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Middleton. Scout: lieutenants John Tarrant and 1809. honourable William Waldegrave, and midshipman Oct. John Davy; the two latter from the Ville-de-Paris. Tuscan: lieutenant Pasco Dunn, master's mates John M'Dougall and Charles Gray, (both from Ville-deParis,) and midshipman John Stiddy. The names of the officers in the Philomel's boats do not appear in the Gazette.

from

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Every suitable arrangement having previously been Boats made, the boats, commanded by lieutenant John push off Tailour, first of the Tigre, pushed off, with character- the istic ardour, to execute the business assigned them. quaAs if apprehensive that an attack would be made upon him, M. Bertaud-la-Bretèche had made every preparation to meet and repel it. The Lamproie was enclosed in boarding-nettings, and a gun-boat, or armed launch, advanced ahead of her, to give notice of the enemy's approach: the bombards and xebec, and the batteries on shore, were also on the alert. The boats approached, the alarm-gun fired; and, rending the air with their cheers, the british seamen and marines stretched out, each division of boats taking its allotted part.

and

stroy

french

The Lamproie was boarded at all points, and, Attack notwithstanding a very spirited resistance, was carried capture in a few minutes. The Victoire, Grondeur, Nor- or demande, and a felucca armed with musketry, defended whole with equal gallantry, shared the same fate. All this of was effected in the face of a heavy fire from the castle convoy of Rosas, Fort Trinidad, and several other batteries,* and of repeated vollies of musketry from troops assembled on the beach. Notwithstanding that the force opposed to the British was double what they had reason to expect, such was their alacrity in subduing it, that, at the opening of day on the 1st of November, every french vessel of the 11 was either burnt at her moorings, or brought off by the aid of a light air of wind from the land.

* See p: 77.

1809. The loss sustained by the British was severe, but Oct. not more so than might have been expected from the Loss on opposition they experienced. It amounted to one british lieutenant, (Tait,) one master's mate, (Caldwell,) 10

side.

Surren

der of

&c.

seamen, one sergeant and two privates of marines killed, two lieutenants, (Tailour and Forster,) one midshipman, (Syer,) seven seamen, one private of marines severely, and three lieutenants, (Stuart, Maude, and Begbie,) one master's mate, (Webster,) two midshipmen, (Brady and Armstead,) 28 seamen, five privates of marines slightly wounded; total, 15 killed and 55 wounded. The loss on the part of the French has not been recorded; but, from the obstinacy of their resistance, it must have been extremely severe. While in the act of boarding the french commodore's ship, lieutenant Tailour received a most distressing wound by a pike on the side of his head, near the temple, but, stanching the blood by means of a knotted handkerchief, was again among the foremost in the fight. Had he not possessed sufficient presence of mind immediately to apply this ready species of tourniquet, the thrust would have proved mortal. Lieutenant Tailour, as the lists inform us, obtained the just reward of his gallantry, in being immediately promoted to the rank of commander.

In the month of October in this year, the islands Zante, of Zante, Cephalonia, and their dependencies, surrendered, without opposition, to a combined naval and military force under the respective commands of captain John William Spranger of the british 74-gun ship Warrior, and of brigadier-general John Oswald. The island of Cerigo surrendered, upon similar terms, to captain Jahleel Brenton of the british 38-gun frigate Spartan, and a division of troops under the command of major Charles William Clarke, of the 35th regiment; as did also the island of Ithaca to the brig-sloop Philomel, captain George Crawley, and a small detachment of troops under captain Church of the army. By these vigorous measures, the inhabitants of these islands were liberated from

the oppression of the French, and the septinsular 1809. republic was declared to be restored.

LIGHT SQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIPS.

Jan.

en

On the 1st of January, at daylight, the british Onyx brig-sloop Onyx, of eight 18-pounder carronades and gages two sixes, with 75 men and boys, captain Charles Gill, Manly. cruising in latitude 53° 30′ north, longitude 3° east, discovered on her lee bow a sail standing to the southward. As soon as the Onyx had made the private signal, the stranger, which was the dutch brig-sloop Manly, of 12 english 18-pounder carronades and four brass sixes, (two of them stern-chasers,) with 94 men and boys, captain-lieutenant W. Heneyman, of the dutch navy, hoisted her colours and hove to, as if prepared for battle. The british brig kept her wind until 8 A. M.; then, being perfectly ready, bore down and brought the dutch brig to close action. The Manly made several attempts to rake the Onyx, but the superior manoeuvring of the latter frustrated every attempt. At 10 h. 30 m. A. M., being much cut up Manly in sails and rigging, and having most of her guns ders. disabled by the close and well-directed fire of her antagonist, the Manly hauled down her colours, with the loss of five men killed and six wounded; while that on the part of the Onyx amounted to only three men wounded: a difference in execution very creditable to the latter's young ship's company, especially considering the difficulty of pointing the guns, in the turbulent state of the sea.

