorable, and even prejudicial." The fine and temperate weather with which the month of April concluded, induced Captain Sabine to set the clocks going, in order to commence his observations for the pen- dulum, and he now took up his quarters in a new house for that purpose. On the Ist of May, however, it blew a stronir gale from the northward, which made it impossible to keep up the desired temperature ; and so heavy was the snow- drift, that in a few hours the observatory was nearly covered. The sun was seen at midnight, for the first time this season. OntheCth, thethermometor rose no higher than H-Si'during the day ; but, as the wind was moderate, and it was high time to endeavour toget the ships once more fairly afloat. Lieutenant Parry i^ave orders to commence the operation of cutting the ice about them ; and, as the expedition, at its departure from England, had been victualled for no more than two years, lie considered it expedient, as a matt(.'r of precaution, to reduce the daily allowance of every species of provisions to two- thirds of the established proportion, and to renew a former " game-law," by which it was enacted, that every animal killed by the various shooting partios should be considered as public property, a.id regidarly issued, in lieu of other meat, without the slightest distinction between the messes of the officers and those of the ships' companies. " On the l/th," says he, " wc completed the o[)eration of cutting the POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 349 ice round the Hecla, which was performed in the following manner :— "The ice alongside was found to be six fe«t tlnci<, being about eighteen inches less than the average thickness of it in the harbour, owing principal- ly to our having continued to cut it round the ships for some time after the commencement of the winter season. We began by digging a large hole under the stern, in order to enter the saw, which occupied us nearly two days, only a small number of men being able to work at it. In the mean time, all the snow and rubbish was cleared away from the ship's sides, leaving only the solid ice to work upon : and a trench, two feet wide, was cut the whole length of the starboard side, from the stem to the rudder, keeping within an inch or two of the ben rally a tendency to rise in the water as soon as they were set at liberty." During the re-c(iuipment of the ships, Lieutenant Parry and Captain Sahine, acconipanicd by Messrs. Nias, Reid, and riaher, Serjeant Martin, and fiv other men, travelled across Melville Island and discovered another to the north-eastward, M-hich was named after Captain Sabine ; tliey then pro- ceeded in a westerly direction until they came to a spacious gulf, which was named after Lieutenant Liddon. 'i'lie head- lands terminating its north and south shores, received the If «'»i •H M t^.l Si 350 POST -CAPTAINS oF 1821. PI i i t names of Beechcy and Hoppner. In the course of this tour, which occupied fifteen days, they met with the remains of six Esquimaux' habitations. On the 14th of July, a boat passed, for the first time, between the Hecla and the shore ; and on the following day, the same kind of communication was practi- cable between her and the Griper. In the night of the 31st, the whole body of ice in Winter Harbour was perceived to be mov- ing slowly out to the south-eastward. On the following day, the ships were once more under sail j and on the morning of the 7th August, Lieutenant Beechey, from the top of a hill near Cape Hay, to which he had been sent for the purpose of ascertaining the state of the ice, discovered land at a consi- derable distance, its extremes bearing W. S. W. and S. S. W., and the loom of it extending as far round to the left as S. E. "This land, which extends beyond the 117th degree of west longitude, and is the most western yet discovered in the Polar Sea, to the northward of the American continent, was honored with the name of Banks's Land, out of respect to the late venerable and worthy president of the Royal Society." On the 15lh, after experiencing "a continued series of vexations, disappointments, and delays," the ships were com- pletely beset by heavy loose ice, and obliged to be secured within some large masses, lying aground near the beach of Melville Island, Avhere they remained for several days, in a constant state of danger. They were then in lat. 74" 26' 25", and longitude, by chronometers, 1 13" 54' 43" ; the western- most point to which the navigation of the Polar Sea, to the northward of the American continent, has yet been carried. The direct distance to Icy Cape was then jctween 8(X) and 900 miles, while that which the expedition had advanced to- wards it, since leaving Winter Harbour, fell short of 20 leagues. On the 23d, there being no appearance whatever of clear water to the westward of their present station. Lieutenant Parry called for the opinions and advice of Lieutenants Lid- don, Beechey, and Hoppner, Captain Sabine, and Messrs. Edwards and Hooper, being desirous of profiting by their united judgment and experience, previous to forming his ulti- t .1 iore : and on POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 351 mate decision as to the measures most proper to be pursued, for the advancement of the public service and the security of the ships and people committed to his charge. On receiv- ing their answers, says he : " It was gratifying^ to me to find that tliey unanimously agreed with me in opinion, that any further attempt to penetrate to the westward in our present parallel would be altogether fruitless, and attended with a consider- able loss of time, which might be more usefully employed. They also agreed with me in thinking, that the plan I had proposed to adopt of running back along the edge of the ice to the eastward, in order to look out for an opening that might lead us towards the American continent, was, in every respect, the most advisable ; and that, in the event of failing to find any such opening, after a reasonable time spent in search, it would be expedient to return to England rather than risk the passing another winter in these seas, without th** prospect of attaining any u(le(iuate object, namely, that of i)eing able to start from an advanced station at the commeucetuent of the following season." On his return to Barrow's Strait, Lieutenant Parry named several newly discovered islands and capes after Captains Baker and Capel, Major Rennell, Dr. Somervillc, &c. &c. " Having now traced the ice the whole way from the longitude of 1 14" to that of POj, without discovering any opening to encourage a hope of pene- trating it to the southward, I could not entertain the slightest doubt, that there no longer remained a possibility of cflcoting our object with the present resources of the expedition ; and that it wa?, therefore, my duty to return to England with the account of our late proceedings, that no time might be lost in following up the success witli which vvc liiul been favored, should H. M. government consider it expedient to do so. Having informed the officers and men of both ships of my intentions', I directed the full al- lowance of provisions to be, in future, issued, with such a proportion of fuel as might contribute to their comfort ; a luxury which, on account of the necessity that existed for the strictest economy in this article, it must be confessed, we had not often enjoyed since we entered Sir James Lancas- ter's Sound. We had been on two-thirds allowance of bread between ten and eleven months, and on the same reduced proportion of the other species of provisions, between three and four; but, although this quantity is scarcely enough for working men for any length of time, I believe the re- duetiou of fuel was generally considered by fur the greater privation of the two." Lieutenant Parry now ran along the south shore of Bar- row's Strait, at the distance of four or five leagues, and gave 'vi ■ >i ■ I ; . i a 352 POST-CAITAIMS OP 1821. -if I 1, i ''. I I the name of Admiralty Inlet to an opening to the eastward of Cape York ; naming a headland which forms one point of the entrance after the Right Honorable Charles Yorke, late first Lord of the Admiralty ; and another, near it, after Lieutenant (now Sir John) Franklin. After quitting Sir James Lan- caster's Sound, he surveyed the western coast of Baffin's Bay, till stopped by ice in the latitude of 68" 15' 2(y' and longitude 65° 48' 38". On the 3rd Sept. Lieutenant Parry passed some of the highest ice-bergs he had ever seen, one of them being not less than from 150 to 200 feet above the sea ; and on the 6th, he was visited by several Esquimaux, from an inlet named the river Clyde ; one of whom was pre- vailed on to sit pretty quiet while Lieutenant Beechey made a drawing of him. The whole party seemed much pleased, and expressed their delight by jumping, and by loud and re- peated ejuculutions. Lieutenant Parry and Captain Sabine landed upon an island, in order to observe the end of an eclipse of the sun, as well as to obtain the other usual obser- vations, together witli angles for the survey of that inlet. " On the socoiid of October, in scudding before the wind, under tlie niain-top-fail, a heavy sea struck the Heohi on tlie larboard quarter, ren- dering it necessary to press her forward under more canvass, by which we lost sight of tlie Griper in the course of the morning. • • • • On the afternoon of the Kith, the sea being very high and irregular, and the ship pitching with considerable violence, the bowsprit was carried away close to tiie gammoning, and the fore-mast and main top-mast imme- diately followe' a, • Captain Parrjr sailed from the Nore, accompanied by the Hecia, and a transport laden with provisions and stores, May 8th, 1821, about which period he thus expressed himself in writing to a friend : *' Every tUng belonging to our eqtilpinent is as I could wish ; I have not a thing left undone which has suggested itself as useful ; and we go out under every circumstance, which, as far as we can see, is likely to tend With success. You will remember, however, that I am not over san- guine, and you will oblige me much in checking, by every opportunity in your power, the sanguine expectations, which are, I believe, too generally formed, of our complete success." Nothing of consequence happened duringtheir passage across the Atlantic. On the 1st of July, the transport, having been cleared, was ordered to part contpany for England, while the Fury and Hecla stood towards the ice in Huds(Hi's Strait. On the 21st, having proceeded slowly to the westward, they had reached the latitude of 61^ 5(K W, and longitude, by chronometers, 67* 7' 36", where they made fast to a large floe of ice, not having room to beat to windward, and were visited by a number of Esquimaux. On the 2nd of August, they came to a body of ice so closely " packed " that they could make no further progress, while the masses on the outer edge were moving so rapidly in various directions as to occasion them much trouble and many violent blows before they could get clear of those impediments. The latitude at noon was 64° 59^ 24^ and the longitude 79" 40'. After standing several miles to the northward, along the edge of the ice, without seeing an opening, it began to lead them so much to the eastward, that they deemed it expedient to tack and stand back to the W. S. W. to try what could be done by patience and perseverance in that quarter. On the 15th POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 365 August, Captain Parry and Mr. Rosa landed at the northern extremity of Southampton Island, where they obtained good observations by the moon and stars. The latitude by two meridian altitudes was 65<* 28' 13'' ; the longitude, by chro- nometers, 84* 40' 07"; and the variation of the magnetic needle SO" 18' 26" westerly. Next morning, they ascended a hill about 1000 feet high, and from thence discovered a magnificent bay, which was named after the Duke of York, in consequence of the ships having first entered it on the birth-day of His Royal Highness. The remainder of the season was spent in satisfactorily determining the non- existence of a passage to the westward, either through Re- pulse Bay or any of the openings to the eastward of that great inlet. On the 8th October, the formation of young ice upon the surface of the water began most decidedly to put a stop to the navigation of these seas, and warned the voyagers that the season of active operations was nearly at an end. ** In reviewing the events of this season," says Captain Parry, " and consideringf what process we had made towards the attainment of our main object, it was irapossihle, however trifling that progress might appear upon the chart, not to experience considerable satisfaction. Small as our actual advance had been towards Behring's Strait, the extent of coast newly discovered and minutely explored in pursuit of our object, in the course of the last eight weeks, amounted to more than 200 leagues, nearly half of which belonged to the continent of North America. This service, not- withstanding our constant exposure to the risks which intricate, shoal, and unknown channels, a sea loaded with ice, and a rapid tide, concurred in presenting, had providentally been effected without injury to the ships, or suffering to the officers and men ; and we had now once more met with tolerable security for the season," at a small island, to the eastward of the "Frozen Strait," discovered, and so named, by Middleton, just 79 years before the Fury and Hecla passed through it almost without impediment. Above all," continues Captain Parry, " I derived the most sincere satis- faction from a conviction of having left no part of the coast from Repulse Bay eastward in a state of doubt as to its connexion with the continent." From this period until July 2, 1822, the sliips were frozen up close to each other, and occupations and amusements, si- milar to those of the preceding voyage, were resorted to. Captain Lyon midcrtook to be the manager of the theatre, 2 a2 ' '■I »f. 1 it M 356 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. which was now laid out on a hirger and more commodious scale than formerly, its decorations much improved, and, what was no less essential both to actors and audience, a more efficient plan adopted for warming it, by which they succeeded in keeping the temperature several degrees above zero on each night of performance throughout the winter. To furnish rational and useful occupation to the men, on the other evenings, a school was also established, under the voluntary superintendence of Mr. H alse, for the instruction of such of the men as were willing to take advantage of this opportunity of learning to read and write, or of improving in those acquirements. While these internal arrangements were making, the interests of science were not neglected ; the portable observatory was erected for the purpose of making magnetic observations ; and a house was built for the recep- tion of the instruments requisite in conducting the other ob- servations and experiments. Every possible attention was paid to the dryness, warmth, and ventilation of the sick-bay, in which a fire was kept to preserve a constant equable tem- perature of about 60° ; this and other arrangements rendered H little less comfortable than the ward of a regular hospital. Captain Lyon having expressed a wish that his officers and men, with himself, should attend divine service on board the Fury, during the continuance of the ships in winter- quarters, and some psalm tunes, purposely set upon an organ, being played at the proper intervals, their little church formed a pleasing and interesting scene to such as were disposed to be interested by scenes of this nature. The first day of the year 1822 was a very severe one in the open air, the thermometer being down to — 22", and the wind blowing strong from the N. VV. On the 18th January, at a late hour in the evening, the stove-pipe of Captain Parry's cabin caught fire, and gave cause for a momentary alarm ; but buckets and water being at hand it was soon extinguished. On the morning of the 1 st February, a number of strange people were seen to the westward, coming towards the ships over the ice, and some appearance of huts on shore, at the distance of two miles, was also discovered in the same direc- POST-CAPTAIN« OF 1821. 357 tion. These strangers were soon found to be Esquimaux, roaming along the shore in search of food, their great de- pendence for sustenance being upon the produce of the sea. As they never had seen Europeans before, their manners and customs were, of course, quite original, aud they afforded our voyagers much amusement, in various ways, during the re- mainder of the winter. The first discovery made in the sum- mer of 1822, is thus described by Captain Parry : "On the 12th July, observing an opening in the land, like a rifer, I left tlie Fary in a boat to examine the soundings of the coast. On approaching the opening, we found so strong a current setting out of it, as to iuduce me to taste the water, which proved to be scarcely brackish ; and a little closer ia, perfectly fresh, though the depth was from 14 to 16 fathoms. As this stream was a sufficient security against an/ ice comiug in, I determined to anchor the ships somewhere in its neighbourhood, and to examine the sup. posed river in the boats. "On the 13th, accompanied by several of the ofHcers, as well as by Captain Lyon, I again left the Fury, at 8-30 a. m. Immediately on open- ing the inlet we encountered a rapid current setting outwards, aud after rotving a mile and a half to the N. W. b. W., the breadth of the stream va- rying from one-third of a mile to 400 or 500 yards, came to some shoal water extending quite across. Landing on the south shore, and hauling the boats up above high-water mark, we rambled up the bank of the stream, which is low next the water, but rises almost immediately to the height of about 200 feet. As we proceeded, we gradually heard the noise of a full of water; and being presently obliged to strike more inland, as the bank be- came more precipitous, soon obtained a fresh view of the stream running on a much higher level than before, and dashing with great impetuosity (k)\vn two small cataracts. Just below this, however, where the river turns almost at a right angle, we perceived a much greater spray, as well as a louder sound ; and having walked a short distance down the bank, sudden- ly came upon the principal fall, of whose magniUceuce I am at a loss to give any adequate description. At the head of the full, or where it com- mences its principal descent, the river is contracted to about 1 50 feet in breadth, the channel being hollowed out through a solid rock of gneiss. After falling about fifteen feet, at an angle of 30° with a vertical line, the width of the stream is narrowed to about forty yards, and then, as if mus- tering its whole force, previous to its final descent, it is precipitated in one vast continuous sheet of water almost perpendicular for ninety feet more. Tlie dashing of the water from such a height produced the usual accompa- niment of a cloud of spray, broad columns of which were constantly forced up, like the successive rushes of smoke from a vast furnace, aud on this, near the top, a vivid im or rainbow, >vas occasionally formed by the bright m I. I b I ' 358 POl&T-CAPTAINS OF 1821. , ?'. ; i'4 m- *-- ray* of an unclouded sun. ' The roaring of the mountain rataract/ which constitutes a principle feature of the sublime in scenery of this magnificent nature, was here almost deafening ; and as we were able to approach the head of the fall even as close as a single yard, the very rock seemed to suffer a concussion under our feet. The basin that receives the water at the foot of the fall is nearly of a circular form, and about 400 yards in diame- ter, being rather wider than the river immediately below it. The fall is about three-quarters of a mile above our landing place, or two miles and a quarter from the entrance of (he river. "After remaining nearly an hour, fixed as it were to the spot by the novelty and magnificence of the scene before us, we continued our walk up- wards along the bank ; and after passing the two smaller cataracts, found the river again increased in width to above 2U0 yards, winding in the must romantic manner imaginable among the hills, and preserving a smooth and unruffled surface fur a distance of three or four miles that we traced it to the S. W. above the full. What added extremely to the beauty of this pic- turesque river, which Captain Lyon and myself named after our mutual friend, Mr. Barrow, of the Admiralty, was the richness of the vegetation on its banks, the enlivening brilliancy of a cloudless sky, and the animutinn given to the scene by several reindeer that were grazing beside the stream. ♦ • • Tli« eider ducks were here tolerably numerous, and we also met with some black-throated divers, golden plovers, and snow-buntings. * * * On our return down the river. Captain Lyon landed on the opposite side, for the purpose of making a drawing of the fall in the best point of view; und we then returned on board, after the most gratifying visit we had ever paid to the shore in these regions. The entrance of this river lies in lat. 67" 18' 05", and in long, by chronometers, 81" 26' 20^'." The remainder of this season was spent in examining the coasts and some small islands to the northward of Barrow 's River. On the 13th September, having entered a strait lead- ing to the westward, the ships were in lat. 69" 48' W, and longitude 83° 'ilV 2/" ; the variation of the magnetic needle was 89" 18' 19"; and the dip 88" 21' 21". "Tiie view of the strait from this position," says Captain Parry, " m us calculated to impress us with the iJ-ja of its being a magnifi- cent passage into tlie Polar Sea." On the lf)th, Lieutenant Heid returned on board, after an absence of six days, during which he travelled beyond the meridian of 80" W., and satis factorily ascertained their innnediate junction with one an- other. Tii's opening was named the Strait of the J^urj/ and Uecia ; the b»:id to the southward of it, MelviUe Pcnhm'Ja; and thiit to the northward, CoiAburn Isiuud. '*-J.ii:. POST-CAFfAINS OF 1821. 