by John Marshall

“ They were to land on the mole, and thence hasten as fast as possible into the Great Square; then form, and proceed as should be found expedient. They were not discovered till about 1h 30’ A.M., when, being within half gun-shot of the landing place, Sir Horatio directed the boats to cast off from each other, give a huzza, and push for the shore. But the Spaniards were excellently well prepared; the alarm-bells answered the huzza, and a tremendous fire from 30 or 40 pieces of cannon, with musketry from one end of the town to the other, opened upon the invaders. ”

“ By day-break they had gathered together about 80 marines, 80 seamen, armed with pikes, and 180 with small-arms; all that survived of those who had made good their landing. They obtained some ammunition from the prisoners whom they had taken, and marched on, to try what could be done at the citadel without ladders. They found all the streets commanded by field-pieces, and several thousand Spaniards, with about 100 French, under arms, approaching by every avenue. ”

“ Soon after this period, Captain Thompson received the honor of knighthood, and a pension of 200l. per annum. In the following spring, 1799, he was appointed to the Bellona, of 74 guns, and joined the fleet under the command of Lord Bridport, off Brest. From this station he was sent to the Mediterranean, where the Bellona was attached to a flying squadron, under the command of Captain Markham, of the Centaur, and assisted in the capture of three frigates and two brigs from Jaffa, bound to Toulon. ”

“ Thus foiled in his plans by wind and tide, Sir Horatio Nelson still considered it a point of honour that some attempt should be made. This was on the 22d July; he re-embarked his men that night, got the ships, on the 24th, the day on which he was joined by the Leander, to anchor about two miles N.E. of the town, and made shew as if he intended to attack the heights. At eleven P.M. the boats of the squadron, containing about 700 seamen and marines, with 180 on board the Fox cutter, and from 70 to 80 in a boat which had been taken the day before ”

“ The men were accordingly landed under the orders of Captain Troubridge; each Captain, under his direction, commanding the detachment of seamen from his own ship, and Captain Oldfield of the marines the entire detachment from that corps, he being the senior marine officer present ”

“ Satisfied with his success, which was indeed sufficiently complete, and respecting like a brave and honorable man, the gallantry of his enemy, the Spaniard not only acceded to the proposal, but gave directions for the wounded British to he received into the hospitals, and the whole party to be supplied with the best provisions that could be procured ”

“ About the year 1806, our officer was nominated Comptroller of the Navy, which office he held till Feb. 1816, when he succeeded the late Sir John Colpoys, as Treasurer of the Royal Hospital at Greenwich; and about the same time was chosen a Director of the Chest, vice Lord Hood, deceased. He was created K.C.B. Jan. ”