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June.

1810. the boats of the Amphion chased a convoy of several vessels, reported to be laden with naval stores for the arsenal of Venice, into the harbour of Groa. The capture of the convoy, although, on account of the shoals, to be effected only by boats, being an object of considerable importance, captain Hoste resolved to make the attempt without delay. In the evening the Amphion telegraphed the Active and Cerberus, to send their boats to her by 12 at night; but, owing to her distance in the offing, the Active was not able to comply with the signal in time. Capt. Accordingly the boats of the Amphion and Cerberus, commanded by lieutenant William Slaughter, second (first absent) of the Amphion, and assisted by lieuof Am- tenants Donat Henchy O'Brien of the same frigate, phion and James Dickinson of the Cerberus, lieutenants of Cerbe- marines Thomas Moore of the Amphion, and Jeremiah

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Brattle of the Cerberus; also by master's mate Charles H. Ross, and midshipmen Joseph Gape, Thomas Edward Hoste, Charles Bruce, and Cornwallis Paley, schoolmaster James Leonard Few, and volunteer Samuel Jeffery, of the Amphion; and, belonging to the Cerberus, the gunner, John Johnson, and midshipmen John Miller, George Farrenden, Joseph Stoney, George Fowler, William Sherwood, Charles Mackey, and Lewis Rollier, pushed off, and before daylight on the morning of the 29th landed, without the firing of a musket, a little to the right of the town.

Advancing immediately to the attack of the town, Slaugh above which the vessels lay moored, the British were party met, about the dawn of day, by a body of troops french and peasantry; who opened a very destructive fire, troops. and obliged the former to retire to the shelter of

defeat

some hillocks. Conceiving that their opponents were retreating to their boats, the French quitted their advantageous position, and charged with the bayonet. They were received with the bravery and steadiness so characteristic of british seamen and marines, and a lieutenant, a sergeant, and 38 privates of the 81st regiment of french infantry were made prisoners,

Lieutenant Slaughter and his party now entered the 1810. town, and took possession of the vessels, 25 in June. number. At about 11 A. M. a detachment of the 5th regiment of french infantry, consisting of a lieutenant and 22 men, entered Groa from Maran, a village in the interior. They were instantly attacked by the force that was nearest to them, consisting of a division of seamen and marines under lieutenants Slaughter, Moore, and James Mears of the Active, whose boats had landed just as the men of the Amphion and Cerberus had achieved their exploit. The same intrepidity, which had ensured success on that occasion, produced it on this; and the 22 french troops, with their officer, laid down their arms and surrendered.

seize

off

Every exertion was now made to get the convoy British out of the river; but, it being almost low water, s that object could not be effected before 7 P. M.; and carry then not without great labour and fatigue, the men their having to shift the cargoes of the large vessels into prizes. smaller ones, in order to float the former over the bar. By 8 P. M., however, the whole detachment and the prizes reached the squadron, which had anchored about four miles from the town.

each

The loss on the part of the British, in performing Loss on this very gallant service, amounted to four marines killed, one lieutenant of marines, (Brattle,) three seamen, and four marines wounded; and the loss sustained by the French amounted to 10 killed, eight by bayonet wounds, a proof of the nature of the conflict, and eight wounded. Of the captured vessels, 11 were burnt in the river, because too large to pass the bar in the state of the tide, five were brought out and sent to Lissa with cargoes; as were also 14 or 15 small trading craft, laden with the cargoes of the 11 burnt vessels.

of capt.

The british official account is, as it ever ought to Letter be where practicable, very precise in enumerating Hote the force of the opposite party: we wish it had been equally so in stating the numerical amount of the attacking force. There is one part of captain

1810. Hoste's letter, which we should like to see oftener imitated. "No credit," he says, 66 can attach itself to me, sir, for the success of this enterprise; but I hope I may be allowed to point out those to whose gallant exertions it is owing." Captain Hoste then gives the christian as well as surnames of all the officers engaged; a plan that has enabled us, without that difficulty which we almost on every other occasion experience, to do the same.

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force

French In the autumn of the present year the french force british cruising in the Adriatic was under the orders of comin the modore Bernard Dubourdieu, and consisted of the two Adri- french 40-gun frigates Favorite, (the commodore's atic. ship,) captain Antoine-Francois-Zavier La Marre-la

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Meillerie, and Uranie, captain Pierre-Jean-Baptiste Margollé-Lanier, the venetian 40-gun frigate Corona, captain Paschaligo, and 32-gun frigates Bellona and Carolina, captains Baralovich and Palicuccia, along with the brig-corvettes Jéna and Mercure. The duty of watching this squadron was intrusted to captain Hoste, with his three frigates already named.