359 Appearances had now become so much against the ships making any further progress that season, as to render it a mat- ter of very serious consideration whether they ought to risk be- ing shut up, during the winter, in the strait, where, from what- ever cause it might proceed, the last year's ice was not yet wholly detached from the shores, and where a fresh forma- tion had already commenced, which there was but too much reason to believe would prove a permanent one. Captain Parry, therefore, determined to return to a small island, called by the Esquimaux IgLolik, in lat. 69" 21', long. 81° 44', where they remained from the 24th Sept. 1822, until the 8th Aug. 1828. The daily visits of the natives, throughout the winter, afforded, both to officers and men, a fund of constant variety and never-falling amusement, which no resources of their own could possibly have furnished. In April, 1823, a twelve months' provisions and stores were removed from the Hecla to the Fury, and various neces- sary exchanges made in anchors, cables, and boats, it having been determined that the former ship should return to Eng- land as soon as the sea became navigable. Just before the disruption of the ice, however, some slight, but unequivocal, symptoms of scurvy were reported to have appeared among the Fury's crew, and Captain Parry began to entertain doubts whether it would still be prudent to adopt the intended mea- sure of remaining out in her as a single ship ; whether, in short, under existing circumstances, the probable evil did not far outweigh the possible good. In order to assist his own judgment on this occasion upon one of the most material points, he directed the medical officers of the Fury to furnish him with their opinions ** as to the probable effect that a third winter passed in these regions would produce on the health of the officers, seamen, and marines of that ship, taking into consideration every circaiiiHtance cornected with their situation." Mr. Edwards's reply, with which in sub- stance that of Mr. Skeoch coinciiitd, is here given. " Durinjc the last winter, and lubsequf-ntly, ihe aspect of the orcw of the Fury in general, togetlior with the imreased number aurl charocter of their coniplainld, slroiij^ly imlicaUil lh»t lUf iH-eulurity of the rliinate and ' •ili^ll '1 i 1^ : I 360 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. •:.i. service waa slowly effectinjy a serious decay of their constitutional powers. The recent appearance also of several cases of incipient scurvy in the most favorable month of the year, and occurring after a more liberul and con- tinued use of fresh animal food than we can calculate upon procuring here- after, are confirmatory proofs of the profyression of the evil. " With a tolerable proapect of eventual success, other circumstances re- maining unchanged, I should yet expect an increase of general debility, with a corresponding degree of sickness, though at the same time confident of our resources being equal to obviate serious consequences. But considering the matter in the other point of view, namely, as a single ship, it assumes a much more important shape. It is not necessary that I should dwell on the altered circumstances in which the crew would then be placed, as thoy are such as you must long ago have foreseen and weighed: I allude to the increase of labour and exposure resulting from the separation of the vessels ; the privation of many salutary occupations, mental and corporeal, attend- ing their union ; and, I may add, at this late period of the season, the hope- lessness of the success of the ensuing navigation being such as to excite feelings sudiciently lively to counteract those depressing causes. It is im- possible, in fact, to reflect on the subject, and not to apprehend a less favorable result than might be expected under the preceding conditions." Captain Parry alao requested the opinion of the commander of the Hecla, whether, under existing circumstances, he still considered it expedient to adopt the measure originitlly in- tended, with respect to the separation of tlie two ships, when Captain Lyon, for various reasons, advised that they should return to linj.'rland togetljer, as soon as such arrangements respecting the removal of stores and provisions, as the senior officer migiit judge proper to make, should be completed. In tlie meantime, the Tury stretched over from Igloolik to the northward, for the purpose of examining the state of the fixed ice at the eastern mouth of the strait communicating witli the Pohir sea, and found it firn)ly attached to both siiores, while one vast expanse of level solid ice occupied the wht)le extent of sea visible to the noslward, the eye wearying itself in vain to discover a single break upon its surface. Having finished this ex.'trnination, which at once destroyed every hope of a passage through the strait. Captain Parry resolved to lose no time in removing from the I'ury sosne of her now superfluous piovisions and stores, wiiich service was completed by tha night of the KHIi August. IP m tutional powers, urvy in the most iberul and con- procuring liere- I. ircumstances re- ral debility, with I confident of our But considering liip, it assumes a should dwell on e placed, as they : I allude to the on uf the vessels; trporcal, attend- leason, the hope- uch as to excite auses. It i» im- npprehend a less ng conditions." le commander ances, he still originiUly in- o ehips, wliLMi it tliey should arrangenionts , U9 the senior be cfunpletcd. glo(dik to the lo of the fixed Ming with the shores, while whole extent ; itself in v.iin iving hnished I'ery hope of u vcd to lose no )w snperfluous •pleted by the POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 361 On the 12th, the ships commenced their homeward voy- age ; but they did not finally escupe from the ice until the 17th of the following month, after having been almost im- moveably beset in it for twenty four days out of the last twen- ty-six, in the course of which time they had been taken over no leas than 140 leagues of ground, generally very close to the shore, and always unable to do any thing towards effect- ing their escape from danger I Tiiey anchored in Lerwick harbour, Shetland, on the 10th October ; and were paid off ut Deptford, Nov. 14th, 1823. In his introduction to the account of this voyage. Captain Parry says :— " That our efforts have not hitherto been crowned with greater success, cannot fail to be a matter of extreme disappointment, as well as of sin- cere though unavailing regret ; but I feel it a duty to stale, that had our progress been in any degree proportionate to the exertions of those under my couunand, there would ere this have been nothing left to regret, and but little to accomplish ; and I am happy therefore, thus publicly to ex- press the high sense I entertain of the laudable zeal and strenuous exer- tions uniformly displayed by Captain Lyon, the officers, seamen, aud ma- rines of both the ships engaged in this service. Of the exemplary conduct of the men it has been my good fortune to command on this occasion, I cunuot indeed speak too highly : it has been a happiness to their officers, and a crudit to themselves. I was highly gratified to observe the eager assiduity with which, . i. ... The reports of several of our navigators who had visited Spitzbergen, and were well qualified to judge of the nature of the polar ice, concur in representing it as by no means unfu* vorable for this project. From one of the Seven Islands, and almost on the very spot from which Captain Parry subsequent- ly took his departure in the boats, Lutwidge, the associate of Phipps in the expedition towards the Nor^h Pole, in 177<^> describes the ice to the north-eastward, to the distance oi 10 or 12 leagues, to have the appearance of '* one continued plain of smootli unbroken ice, bounded only by the horizon." In Captain Phipps'schartof that voyage, the ice to the northward of the Scvtin Islands is represented as *' flat au(' unbroken" ; i.'+ JsJ POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 865 and, in another eituation, rather more to the westward, and about the same parallel, he describes the " main body of the ice to be lying in a line, nearly east and west, quite solid." The testimony of Mr. Scoresby, a close and intelligent ob- server of nature in these regions, is entirely to the same ef- fect. " I once saw,*' says he, " a field that was so free from either fissure or hummock, that I imagine, had it been free from snow, a coach might have been driven many leagues over it in a direct line, without obstruction or danger." In- deed, in a paper upon the subject of the polav ice, presented by him to the Wernerian Society of Edinburgh, and published in the secr^nd volume of their memoirs, he enters at consider- able length into the arguments in favour of the practicability of this enterprise ; and in his ** Account of the Arctic Re- gions," subsequently published, he repeats his conviction to the same effect. To the respectable authorities already men- tioned, we may likewise add the testimony of several expe- rienced and intelligent whalers, whom Captain Parry con- sulted as to the nature of the ice, with reference to this pro- ject ; and who, without exception, agreed in considering it as highly favorable for the purpose. But the hopes Captain Parry had formen of being able to attain this object, and the plan he suggested for putting it into execution, were principally founded on a similar propo- sition formerly made by Captain fnow Sir John) Franklin, who, judging of this enterprise by his own experience, as well as by that of his associates, Captain David Buchan and Lieutenant (now Captain) Beechey, though by no means thinking lightly of the labour and hazard attending it, had drawn up a plan for making the attempt, and himself volun- teered to conduct it. This plan was given to Captain Parry by Mr. Barrow, of the AdmiriiU; , hoon after his return from the expedition of 1824-5 ; and following it up in the most essential particulars, two boats were constructed at Wool- wich, under his superintendence, after an excellent model suggested by Mr. John Pcake, Clerk of the Rope Yard, and nearly resembling what are called " troop-boats," having great flatness of floor, with the extreme breadth carried well 1^ i 366 POST-CAPTAINS OP 1821. forward and aft, and possesBing the utmost buoyancy, as well as capacity for stowage. Their length was 20 feet, and ex- treme breadth 7 feet. The timbers were made of tough ash and hickory, one inch by half an inch square, and a foot apart, with a *' half-timber" of smaller size between each two. On the outside of the frame thus formed was laid a covering of Mackintosh's water-proof canvas, the outer part being coated with tar. Over this was placed a plank of fir, only 3-16ths of an inch thick; then a sheet of stout felt; and over all, an oak plank, o^ the same thickness as the fir ; the whole of these being firmly and closely secured to the timbers by iron screws applied from without. This method of plank- ing the boats was proposed and executed by Mr. Oliver Lang, master shipwright of Woolwich dock-yard; and Captain Parry's narrative will show how admirably the elasticity of this mode of construction was adapted to withstand the con- stant twisting and concussion to which the boats were subject. On each side of the keel, and projecting considerably below it, was attached a strong " runner" shod with smooth steel, in the manner of a sledge, upon which the boat entirely rested while on the ice ; and to afford some additional chance of making progress on hard and level fields, two wheels, of five feet diameter, were applied to each boat, and a small one abaft, having a swivel for steering by, like that of a Bath chair. A "span" of hide-rope was attached to the fore part of the runners, and to this were affixed two strong ropes of horse-hair, for dragging the boat ; each individual of the crew being furnished with a broad leathern shoulder-belt, which could readily be fastened to or detached from the drag-ropes. The interior arrangement consistjd only of two thwarts j a locker at each end for the nautical and other instruments, and for the smaller stores ; and a very slight frame-work along the sides for containing bags of biscuit and spare clothes. A bamboo mast 19 feet long, a tanned duck sail, answering also the purpose of an awning, a spreat, one boat-hook, four- teen paddles, and a steer-oar, completed each boat's equip- ment. The Hi da left Dcptford, Mar. 2.'), 1827; sail.'d from the ,il«'y circumstances, consisted first, in our avoiding the intense and oppressive glare from the snow during the time of the sun's greatest altitude, so as to prevent, in some degree, the painful iuQammation in the eyes, called ' snow blindness,' which is common in all snowy countries. We also thus enjoy- ed greater warmth during the hours of rest, and had a better chance of drying oiir clothes ; besides which, no small advantage was derived from the snow being harder at night for travelling. The only disadvantage of *«'««KiJL t. POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 369 tliis plan was, that the fogs were somewhat morp, frequent and more thick hy night than by day, though even in this rcbpect there was less difference than might have been supposed, the temperature duriug the 24 hours un- dergoing but little variation. When wc rose in the evening, we coininenccd our day by prayers, after which we took off our fur sleeping dresses, and put on those for travelling ; the former being made of camhlet, lined with racoon-skin, and the latter of strong l)lue box-doth. We made a point of always putting on the same stockings and boots for travelling in, whether they had dried during the day or not ; and I believe it was only in five or six instances, at the most, that they were not either still wet or hard-fro- zen. This, indeed, was of no consequence, beyond the discomfort of first putting them on in this state, as they were sure to be thoroughly wet in a (juarter of an hour after commencing our journey ; while on the other hand, it was of vital importance to keep dry things for sleeping in. Being rigged for travelling, we breakfasted upon warm cocoa and biscuit, and after stow- ing the things in the boats and on the sledges, so as to secure them, as much as possible, from wet, we set off on our day's journey, and usually travelled from 5 to 6i hours, then stopped an hour to dine, and again travelled 4, 6, or even 6 hours, according to circumstances. After this we halted for the night, an we called it, though it was usually early in the morning, selecting the largest surface of ice we happened to be near, for hauling the boats on in order to avoid the danger of its breaking up by coming in contact with other masses, and also to prevent drift as much as possible. The boats were placed close alongside each other, with their sterns to the wind, the snow or wet cleared out of them, and the sails, supported by the masts and paddles, placed over them as awnings, an entrance being left at the bow. Every man then immediately put on dry stockings and fur boots, after which we set about the necessary repairs of boats, sledges, or clothes ; and, after serving the provisions for the succeeding day, we went to supper. Most of the officers and men then smoked their pipes, which served to drythe boata and awnings very much, and usually raised the temperature of our lodgings U> or 15". This part of the 24 hours was often a time, and the only one, of real enjoyment to us; the men told their stories and 'fought all their battles o'er again,' and the labours of the day, unsuccessful as they too often proved, were forgotten. A regular watch was set during our resting- time, to look out for bears, or for the ice breaking up around us, as well as to attend to the drying of the clothes, each man alternately taking this duty for one hour. We then concluded our day with prayerii, and having put on our fur dresses, lay down to sleep with a degree of comfort, which per- haps few persons would imagine possible under such circumstances ; our chief inconvenience being, that we were somewhat pinched for room, and therefore obliged to stow rather closer than was quite agreeable. Tlic tem- perature, while wc slept, was usually from 36" to 45", according to the state of the external atmosphero ; but on one or two occasions, in ciilrn and warm weather, it rose as high as (iO" to fifi", obliging us to throw ofl'a piirt • -1 !. ■• I SLPPL. PART IV. •J B ..^.. ^.^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 ^^ 1^ I.I 11.25 mm ■ 2.2 •a UA US u ■yuu 140 ^1 2.0 Photographic Sdennes Corporation 33 Wni MAIN STRUT WfUTH.N.Y. 14SM (71«)I73-4S03 370 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. of our fur dress. After we had slept seven hours, the man appointed to boil the cocoa roused us, by the sound of a bugle, when we commenced our day in the manner above described. Our daily allowance of provisions for each person was — biscuit, ten ounces ; pemmican (compressed meat), nine ounces; sweetened cocoa powder, one ounce; and rum, one gill; — tobacco, three ounces per week. Our fuel consisted entirely of spirits of wine, of which two pints formed our daily allowance ; the cocoa was cooked in an iron boiler over a shallow iron lamp, with seven wicks » a simple ap- paratus, which answered our purpose extremely well. We usually found one pint of the spirits of wine sufficient for preparing our breakfast, that is, for heating 28 pints of water, though it always commenced from the tem- perature of 32°. If the weather was calm and fair, this quantity of fuel brought it to the boiling point in about an hour and a quarter; but more generally the wicks began to go out before it had reached 200°. This, how- ever, made a very comfortable meal to persons situated as we were. Such, with very little variation, was our regular routine during the whole of this excursion. We set off on our first journey over the ice at 10 v. m. on the 24th of June. The bags of pemmican were placed upon the sledges, and the bread in the boats, with the intention of securing the latter from wet; but this plan we were very soon obliged to relinquish.'* p * , Captain Parry and his companions (with only one spare shirt between every two persons) now commenced upon very slow and laborious travelling, their way lying over nothing but small loose rugged masses of ice, separated by narrow pools of water, obliging them frequently to launch and haul up the boats, each of which operations required them to be unloaded, and occupied nearly a quarter of an hour. This, however, was nothing more than they had expected to en- counter at the margin of the ice, and for some distance within it ; and every individual exerted himself to the utmost, with the hope of the sooner reaching the main, or field- ice. Cap- tain Parry mentions, as a remarkable fact, that they had al- ready experienced, in the course of that season, more rain than during the whole of seven previous summers taken toge- thevp though passed in latitudes from 7° to 16° lower than this. In the night of June 27th, after wading for some time through fresh water, from two to five inches deep, they came to the first tolerably heavy ice they had yet seen, but all broken up into masses of small extent. On the 28th, the boats were, with extreme difficulty, hauled over a tier of very high hummocks, during the performance of which operation, Captain Parry's coxswain sustained considerable injury. On POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. 371 t,he following day another man was much hurt by a loaded pledge running against him. On the SOth, the wind freshen-* ing up from the S. S. W. they found the ice gradually more and more open, and made by rowing, though in a very wind- ing channel, five miles of northing. Captain Parry here says : " Our latitude, observed at noon, July 1st, was SI® SO* 41". It was more than an hour before we could ^et away from the small piece of ice on which we slept, the masses beyond being so broken up, and so much in motiouj that we could not at first venture to launch the boats. After crossing several pieces, we at length got into a good " lead" of water, four or five miles in length ; two or three of which, as on the preceding day, occurred under the lee of a floe, being the second we had yet seen that deserved that name •. We then passed over four or five small floes, and across the pools of water that lay betwixt them. The ice was now less brol^enup, and sometimes tolerably level; but from 6 to 18 inches of soft snow lay upon it in every part, obliging us to make at least two, and sometimes three journeys with our loads. " As soon as we landed on a floe-piece. Lieutenant Ross and myself generally went on a-head, while the boats were unloading and hauling up, in order to select the easiest road for them. The sledges then followed in our track, Messrs. Beverly and Bird accompanying them ; by which the snow was much trodden down and the road consequently improved. When we arrived at the other end of the floe, or came to any difficult place, we mounted one of the highest hummocks of ice near at hand (many of which were from l&to 25 feet above the sea), in order to obtain a better view around us ; and nothing could well exceed the dreariness which such a view presented. The eye wearied itself in vain to find an object but ice and sky to rest upon ; and even the latter was often hidden from our view by the dense and dismal fogs which so generally prevailed. In some cases. Lieutenant Ross and myself took sepurate routes to try the ground, which kept us almost continually floundering among deep snow and water. The sledges having then been brought up, as far as we had explored, we all went back for the boats ; each crew, when the road was tolerable, drag- ging their own, and the oflicers labouring equally hard with the men. It was thus we proceeded for nine miles out of every ten that we travelled over ice ; for it was very rarely indeed that we met with a surface suffi- ciently level and hard to drag all our loads atone journey; and, in a great many instances, we had to traverse the same road five times over. Wc were sometimes five minutes together in moving a single empty boat, with all our united strength." • A •' lead" is a channel througli the ice, and a ship is said to " take the right lead " when she follows a channel couductiug her iuto a more naviga- ble sea, and viV« vernl, 2 B 2 --^'iv I' ' '.