by John Marshall

“ Captain Campbell’s prize proved to be la Desirée, mounting 40 guns, long 24-pounders on the main-deck, with a complement of 350 men, some of whom were on shore. Captain Inman, in his official letter to the Admiralty, says, “the handsome and intrepid manner of his completely carrying her in less than a quarter of an hour, and bringing her out, must convince their Lordships of his unparalleled bravery, and the very gallant conduct of his officers and ship’s company, as the enemy’s frigate was so much superior in force [1] ”

“ During the third night, however, it blew hard from the N.W. with a heavy sea, and the leak increased so much, that every exertion to keep it under proved ineffectual; she soon became water-logged, of course would not answer her helm, and drifted considerably to leeward. ”

“ In 1807, we find Captain Campbell commanding l’Unité, a fine frigate, stationed off Corfu. During the ensuing year, he captured a French xebec of 6 guns, and three Italian brigs of war, each mounting sixteen brass 32-pr. carronades, and measuring about 400 tons [2] .
From l’Unité, Captain Campbell removed into the Leviathan of 74 guns, on the Mediterranean station. On the 29th April, 1812, the boats of that ship made an attack on a French privateer of 14 guns and 80 men, and several merchant vessels at Agay ”