On the 29th of September the franco-venetian dore squadron sailed from Chiozza, and arrived in a few days afterwards at Ancona; where, accompanied by dieu, a schooner and a gun-vessel, the squadron was his five descried, on the morning of the 6th of October, part under sail and part in the act of weighing, by captain Hoste; who, having detached the Cerberus to Am- Malta, had then with him only the Amphion and phion Active. The wind was blowing a fine breeze Active. from the south-east, and Ancona bore from the two british frigates south-south-west distant four leagues. At noon, having collected all his ships, commodore Dubourdieu made sail in chase of the Amphion and Active; one division of three ships stretching out on the starboard tack, and the remainder of the squadron standing close hauled on the larboard tack, ready to take advantage of any change of wind. Captain Hoste stood towards the francovenetian squadron, until he had distinctly made out

its force. Finding the enemy's superiority to be 1810. such as it would be impossible to overcome, he oct. then, at 1 P. M., tacked and stood to the north-east. ReanFearful either of an increasing gale, or of being chors in Andrawn off the land, commodore Dubourdieu, at cona. 2 P. M., tacked and stood in towards the harbour of Ancona. Having seen this squadron of bold cruisers Capt. safe at anchor in their port, captain Hoste steered steers for the island of Lissa; and, arriving on the 9th, was for and so fortunate as to find the Cerberus, who had called ar there on her way to Malta.

Hoste.

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sloop.

Finds

On the 12th, having been joined by the 18-gun Sails ship-sloop Acorn, captain Robert Clephane, captain again Hoste put to sea, with his little squadron of three fri- three gates and one sloop, and steered straight for Ancona, gates in quest of commodore Dubourdieu, with his five and a frigates and two 16-gun brigs. A strong northerly wind, and then a calm of three days' continuance, made it the 20th before the Amphion and her consorts obtained a view of Ancona. M. Dubourdieu was not there. Concluding that he had gone to Corfu, the captain Hoste instantly put about, and crowded sail in enemy that direction, intending to call off Lissa by the way. sailed On the 21st, in the evening, when in sight of that from island, the Active, looking out in the south-east, cona. boarded a sicilian privateer, that had been chased by the enemy, and had lost sight of him only six hours before off Vasto, steering under a press of sail to the south-south-east.

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There was now just time before dark to recall the Capt. Cerberus, who had been despatched to Lissa for intel- returns ligence. The privateer's information confirming off captain Hoste in the opinion that M. Dubourdieu had and gone to Corfu, particularly as the wind at this time steers was from the westward, the british squadron steered Corfu. south by east all night, with almost a certainty of discovering the franco-venetian squadron at daylight between Pelagosa and St.-Angelo. Daylight on the 22d came, but no sail was in sight, except three fishermen off Pelagosa; who, on being spoken, said

VOL. V.

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1810. they had left Lissa on the preceding day, but had seen Oct. nothing of the enemy. Little doubt now remained, that the enemy still was ahead of the British; who, consequently continued working to the southeast all that day and all the 23d. On the 24th the squadron came in sight of Brindisi; and, as the wind was then blowing fresh from the south-east, the commodore thought it likely that M. Dubourdieu, finding the wind foul for Corfu, would stretch over to the albanian coast, and perhaps rendezvous at Bocca de Cattaro; where it was known that a convoy for Corfu were to assemble from Spalatro. Hearing no tidings of the enemy at Cattaro, and judging from Arrives the increased force of the south-east wind, that the french commodore was still to-leeward, captain Hoste retraced his steps to the northward. While up for this zealous and able officer is hastening towards Lissa, we will endeavour to trace the movements of the object of his anxiety.

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It was on the 18th of October that M. Dubourdieu, ceed having on board a battalion of the 3d regiment of ings of franco- the line, sailed from Ancona. He then steered alongshore to the southward; and on the 21st, in the squa- night, was informed by a fisherman, that the english squadron had gone to the southward upon a cruise. Having now little to fear, commodore Dubourdieu crossed over from the coast of Apulia, and in the forenoon of the 22d arrived off Port St.-George, island of Lissa. Hoisting english colours, he entered the harbour with the Favorite, Bellona, and Corona; leaving the Uranie and the three remaining vessels to cruise in the offing, and give notice of the approach of any strangers. At 15 minutes past noon the three frigates anchored and debarked the troops. Lands The commodore then, as he represents, took possestroops sion of 30 vessels, of which 10 were 66 superb" Lissa, privateers, mounting altogether 100 guns, burnt 64, and of which 43 were laden, and restored several other vessels, vessels to french, illyrian, italian, and neapolitan &c, subjects. The troops are stated to have taken the

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