-" i - rV 372 POST- CAPTAINS OF 1821, - In a subsequent part of his narrative, Captain Parry states, that the rain produced even a greater effect than the sun, in softening the snow. '. •,, . ^. ., ,.. ,-,., i .n; ? . mu " In performing our pioneering duty/' adds he, " we were frequently 80 beset in it, that sometimes, after trying in vain to extricate our legs, we were obliged to sit quietly down for a short time to rest ourselves, and then make another attempt. The men, in dragging the sledges, were often under the necessity of crawling upon all-fours to make any progress at all. Nor would any kind of snow-shoes have been of the least service, but rather an incumbrance to us, for the surface was so irregular, that they would have thrown us down at every other step." The farther Captain Parry proceeded, the more the ice >vas broken ; indeed it was much more so on the 5th July, in lat. SI" 45' 15'^, than he had found it since entering the ** pack *." The labour required to drag the boats over the hummocks, and from one mass to another, was so great, that the officers and men, after having recourse to a " bowline- haul," for many minutes together, were often obliged to sit down, their breath being quite exhausted. On the 7th of that month, having first launched the boats into the water, over a high and rugged margin, and then hauled them across a number of irregular and ill-connected masses, sometimes making them serve as bridges, they were more than two hours in proceeding a distance of about 150 yards. Still their work went on cheerfully, their hope resting on at length meeting with something like continuous and level ice. " On the 20th," says Captain Parry, " we halted at 7 a. m., having, by our reckoning, accomplished six miles and a half in a N.N.W. direction, the distance traversed being ten miles and a half. It may, therefore, be imagined how great was our mortification in finding that our latitude, by observation at noon, was only 82" 36' 52", being less than /« ^>'^ j'> lier, rector of POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. WILLIAM HENRY BRUCE, Esq. 375 Third son of the late Rev. Sir Henry Hervey Aston Bruce, Bart, of Downhill, co. Londonderry, by Letitia, daughter of the late Rev. Dr. Henry Barnard, of Bovagh, in the same county (second son of William, late Bishop of Derry, and brother to Thomas, late Bishop of Limerick). This officer derives his descent from Sir Robert de Bris, a Norman knight, to whom William the Conquerer granted, as a reward for his services, no less than ninety-four lordships in Yorkshire, among which was the barony of Skelton, in Cleveland, his principal residence. Mr. W. H. Bruce entered the navy at an early age, in 1803, under the protection of Captain (now Sir Henry) Blackwood, with whom he served in the Euryalus frigate and Ajax 80, until the latter ship was destroyed by fire, near the island of Tenedos, in the night of Feb. 14, 1807. He was consequently present at the glorious battle of Trafalgar *. After the destruction of the Ajaxf, Mr. Bruce and three other midshipmen joined the Endymion frigate, Captain the Hon. Thomas Bladen Capel, which ship, in re-passing the Dardanelles, after Sir John T. Duckworth's unsuccessful de> monstration before Constantinople, received two stone shot, each weighing upwards of 700 pounds, and sustained a loss of several men killed and wounded^* The Endymion formed part of the squadron employed in covering the retreat and embarkation of Sir John Moore's army at Corunna, in Jan. 1809 ; and Mr. Bruce continued to serve under Captain Capel until the month of July follow- ing, when he rejoined Captain the Hon. Henry Blackwood, then commanding the Warspite 7^' His promotion to the rank of lieutenant took place Jan. 5, 1810, when he was ap- pointed to the Prospero sloop ; but soon reuoved from her to the Belvidera frigate, Captain Richard Byron. On the 22d July, 1810, the master of the Belvidera was fired at by two Danish schooners and a sloop-rigged gun-vessel. •'■ ':i;| pi^ ■■.'i i im * See Vol. I. Part II. pp. 646 et seq. f See id. p. 648 et seg. t See Vol. II. Part I. p. 197. 376 r'OST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. -while employed in sounding a deep bay near Studtland, on the coast of Norway. Their subsequent capture and destruc- tion was thus reported by Captain Byron, in an official letter to the Admiralty : *' On the following morning, the launch, barge, and two cutters of the Belvidera, well manned and armed, under the command of Lieutenania Nisbett and Bruce; and the launch, pinnace, and yawl of the Nemesis (28), under Lieutenants liodgskins and Smith ; rapidly advanced to attack the enemy, who soon began to cannonade them. Our boats firing their bow guns with great effect, the DanisL; colours were soon struck, and the schooners. Bolder and Thor, each carrying two long 24-pounders, six how- itzers, and 45 men, speedily in our possession ; the sloop, mounting one 24-pounder with 25 men, was chased up a creek, abandoned by her crew, and blown up by our people, whose excellent fire, and resolution to close, threw the enemy in confusion, and, notwithstanding the firmness of the Danish commanders. Lieutenants Dahlreup and Rasmusen, caused their fire to be ineffective ; they had four men killed. I cannot sufficiently praise the conduct of all the officers, masters'-mates, midshipmen, and every sea- man and marine of the Belvidera. Captain Ferris has expressed to me his perfect approbation of all belonging to the Nemesis*." The vessels thus gallantly captured were conducted to Sheerness by Lieutenant Bruce, who was also very highly praised by Captain Byron, for his able direction of the Belvi- dera's main-deck stern-chasers, in her memorable retreat from an American squadron, under Commodore Rodgers, June 23, 1812t. On this occasion, one man was killed at Mr. Bruce's quarters j and another mortally, two severely, and himself and two men slightly wounded, by the splinters of a shot which struck an 18-pounder while he was in the act of pointing it. ., . . ■ . ^ We next find this gallant officer assisting at the capture of an American armed schooner, by the boats of a squadron under the orders of Captain George Burdett, whose official report was as follows : " Hi M. S. Maidstone, Lyn-Haven Bay, 9th Feb. 1813. " Yesterday morning, at 9 a. m. a schooner was observed in the N. W. standing down the Chesapeake Bay j at the same time I made the Belvidera • Lieutenant Samuel Nisbett, who conducted this enterprise, was after- wards appointed to the command of the Chubb schooner, in which vessel he perished, with all his crew, on th6 Halifax station, Aug. 14, 1812. t See Vol. II. Part II. pp. (522—626. POST-CAPTAINS OP 1821. 377 mtki and Statira's signal. No. 239, with the N. W. compass signal. As the stranger approached the squadron, I perceived her to be a vessel of consi- derable force ; Captain Byron at the same time made the signal for her being superior to the boats in chase, but not to those of the squadron united. I immediately made the signal for all barges, cutters, &c. to pro- ceed in the same direction, upon which the schooner made all sail in the direction from whence she came, and I had the satisfaction to see she was quite becalmed. At one p. m., the stranger opened ' wr! '.-directed fire upon the headmost of our boats from his stern-chase guns, and I was happy to find those in advance rested on their oars until they all came up, when a vigorous and gallant attack was made by all of them, nine in number, under the orders of Lieutenant (Kelly) Nazer, second of H. M. S. under my command, who happened to be senior officer, through a very heavy fire from all the enemy's guns, when he was boarded and carried, sword in hand, after a most obstinate resistance, which was maintained upon the deck of the enemy for a few minutes. She proves to be the Lottery, of 210 tons, mounting six 12-pounder carronades (but pierced for 16;, with a comple- ment of 28 men, from Baltimore bound to Bourdeaux, with a cargo of coffee, sugar, and logwood : she is coppered and copper fastened*. " I also have the honor to enclose a list of the killed and wounded in the different boats of the squadron, which, I am happy to add, is trifling, when compared to the obstinate resistance made by the enemy, whose loss was very great, the captain and 18 men dangerously wounded." The British had one man mortally, one dangerously, two severely, and two slightly wounded. A few days afterwards, the boats of the Maidstone, Belvidera, Junon, and Statira, captured the schooner Cora, of 8 guns and 40 men, laden with brandy, wine, silks, flints^ &c. &c. In addition to the above mentioned services. Lieutenant Bruce assisted at the capture of the Bunker's Hill schooner, of 7 guns and 72 men ; and at the destruction, by the Belvi- dera*s boats alone, of the Mars, another privateer ?}.;ounting 15 guns, with a complement of 70 men. His first cou. mission as commander bears date May 27, 1814. In August following, Captain Bruce, then commanding the Manly brig, accompanied Rear-Admiral Cockburn up the Patuxent river, as far as Nottingham, where he continued with the flotilla under Captain Nourse, untii the return of the British army from Washingtonf. The Manly then hoisted the flag of Rear-Admiral Cockburn, received on board several sick and wounded officers, and supplied the whole of the I h- • See Vol. II. Part II, pp. 676 and 627. t See p. U. 97^ POST-CAPTAINS OF 1821. forces with bread and rum. She also formed part of the squadron sent up the Patapsco river, in Sept. 1814, to threaten the water approach to Baltimore, during the advance of Ma- jor-General Ross by land*. After that fruitless descent upon the enemy's coast, Captain Bruce was removed to the Rover sloop, and ordered home with despatches. In 1815, he accompanied Rear-i!Vdmiral Sir George Burlton, and the outward bound East India trade, to the southward of the equator ; touched at Maranham ; and convoyed a fleet of merchantmen from Barbadoes to England. He subsequently cruised off Dieppe, in order to intercept Napoleon Buonaparte, should that personage attempt to es- cape from thence to America ; and was proceeding with des- patches from Lord Keith to Sir Henry Hotham when he met the Bellerophon, 74, off Ushant, with the idol of the French army on board. The Rover was paid off in Oct. 1815 ; and Captain Bruce remained on shore from that time till March 1821, when he was appointed to the Sappho sloop, fitting for the Irish station, where he happened to be the senior commander employed when his Majesty visited the sister kingdom, and was received by the squadron under Sir Josias Rowley. He was consequently promoted to post rank on the 16th Nov. 1821 ; and super- seded in the command of the Sappho on the 24th of the following month. Captain Bruce married, in Feb. 1822, the second daughter of Admiral the Hon. Sir Alexander J, Cochrane, G. C. B. whose flag-ship, the Britannia 120, he commanded from Oct. 4, 1823, until she was paid off, at Plymouth, April 3, 1824. His eldest surviving brother, Sir James Robertson Bruce, Bart, is in the royal artillery, with which distinguished corps he served in the peninsula and at Waterloo. Agents* — Messrs. Cooke, Halford, and Son. Sir CHARLES BURRARD, Bart. Third and eldest surviving son of the late Lieutenant- General Sir Harry Burrard, colonel of the first regiment of T- * Seethe note at p. 17* POST-CAPTAINS OF 1822. 379 foot-gwards, by Hannah, daughter of Harry Darby, of Lon- don, Esq. .;. <-^.; Thi* officer was born Mar. 2, 1793; made lieutenant. May 1, 1812; appointed to the Milford 74, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Freemantle, in 1813; and promoted to the command of the Grasshopper brig, June 7, 1814. He suc- ceeded to the baronetcy on the demise of his father, Oct. 18, 1813 *. Sir Charles Burrard's next appointment was, April 15, 1819. to the Hind of 20 guns, which sloop he commanded until advanced to post rank, Jan. 29, 1822. On the 20th March, 1823, he was appointed to the Revenge 76* fitting for the flag of Vice-Admiral Sir Harry Neale, G. C. B. ; and in the same year he assisted at the ceremony of investing the King of Portugal with the Order of the Garter. The occur- rences on the Mediterranean station, during the period of Sir Harry Neale's command there, will be noticed in the Addenda to our memoir of that distinguished officer. The subject of this sketch married, at Naples, in 1826, Louisa, daughter of Sir Henry Lushington, Bart. Agent, — ^J. Woodhead, Esq. ;; U.i xf ■^ ' tr'ti i. != At WILLIAM JAMES MINGAY, Esq. We first find this officer serving as midshipman of the Magnificent 74, Captain William Henry Jervis, when that ship was wrecked near Brest, Mar. 25, 1804. He obtained the rank of lieutenant, July 6, 1805 ; and served on shore with the naval brigade, under Captain Byng (now Viscount Torrington), at the capture of the Cape of Good Hope, in :\ : a ♦. • Sir Harry Burrard's eldest son died Jan. 21, 1809, of a wound he re- ceived at the battle of Corunna, while serving as aide*de-camp to Sir John Moore. Hia second, a midshipman in the royal nuvy, was drowned by the capsizibg of a boat, near Weymouth, on the !lth Oct. in the same year. His fourth son was mortalty wounded at the itormiog of St. Sebastian, in 1813. i !t.r >i I 'i-i 1 '¥% :■'.'€ 1: ■i , 'M ■4 ii 380 POBT-CAPTAINS OF 1822. Jan. 1806; from which period we lose sight of him until his appointment to be first of the Eridanus frigate. Captain Wil> liam King, Mar. 5, 1816. In the summer of the following year, he was senior lieutenant of the Royal George yacht, bearing the royal standard, during his present Majesty^s aquatic excursions in the neighbourhood of Portsmouth ; and he subsequently commanded the Camelion brig, on the same station, upwards of three years. His first commissions as commander and post-captain bear date Oct. 2, 1817, ^"d Jan. 29, 1822. Captain Mingay's next appointment was, July 22, 1824, to the Romney 50, armed enflUte, fitting as a troop-ship at Chatham. Since Jan. 8, 1825, he has commanded the Hy- perion frigate, on the establishment of a third rate, lying in Newhaven harbour, for the purposes of the extended coast blockade. t> .-.',11 THOMAS LADD PEAKE, Esq. Son of the late Sir Henry Peake, Kut. many years a sur- veyor of H. M. navy. This officer was made lieutenant May 8, 1805 ; and pro- moted to the rank of commander, for his gallant conduct as first of the Victorious 74, Captain (now Sir John) Talbot, at the capture of the Rivoli French 74, near Venice, Feb. 21, 1812 *, His post commission bears date Mar. 1, 1822. Agents, — Messrs. Stilwell. «r !i*3i«t i^f!^ ANDREW MITCHELL, Esq. Thibd and youngest son of the late Admiral Sir Andrew Mitchell, K. B., whose services are recorded in the Naval Chronicle, Vol. xvi, pp. 90 — 107; and brother to Captains Charles and Nathaniel Mitchell, R. N. This officer first went to sea in the Cambrian frigate, then ;(..; • See Vol. I. Part II. p. 745 et seq. years a sur- POST-CAPTAINS OP 1822. 381 w bearing the flag of his father, as commander-in-chief on the Halifax station ; where he was severely wounded while as- sisting at the capture of a Spanish privateer, in July, 1805. The following is a copy of the official letter written by hia captain on this occasion :— ^ ** Cambrian, July 21. *• Sir, — I beg leave to present you with a recital of Lieutenant Pigot'a proceedings, from H. M. ship under my command, in a schooner privateer we had taken on the dd. He made the best of his way to the river St. Mary's *, where we had information of two ships and a schooner ; he got off the harbour on the 6th, and on the 7th he proceeded with the schooner twelve miles up a narrow river, through a continual fire of the militia and riflemen, until he got within shot of a ship, brig;, and schooner, lashed in a line across the river; he engaged them for an hour; his schooner grounded ; he had recourse to her boats ; and, after an obstinate resist- ance, carried the ship with her guns ; he obliged the men to quit the brig and schooner, took possession of all, then turned his fire on the militia, about a hundred in number, (with a field piece), who were completely routed. Lieutenant Pigot got two wounds in the head by musket-balls, and one in the leg. Lieutenant Masterman, of the marines, who most ably seconded all Mr. Pigot's views, escaped unhurt, to the wonder of all; for his clothes were shot through and through. Mr. Lawson, master's-mate, was wounded severely, as well as Mr. Mitchell, midshipman. Messrs. Griffen- hoofe, Bolman, and Williamson, behaved well, as indeed did all on this occasion. Two men were killed, and eleven wounded. This very gallant conduct was observed by some hundreds of Americans from the opposite side of the river, who expressed their astonishment. ** Mr. Pigot never quitted the deck for nearly three weeks, except to get his wounds dressed, which inspired the rest ; the wind was adverse for that time, and the enemy never attempted to attat k him. I hope he may meet with every reward such conduct deserves ; he really is an active officer, always ready. "The ship proves to be the Golden Grove, and the brig the Ceres, of London, taken by the schooner, a Spanish privateer, of six guns and se- venty men, two months since. ** The enemy had armed the ship with 8 six-pounders, 6 swivels, and 50 men : the brig was defended with swivels and small arms. I am, &c. , (Signed) "J. P. Beresford.'* « To Sir A. Mitchell, K. B., ^c. ^c» The loss on the Spanish side is represented by Captain vlr: .1 M ! ^ 111 I ■I'i ( I- Ifi' ■ '■ ! Illif' '' ■ m '^■ii The northern boundary of Florida. 382 post-cAPTAiNs or 1822. Beresford to have amounted to 30 men, including 5 Ameri- cans killed, and 22 wounded. ' In Dec. 1807, Mr. Andrew Mitchell, then niidehipman of the Theseus 74, was taken prisoner in an attempt to destroy a French two-decker at Vigo. His promotion to the rank of lieutenant took place Aug. 15, 1808 ; and he appears to have served as such in the Theseus during the remainder of the time that she was commanded by Captain (now Sir John P.) Beres- ford*^ in whose memoir we should have stated, that she formed part of the Walcher >n expet ition, and remained in the Scheldt until the final evacuation of Flushing, &c. He soon afterwards followed the same officer into the Poictiers 74. ; and was ap- pointed by him to command the Frolic brig, of 18 guns, re- captured from the Americans, Oct. 18, 1812. His commis- sion as commander was not confirmed, however, until Aug. 24, 1813 J since which period he has been successively ap- pointed to the Helicon, Martin, and Bann sloops, fitted on the peace establishment. The Martin was wrecked on the coast of Ireland, while under his command, in Dec. 1817; and he invalided from the Bann, at Jamaica, in Sept. 1820. Captain Andrew Mitchell's post commission bears date April 23, 1822. . ,,, ,., Agent, — T. Collier, Esq. „ • "'tr- t.7; fxio, .1 .. H 1 NORWICH DUFF, Esq. "'' Eldest, son of the late Captain George Duft', R. N. who fell with Nelson at the ever memorable battle of Tra- falgar, and of whose services we shall here give an out- line J first stating, however, that he was the youngest son of James Duff, of Banff, N. B. Esq. by his first wife, a Miss Skene, of llubislaw, in Aberdeenshire; and grandson of Alexander Duff, of Hatton, in the same county, Esq. whose lady was the eldest daughter of William, the first Earl of Fife. •Se« Vol. I. Part II. p. 667, ct teq. POST-CAPTAINS OF 1822. 383 s, fitted on the Mr. Georgfe Doff was born in 1764; and we first find him serving under his grand-uncle, Commodore, afterwards Viceto wind, in order to avoid running on board the Santa Anna 1 12, flag-ship of Vice-Admiral d'AHva, whereby slie lay with her stern exposed to one of each nation. On paying off again, she became warmly engaged with a third French 74 ; and presently re- ceived a most destructive raking broadside from one of her first opponents, which almost cleared the poop and quarter-deck of both officers and men. It was at this moment, about 1-15 p. m., while Captain Duff was standing at the break of the quarter-deck, looking over the side, that a shot struck him on the breast, knocked off his head, and killed two seamen who were immediately behind him. His body fell on the gangway, where it lay, covered with a union-jack, until the end of the battle. The total loss sustained by the Mars in this tremendous conflict was 29 killed, and 69 wounded. Among the former were Messrs. Alexander Duff, master*8-mate, and Edward Corbyn and Henry Morgan, midship- men : among the latter we find Lieutenants £dward William Garrett and James Black ; Captain Thomas Norman, R. M. ; Mr. Thomas Cook, master; and Messrs. John Young, George Guiren, William John Cook, John Jenkins, and Alfred Luckraft, midshipmen. Captain Duff was a man of fine stature, strong and well made, above six feet in height, and had a manly, open, benevolent countenance. His Ma- jesty's service could not boast of a better or more gallant officer. We can add, that he was also a tender husband, an affectionate parent, a dutiful son, and a sincere friend! He married. May 6, 1791, Sophia, second (laughter of the late Alexander Dirom, of Muiresh, in Aberdeenshire, Esq. and by that lady had five children, three of whom survived to mourn their father's death. His only surviving son, Mr. Norwich Duff, first em- barked on board the Aurora frigate, Captain the Hon. George Elliot, in July, 1805 ; and joined the Mars about four weeks previous to the battle of Trafalgar j after which he was remov- ed, by the directions of Vice-Admiral Collingvvood, into the Euryalus 36, Captain the Hon. Henry Blackwood, under whom he served, in that ship and the Ajax 80, until the latter was destroyed by fire, near the island of Tenedos, in the night of Feb. 14, 1807*. Being then but an indifferent swimmer, he did not quit the ship until forced to do so by the flames, when he dropt from the spritsail yard into the sea, and wns fortunately picked up by a boat belonging to the Canopus. Two days after the destruction of the Ajax, Mr. Duff, then f ill l^'l • Sec Vol. I. Part II. p. 648. SUFPL. PARTIV. 2c as6 P6st-CAPTA1NS OP 1822. only between fourteen and fifteen years of age, joined the Active frigate, Captain Richard Hussey Moubray, one of Sir John T. Duckworth's squadron in the expedition against Constantinople ; and he appears to have been employed in her boats at the destruction of the formidable Turkish battery on Point Pesquies*. On the 26th Mar. 1808, he witnessed the capture of the Friedland, a Venetian brig of war, mount- ing 16 long 12-pounders, and having on board the com- mander-in-chief of the Italian marine. Early in 1809, the Active, then commanded by Captain (now Sir James A.) Gordon, escorted a fleet of merchantmen to England, and was paid off soon after her arrival. In Aug. following, however, we find her re-commissioned by the same officer, with whom Mr. Duff returned to the Adriatic, where he bore a part in many boat attacks, and also in one of the most severe and brilliant actions, between two squadrons of ships, that has ever been recorded f. Among the most im- portant of the former services, were the capture and destruc- tion of two valuable convoys ; one in the harbour of Grao, the other near the island of Ragosniza, on the 29th June, 1810, and 27th July, 1811 J. After the battle off Lissa, Mr. Duff was sent with a party of men, under Lieutenant George Haye, to assist in navi- gating the Corona frigate, one of the prizes, into port. Early in the ensuing night, that ship caught fire, and the whole of her main-mast and rigging were instantly in flames. The Active was then towing her ; but it being known that she had a number of ready primed shells on board. Captain Gordon gave orders instantly to cut her adrift. " She now presented a most awful spectacle, and was quite given up as lost. No possible assistance could be afforded from the squadron, and she had to trust alone to her own exertions. These, however, were not wanting; and by the extraordinary perseverance and coolness of the British officers and men on board, the • Sec Vol. I. Part II. p. 8()8 el seq. f See Vol. 11. Part I. p. 472 et seq. X See Coinmander Wilham SLAutniTKR, ami Captain William U£ND£USON. POST-CAPTAINS OF 1822. 