← catalogue

Our Sailors: Gallant Deeds of the British Navy during Victoria's Reign

by William Henry Giles Kingston · English · Gutenberg #21402 · 595,347 chars · public domain (US)

The Project Gutenberg eBook of Our Sailors: Gallant Deeds of the British Navy during Victoria's Reign
    
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and
most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms
of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online
at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States,
you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located
before using this eBook.

Title: Our Sailors: Gallant Deeds of the British Navy during Victoria's Reign

Author: William Henry Giles Kingston


        
Release date: May 9, 2007 [eBook #21402]

Language: English

Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/21402

Credits: Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England


*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OUR SAILORS: GALLANT DEEDS OF THE BRITISH NAVY DURING VICTORIA'S REIGN ***




Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England




Our Sailors; Gallant deeds of the British Navy during Queen Victoria's
reign, by W.H.G. Kingston.

________________________________________________________________________

This book was originally written by Kingston quite early on in his
career as a writer.  As he died in 1880 he predeceased the Queen by
quite a few years.  The book was bought up to date, including, we
believe, some input by George Henty, the writer of numerous books for
boys, who had been a friend of Kingston's.  So this edition presses on a
quarter of a century beyond Kingston's death.

Much the same can be said about the parallel book "Our Soldiers" which
is also to be found on the Athelstane website.

Most of the stories are, surprisingly enough, actually military ones.
It is surprising how often naval forces were engaged in direct support
of military actions.  It was not just the Relief of Mafeking in which
they were involved, though of course through the writings of
Baden-Powell most of us have heard of that event.

The book is laid out in a way that is slightly different from the usual
Kingston book is presented, but we hope we have followed the book fairly
faithfully.

________________________________________________________________________

OUR SAILORS; GALLANT DEEDS OF THE BRITISH NAVY DURING QUEEN VICTORIA'S
REIGN, BY W.H.G. KINGSTON.



CHAPTER ONE.

OUR SAILORS.

"Let fall the topsails, hoist away--up anchor, round goes the capstan--
sheet home--haul taut the braces! and away we glide, to prove to our
countrymen that British sailors have not been sleeping on beds of roses
for the last quarter of a century since her gracious Majesty Queen
Victoria came to the throne."  So wrote our author some forty years ago.
"Up anchor, full speed ahead," is, we suppose, the modern equivalent
for his nautical simile, and very prosaic and commonplace it sounds; but
we shall find that the romance of the Navy did not go out with the last
of the sailing frigates, and that the age of steam and electricity, of
enormous ironclads and rapid cruisers, affords as great a scope for
individual daring, resource, and heroism as the days of sailing frigates
and boarding parties; and that though in recent years our sailors have
not had many chances of using their weapons on the sea, the Naval
Brigade has taken its part in many an expedition, on land, and on all
occasions the British tar has proved himself a worthy successor to the
heroes of Trafalgar and the Nile.

During the earlier years of the Great Queen's reign her sailors had
little to do in the fighting line, though on the West Coast of Africa
the slave traffic gave occasion to many a lively skirmish, and on other
seas various events from time to time afforded an opportunity for
showing that their weapons were as effective as of old.

THE CAPTURE OF ADEN.

Somewhat of that character was the capture of Aden, an Arab town on the
entrance of the Red Sea.  A former sultan or chief of Aden had by treaty
given up the place to the British; but his successor, not approving of
the bargain, refused to submit to it.  As it was important for the
English to hold the place, to facilitate the navigation of the Red Sea,
an expedition, under Captain Smith of the _Volage_, was sent by Sir
Frederick Maitland, then Commander-in-Chief on the East India Station,
to bring the Sultan to reason.

It was not a big affair, though unhappily it cost several lives, but its
result was important and lasting.  Captain Smith's expedition comprised,
besides HMS _Volage_, three smaller vessels and some transports.  On the
19th of January 1839 he bombarded the town and landed his troops, who
after a short resistance overcame the Sultan's army, and hoisted the
flag on its walls, and Aden became a port of the British Empire, as it
has remained ever since.

From early times it had been a very important centre for the trade
between Europe and the East, but when the Portuguese opened up the route
to India by the Cape it lost its advantage.  In the hands of the British
its prosperity has returned, and the return of the Eastern trade by
means of the Suez Canal to the Red Sea has raised it to a far higher
position than ever it possessed in ancient days; it is now the great
coaling station for the British fleet and merchantmen in the East.  The
trade passing through it to and from Southern Arabia exceeds five
millions a year, and it is also a strongly fortified naval station.



CHAPTER TWO.

WAR ON THE COAST OF SYRIA--1840.

The next affair in which our bluejackets were engaged was the war on the
coast of Syria, in 1840.  The causes of this were as follow.  Mehemet
Ali, Pasha or Governor of Egypt, wished not only to make himself
altogether independent of the Sultan of Turkey, who claimed to be his
sovereign, but also to hold possession of Syria.  Into that country he
sent an army under the command of Ibrahim Pasha, who was everywhere
successful, and was approaching Constantinople itself.  This so alarmed
the Sultan, that he was about to ask for assistance from the Russians.
On this, England, France, and Austria thought it high time to interfere;
for had the Russians once taken possession of Constantinople, it would
have been a difficult matter to turn them out again.  Accordingly, those
three powers sent to the Turks to promise them assistance if they would
hold out, and immediately despatched a large number of ships-of-war to
the coast of Syria.  Sir Robert Stopford was Admiral of the British
fleet, and Sir Charles Napier, having his broad pennant flying,
commanded a squadron under him.

BOMBARDMENT OF BEYROUT--SEPTEMBER 1840.

The first place attacked was the town and fortress of Beyrout.  The
English had thirteen sailing ships and four steamers.  There was a
Turkish squadron of seven ships, under Admiral Walker, who was then in
the service of the Sultan, and three Austrian ships.  Though cannonaded
for several days, the place still held out.  However, on the 2nd of
October an Egyptian gunner, who had deserted, came on board the
_Hastings_ at Beyrout, and gave information that a train had been laid
along the bridge to the eastern castle, where a large quantity of powder
was concealed; and he undertook to guide a party to cut the train and
seize the powder.

Commander Worth at once offered to perform this dangerous service, and
numbers volunteered to follow him.  He embarked in one of the boats of
the _Hastings_, protected by the launch and pinnace of the _Edinburgh_,
and covered by the fire of the ships.  Dashing on in the face of a heavy
fire of musketry, he landed on the bridge, cut off the train, and then
forced his way into the castle, over the walls of which he threw some
sixty or seventy barrels of powder, and succeeded in bringing off
thirty-one barrels more.

Unfortunately, in this service, Mr Luscomb, a midshipman of the
_Hastings_, was killed; the Egyptian, and two seamen of the _Hastings_
and one of the _Edinburgh_, were wounded.

CAPTURE OF SIDON.

While the fleet lay off Beyrout, it was considered important to drive
the Egyptians out of Sidon, a strong and important place.  Commodore
Napier undertook to perform the work, and be back off Beyrout in three
days.  With two steamers and five other ships, having on board 750
English and 800 Turkish marines, he appeared off the place on the 26th
September.  The town having been summoned to surrender, and no answer
being given, was cannonaded for half an hour.  Captain Austin, at the
head of the Turkish battalion, landed, but was very warmly received, and
several of his followers were killed.  The fleet again accordingly
opened fire, and battered down a number of houses, after which the
commodore, at the head of the main body of the British marines, and
Captain Henderson at the head of another, in the most spirited manner
broke open the gates, fought their way in, and took possession of the
castle.  Numberless acts of gallantry were displayed.  Among others,
there was a complete race from the spot where they landed between Mr
James Hunt, a midshipman of the _Stromboli_, and Signor Dominica Chinca,
a midshipman of the Austrian frigate _Guerriera_, who should first plant
their colours on the walls of the town.  All now appearing quiet in the
town, the commodore left a guard in the castle, and descended into it.
No town was ever taken where less blood was unnecessarily spilt, or
disorders more speedily put a stop to.

ATTACK ON THE CASTLE OF D'JEBEL.

A strong body of Albanian troops being posted in the Castle of D'Jebel,
Captain Martin was despatched in the _Carysfort_, with the _Dido_ and
_Cyclops_, having on board 220 marines and 150 armed mountaineers, to
turn them out.

As soon as the marines were prepared for landing, the ships opened their
fire on the castle, which was returned by musket-shots.

After the fire had been continued for an hour, the marines, commanded by
Captain Robinson, accompanied by a large party of armed mountaineers,
pushed off from the _Cyclops_, and formed on the beach to the south of
the town, their landing being covered by the ships, which again opened
on the castle.  The fire from the ships and the launch's carronades
having cleared the gardens in front of the castle, the signal was made
to push on.  The marines on this advanced with their invariable
gallantry to the assault; but when they got within thirty yards of the
towers, a destructive fire was opened on them from a crenelated outwork,
having a deep ditch in front, which was completely masked from the fire
of the ships, and numbers fell killed and wounded.  In vain Captain
Robinson and the other officers looked for some part of the castle wall
which might prove practicable.  No gate was accessible, and they were
therefore compelled to abandon the enterprise.  The ships again started
firing on the castle, but it was so stoutly built that no impression
could be made on it, and at half-past five the firing ceased and the
landing party re-embarked.

As the force was retiring it was discovered that an English flag, which
had been planted on a garden wall by the pilot of the _Cyclops_ as a
signal to the ships, had been accidentally left there; it could not be
suffered to fall into the hands of the enemy, and therefore had to be
recovered, whatever the cost.  It was a dangerous undertaking to run the
gauntlet of the enemy's guns and bring it back, but Lieutenant Grenfell
and a seaman from the _Cyclops_ volunteered to attempt it.  Their
progress was watched with much anxiety.  They crept along from cover to
cover, and at last reached the flag, which they hauled down, and
hastened back again with their prize.  Loud cheers greeted them as they
returned to the ships uninjured and successful.

Although the attempt to take the castle by storm had not been
successful, it was not found necessary to renew it on the following day,
for when morning came it was found that the steady fire from the ships
had proved too much for the nerves of the garrison, and that rather than
face it another day they had vacated the position and stolen away under
cover of the night.

BOMBARDMENT AND CAPTURE OF ACRE--3RD NOVEMBER 1840.

Ibrahim Pasha, who had taken Acre in 1837, had commenced to strengthen
it greatly; but the fortifications he had designed were not completed
when the allied squadron of twenty ships, mostly line-of-battle ships,
appeared off it, 2nd November 1840.  Towed by the steamers, the ships
the next morning speedily took up their positions, and opened their fire
in the most spirited manner.

After the ships had hotly engaged the batteries for nearly two hours,
the grand magazine blew up with a most tremendous explosion, whether
caused by a shell or by accident it is difficult to say.  A large number
of the garrison were blown up, and many probably were buried alive in
the ruins or in the casements.  The guns, however, notwithstanding this
catastrophe, kept up their fire with great spirit to the last.  About
sunset the signal was made to discontinue the engagement; but the
commodore kept the fire up some time after dusk, lest the enemy should
be tempted to re-man their guns.  The flag-lieutenant then brought the
orders to withdraw.

In the middle of the night a small boat brought off the information that
the Egyptian troops were leaving the town, and in consequence, at
daylight, 300 Turks and a party of Austrian marines landed, and took
unopposed possession of the place.  The havoc caused by the guns of the
squadron on the walls and houses was very great, though, notwithstanding
the hot and long-continued fire they had been exposed to, the ships
escaped with little damage, and the amount of casualties was very small,
being fourteen English and four Turks killed, and forty-two wounded.

An entire battalion, which had been formed near the magazine, ready to
resist any attempts to storm, was destroyed.  The appearance of the dead
and wounded, as they lay scattered about the town, was very dreadful,
but they seemed to excite but little sympathy in the breasts of the
Turks.  Every living creature within the area of 60,000 square yards
round the magazine had ceased to exist, the loss of life being computed
from 1200 to 2000 persons.  Certainly two entire regiments were
annihilated, with fifty donkeys, thirty camels, twelve cows, and some
horses.

This was the first occasion on which the advantages of steam had been
fully proved in battle, by the rapidity with which the steamers took up
their positions, and the assistance they rendered to the other ships; as
also by the destruction caused through the shells thrown from them.

On the 4th another explosion took place, by which a marine was killed
and Captain Collier had his leg fractured.

The garrison being placed in a state of order, was left under the
command of Sir Charles Smith, with 3000 Turkish troops and 250 marines,
under Lieutenant-Colonel Walker, with the protection of the _Pique_ and
_Stromboli_.

The results of the capture of Acre were very important.  Ibrahim Pasha
evacuated Syria, and Mehemet Ali gave up the whole Turkish fleet, which
sailed for Marmorice under Admiral Walker.  Soon after, the Sultan sent
a firman, according to the Pasha the hereditary possession of Egypt,
without any interference on the part of the Porte, while a yearly
tribute of 2,000,000 pounds was to be paid to the Sultan, besides about
2,000,000 pounds more of arrears.

Thus terminated the part taken by the British at that time in the
affairs of Turkey and Egypt.



CHAPTER THREE.

WARFARE IN CHINESE WATERS--1840-1842.

The war in China was undertaken to punish the Government for the
numerous injuries and insults they had offered to the English, and, by
teaching them to respect our power, to induce them to trade with us on
fair and equal terms, and to treat us in future as one civilised people
should treat another; also to demand reparation of grievances, and
payment for the property of British subjects destroyed at Canton; to
obtain a guarantee against similar occurrences in future; and, what was
of the greatest importance, to open up the trade at the different ports
along the coast.

With these objects to be accomplished, a large squadron and a number of
transports, containing a considerable body of troops, were despatched in
1840 by the Governor-General of India to the Chinese seas.

Soon after this a large fleet arrived from England, under the command of
Admiral the Honourable G.  Elliot, while Sir Gordon Bremer had his broad
pennant flying on board the _Wellesley_.  Captain Elliot, RN, it must be
understood, was acting on shore as Chief-Superintendent of Trade.

The Chinese are a very clever people, but though their civilisation is
very ancient it has been stationary for ages, and all change and advance
of Western ideas has been violently opposed both by the governing
classes and the people.  In the matter, however, of armament they have
in recent years made great advance, but at this time this advance had
hardly yet commenced, and they had nothing to oppose to the British
fleet.

