by John Marshall

“ On the 20th Aug. 1824, the boats of the Icarus, despatched from Havannah, under the orders of Lieutenant Croker, captured, in a creek within Cayo Blanco, a large piratical schooner, called the Diableto, mounting six guns, and manned with about fifty men, who, after firing a few shot without effect, abandoned the vessel on the near approach of the British. Some of them made their escape to the shore in four large boats, which were afterwards taken by Lieutenant Croker ”

“ In the following month, a three-gun battery in the island of Corsica was taken, and two vessels lying under its protection brought out, by detachments from the Alceste and Topaze. On the 5th May, 1811, a French national brig of 18 guns, lying in the harbour of Parenza, coast of Istria, was destroyed by the former ship in company with la Belle Poule [3] . On the 29th Nov. following, Mr. Croker participated in a severe action with two French frigates, near the island of Augusta, the result of which was the capture of la Pomone, mounting 44 guns with a complement of 322 men [4] . ”

“ In June following, he was present at the capture of the islands of Ischia and Procida [2] . In May 1810, a party from the Alceste stormed a two-gun battery near Frejus, and her boats captured and destroyed six French vessels in the bay of Agaye. ”