387 fire waa at length extinguished." Many of the prisoners, in endeavouring to swim to the Active, were drowned. In Sept. following, Mr. Duff was sent to Malta in a prize, for the purpose of passing his examination ; hut he was for- tunate enough to regain the Active a few days before the se- vere action in which Captain Gordon lost his leg *. On la Pomone striking her colours, he was sent with a few men to board and take possession of her ; when owing to an accident, the boat was upset in lowering down, and he remained over- board a considerable time before another could be sent to rescue him, the whole of them being more or less disabled with shot. The total loss sustained by the Active, in the battles of March 13th and Nov. 29th, 1811, amounted to 17 killed, and 53, including 2 mortally, wounded. ^'^^ A few days previous to the latter date, Mr. Duff had been appointed acting lieutenant of the Nautilus sloop, but he was not informed thereof imtil the arrival of the Active at Malta, to refit. There being then a vacancy in that fri- gate, occasioned by the recent promotion of Lieutenant William Henderson t» he obtained an order to fill it, and continued to serve in her until she was paid off at Sheerness, in June, 1812. His first Admiralty commission bears date Nov. 14, 1811. On the 14th Sept. 1812, Lieutenant Duff was appointed third of the Seahorse 38, fitting out at Woolwich, under the com- mand of Captain Gordon, with whom we afterwards find him successively employed on the Jamaica station, off Iceland, and in the blockade of Cherbourg. On the 13th Nov. 1813, he assisted at the destruction of a French lugger privateer, of 16 guns and 72 men J. On the 29th of the following month, he was appointed flag-lieutenant to Vice- Admiral the Hon. Sir Alexander I. Cochrane, K. B. who promoted him to the com- mand of the Espoir brig of 18 guns, on the Halifax station, June 15, 1814. The Espoir formed part of the naval force in the Cliesa- • See Vol. n. Part H. p. 940. X Sec Vol. H. Part II, p. 2c2 t 941. See p. 106. ■ii VK m m m u 388 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1822. peake during the operations against Washington, Baltimore, &c. and she subsequently joined the expedition assembling in the West Indies preparatory to an attack on New Orleans. After the termination of hostilities between Great Britain and America, she was employed in protecting the fisheries and trade on the coast of Labrador and in the bay of Fundy, on which services she continued until relieved by another sloop, fitted on the peace establishment, in Aug. 1816. Captain Duff paid off the Espoir, at Portsmouth, in Oct. 1816 J and was appointed to the Beaver of 10 guns, fitting for the Jamaica station, Jan. 1, 1817. His last appointment was, July 1, 18J7, to the Rifleman 18, principally employed on the Spanish Main, which sloop he put out of commission at the above port, Aug. 11, 1818. His advancement to post rank took place Aprjl 23, 1822. Agent, — J. Hinxman, Esq. i? ' i • CHARLES CHRISTOPHER PARKER, Esq. Was made lieutenant, June 17, 1811; promoted to the rank of commander, April 5, 1815 ; appointed to the Harle- quin sloop, on the Irish station, July \7, 1819 ; and posted, April 23, 1822. • i 'r ■i'i' r JOHN EDWARD WALCOTT, Esq. Third son of Edmund Walcott Sympson, of Winkton, in Hampshire, Esq. This officer commenced his professional career under the patronage of the late Right Hon. George Rose, Treasurer of the Navy, who placed him on board the Blenheim 74, bear- ing the broad pendant of Commodore Samuel Hood, and about to sail for the Leeward Islands, Oct. 18th, 1802. In this ship he remained until June, 1804, when ill health obliged him to return to England. He next joined the Lively frigate, Captain (now Sir Graham Eden) Hamond; and served in her at the capture of the Spanish-treasure ships, off Cape St. Mary^ POST-CAPTAINS OP 1822. 389 Oct. 6, 1804 ; also at the detention of the San Miguel mer- chantman, from Omoa botmd to Cadiz, having on board nearly 200,000 dollars, upwards of 2000 bales of indigo, four cases of wrought plate, and other valuable articles, Dec. 7, 1804 ; on which latter day, he likewise witnessed the capture of the Santa Gertruyda frigate, with a cargo of great value, by the Polyphemus 64, Captain John Lawford *. In Sept. 1806, Captain Hamond having previously resigned the command of the Lively, Mr. Walcott joined the Centaur 74, bearing the broad pendant of his friend, Sir Samuel Hood, under whom he served in the expeditions against Copenhagen and Madeira, in 180/, and subsequently on the Baltic station. The following is a copy of that officer's official letter to Sir James Saumarez, reporting the capture of the Danish despatch- boat mentioned at p. 32 :— ** Centaur, at anchor offMoen Island, Aug. 6, 1808. " Sir, — ^Last evening a boat was discovered rowing along shore, under the cliffs of M3en, and from a number of soldiers marching on the beach, as a guard, she appeared suspicious. The cutter cf this ship, armed, was sent, with the hope of intercepting her, and gaining information. She was not closed with until run on shore on the S. E. point, beyond the cliffy where the enemy have a post and endeavoured to cover her by a body of troops with two field-pieces. Lieutenant James Shea, who commanded the cutter, gallantly pulled in under a heavy fire, and the boat was carried ; but I have to regret this brave young officer was killed, just at the moment he got alongside. Messrs. Walcott, master's-mate, and Price, midshipman, brought her off, after a warm contest of some minutes, without further loss. She proved to be from Copenhagen bound to Bornholm, and as there were proclamations, &c. addressed to the governor, I imagine she was em- ployed as a packet-boat; but the crew had time to effect their escape, and carry off most of the packages and letters. I have the honor to be, &c. (Signed) " Samukl Hood, Rear-Admiral." Mr. Walcott was soon afterwards ordered to act as signal- lieutenant of the Centaur, and in that capacity he assisted at the capture and destruction of the Sewolod, Russian 74, in the upper part of the Baltic, Aug. 26, ISOSf. • See Vol 11. Part I. p. 176. t See Vol. II. Part II. p. 649. et seq. ^» urn m If h Hi ml f\ hi 390 POST-CAPTAINS OP 1822. On the 19th Oct. in the same year, Sir Samuel Hood ad- dressed the'following letter to Sir A. S. Hamond, late Comp- troller of the Navy : K^ V " My dear Sir Andrew, — I know the interest you take for the welfare of young Walcott, and am therefore induced not to lose a moment in the pleasure of informing you of Sir James Saumarez, at my solicitation, having given him the appointment of Lieutenant, in the room of Captain Lawless, late first of this ship and promoted on our success. I had, from his very gallant conduct in the capture of a boat off Moen, when one of my lieutenants was killed, and the very excellent manner he conducted himself in the absence of my signal-officer, sent with the Swedish Admiral during the chase of the Russian squadron, and in that action, kept the va< cancy open for him until he had passed his examination on the 16th instant. I can say no more to you in his favor than that I hope he will not quit me until he can gain another step. A more deserving, good young officer does not exist. I hope therefore, you may be induced to assist in his confirma- tion with Mr. Rose. Believe me always yours most truly, '">{'. 1 V' ' (Signed) " Samuel Hood." Mr. Walcott*8 commission was confirmed by the Admiral- ty, Nov. 25, 1808, from which period he served under Sir Samuel Hood, in the Centaur, Hibernia, and Minden, on the coast of Spain, in the Baltic, and on the Mediterranean and East India stations, until the demise of that great and la- mented officer, who expired at Madras, literally worn out in the service of his country, Dec. 24, 1814. Some time previous to his dissolution. Sir Samuel Hood, jfrom having it in contemplation to return home overland, had addressed Viscount Melville in favor of Lieutenant Walcott, as follows : — " Madras, 29th September, 1814. "My Lord,— rThe time of approach to the termination of my command on this station being near, and having); been enabled only to promote two of my lieutenants, who had l)een with me many years, I have to entreat your Lordship, should I not have the chance of another vacancy, to do me the kindness before I strike my flag to promote to a Commander my flag- lieutenant (John Edward Walcott). He is an officer whose attention and ability in his profession caused me to place him in that station ; he served with me in the Baltic, Mediterranean, and this country, in the same situation ; and when my secretary was obliged to return to England from ill health; soon after my arrival here, seeing me in distress, he volunteered his services for both situations, which he has filled with much capacity and judgment. He is the son of a very respectable gentleman in Hampshire, and will do POST-CAPTAINS OP 1822. 391 honor and credit to the service whenever he is advanced. I have therefore to request your Lordship's protection towards him. &c. &c. (Signed) "Samuel Hood." Lieutenant Walcott returned to England with the widow of his invaluable friendj in the Malacca frigate, Captain George Henderson j and was the bearer of the following letter from the senior officer in India, addressed to J. W. Croker, Esq. and dated at Point de Galle, Jan. 13, 1815 : "Sir, — Lieutenant John Edward Walcott, flag-lieutenant and secretary to the late commander-in-chief, Vice-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood, being on his return to England, I feel I cannot do better than refer my Lords Commis- sioners of the Admiralty to him for information on all circumstances con- nected with this squadron, both previous to and since the period of the lamented Admiral's decease. " I am aware that it is not strictly within my province to speak of&cially to their Lordships of this valuable officer, yet I cannot deny myself the pleasure of bearing cestimony to the high opinion in which he has been held both on my own part and that of the captains of the squadron who had any opportunity of witnessing his worth. To Sir Samuel Hood, his services were, I know, invaluable ; and were I to enter on that distinguished officer's feelings and sentiments towards Lieutenant Walcott, feebly indeed could I convey to their Lordships the sense with which he breathed his last towards h^n. I have the honor to be, &c. (Signed) " Geo. Sayer, Commodore." Mr. Walcott was promoted to the rank of commander, June 6^ 1815 ; but he had not the good fortune to re-obtain active employment until Sept. 14, 1821, when we find him appoint- ed to the Carnation of 18 guns, in which sloop he sailed for the West Indies, Jan. 4. 1822. In August following, being then oflf the west end of Cuba, he fell in with, and gave pro- tection to the trade passing through the Florida stream, from Jamaica to England. A mistaken and singular opinion hav- ing been adopted by the Committee at Lloyd's as to the degree of attention he had paid to the mercantile interests on this occasion, gave rise to u correspondence between that body and the Board of Admiralty, and led to a discussion in the House of Commons (by motion on the part of Joseph Marry- at, Esq. the chairman of the said committee), in March, 1823, when Vice-Admiral Sir George Cockburn addressed the House on the subject, and declared " that Captain Walcott's conduct ;i I il4 I 3 1% 1:1 .1' 392 POST-CAPTAINS OP 1822. had been in exact accordance with the duty he had to per- form." Captain Walcott was posted into the Tyne 26, on the Ja- maica station. May 6, 1822 ; but he had no opportunity of joining her until the month of December following. In the beginning of 1823, he convoyed another homeward bound fleet through the Florida Stream, and then proceeded in quest of some piratical vessels. The result of an anxious cruise of two months, in company with the Thracian sloop. Captain John Walter Roberts, is thus stated by him in an official, but hi- therto unpublished letter, dated off the east end of that island, and addressed to Rear- Admiral Sir Charles Rowlfey, K. C. B. April 7, 1823: " My letter narrating the proceedings of H. M. ships Tyne and Thra- cian, in execution of your orders for the extirpation of the pirates cruising in the Old Bahama Channel, and on the coast of Cuba adjoining, will ap- prise you of ray having put to sea from the harbour of Neranjos, on the 29th ultimo, in search of the schooner I had information of, as likely to be found off Baracoa. ' ' "I have the honor further to report, that we gained sight of a schooner bearing her description, early on the forenoon of the Slst, off that place: H. M. ships disguised as much as possible, to bear the appearance of merchant vessels, stood in to close with her, then under easy sail, standing ill for the land. Three hours, however, undeceived the object of our pur- suit ; when, on perceiving her to crowd all sail for the harbour of Mata, which I bad understood occasionally to be a piratical rendezvous, disguise was thrown off, and all possible efforts made in direct chase until 1-30 p. m. when, on observing her to anchor in the said harbour, with every appear* ance of suspiciousness, from mooring head and stern, with her broadside commanding the narrow entrance, little more than a cable's length in breadth, notwithstanding her having displayed Spanish colours, and from the ships being at this time far in the offing, with a very light air, the boats of both were instantly hoisted out, manned, and armed. At 3 p. m., when within gun>shot, she opened her fire under the royal flag of Spain (which, after the first shot, was supplanted by the black flag), upon the boats, wear- ing their proper national colours } her decks crowded with men, and her force, comparatively with open boats at such a time of day, most formid- able, whilst I perceived a body of men had landed, to cut us up from a thicket on one side of the harbour's entrance ; and altogether, from the ad- mirable position for defence which she had taken up, the period of pulling in, and consequent inability, for a time, to board with the prospect of suc- cess, the boats were necessarily placed under an incessant and moat gall- POST- CAPTAINS OF 1822. 993 ing fire of every description for upwards of tliree-quartcrs of an hour, which was sustained with the firmest intrepidity ; the carronades of our two pin- naces played with considerable effect, together with our musketry on near- er approach ; but the instant the favorable moment arose, one and all dashed in, under a heavy shower of grape and musketry, gave three cheers when just alongside, and prepared to board with a devotedness every way equal to even a more formidable force. The panic on board was instantaneous, and with trifling exception the entire uf the crew threw themselves into the sea; 28 were secured, amongst whom was their commander, but num- bers, I regret to add, escaped through their near vicinity to the shore. The vessel proved to be the piratical schooner Zaragozana, of 120 tons, carrying one long 18-pounder on a swivel, four long 9-pounders, and eight swivels; was otherwise well armed, and every way prepared against our boarding ; her decks covered with bottles filled with combustible materials, with a crew of from 70 to 80 men, chiefly European Spaniards, commanded by one of that nation mider the name of Cayatano Aroganez, who fought his vessel with a skill, and, until the moment of panic, with a desperate courage, wor- thy of a belter cause, impelled however, I believe, in a measure, by the conviction which he had that the ships, from draft of water, could not enter the harbour, and that therefore, could he overcome the boats, his triumph and safety were insured. " Where all. Sir, officers, seamen, and marines, so heroically performed their duty, I should feel it invidious to particularize individuals, were I not anxious to bring under your knowledge officers in command of boats so worthy of your notice, and the approbation of my Lords Commission- ers of the Admiralty. Lieutenant (Amos) Plymsell, next in command, « zealous and gallant officer, who has accompanied me on every service with the boats. Lieutenant James Campbell, and Messrs. Robinson, Dawson, Shapland, Gettings, and Dalyell, midshipmen; likewise Mr. West, surgeon, and Mr. Graham, assistant, who volunteered their services. I should equal- ly be wanting in candour towards those who were unavoi 1814, to the Shamrock brig, which vessel he paid off, Oct. 9, 1815; and. May 22, 1821, to the Martin ship-sloop, fitting for the Mediterranean station, where he received his post commission, bearing date July 19, 1822. This officer married, Fei.. 13, 1828, Sarah, third daughter of the late Patrick Dickson, of White Cross, Berwickshire. Agents. — Messrs. Maude & Co, WILLIAM M'KENZIE GODFREY, Esq. Son of Peter Godfrey, of East Bergholt, in Suffolk, Esq. and nephew to Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Rowley, K. C. B. '"hi i i'-i i r ! 'fi • See Vol. II. Part I. p 438, «/ «j. t See irf. p. 210, elieq. m 398 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1822. This officer passed his examination in Oct. 1809 ; obtained the rank of lieutenant, Jan. 8, 1810 ; and was promoted to the command of the Emulous brig, on the Halifax station, Feb. 2, 1813. In the course of the same year, he reported to Sir John B. Warren the destruction of three small Ameri- can privateers, in Machias and Passamaquaddy bays. His subsequent appointments were, July 22, 1814, tothe Arachne of 18 guns, in which vessel we find him conducting the port duties at Gibraltar, in the spring of 1816; and Nov. 18, 1820, to the Surinam sloop, fitting at Chatham, for the Ja- maica station, where he was serving when advanced to post rank,July 19, 1822. jigents. — Messrs. Chard, *<< '• ^^ .. -' -.'i. .j-ii^ i.^ '• ■ ■-■■■ ■ --^" ■^■,i.O yU rn , ;'; i^ . ;. ri. WILLIAM HENDRY, Esq: Was made lieutenant July 11, 1801, promoted from the Argo 44, to the command of the Forrester brig, on the Jamai* ca station, April: 27, 1814 ; and posted while commanding the Doterel 18, on the Halifax station, July 19, 1822. Captain Hendry has recently invented an ingenious piece of iron work which he terms a heel brace, and which is ap- plicable to the lower part of a rudder, in case the lower pintles are broken by the ship grounding, or from any other casualty. To provide for the whole of the pintles going, he proposes that ships should likewise be furnished with a hoop or cap, to embrace the head of the rudder, into which the tiller is to be shipped, which will render the rudder as effectually ser- viceable as ever. Captain Hendry also suggests a new mode of making a temporary rudder, to which the above heel brace and clasp hoop are to be attached, the whole of which can be put together in a short time^ and without the need of a forge. . „ , . . Agent, — Sir F. M. Ommanney. POST-CAPTAINS OF 1822. 399 ";:r JOB HANMER, Esq. ^ " Son of the late Commander Job Hanmer, R. N., and nephew to Sir Thomas Hanmer, Bart. - , • . This officer was made lieutenant Jan. 4, 1808 ; promoted to the command of the Flamer brig, June 6, 1814 ; and posted, while commanding the Heron 18, on the St. Helena station, July 19, 1822. He married. May 13, 1823, Harriet, youngest daughter of the late Thomas Dawson, of Edward- ston Hall, in Suffolk, Esq. Agents. — Messrs. Maude & Co. «u • GEORGE FRENCH, Esq. Is lineally descended from Patrick Fitz-Stephen French, who died at Dungar (now called French Park) co. Roscommon, Ireland, in the year 1600, and was a junior branch of the fa- mily of de Berneval, originally from Lower Brittany, in France, and allied to the dukes of that province. This officer was born at Dublin, Sept. 29, 1785 ; and he appears to have entered the navy, as midshipman on board the Ceesar 80, Captain Charles Edmund Nugent, Dec. 10, 1796. In 1799, we find him at the Royal Naval Academy, Portsmouth ; from whence he was discharged into the Carya- fort 28, Captain Adam Drummond, during the peace of Ami- His next ship was the Hydra 38, Captain George Mun- ens. dy, who makes honorable mention of his conduct in a boat attack, near Havre de Grace, Aug. 1, 1803; on which occa- sion the French lugger Favori, pierced for 4 guns, was cap- tured and brought out under a heavy and constant fire of mus- ketry from the shore. His promotion to the rank of lieutenant took place Oct. 24, 1807 ; previous to which he had seen much active service on the coasts of Spain and Italy ; and acted for some months in the Madras 54, Captain Charles Marsh Schomberg, at Malta. After serving successively in the Spartan frigate. Captain Jahlccl Brcnton ; Montague 74, Captain Robert Waller Ot- I ■^■\ 400 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1822. way ; and Bellona 7^t Captain John Ersklne Douglas, Lieu- tenant French was appointed, July 11, 1811, to the command of the Basilisk gun-brig, which vessel formed part of the small force under Captain Thomas Ussher, at the capture and de- struction of the castle of Almunecar, in May, 1812*. He was re-appointed to the same brig, with the rank of commander, May 22, 1813. Capt^n French's next appointment was, Dec. 22, 1820, to the Sophie of 18 guns, from which sloop he was posted by the Admiralty, into the Leander 60, on the East India station, July 20, 1822. Unfortunately, however, his commission for that ship did not reach him until after she had sailed for Eng- hind, and he was consequently left on half pay, at Madras, April 23, 1823. An order was subsequently sent out by their lordships for him to bring home the Asia 84 ; but this like- wise arrived too late, and he was ultimately obliged to return in a merchant vessel, at his own private expence. .ifw j:^ Captain French has a brother in the army, and a sister married to the Rev. Richard Cooke. .,!. '» RIGHT HON. LORD HENRY FREDERICK THYNNE. Second son of Thomas, present Marquis of Bath, by the Hon. Isabella Byng, daughter of George, fourth Viscount Tor- rington. This officer was born May 24, 1797 j made lieutenant into theTagus 42, Captain J. W. Deans Dundas, on the Mediterra- nean station, Nov. 27, 1817; appointed to the Active 46, Cap- Sir James A. Gordon, Jan. 23, 1819; advanced to the rank of commander, June 7, 1821 ; posted into the Termagant 28, in the East Indies, July 30, 1822 ; and appointed to the Ranger 28, fitting at Chatham for the South American station, March 15, 1826. Lord Henry Thynne married, April 19, 1830, Harriet, daugh- ter of Alexander Baring, Esq. M. P. for Taunton. • See Suppl. Pnrt. I. p. 360. I'OST-CAPTAINS OF 1822. 