Not having the real thing, with great ingenuity they proceeded to
extemporise an imitation, the appearance of which they hoped would be
sufficient to frighten off the foreigner.  They purchased an English
trading vessel, the _Cambridge_, intending to turn her into, at least in
appearance, a man-of-war, and built some strange-looking little
schooners upon a European model, for the purpose of employing them
against the English.  Commissioner Lin also got up some sham fights at
the Bogue, dressing those who were to act as assailants in red coats, in
order to accustom the defenders to the sight of the red uniform,--the
redcoats, of course, being always driven back with tremendous slaughter.
They also ran up formidable-looking forts along the banks of many of
their rivers, which on examination, however, turned out to be merely
thin planks painted.  The object of these was to alarm the barbarians,
and to prevent them from entering their harbours.  But the crowning and
most ingenious device was the construction of some vessels, with large
paddle-wheels like those of steamers, which were worked inside by men;
though, that they might appear to be real steamers, they had, it is
said, funnels and fires under them to create a smoke.

Although from these accounts it would appear that the Chinese were not
very formidable enemies, it must be understood that they also possessed
some forts which were really very strong; and that though the true
Chinese are not very fond of fighting, and, from their peculiar
temperament, (looking upon discretion as the better part of valour),
prefer running away to stopping with the certainty of being shot or
bayoneted, yet that, as they fully understand division of labour, they
employ a large number of Tartars to do their fighting for them.  These
Tartars are very brave fellows, and so are their officers; and in
numberless instances they preferred death to defeat.  They invariably
fought to the last; and often, when they could fight no longer, cut the
throats of their wives and children, and then their own, rather than
yield.  This horrible practice arose undoubtedly from ignorance, they
believing that their conquerors would ill-treat and enslave them if they
captured them alive.  Besides these Tartar troops, who were far from
contemptible enemies, our gallant redcoats and bluejackets had to
contend with the pernicious climate of the south of China, by which,
more than by the jingall-balls of the enemy, numbers were cut off.  The
Tartars we have been speaking of are powerful men, armed with long
spears, and often they crossed them with the British bayonet, for which
the long spear was sometimes more than a match.  Hand-to-hand encounters
with the Tartar troops were not uncommon, and our men learned to their
cost that they had held the Chinese too cheap.  Instances occurred in
which the powerful Tartar soldier rushed within the bayonet guard of his
opponent, and grappled with him for life or death.

A full description of the numerous actions which took place from the
commencement to the termination of the war, extending over so many
months, would at the present day be far from interesting.  We shall,
therefore, but briefly allude to some of them.

CAPTURE OF CHUSAN.

The crisis had come.  The Chinese had determined to drive away the
"foreign devils" from their coasts, and the "foreign devils" had equally
determined to show that they were a match for the Celestials.

On 5th July 1840, Chusan, a small island in the Chinese sea, fell into
the hands of the British.  The previous day, HMS _Conway, Alligator_,
and _Wellesley_, with a troopship and two transports, arrived in Chusan
harbour.  The ships took up position opposite a large Joss House or
Temple.  Sir Gordon Bremer was in command of our force.  In the evening
a deputation was sent on shore, calling upon the governor to surrender
the town of Chusan and avoid unnecessary bloodshed.  The Chinese admiral
and two mandarins themselves came to refuse this offer.  During that
night the people were seen strengthening their fortifications, while the
inhabitants were flying up the river in their merchant junks, which were
allowed to pass without impediment, although their cargoes, probably
containing much that was valuable, would have made the fortunes of many
a British officer.  However, they were allowed through untouched, for
our bluejackets had not come to war against civilians and women and
children.  Indeed, to their credit, in no instance throughout the war
did the helpless suffer injury at the hands of either British soldiers
or sailors.

On the 5th, vast crowds could be seen along the hills and shores, and
the walls of the city were lined with troops.  Twenty-four guns were
placed on the landing-place, which, with the appearance of several
war-junks, showed that resistance was going to be offered.

The troops were landed in two divisions, under Major-General Burrell's
supervision.  The fire from the batteries and from the shores was soon
silenced by the British "men of war."  Not far distant from the city was
a hill surrounded on three sides by a deep canal and very boggy land,
and our troops took up position on this hill; and though fire was opened
on them till nearly midnight, the effects of it were scarcely felt.  On
the morning of the 6th the guns were directed towards the city, but as
no sound could be heard or troops seen, it was thought that the city had
probably been evacuated, and a party was sent forward to find out if
this was the case.  The walls of the city were scaled, and then it was
found that, with the exception of one or two unarmed Chinese, the place
was empty.  Over the principal gate was a placard on which was
inscribed, "Save us for the sake of our wives and children."  The
British flag was, without loss of time, hoisted upon that gate.

On 19th August 1840, Captain Smith, in the _Druid_, and a few smaller
ships of war and some troops, attacked and defeated the Chinese in a
very spirited manner, stationed in some fortifications known as the
Macao Barrier.  The guns were spiked, and the whole of the troops fled;
nor did they ever again occupy the barrier.  Two junks were sunk, and
the rest allowed to escape round the opposite point, while the barracks
and the other buildings were burned.  The British, having four men only
wounded, re-embarked, and the ships returned the same evening to their
former anchorage in Macao roads.  This well-timed and important piece of
service of Captain Smith's was the last hostile movement of the British
during the year 1840.  On the 6th November a truce was announced by
Admiral Elliot, and on the 29th he resigned his command from extreme
ill-health, and returned to England, leaving Sir Gordon Bremer as
commander-in-chief.

After this, nothing very remarkable was done till the Bogue forts were
captured, on the 7th January 1841.  The Chinese Emperor had only opened
negotiations for the purpose of gaining time it was resolved, therefore,
to attack Canton itself.  Several fleets of war-junks were destroyed,
some of the junks being blown up with all on board.  On the 26th of
February the Boca Tigris forts were taken by Sir Gordon Bremer; and, on
the 5th of March, the squadron having advanced up the river, Howqua's
Fort was captured.  Other forts in succession fell into the hands of the
British force; and on the 28th of March, the passage up to Whampoa being
forced, the forts of Canton and a large Chinese flotilla were captured.
After this, the Chinese came to terms; trade was again opened, and went
on for some time with great activity.  All this time, however, the
treacherous Chinese were plotting how they might exterminate the
English; and, on the night of the 21st of May, a bold attempt was made
by them to destroy the British fleet by means of fire-rafts.  The
attempt, however, was happily defeated, and warlike operations were once
more commenced.

During these operations, Mr Hall performed a gallant act, which
probably saved the lives of Captains Elliot and Herbert and all standing
near.  A congreve rocket had been placed in a tube and ignited, when it
hung within it instead of flying out.  In another moment it would have
burst, scattering destruction around, had not Mr Hall thrust his arm
into the tube and forced it out from behind.  The rush of fire, however,
severely burnt his hand, and caused him much suffering; it was long,
indeed, before he recovered the use of it.

Canton was now attacked both by sea and land; and after some severe
fighting, which lasted from the 23rd up to the 30th of May, that
important city was taken possession of by the British.

Amoy was captured on the 26th of August in a dashing manner, and
Chinghae on the 10th of October 1841, and Ningpo was occupied on the
12th of the same month.  Early in the year, Captain Hall and the
officers and crew of the _Nemesis_ had a spirited brush with the
Chinese, to the north of Chusan.  After this, the enemy kept at a
distance from that place.

Several attempts were made by the Chinese to destroy the ships of the
squadron, each time defeated by the vigilance of the officers and crews.
On the 13th of May 1843, Chapoo, a large town near the sea, was
attacked and captured; and Woosung and Shanghai shared the same fate on
the 16th and 19th of June, the greater part of the fighting on both
occasions being performed by the seamen and marines of the fleet.

CAPTURE OF CHIN-KEANG-FOO AND NANKIN--21ST JULY 1842.

We now come to the crowning victory of the British in China in this war.

Considerable reinforcements having arrived, it was resolved to advance
on Nankin itself, the ancient capital of the empire, as the most certain
way of bringing the Chinese to terms.  To reach that city, the admiral
had determined to conduct his fleet, consisting of nearly eighty sail,
including two line-of-battle ships, up the great river Yang-Tze, into
the very heart of the empire, 200 miles from the sea.

On the 6th July, this imposing fleet passed up the river without any
opposition, the Chinese having even withdrawn their guns from most of
the towns on its banks, to escape the injury they expected would be
inflicted had they made any hostile demonstration.  At Seshan, however,
about fifteen miles below Chin-Keang-Foo, some batteries at the foot of
a hill, mounting about twenty guns, opened their fire on the _Pluto_ and
_Nemesis_, as those vessels were surveying in advance.  On the following
day, the batteries having fired on the _Modeste_, she very speedily
drove out their garrisons, and destroyed them completely.

On the 16th, the naval and military commanders-in-chief went up the
river in the _Vixen_, followed by the _Medusa_, to reconnoitre the
approaches to Chin-Keang-Foo.  They approached the entrance of the
Imperial Canal, which passes close to the city walls, and is one of the
greatest works in China for facilitating the internal water
communication through the country.  As no soldiers were seen on the
walls, and no other preparations for defence were visible, it was hoped
that resistance would not be offered, and that thus all effusion of
blood would be spared.  When, however, some of the officers landed on
Golden Island, which is opposite the mouth of the Great Canal, and
climbed to the top of the pagoda in the centre of the island, they
discovered three large encampments on the slope of the hills to the
south-west of the city.  This showed that the Chinese had a large army
ready to defend the place, though it was doubted if the troops would
fight.  The British land force consisted of about 7000 men of all arms.
It had been determined that none of the ships-of-war should be engaged
in the attack.  The _Auckland_ was therefore the only vessel which fired
into the city, when employed in covering the landing of the troops.

On the evening of the 20th all preparations were completed for the
attack, which was to take place at daylight the next day.  A body of
seamen and marines, however, under Captain Peter Richards, took an
active part in the engagement, accompanied by Sir William Parker, who
forced his way with the general through the gates of the city.  Lord
Saltoun's brigade was the first on shore, and, gallantly attacking the
Chinese encamped outside the walls, soon drove them over the hills.
General Schoedde's brigade, however, was received by a hot fire of guns,
jingalls, and matchlocks, and in consequence he gave orders for
immediately escalading the walls.  The Tartars fought with the most
determined bravery, often in hand-to-hand combats, and several of the
British officers and men were wounded.  The walls were soon scaled; and,
as the troops scoured them to the right and left, they fell in with Sir
Hugh and Sir William, who had forced their way in at the gate, while
Captains Peter Richards and Watson, with the seamen and marines, had
scaled the walls in another direction.  Still, in the interior of the
city, the Tartars held every house and street where they could hope to
make a stand, determined to sell their lives dearly; and often, when
driven back by superior force, they with perfect deliberation put an end
to their own lives, and frequently those of their wives and children.

While these events were taking place, another of a more naval character
was enacting elsewhere.  The _Blonde_ was anchored off the mouth of the
Grand Canal, and her boats had been employed in the morning in landing
the artillery brigade.  At ten o'clock they were ordered away to carry
some of the artillery, with two howitzers, up the canal, to create a
diversion in favour of the troops.  They were under the command of
Lieutenant Crouch, of the _Blonde_, who had with him Messrs. Lambert,
Jenkins, and Lyons, midshipmen.  The barge, cutter, and a flat were a
little in advance, when, coming suddenly in sight of the west gate of
the city, they were assailed by a heavy fire of jingalls and matchlocks
from the whole line of the city wall, running parallel with the canal.
As the wall was nearly forty feet high, the gun in the barge could not
be elevated sufficiently to do service, and the fire of the musketry was
ineffectual.  Lieutenant Crouch and Mr Lyons, midshipman, two artillery
officers, sixteen seamen, and eight artillerymen were wounded.  As it
would have been madness to have remained longer than necessary exposed
to such a fire, the men leaped from the boats, which they abandoned, and
took shelter under cover of some houses in the suburbs.  The crews of
the launch and pinnace, however, which were some way astern, remained
under cover of some buildings, and escaped without loss.  Lieutenant
Crouch's party now saw that their only chance of escape was to join the
latter, though to do so they would have to pass across a wide space,
exposed to the fire from the walls.  They succeeded, however, in doing
this without loss, and in getting on board the two boats.  The whole
party returned down the canal to the _Cornwallis_, where they reported
what had happened to Captain Richards.  They were compelled to leave
some of the wounded behind, who, it is satisfactory to report, were
kindly treated by the Chinese,--a strong proof of the advantage of the
example set by the British.

As soon as Captain Richards was informed of the circumstances which had
occurred, he landed with 200 marines at the entrance of the canal, where
he was joined by 300 men of the 6th Madras Native Infantry, under
Captain McLean.

This body then made their way through the suburbs, to escalade the city
walls.  At the same time the boats of the _Cornwallis_, under Lieutenant
Stoddart, with those of the _Blonde_, pulled up the canal, with orders
to bring off the boats and guns which had been left behind, and to
endeavour to check the fire of the Chinese, while Captain Richards'
party were engaged in escalading the walls.  As soon as Captain Richards
landed, he was joined by Captain Watson and Mr Forster, master of the
_Modeste_, with a boat's crew and a small body of seamen from that ship.

A quantity of rubbish was found near the walls, on which the ladders
were planted by Captains Peter Richards and Watson, when, in face of a
strong body of Tartars, who opened a tremendous fire on them, they began
the hazardous ascent.  Captain Richards escaped unhurt; but Captain
Watson was wounded, as was Lieutenant Baker, of the Madras Artillery;
and a marine, who with them was one of the first on the walls, was
killed.

At this juncture, Lieutenant Fitzjames brought up some rockets and
lodged one in a guard-house, which, catching fire, threw the enemy into
such consternation that they gave way, followed by Captain Richards,
who, at the head of his men, had jumped down into an open space between
two gateways.  At the same moment the gate was blown open by powder
bags; and Sir William Parker, with the third brigade under General
Bartley, accompanied by Sir Hugh Gough, dashed over its ruins.  Several
officers and a large number of men suffered from the effects of the hot
sun.  The Naval Brigade having in consequence rested for some time in a
guard-house, on hearing some firing, again sallied out, when they were
met by a sudden fire from a body of Tartars, drawn up across a street
behind a small gateway.  Here Lieutenant Fitzjames was wounded, as were
several of the men.

