by John Marshall

“ Haultain, considering how little chance he had of obtaining promotion, while junior lieutenant of a line-of-battle ship, immediately wrote to Viscount Melville, volunteering to serve in this flotilla. His offer was accepted, and he soon had the satisfaction of finding himself appointed the senior officer of twelve gun-boats, placed under the command of Captain Arthur Farquhar, commanding la Desirée frigate, and about to assume the direction of the Heligoland squadron.
It is impossible to imagine any thing more miserable than the state of these gun-vessels. ”

“ Captain Farquhar arrived at Heligoland, and immediately directed his whole force to attack their batteries, for the purpose of trying their strength, as well as to exercise the flotilla. A heavy cannonade, within pistol-shot, accordingly took place, and was continued until the enemy’s works had evidently suffered much damage, when the squadron and gunboats retired with small loss. ”

“ Nothing could exceed the mortification of the British, when, on endeavouring to close, they found the Danes protected by a sandbank in their front, and that the narrow channel in which they lay, could be only entered at spring tides, and with the aid of experienced pilots. Lieutenant Haultain, two of whose vessels had got aground, was therefore obliged to content himself with endeavouring to destroy them, in which he persevered for two hours, during which nearly the whole of his ammunition was expended, and several of his officers and men killed and wounded ”