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lade. The marines then drove the French before 1813. them, at the point of the bayonet, and pursued them Feb. through the batteries to the heights that command the town. The boats, under the direction of captain sir John Sinclair of the Redwing, then entered the mole, across the entrance to which two heavy gunboats were moored, and captured them, a third gun-boat, and 24 merchant settees and tartans.

the oc

The loss sustained by the British in executing Loss on this dashing enterprise was rather serious, amounting casion. to four marines killed, one lieutenant, (Aaron Tozer,) one petty officer, and 14 marines wounded. In his official letter, captain Ussher mentions, besides those already named, the following officers as having behaved with distinguished gallantry: lieutenants Joseph Robert Hownam and Joseph Grimshaw, captains of marines Thomas Sherman and Thomas Hussey, and lieutenants of marines Harry Hunt, Robert Turtliff Dyer, William Blucke, John Maule, Thomas Reeves, Alexander Jarvis, Edward Mallard, and Samuel Burdon Ellis. Lieutenant Hunt, it appears, was the first who entered the citadel battery, by a ladder, under a galling fire.

and

attack

the

of

On the 26th of February, in the morning, the british Thames 12-pounder 32-gun frigate Thames, then captain FuriCharles Napier, and 18-pounder 36-gun frigate Furi- euse euse, captain William Mounsey, having on board lieu- and tenant-colonel Coffin and the second battalion of the carry 10th regiment of foot, bore up for the narrow entrance island (about a quarter of a mile across) to the harbour of the Ponza. island of Ponza on the coast of Naples; and, giving and receiving a fire from the batteries on each side, anchored close across the mole-head. Colonel Coffin and the troops were then landed, and pushed for a tower into which the enemy had retreated. The The appearance of the troops, aided by the severe fire of the ships, induced the governor to hoist a flag of truce. This led to a capitulation, and the island on the same day surrendered to the arms of his britannic majesty. Nor did the British lose a single man in either service,

1813. although the batteries mounted ten 24 and 18 pounders and two 9-inch mortars; and although the Feb. Thames was hulled three times and the Furieuse

Hall

an

armed

land

twice, besides having their sails and rigging a good deal cut.

Capt. A convoy of 50 sail of armed vessels, chiefly attacks neapolitan gun-boats, having assembled at PietraNera on the coast of Calabria, to be ready to transconvoy port to Naples timber and other government proPetra perty, captain Robert Hall, who commanded the Nera. sicilian flotilla stationed at Messina, volunteered, with two divisions of gun-boats and four companies of the 75th regiment, under the command of major Stewart, supplied by lieutenant-general lord William Troops Bentinck at Palermo, to destroy the enemy's works. and On the night of the 14th of February captain Hall proceeded to the attack; but, owing to light and heights contrary winds, the boats did not arrive at Pietra-Nera until nearly daylight on the 15th; when major Stewart, with about 150 men, and an auxiliary party of seamen commanded by lieutenant Francis Le Hunte, landed, and, without waiting for the remainder of the force intended to be employed, pushed up a height, the possession of which a complete battalion, with two troops of cavalry and two pieces of artillery, were prepared to dispute.

storm

the

Carry them after

perate

resist

ance.

Assisted by a corporal's detachment of the rocket corps, the british troops charged the height in the a des- most determined manner, and succeeded only after as determined a resistance, the french colonel-commandant, Roche, and most of his officers, being killed or made prisoners, and the height literally. Batte covered with dead. The division of the flotilla ries under captain Imbert had by this time commenced ed and a most destructive cannonade on the batteries; carried which held out with such obstinacy, that captain lieut. Hall was obliged to order them to be successHunte ively stormed. This service was performed by and a lieutenant Le Hunte, with a party of seamen, in a seamen very gallant style. At 8 A. M. every thing was in

storm

by

Le

party of

of

the possession of the assailants; the most valuable 1813. of the enemy's vessels and timber launched, and the Jan. rest on fire. Upwards of 150 French were killed and wounded, and 163 made prisoners including several of the principal officers. Major Stewart, Death whose behaviour is highly praised by captain Hall, of fell by a musket-shot while, in company with the Stewlatter, pushing from the shore after the troops had embarked. The loss on the part of the navy amounted to only one boatswain and one seaman killed and seven seamen wounded.

art.

chante

boats

after

gun

On the 6th of January, at daybreak, as the british Bac38-gun frigate Bacchante, captain William Hoste, detach and 18-gun brig-sloop Weasel, captain James Black, es her were lying becalmed about five leagues to the southeast of Cape Otranto, at the mouth of the Adriatic, three five gun-vessels were discovered; three in the boats. south-west, steering towards Otranto, and two in the south-east, steering to the eastward. Ordering, by signal, the Weasel to attend to the latter, captain Hoste sent the Bacchante's boats, under the command of lieutenant Donat Henchy O'Brien, assisted by lieutenants Silas Thomas Hood and Frank Gostling, lieutenant of marines William Haig, master's mates George Powell and James M'Kean, and midshipmen the honourable Henry I. Rous and William Waldegrave, Thomas Edward Hoste, James Leonard Few, and Edward O. Pocock, in pursuit of the division in the south-west. At 8 A. M. lieutenant O'Brien in the barge captured the sternmost gunboat, mounting two guns, one french 12, and one 6-pounder, both on pivots, and manned with 36 men, commanded by the senior french officer of the three, all of whom were enseignes de vaisseau.

