by John Marshall

“ The Junta of Gallicia, in the name of their government and country, to which they shall make known your distinguished services, offer you in return their warmest acknowledgments, and are anxiously desirous of an opportunity of being able to give you irrefragable proofs of their gratitude, high consideration, and of that respect which you merit. ”

“ Captain Mends was afterwards entrusted with the command of a squadron stationed on the north coast of Spain. On the 24th June, 1810, after a consultation with the Junta of Asturias, he consented to embark the Spanish Brigadier-General Porlier, and 500 of his soldiers, with the intention of beating up the enemy’s quarters along the coasts of Cantabria and Biscay. ”

“ Mends was a Lieutenant of the Colossus 74, and narrowly escaped death in consequence of applying the match to a gun which hung fire; on which occasion he was so dreadfully burnt by the explosion that took place, as scarcely to have preserved any skin on his body [2] .
On the 3d March 1797, our officer, then commanding the Diligence of 16 guns, on the Jamaica station, fell in with, and after an action of forty-five minutes, captured la Nativetas, a Spanish ship of 500 tons, 16 guns, and 50 men. He subsequently assisted at the capture of a Spanish armed packet. ”