401 and a sister HON. FREDERICK SPENCER, j] Companion of the Most Honorable Military Order of the Buth, Knight of the Royal French Order of St. Louis, and Knight of the Imperial Russian Order of St. /inne. This officer is the third surviving son of Earl Spencer, K.G. formerly First Lord of the Admiralty, by Lady Lavinia Bing- ham, eldest daughter of Charles, first Earl of Lucan *. He was born, April 14, \796\ made lieutenant, into the Myrmidon of 20 guns, Captain Robert Gambier, on the Me- diterranean station, July 14, 1818; removed to the Albion 74, flag-ship of Sir Charles V. Penrose, on the 2d Nov. following ; appointed to the Suberb 78, bearing the broad pendant of Sir Thomas M. Hardy, Aug. 30, 1819; promoted to the command of the Alacrity sloop, in South America, Mar. 5, 1821 ; and posted into the Creole frigate, on the same sta- tion, Aug. 26, 1822. Captain Frederick Spencer's next appointment was, Sept. 21, 1826, to the Talbot 28 ; in which ship he bore a conspi- cuous part at the battle of Navarin, and afterwards co-oper- ated with the French forces employed in the Gulf of Lepanto. The following are extracts of an official letter from Captain Edmund Lyons, of the Blonde frigate, to Sir Edward Cod- rington's successor, dated off Patras, Oct. 14, 1828: " Captain Spencer's letter, by the Echo, will have informeU you of the capitulation of Patras. " I have now the honor of sending you the terms ; in ricfiance of which five Aga«, with (it is believed) 1200 or 1500 troops, have thrown them- selves into the Morea Castle, and refuse to surrender, unless a written order to do so be produced from Ibrahim Pacha of Egypt, or Ibrahim Pacha of Lepanto. " Under theae circumstanctc, (ioncral Schneider has resolved on com- mencing offensive operations agtinst the castle. • • • • • "I have promised to approach the fort, on the I9(h instant, as near as the wind and other circunistunces will admit ; under the hope, that the dread of a naval uttack may have the same effect that it undoubtedly hud '1*1 Jvli m 4 ■^i • See Suppl. Part III. p. 256. RUPPL. PART IV. 2d 402 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1822. ill tlic surrender of Patras. •••••• TbU letter will be delivered to you l>y Captain Spencer, who ia perfectly informed on all the subjects which I have mentioned. *' I have only to add, that I hope, throughout this service, to preserve that good uuderstandino^, and hearty co-operation, with the officers of His Most Christian Majesty, which has so auspiciously commenced under Cap. tain Spencer's firm, though conciliatory, management." The manner in which the Turco- Egyptians were expelled from their last strong hold in the Peloponnesus, has heen of- ficially related at p. 387 «^ seq. of Suppl. Part III. The coni- puiionshtp of the Bath, ttie cross of St. Louis, and the order of St. Anne, were conferred upon Captain Spencer immedi- ately after the conflict at Navarin ; on which occasion the Talbot had 6 men killed and 17 wounded * Captain Spencer married, Feb. 23, 1830, the second daugh^ ter of W. S. Poyntz, of Cowdrey Park, co. Sussex, Esq. ARCHIBALD M'LEAN, Esq. Was made lieutenant, Sept. 5, 1816; appointed to the Leander 60, refitting at Portsmouth, for the flag of Sir David Milne, Oct. 7, 1816 ; promoted from the Vigo 74, flag-ship of Rear- Admiral Lambert, to the command of the Beaver brig, on the St. Helena station, July 7> 1821 ; sent from thence to South America, in September following ; and there posted into the Blossom 26, on the 9th Sept. 1822, Agents, — Messrs. Maude and Co. JAMES HANWAY PLUMRIDGE, Esq. Was made lieutenant, Aug. 20, 1806; and commanded the boats of the Melpomene frigate. Captain (afterwards Sir Peter) Parker, at the destruction of a Danish national cutter, and some merchant vessels, on the coast of Jutland, under a very heavy fire, by which six of his party wcr« severely • See Siippl. Part II. p. 333. !1 ; sent from ig ; and there poar-qAPTAiNs OF 1822. 403 wounded, May 1, 1809*. During the latter part of the war with France, he served as first lieutenant of the Resistance frigate, Captain (now the Hon. Fleetwood B. R.) Pellew, on the Mediterranean station. His promotion to the rank of commander took place June 7, 1814; on which occasion he was appointed to the Wizard brig, of 16 guns. Captain Plun^vidge's subsequent appointments were, Nov. 18, 1814, to the Piiilomel 18; and Feb. 2, 1818, to the Sappho of similar force. In Aug. and Oct. 1820, he captured three American smugglers, on the Irish station, one of which had on board 400 bales of tobacco. His post commission bears date, Oct. 9, 1822. Mrs. Plumridge died July 31, 1827. Agent. — J. Woodhead, Esq. CHARLES NELSON, Esq. Second and youngest son of the late Rev. Edmund Nelson, Rector of Congham, in Norfolk; and great-grandson of William Nelson, who was also the ancestor of that renowned warrior, Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson. This officer was born at Congham ; and he first embarked for the purpose of joining his illustrious relative, exactly three weeks previous to the battle of Trafalgar. From this period, he served under Sir Richard G. Keats, and Captain the Hon. George H. L. Dundas, in the Superb 74, Euryalus frigate, Hibernia first rate, and Edinburgh 74, until his promotion to the rank of lieutenant, Feb. 5, 1812. We subsequently find him in the Sparrowhawk brig. Captain Thomas Ball Clowes, and Union 98, Captain (now Rear-Admiral) Robert RoUes, on the Mediterranean station. He was made commander, June 13, 1815 ; appointed to the Nimrod sloop, fitting for the Leith station, June 25, 1819 ; and advanced to post rank, Oct. 9j l822. His brother is now Rector of Congham. ^ % Ml m I fill i !1 m '! ill 1» ,1 ■ Sec Suppl. Part IIT. p. 366. 2d2 404 POST-CAPTAINS OR 1822. ;'r GEORGE TYLER, Esq. Is a son of Admiral Sir Charles Tyler, K. C. B. and was born at Cattrell, co. Glamorgan, in Dec. l/OS. He entered the Royal Naval College, in Oct. 1806; went first to sea in the Lively frigate. Captain George M*Kinley, in 1809; and lost his right arm, when serving as midshipman of the Spartan 38, Captain Edward Pelham Brenton, in a boat expedition jigainst the enemy at Qiiiberon, May 1811. His first commission bears date, Feb. 6, 1813 ; from which period he served as flag-lieutenant to his father, until promoted by him to the command of tlie Harpy sloop, at the Cape of Good Hope, Feb. 7, 1815. Captain Tyler was granted a pension of 200/. per annum, for the loss of his arm. May 8, 1816; appointed to the Fly sloop, Dec. 8, 1821 ; and advanced to post rank, while serving on the coast of Scotland, Oct. 10, 1822. This ofl&cer married, in Sept. 1819, Harriet, daughter of the Right Hon. John Sullivan and Lady Harriet Sullivan. Agents. — Messrs. Chard. THOMAS HERBERT, Esq. - Was made lieutenant, Oct. 10, 1809; promoted to the rank of commander, Oct. 19, 1814 ; appointed to the Icarus brig, of 10 guns, Sept. 6, 1821; removed to the Carnation 18, at Jamaica, May 6, 1822; and posted into the Tamar 26, on the same station, Nov. 25, 1822. In Jan. 1829, this officer was nominated High Sheriff of the county Kerry, Ireland. ^^en^«— Messrs. Maude and Co. ♦tit.,:- CHARLES HOPE REID, Esq. Son of the late Charles Reid, of Watcrmeetings, in Lanark- shire, Esq. by Wilhelmina Grunshield, niece to the noted swordsman, General Fingland Douglas, of Dumfries-shire, , B. and was I Sheriff of the POST-GAPTAINS OF 1822. " 405 This officer was born at Watermeetings, and commenced his professional career in the East India Company's service ; but being patronised by the Hopetoun family, of whom both his father and grandfather held farms during their lives, he quitted it, and joined the Colossus 74, Captain George Mur- ray, in the beginning of 1797* During the ensuing summer, Mr. Reid was frequently em- ployed in rowing guard under the walls of Cadiz ; and on one of those occasions, the boat in which he served was so nobly and successfully defended against an immensely superior Spanish force, that Earl St. Vincent marked his admiration of the valour displayed, by immediately promoting her command- ing officer, the late Lord William Stuart. The Colossus was wrecked on a ledge of rocks, in St. Mary's Road, Scilly, Dec. 10, 1798; and we subsequently find Mr. Reid serving in the Magnificent 74, Captain Edward Bowater, and Leda frigate, Captain George Hope, on the Channel sta- tion, and coast of Egypt. The latter ship being paid off on her return from the Mediterranean, he then joined the Netley schooner. Lieutenant James Mein, in whicii vessel he pro- ceeded to the West Indies, and was present at the capture of St. Lucia, June 22, 1803, also at the reduction of Demerara, Essequibo, and Berbice, in the month of September follow- ing*. During these operations in Dutch Guiana, the Netley was commanded by Lieutenant John Lawrence. In 1804, Mr. Reid rejoined Lieutenant Mein, then com- manding the Nimble cutter ; and in the following year, having passed his examination, he returned to the Leeward Islands, sub-lieutenant of the same vessel. On his arrival there, he received an acting order from Rear- Admiral (now Sir Alex- ander) Cochrane, to command the Trinidad schooner, of 14 guns. ;•>) >^;----:'- -•■ ■ ''•■ '-'■' '• ' '■' ■ Shortly after this, the Hart sloop of war, in which Mr. Reid was proceeding to join his schooner, fell over on her beam-ends, in a sudden gust of wind, off Saba, and was only saved from foundering by his activity and presence of mind. On seeing ml m § I ¥ '■■■ m )i ' ;t»itfe «i Sec Suppl. Part I. p. 408. 406 POSf-CAPTAlMS OF 1822. J the water f ush down the hatchways, he was the first offecer that gained the deck ; and hearing the acting gunner, who had charge of the watch, call out " luff," he instantly applied his breast to the tiller, managed, with the assistance of a rope from to windward, to put the helm hard up, and thus averted the general calamity that must have followed obedience to such an order. To the astonishment of every one, the vessel quickly paid round off on her broadside, and immediately afterwards righted. On his arrival at Barbadoes, Mr. Reid received a commis- sion from the Admiralty, dated Jan. 22, 1806, appointing him lieutenant of the Theseus 74, Captain George Hope, then on Channel service. He consequently returned home as pas- senger in the Pheasant sloop. Captain Robert Henderson. Some time afterwards, he was appointed, pro tempore j to the Brunswick, another third rate, his own ship having sailed for the Cape of Good Hope, whilst he was absent on leave. We next find him assisting at the debarkation of the British army, under Lord Cathcart, in the neighbourhood of Copenhagen, on which occasion he acted under the orders of Captain Lord ColviUe. During the equipment of the Danish navy, Mr. Reid was the senior lieutenant on board the Brunswick, the sole charge of which ship ultimately devolved upo'? him, in consequence of her captain having fallen sick before the fleet sailed for England, and the first lieutenant being placed in command of the prize 74 that she fitted out and manned. After conducting the Brunswick from Copenhagen to North Yarmouth and Portsmouth, with the assistance of only one other commissioned officer. Lieutenant Reid soon had the gratification of finding himself again under the command of his ever constant and invaluable friend, Captain (afterwards Sir George) Hope, with whom he removed from the Pomp^e 74 to the Victory first rate, early in the ensuing year (1808). In the beginning of 1809, he assisted in bringing home the remains of Sir John Moore's army from Corunna j and from . that period he served as flag-lieutenant to his distinguished patron, (who hud previously been appointed first captaii^of Mr. Reid was POST-CAPTAINS OK 1822. 407 the fiultiu fleet, under Vice- Admiral Sir James iumt* ^z) until his promotion to the rank of commander, June 2, l';^12. Captain Reid's subsequent appointments and stati ;ns were, Sept. 11, 1812, to the Fervent brig, of 12 guns, Channel and Baltic; June 17, 1814, to the Calypso 18, Western Islands and Mediterranean ; early in 1816, pro tempore, to the Tri- dent 64, guard-ship at Malta, where being for some time the senior officer, he conducted the various duties of the port, and likewise those of the naval arsenal during the temporary absence of Commissioner Joseph Larcom ; Dec. 12, 1817, to the Driver sloop, on the coast of Scotland ; and, lastly. Sept; 3, 1818, to the same ship and station, where he had the command of all the small cruisers under the orders of Sir William Johnstone Hope and his successor, Rear-Admiral (now Sir Robert Waller) Otway. The Driver was paid off at Portsmouth, in Oct. 1821 ; and Captain Reid promoted to post rank, Dec. 26, 1822. His eldest son was educated at the Royal Naval College, and is now a midshipman of the Pearl sloop, on the Irish station. j^gents. — Messrs. Maude & Co. JOHN SMITH (b), Esq. Is related to Rear-Admiral Isaac Siiiith, and to Mrs. Cook, of Merton Abbey, Surrey, widow of the great circumnavi- gator. This officer made his way to the rank he now enjoys, from a very humble station in the navy, entirely by his own con- duct. He was left an orphan when extremely young. His mother died before he was sensible of the loss ; and his father, who was a younger son of a numerous family, became insane, while he was yet at a country boarding school. Al- though in that unhappy state, his surviving parent was per- mitted to remain without any controul whatever, until he had squandered and made away with what property he had, till at last his relations found it absolutely necessary to con- fine him in a private lunatic asylum, where he breathed his la^t, leaving his children totally unprovided for. 8; V) lid f^i 406 rOST-CAPTAINS OF 1822. When at a proper age, Mr. John Smith wa« bound ap. prentice to a mechanical trade ; but his spirit rebelling against this arrangement, he took French leave of his rela- tives, and of the master they had provided for him ; applied to the Marine Society, and was equipped and sent into the naval service by that institution, in 1798. Having received a tolerable education, and being a steady well-behaved lad, he was, after some time had elapsed, taken on the quarter- deck of the Merlin sloop. Captain William Robinson. In Sept. 1801, the Merlin, cruising on the north side of Jamaica, captured a small Spanish privateer, mounting one gun on a circular sweep, and Mr. Smith, then rated master's- mate, was sent in her with 20 men to cruise as a tender. ♦*ln a few days," says he, " at least half the crew were af- fected with nyctalopia. We were chased one calm morning by a large xebec, carrying from 80 to 100 men, and towards evening she was fast pulling up to us, our people having been fagging at their oars many hours, without any relief. Know- ing that night would deprive half our crew of sight, it was proposed to try our strength with the enemy, while it was yet day-light ; this was answered by three cheers. The oars were run across, and, the enemy by this time being within gun-shot, the action commenced. After a time, to our great relief, he sheered off and pulled away from us ; we, in our turn, became the pursuers ; but when night came on, we took especial care to lay our head from the xebec, and saw no more of her. This circumstance put me on devising some means of curing the people affected with night blindness, and I could think of none better than excluding the rays of the sun from one eye during the day, by placing a handker- chief over it ; and I was pleased to find, on the succeeding night, that it completely answered the desired purpose, and that the patient could see perfectly well with the eye which had been covered during the day ; so that in future, each person so affected had one eye for day, and the other for night ; and it was amusing enough to see Jack guarding, with tender care, his night eye from any the slightest communica- tion with the sun's rays, and occasionally changing the band- P08T-CAPTAIN3 OP 1822. 409 nge, that each eye in turn might take a spell of night duty ; it being found that guarding the eye for one day was suffi- cient to restore the tone of the optic nerve, a torpor of which, and of the retina, is supposed to be the proximate cause of the disease. I much question whether any purely medical treatment would have had so complete, and, above all, so im- mediate an effect. Persons affected with nyctalopia become perfectly bld the wholf of Iht crew, &c. except one n»un and iHie wontHM, perisliod. .• u . ■i til 414 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1822. that he had reason to suppose the guns and mortars on the mole-heads were spiked, as the enemy was about to quit the place ; and that it might be possible to get possession of the vessels in the mole, by a spirited and sudden attack. Immediately on receiving this intelligence, the Buzzard stood in, under Greek colours, to make the attempt ; but when within range of grape and canister, a fire was opened on her from the privateers and both mole-heads, on which were mounted several long 2'1-pounders, and one or two 10-inch mortars. This fire was returned by the Buzzard, and with such effect, that one mole-head was immediately deserted ; the Buzzard's guns were then brought to bear on the other, which in like manner the enemy was obliged to quit (the defence being composed of nothing but sand-casks). They however returned back to the one previously abandoned, from whence a fire was again opened j and this method was continued for some time, when, in consequence of one mole-head command- ing the other, it being impossible to bring the Buzzard's guns to bear on both at the same time, and troops beginning to pour down from Valencia, it was considered imprudent to prosecute the attempt any further j the Buzzard was then anchored just out of shell- range, and some armed Gibraltar smugglers being on the coast. Captain Smith called them to his assistance, and so completely surrounded the moles, that the enemy, finding it impossible to escape with their booty by sea, landed and conveyed it to the city, where great part of the property was left behind, when the evacuation took place, owing to the want of means to carry it away. After the enemy had quitted Valencia, the Buzzard's boats landed and took possession of seven vessels, three of which being priva- teers, were sent to Alicant, and left there in charge of Mr. B. Athy, the British consul ; the others remained in the mole of Valencia, and Captain Smith being ordered on a distant ser- vice could not attend to them ; those sent to Alicant were afterwards claimed by the generous and grateful Spaniards, as national property, in consequence of their having been cap- tured within gun-shot of the coast, although actually at the time under the jurisdiction of a provisional government ap- POST-CAPTAINS OF 1822. 415 pointed by the enemy, ftnd although the Spanish General Elio, on his arrival at Valencia, approved of the measures adopted by Captain Smith, and ordered all the stores, sails, &c. «f the vessels to be delivered up to him as lawful capture. We next find the Buzzard present at the fall of Tarragona ; and the last shot fired by the French, from that fortress, was directed against her, while reconnoitring in the bay. On the 11th Sept. 1813, Captain Smith was struck by the main-boom on the right hypochondrium, forced against the larboard round-house, and nearly crushed to death. When taken below he appeared lifeless, and more than a month elapsed before he could leave his bed. During that period, "the antiphlogistic regimen was pursued and pushed to a great extent, leeches were repeatedly applied, occasional doses of calomel and an timonial powder, friction with ammoniated lini- ment, &c. administered." By this treatment, he was at length enabled to " crawl about ;" but he continued to suffer severe- ly as long as the Buzzard remained in commission, which was till Oct. 1814 *. At a subsequent period, he presented a pe- tition " to the King's Most Excellent Majesty in Council,*' of which the following is a copy : "The Mc'inorial of John Smith, Esq. a Commander in your Majesty's Navy. *' Humbly sheweth, *' That your Memorialist, while commanding your Majesty's sloop of war the Buzzard, in the month of September, 181.3, was proceeding down the Mediterranean, towards Gibraltar, when, in consequence of a rope called the boom-guy breaking from a heavy roll of the ship, your Memorialist at the time standing on the poop, by the larboard round- house, was struck a most violent blow, on the ribs of the right side, by the main-boom, a piece of timber 60 feet in length, and 12 inches in di- ameter, which crushed hitn down over the sharp edge of the round-house, contusing the liver and integuments on the right side, and rupturing a blood-vessel, with other injury of the kidney on the left ; that, on being freed from this dreadful situation by the succeeding roll of the ship, he was carried, nearly in a lifeless state, to his cabin ; and by proper remedies, was in a manner recovered ( that, for a considerable tinie afterwards, he was Bubject to a discharge of blood from the kidneys and bowels, with disorder- ed liver; which complaints he has been at times affected with ever since ; ^ i\ A .1 • Surtfeon's certificate i 416 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1822. i- i iliut, latterly, these attacks have occurred so frequently, accompanied with a spitting of blood, and have so debilitated and shattered his constitution, that it is only by an almost constant medical attendance that he is enabled to exist ; that his expenses for this advice and attendance have increased so much that he is no longer able to defray them, having no other income but his half-pay, as a Commander in your Majesty's navy, to support a wife and five children. " That your Memorialist does not complain that the period of his natu- ral life will most probably be considerably shortened in consequence of these internal wounds and bruises — he received them in your Majesty's service, and is content ; but he most humbly prays that, if on due examin- ation, his case may appear to merit some relief, your Majesty may be most graciously pleased to take it into your royal consideration. (Signed) *' John Smith, Commander, R. N." We should here observe, that Mr. Mauritius Power, the surgeon of the Buzzard, had pressed Captain Smith to take a smart-ticket ; but which he refused to do, under the idea that " a short time on shore would re-establish his health." He was subsequently examined by medical men at the Admiral- ty, who reported that his hurts were not equal to the loss of a limb ! and therefore he has never received any compensa- tion whatever. Since that examination, part of his breast-bone has exfoliated ; and strange to say, his health is now (1830) much better than it was ten years ago. On the 18th Aug. 1815, Captain Smith was appointed to the Alert brig, and sent to the river Tyne, to keep the refrac- tory seamen there in order. He afterwards cruised for the suppression of smuggling, on the North Sea station, and made eleven seizures during his three years' service. In the after- noon of Dec. 19, 1816, being then on the edge of the Garbard sand, and running for the Downs, he observed the Maeander frigate working towards Yarmouth, and standing, as he thought, rather too near that dangerous shoal. Entertaining no great opinion of North Sea pilots in general, from having repeatedly witnessed their extreme ignorance in many instan- ces, he made the signal to the Maiander, that she was stand- ing into danger, which signal was seen and answered, but unfortunately the frigate soon afterwards struck upon the sand. Her perilous situation, during the ensuing night and day, hns been doscribcd at p. 946 of Vol. U. Part II. POST-CAPTAINS OP 1822. 417 In May, 1817, Captain Smith rescued a Hamburg ship and a Pappenburg galliot, with the whole of their crews, from two Tunisian cruisers, one a corvette of 20 guns and 130 men, the other a schooner of considerable force, then cruis- ng in the Narrow Seas. lu this novel aifair, he acted entirely on his own responsibility, having neither instructions how to proceed in such a case, nor copies of the existing treaties with the Barbary states ; but which were afterwards furnished to every captain and commanding officer afloat. His conduct, however, was approved by the Admiralty ; and their Lordships were pleased to allow a sum of money, handsomely presented by the owners, and amounting to about one-tenth part of the value of the vessels and their cargoes, to be distributed as prize-money among those concerned in their recapture. Cap- tain Smith had previously refused to accept an individual gratuity of 200/., which he was offered on his return from es- corting the corsairs clear of the English Channel. While commanding the Alert, which sloop he frequently brought from the Downs to the Nore, through the Queen's Channel, without any pilot. Captain Smith repeatedly witnes- sed the inefficiency of the common anchor ring, when a chain cable had been attached to it, in consequence of the great stress thrown on a single inch of one so large. He therefore requested that an oval ring of smaller size, or a shackle similar to those on the bilbo-bolt, might be fitted to one of his anchors, when the following answer was returned to his application : , .. . " Navy Office, nth October, \%n. "Sir, — ^We have received your letter of the 15th iriRtant, with one ad- dressed to you by Captain Smith, of the Alert, suggesting that a shackle, or small oval ring, may be fitted to the anchor instead of the ring in use at present, and requesting that that sloop may be furnished with another chain- cable ; and we acquaint you, that an additional iron cable cannot be supplied without the authority of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, their Lordsh'ps' directions to us allowing one cable only to each of H. M. sloops. *' With respect to the oval link or ring for which Captain Smith has aji- plied, we think it necessary to observe, that by adopting that shape, it ap- pears his object would be defeated, as instead of its possessing the uniform strength of a ring, which wears equally all round, the strain would be borne upon two points only, and in the event of the oval link altering its position, SUPPL. PART IV. 2 K W^ % VJ '' n m mi i ' ?