by John Marshall

“ The flag-ship having her full complement of officers, Mr. Maitland was appointed first Lieutenant of the Kingsfisher sloop of war, in which vessel he assisted at the capture of many privateers belonging to the enemy; one of which, la Betsey, a ship of 16 guns and 118 men, defended herself with considerable bravery, and had 9 of her people killed and wounded. Upon the prize-money for this vessel being distributed, the Kingsfisher’s crew subscribed 50l. to purchase Lieutenant Maitland a sword, in token of their respect and esteem. ”

“ Our loss, I am extremely sorry to say, is very great in killed and wounded, and most of them the best men in the ship. What the enemy’s may be, from the nature of the service it is impossible to ascertain, though we know it to be very considerable [20] .”
On the 21st March, 1809, Captain Maitland captured l’Enfant de Patria of 640 tons, 8 guns, and 60 men; and two days afterwards, l’Aventurier of 4 guns and 30 men. ”

“ He knew the world too well, and was aware he could not have adopted a measure more likely to defeat any wish he might have entertained, of being considered as a crowned head; but, in fact, he never attempted to exact such respect ”

“ His Majesty arrived at Leghorn, Dec. 20, and expressed his sense of Captain Maitland’s great attention during a very unfavorable passage of seven days, by personally investing him, immediately after his landing, with the insignia of a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Ferdinand and of Merit; in addition to which, he presented him with a very valuable gold box, containing his portrait set round with large diamonds, and wrote a most handsome letter, respecting the treatment he had received, to Vice-Admiral Sir Graham Moore, commander-in-chief on the Mediterranean station. ”

“ On the 28th Nov. following, Captain Maitland was appointed to the Emerald, a 36-gun frigate; and in April 1807, we find him capturing the Austerlitz French privateer, of 14 guns and 96 men; and a Spanish polacre from la Guira, laden with cocoa, bark, indigo, &c. He also recaptured the Zulema, an American ship, which had been taken by a French privateer. In July of the same year he took an American brig, having on board 90 men belonging to the French ships in the Chesapeake. ”

“ The Venteux’s loss consisted of her second Captain and 2 seamen killed, her commander, the remainder of her officers (4 in number) and 8 men wounded.
On the 16th Mar. 1804, Captain Maitland captured the Braave French ship privateer, of 16 guns and 110 men, on the Irish station. In August following, while cruising for the protection of the homeward bound convoys, he had the good fortune to fall in with, and after a pursuit of twenty hours, and a running fight of fifteen minutes, capture the Blonde of thirty 9-pounders, and 240 men, 2 of whom were mortally, and 5 others badly wounded. ”

“ L’Incomparable, brig privateer of eight 6-pounders and 60 men; this vessel, when discovered, was in the act of capturing an English merchant brig. Le Fanfaron, national corvette of 16 guns and 113 men, commanded by a Capitaine de fregate, bound to Guadaloupe, with a cargo of flour, salt provisions, &c. &c. Le Belle Etoile letter of marque of 350 tons, 8 guns (pierced for 20) and 56 men, laden with wine, flour, oil, and various other merchandise, bound to the Isle of France; and l’Auguste, a remarkably fast sailing ship privateer, of 18 guns and 130 men. ”

“ Bertram, accompanied by Lieutenants Meek and Husband, of the marines, and Messrs. Mildridge and Saurin, Master’s-Mates, to storm the outer fort, and proceeded with the ship as near the other, which was about a mite farther in, as the depth of water would allow, where she was placed, the sails furled, &c. I sent Mr. W. Smith, the third Lieutenant, with another party, to endeavour to spike the guns of the fort, then engaged with the Emerald; Mr. Bertram having happily succeeded in driving the Spaniards out of the battery he had been sent to attack, and spiked the guns. ”

“ The last service performed by Captain Maitland in 1805, was that of capturing, in company with the Egyptienne frigate, la Libre of 40 guns and 280 men, which ship surrendered after an obstinate resistance of half an hour, during which she had 20 men killed and wounded, and received so much damage that all her masts fell soon after the British had taken possession of her. The Loire on this occasion, although the first in action, had not a man hurt; but 8 of her consort’s crew were wounded, 1 of whom mortally. Captain Maitland took the French frigate in tow, and arrived with her at Plymouth Jan. ”

“ Yeo and his party, I beg leave to refer you to his letter enclosed herewith, and I have to request you will be pleased to recommend him to the notice of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty; being a very old officer j and in the two late instances, he has displayed as much gallantry as ever fell to the lot of any man. ”

“ Clinch, to board the smallest, while he, with the two cutters, most gallantly attacked and carried the largest, a felucca armed with three 18-pounders, four 4-pr. brass swivels, and 50 men.
“The launch had the same success in her attack; the fort immediately opened a fire; so ill-directed, however, as to do little damage. Being still perfectly calm, close under the guns of the battery, and no possibility of receiving assistance from the ship, Mr. Yeo was under the painful necessity of abandoning the smallest vessel, a lugger of two 6-pounders and 32 men, to secure the felucca ”

“ Total, 2 officers, 12 seamen, and 1 marine wounded. The fort contained twelve Spanish 18-pounders, mounted on travelling carriages, 22 soldiers, several gentlemen and townsmen volunteers, and about 100 of the Confiance’s crew. The battery on the point, two 18-pounders, 8 artillery-men, and 10 other Spaniards. The enemy’s loss amounted to 12 officers and men slain, and 30 wounded. Forty barrels of powder, 2 small brass guns, and 50 stand of arms, were brought off by the assailants. ”

“ I. p. 431. ↑ The Blonde was a frigate-built privateer, belonging to Bourdeaux. Since the renewal of the war she had been of very great annoyance to our trade; and some time previous to her falling in with the Loire, captured a British sloop of war. See Captain Henry Gordon. ↑ From the returns alluded to in the above letter, we find that Lieutenant Yeo, Mr. Clinch, 3 seamen, and 1 marine were slightly wounded on shore; and 2 seamen dangerously, 2 very severely, and 5 slightly wounded on board. ”

“ Bertram with his party had walked on over land, and joined Mr. Baird, the Midshipman, who had been sent to take possession of the schooner which had run on the rocks, as soon as she had made out our determination of entering the port. On the road, he was met by a part of the schooner’s crew, consisting of about 60 men; they gave and received a discharge of musketry, but on our people advancing with the pike and bayonet, took to flight, leaving several dead on the road. Mr. ”

“ Mildridge, 11 men, and 1 boy wounded. ↑ See p. 318, and Vol. I. p. 84. ↑ The Goliah, originally a 74 of the smallest class, mounted twenty-eight long 32-pounders, the same number of 42-pr. carronades, and two long twelves, making 58 guns on two flush decks. ↑ On his arrival in America, Captain Maitland was to have been removed into a 2-decker. ”