The British, however, uttering a loud cheer, attacked the Tartars with
such fury that they were soon driven back and put to flight, when
numbers fell by their own hands.  The city was speedily in entire
possession of the British, when every means was taken to spare life, to
prevent plunder, and to restore order.  We must not omit to speak of the
gallantry of several naval officers mentioned by Sir Hugh Gough.  Having
heard that the canal was fordable, he had sent Major Gough to ascertain
the fact, accompanied by Captain Loch, RN, who acted as an amateur
throughout the campaign, as the general's extra aide-de-camp, and
Lieutenant Hodgson, of the _Cornwallis_, as also by Lieutenant Heatley.
Instantly rushing down the bank, the four officers plunged into the
canal and swam across, thus proving the impracticability of fording it.

The city was now completely in the power of the British; but, in
consequence of the bad drainage and the number of dead bodies left in
the houses, the cholera broke out, and raged with fearful violence among
the troops, even though they were removed to an encampment outside the
walls.  The number of Tartars who destroyed themselves and families was
very great; while much damage was committed by the Chinese plunderers,
who flocked in from the country, and pillaged in every direction; yet,
although the place had been taken by assault, none of the British troops
were allowed to plunder or to commit violence of any description.

These triumphant successes of the British had at length brought the
Emperor to reason.

The true state of affairs was represented to him; and, on the 20th of
August, his commissioner came on board the _Cornwallis_, with authority
to treat for peace.  On the 24th, the visit was returned by Sir Henry
Pottinger, Sir Hugh Gough, Sir William Parker, and upwards of a hundred
officers.

On the 29th, a treaty of peace, for which the British had been so long
contending, was happily signed on board the _Cornwallis_ by Sir Henry
Pottinger on the part of Great Britain, and by Ke-Ying, Elepoo, and
New-Kien, on the part of the Emperor of China.

While the British fleet remained in the China seas, several gallant
acts, well worthy of record also, were performed by some of the officers
of the ships.

Although a very imperfect account has been given of the operations in
the China seas, enough has been said to show that the Tartar troops were
no despicable enemies, while the bluejackets of Old England had ample
opportunities of exhibiting their daring courage, as well as that
perseverance, discipline, endurance, and humanity, for which they have
ever been conspicuous.

A TIMELY RESCUE.

CALLAO, 20TH AUGUST 1844.

Her Majesty's ship _Collingwood_, Captain R.  Smart, was lying off the
port of Callao, in China, on the 20th of August 1844.  There were at the
time two mates on board, Mr Roderick Dew and the Hon.  Frederick
William Walpole.  The latter officer had, it appears, in the afternoon
gone on board a cutter-yacht, belonging to a gentleman at Callao.  As
night came on there was a fresh breeze blowing, which knocked up a short
chopping sea.  It was also very dark, so that objects at any distance
from the ship could scarcely be discerned.  The officer of the first
watch on that night was Lieutenant Richard R.  Quin, and the mate of the
watch was Mr R.  Dew.  In those seas the currents run with great
rapidity, and where the ship lay there was a very strong tide.  Just as
the quartermasters had gone below to call the officers of the middle
watch, it being then close upon twelve o'clock, the look-out man forward
reported a boat ahead under sail.  The lieutenant of the watch, on going
to the gangway, observed a small cutter on the starboard bow, which, as
well as he could make out through the obscurity, appeared to be hove to.
He judged from the position of the cutter that she wished to
communicate with the ship, but it was impossible to see what was taking
place on board of her.  Shortly afterwards a dark object was observed on
the water on the starboard bow approaching the ship, but it did not look
like a boat.  When it was at the distance of seventy or eighty yards, it
was hailed by the sentry.  An answer was returned, but too indistinctly
for the officers aft to understand what was said.  The sentry, however,
on the forecastle seems to have made out the answer, for he instantly
sung out the startling cry of "A man overboard!"  No boats were down at
the time; and in that hot tideway in another minute the drowning man
would have been swept past the ship, and carried in all probability out
to sea, where he must have perished.  Mr Dew was forward.  Whether or
not he knew the person who was in peril of his life, I cannot say;
probably any human being would equally have claimed his aid; but without
a moment's hesitation he jumped fearlessly overboard, and swam to the
assistance of the man he supposed was drowning.  He struck out bravely,
but could not at first succeed in the object for which he was aiming.
Meantime the order for lowering a boat was given; but long before she
was got into the water the figure of a human being was discerned close
to the ship.  The sentry again hailed, when a voice, which was
recognised as that of Mr Walpole's, answered with a cry for help.  Mr
Dew cheered him up by letting him know that he was coming to his
assistance; and very soon after he got up to him, and found him clinging
to a small boat full of water, and, as he was encumbered with a heavy
pea-coat, holding on with the greatest difficulty.  Mr Dew, who was
lightly clad and fresh, enabled him to guide the swamped boat up to the
ship, near which the current was of itself carrying her.  As they passed
near the gangway, a coil of rope was hove to them, which they getting
hold of, the boat was hauled alongside, and Mr Walpole and his gallant
preserver Mr Dew were brought safely upon deck.  Mr Walpole then gave
an account of the accident which had befallen him.  He had shoved off
from the cutter in her dinghy, which was very soon swamped; and as the
tide would not allow him to regain the vessel, he was being carried
rapidly to destruction, and would, he gratefully asserted, have
inevitably perished, had it not been for the heroic conduct of Mr Dew,
who, under Providence, was thus the means of preserving his life.



CHAPTER FOUR.

CAPTURE OF A VENEZUELAN SQUADRON--FEBRUARY 1841.

Among the numerous states which have arisen from the fragments of the
Spanish empire in South America is that of Venezuela, of which
Carthagena on the northern coast, and on the eastern shore at the
entrance of the Gulf of Darien, is one of the chief towns.  Although the
inhabitants have proved themselves on many occasions to be a brave and
gallant people, they too frequently, after they drove out the Spaniards,
quarrelled among themselves, and at the time of which we write had
allowed their navy to fall into a very disorganised condition.  It
appears that the British merchant brig _Jane and Sarah_, in company with
a sloop called _Little William_, were lying at Sapote, a harbour near
Carthagena, when, on the 6th of February 1841, some Venezuelan
ships-of-war, under the orders of General Carmona, attacked the two
vessels and plundered them of a large amount of goods and specie.  A
Colonel Gregg and other passengers, together with their crews, were
taken on shore and imprisoned.  We are not aware of what crime Colonel
Gregg and the other persons were accused.  They found means, however, to
communicate their condition to the British consul resident at
Carthagena, who immediately interested himself on their behalf, and
applied to the Government for their release.

His intercession was perfectly unsuccessful.  As soon, therefore, as he
was able, he sent off a despatch to Lieutenant De Courcy, commanding HM
brig _Charybdis_, stationed on the coast to protect British interests,
and which was fortunately then in the neighbourhood.  Immediately on
receiving the communication, Lieutenant De Courcy came off the port of
Carthagena, and despatched a boat with an officer bearing a letter to
the commodore of the squadron, then at anchor inside, demanding the
release of Colonel Gregg and the other British subjects.

The Venezuelan squadron consisted of a corvette, a brig, and three
schooners of war.  When the officer got on board the corvette, he found
the commodore, who treated him with great insolence, observing that, as
the letter was not written in Spanish, he could not understand it, and
therefore could not receive it, treating the threatened interference
with the greatest contempt.  The unfortunate Colonel Gregg, it appears,
was shot, immediately after the application for his release had been
made; so that probably the commodore was acting under the orders of the
Government, who were little aware of the punishment they were about to
draw down on the head of the commander of their ships.

As soon as the British officer had returned on board the _Charybdis_,
and reported these circumstances, Lieutenant de Courcy determined to
compel attention to his communications.  The _Charybdis_ was rated as a
six-gun brig, but she carried only one long gun amidships and two
carronades, and her full complement of officers and men was but
fifty-five.  Nothing daunted, however, he boldly entered the port, and
was passing up to an anchorage, when, without any provocation, he was
fired into by the corvette,--the commodore's vessel,--and the forestay
of the _Charybdis_ was shot away.

This was an insult not for an instant to be borne, and, in spite of the
small size of his vessel and the apparently overwhelming force opposed
to him, he immediately took up a position, and opened his fire on the
corvette.  His officers and crew enthusiastically supported him, and,
working their guns with a will, so rapidly was their fire delivered, and
so well was it directed, that in a short time the corvette hauled down
her colours and surrendered, when, on taking possession of her, it was
found that the commodore and twenty-five of his men had been killed.

In the meantime, a brig-of-war had been coming down to the assistance of
the corvette, followed by three schooners; and scarcely had the first
been disposed of when she came into action.  Unexhausted by their
exertions, the gallant crew of the _Charybdis_ fought their guns as
before, and in five minutes after they had been brought to bear on the
brig, she sank; and in a short time the schooners, after exchanging a
few shots, also surrendered.

Thus, in the course of less than an hour, the whole of the squadron was
captured or destroyed,--the victor remaining at anchor in their port
with his prizes, to await the decision of the admiral on the station as
to their disposal.  In consequence of Lieutenant De Courcy's capture of
the Venezuelan squadron, he at once received his promotion to the rank
of commander.



CHAPTER FIVE.

SUPPRESSION OF PIRACY IN BORNEO--RAJAH BROOKE.

Sir James Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak, went out as a cadet to India, where
he distinguished himself in the Burmese war, but, being wounded there,
he returned home.  A warm admirer of Sir Stamford Raffles, by whose
enlightened efforts the flourishing city of Singapore was established,
and British commerce much increased in the Eastern Archipelago, he took
a voyage there to form a personal acquaintance with those interesting
islands.  He found the people groaning under oppression, piracy
unchecked, and commerce undeveloped.  He here secretly resolved to
devote his life to remedying these evils.  On his return home he
purchased a yacht, the _Royalist_, of 142 tons, and with care and
kindness, for three years, he trained a crew zealously ready to follow
his fortunes.

Having been appointed Governor of Sarawak, 24th September 1841, he set
himself actively to work to reform abuses, to improve the cultivation of
the country, and to secure peace and happiness to the people.  Having
arranged the internal affairs of his government, he went back to
Singapore for the purpose of asking the aid of some ship-of-war to put
down piracy.  The _Dido_, the Honourable Captain Keppel, was accordingly
sent to assist him in carrying out his object.  Among the many gallant
acts performed by that officer and ship's company, we have space to
recount only one.

ATTACK ON SAREBUS PIRATES.

The _Dido_, after leaving Sarawak, proceeded to the island of Burong,
which was appointed as the place of rendezvous.  The force selected for
the expedition consisted of the _Dido's_ pinnace, two cutters, and a
gig, with Rajah Brooke's boat, the _Jolly Bachelor_, carrying a long
six-pounder brass gun and thirty of the _Dido's_ men.  Several chiefs
sent their fleets, so that the native force was considerable, and it
caused no little trouble to keep them in order.

On the 11th, as they passed rapidly up the stream, the beating of gongs
and the loud yelling warned them that they were approaching their
enemies.  A sudden turn in the river brought them in front of a steep
hill, which rose from the bank.  As they hove in sight, several hundred
savages rose up, and gave one of their war-yells.  "It was the first,"
says Captain Keppel, "I ever heard.  No report from musketry or ordnance
could ever make a man's heart feel so _small_ as mine did at that horrid
yell.  I had no time to think, but took a shot at them with my
double-barrel as they rushed down the steep, while we hurried past."  As
the large boat came up, she gave them a dose from her heavy gun.  A
barrier of stakes was now encountered, but the gig pushed through, and
found herself in the presence of three formidable-looking forts, which
immediately opened a heavy fire on her.  Luckily the enemy's guns were
elevated for the range of the barrier, a few grape-shot only splashing
the water round the gig.  The boat was drifting fast towards the enemy.
The banks of the river were covered with warriors, who yelled and rushed
down to secure her.  With some difficulty the long gig was got round,
and, Rajah Brooke steering, she was paddled up against the stream.
During this time Captain Keppel and his coxswain kept up a fire on the
embrasures, to prevent the enemy reloading before the pinnace could
bring her twelve-pounder carronade to bear.  Unfortunately she fell
athwart the barrier, and had three men wounded while thus placed.  With
the aid, however, of some of the native auxiliaries, the rattan lashings
which secured the heads of the stakes were cut, and the first cutter got
through.  The other boats then followed, and kept up a destructive fire
on the fort.  Mr D'Aeth, who was the first to land, jumped on shore
with his crew at the foot of the hill on the top of which the nearest
fort stood, and at once rushed for the summit.

This mode of warfare--this dashing at once in the very face of their
fort--was so novel and incomprehensible to the enemy, that they fled
panic-struck into the jungle, and the leading men of the British could
scarcely get a snap-shot at them.  That evening the country was
illuminated for miles by the burning of the capital, Paddi, and the
adjacent villages.  The guns in the forts were also taken and the
stockades burnt.  The banks of the river were here so narrow that it was
necessary to keep vigilantly on the alert, as a spear even could easily
be thrown across, though for the greater part of the night the burning
houses made it light as day.  In the evening, Doctors Simpson and
Treacher amputated the arm of the captain of the forecastle on board the
_Dido_.  In the morning, a fleet of prahus came sweeping towards them,
and were only discovered to be friends just in time to save them from a
deadly discharge from the six-pounder.

In the evening, a party under Lieutenant Horton, who was accompanied by
Rajah Brooke, was sent up the left stream.  Captain Keppel was at supper
on board the _Jolly Bachelor_, when the sound of the pinnace's
twelve-pounder carronade broke through the stillness of the night.  This
was responded to by one of those simultaneous war-yells, apparently from
every part of the country.  Captain Keppel, on this, jumping into his
gig, pulled off to the aid of his friends.  From the winding of the
stream, the yells appeared to come from every direction--sometimes
ahead, sometimes astern.  Proceeding thus for nearly two hours, a sudden
and quick discharge of musketry warned him that he was approaching the
scene of action.

