by John Marshall

“ But humanity has given increased excitement to our exertions; and the bodily powers of Captain Adam have enabled him, perhaps, to push to a greater extent that desire to relieve distress, which we have all partaken in common [4] .”
In April 1813, a party from the Invincible, in conjunction with some Spanish troops, surprised and obtained possession of a French battery at Ampolla, and carried the town of Perello by storm; by which means two of the enemy’s privateers, employed in maintaining a correspondence with Tarragona, and intercepting the trade passing the mouth of the Ebro, were taken ”

“ Those already without the walls stripped, and endeavoured to swim off to the shipping, while those within were seen sliding down the face of the batteries; each party thus equally endangering their lives more than they would have done by a firm resistance to the enemy. A large mass of people, some with muskets and some without, then pressed forward along the road, suffering themselves to be fired upon by about 20 French, who continued running beside them at only a few yards distance. ”

“ Four thousand men have been killed in the city; from 10 to 12,000 endeavoured to make their escape over the walls into the country; 1000 have been sabred or drowned; nearly 10,000, of whom 500 are officers, have been made prisoners, and are setting off for France; nearly 1000 wounded are in the hospitals of the city, where their lives were respected in the midst of the carnage. Three Field-Marshals and the Governor are among the prisoners: many others among the slain!! ”

“ This service was performed under the directions of Lieutenant Corbyn, who had previously carried a battery which commanded the harbour.
Captain Adam’s next appointment was to the Invincible 74, on the Mediterranean station. In that ship he was employed on the coast of Catalonia, co-operating with the Spanish patriots, to whose cause he rendered great service by his activity and exertions.
The Invincible formed part of a squadron under Captain (now Sir Edward) Codrington, assisting in the defence of Tarragona, during the siege of that ill-fated city, by Marshal Suchet’s army, in 1811. ”

“ On his arrival at Madras, in company with la Chiffonne, Captain Adam was presented by the Insurance Company of that place with an elegant sword, value 200 guineas. He returned to England in la, Sybille, April 20, 1803, and at the renewal of the war was appointed to the command of his prize, which had been added to the British navy as a 36-gun frigate. He subsequently served in the North Sea. ”

“ Lieutenant Campbell having charge of despatches from Bombay, bound to the Red Sea, was thus enabled to proceed on his voyage. ↑ The French army under Marshal Suchet inarched upon Tarragona about the end of April, 1811, and the investment of that city was completed to the sea, on the 4th May. Its defence became more obstinate as the siege advanced; for being open by sea, it was able to receive succours of every kind, by means of the English squadron on the coast. ”