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1808. and the rest of the squadron, meanwhile, were Nov. engaging the batteries to-leeward. By her close and well-directed fire, the Amaranthe soon obliged the crew of the Cigne to quit their vessel and take to the shore: immediately on which the boats of the Amaranthe, Circe, and Stork, led by lieutenant James Hay, first of the Amaranthe, gallantly boarded and carried the Cigne, in the face of a heavy fire from the batteries and troops on the beach.

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The prize having bilged, it was impossible to get her off the British therefore were obliged to be contented with destroying her. Captain Brenton, having again volunteered, proceeded with a party to destroy the french schooner, then also on shore. By 9 A. M., after overcoming a resistance that wounded Mr. Joshua Jones, the master of the Ama ranthe, and killed one and wounded three seamen belonging to the Express, the British set fire to and burnt the schooner. But for the rash act of lieutenant Crooke, (and yet who, under such circumSevere stances, could refrain ?) the whole of this enterprise british would have been accomplished with a very slight side. loss. As it was, the loss amounted to 12 killed,

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31 wounded, and 26 missing; a part of the latter probably drowned, the remainder prisoners. Arrival The other corvette, the Papillon, appears to have phitrite reached St.-Pierre unseen by any british ship; and at Mar- on the 19th, in the morning, the Amphitrite was discoand of vered, close to Pigeon island, by the british 38-gun frigate Ethalion, captain Thomas Cochrane, 18-gun ing fri- ship-sloop Star, captain William Paterson, and gatest advice-boat Express. The french frigate, being toloupe. windward and ably manoeuvred, managed to escape.

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into Fort-Royal bay, after receiving a few ineffectual shot from the Ethalion and Star. The remaining french frigate, the Junon, arrived safe at Gaudeloupe.

On the 14th of November, at 8 h. 30 m. A. M., the british 64-gun ship Polyphemus, captain William Pryce Cumby, cruising off the city of Santo-Domingo, despatched her boats in chase of the french national schooner Colibri, of three carriage-guns and 63 men,

commanded by a lieutenant de vaisseau, which was 1808. attempting to enter the road. At 9 h. 20 m. lieute- Nov. nant Joseph Daly, with the barge, in the face of a Galheavy fire of grape and musketry, boarded and carried lant the schooner. In accomplishing this very gallant duct of service, the barge had one marine killed; and the lieut. French, in defending their vessel, had one man killed and five wounded.

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On the 1st of August the british 74-gun ship Kent, captain Thomas Rogers, and 16-gun brig-sloop Wizard, captain William Ferris, running along the coast of Italy from Genoa to Cape Del Melle, discovered a convoy of 10 sail of coasters deeply laden, lying at anchor, under the protection of a gunboat, close to the beach abreast of the town of Noli. As there appeared a chance, by a prompt attack, of bringing out the vessels before the enemy had time to collect his force, captain Rogers despatched the boats of the Kent and Wizard, under the orders of Boats lieutenant William Cashman, second of the Kent, ceed assisted by lieutenants James Lindsay and Fairfax to cut Moresby, captain of marines Henry Rea, and lieu- vessels. tenants of marines John Hanlon and Patrick Grant, also of that ship, and lieutenant Alexander Bissett, of the Wizard; which latter vessel, as there was very little wind, was to tow the boats, as well as cover them in their approach to the shore.

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By great exertions, the boats were towed by the Wizard close to the vessels, when it was found im- Find possible to bring them out without landing, most of them the vessels being fastened to the shore by ropes from ed to their keels and mast-heads. The boats, therefore, shore. pulled to the beach with great resolution, exposed: to the fire of two guns in the bow of the gun-boat, of two field-pieces placed in a grove which flanked the beach, of a heavy gun in front of the town, .Land. and of a continued fire of musketry from the houses. face of But all this was no check, to the ardour and in. a heavy trepidity of british seamen and marines; who leaped from the boats and rushed upon the enemy, with a fearless zeal that was not to be resisted.

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1808. The gun in front of the town was soon taken and Nov. spiked by lieutenants Cashman and Hanlon; and Defeat the French, who had drawn up a considerable force the of regular troops in the grove to defend the two and field-pieces, were dislodged by captain Rea and bring lieutenant Grant, of the marines; who took possession vessels, of the guns and brought them off. In the mean time lieutenants Lindsay, Moresby, and Bissett, who had equally distinguished themselves in driving the enemy from the beach, were actively employed, first in taking possession of the gun-boat, which was the Vigilante, commanded by an enseigne de vaisseau, with a crew of 45 men, and then in freeing the merchant vessels from their fasts to the shore. The whole was soon accomplished, and the party reembarked under the protection of the Wizard; who, by her judicious manoeuvres and well-directed fire, contributed very essentially to keep the enemy in check, both in the advance and in the retreat of the boats. Notwithstanding the perilous nature of this very gallant enterprise, lieutenant Cashman and his party accomplished it with so comparatively slight a loss, as one seaman killed and one mortally wounded. The French, on the other hand, left many dead upon the ground.

