by John Marshall

“ The brunt of the labour was borne by them, and by the British sailors – men never accustomed to stand aloof when any exertion of strength or hardihood is required. The soldiers, less accustomed to rely upon themselves, were of little use. But all equally endured the violent heat of the sun, rendered more intense by being reflected from the white shoals, while the high woods, on both sides of the river, were frequently so close as to prevent all refreshing circulation of air ”

“ Captain Bullen subsequently obtained permission from Lord Hood to serve as a volunteer with his friend Captain Serecold, who, after the retreat from Toulon, had superseded him in the command of the Proselyte; out of which ship they were both burnt by the hot shot from the French batteries, during the siege of Bastia. Our officer afterwards commanded an advanced battery, and continued on shore until the surrender of that place. We find his name mentioned in the highest terms by Nelson, when writing an official account of the operations of the siege to Lord Hood [5] . ”

“ Lieutenant Bullen subsequently served with the late Lord Nelson, in the Hinchinbrooke frigate, on the Mosquito shore; where the mortality was so great, owing to the unhealthiness of the climate, that at the end of six weeks, only 27 officers and men were surviving, out of a complement of 235. ”

“ They reached the river San Juan, March 24th, the latter end of the dry season, and the worst time for such an expedition, the river being consequently low. About 200 soldiers, however, were embarked in the Mosquito shore craft, and in the Hinchinbrooke’s boats, and they began their voyage. Indians were sent forward through narrow channels between shoals and sand-banks, and the English were frequently obliged to quit the boats, and exert their utmost strength to drag or thrust them along. ”