He kept his rifle ready for use on his knee; and to give an idea that he
was bringing up a strong reinforcement, he ordered the bugler he had
with him to strike up "Rory O'More."  This was immediately responded to
by three British cheers, followed, however, by a deathlike silence,
which made him suppose that the enemy were between him and his friends.

Seeing some human forms before him, he hailed, and, receiving no answer,
fired, supposing them to be Dyaks, when, to his horror, Lieutenant
Horton exclaimed, "We are here, sir."  Providentially no one was hurt.
The sound of the current had prevented his hail being heard.  The party
had taken up a very clever position on the top of a bank from which the
jungle had been cleared for about thirty yards, and which rose
perpendicularly from a little bay just big enough to hold the boats.
Here Lieutenant Gunnel was posted, with seven royal marines as a
rear-guard.  This was an important position, and one of danger, as the
jungle itself was alive with the enemy; and although spears were hurled
from it continually during the night, no shot was thrown away unless the
figure of a pirate could be distinctly seen.  The rain fell heavily, the
men wore their greatcoats to keep their pieces dry.  Often during the
long night a musket was raised to the shoulder, and lowered, as the
enemy flitted by.  Those in the boats below stood facing the opposite
bank of the river, with their arms in their hands.

It appears that the enemy had come down in great force to attack the
boats from that side; and as the river was there very shallow, and the
bottom hard, they could, by wading not more than knee-deep, have
approached to within five or six yards of them.  But in the first attack
they had lost a good many men, and it is supposed that their repeated
advances during the night were more to recover their dead and wounded,
than to make any attack on the compact little force of British, whose
deadly aim and rapid firing had told with such effect, and who certainly
were, one and all, prepared to sell their lives as dearly as possible.
For some object, the enemy had begun felling some large trees, and their
torches showing their position, Mr Partridge kept up a hot fire on them
from the pinnace, till a signal rocket fired among them made them take
to flight.  Two natives and one marine of the British party were
wounded; and the latter poor fellow, a gallant young officer named
Jenkins, already distinguished in the Chinese war, volunteered to convey
in the second gig, with four boys only, down to the _Jolly Bachelor_.
He performed his duty, and was again up with the party before daylight.

At dawn the pirates began assembling in some force; but as the boats
advanced up the river towards a spot where they had left their wives and
children, they sent in a flag of truce.  Several chiefs soon appeared,
and the result of the conference was, that they undertook to abandon
piracy if their lives were spared.  This was agreed to, and they have
strictly adhered to their promises.



CHAPTER SIX.

WARFARE ON THE RIVERS LA PLATA AND PARANA.

BATTLE OF THE PARANA--30TH NOVEMBER 1845.

Juan da Rosas, having made himself master of La Plata, and taken
possession of Buenos Ayres, closed the Rio de La Plata against all
strangers.  This was contrary to a treaty with the English and French;
and accordingly an English and French squadron was despatched to open up
the channel of commerce, the lighter vessels forming an expedition to
force the Parana.

Rear-Admiral Inglefield was commander-in-chief, with his flag on board
the _Vernon_.  The French squadron was commanded by Admiral Laine.  The
command of the English force was given to Captain Charles Hotham, of HM
steam-frigate _Gorgon_; and he had under him, _Firebrand_,
steam-frigate, Captain J Hope; _Philomel_, surveying brig, Commander BJ
Sulivan; _Comus_, eighteen guns, Acting Commander EA Inglefield;
_Dolphin_, brigantine, Lieutenant R Levinge; _Fanny_, tender, Lieutenant
AC Key.

On the 18th, the expedition arrived within three miles of the very
strong defences General Rosas had caused to be thrown up on the right
bank of the Parana, on Punta Obligada, to oppose their progress.  This
spot was about thirty miles below the river San Nicholas, and a hundred
from the mouth of the river.

At daylight the following morning the two captains reconnoitred the
position of the enemy, and soon discovered that great military skill had
been evinced, both in the ground chosen and the plan of defence pursued.

The morning of the 20th broke dark and foggy, but about eight a.m. the
weather cleared, and a southerly breeze sprang up.  At a quarter to
nine, the southern division weighed, and with a light wind stood towards
the batteries, followed shortly afterwards by the _San Martin_ and
_Comus_.  The _Dolphin_ and _Pandour_ had previously anchored on the
north shore.  Two of the _Dolphin's_ crew--R Rowe, gunner's mate, and W
Ross, caulker's mate--though severely wounded, refused to leave their
quarters till the day was won.

At about ten minutes before ten the batteries commenced the action by
opening a heavy fire on the _Philomel_ and the southern division, which
Commander Sulivan speedily returned with interest.  On this occasion the
gallant Lieutenant Doyle, of the _Philomel_, had his arm shot away, and
for some time his life was despaired of; but, notwithstanding the agony
of his wound, he still showed his interest in the progress of the
action.  On this the _Dolphin_ weighed, to support the ships in action;
but as some of her sails were shot away before she could reach her
appointed station, the current drove her astern, and compelled her to
anchor.  Lieutenant Levinge, however, contrived to place her in a
position where her guns did good execution; she, however, was
unavoidably exposed all the time to a tremendous shower of shot, shell,
grape, and rockets, which came flying over her.  During it several of
her people were wounded; and Mr G Andrews, clerk in charge, was
unhappily killed while assisting the surgeon in his duties to the
wounded.

The remaining ships of the north division were gallantly led into action
by the brave Captain Trehouart, whose brig succeeded in reaching her
appointed station.

A terrific cannonade was now taking place, increasing as the ships, one
after the other, got into action.  It had, however, unfortunately the
effect of making the wind fall light; and, in consequence, the ships of
the northern division, having to contend with a current running three
miles an hour, were compelled to anchor two cables short of the stations
assigned to them.  About this time the Spaniards cast loose the
fire-vessels, chained two and two together; and as they came drifting
down rapidly towards the squadron, the steamers kept moving about to tow
them clear, should they drift against any of the ships.  Fortunately
they did no harm; but, till they had drifted past, the steamers could
neither anchor nor open their fire.

At about ten minutes to eleven the action became general; and the effect
of the admirable gunnery practice, both of the English and French crews,
was soon evident by the unsteadiness with which the enemy continued
their fire.  No men could, however, have fought more bravely than they
did.  No sooner had the fire from the British ships swept one set of men
from their guns, than they were replaced by others, compelled, if not
determined of their own accord, to fight to the last.  At length the
fire from the batteries began to slacken, some of the guns being
dismounted, and the gunners driven from the others; and at four p.m., an
occasional shot only being fired, Captain Hotham made the signal for the
boats of the squadron, manned and armed, to rendezvous alongside the
_Gorgon_ and _Firebrand_, sending at the same time to the French
commander, to propose that the remaining part of their plan, which was
that they should land and storm the batteries, should be carried into
immediate execution.  Captain Hotham landed with 180 bluejackets and 145
marines, when, giving three hearty British cheers, they formed on the
beach preparatory to making a rush up the hill.  Commander Sulivan, who
had under him the skirmishing party and light company of seamen, led the
way up the hill; the rest quickly followed, and, as they reached the
crest, they were received by a smart fire of musketry.  The enemy were,
however, quickly driven back before the bayonets of the marines, under
the command of Captain F Hurdle, RM; while, at the same time, the light
company of seamen, under Lieutenant AC Key, made a dash at the wood,
which it was most important to hold.  In a few minutes it was carried
and taken possession of.  Shortly after this the French brigade landed;
and, the enemy taking to flight in all directions, little more remained
to be done, beyond spiking the guns and destroying the batteries.
Captain Hope, after cutting the chain across the river, landed with
Captain Hotham, and acted as his aide-de-camp throughout the day.

In consequence of this action, Captain C Hotham was made a Commander of
the Order of the Bath; Commander BJ Sulivan was posted; and Lieutenants
Inglefield, Levinge, Doyle, and Key were made commanders; R Rowe,
gunner's mate, was made a gunner, and W Ross, caulker's mate, was made a
warrant officer, both of whom, though severely wounded, had refused to
quit their quarters till the battle was over.

Two ships of war being left to prevent the enemy offering any
obstruction to the navigation of the Parana, the squadron proceeded to
convoy a fleet of merchantmen up the river.

Captain Hope, in a very gallant way, pursued and destroyed the schooner
_Chacabuco_, belonging to the enemy.

ENGAGEMENTS WITH THE BATTERIES OF SAN LORENZO.

After the squadron and convoy had passed up, which they did without the
loss of a single vessel or man, Rosas set to work to fortify the cliffs
of San Lorenzo.  This he did in the most effectual way in his power, by
throwing up large works of earth, and in collecting guns from every
direction, and also in training his men to the use of them.  He had
plenty of time to effect these objects, as the squadron was detained
some time at Corrientes, while the merchantmen were disposing of their
cargoes, and collecting fresh ones to take back in return.  May 1846,
indeed, had arrived before the different vessels of the convoy had
settled all their affairs, and to the number of no were ready to descend
the river.

In the meantime, a constant communication had been kept up with the
admiral at Monte Video by the men-of-war, which had on each occasion to
run the gauntlet of the batteries, and in some instances with severe
loss, their commanders at the same time affording a noble display of
gallantry, in obeying the orders they had received.  Commander Sulivan,
among others, made himself very conspicuous by the accurate knowledge he
possessed of the river, which enabled him to pilot the ships up without
risk.

The _Philomel_ having been despatched from Corrientes to Monte Video, as
she approached the batteries of San Lorenzo, Commander Sulivan made
preparations to pass them.  Knowing that he could pass under the cliffs,
he judged it best to hug them as closely as possible, lest any guns
should already be mounted.  Having made a barricade of hammocks and bags
for the helmsman, he sent all hands below to be out of harm's way,--he
himself only, and his first lieutenant, remaining on deck to con the
brig.  Slowly and silently the little vessel drew near the point of
danger.  A light and favourable air filled her sails, and, almost
grazing the perpendicular cliff, she glided slowly by.  When the brig
was close under the first battery, the enemy opened their fire at her;
but so near was she to the cliffs, that they could not sufficiently
depress their guns to touch her decks, their lowest shot going through
the boom-mainsail, four or five feet above the hammock-netting.  They
continued their ineffectual fire till the gallant little _Philomel_ was
quite clear and out of range.

HM steamer _Lizard_, HM Tylden, lieutenant in command, which was sent up
the Parana on the 21st of April, was not so fortunate in escaping
without damage.  When about six miles from San Lorenzo, Lieutenant
Tylden observed that large batteries had been erected on a commanding
point, and that the adjacent coast was lined with artillery and
field-pieces.  As the _Lizard_ approached the batteries, Lieutenant
Tylden ordered three ensigns to be hoisted, as a signal to the enemy
that he intended to fight as long as the ship floated.  At half-past
eleven a.m., the northern batteries opened a heavy fire; and on
approaching nearer, the other batteries and artillery commenced a quick
and well-directed fire also, which was returned by the _Lizard_ with
rockets and her forecastle gun, until the rocket-stand was shot away,
and the gun could no longer be elevated sufficiently to bear on the
enemy.

When the gallant commander found that the heavy shot, grape, and
musketry were riddling his vessel from stem to stern, he ordered the
officers and men to go below, with the exception of those absolutely
required on deck, in the hopes that they might thus escape injury.
Scarcely, however, had they gone below, when two shots entered the
gun-room, one of which killed Mr Barnes, clerk in charge, and the other
Mr Webb, master's assistant.  Two seamen also were killed; and Mr
Miller, assistant surgeon, and three men were wounded.  As the wind and
current were against her, and there was a great deal of water in the
hold, she made but slow progress, and it was not till twenty-five
minutes past one p.m. that she got out of fire.  She received 7 shot
between wind and water, besides 9 cannon, 14 grape, and 41 musket-balls
in the hull and bulwarks, and 7 cannon and grape in the funnel and
steam-pipe; while her boats, mainmast, and rigging were pierced through
and through by round shot.

HM steam-sloop _Alecto_, Commander FW Austen, had previously, early in
April, gone up, towing three heavily-laden schooners against a current
of three knots and a head wind.  On approaching a place called Tonelero,
a number of workmen were seen throwing up batteries, clearly for the
purpose of annoying the convoy on their way down.  Opening her fire on
them, she soon put the men to flight.  She came up to the batteries on
the morning of the 6th, with a strong wind and current against her, and
the heavy schooners in tow.  She had been accompanied all the way by a
squadron of cavalry, who kept pace with her in an easy walk, halting
every now and then.  At two her crew went to quarters; and at forty
minutes past two, having before fired a few shot, her three guns and
rockets were got into full play.  This was answered by the lower guns on
the batteries with round shot until she reached the narrowest part, when
the enemy opened with round shot and grape together.  Their guns were
raking her at this time from head to stern in such a way that none of
her guns could be brought effectually to bear on them.  In this state
she remained for twenty minutes, scarcely going ahead, and receiving the
fire of seven eighteen-pounders, several of which were pointed down on
her decks.  During this time she fired away in return at the enemy, who
appeared abreast of her, every charge of grape and canister on board,
and was then reduced to round shot.  For a few minutes, also, she
exchanged with them a sharp fire of musketry.  She then went gradually
ahead, and as the river widened, and the current decreased in strength,
she drew out of shot, having been an hour and fifteen minutes under
fire.

Captain Austen, her commander, was the only person hurt, a spent
grape-shot having struck him a severe blow on the thigh.  Commander
Mackinnon, then a lieutenant, who has written a most amusing account of
the affair, says "that in going into action the men appeared to take it
as a matter of course; but as the plot thickened and they warmed at the
work, they tossed the long guns about like playthings, and indeed
managed them in an admirable manner."  This he attributes to the system
taught on board the _Excellent_.

The crews of the Monte Videan schooners were in a dreadful fright all
the time, expecting to be sent to the bottom.  On sounding the well on
board the _Alecto_, a considerable quantity of water was found in the
hold.  When search was made, a shot-hole was discovered forward, between
wind and water.  This was speedily plugged.  Just as she came in sight
of the convoy, after her long and tedious voyage, she got on shore, and
there remained for some days before she was again floated off.

GALLANT EXPLOIT OF A ROCKET-BATTERY.