■ I >-^ 418 POST-CAPTAINS OP 1822. it is extremely probable that it would break. lu addition to this objection, it also occurs to us, that when the oval link becomes much worn (which it certainly would) the link will become useless, but a ring, by shifting the puddening from time to time, as may appear to be necessary, is not liable to this objection, and will therefore be tound more durable. Under these circumstances, we cannot comply with Captain Smith's request. We are. Sir, your ver^r humble servants, , . . . , , (Signed) "T. Thckkr. , " E. Stewart. ' * "P. Fraser." • "* " To Rear-admiral Sir Charles Rowley, K. C. B." Some months after this, having in the mean time seen, or heard, that other rings of anchors, having chain-cables at- tached to them, had broken, Captain Smith repeated his ap- plication for the Alert's anchor to be fitted as he had before pointed out, and was answered quite short, that his request could not be complied with j but since he has been on half- pay most of the anchors of small vessels in H. M. service, using chain-cables, have been fitted with a shackle as he ori- ginally proposed. The following is a copy of a letter from his late commander-in-chief: "b\,Wmpole Street, May 2S,\^\9, " Sir, — I have pleasure ia bearing my testimony to your zeal, perse- verance, and judicious conduct during the period you were under my orders while I commanded at the Nore; and I considered the prompt and decided steps you took in bringing the ships captured by the Tunisian squadron into a British port, as well as by inviting the captain of the Tunisian man of war to accompany tlicm, was of essential benefit to the commerce of this country. I remain, Sir, &c. (Signed) " C. Rowley." " To Captain John Smith, late o/H. M. Sloop Alert.** This officer was made post, for his exertions in the Alert, Dec. 26, 1822 ; and we believe he affords the only instance in the service, of a youngster fitted out by the Marine Society, having risen to that enviable rank*. He is the author of " A Letter to M r. Hosier, on his work entitled * the Mariner's Friend ;' *' and he has also published a translation from the * The Marine Society was instituted in the year 1756, and incorporated in 1 7/2. Owners and masters of ships and vessels are supplied with boys in a state of discipline, by applying at the ofHce, in Bishopsgatc Street, Loudon, or on board the depot ship, moored offGreenwich. POST-CAPTAINS OF 1822. 419 Italian treatise " II Giuoco Incomparabile degli Scacchi." , His relative, Mrs. Cook, of Merton Abbey, has lately placed ill his possession all the remaining books, charts, and Instru- ments formerly belonging to her renowned husband. . '■ Captain Smith married, in 1809, his cousin Anne, eldest daughter of Charles Smith, of Stratford Green, co. Essex, Esq. and has a family of five sons and two daughters. Agents. — Messrs. Stilwell. HENRY TIIEODOSIUS BROWN COLLIER, Esq. Third son of the late Vice- Admiral Sir George Collier, Knt. whose services are recorded in the Naval Chronicle, vol. 32, p. 265 et seq. and brother to Captain Francis Augustus Collier, C. B. now commanding the squadron on the African station. This officer was made lieutenant, June 3, 1807 ; promoted to the command of the Hesper sloop, on the East India sta- tion, Oct. 24, 1812 ; appointed to the Falmouth of 20 guns, fitting for the Cork station, Mar. 26, 1819 ; invalided from that ship, at the Leeward Islands, Sept. 9, 1820 ; appointed to the Espiegle 18, on the 21st March, 1822 j and posted, while serving at the Cape of Good Hope, Dec. 26th follow- ing. He married, June 26, 1816, Harriet, daughter of R. Nicholas, of Ashton Keynes, co. Wilts, Esq. and niece to Sir Thomas Frankland, Bart. .4?^«'*«— Messrs. Stilwell. in ■; c- *•;'<- JOHN BRENTON. Esq. '' " ' Knlq'ht of the Imperial Russian Order of St. JVkdimer. ■ - : This officer entered the naval service, in Aug. 17^8, as midshipman on board the Asia 64, bearing the flag of Admi- ral George Vandeput, at Halifax ; and continued in that ship under the command of C^tain (now Admiral) Robert Murray, until her return to England, in 1800; when he joined the 2e2 ii il •-' "■if 420 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1822. Assistance 50, on the North Sea station, but was soon re- moved from her into the Caesar 80, bearing the flag of Rear- Admiral Sir James Saumarez, under whom he bore a part at the battle of Algeziras, July 6, 1801*, and was present at the subsequent capture and destruction of a French 74 and two Spanish first rates, in the Gut of Gibraltar f. ^,=j4 (^oj,.% After witnessing the evacuation of Minorca, in 1802, Mr. Brenton joined the Kent 74, bearing the flag of Sir Richard Bickerton, Bart, at Malta; and we subsequently find him serving under the same excellent officer in the Royal Sove- reign of 100 guns, and Queen 98, on the Mediterranean sta- tion, where he was appointed acting lieutenant of the latter ship, about July 1805. He afterwards received two other appointments of the same nature from Lord CoUingwood, first to the Nautilus sloop. Captain Edmund Palmer, who perished with 61 of his officers and crew on the barren rocks of Ceri- gotto, in Jan. 1807 ; and the last to the Ildefonso Spanish 74, taken at Trafalgar, in which ship he returned to England, without either of his acting orders being confirmed. Mr. Brenton next joined the Hibernia 1 10, bearing the flag of Earl St. Vincent, commander-in-chief of the Channel fleet, by whom he was made acting lieutenant of the London 98, Captain Thomas Western. His first Admiralty commission, appointing him to the Orion 74, Captain (now Sir Edward) Codrington, bears date Sept. 6, 1806. After serving in that ship for some time off Cadiz, Lieute- nant Brenton returned to the Hibernia, then bearing the flag of Sir James Saumarez in the fleet blockading Brest ; and he appears to have followed that distinguished admiral into the Diomede 50, and Victory first rate, on the Guernsey and Baltic stations, continuing with him until appointed to the command of a division of gun-boats employed in the defence of Riga, against the French and Prussian armies, under Mar- shals Macdonald and Yorck. The Russian Order of St. Wladimer, of the 4th class, was conferred upon him by the Emperor Alexander, as a reward for bin zealous co-operation See V(l. I. Part I. pp. 187—190. f Sec Suppl. Part 1. p. 271. POST-CAPTAINS OF 1822. 421 with the RuBsian commanders, particularly during the expe- dition against Mittau*, and his " highly meritorious conduct upon this occasion" having been duly represented by Sir James Saumarez, in a letter to the Admiralty, dated Oct. 17, 1812, he was promoted to the rank of commander on the 20th of the following month. From June 27, 1814, to Nov. 1815, he commanded the Hasty brig, on the Iriish station. His post commission bears date Dec. 26, 1822. Captain Brenton married, in Sept. 1815, his cousin Henri- etta, fourth daughter of the late Kear-Admiral Brenton, and sister to Captains Sir Jahleel and Edward Pelbam Brenton, R. N. WILLIAM RAMSDEN, Esq. Second son of Sir John Rarasden, Bart, by the Hon. Louisa Ingram, daughter of the last Viscount Irwin (which title be- came extinct in 1782), and sister to the Dowager Marchio- ness of Hertford. This officer was made lieutenant, Dec. 30, 1808 ; promoted to the command of the Ferret brig, June 14, 1813 j appointed to the Scout 18, fitting for the Mediterranean station, April 29, 1818; and posted Dec. 26, 1822. ><-, GEORGE RICHARD PECHELL, Esq. A Magistrate for the county of Susses. Is the second surviving son of the late Major-General Sir Thomas Brooke- Pechell, Bart., M. P. for Downton, co. Wilts, and a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to his late Majesty's august consort, by Charlotte, second daughter of the late Lieutenant. General Sir John Clavering, K. B., commander- in-chief in India ; and grand-daughter of John, first Earl of Delawarr \. This officer entered the navy in Sept. 1803, as midshipmaa * See Suppl. Part III. p. 1 19 et seq. ,i t See Suppl. Part I. p. 361 et seq. I* llil I M iiii 423 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1822. on board the Nemesis 28, Captain Philip Somerville ; and afterwards served with Sir Robert Barlow and Captain (now Sir John) Gore, in the Triumph 74, and Medusa frigate, the former ship employed in the blockade of Toulon, under Lord Nelson, and the latter forming part of the squadron com- manded by Captain (now Sir Graham) Moore, at the capture of three Spanish galleons, and the destruction of their consort, Oct. 5, 1804 *. He also was present at the detention of the Matilda 36, from Cadiz bound to Mexico, with despatches and a valuable cargo of quicksilver, on the 8th of the follow- ing month. In 1805, Mr. Pechell visited the Cape Verd Islands, Cal- cutta, and St. Helena; the Medusa being that year employed in conveying the Marquis Cornwallis to Bengal, and bringing home the suite of the same lamented noblemanf. Soon after her return to England, he followed Sir John Gore into the Revenge 74, vchich ship was one of the squadron under Com- modore Sir Samuel Hood, when la Gloire, I'Armide, la Mi- nerve, and rindefatigable, French frigates of the largest class, were brought to action and captured by the Centaur, Mo- narch, and Mars J. We subsequently find her stationed oif Cadiz, where she remained until the cessation of hostilities between England and Spain, vphen ehe returned home with the commissioners appointed by the supreme council of Seville to treat with the British cabinet §. Mr. Pechell next joined the Venus 32, Captain James Coutts Crawford, and was present at the surrender of Vigo to the Spanish patriots, in March 1809. During the subsequent siege of that place, by the French army under Marshal Ney, he landed with his captain, and served in the citadel until the enemy was defeated at the bridge of San Payo, and obliged to retreat towards Lugo ^. His first commission, appointing him lieutenant of the Cassar 80, Captain William Granger, on the Lisbon station, bears date June 25, 1810. l * See Vol. ]. Part II. p. 536. f Sec Suppl. Part II. p. 481. I See Vol. I. Part II. p. 570. § See Snppl. Part II. p. 482. IF See Vol. II, Part H. p. 671 et scq. oir.^ POST-CAPTAINS OF 1822. 423 From that ship, Mr. Pechell was removed to the Mace- donian 38, then employed on the coast of Portugal, but after- wards in the blockade of Rochefort. On the 7th Aug. 1812, the capture of a French lugger, lying aground within musket shot of the formidable batteries on I'lsle d'Aix, was com- municated to the squadron by the following telegraphic message : — "None killed; drove on shore hy ship last night, and gallantly brought from under batteries by Lieutenant PechelV* ♦ * ' ' The Macedonian was at tliis time commanded by Captain John Surman Garden, whom Lieutenant Pechell shortly af- terwards qnitted in order to join the St. Domingo 74, bearing the flag of his uncle. Sir John Borlase Warren, Bart., who soon placed him in the temporary command of the Colibri brig, on the North American station, where he captured and destroyed many of the enemy's merchantmen. In 1813, he again received an acting order from the same admiral, and cruised in the Recruit brig, with very great success, on the coasts of Carolina, Georgia, &c. The latter sloop had been frozen up, at the island of Cape Breton, the whole of the pre- ceding winter j her crew had suffered very much from the want of fresh provisions, warm clothing, and other neces- saries ; and when he sailed on his first cruise in her, she had not more than half of her established complement on board. Among the numerous vessels taken, re-captured, and de- stroyed, with such feeble means, was the American letter of marque schooner Inca, of 6 guns and 35 men. His promo- tion to the rank of commander, however, did not take place before May 30, 1814 ; from which period he remained on half-pay till May 26, 1818. Captain Pechell was then appoined to the Bellette sloop, fitting out for the Halifax station, where we find him em- ployed in protecting the revenue ami fisheries, pursuant to the treaty of Ghent. In 1820, he was directed by Rear-Ad- miral Grifl&th (now Colpoys), to vtke the command of the Tamar 26, which ship had just arrived from Jamaica, v^ith scarcely enough men on board to navigate her, even in the finest weather J her captain (Arthur Stow) and 75 of hcc m f.^ ii II' ■ .r 424 I»OST-CAPTAINS OF 1822. I crew, having died since her departure from the West Indies. This appointment, gave rise to an official correspondence, which terminated in the supercession by the Admiralty, of all the officers whom the commanders-in-chief on the Halifax and Jamaica stations, each claiming the patronage, had in- tended to raise to superior ranks *. The subject of this me- moir was consequently obliged to return to the Bellette, after acting as captain of the Tamar for six months, during which period he had restored her to a state of efficiency, and cap- tured, near the island of St. Domingo, a large piratical brig, pierced for 20 guns, with forged warlike commissions from all the different independent states of South America, and a crew of 98 men, desperadoes of every nation. While employ- ed on the coasts of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, the Be'lette captured about twenty vessels of different descrip- tions, detected in the act of violating the above treaty and the existing revenue laws. She was paid off at Plymouth, about Christmas, 1821. Captain Pechell is the author of '* A Visit to the Capital and the Chief Ports of St. Domingo, in 1821." He obtained rcot rank, Dec. 26, 1822 j married, Aug. 1, 1826, the Hon. Katherine Annabella, daughter of Lord De La Zouche j and took his seat as a Justice of the Peace for Sussex, in July, 1827. yfgent. — J. Copland, Esq. » ALEXANDER BARKCLAY BRANCH, Esq. Is descended from an ancient Scotch family, whose over zeal in what they considered a just cause, and con- scientious loyalty, compelled them to fly from North Bri- tain during the troubles there, first seeking an asylum in France, and ultimately settling at the island of Barbadoes, where his mother died in giving birth to him, and his father on the following day j both deaths occasioned by the dread- ful effects of a hurricane, in, we believe, the year 1784. • See Suppl. Part II. note at p. 344. POST- CAPTAINS OF 1822. 425 The subject of this memoir served under Captain (now Sir David) Miine, in la Pique 36, at the capture of the French frigate la Seine, June 29, 1/98*. On that occasion, he re- ceived some severe bruises ; and, his ship being destroyed, lost every thing belonging to him. During the remainder of the revolutionary war, we find him serving under Captains Sir Richard J. Strachan and Edward Griffith (now Vice- Ad- miral Colpoys), in the Diamond 38; and accompanying her boats, as a volunteer, whenever they were sent against the enemy, with whom he was consequently engaged more than thirty times, previous to the treaty of Amiens. After passing the usual examination for lieutenant, in 1802, Mr. Branch joined the Resistance 36, Captain the Hon. Philip Wodehouse, who strongly recommended him to the patronage of the immortal Nelson, for his general good con- duct, but more particularly for his great exertions when that frigate was wrecked, near Cape St. Vincent, May 31, 1803, where he again lost all his property. In consequence of this recommendation, he was received on board the Victory ; and in less than four months afterwards, appointed acting lieu- tenant of the Weazle sloop, Captain William Layman, under whom he continued to serve till that vessel likewise was wrecked, in a heavy easterly gale, near Cabritta Point, coast of Andalusia, Mar. 1, 1804; when, for the third time, he was deprived of every necessary, and only saved his life by swimming through an awful surf, sadly bruised in many parts of his body. Previous to this disaster, the Weazle had been most actively employed in protecting the trade of Gib- raltar, and often engaged with the enemy's gun-boats, land- batteries, and privateers. Mr. Branch returned home in the Argo 44, Captain Hal- lowell (now Sir Benjiuuin H. Carew) ; and his commission as lieutenant having been confirmed by the Admiralty, May 8, 1804, he was, utthe particular request of that distinguished officer, appointed with him to the Tigre 80, in which ship he went back to the Mediterranean station, and from thence I'lii • See Vol. I. I'art I. p. 403. 4-26 POST-CAPTAINS OF 182*i. accompanied Nelson's squadron to the West Indies, in pur- suit of the combined fleets of France and Spain *. His next appointment was, about the close of 1806, to the Pylades ship-sloop, then commanded by Captain George Miller Bligli, but subsequently by Captains William Henry Whorwood and George Ferguson; under which officers he served five years as first lieutenant, most actively employed in various parts of the M editerranean, where he assisted at the capture of many vessels, including le Grand Napoleon and l*Aigle, French privateers, the latter mounting 10 guns, with a com- plement of 80 men. Early in 1811, the Pylades being then stationed in the Archipelago, Lieutenant Branch was directed by Captain Ferguson to take charge of the Gleaner hired armed ketch, of 12 small carronades and 30 men (during the temporary ab- sence of her proper conmiander) ; and sent on a cruise, with positive orders to examine strictly every Greek vessel he might see, as the French had monopolized almost the whole of the Levant trade, in neutral bottoms, and under the Greek flag. In the execution of this service, he had a most severe action with a large polacre ship, carrying 12 long guns and 70 men, which ended in her capture. Unfortunately, how- ever, just before she surrendered, he had the misfortune to be struck by a twelve-pound shot, which shattered his right thigh to atoms, and slightly injured the left. In this dread- fully mutilated state, he lay five days without any surgical or medical assistance, consequently suffering indescribable torment. On his arrival at Smyrna, where the Pylades was then lying, he underwent amputation a few inches from the groin. His subsequent sufferings were excessively great, and of long duration j but the moment he could move about upon crutches even, he returned to his ship, and continued to perform the duty of senior lieutenant until her arrival in England, about the close of 1811. The captured polacre was claimed by the Sublime Porte, as belonging to an Ottoman subject ; and fdtliough the British • Sec Vol. I. Van n. p. 58y ct svq. POST-CAPTAINS OK 1822. 42/ Ambassador did every thing in his power to have her acknow- ledged a lawful prize, yet it wa8 at length deemed necessary, from political motives, to restore her. Mr. Adair, however, gave Lieutenant Branch the fullest assurance that, from his representation of the case to the British government, he would not only be promoted for his gallantry and sufferings, but also amply remunerated for his pecuniary sacrifice ; sorry are we to say, that after so severe an action, with such a superior force, he obtained neither advancement nor compensation ; even a pension for the loss of his limb was not granted to him till after many months had elapsed, and that only to commence from the day it was bestowed, instead of the day on which he had so dearly earned it. Lieutenant Branch's next appointment was, in the winter of 1813, to command the same armed ketch, then employed on the north coast of Spain, under the orders of Captain Sir George Collier. After the arrival of Rear- Admiral Penrose at Passages, to co-operate with the Marquis of Wellington in his advance upon Bayonne, that vessel was stationed off the mouth of 5' e Adour, to prevent the enemy'L row-boats, &c. from is- 8 \ence and intercepting the supplies sent coastways for th . ,w of the allied armies. As a proof of his extreme v/atch- fulness, not one instance of molestation occurred to the trans- ports during the whole time he was so employed for their pro- tection. His activity and exertions were strongly represented to the Admiralty, in various despatches, by both the above offi- cers, and the victorious Field-Marshal was also pleased to express very high approbation of his vigilance, in a letter ad- dressed to Rear Admiral Penrose. When the preparations for throwing a bridge across the Adour were completed, Rear-Admiral Penrose did Lieutenant Branch the honor to hoist his flag in the Gleaner, which ves- sel ran close to the edge of the tremendous breakers on the bar of that river, and directed every movement of the flotilla, on the day that it was crossed ; a service already described at pp. 277 — 28() of Suppl. Part H. After that most important operation. Lieutenant Branch was selected to convey the Rear- Admirul's official account thereof to England j but ordered to '^X' v.'f i i I. 1^1 4 428 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1822. remain in the bay of St. Jean de Luz, until the arrival of the officer charged with similar despatches from the triumphant Wellington. j.^.,. Unfortunately, a dreadful gale of wind came on, while.Lieu- tenant Branch was waiting for the military aide-de-camp ; and of twenty-one sail then lying in the above bay, not a single vessel escaped destruction. The Gleaner was one of the first that suffered, owing to a transport driving on board; and tear- ing her down to the water's edge : providentially she drifted athwart hawse of another transport, by which means the whole of her crew were that day saved. On the following day, the ship in which they were, having only one cable left, and that one already stranded, was obliged to cut, and run for the beach, at high water, as the sole chance of escape remaining for any one on board : the surf was then truly terrific ; — yet, of so great a number of persons, not more than two were drowned. . . . >. Thus was Lieutenant Branch ttuice wrecked in the course of twenty-four hours, making ihe Jifth time of his suffering in that way, without ever preserving an iota of his property. The circumstances attending the loss of the Gleaner were, of course, investigated by a court-martial, when Lieutenant Branch was not only acquitted of all blame, but also strongly recommended to the favorable notice of the Admiralty, for his conduct on that occasion. On the Gth June in the same year (1814), he was at length promoted to the command of the Swinger sloop of war. In this vessel (formerly rated a gun-brig, and as such com- manded by a lieutenant), Captain Branch, while cruising on the coast of Dutch Guiana, engaged and completely silenced a large American privateer of nearly double his own force c owing, however, to the superior sailing and sweeping of the enemy's vessel, he could not prev^'nt her escape into the Oro- noco river ; but he ha,;j, . .. i .