by John Marshall

“ General Melville has already given, and will continue to give, communications to proper persons, of what Captain Wight has so clearly and satisfactorily stated to General M. on the success of the shell shot, and of the best manner of putting them either into the carronades or long guns; but whether any means will be found to impress these ideas sufficiently upon the mind of the present first Lord of the Admiralty [10] , with whom General M. has not the honor to be personally acquainted, if averse to them, is very doubtful. ”

“ On the 5th May, 1801, Captain Wight, being off Havre, discovered a large sloop coming down the Seine, and made sail towards her. The enemy having anchored just before dark, the Wolverene was brought up in an advantageous position to the eastward of the Trouville bank, and a boat under Lieutenant Gregory sent to attack the French vessel, which he boarded without resistance, her crew retreating to the shore as he advanced. ”

“ Captain Wight’s next appointment was, in 1805, to the Cleopatra of 32 guns, in which frigate he served for a considerable time on the North American station, where he made many valuable captures, but from whence he was obliged to return through ill-health, arising from a disorganized liver, and the powerful medicines he had been compelled to take in order to subdue that disorder. ”

“ The Wolverene being ordered into port for the purpose of repairing her damages, was applied for by Lord Nelson, as a desirable vessel to be employed in his intended attack on the Boulogne flotilla, but he was told by the Admiralty that she could not be spared from the Havre station, where Captain Wight continued to serve with his usual activity and zeal, repeatedly receiving the public approval of his superiors, during the continuance of the war. ”

“ His juvenile gallantry being duly reported to Sir John Jervis, the commander-in-chief, Mr. Wight was taken by that officer into his own flag-ship, the Boyne, a second rate, where he had a very severe attack of the yellow fever, and nearly fell a victim thereto. On his recovery he was landed with a party of seamen attached to the army under Sir Charles Grey, and was frequently engaged with the republican troops commanded by Victor Hugues, who, during his illness, had succeeded in recovering possession of fort Fleur d’Epée, and other posts, in the island of Guadaloupe [5] . ”

“ Wight was leaning, and passed through it about twelve inches above his right arm. L’Aimable, commanded by Captain Mainwaring, had a very sharp contest with the Pensee, a French frigate, mounting 44 guns, with a complement of 400 men, 28 of whom were killed, and 36 wounded, whilst, strange to say, she herself had not a man slain, and only two or three persons wounded. During this conflict Captain Mainwaring and Mr. Wight were knocked down by the hammocks, &c., set in motion by the enemy’s shot, but sustained no material injury [7] . ”

“ Taking with him one man belonging to his boat’s crew, he passed through the town without molestation, although many soldiers were distinctly seen by the reflection of the lights, sitting at the doors with muskets in their hands, and arrived at the ditch surrounding the works at a moment when the republicans were firing in all directions. ”