Santa Fe is situated on the east bank of the river.  It is a place of
some size.  Built partly at the foot and partly on the side of a lofty
hill, surrounded by _corrales_ where thousands of cattle are
slaughtered, their hides and their tallow being shipped from the port,
while vast flocks of vultures, carrion crows, and other birds of prey
hover over them to consume the refuse beef, which there are not human
mouths sufficient to eat.  As may be supposed, it is far from an
agreeable place.  The greater part of the English and French men-of-war
were lying at Baxadar de Santa Fe, which was the appointed rendezvous of
the merchantmen.  Here the larger number, having effected their object,
collected towards the middle of May.  The difficulty was now to get the
convoy safely back past the batteries of San Lorenzo.  Sir Charles
Hotham had got up to settle some diplomatic affairs with the Government
of Corrientes, and on the 16th of May he returned in the _Alecto_.

A plan had occurred to Lieutenant Mackinnon of that ship, by which the
passage of the convoy might be facilitated; and, having proposed it to
Sir Charles Hotham, he, after a short consideration of its possibility,
expressed his willingness to have it carried out, should everything be
as supposed.

Lieutenant Mackinnon stated that opposite to the heavy part of the
batteries of San Lorenzo he had observed an island covered with long
reeds, grass, and small trees, but completely commanded by the guns of
the battery.  He proposed, the night before the convoy was to fight
their way down, to take on shore a certain number of congreve rockets,
to land them at the back of the island, and to place them in readiness
for use when the time of action should arrive; this could be effected in
a few minutes,--then to dig by the side of each rocket a hole large
enough to contain the men working them, and to throw the earth up as a
kind of barricade before it; at the signal given by the
commander-in-chief, when all the enemy's batteries were fully manned,
waiting for the convoy, to commence a tremendous fire of rockets, which,
being totally unexpected by the enemy, would be proportionally effective
and destructive.  The chances were that they would return this fire,
which the prepared holes would render harmless; and if the rocket-stands
or tubes were hit,--very difficult objects,--poles and instruments would
be at hand to repair them immediately.  Besides, when the vessels were
passing, the chances were that, from the height of the cliffs, the
rockets would strike the enemy over the mast-heads of the ships, thus
causing a double-banked fire of great force.

Sir Charles Hotham having consulted Captain Hope and Captain Trehouart,
who highly approved of the plan, provided the ground when reconnoitred
was found as suitable as expected, the execution of it was entrusted to
Lieutenant Mackinnon, of the _Alecto_, with Lieutenant Barnard, of the
_Firebrand_, as his second.  For several days the preparations were
going on; and on the 25th of May, all being ready, the convoy and
men-of-war dropped down the river, and anchored about five miles above
the batteries of San Lorenzo, while the _Alecto_, continuing her course,
brought up still nearer to them.

At length, on the night of the 1st of June, Sir Charles Hotham and the
French captain, with some other officers, reconnoitred the locality.
Besides the island we have spoken of, there were several others of
nearly the same size, and at the same distance from the western shore;
to the eastward of them, again, was an immense archipelago of low swampy
islands, covered with brushwood, extending in that direction six or
eight miles between them and the main shore of Entre Rios.

There was just sufficient light for the reconnoitring party to see their
way as they steered through the intricate passages to the east of the
large islands.  With muffled oars and in dead silence they pulled on
till they reached the island they wished to examine; and as they shoved
the boat's bow into the mud, a loud rustling was heard in the brushwood,
and a wild beast of some sort, which they took for a tiger, rushed
towards them.  They dared not fire, of course, and without allowing a
moment's hesitation to interfere with the service they were upon,
proceeded to land according to seniority.  As the first officers leaped
on shore, sword in hand, the supposed tiger, with a loud snort, jumped
into the river, proving to be a harmless capybara, or water-hog,
peculiar to the large rivers of South America.

They now advanced cautiously, among the reeds and brushwood, across the
island, when, to their great satisfaction, they found that the river
itself had performed the very work required, by throwing up, when
swelled by the rains, an embankment many feet high along the entire
length of the island, so as completely to screen them from the enemy's
batteries,--a work, indeed, which many hundred men could not so well
have executed in a week.  Behind this the land rising, there was
consequently a large natural trench; here the rockets might be placed in
comparative safety.  The only difficulty would be to get the men into
the trench and to retire safely after the ammunition was expended, and
also to avoid any suspicion on the enemy's part of the proximity of such
a foe.  The party then returned to the ship, and completed the necessary
preparations.

The next night the rocket-party, in the _Alecto's_ paddle-box boat, took
their departure under the command of Lieutenant Mackinnon.  He was
accompanied by his second in command, Lieutenant Barnard, of the Marine
Artillery, by Mr Hamm, the boatswain of the _Alecto_, and Mr Baker,
the pilot, with twelve artillerymen and eleven seamen.  Silent as the
grave, they pulled behind the islands, and without accident reached the
appointed spot.  They first set to work to get the rocket-stands and
rockets up to the embankment; and very fatiguing work it was to the men,
for they had to carry them through a swamp, into which they sank up to
their knees, and then a considerable distance over rough and uneven
ground, among thick reeds and brushwood.  A glass of grog, with some
pork and biscuits, set them to rights again; and without delay they
planted the rocket-stands, pointing them so that the rockets might just
clear the top of the batteries.  Fortunately, a few yards beyond the
little bay where the boat had been lying all night, a large willow tree
had fallen into the river, of her exact length, and beyond that was a
point of land running out likewise; between these she was hauled in.
Branches of willow were stuck in all round and inside the boat, which
most effectually concealed her,--so much so, that when Lieutenant Baker
arrived the next night at the spot, he was observed standing up in the
stern-sheets of the gig, looking wistfully towards the sandy beach,
without seeing anything of the boat, though the starboard bow-oar of his
gig splashed the water in Lieutenant Mackinnon's face.  The latter
officer whistled; upon which Lieutenant Baker pulled in, and began
conversing.

All this time Lieutenant Mackinnon was standing with one leg on the
gunwale of the boat and the other on land, the boat's gunwale being
flush with it; it appeared, therefore, as if he was partly standing on a
tree in the water, and so completely deceived Lieutenant Baker that he
exclaimed, "But where on earth have you put the boat to?"  The low laugh
from the men, who were hid under a tarpaulin, revealed where she was.
When they were moving about in daylight, they were obliged to crouch
down like a herd of kangaroos, creeping behind the bushes and among the
long grass, so as not to be seen by the enemy, to whom the whole island
was then exposed to view.  Had the Spaniards found out that they were
there, of course they would have sent boats across to attack them, and
would have fired on them from the forts; and though no doubt the
bluejackets would have made a good fight of it with their rockets, the
plan for preserving the fleet must have failed entirely.

The first day all hands were roused from their sleep in the boat and
mustered at two p.m.; their arms being examined, they were ordered to
remain at the boat in readiness for any emergency, while the officers
and two artillerymen relieved the look-out at the battery.  Twenty-eight
embrasures, with heavy guns in them, were counted in the enemy's forts;
and so close were the party, that with pocket-telescopes they could
clearly distinguish the faces of the people, and observed General
Moncellia, the brother-in-law of Rosas, drive up in his carriage with
four horses, and, dismounting, inspect the troops and guns.  Little did
he suspect the foe he had near him.  Having remained some time, the
officers crawled back to the boats to take some rest, but they were far
too anxious to sleep long; and the next night was passed, as before, in
paying constant visits to the rocket-battery.  Once they were nearly
discovered, by one of the men incautiously exposing himself.  As
Lieutenant Mackinnon was watching the battery, he observed the sentry
suddenly stop, and eye the spot narrowly.  "Hold fast," he whispered to
the man; "don't move, as you value your life."  The man obeyed, and, to
the lieutenant's infinite relief, he at last saw the sentry move on.

Daybreak of the 4th came at length; the wind blew fairly down the
stream, and everyone was on the tiptoe of expectation, listening for the
report of two guns, the preconcerted signal of the fleet being about to
sail.  It was a time of the greatest anxiety, for any moment, if
discovered, the twenty-eight pieces of ordnance might have commenced
playing on them, and blown them all to atoms; but fortunately the eyes
of the enemy were turned up the stream, towards the point from whence
the fleet was expected to appear.  Slowly the hours seemed to pass, till
at length, at nine a.m., the welcome sound of the two guns came booming
along the water; and immediately the men proceeded from the boat to the
rocket-stands, creeping along like a band of North American Indians on a
war expedition to surprise a sleeping foe.

A long pole, with the British flag made fast to it, had been prepared,
on the elevation of which the first discharge of rockets was to take
place.  The squadron of men-of-war and merchantmen now approached, the
_Gorgon, Fulton_, and _Alecto_ leading.  Majestically they glided on
till they came within range of the batteries, at which they commenced
firing their shells with admirable precision.  The long and anxious
moment at length arrived for the discharge of the rockets.  Lieutenant
Mackinnon waved his cap aloft; at this signal Lieutenant Barnard planted
the British flag under the nose of the enemy, and, taking off his cap,
made them a low bow.

Up went a flight of rockets; two of them flew into the very centre of
the most crowded part of the batteries, completely clearing them of
their defenders, two went over their heads, and two stuck in the cliffs
beneath them.  The elevation of the four stands which were wrongly
pointed being rectified, they were once more charged; and as soon as the
enemy had returned to their guns, and were looking along the sights to
take aim at the steamers, Lieutenant Mackinnon, jumping up on the
embankment, thoughtless of how he was exposing himself, sang out,
"Pepper, lads! pepper, lads! pepper, pepper, pepper!" and pepper away
the men did with a vengeance.  The crash was tremendous.

The enemy, with dismay, deserted their guns; and terrific must have been
the slaughter among them, for in one minute, forty rockets, admirably
directed, were poured in among them.  To add to their confusion, a
rocket had penetrated an ammunition cart, which, blowing up with a
prodigious sound, filled the air with smoke.  At the same time the dry
grass about the seamen catching fire, they were surrounded by so dense
an atmosphere that it was impossible for some moments to see what was
going forward.  The wind, however, soon blowing aside the murky veil,
the fleet of merchantmen were seen passing quickly down, while the
steamers took up their position directly under the batteries.

On this up went another shower of rockets, which continued without
cessation, filling the air with long delicate threads of smoke, under
which the vessels passed in safety, the effect being most beautiful.
These events occupied some time; and as soon as the sternmost ships of
the squadron were well out of range of shot, the _Gorgon_ hoisted the
signal for their return.  The enemy's guns, as soon as they had no
floating opponents directly in front, directed their fire at the island,
but, misled by the flagstaff, peppered away at that, to the great
delight of the rocket-party, who were safe behind the bank; however, the
enemy discovered their mistake, and turned their guns in the proper
direction of the rocket-battery.  The shot fell harmless, as they either
stuck in the bank or passed over the men's heads like cricket balls.

Now and then a single rocket was sent into some of the enemy's
embrasures, which accelerated a return of shot.  When the little
_Dolphin_ came down, leading the convoy, at the order, "Cover the
_Dolphin_," another volley and running fire burst forth, accompanied
with loud cheers for the gallant little vessel, which passed down with
slight damage.

Preparations were made for decamping, and, as a last salute, the
flagstaff was waved in the face of the enemy, which appeared to annoy
them much, as a heavy fire was drawn towards the retreating party; but,
as they spread out wide apart, the shot passed through without touching
a single man or article belonging to them.  The boat was soon reached,
the willows cast off, and all hands got on board, when "Out oars!" was
the word, and away they pulled down the stream to join the fleet.

After these events, the British and French squadron relieved Monte Video
from an attack made on it by some of the allies of Rosas, and for some
time their marines and seamen occupied it, and assisted in placing it in
a better position of defence.



CHAPTER SEVEN.

EXPEDITION TO SAN JUAN DE NICARAGUA.

CAPTURE OF FORT SERAPAQUI--21ST FEBRUARY 1848.

The state of Nicaragua will be found towards the southern portion of
that narrow neck of land which joins the two continents of North and
South America.  A variety of outrages and insults having been offered to
British subjects,--two individuals especially having been carried off
from San Juan by Colonel Salas, of the Nicaraguan army,--Mr Walker, Her
Majesty's Consul-General and Agent stationed at Bluefields, requested
Admiral Austen, the Commander-in-chief on the West India station, to
send some ships-of-war to support and protect British interests in that
part of the world.

In consequence of this request, the admiral despatched HMS _Alarm_,
Captain Granville G.  Loch, and HMS _Vixen_, Commander Ryder, to
Bluefields.  They reached the mouth of the river the following day,
where the ships came to an anchor.  The nearest Nicaraguan settlement
was at Serapaqui, about thirty miles up the river, but this, owing to
the strength of the current and various rapids, was generally a four
days' journey by boats.  It was understood that Colonel Salas was
stationed at this fort with a considerable body of troops.  Nothing
daunted by this, by the known strength of the fort, or by the difficulty
of approaching it on account of the rapidity of the current of the river
which there flows by the place, Captain Loch resolved to insist on
Colonel Salas making all the reparation in his power, or, in the event
of his refusal, to compel him to do so by force.

The fort of Serapaqui was situated on a point projecting into the river
very abruptly, and rising to the height of fifty feet.  It was protected
in the rear by a dense forest, and in the front by an abattis formed of
large trees felled, with their heads and branches reaching into the
river.  The defences of the fort consisted of six angular stockaded
entrenchments, formed of very tough timber, eight feet high and four
feet thick, one side of each stockade looking across the river, and the
other down the reach.  The principal stockade commanded the only
landing-place, on which also a gun was at the time mounted.  The fort
was only to be approached by heading a rapid current of nearly five
knots an hour, in order to pass the fort and descend towards the
landing-place, which was above the stockaded batteries, and excessively
steep and narrow.  The fort is situated at the head of a straight reach
about a mile and a half long, the woods on either side affording an
almost impenetrable shelter to a concealed foe.

As soon as the ships anchored, the expedition, consisting of 260
officers and men, left their sides in twelve boats.

The representations as to the strength of the current were found to be
in no way exaggerated; but, with a gallantry, zeal, and perseverance
never surpassed, Captain Loch and his brave followers pulled on hour
after hour against the stream.  Often they had to pass over downfalls
and rapids, when it was only by the greatest exertions that the heavy
boats could in any way be forced along.  In this service, Lieutenant
Scott, first of the _Vixen_, showed the most praiseworthy zeal and
gallantry.