-vl >.> HERBERT BRACE POWELL, Esq. Is a native of Leominster, co. Hereford ; and nepliew to Captain Edward Brace, C. B. under whose protection he en- tered the navy, as midshipman on board the Kangaroo brig, in 1 797. The actions in which he participated while his uncle commanded that vessel, have been described at pp. 254 — 257 of Vol. II. Part I. After passing his examination for lieutenant, Mr. Powell was ordered out to Jamaica, on promotion ; but on his way thither, he had the misfortune to be wrecked in the Apollo frigate. Captain John W. T. Dixon, April 2, 1804. The par- ticulars of that melancholy event are detailed at pp. 362 — 365 of Suppl. Part II. His first commission bears date Jan. 26, 1805. 'k. ., , ^' »,,..: We next find this officer serving under Captain Brace in la Virginie of 46 guns, on the Irish station, where he assisted at the capture of the Dutch 36-gun frigate Guelderland and two Spanish privateers ; also at the recapture of various British merchantmen*, and in defending the Louisa hired tender, of four 3"pounders, against the French privateer Marsouin, of fourteen 6-pounders, for which latter service he received the thanks of the Admiralty f. About Oct. 1810, Mr. Powell was appointed with Captain Brace to the St. Albans 64, in which ship he soon afterwards sailed for the defence of Cadiz, where he continued as first lieutenant of her, distinguishing himself on many occasions, until the enemy abandoned their lines before that city and • See Vol. II. Part I. p. 257. t Sec Commander Jos. ph Hoy. POST-CAPTAINS OP 1822. 431 risla de Leon, in, Aug. 1812. His promotion to the rank of commander took place June 15, 1814. From this period we lose siglit of Captain Powell until July 1816, when he embarked as a volunteer on board the Impregnable 104, which ship bore the flag of Rear- Admiral (now Sir David) Milne, and was commanded by Captain Brace, at the memorable battle of Algiers; on which occasion, her loss was infinitely greater than that sustained by any other ship belonging to the combined squadrons *. In the midst of the sanguinary conflict. Captain Powell went with a message to Lord Exmouth, informing him how severely she was suffering, and reques^^hig he would, if possible, send a frigate to divert some ol tie enemy's fire from her. On his return, he was ordered by the rear-admiral to superintend the placing of an explosion-vessel close under the semicircular battery to the northward of the light-house, where she blew up, and, having been charged with 143 barrels of powder^ must have operated very successfully as a diversion in favor of the dreadfully cut-up Impregnable. Captain Powell was soon afterwards appointed to the Heron sloop, which vessel he commanded, chiefly on the Milford station, till Feb. 1819. His post commission bears date Dec. 26, 1822. This officer lost a brother in the Hero 74, Captain James N. Newman, under whom he was serving as midshipman, when that ship perished on the Haak Sand, near the Texel, Dec. 25, 1811 t. SS<«IUL Agents, — Messrs. Atkins and Son. ^»(; " JOHN DONALDSON BOSWALL, Esq. We first find this officer serving in the Centaur 74, bearing the broad pendant of Sir Samuel Hood, on the Leeward Is- lands station, where he subsequently distinguished himself by his " coolness and bravery,'* while acting as lieutenant of the "i;;!' 1.. B. • >i * See Vol. I. Part I. p. 227, and Vol. II. Part I. p. 260. t l^ee Suppl. Part III. note • at p. 13. 432 POST-CAPTAINS OF 1822. Curieux brig, Captain George Edmund Byron Bettesworth, at the capture of la Dame Ernouf, French priraieer, after a very sharp action, thus officially detailed : ' ' *' Curieux, ut Sea, February 3, \805. «*Sir, — I have to inform you, that this morning, at break of day, Barba- does bearing west about 20 leagues, I perceived a large brig on our lee-bow, which immediately bore up and made all sail away; and after a chase of twelve hours, during which time she tried every point of sailing to escape us, we arrived within point-blank shot of her, when she took in her studding- t^ * See Suppl. Part II. note at p. 81. ■Ml^fl. N. B. 7%^^.- '«» *••'•• »'.?«;. r: • ';?", U Jj.t ■i > ..,ll< < ;4'A' r i' ^.f 4 x '.«i>M « •?! s^ I -•' yi.-- m '■./;* ^*.- ,. , ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA. Captain de Starck, the gallant and worthy officer whose services, &c. have been recorded at p. 178, et seq. of Sup- plement Part 1., is the inventor of an " Applicative Com- pass for taking Bearings on a Chart," of which the follow- ing mention is made in " Nicholson's Philosophical Journal," vol. xii. p. 224 : , . "This instrument, seen in Fiff. 6, Plate :.i., condstn ofar. ume*- an .». outer brass concentric circle ; the latter of which, Ahon in ii&% is tot be applied to a chart, so that its cardinal points may a/free whh tlu.io of the draft, and its central (metallic) point be diiectljy over tic ship'; place. The inner circle is to be set to the variation ; and *hc thread f- on/ iae centre beings laid, will shew either bearings by comjjass, or ^vuc bearisji's, according to the circle upon which they are rcc.t'. It is ohyicaa aloo, ih'-it the instrument may be used in delineating, plott'ng, y.ad for various oth^jr useful purposes." JOHN CLAVELL, Esq. la a branch of one of the oldest and ino^fc respectable families in England. His ancestor came over viih WiliiaiTi the Conqueror ; and the ClavelJs have enjoyed property in Dorsetshire ever since that era. This officer was a midshipman of Lord Hood's fiaj^j- ship, at the occupation of Toulon, in Aug. 1793 • and he served in the land-batteries, during the siege of that place by the French republican forces. After the retreat from thence he was lent to I'Eclair sloop ; in the jcUy-boat of which vessel, with only six men under hir' command, he captured two of the enemy's transports, each carrying twelve men, and both deeply laden with gunpowder for the garrison of Bastia, then closely blockaded. During the subsequent operations in 438 ADDENDA, &C. Corsica, he conducted a large vessel; with a cargo of shot and shells, from St. Fiorenzo to Calvi j and was occasionally employed in the batteries on shore. He also assisted at the capture of l*Alcide, French 74, July 13, 1795, on which oc- casion the Victory bore the flag of Rear-Admiral Robert Mann, and sustained a loss of 20 men killed and wounded, b. '"'les much damage in her masts, yards, and rigging. In December following, the Victory displayed the flag of the late Earl St. Vincent (then Sir John JerVis), by whom Mr. Clavell was appointed lieutenant of the Excellent 74, Captain (afterwards Lord) CoUingwood, on the very day that he completed his probationary term, which appears to have been about five months after the glorious victory of February 14th, 1707*. Durhig the ensuing summer, Lieutenant Clavell was fre- quently engaged with the Spanish gun-boats near Cadiz and Gibraltar ; and his conduct on iUl occasions was so highly meritorious, that he won the lasting friendship of the worthy CoUingwood, who had known nothing of him previous to his joining the Excellent. This indeed may be inferred from the following extract of a letter written by that distinguished officer to Lord Nelson, when about to shift his flag into the Royal Sovereign, just before the battle of Trafalgar : " I have bad a little distress about two Lieutenants being senior to my first, Clavell, who is indeed my rii;iit arm, and the spirit that puts every tiling in motion ; but I hope your Lordship will appoint them to this ship f, their names are Palmer and Hewson ; and then I will take my signal Lieu- tenant, whose name is Brice Gilliland." This request being complied with, Mr. Clavell became first lieutenant of the Royal Sovereign, and was promoted by Vice-Admiral CoUingwood to the command of the Weazlc brig, immediately after the memorable battle of October 21, 1805 ; on which day he received a severe wound in the head, the effects of which he has never got the better of. The Wea/le was first employed in watching the motions of the enemy at Carthagena, and afterwards sent to ascertain if !■» ■» J •i ft it 4f»v4 .;*< ^^ Sec Vol. I. Part I. p. 21 <•/ »eq. t The Dreadnought 98, ADDENDA, &C. 489 any of their ships of war or privateers were at Santa Cruz, or in the neighbourhood of Teneriffe : she also visited Madeira for the same purpose, and was subsequently stationed be- tween Cape Spartel and Larache. We next find her cruising on the coast of Catalonia, where she captured the Spanish privateer Secondo Cornelo, of 8 guns, pierced for 20 j and assisted at the capture of about fifteen coasting vessels. In Sept. or Oct. 1806, Captain Clavell joined the squadron employed in the Gulf of Venice, where he took and destroyed a great number of merchantmen, and, without any support, obtained possession of Cherso, an island near Flume (con- taining one of the finest harbours in the Adriatic), together with a number of French and Austrian shipping, some timber, and a quantity of army clothing. After the performance of this service, he accompanied the Unite frigate. Captain Pa- trick Campbell, to the attack of another island, St. Piedro de Niembo, which surrendered on the second day, himself and his first lieutenant (Edmund Milncr) being the only persons wounded. Captain Clavell was at Corfu when the Russian governor received instructions to give that island up to France, agreeably td an article in the treaty of Tilsit, but of which the British Minister, Speridion Forest!, Esq. was kept in profound ignorance until the arrival of part of the enemy's troops intended for its tuture garrison. The Weazle was then returning thither with some important despatches from the senior officer off Venice, and but for a fortunate cilm, at some distance from the harbour, she would in all probability have been captured. As it was. Captain Clavell had a very narrow escape, the first intimation lie received of the real state of affairs being from a Greek, who accosted him when he was in the very act of opening the door of Mr. Foresti's late residence, tiien occupied by the French General. The Greek's first salute was — *' For God's sake where are you going. Captain ?" and upon being told, he added, " His Excel- lency has been obliged to fly ; the French General lives in this house now; and most of his ofliccrs are dining with him !" Captain Clavell, who had lauded after dark, of course i 440 ADDENDA, &C. determined to make his escape if posssiblc ; and he had the good fortune to do so, although it was necessary to pass through three barriers, at one of which an officer was inspect- ing the night-guard, and as he thought, for the purpose of de- taining him. Many Greeks knew that he had landed, but not one of them said a word to betray him, and from his walk- ing quietly past the guard-houses, his servant with a trunk following in a careless manner, no suspicion was excited until the islanders began to laugh at and jeer the French sentinels, some time after he had quitted the shore. The enemy then hailed him repeatedly to return ; and he had not been on board the Weazle half an hour before she was attacked by three privateers, which were either driven on the rocks, or sunk, in a very few minutes. At this time, there were a Russian line-of-battle ship and two frigates within four miles of the Weazle j and next morn- ing, at day-light. Captain Clavell found himself in the midst of a number of small transports, protected by three gun-boats, the whole of which he captured, although his sloop had not then many more than half her complement of officers and men on board, the remainder being absent in prizes recently cap- tured. The number of French soldiers taken on this occasion amounted to about 400, all armed and fully equipped. The sense entertained by Lord ColLingwood of this service will be seen by tlie following official document : "Ocean, \8th Sept. 180". " Sir,— I have received with great Hatisfuction your letter of the 29th ul- timo, detailing to me your proceedings since your departure from Captain Campliell, and the scpiadron off Venice. " I am very happy that you escaped so fortunately from Corfu, and high- ly approve of your conduct, in annoying, and taking part of the enemy's flotilla, which were going to tuke possesiiion of Corfu from Otranto. *' It was unfortunate that your provisions, &c. would not admit of your remaining longer near Corfu, to intercept the enemy, as I am convinced no one would more cfTectuully do it ; but I trust some other opportunity will •oon present itself of your nf,nnn successfully exerting your zeal and ability, which in this instance has been used so much to the good of his Majesty's service. Iam,&c. (Signed) " Colunowood." •• Ctiptain Clavcil, H.M.S. iy,atle." After completing his provisious, &c, at Malta, Captain ADDENDA, &C. 44l Clavell returned to the Adriatic, where he continued to be very actively employed, under Captains Campbell and Mou- bray, until promoted by Lord Collingvvood into the Glatton 54, which ship he was obliged to give up, through ili-health, very soon after his appointment to her. His post commis- sion bears date Feb. 4, 1808. When sufficiently recovered, Cqtain Clavell was immedi- ately appointed to the Royal Georf,e, of 100 guns, but soon removed to the Laurestinus 24, in consequence of his having requested the Right Hon. Charles Yorke, then First Lord of the Admiralty, to give him a smaller sliip. This latter ap- pointment took place in May 1811 ; and on the 19th of the following month, without any fresh application, he received u commission for the Orlando, a new frigate, mounting 42 guns. After a six weeks' cruise oflf the Western Islands, Captain Clavell was again ordered to tlie Mediterranean, for which station he sailed in Nov. 1811, having on board 210,000 dol- lars, and with a fleet consisting of three valuable store-ships, a number of transports, and 200 sail of merchantmen under his protection. The Orlando formed part of the Adriatic squadron, under the orders of Captain (now Sir Charles) Rowley and Rear- Admiral (afterwards Sir Thomas F.) Freemantle, until Aug. 1812, at which period Captain Clavell was selected by Sir £dward Pellew to command a detachment of sloops, 8cc. em< ployed in the Archipelago, where he continued during the re- mainder of the war in Europe. The instructions he received with this appointment were, to conciliate as far as possible the good understanding subsisting between England and the Sublime Porte, without conpromising the British interests ; to afford every protection in his power to our commercial rela- tions in that quarter ; and to use his utmost exertions for the destruction of the enemy's cruisers, whose conduct had been such as to occasion Iiis predecessor to have frequent alterca- tions with the Turkish Agas, upon the viohitions of neutr;»lity they permitted within tiie precincts of their respective govt'rn- ments. The great importance of preserving the most unin- m ■M 442 ADDENDA, &C. terrupted friendship with the Ottom&n empire, at that critical period, required that every possible care should be taken to prevent 1 any umbrage being given on our part, and conse- quently the utmost forbearance and precaution were necessary in conducting the services generally entrusted to his charge. The satisfactory manner in which he acquitted himself, at a time when the French were employing every artifice and threat to injure the British interests at Constantinople, was officially acknowledged by H. M. Ambassador, who in a letter dated Nov. 28, 1812, says :— " While I rejoice at the success of the measures you have adopted for the diminution of the number of the enemy's cruisers in this part of the Mediterranean, I think it my duty to give you notice of any new danger that threatens us in that line, and send enclosed the copy of a letter I have just received from Consul Charnaud, of Salonica, notifyini^ the approach of a French armament under the command of Captain Dabovitch into that bay." On the 31st May, 1813, Mr. Liston again wrote to Captain Clavell, as follows : "Dear Sir, — ^Yourtwo letters of the 14th, and those of the 1 5th of this month, have safely reached my hands, and I beg you will accept of my sui- cere thanks for your attention to my requests, whether ofa public or a pri- vate nature. I cannot at the same ' une withhoUl the expression of my perfect approbation of the care you take to distribute your force so as to give the best protection to our commerce that the number of your ships can afford. As it is to be hoped that the communication overland to Ham- burgh will soon be open, 1 may be able iudirectly to add to the force you can apply to the protection of trade, by abstaining in future from so often re(^ nesting its employment in the conveyance of despatches. You wil^ oblige me by letting me know a day or two before you are likely to honor us with a visit. We propose to go to the country in eight or ten days, and to stay two or three weeks, and I should be glad to take measures to have some one in the house in town to receive you on your arrival. I have the honor to be, with perfect truth and regard, dear Sir, your most faithfu' humble servant, (Signed) •' Rob. Liston." About the same time, Captain Clavell received an official letter from his commander-in-chief, of which we here give an extract: •♦ ..•5«..»it.*..^^^«.<> . ....»i " I have to thank you for the information you have sent me. I feel perfectly assured that you will continue to afford the mo^t vigilant atten- ADDENDA, &C. 443 tion to the Dritish interests in the Archipelago, and I learn with much si^tisfaction tlie general tranquillity of affairs in that quarter. (Signed) " Ed. Pellew." Immediately after the peace with France, in 1814, Cap- tain Ciavell was sent from the Mediterranean, with a detach- ment under his command, to Bermuda, where he joined Rear-Admiral (now Sir George) Cockburn, who took the Orlando to the Chesapeake, and there left him in command of five frigates and four sloops, which squadron continued under his charge until the final termination of hostilities be- tween Great Britain and America, in Feb. 1815. On the 7th of that month. Sir George Cockburn wrote to him from Cumberland Island, as follows : " I much approve of every thing you have done, and of the active Kcal shewn by yourself and those under your orders subsequent to my quitting the Chesapeake." Captain Ciavell did not leave the above bay until the mid- dle of April, when he sailed for Bermuda, bringing away with him all the ordnance and stores of every description from Tangier Island, and also every negro who had deserted from the Americans and claimed British protection prior to the ratification of the treaty of Ghent. A copy of the letter of thanks addressed to each captain and commander of the squadron under the immediate orders of S Ceorge Cock- burn, previous to that ofiicer's departure from Bermuda for England, has been given at p. 52. The Orlando was paid off, and re-commissioned by Captain Ciavell, for the East India station, Aug. 17, 1815. In Oct. following, she sailed for Canton with a quantity of specie on board, and the Hon. Company's ship Thomas Grenville un- der her protection. About the end of the year 1818, being found in want of an extensive repair, she was ordered to be laid up at Trincomalee, and her officers and crew were turned over to the Malabar, a new 74, in which ship Captain Ciavell returned home in Sept. 1819, after an absence of nearly four years. Previous to his quitting India, he received a letter of thanks from Rear-Admiral Sir Richard King, for his services on that station. The Orlando appears to have been the first ship that proceeded thither on the peace establislunent. 1 >' 444 ADDENDA, &C. Captain Clavell's last appointment was, in April 1825, to command the Ordinary at Portsmouth, where t!ie Diamond frigate was accidentally destroyed by fire during his absence from that port on public leave. Althougli actually in Lon- don at the time of that disaster, he was superseded imme- diately after it happened, as were also the whole of the com- missioned officers under his command. Agents. — Messrs. Cooke, Halford, and Son. ' DAVID EWEN BARTHOLOMEW, Esg. A Companion of the Most Honorable Military Order of the Bath. This officer was a native of Linlithgowshire, N. B. He first went to sea in the Baltic trade ; next embarked in the Greenland fishery ; and was ultimately impressed on his re- turn to London from the West Indies, early in Jan. 17^5, at which time he was in expectation of obtaining the com- mand of a merchant vessel. From this period he served as able seaman on board the Scipio 64, successively commanded by Captains Robert M'Douall, Francis Laforey, and Charles Sydney Davers, until Sept. 19, 1797* I" that ship he was present at the capture of Demerara, Essequibo, and Berbice, in April and May, 1796; also at the reduction of Trinidad, Feb. 17j 1797' We subsequently find him serving as a petty officer under Captains Thomas Revell Shivers, and John Griffin Saville, in the Standard 64, and Experiment 44, armed enjlute, on the North Sea, Channel, Irish, and Baltic sta- tions, for a period of two years. In Sept. 1798, he was dis- charged from the latter ship at the Helder, by order of Vice- Admiral Andrew Mitchell, to serve in the flotilla on the Dutch canals, commanded by Sir Home Popham, to whom he had been recommended as *' a person very well worthy of protec- tion and notice." After Sir Home Popham'a departure from Holland with H. H. H. the Duke of York, Mr, Bartholomew remained there in the command of a detachment of hired seamen, under the orders of Captain John Lawford of the Uonmey 50 ; and us- ADDENDA, &C. 445 sisted in the embarkation of the Anglo-Russian army, the flanks of which had been admirably protected by the gun-ves- sels on the lake of Alkmaar, during the advance of the Gallo- Batavian forces. His services in that country appear to have terminated Nov. 21, 1799. Early in Aug. 1800, Sir Home Popham was appointed to the command of the Romney; and Mr. Bartholomew having joined him as a volunteer, was immediately rated master's- mate of that ship, in which capacity he served until her re- turn home from the Red Sea and India, in April, 1803*. During that time, says Sir Home, " he was very active, very intelligent, and very deserving ; he performed every duty to my entire satisfaction." ' The Romney was paid off, at Chatham, June 2, 1803; and Mr. Bartholomew remained on shore from that period until Dec. 17, in the same year, when he obtained considerable notoriety, not only in the naval service, but throughout the country, from the circumstance of his impressment in the hall of the Admiralty Office, by the directions of Earl St. Vincent, to whom he had previously addressed the following letters soliciting employment and promotion : " y. Prince's Row, Pimlico, June 16, 1803. " My Lord, — Permit mc with all humility to represent to your lordship, that I have been in the naval service since 1 794, in which period have been entrusted with command on shore as well as on board ; nay, volunteered myself in the West India islands, as well in the Irish rebellion f ; served also in the expedition to Holland, by which sustained loss of time, and have, for two years past served in the Red Sea, from which have but recently returned ; have passed for lieutenant abroad us well as at home ; consid(!r myself skilled in astronomy, and not a stran^^er to chronometers : with those qualifications, I tender myself on any service your lordship may ap- prove, persuaded that promotion from your lordship's hand must flow from merit, and not thehacknicd channel of rcconiincndulioii ; I therefore, throw myself on your lordship's clemency, and have the honor to be, &c. (Signed) "D. E. Bartholomew." ir- ^ • See Suppl. Part I. p. 5('». t He appears to have assisted at the capture of Martinique in 1794, previous tu his Orst imprciisment. 