by John Marshall

“ I have been very busy chasing vessels of all descriptions, and, of course, too much engaged to think of writing – it is only to-day that we are quite idle, and nearly becalmed. After staying about a week with the fleet at Imbros, Lord Collingwood moved us all over to Tenedos, as it was near the season when we might expect southerly winds, and that island afforded better shelter than the other. Sir Arthur Paget went at the same time in the Thetis, with a flag of truce, to get a final answer from the Turks, and returned on the fourth day, when war seemed perfectly certain. ”

“ In the summer of 1805, the Camelion was ordered to England, being quite worn out, and Lieutenant Bennett gladly availed himself of an opportunity of exchanging into the Seahorse 38, then commanded by Captain the Hon. Courtenay Boyle, but soon afterwards by the late Captain Robert Corbett, – of whom it has been said, that “his guns were a secondary consideration, but in all the evolutions of a ship, – unmooring, weighing, making and shortening sail, furling, reefing, tacking, &c. &c. none could approach the one he commanded without a certainty of being second.” ”

“ The Seahorse was subsequently employed in cruising between Corsica and the coast of Italy. On the 10th May, 1809, Captain Stewart reported to Lord Collingwood, “the destruction of the enemy’s forts on the small islands of Gianuti and Pianoza, in which services great gallantry appears to have been displayed by the officers and men who were employed under the directions of Lieutenants Bennett and Pearse,” the latter belonging to the Halcyon sloop of war. “One private marine, of the Seahorse, only was killed, and another wounded. About 100 of the enemy were made prisoners [errata 1] [4] .” ”

“ During his stay at Constantinople, Captain Stewart and his officers were treated with marked civility by the Turks, which, as he had almost the whole conduct of the war against them, he attributed to his having personally well treated all their countrymen whom he had taken prisoners. ”

“ The disparity of force, with the loss sustained by the enemy, will prove the greatness of their exertions; to which I shall add, that thirty men were absent from the ship. Mr. Downie, the first lieutenant, is an officer of merit, ability, and experience, and I beg strongly to recommend him to your Lordship’s protection for promotion. Mr. Lester, master’s-mate, who has passed, is also very deserving of promotion. ”

“ Then followed a smaller ship, with thirteen ports on a side; and then a galley. This seemed to be within my compass. I knew my crew to be brave active men, and purposely kept from engaging the enemy until dark, when I judged we should have a greater advantage in manoeuvring.”
The brilliant result of the Seahorse’s night action with this Turkish force is thus officially described by Captain Stewart, in a letter to Lord Collingwood, dated off Skiro, July 6th, 1808. ”

“ Captain Stewart was subsequently left as senior officer in the Archipelago, where he took three prizes, one of which was a xebec mounting six guns, and destroyed many small vessels; “but,” says he, in a letter from Malta, dated April 11th, 1808, “it seems labour in vain: we have a new way with the Turks. Our officers are ordered in every way to destroy and annoy their trade, but the Admiralty Courts are not directed to condemn ”

“ She was soon afterwards paid off at Woolwich, on which occasion Captain Stewart addressed the following letter to Lord Mulgrave’s successor:–
“Sir,– I feel it my duty to write to you, to recommend Mr. Thomas Bennett, first lieutenant of H.M. ship Seahorse, who is one of the best officers in His Majesty’s service, and very deserving of promotion, as well for his general merits as for particular services performed by him. He was second lieutenant of the ship in the action with the Turkish squadron. ”

“ In the beginning of 1798, he was removed to the Amphion 32, a new frigate just commissioned by his friend Captain Richard H. A. Bennet, and of which his uncle, the late Commander William Bennett, was appointed first lieutenant. In that ship he served, on the North Sea, African, and Jamaica stations, until Aug. 1801; and then joined the Sans Pareil 80, bearing the flag of Lord Hugh Seymour, to whom his captain had strongly recommended him for promotion, but of which he lost his chance by the death of that distinguished nobleman, on the 11th Sept. following [1] . ”

“ The Seahorse subsequently visited Smyrna, for the purpose of seeing that the British Factory was re-established, and then returned to Malta, where her captain received two letters from Lord Collingwood, of which the following are extracts:–
“Notwithstanding the high opinion I have ever entertained of the excellent discipline and order which are established in the Seahorse, and the firmness and enterprise which are manifest in every service on which she is engaged ”

“ The first lieutenant of the Cygnet was on shore during this terrific gale; and the acting second lieutenant, Mr. Charles Brand, [who has written an article on the subject of her “narrow escape,” for the “United Service Journal,” wherein he somewhat strangely describes himself as “her commanding officer,” at the time, although he admits, that “to Captain Bennett’s judgment as a seamen and an officer is every merit due for saving his brig,”] had only just joined her from a midshipman’s berth. Mr. Robert Lee Stephens, the gentleman whose conduct is so highly eulogized by Mr. ”

“ Having fitted a temporary rudder in the Downs, she proceeded from thence to Plymouth, where all her defects were made good, and from whence she finally sailed for the Mediterranean, with a fleet of merchantmen under her protection. ”

“ The Seahorse mounted thirty long 18-pounders (two of which were brass guns taken on board at Messina, in lieu of her four 9-pounders) and twelve 32-pounder carronades, with an established complement of 281 officers, men, and boys, of whom, as Captain Stewart states, thirty were then absent. The Badere Zaffer had on board, including part of the galley’s crew, 543 men of every description. The British frigate measured 998 tons, her principal opponent nearly 1300, and the Alis Fezan about 730. ”