At night they rested, but at an early hour again each morning they
recommenced their exertions, and at length, after a most fatiguing pull
of seventy-two hours, they anchored a short distance below the fort.
Early on the morning of the 12th of February the expedition got under
weigh, and proceeded up towards the fort.  Captain Loch and Commander
Ryder went on ahead in their gigs, in order to communicate with Colonel
Salas, and to state the object of Her Majesty's forces being in the
river.

No sooner, however, were they seen from the fort than they were fired at
by two guns, and directly afterwards by musketry from both sides of the
river.  As this act effectually prevented any peaceable arrangements,
Captain Loch immediately ordered up the boats for the purpose of
storming the fort.  The two gigs then took the lead, followed pretty
closely by some of the lighter-pulling boats.  On they went, pulling
against the rapid current, which, as they advanced, grew still stronger,
and exposed all the time to a hot fire of musketry from men concealed
behind both banks of the river, so that there was little use even in
attempting to return it.

From this severe fire several men were wounded, and one officer very
severely,--Mr R.  Turner, midshipman,--and two killed.  The boats were
also almost riddled with shot, and nearly half the oars were broken; it
seems, indeed, surprising, considering also their crowded state, with
the mill-stream rate of the current, that a greater number of casualties
did not occur.  In this exposed position, often appearing to be quite
stationary, they had to pull one hour and forty minutes before they were
enabled to pass the batteries sufficiently high to drop down to the
landing-place previously mentioned.

By this time nearly all the boats were up, and Captain Loch gave the
order to land, he himself leading the way.  The boats' crews, with a
British cheer, leaped on shore, and gallantly charged the enemy.  The
Nicaraguans withstood them for some time, but the cutlass and pistol
soon did their work; and in ten minutes they had taken to flight, and
the British flag was hoisted on the fort.  One of the first on shore was
a seaman of the _Vixen_ (Denis Burke, stoker), who quickly fought his
way up to the enemy's colours, and captured them.

As the enemy fled, the British pursued them into the thick woods; but
after they had been chased for about thirty minutes, Captain Loch,
considering that they had been sufficiently punished, ordered the recall
to be sounded.  The English then destroyed the stockades, spiked the
guns, broke the trunnions, and threw them, together with all the muskets
and ammunition left behind, into the river.  The force was next
embarked, when the whole of the defences were set on fire.

From the dangers to which the party were exposed, and the difficulties
they overcame, this affair may well be considered as one of the most
gallant among those we have to record.



CHAPTER EIGHT.

THE DESTRUCTION OF LAGOS--26TH DECEMBER 1851.

The town of Lagos, built at the mouth of the river Ogun, which debouches
in the Bight of Benin, is a healthy place, and well situated for trade.
It is the seaport also of Abbeokuta, a town of considerable dimensions,
sixty miles inland from it, and which it is hoped will become a very
important place, now that Lagos is open for legal commerce.

The more immediate cause of the attack on Lagos was in consequence of an
application made for assistance by Akitoye, the lawful chief of Lagos,
to Mr Beecroft, the British consul for the Bight of Benin, residing at
Fernando Po.

Akitoye, the younger of two brothers, had, by his father's will,
succeeded as king of Lagos.  The elder, Kosoko, had been, for
misbehaviour, banished.  After the death of the old king, Akitoye
recalled Kosoko, and took him into favour; but Kosoko, bribing the army,
usurped the government, and drove Akitoye to take refuge at Badagry.  On
this, Kosoko prepared to attack Badagry, and, had he been successful,
would doubtlessly, as he intended, have attacked Abbeokuta also, and
given a severe blow to the advancement of Christianity and civilisation
in Africa.  On this account Mr Beecroft felt it his duty to apply to
the senior officer on the coast for a force to destroy Lagos, his
movements being hurried by hearing that the king of Dahomey had sent
1000 picked troops for its support.

The commodore, however, sent only the _Bloodhound_ and a few boats; and
Lagos being really a strong place, they were compelled to retire with
the loss of several men.

The first expedition against Lagos having failed solely from want of
sufficient force to keep possession of the town, Commodore Bruce sent
one of ample strength, and thoroughly organised, to drive the
slave-dealing chief Kosoko from his stronghold.

The squadron appeared off Lagos by the 24th December.  The boats of the
_Sampson_ and _Bloodhound_ were for some time employed in ascertaining
the position of the enemy's fortifications.  The _Bloodhound_ and
_Teazer_ at this time got on shore, and while they were being hove off,
their people were exposed to a very hot fire from the negroes, who soon
proved that they were no contemptible antagonists.

As the fire from jingalls, petrals, and muskets continued from the ditch
and embankment abreast of the ship, and as the enemy were observed
trying to bring their guns into position, at half-past two, Lieutenant
Thomas Saumarez, with the boats of the _Sampson_, accompanied by
Lieutenant E.  McArthur, R.M.A., in command of the Marine Artillery, was
despatched to attempt a landing and to spike the guns.  They did all
that men could do; but it was found impossible to make their way through
the showers of musketry opened against them.  Mr Richards, a gallant
young midshipman, was mortally wounded, and ten men were severely
wounded; while so hot was the fire, that there seemed every prospect of
the whole party being cut off.  Still they bravely persevered.  While
undaunted efforts were being made to get on shore, Mr William J.
Stivey, carpenter of the _Sampson_, setting a noble example, which
others followed, leaped on shore, and, axe in hand, hewed manfully away
at the stakes to make a passage for the boats to go through them.

All, however, was in vain; their numbers were thinning rapidly; and at
length Lieutenant Saumarez himself, being hit in three places,
reluctantly, but very properly, gave the signal for return.  The
remainder of the day was spent in throwing shot and shell, as
circumstances required, so as to prevent any guns being moved against
the steamer.  The nearest shot passed about ten yards astern of her.

The _Teazer_ still continuing on shore, it became evident that before
the tide rose the enemy would destroy her, unless the guns which were
annoying her were captured.  It was resolved, therefore, at once to
effect this.

All being ready, the boats pulled in towards the stockade, where the
best place for landing appeared to exist, keeping up all the time a
continued fire of spherical, grape, and canister shot.  As the boats
touched the shore, they received a discharge directly in their faces of
some 1500 muskets; but, notwithstanding this, the men undauntedly
landed, and, forming on the beach, after some severe fighting forced
their way into the stockade, driving out the enemy, who fled into the
thick bush close to the rear of it.  Among those who landed and charged
with Captain Lyster were Mr Walling and Mr Sproule, surgeons of the
_Penelope_, and who afterwards exposed themselves equally in their
attendance on the wounded under fire.  Scarcely had the blacks retreated
than Lieutenant Corbett rushed ahead and spiked all the guns in the
fort.

This object being accomplished, Captain Lyster issued orders for the
re-embarkation of the party; but scarcely had he done so, when it was
discovered that the enemy, having made a desperate rush at the first
lifeboat, had succeeded in getting hold of her, and were tracking her
along the beach towards the spot where the guns were posted which had
first opened on the _Teazer_.  On seeing this, the British, headed by
their gallant leader, Captain Lyster, hurried down to the shore for the
purpose of retaking her; but some delay occurred in consequence of
having to divide her crew of sixty men among the other boats, which
somewhat crowded them.  The enemy, on seeing this, rushed back from
their concealment in the woods by swarms, and poured in a destructive,
crushing fire on the boats at pistol range.

On this occasion a gallant young officer, Mr F.R.  Fletcher, midshipman
in command of the second cutter, and who had charge of the boats while
on shore, was shot through the head and killed.  Several officers and
men had before been wounded on shore, among whom was Lieutenant
Williams, of the Marine Artillery, who, though hit in three places, had
continued at the head of his men till they returned to the boats.
Commander Hillyar was also wounded, and very many of the men were
killed.  Among the latter was James Webb, gunner's mate, belonging to
the first lifeboat.  When he saw that she was likely to fall into the
hands of the blacks, he made a desperate attempt to spike her gun; but,
while thus engaged, he was cut down by the enemy, and mortally wounded.

While Commander Hillyar was arranging the boats so that they might keep
up their fire as they retreated to the _Teazer_, some of the kroomen on
board Mr Beecroft's _Victoria_ let go her anchor, and there she lay
exposed entirely to the fire of the blacks.  On seeing this, Captain
Lyster pulled back to her to learn what was the matter.  "What has
occurred now?" he asked of Mr Blight, the boatswain.  "The kroomen let
go the anchor without orders," he replied.  "Then slip your cable, and
get out of this," exclaimed Captain Lyster.  "It's a chain cable,
clenched to the bottom, and we can't unshackle it," replied Mr Blight.
On hearing this disheartening intelligence, Captain Lyster jumped on
board to see what assistance he could render.  Just then Lieutenant
Corbett staggered up towards the stern, exclaiming, "I have done it, and
am alive!"  In truth, he had cut the chain cable with a cold chisel, and
in so doing, while leaning over the bows of the boat, had received five
different wounds, which, with the addition of a severe one received on
shore, rendered him almost helpless.  His right arm was hanging to his
side, but he still with his left worked away, and assisted in getting
the _Victoria_ off to the _Teazer_.

While Captain Lyster was leaving the _Victoria_ to get into his own
boat, he was shot in the back with a musket-ball.  On account of the hot
fire to which they were still exposed, and the number of men already
killed and wounded, he judged that he should not be justified in
attempting to recover the lifeboat on that occasion.  Leaving her,
therefore, on the beach, the party returned to the _Teazer_.  The people
who had at first got possession of the lifeboat had afterwards abandoned
her; but they now returned, and some forty or fifty got into her,
intending to carry her off.  Seeing this, Mr Balfour, acting mate,
assisted by Mr Dewar, gunner, pulling back to the shore in the first
cutter, threw a rocket towards her, and so well-directed was it that it
entered her magazine and blew it up.  As soon as the party got back to
the _Teazer_ (having now pretty well silenced the fire of the enemy),
they set to work to get all the provisions out of her, and then, having
thrown overboard all her coals with the exception of ten tons, they
contrived to shore her up, to await the rising of the tide.  At length
their exertions were crowned with success, and at sunset they succeeded
in heaving her off.  Then, getting up the steam, they anchored out of
gunshot for the night.

On this unfortunate occasion there were no less than thirteen men killed
belonging to HMS _Penelope_, besides Mr Fletcher and Mr H.M.  Gillham,
master's assistant, who afterwards died of his wounds; while Captain
Lyster, Commander Hillyar, Lieutenant Corbett, and First Lieutenant of
Marines J.W.C.  Williams were wounded severely, together with
fifty-seven men of the _Penelope_ and two of the _Teazer_, most of them
also very severely wounded.  Crowded together in so small a vessel
during the night, the poor fellows suffered greatly, though the medical
officers of the expedition, Mr R.  Carpenter, senior surgeon, Mr
Walling, assistant surgeon of the _Penelope_, Dr Barclay, acting
surgeon, and Dr Sproule, assistant surgeon, exerted themselves to their
very utmost in the performance of their duty to the wounded.  During the
day they had never flinched from exposing their own lives, as, in the
midst of the fire, they stepped from boat to boat to alleviate the
sufferings of the wounded and dying.

Soon after seven o'clock in the morning the _Teazer_ was got under
weigh, and, finding the right channel, steamed up towards the
_Bloodhound_, with the squadron of boats in her company.  As soon as she
was seen from the _Bloodhound_, Captain Jones ordered that the guns of
the _Bloodhound's_ gunboats should open a deliberate flanking fire on
the west part of the enemy's defences; and he then sent a boat under Mr
Bullen, his clerk, who was acting as his aide-de-camp, to point out to
Captain Lyster the position in which he wished the _Teazer_ to be
anchored.  At ten minutes past eight, the _Teazer_ having anchored,
Captain Jones pulled on board her, to consult further with Captain
Lyster on the plan of proceeding.  The rocket-boats were then ordered to
take up a position to the northward of the _Bloodhound_.  This was
quickly done, and Lieutenant Marshall threw some rockets with beautiful
effect, setting fire to several houses, among which, to the satisfaction
of all, was that of the Prime Minister Tappis.  When this was seen, a
hearty and spontaneous cheer ran through the whole squadron for the crew
of the rocket-boat, who had thus punished the chief instigator of the
former attack on the British boats.

After this, the rocket-boat shifted her position ahead of the _Teazer_,
and a general but deliberate fire was opened from the whole force.  At
forty-five minutes past ten, Lieutenant Marshall threw a rocket, which
struck the battery below Tappis' house, and at the same time a shot from
the _Teazer_ capsized the gun.  The firing became still more rapid; an
awful explosion ensued; a magazine of the enemy's had blown up.  And
from this moment the fate of Lagos was decided; house after house caught
fire, and the whole town was shortly in a general blaze.  More
ships-of-war now came in, and Kosoko, finding his case hopeless, took to
flight, and Akitoye was reinstated.

The only portion of the British forces landed was a small body under
Commander Coote, who went on shore to spike guns.

The next morning he and Commander Gardner, with the boats' crews of the
_Sampson_ and _Penelope_, were employed in a similar way.  They returned
in the afternoon, having by extraordinary exertions embarked or
destroyed fifty-two pieces of ordnance.

Lagos has now become a British province.



CHAPTER NINE.

THE BURMESE WAR--1851-1852.

By the treaty of Yandaboo in 1824 the Burmese granted security to
English merchants and English commerce.  It seemed then as if the first
Burmese war had really had some good results, and as if civilisation had
taken an immense stride in the country.

But, twenty-six years after this treaty had been signed, numerous
complaints reached the supreme government of Calcutta of the oppressive
tyranny of the governor of Rangoon, which, it appeared, was directed
chiefly against traders in Rangoon.

One of the immediate causes of British interference was the conduct of
the governor towards certain captains of British trading vessels; one of
whom, on the false representations of a Burmese pilot, was placed in the
stocks and fined nine hundred rupees.  A representative at Ava was
placed on an island on the Irrawaddy without provisions, and left there
till the river rose and nearly swamped him.  Sooner than irritate the
court, the representative was withdrawn.  Insult after insult was heaped
upon the British, and though every means was taken to ensure peace and
conciliate the Burmese, it was soon seen that sterner measures must be
taken with them.