446 ADDENDA, &C. 'i.'! "No. 5, fFhitaker's Row, New Road, Chnthnm, July 26, 1803- " My Lord, — Enclosed I have the honor to submit for your lordship's inspection, two letters received by me from Captains Shivers and Saville, expressive of their readiness to serve me, had they influence j other testi- monials from Admiral M'Douall and Sir Home Popham I could produce, but am aware it would be trespassing on your lordship's patience and time ; I therefore (having stated my services in a former letter) throw my- self on your lordship's clemency, and have the honor to be, "My Lord, Your lordship's very respectful servant, (Signed) " D. E. Bartuolomew/* (ENCLOSURES.) " f^ickham, Fareham, Hants, July 13, 1803. " Sir, — I have received your letter of the 10th, and am glad to find you have passed your examination for lieutenant. It would give me great plea- sure to be instrumental in procuring you a commission, if it were in my power, but I have no interest at present, as you may see, by my being un- employed ; however, you may depend on my services whenever an oppor- tunity may offer, being very truly your well-wisher. I should recommend your endeavouring to get into a flag-ship, as the best way of getting for- ward, circumstanced as you are. I am. Sir, Yours very truly, (Signed) , "T.R. Shivers." *' To Mr. Bartholomew.** " ' " Chalk, near GravesenJ, 14 th July, 1803. ** Sir, — ^In reply to your letter of the 10th instant, I am sorry to inform you, that it is utterly out of my power at present to promote your interest in the manner you point out, having no influence with the Admiralty ; but rest assured, that I shall at all times feel a great deal of pleasure in being instrumental to your promotion. " 1 was so well satisfied with your conduct and zeal for the service during the time that you served under my command, that if I had a ship, I would use my endeavours to get you appointed as lieutenant of her. " I conceive that your claims on the service are such, that if you repre- sent them to the Right Hon. Earl St. Vincent, I have little doubt but his lordship (who seldom suffers merit to go unrewarded) will promote you* lBm,&c. (Signed).,, "J. G. Saville." " To Mr. Bartholomew.** In reply to the foregoing letters, Mr. Bartholomew was informed, that Earl St. Vincent recommended him to offer his services " to the captain of one of the ships fitting for seaj" and that, there could "be no promotion while there were 1500 Lieutenants seeking employment." On the 9th Sept., he again addressed his lordship, as follows : ADDENDA, &C. 447 ** My Lord, — I acLnowlcd»e to Iiavc been honored with two letters by your lordship's directions, in answer to my application for preferment. In reply thereto, bc^ leave to state to your lordship, am ready to serve my country at a moment most wanted, without pay or other emolument, trusting, should my conduet meet approval, to receive rank from the date of my passing for Lieutenant. I have the honor to be, &c. (Signed) " D. E. Bartholomew." The reply to this offer was, " His Lordship cannot enter into any engagement of the nature pointed out by your letter , of the 9th." After an interval of two months he thus renew- ed his applications. *'New Road, Chatham, Nov. 9, 1803. " My Lord, — I some time since stated my servitude, sent testimonials of my character and abilities to your lordship, and solicited your patronage } knowing there were none who could distinguish merit sooner, nor one more able and willing to reward it, than your lordship. " As an Englishman, at this crisis, I wish to render my Country all the aid in my power, and therefore have presumed to request your lordship to take my case into consideration ; and I have the honor to be, " My Lord, •.,.,. Your Lordship's very devoted humble servant, (Signed) "D. E. Bartholombw." "New Road, Chatham, Nov. 20. 1803. ** My Lord,— I was honored with your answer of the 10th instant •, and ] hope your lordship will not consider one iota in all my applications pre« sumptuous. " My different letters were written unreserved, expressing the anxiety of a zealous officer to serve his country, and who would he happy on all occa- sions, and especially at this critical moment, to prove himself worthy your patronage. " My letter of date 9th September last, evinced that I made not the ser- vice a convenience ; and your lordship would perceive from the testimonies laid before you, that I did not arrogate your protection. ** My service in the Marine precludes my aid to the Country in other departments ; and I need not describe to your Lordship my feelings in being at this juncture necessitated to embark in another line than the ser- vice of the Nation. *' No consideration could have induced me to have thus troubled your Lordship, but a sense of duty to my Country ; and I trust your Lordship's «l * Only an acknowledgment that his letter of the preceding day had been received. ., - 44» ADDENDA, StC. ^roodness will excuse my freedom, and cfrant me your support. I linvo the honor to be, with all possible respect, &e. (Signed) " D. E. BAnTHOLOMEw." To this, and to the following letter, no answer whatever was given, " New Road, Chntkum, Nov. 27, 1S03. "My Lord, — Having had the honor of soliciting your patronage, I shall consider myself much indebted to your Loidship to give directions for in- forming me if the statement of my service has merited your notice. I am, with profound respect, &c. (Signed) " D, E. Bartholomew." On the 5th Dec., Earl St, Vincent i*eceivcd a seventh letter, worded as follows : • " My Lord, — I took the liberty of addressing your lordship on the 27th ultimo, and doubt not the more important matters of State, which might be under your consideration at the time of receiving my letter, occasioned my not having an answer. "I flatter myself my servitude, and my zeal to serve my Country, can- not fail to ensure me your lordship's patronage, and exact from me the same line of conduct which has procured me the honorable testimonies I laid before you ; and I trust on all occasions I shall prove myself worthy of your protection, and testify the deference and esteem with which I have the honor to be, &c* ." (Signed) ' " D. E. Baktholomew." Persevering in this course, Mr, Bartholomew, on the 8th of the same month, penned the following epistle : *' My Lord, — ^To party disinterested ; in interest void ; to my Country true, in its cause I have tendered my service, and solicited your lordship's aid. If your lordship will deign to say — No, I shall not presume to trou- ble you any more ; if— Yes, I anticipate the pleasure in discharging a duty (I trust) equally satisfactory to my Patron, and serviceable to the Nation, as creditable to myself. I have the honor to be, with becoming respect, &c. (Signed) " D. E. Bartholomew." When this letter reached the Admiralty, Earl St. Vincent was at Rochett's, his country seat, and thither it was taken by Mr. Benjamin Tucker, one of his lordship's confidential friends, who requested directions as to what answer should be given. The Earl desired, "that as Mr. Bartholomew would not take a written reply, he might be sent for to cume jpport. I have ADDENDA, &C. 449 to the Admiralty, and told, that it was of no avail for him to continue writing to his lordship j that he had already said to him every thing which he could say on the subject of promotion ; that if he chose to embark in the service, he would take his chance of advancement with others; but that the Earl could not keep up that correspondence, and therefore begged that it might cease." The following letter was consequently written to Mr. Bartholomew, by his lordship's private secretary :— "Admiralty, 13rA Dec. 1803. " Sir, — I am directed by the Earl of St Vincent to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 8th instant, and to desire you will call on me at the Admiralty any morning, except to-morrow, after 1 1 o'clock. I am. Sir; your humble servant, (Signed) " Geo. Parker." Flattering himself that he was at length about to receive a commission, Mr. Bartholomew immediately obeyed this summons ; but to his great disappointment he was told, that, although the Earl " highly applauded his conduct and zeal for the service, and the manner in which he had written his letters, he was displeased with his urging him so much on the subject of promotion ; that there was none going on except for brilliant services ; and that he had better join a ship going abroad ; in which case," Mr. Parker was inclined to think, " his lordship would not forget him." Under the influence of severe mortification, he shortly afterwards ad- dressed his filial letter to the noble Earl. •' * *' Golden Cross, Charing Cross, Dec. 16, 1803. *' My Lord, — In obedience to your directions I waited on Mr. Parker, for what purpose I have yet to learn ; but my resolution is fixed to lay my services, and my various applications, before an impartial Public, who will then judge what they are to expect if they embark their children into the Navy without interest. I have the honor to be, with due respect, &c. '* ■ (Signed) *' D. E. Bartholomew." In consequence of this threat. Earl St. Vincent gave direc- tions that Mr. Bartholomew should be impressed ; and the following was accordingly written to the Regulating Captain at Tower Hill, by his lordship's private secretary: " Mmiralty, 16/A Percmber, 1803. •'Sir,--I transmit the last of eight letters from a person named D. E. SUPPL. PAUT IV. 2g 450 ADDENDA, &C. Dartholomcw, who appears to have passed in June last, but declines scrv. iiig witliout promotion. The letters are written in rather a superior style, but in a presuming tone, and Lord St. Vincent thinks the gentleman's ad- dress will be more properly deposited with you ; on the other side, you will find the different residences of this personage, according to his letters. I have the honor to be, &c. (Signed) '*Geo. Parker." At the top of this letter, Captain John Markham, then one of the Lords of the Admiralty, wrote : '* D' Richbell,— The undermentioned appears to be a proper subject for you.— Your's truly, "J. M.'* " Send him to the Nore as soon as you can catch him." On the following morning, Lieutenant Robert Dunham, su- perintending one of the press-gangs under Captain Richbeirs orders, was ordered to look out for Mr. Bartholomew, and cautioned '* not to let him slip through his fingers ; as it would be a feather in his cap if he caught him." .The manner in which he was kidnapped will be seen by the evidence of John Lill, midshipman of the gang, when examined before a Select Committee of the House of Commons, May 28, 1805. " It was our day at the Admiralty. We went there once a week; and coming up in the boat. Lieutenant Dunham said he had orders to impress a Mr. Bartholomew. When we got to the Admiralty, he shewed me the letter, saying he was to be found at the Golden Cross. I went there ; he had been gone about ten minutes ; I came back, and informed Lieutenant Dunham of it. I saw his address in the letter; I said I had better go there; it was somewhere in King's Road, Pimlico. I went there and rung the bell, and a lady came to the door, and asked 'my business. I told her I came from the Admiralty, and wanted to see Mr. Bartholomew. She took me through the garden into a house, where I saw the gentleman. He asked me what I was ; I told him an Admiralty messenger ; it was an invention of my own to get him there. He asked me whether he was going to be promoted ; I answered most likely : he said he would come directly. I came back, and told Lieutenant Dunham he was coming. It was not three minutes after his arrival at the Admiralty, when a man took hold of each arm, and led him down to the galley. He said, that if Lord St. Vincent had or- dered him on board the tender he would have gone, without being taken by the gang. He was very genteelly dressed, but not in the naval uniform." . Having thus noticed this solitary instance of a First Lprd of the Admiralty giving orders for any particular individual to be impressed, we sh.ill conclude with an extract from the ADDENDA, 8(C. 451 »per subject for second report of "the Select Committee on Piipers relating to the Repairs of H. M. ships the Romney and Sen^^ible, while under the command of Sir Home Popham ;" which Committee were also empowered to " encpure into the circum- stances attending the impressment of Mr. Bartholomew." " It docs not appear that any case which can be called a precedent fur this proceeding has been brought to support it ; and on the ((uestions, whe- ther it ought, or ought not, to be deemed a violation of the usage of the navy, or likely to be injurious to his INIajcsty's Service, your committee find it to be the concurring opinion of three naval officers, namely Admiral Berkeley, and Captains Garden and Winthrop, which opinion, however, is opposed by those of Admiral Markham and Captain Richbell, that the im- pressing of Mr. Bartholomew was a violation of the usage of the navy ; Ad- miral Berkeley in particular, speaking of it as a most arbitrary and violent act, that must disgust all young men who have nothing but their merits to recommend them, and likely therefore to be highly injurious to his Majes- ty's service. " From the testimony of Admiral Markham, on the other hand, that the impressing of Mr. Bartholomew appears, in liis opinion, to have been per- fectly justifiable ; and Admiral Markham declares, that though he docs not recollect any instance of impressing a person who had been a Midshipman or MasterVmate, and had passed the examination required for obt^ning a Lieutenant's comroidsion, yet that he would have impressed 500 men in cir- cumstances similar to those of Mr. Bartholomew. Admiral Markham further states, that Mr. Bartholomew, whom he himself had not previously seen, was represented to him by Mr. Parker and some of the messengers, to have the appearance of a Boatswain ; and on his personal appearance and original situation in life, as well as on a conclusion which Admiral Murk- ham declares he drew from oue of Mr. Bartholomew's letters to Lord St. Vincent, that he intended to go into the merchant service. Admiral Mark- ham appears to have founded his opinion that it was perfectly justifiable to impress Mr. Bartholomew. Upon the last point, however, your commit- tee observe, that the only letter from Mr. Bartholomew to Lord St. Vin- cent, which could have led to any conclusion that he intended to go into the merchant service, is that bearing date the 20th of November, 1803, which was written at Chatham, before Mr. Bartholomew was desired l)y Lord St. Vincent's orders to come to London for the purpose of calling on Mr. Parker at the Admiralty, and cannot therefore be considered as the cause of his being impressed, at the distance of nearly a month after it was written, without supposing that Lord St. Vincent directed him to be re- quested to come from Chatham to London for that particular purpose, which your committee do not see the least ground to believe. And with re.^pect to Mr. Bartholomew's original situation in life, and personal appearance, 2g 2 452 ADDENDA, &C. pvcn if tliosc clrcumslaiioos could with propriety lie deemed any fifrouiul for adopting a proceeding towardM him, which would not be warranted by tliR nsage of the navy towards other persona wlio had held the same rank in the service, your committee observe, that Mr. Bartholomew appears by the evidence to be a mnn of reputable education and connections; and judging by the testimony of Lieutenant Dunham and iVlr. Lill, as well m by their own oliservation, when Mr. Bartholomew was examined before them, your committee cannot concur in describing his appearance to be at all like that of a Boatswain, or any such inferior officer. " Your committee think themselves bound to observe, that tt does not appear to them, that the order for impressing Mr. David Ewen Bartholo- mew, was issued with any view of suppressing or influencing the evidence that he ntight be able to give on any of tlie matters then under the consi- deration of the Admiralty or the Navy Board, which have been since re- ferred to your committee." Oil the 21th Jan. 1804, Mr. Bartholomew, having been sent by Captain Richbell from the Enterpri/e, off the Tower, was drafted from the Zealand, flag-ship at the Nore, into the In- flexible 61, Captain Thomas Bayley, who ordered him occa- sionally to do duty both as master's -mate and lieutenant*. In May following, \iar\ St. Vincent and his friends retired from office, having previously given birth to what was afterwards lu- dicrously termed "the Catamaran I'Apcdition ;" by inviting over to England a person \"ho had been making experitnents in France, with the view of perfecting a plan for the destruction of shipping by certain means never before put in practice. Soon after their retirement. Sir HomePopham was appointed to the command of the Antelope 50; and selected to assist tlie projector of the above scheme, in proving his experi- njcnts and nuituring liis designs. About the same time, Cap- t;»in Rajley was directed to grant Mr. Bartholomew leave of absence, — not " to go to visit his friends," as the order spe- ( ilicd, but to take a part in the secret preparations then mak- ing for an attempt upon the Boulogne Hotilla. Me accord- ingly joined Sir Home, and was so long absent from ins own ^liip, that Captain Bayley, ignorant of the real cause of his non-appe.»riUJce, considered him as a deserter, and marked liim linn tipotj her books. In Aug. 1804, Sir nornc i*op!iani " Cuptaiii li.iylty died in Hmufoit Ruw, Chelsea, .Spril II, IM|!V ADDENDA, ^t*^. 453 received a letter fi-oni Captain Lawford, of which the fol- lowing is an extract : " I wrote yesterday to Mr. Budge (who is private secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty) respecting Bartholomew, and pressed his appoint- meut to the Polyphemus, in the event of making lieutenants, with all the energy I was capable of; setting forth all his merits in Holland, my own knowledge of him, and Sir Andrew Mitchell's approval of his conduct; and you, my good friend, must push your influence, and together, I trust, we shall accomplish his appointment." It has been stated in a former part of this work, thiit Mr. Bartholomew was the only midshipman entrusted with the charge of an explosion vessel, at the first trial of the " cata- marans," near Boulogne pier, on the night of Oct. 2, 1804 *. When his patron attempted to destroy Fort Rouge, Dec. 8, in tlie same year, he was doing duty as lieutenant of the An- telope, and took charge of the first machine intended to be applied. The following meniion is made of him in Sir Home's official report to the commander-in-chief: "I very much regret that Mr. nartholonicw couhl not fetch the fort, for I am positive he would luive lashed the carcass to the piles: I tu' .• this opportunity of most particularly recommending Lieutenant Steuarl lo your lordship's notice, wliieh, I hope, will also he extended to Mr. Bar- tholomew; your lordship nuist he alive to the enterprising conduct of these two officers on a former occasion f." A few days after this event, Mr. Bartholomew removed with Sir Home Pophatn, from the Antelope, to the Diadem C>\ ; and cst wishes and regards, and believe n>e. Dear Sir, very truly and obediently yours, (Signed) " Thomas Graham." iVbout the same period, Lieutenant Bartholomew re- ceived an Admiralty commission, appointing him to the command of the Richmond gun-brig, mounting twelve 18- pounder carronades and two long sixes, with a complement of 64 men and boys, employed under the orders of Commo- dore Penrose, then senior officer at Gibraltar. On the 14th of the following month, he captured a French privateer, pierced for 10 guns, with a crew of 50 men, near Malaga. During a subsequent cruise, his boats cut out a lateen vessel from under the castle of Frangerola, which was silenced, and part of its walls damaged, l»y the Richmond's well-directed fire. On the 7th Feb., 1812, he made the following report to his commodore : ** On the evening of the 4th instant, I received information of a French privateer cruising to the eastward of Cap« dc Qatt, and at 9 o'clock next morning she was observed under the land near Vera. After a chase of nearly five hours, she ran into a bay uuder Cape Cope, and anchored with a spring. The Richmond stood in, receiving the whole of the enemy's broadside several titnci, without returning the ftre until nithin half cable's length, then let go her anchor, veered, and opened ; on which the enemy set fire to the vessel and took to his boats. The enemy's cable was now cut, the vessel taken pusnession of, and suil made ; but such wos the conflagra- tion, that all oflorts to save her proved inclfecluul ; she was, however brought out lugrc tbaa a uulc. In lcs3 than tea minutes after she was abandonc niul Purt II. p. GG6 •, 458 ADDENDA) &C. P. 308, — line 25, after notwithstanding in&ert liis, /A. line 3 from the bottom, /or while under, reat/ wliile you were under. P. 312, line 11, /or in his, reac/ in the Raven, and also in his. At ■ •■•' ^ i >N END OF SUPl'LKMENT PAIIT IV. W. I'l.pl.', rniitn, ti/", rimiirrrv I. .mo. ert his, ead while you \f and also in ERRATA. Page M, linos 4 nnd », for must justly entitle, read most justly entitled. • 32, line 2 from the bottom, /or several »m/ two. 52, — 17, «//fr Rcar-Admiral, iwer/ Sir George. <)5, — 14, after privateer, imerl a comma. 73, — .3 from tbe bottom, /or force, read forces. 105, — 3, for troops, rforfarmy. > y offer Soiilt, insert 20,000 strong. > — — ^,for tbcir, read its. ——-lOfi, 5 from the bottom, /or gallantly, read " nobly." ~» \l , ,„- »/"'• in the night, read on the right. 203, 12,/«r 1814, read 1813. 217, lines 3, 6, and l.-i of the small type, /or TEclair, read likilair. J34, Ime 8, for tarmarct, read Camaret. 282, 17, /or assure, read a^isuro you. ■ 292, 4, after 64, insert Captain James Hardy. 'i'*''r.J-"r °^- ""^ '"'* paragraph, /or Coldstream regiment, read second and third regiments. i^?n 'i'.'"'^'; fyj" "* "** bottom,/or Captain, rwrf Lieutenant. .MO, line 14 from the bottom, n/Vw covered, insert «'. TTT* 7^*^."; :: >f"^ *''« was, rcaJ this frame work was. 'Vr o' T~^, r° i '-' "mn" type,/or floated to, rm/ floated occasionally to. .lo2, ime 36, after ejaculations, insert Next day. Qo^' ^^ ^'""^ "'" ''"""'"• '/'^f the comma after Eldest. ; 4i, , r 1 — 7Z •^'"" *''^' 8<'"iicolon Rubstitiite a romma. 4^1, liiu's 1 and 2,