The slight superiority of force was on the side to render the parties about equally matched; and the officers and crew of the Onyx were entitled to great credit for the bravery, as well as skill, they displayed. It gives us pleasure to be able to add, that captain Gill was immediately made a post captain, and that lieutenant Edward William Garrett, first of the Onyx, became also promoted to the rank of commander. Having, previously to her capture by the Dutch in the river Ems, been the british gun-brig of

surren

1809. the same name, the Manly was permitted to resume her station among her old class-mates in the british.

Jan.

Iris.

navy.

Cap- On the 2d of January, at 11 A. M., being off the ture of Welbank near the Texel, standing to the southward, the british 12-pounder 32-gun frigate Aimable, captain lord George Stuart, discovered a strange sail upon her weather quarter, standing to the northward and eastward. Suspecting her to be an enemy, the Aimable wore round and made all sail; and, at 4 P. M. on the 3d, after a chase of 24 hours, came alongside of the french ship-corvette Iris, of 22 carronades, 24-pounders, and two long 12 or 8 pounders, with a complement of 140 men, commanded by captain Joseph-Jean Macquet. After a running fight of a few minutes, the Iris hauled down her colours.

Damage

ble.

To the credit of the french crew in the use of their to the guns, the Aimable had her mainmast shot in the head, Aima- main yard shot away in the slings, mizenmast head, mizen topmast, and trysail mast shot away, and her rigging and sails greatly cut up. With all this damage, however, damage which very nearly caused the escape of the french ship, the Aimable had only one seaman and one marine slightly wounded. The loss on board the Iris amounted to two killed and eight wounded.

Force

&c.

The Iris had sailed from Dunkerque on the 29th of Iris, of December, with 640 casks of flour on board, bound to Martinique. She was a ship of 587 tons, launched at Dunkerque, October 12, 1806, and became added to the british navy by the name (an Iris being already in the service) of Rainbow. Her english armament was 20 carronades, 32-pounders, on the main deck, and six carronades, 18-pounders, and two long sixes on the quarterdeck and forecastle, total, 28 guns; with a net complement of 173 men and boys.

Capture of

On the 5th of January, at noon, latitude 39° 24' Hébé. north, and longitude 11° 41′ west, the british 38-gun frigate Loire, captain Alexander Wilmot Schomberg, fell in with the french ship-corvette Hébé, of 18 car

ronades, 24-pounders, and two long twelves, with a 1809. crew of 160 men, commanded by lieutenant Guillaume Jan. Botherel-Labretonnière, in the act of taking a ship and brig. On the Loire's approach, the Hébé bore up and made all sail, deserting her two prizes, and leaving the brig destitute of men. The Loire went immediately in chase, and at 8 P. M. got alongside of the french ship and brought her to close action. The Hébé defended herself for about 20 minutes, and then hauled down her colours. Neither ship appears to have had a man hurt.

Hébé,

The Hébé was from Bordeaux bound to Santo- Force Domingo, with 600 barrels of flour. She measured of 601 tons, and was afterwards added to the british &c. navy by the name (a Hebe being already in the service) of Ganymede. The armament established upon her was 22 carronades, 32-pounders, on the main deck, and 10 carronades, 18-pounders, and two sixes, on the quarterdeck and forecastle, total, 34 guns; with a net complement of 173 men and boys.

chases

On the 22d of January, at 7 A. M., the british Hazard 18-gun ship-sloop Hazard, captain Hugh Cameron, Topaze cruising off Gaudeloupe, discovered in the south-west a ship and schooner standing in for the land. The schooner presently steered a different course, seemingly to induce the Hazard to follow her; but the british sloop, in a very gallant manner, bore up for the ship, which was the french 40-gun frigate Topaze, captain Pierre-Nicolas Lahalle, from Brest since the early part of December, with 1100 barrels of flour, bound to Cayenne; but, having found that port blockaded by a "superior force," she was now on her way to Gaudeloupe. At 9 A. M. the british 12-pounder Is join32-gun frigate Cleopatra, captain Samuel John CleoPechell, hove in sight in the south-east, and about patra the same time the 38-gun frigate Jason, captain Jason. William Maude, made her appearance to the southward. Thus hemmed in, the Topaze had no alter- Topaze native but to haul close in-shore; which she accord- chors. ingly did, and at 11 A. M. came to an anchor, with

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