On 7th January the governor of Rangoon ordered a merchant, Mr Birrell,
to take down a flagstaff he had erected, and to remove a gun placed on
his landing-stage.

Mr Birrell refused to comply with this order, as the flagstaff had been
placed there by consent of the commodore, as a means of communication
between the Europeans on shore and the men-of-war.

The governor, enraged at this refusal, ordered all communication with
the shipping to be stopped.  Commodore Lambert, sooner than give the
Burmese any cause of offence, directed the flagstaff to be removed, and
for the time trade was resumed.

Not long after this a deputation from the British to the governor was
treated with the utmost incivility and contempt, and was even refused
admission to his presence.

The commodore now resolved to take action.  He ordered the King of
Burmah's ship, which was lying in the harbour, to be seized, and sent a
message to all the British residents in Rangoon to come on board the
frigate, and at the same time informed the governor that as the British
flag and Government had been grossly insulted, he intended to place the
town under blockade.

By the same evening all the British subjects had embarked, and the
men-of-war moved down the river.

Some of the Burmese officers now came to the flagship to offer apologies
for their rudeness; but as the viceroy himself refused to apologise,
none of these were accepted.  The Burmese, seeing that the British were
in earnest, tried to avert the war for a time; and the commodore, also
anxious to avoid hostilities, allowed twenty-four hours' grace to give
the viceroy time to change his mind.  Instead of an apology, however,
came a message, to the effect that if the British ships attempted to
pass the stockades on the banks of the river, they would be fired on.

Information was received that nearly 5000 troops were assembled near the
stockades, and during the night and the following day numerous
war-boats, each containing from fifty to eighty men, were discovered
coming down the river.  At the same time several vessels full of armed
men arrived at the general rendezvous from the Pegu river.  The war had
begun.

On the next morning active hostilities commenced.  The _Henries_
steamer, Captain Fishbourne, first towed the _Fox_ frigate to within 400
yards of the stockade, where she anchored to protect the merchantmen as
they passed by to be out of fire.  In the meantime the _Hermes_ went in
search of a large Burmese war-vessel, with which she soon returned as
her prize in tow.

The English vessels, having dispersed or sunk a fleet of war-boats which
came out to meet them, steamed along the shore, pouring in an iron
shower, which tore the stockades to pieces and quickly silenced the
enemy's batteries.

The squadron now took up a position at the mouth of the Rangoon river,
the commodore declaring the rivers of Rangoon, the Bassein, and the
Salween above Maulmain, to be in a state of blockade.

Meanwhile the steamer _Proserpine_, after landing the hostages from
Rangoon at Maulmain, was ordered to proceed to Calcutta with despatches
from the commodore.

On her arrival on the 17th of January, the Governor-general being
absent, the Supreme Council resolved to equip a force to carry on
hostilities against Burmah; while reinforcements were despatched with
unusual promptitude, to strengthen the forts guarding the passes leading
from the Burmese territory.

General Godwin, the commander-in-chief, arrived on the 13th of April;
and the Burmese Emperor having offered no apology, the steamers ran
close in with Martaban, rapidly firing broadside after broadside.  The
enemy for some time returned their fire with spirit; but their guns
being silenced, the troops were thrown on shore, and they fled in every
direction.  The walls and defences exhibited the terrific effects of the
broadsides poured in on them.  Of the English, only eight were wounded.

The squadron was now augmented by twelve East India Company's steamers,
which had, besides marines, 5767 troops on board.

With this formidable force Rangoon was attacked on the 12th of April.
The steamers fired for many hours shot and shell without intermission,
which destroyed and set on fire the enemy's stockades and other
defences.  A small naval brigade, commanded by Lieutenant Darville, HMS
_Rattler_, did good service on shore.  For three days the Burmese
garrison held out; stockade after stockade was stormed and taken in a
most gallant way by the troops.  On the 14th the grand attack was made,
and the great pagoda was stormed, when, after some more severe fighting,
Rangoon fell into the hands of the British.  Captain Armstrong and
several other officers and men of the land forces were killed, and many
wounded.

Bassein was captured in the same spirited way on the 19th of May.  At
the pagoda here, the Burmese defended themselves with much
determination; but it was stormed by some troops and some of the naval
brigade, when Lieutenant Rice, RN, was wounded severely, three men
killed, and seven officers and twenty-four men wounded.

While these operations were going on, Martaban, in which only a small
garrison had been left, was attacked by the Burmese, but they were
driven back in a very gallant manner by Major Hall and his men.

CAPTURE OF PEGU--14TH JUNE 1852.

An attack on Pegu, seventy-five miles north of Rangoon, being next
resolved on, an expedition, consisting of 230 troops, who were embarked
on board the _Phlegethon_, and the boats of that vessel and HMS _Fox_,
under the command of Captain Tarleton, left Rangoon on the 3rd of June,
and proceeded up the river.

As the boats advanced, a sharp fire of musketry was opened on them from
the Pegu side.  On this, Captain Tarleton, seeing the disadvantage under
which they laboured from being beneath the enemy's fire, with no
effectual means of returning it, landed with the boats' crews of HMS
_Fox_, and was shortly after joined by Captain Neblett and the boats'
crews of the _Phlegethon_,--in all about fifty men.  Meantime Mr
McMurdo, mate, was left in charge of the boats.

As Captain Tarleton and his party advanced, the Burmese fired on them,
but were driven from point to point, until completely broken,--one party
retreating by the riverside to the northward, and the other within the
old wall of the city.  The object of the British being attained, they
were retiring in close order to the boats, when a fire of jingalls and
musketry was opened on them from the walls.  Deeming it unwise to allow
the Burmese to suppose they were retreating, Captain Tarleton led his
party to the attack, having found a native guide to show them the
causeway through the ditch.  Having halted a few seconds to gain breath,
they rushed in over the causeway, and through a breach to the right of
the gateway.  On the storming-party getting over the wall, after a stout
defence the enemy fled, and ultimately retired within the great pagoda.

Meantime the boats had been attacked, but were bravely defended by Mr
McMurdo, who succeeded in getting them to the other side of the river,
Major Cotton having sent a detachment to their support.  After the
troops and seamen had rested for some time, the Burmese were observed
issuing from the pagoda in considerable strength, with the evident
intention of attacking them.  The troops lost not a moment in getting
under arms, and the seamen forthwith came on shore.  The British
instantly advanced; and before the Burmese could recover from their
surprise at a movement so little expected, the place was carried without
another casualty.  HMS _Fox_ had three men wounded, and the _Phlegethon_
one seaman killed.

The force, after destroying the fortifications, returned to Rangoon on
the 5th.

EXPEDITION UP THE IRRAWADDY.

It being important to ascertain the number and position of the enemy
posted on the banks of the Irrawaddy, Commodore Lambert directed Captain
Tarleton to take under his orders HMS _Medusa_ and three Company's
steamers, and to proceed up the river for the purpose of obtaining that
information.  Accordingly, on the 6th of July, the vessels proceeded up
the Irrawaddy.

At a place called Konnoughee, twenty-five miles below Prome, a large
body of armed men were observed collected on the banks; and on a shell
being fired among them, they opened a vigorous fire from six guns and
from a large number of musketry.  At a short distance from Prome the
river divides into two streams,--the left, or western, being the
deepest, and the only navigable branch at any season but the rainy one.
At sunset the expedition anchored off Meaoung.  At daylight on the 8th
it again weighed, and proceeded till within sight of an extensive
fortification, crowning the end of a ridge of hills 300 feet high,
terminating abruptly at the town of Akouktoung, which completely
commands the river.  Here, the position being strongly fortified, a
Burmese army of about 10,000 men had been assembled, under General
Bundoola, to guard the passage to Prome and the capital.  Captain
Tarleton having been warned of the resistance he would meet, and hearing
from the native pilots that at that season the eastern stream was
navigable, determined to try it.  Instead, therefore, of keeping on, to
the disappointment of the enemy, who had begun to fire on him, he turned
off through the eastern channel, and was quickly beyond their reach,
having had not less than two fathoms water in the channel.  By steaming
through the night, the rest of the squadron came off Prome by daylight
on the morning of the 9th.  At the south end of the town, near the
water's edge, four heavy guns were seen, but no troops were observed in
the place.

Captain Tarleton accordingly anchored the _Medusa_ abreast of the spot,
and soon hove them off.  The iron guns were disabled and sunk in deep
water, and the brass ones were taken on board.  When the other vessels
joined their crews with the boats' crews of the _Fox_, heartily entering
on the work, every gun in Prome, twenty-three in number, was brought
off.  In the afternoon the _Medusa_ ascended the river ten miles higher;
but Captain Tarleton felt himself bound by his orders to return.  His
feelings may be supposed when he thus found himself at Prome, within
four days' steaming of Ava, with a certain knowledge that there was
nothing to oppose him, and with a broad, deep river, easy of navigation,
before him.  Had he had with him one regiment and half a battery of
guns, there is every reason to believe he might have taken the capital,
so totally unprepared were the Burmese for any advance in the rains.

However, he was of course compelled to obey the orders he had received.
After remaining there for twenty-four hours, the place was evacuated,
and the flotilla returned.  On reaching the main stream, the army of
Bundoola was observed in motion, crossing the river, evidently with the
intention of following the steamers.  They in consequence opened with
shot and shell upon the confused masses on shore and on the boats,
spreading havoc and dismay among them.  Between forty and fifty boats
were captured and destroyed.  The general's state-barge, several large
war-canoes, a standard, two gold umbrellas, and other spoil fell into
the hands of the British.  The whole trip occupied only nine days.  In
its progress the expedition received the most convincing proofs that the
population of Burmah were adverse to the war, and anxious to come under
the British rule.  Looking at the expedition by itself, it was as
gallant and dashing an undertaking as any which took place during the
war.

When Captain Tarleton returned and reported what had occurred, a large
body of troops were sent up the river on board the steamers to Prome,
which was captured on the 9th of October, after a slight loss, only four
men being wounded on the side of the British.

The inhabitants of Pegu were friendly to the English; but soon after the
troops had been withdrawn, a strong Burmese army re-entered the town,
and commenced fortifying the city.  A force was accordingly sent to
drive out the enemy and reoccupy it.  This was done in a spirited manner
on the 21st November.  The morning being foggy, the Burmese, who did not
see the English approaching, were taken by surprise.  They retreated as
usual to the pagoda, from whence, by a rush of the troops, they were
driven out.  The fighting was severe, as no less than six men were
killed and thirty-one wounded of the troops.  The navy, as usual, did
their part well.

The principal towns of the province being in the hands of the British,
it became important to clear the intermediate country of the enemy,
especially the banks of the rivers, where they were of much annoyance to
the provision-boats.  In this service the naval force were constantly
and very actively employed.  Several of the expeditions were under the
command of the lamented Captain Granville Loch, who displayed in them
the same zeal and daring courage for which he had already made himself
conspicuous.

ATTACKS ON MYA TOON, THE ROBBER CHIEFTAIN.

The rapidity and success of the first movements of the British in Burmah
paralysed the Burmese authorities; but their subsequent inactivity again
gave heart to the Government at Ava, and encouraged the idea that it was
possible to drive them back to the sea.

In consequence of the absence of all local government, robbers sprang up
in every direction, and, being allowed to organise themselves,
devastated and almost ruined the country.  Among the most noted of these
robber chieftains was Mya Toon.  He burned down Donabew, Zaloon, and
many other villages.  His stronghold was about twenty-five miles inland
from Rangoon.  In consequence of the depredations he was committing,
Brigadier Dickenson, the commandant at Rangoon, and Commodore Lambert
resolved to send a combined naval and military force to dislodge him.
The military force consisted of 300 men of the 67th Regiment Bengal
Native Infantry, who, together with a body of marines and bluejackets
from HM ships _Fox_, _Winchester_, and _Sphinx_, were placed under the
command of Captain Granville Loch.  There were 185 seamen, 62 marines,
and 25 officers; but of these, 42 seamen and 5 officers were left in
charge of the boats.  This force was conveyed from Rangoon to Donabew on
the 2nd July, in the _Phlegethon_ and ships' boats.  They landed at
Donabew without opposition, and, having procured some natives to act as
guides and to aid in drawing the two three-pound field-guns belonging to
the _Phlegethon_, they proceeded to march on the following day towards
the position the enemy was supposed to occupy.

The whole of the 3rd of February they marched along a pathway which lay
through a jungle of forest trees and brushwood.  Encamping in a deserted
valley, about fifteen miles from Donabew, they were disturbed
occasionally by the distant shots and noises of the marauders.  Early on
the following morning, the column moved on about five miles farther
along the same path, until it abruptly terminated on the side of a broad
nullah or creek, the opposite side of which was high enough to command
the approach, and the whole well entrenched and armed, after the manner
of the native fortifications of Burmah.  The road at this point had been
narrowed by an abattis of sharp-pointed bamboos, which rendered it
impossible to deploy the whole strength of the column; indeed, the
advance-guard, consisting of seamen and marines, marched with difficulty
two or three abreast, and the field-guns were in the rear.  At this
moment a heavy and murderous fire was opened by the enemy upon the
British troops, the Burmese being wholly concealed by the breastworks,
and the British, on the contrary, entirely exposed.

Almost every man who approached the edge of that fatal creek was mowed
down.  Lieutenant Kennedy, of the _Fox_, and Captain Price, of the 67th
Bengal Infantry, were killed on the spot.  Captain Loch, with the daring
which had always distinguished him, led on his gallant followers to the
attack.  For ten minutes he seemed, to use the expression of one of his
companions, "to bear a charmed life," for he stood unhurt in the midst
of that terrible fire.  Twice he made an unsuccessful attempt to lead
his men across the nullah, to storm the fort hand to hand, but each time
he was driven back.  As he again rallied the seamen and marines for a
third attack, a ball fired by a man in a tree struck him on the left
side, on his watch, and with such force that it drove the watch itself
into his body.  He instantly felt that he was mortally wounded, but had
still strength and self-possession to fall back about fifteen paces to
the rear.

