by John Marshall

“ The garrison remain prisoners of war till exchanged; the officers are allowed their parole. There are several Croats amongst the garrison, who are willing to enter the Austrian service, and I intend sending them to Fiume. I shall lose no time in getting up to Cattaro. Fort St. John is the only place the enemy possess in the Bocco. The French general, Gauthier, has retired into the fort, with about 600 men: it is about fifteen miles up the river, and is a very strong place. ”

“ You cannot, my dear Sir, receive more pleasure in reading this letter than I have in writing it, to say that your son is every thing which his dearest friends can wish him to he; and is a strong proof, that the greatest gallantry may lie under the most gentle behaviour. ”

“ The spirited conduct of these young men deserves every praise; nor can I forbear mentioning the dastardly behaviour of a Sicilian privateer brig of 14 guns, named the Vincitore, awl commanded by Captain Clemento Fama, who was lying in this port, and previous to the commencement of the action hauled down his colours to a small one-gun Venetian schooner: this was witnessed by every man in the squadron, and I believe there was but one opinion on the subject. ”

“ He subsequently commanded the Eurydice of 24 guns, and Amphion frigate. At the commencement of 1809, we find Captain Hoste employed as senior officer in the Adriatic, where he cruised with unremitting vigilance against the enemy’s vessels, carrying supplies and reinforcements to the garrisons of Ancona, Corfu, and the Ionian islands. On the 8th Feb. the Amphion, in company with the Redwing sloop of war, captured a French brig, mounting six 12-pounders, and destroyed two storehouses of wine and oil collected at Melida, an island near the coast of Dalmatia. ”

“ The enemy’s squadron was commanded by Mons. Dubourdieu, a Capitaine de vaisseau, and a member of the Legion of Honor, who is killed. In justice to a brave man I must say, he set a noble example of intrepidity to those under him. They sailed from Ancona the 11th instant, with 500 troops on board, and every thing necessary for fortifying and garrisoning the island of Lissa. Thanks to Providence, we have this time prevented them.
“I have to lament the loss of many valuable officers and men ”

“ The mouths of the Cattaro are now freed of the enemy, Sir; and in bringing this business to a successful issue, the officers and meu have exerted themselves to the utmost. We have received no assistance but from a few Montenegrins; ve have had to trust to our own resources alone, and we have found them in the zeal and perseverance which has actuated all parties. From the exertions of Captain Harper and Lieutenant Milbourne, two 18-pounders and two mortars were got up the range of mountains before Cattaro, to the astonishment of friends and foes ”

“ In June 1810, another gallant enterprise was performed by the boats of the Amphion, Active, and Cerberus, which ended in the capture of Grao, a town in the gulf of Trieste, and a convoy laden with naval stores for the arsenal at Venice [4] . ”

“ Bacchante, off Castel Nuova, Oct. 16, 1813. “Sir,– I arrived off Ragusa on the 12th instant, and joined the Saracen and three gun-boats, with a detachment of the garrison of Curzola on board, commanded by Captain Lowen, who had been directed by Colonel Robertson to act on this coast. From the information I received from Captain Harper, of the Saracen, together with the state of the country about Cattaro, and the insurrection of the Bocchese, I lost no time in proceeding to this place, with the vessels under my orders. ”

“ The British and Austrian troops took possession the same day; 120 pieces of cannon were mounted on the works of the town and Fort Lorenzo, 21 in Fort Imperial, and 11 in the island of Croma, with a garrison of 500 men, and nearly six weeks’ provisions. The garrison are prisoners of war, not to serve against England or her allies till regularly exchanged. I am happy to say the best understanding has prevailed between the allied troops ”