O'Bri

en cap

the

Leaving, to take possession of the prize, the first Lieut. gig, commanded by midshipman Thomas Edward en Hoste, lieutenant O'Brien pushed on after the two tures remaining gun-vessels, then sweeping with all their whole strength towards the coast of Calabria. Sending his prisoners below, and fastening the hatches over them, young Hoste, with his seven men, in the most

of them

1813. gallant manner, loaded and fired the bow-gun at the Feb. retreating gun-boats; which, in a little time, were also captured. This dashing enterprise, with lieutenant O'Brien's usual good fortune, was achieved without any loss, although the shot from the gunvessels cut the oars from the men's hands as the boats were pulling towards them. For his gallantry on the above and several other occasions, lieutenant O'Brien was promoted to the rank of commander.

Lieut.
Webb

gal

cap

tures

ing

gun

The Weasel not being able to overtake her two gun-vessels, two of her boats under lieutenant lantly Thomas Whaley and midshipman James Stewart, and a boat belonging to the Bacchante under mastter's mate Edward Webb, proceeded in chase. The Bacchante's boat, taking the lead, soon overtook, Boats. and, although she carried only a 3-pounder in the bow with 18 men, captured, in spite of a warm opposition, the sternmost french gun-boat, armed the same as that already described, and having 40 men actually on board. Leaving the captured vessel to be taken possession of by the boats astern, Mr. Webb pushed after the remaining gun-boat, and carried her in the same gallant manner, and with equal impunity as to loss.

Barge

chante

On the 14th of February, early in the morning, of Bac- the Bacchante sent her barge, armed with a 12under pounder carronade and manned with 23 officers and lieut. men under lieutenant Hood, in chase of a vessel takes a seen by the night-glass to be sweeping and steering french for Otranto. After pouring in a destructive fire of Boat. round shot and musketry, lieutenant Hood, assisted

Hood

gun

by lieutenant of marines William Haig and master's mates William Lee Rees and Charles Bruce, boarded and carried the french gun-vessel Alcinous, of two long 24-pounders and 45 men, last from Severe Corfu. The only person hurt on the british side was wound lieutenant Hood, who received a severe contusion Hood. on the loins by a fall; so severe, indeed, that this

of lieut.

gallant young officer became eventually deprived of the use of both his legs. The loss on the french side amounted to two killed and nine wounded, and the

gun-boat was so shattered by the carronade, that she 1813. had three feet water in her hold. As soon, therefore, May. as the prisoners were removed, it was found necessary to set the prize on fire.

letter

lished

Ga

Notwithstanding that an officer of acknowledged Capt. merit is now walking on crutches, in consequence of an Hoste's incurable lameness produced by the wound he re- not ceived in this truly gallant enterprise, no other notice pub was taken in the London Gazette of captain Hoste's in the letter on the subject, than a statement, that two letters, zette. dated on the 14th of February, had been received: "One, reporting the capture, off Otranto, of l'Alcinous french gun-boat, carrying two guns and 32 men, and of eight trading vessels under her convoy from Corfu; the other, stating the capture of la Vigilante french courier gun-boat, from Corfu to Otranto with despatches, and having on board, as passenger, the general of artillery Corda and his staff."

de

at Kar

On the 11th of May, receiving information that a Bacconvoy of enemy's vessels were lying in the channel chante of Karlebago, captain Hoste proceeded thither; but, stroys on account of a contrary wind and strong current, works the Bacchante did not arrive there until the morning lebago. of the 15th. As the port of Karlebago offered excellent shelter for enemy's vessels, captain Hoste resolved to destroy the works that defended it. The governor refusing to accede to the terms offered, the Bacchante anchored within pistol-shot of the battery, which mounted eight guns; and, after a good deal of firing, a truce was hung out, and the place surrendered at discretion.

The

marines, and a detachment of seamen under lieutenant Hood, landed and took possession. The guns of the place were embarked, the public works destroyed, and the castle blown up; and the Bacchante retired with the loss of four seamen severely wounded, two of them with their arms shot off.

Boats

chante

On the 12th of June, at daylight, the Bacchante of Bacdiscovered an enemy's convoy under the town of detachGela-Nova, on the coast of Abruzza. As the frigate ed after was six or seven miles to-leeward of them, with a

a con

voy.

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