by John Marshall

“ On the 17th, every preparation having been made for the attack, at day-light the army moved forwards to drive the enemy from their positions, without the town of Genoa. The gun and mortar-vessels, with the ships’ boats, armed with carronades, were advanced along the sea line to attack the batteries; the greater part of the marines, under the command of Captain Rea, were also embarked in the transports’ boats, ready to land as occasion might require. ”

“ On the 25th instant I anchored with the squardron as per margin (America, Edinburgh, Furieuse, Swallow, Cephalus, and Aurora, the latter a Sicilian Corvette,) off Lerici, the Hon. Captain Dundas having preceded us with the Edinburgh and Swallow, to accompany the movements of the troops under Major-General Montressor, dismantling the batteries as the enemy retired on their advance; a party of them endeavoured to re-occupy the castle of Lerici, but Captain Dundas, with the marines, was beforehand with them, and the enemy, after some firing from the boats of the squadron, retreated from the town. ”

“ After docking and refitting his ship at Plymouth, Captain Dundas proceeded to North Yarmouth, from whence he conveyed the Duke d’Angouleme to Gottenburg. On the 11th June, 1808, the boats of the Euryalus, assisted by those of the Cruiser sloop of war, burnt two Danish transports, and captured a gun-vessel, mounting two long 18-pounders, with a complement of 64 men, moored within half pistol-shot of a 3-gun battery, near the entrance of the Naskon, in the Great Belt. Although the enemy’s troops lined the beach, the British had only 1 man wounded. ”

“ To the active and intrepid conduct of that lamented ornament to the British navy, the major part of those who escaped, owe their preservation [2] . Steward had been early in the morning informed of the dreadful situation of our noble ship. The burning of Troy could not have been a more tremendous or awful sight to AEneas. The ship was in one blaze from stem to stern, with her guns going off in all directions. His heroic conduct was followed by two other boats, and, to the honor of some American vessels then at Leghorn, one was directly manned by three of their men ”

“ He found it to be a castle of considerable size and strength, walled and ditched, and capable of containing near 1,000 men. On receiving this report, I sent Mr. Bazelgette, senior Lieutenant of the America, who, with a few barrels of powder, completely destroyed it, bringing off a brass 9-pounder gun, which was mounted in the castle. Parties from the Imperieuse and Furieuse also brought off two other brass guns from the beach to the northward and southward of the town, those at the landing place having also been embarked. ”

“ The main-sail at this time was set, and almost instantly caught fire; the people not being able to come to the clue-garnets on account of the flames. He immediately went to the forecastle, and there found Lieutenant Dundas and the boatswain encouraging the people to get water to extinguish the fire. He applied to Lieutenant Dundas, seeing no other officer in the fore part of the ship (and being unable to see any on the quarter-deck, owing to the smoke and flames between them) , to give him assistance to drown the lower decks, and secure the hatches, to prevent the fire falling down. ”

“ As soon as the troops advanced, the whole of the gun-vessels and boats opened their fire with such effect, that on the landing of the seamen and marines, and preparing to storm, the enemy deserted their batteries, and the whole of the sea line without the walls, which were instantly taken possession of and soon turned on the place ”

“ The marines lost on this occasion, 1 killed and 7 wounded.
“The Italian Levy, who were on the houses close round the ramparts, as well as those in the advance, were indefatigable in their exertions; and their bravery was truly conspicuous on all occasions. The enemy suffered by the destructive fire they kept up on the ramparts, killing or wounding those who attempted to come near the guns. ”

“ The Queen Charlotte was one of the finest ships in the British navy. She was launched in 1790, and her first cruise was with the fleet fitted out against Spain in consequence of the dispute respecting Nootka Sound. ”

“ The necessary arrangements having been made by that officer for the attack, I added the force of this ship to it, and made the signal that those arrangements would be adhered to, and to prepare for battle. The place was defended by two batteries, mounting 3 heavy guns each on a mole; a tower to the northward with 1 gun, and a battery to the southward with 2 guns, to cover the mole. Every thing being prepared, at 1h 30' P.M. the ships bore up and took their stations; the Imperieuse and Resistance to the mole batteries ”

“ Captain Flin had volunteered to head a party of seamen, landed with scaling ladders, to storm one of the hillforts, had it been necessary. Captain Thompson, in the Aboukir, who, assisted by the ships and vessels as per margin [13] , blockaded the fort, and conducted with much effect a false attack to the westward of the town, which drew off a considerable number of the enemy’s troops. ”

“ She was rated at 100 guns, but mounted more than that number. ↑ See Vol. I. p. 650. ↑ See Vol. II. p. 122. ↑ Captain Kent died Aug. 29, 1811, and was buried in the Bay of Rosas on the following day. ↑ Resistance, Swallow, Eclair, and Pylades. ↑ See Commander Eaton Travers. ↑ Edinburgh, Furieuse, and Mermaid. ↑ America, Armada, Edinburgh, Iraperieuse, Furieuse, Rainbow, Termagant, and Mermaid. ↑ One killed and two wounded belonging to the Edinburgh. The other ships had not a man hurt. ↑ See Vol. I. p. 634. ↑ Aboukir, Iphigenia, Furieuse, Swallow, and Cephalus. ”