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Impéri- Among the british cruisers, appointed to harass sent to the french army in its movements along the east aid the coast of Spain, was the 38-gun frigate Impérieuse, spanish captain lord Cochrane. This description of service,

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requiring, along with great boldness and nautical experience, no slight share of military knowledge, was peculiarly adapted to the genius of that zealous and enterprising officer; and never did lord Cochrane exert himself more strenuously, more effectually, or more honourably, than in the aid he afforded to the cause of the spanish patriots. Of one quality in lord Cochrane, we, in common with other compilers, have to complain: the brevity of his accounts; all of which appear to be written more to recommend to notice his gallant companions in arms, than to blazon his own feats to the world.

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On the 31st of July the Impérieuse silenced, and 1808. lord Cochrane landed with his marines, under lieu- July. tenant James Rivers Hore of that corps, and took Lord possession of, the castle of Mongal; an important Cochpost completely commanding a pass in the road from takes Barcelona to Gerona, then besieged by the French, and and the only post between those towns occupied by stroys the enemy. The spanish militia are represented to ofMonhave behaved admirably, in carrying an outpost on a gal. neighbouring hill. Lord Cochrane demolished the works, and gave up to the spanish militia the arms of the 71 prisoners made on the occasion.

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In the latter part of September, cruising off the coast Deof Languedoc, lord Cochrane landed with a portion teleof his officers and men, and blew up and completely graphs, demolished the semiphoric telegraphs at Bourdique, La Pinde, Saint-Miguire, Frontignan, Canet, and Foy, together with their telegraph houses, 14 barracks of the gens d'armes or douanes, one battery, and the strong tower upon the lake of Frontignan. The telegraphs being of the utmost consequence to the safety of the numerous convoys that passed along the coast, their destruction was a serious blow to the French, and particularly beneficial to the patriots and those who espoused their cause, by preventing about 2000 troops, intended for the important fortress of Figueras, from advancing into Spain.

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Always anxious to do justice to those who embark Officers with him in services of danger, lord Cochrane, in his present official letter, attributes the successful result of the attacks, enterprise just recorded to the exertions of Mr. David Mapleton, the first, and Mr. Urry Johnson, the second lieutenant, Mr. George Gilbert, assistantsurgeon, Mr. William Burney, gunner, and messieurs Houston Stewart and George Charles Stovin, midshipmen, of the Impérieuse.

On the 7th of November a body of about 5000 french troops occupied the heights around the bay of Rosas, at the north-eastern extremity of Spain;

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Nov.

1808. and at noon on the same day, a small detachment entered the town of Rosas, the inhabitants of which had fled for protection either to their boats or to the citadel. At this time the british 74-gun ship Excellent, captain John West, and bomb-ship Meteor, captain James Collins, lay within point-blank shot of Excel- the town. A well-directed fire from these ships soon and compelled the French precipitately to retire towards Meteor some houses and ruins in the rear of the town, which nonade they occupied as an advanced post. On the 8th, at Rosas. noon, observing that the French were hard pressing

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a body of Miguelets, captain West made a sortie from the citadel at the head of 250 of the Excellent's Capt. seamen and marines; but the superior force of the lands French, who endeavoured, with their cavalry, to surand at- round the British, compelled the latter, after being

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successful in their object of rescuing the Miguelets, French to retire within the fortress. The seamen and marines, who, throughout this to them novel engagement, behaved in the bravest manner, had several of their number wounded, and captain West himself had his horse shot under him.

On the 15th, at 8 A. M., the French, about 200 strong, with a reserve of 2000, made a most resolute but unsuccessful assault upon Fort Trinidad, one of the defences of Rosas, and part of Repul- the garrison of which consisted of one officer and attack 25 privates of the Excellent's marines. In a second upon assault, with increased numbers, two of the outer Trini- gates were broken open; but, by a steady and dad. galling fire of musketry and hand-grenades from the

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fort, the French were, a second time, obliged to retire, leaving their leader, a chief of brigade, and several other officers and men, dead under the walls. Expecting a third assault, captain West, by means of a rope-ladder, threw in a reinforcement of two officers and 30 marines; of whom one man only was slightly wounded, although the party had bravely entered during an incessant fire of musketry from the besiegers. On the 20th the French opened a battery

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