The command of the naval force, which had hitherto sustained the brunt
of the action, devolved by the death and wounds of the senior officers
on Commander Lambert, the son of the commodore.  Twice with his brave
companions he made determined but vain attempts to get across to the
enemy, when many more lives were lost.  He himself received four balls
through his clothes, though he fortunately escaped unhurt; but a large
proportion of officers and men were already wounded.  It therefore
became absolutely necessary to provide without delay for the retreat of
the party by the only road left open to them, the one by which they had
advanced, the jungle being impervious in every other direction.  The
fire of the enemy was still very severe, and each instant more of the
British were falling.

Most of the native dooly-bearers and guides had in a cowardly and
treacherous manner decamped; and it was therefore necessary to employ
every man in carrying the wounded.  As, under these circumstances, it
was impossible to carry off the guns, they were spiked, and the
carriages destroyed.  The party were compelled even to leave their dead
on the field.  The enemy kept up a distant fire, but never ventured to
approach within fighting distance of the rear, which was manfully
covered by the grenadier company of the 67th.

For twelve hours of a most fatiguing march did the dejected and mourning
party retreat towards Donabew, displaying in adversity the same courage,
discipline, and goodwill they had so often exhibited in success.
Lieutenants Glover and Bushnell, and also Messrs. Hinde and Wilson,
mates, though themselves suffering from their own wounds, successfully
exerted themselves in keeping up the spirits of their men, who, under a
burning sun, without water, had to carry the heavy burden of their
wounded leader for nearly twenty-four miles.  At Donabew, the seamen and
marines embarked in their boats, and the troops were conveyed in the
_Phlegethon_ to Rangoon.  The gallant Captain Loch was removed to the
_Phlegethon_, where he expired on the morning of the 6th February, about
forty hours after he had received his wound.  He was buried near the
great pagoda at Rangoon, amid the general grief of all who served under
him or knew him.

It was not till some time after this that Mya Toon was dislodged from
his stronghold, by a strong force under Sir John Cheape, when several
officers and men were killed and wounded.

The war itself was soon afterwards brought to a successful conclusion.



CHAPTER TEN.

THE CRIMEAN WAR.

Towards the end of 1853 difficulties had arisen between Turkey and her
ancient enemy Russia.  The matters in dispute were of no real
importance.  Russia was persuaded that the Turkish Empire was breaking
up, and that the time for its partition was at hand, and that therefore
any pretext was good enough upon which to found a quarrel.  France and
England, however, were not willing to see Constantinople in the hands of
Russia, and accordingly formed forces to assist Turkey.  On the 30th of
November a Russian fleet leaving Sebastopol under cover of a dense fog
made a dash upon the Turkish harbour of Sinope.  Here they surprised a
Turkish squadron of eight frigates, two schooners, and three transports
utterly unprepared for battle.  Without warning, the Russian Admiral
Nachenioff opened fire upon them, and though the Turks fought bravely,
in the course of a few hours all their ships but two were destroyed.
This action cannot be described as a battle, but as an inhuman,
unnecessary massacre, 5000 men, including the wounded, being destroyed
by the fire of the Russians, who offered no terms and gave no quarter.

This barbarity aroused the utmost indignation in Europe, and the
prospect of war with Russia was greeted with enthusiasm by the British.
The allied fleets of Great Britain and France, the former consisting of
forty-nine ships mounting an aggregate of 1701 guns, and the latter of
thirty-six ships with 1742 guns, entered the Black Sea in January
following, and on the 28th of March war was formally declared.

On 11th March Queen Victoria reviewed at Spithead the most powerful
fleet that up to that time had ever been collected.  This was under the
command of Sir Charles Napier, with his flag on board the _Duke of
Wellington_, of 131 guns,--which ship alone would almost have been
capable of contending with the largest fleet Howe, Jervis, or Nelson
ever led to victory.  That superb fleet was intended chiefly for the
Baltic, where it was hoped that not only would it humble the pride of
the Czar, by capturing Sveaborg, Helsingfors, and Cronstadt, but might
lay Saint Petersburg itself under contribution.  Some of the ships went
to the Black Sea and in other directions; but Sir Charles Napier found
himself in command of a fleet in the Baltic, consisting altogether of
thirty steamers and thirteen sailing ships, mounting 2052 guns.  The
French also had a fleet of twenty-three ships carrying 1250 guns.

BOMBARDMENT OF ODESSA.

The naval operations were opened with two very regrettable incidents.
The steamer _Furious_ was sent to Odessa early in April, to bring off
the British consul.  Having anchored in the bay with a flag of truce at
her mast-head, she sent off a boat, also with a flag of truce flying, to
the shore, when, against all the laws of civilised warfare, the
batteries opened fire on them.  No one was hit, and the _Furious_
steamed back to the fleet.

The allied admirals, indignant at the outrage, addressed a note to the
Russian governor, General Osten-Sacken, pointing out the outrage which
had been committed, and demanding "that all the British, French, and
Russian vessels now at anchor near the citadel or the batteries of
Odessa be forthwith delivered up to the combined squadron; and that if
at sunset no answer or a negative be received, they will be compelled by
force to avenge the insult offered, though, for humanity's sake, they
adopt the alternative with regret, and cast the responsibility of the
act upon those to whom it belongs."

No satisfactory answer having been received, the combined fleet opened
fire on the fortifications of Odessa on the 22nd of April.  The
bombardment lasted for ten hours, during which the Russian batteries
were considerably injured, two batteries blown up, vast quantities of
military stores were destroyed, and several ships-of-war were sunk.

On the 12th of May, during a thick fog, the steam-sloop _Tiger_, sixteen
guns, Commander Gifford, went on shore on the rocks near Odessa.  While
she was thus utterly helpless, the Russians, as soon as she was
observed, opened fire on her, and Captain Gifford, being desperately
wounded (mortally, as it proved), was at length compelled to strike his
flag.  The Russians, having removed her guns and stores, set fire to the
vessel, and forwarded the flag as a trophy to Saint Petersburg.  It was
one of the very few, either from redcoats or bluejackets, they got
during the war.

OPERATIONS IN THE BALTIC.

Sir Charles Napier's squadron reached Wingo Sound on the 15th March, and
on the 25th it entered the Great Belt, and anchored in Kiel Bay.  Soon
afterwards, Sir Charles was reinforced by Admiral Corry, with the second
division of the fleet.  On the 12th of April Sir Charles sailed for the
Gulf of Finland, where he established a rigorous blockade.  As, even at
this season of the year, there is a considerable amount of ice in the
Baltic, the navigation of the ships demanded all the vigilance of the
officer in charge.  Sir Charles, hearing that a Russian squadron,
consisting of seven line-of-battle ships and one frigate, was shut up at
Helsingfors, made sail in that direction for the purpose of preventing a
junction between the two portions of the Russian fleet.  In this very
important object, in which the enemy's plan of naval operations was
completely defeated, he was entirely successful.

Admiral Plumridge meantime was scouring the Gulf of Bothnia, and in a
short period captured or destroyed forty-six merchantmen and a quantity
of naval stores, without losing a man.

A SPIRITED ACTION.

On the 19th May the _Arrogant_ and the _Hecla_, two steamers--the first
a screw, commanded by Captain Yelverton, and the second by Captain
Hall--had been detached from the fleet, and employed for a considerable
time in reconnoitring the forts of the enemy about Hango Bay.
Propulsion by means of a screw was at this time a novelty, the
steamships of war being generally large paddle boats and sailing ships
combined, a state of transition between the frigate of Nelson's day and
the modern steamship.

The two captains, hearing that some ships lay off the town of Eckness,
some way up a narrow river, determined to cut them out.  They boldly
entered the river, and on the evening of the 19th came to an anchor.

A boat from one of the men-of-war was sent on ahead, but before she had
got 800 yards from the ship, a hot fire was opened on her from behind a
sandbank in a thickly-wooded place.  At the same time some round shot
struck the _Hecla_.  Both ships instantly beat to quarters, and, casting
loose their guns, poured showers of shot and shell into the wood, from
whence they speedily dislodged the enemy.  They then shifted their
berth, and were not further molested during the night.  A bright
look-out was kept, however, to prevent surprise.

At two a.m. both ships weighed, the _Hecla_ leading, and the crews being
at their quarters.  They slowly and carefully felt their way along the
intricate navigation of the river, till they suddenly found themselves
within range of the guns of a battery posted on a promontory before
them, which was crowded with Russian soldiers--stout-looking fellows,
habited in long grey coats and spiked helmets of steel, which glittered
brightly in the sun; and the bluejackets now for the first time saw the
enemy.

The _Hecla_ immediately opened fire, which the battery returned with
spirit; and the _Arrogant_ now coming up, let fly a whole broadside
among the soldiers, just as some horse artillery had made their
appearance, and were unlimbering preparatory to engaging.  As the smoke
cleared off, the troop of artillery were seen scampering away at full
speed.  A heavy fire of musketry now burst forth from a wood on one
side, and continued for some time without intermission, the bullets
falling thick on board both ships.

While this work was going forward, the _Arrogant_ ran aground within
twenty yards of the battery, but most fortunately in a position which
allowed her guns full play on it.  At this close range the ship's guns
were more than a match for those in the fort, and so smartly were they
worked that in a short time they dismounted all the guns of the enemy
and drove the gunners from the fort.

The crew were now able to turn their attention to the position their
ship was in, and turning to with a will, unmolested by the enemy, they
succeeded in getting afloat again.  As they passed close to the fort,
they witnessed the state of complete ruin which they had so speedily
caused,--guns dismounted, carriages blown to fragments, and
accoutrements and helmets scattered around.

As they proceeded up the river the town of Eckness now opened ahead of
the two steamers, and before the town lay the vessels which they wished
to carry off.  The water now shoaled, and the _Arrogant_ could proceed
no higher.  Just then artillery opened on them.  The _Arrogant_
accordingly anchored, swung broadside to the shore, and engaged the
batteries; while the _Hecla_, throwing shells at the enemy, steamed up
to Eckness, and running alongside a barque, the only one of the vessels
afloat, to the astonishment and dismay of the inhabitants took her in
tow, and carried her off in triumph.  The two ships then returned down
the river with their prize.

AN UNSUCCESSFUL VENTURE.

On the 1st of June a gallant adventure similar to the last narrated was
not so successful.  The _Odin_ and _Vulture_, two steamers belonging to
Admiral Plumridge's division in the Gulf of Bothnia, employed in
destroying the shipping and marine stores in various places along the
coast, had arrived in the neighbourhood of Old Carleby.

At seven p.m., two paddle-box boats, two pinnaces, four cutters, and one
gig,--nine boats in all,--containing 180 officers and men, carrying six
twenty-four-pounder howitzers and two twelve-pounders, were sent away
under the command of Lieutenant Wise, of the _Vulture_, who was
accompanied by Lieutenants Madden and Burton, Marine Artillery, and by
Dr Duncan.

After a long pull, the boats anchored near some store-houses at the
mouth of a narrow creek, when, with a flag of truce, Lieutenant Wise
went on shore and communicated with the authorities.

On his return, the flag of truce was withdrawn, and some of the boats
went ahead to sound, the others following closely.  A narrow creek
appearing, leading to the town, Lieutenant Carrington, in one of the
boats, was ordered up it to explore.  On passing some buildings some
soldiers were seen, and the boat was on the point of returning to report
the circumstance, when a wall was thrown down, and a volley of musketry
was poured on her, which killed Lieutenant Carrington, Mr Montague,
mate, and Mr Athorpe, midshipman, and wounded Lieutenant Lewis, R.M.,
and Mr McGrath, midshipman, and fourteen men.  The boat, which was much
injured, was taken in tow, and carried out to the _Odin_.  The other
boats immediately opened fire, the gunner of the _Vulture_ firing no
less than twenty-seven times before he fell, badly wounded.

One of the _Vulture's_ boats, with Mr Morphy, mate, and twenty-five
seamen, was disabled, and, drifting on shore, was captured by the enemy.
In another of her boats one marine was killed and six were wounded.  By
this time the enemy had brought five field-pieces into action; the
remaining boats, therefore, pulled off out of range, having lost
altogether fifty-two killed, wounded, and missing, in this most
unfortunate though gallant affair.

No fault was found with the way in which the expedition was commanded,
while both officers and men behaved with the most perfect intrepidity
and coolness.

Most of the crew of the missing boat escaped with their lives, and were
made prisoners.

BOMARSUND--21ST JUNE.

A small squadron, consisting of the _Hecla, Valorous_, and _Odin_, under
Captain Hall, was sent in to engage the batteries of Bomarsund on the
21st of June.  This they did in the most spirited manner, receiving a
hot fire in return both from the forts and from riflemen posted in the
neighbourhood, rifle bullets and shot and shell falling thickly on
board.  The British bluejackets were, however, far better pleased to
have a few shot sent among them, than to be doomed to play at long
bowls, with all the firing on their side, as was sometimes the case
during the war.

The casualties were very slight.  After engaging for three hours, and
setting some buildings on fire, the ships drew out of action.

It was clearly perceived that the fleet alone could not take the place.
Bomarsund, indeed, might well be considered the Sebastopol of the
Baltic, its evident object being to overawe the neighbouring kingdoms of
Sweden and Denmark.  Its destruction, therefore, was of the greatest
importance.  The allied fleet lay at anchor at Ledsund, about eighteen
miles from Bomarsund, anxiously waiting for the arrival of the French
troops promised for the service.

It was not, however, till the end of July that the first division
reached Ledsund, brought in British ships-of-war.  They were under the
command of General Baraguay D'Hilliers.  On the 5th of August the siege
artillery arrived, and on the 8th more troops and marines were landed.
The fortifications of Bomarsund lie on the eastern point of the largest
of the Aland Islands.  The principal fortress commands a semicircular
bay on the south, with intricate passages leading to it.  At the
northern side of the fort the land rises considerably; and the defence
on that part consisted of three round towers, one on the highest ground
to the west, a second in the centre, and a third to the east.  On the
8th of August, 11,000 men were landed on the north side of the island,
in the short space of three hours, after the _Amphion_, _Phlegethon_,
and _Edinburgh_ had blown a fort to atoms, and cleared the ground with
their fire.  The army then marched across the island, and encamped
against the western fort.  The English and French marines, with some
seamen, were landed.

Batteries were immediately thrown up round the fortress, while thirteen
ships of the allied fleet attacked from the sea.  The towers were taken
in succession; and the large circular fort, mounting nearly 100 guns,
surrendered, with a garrison of 2000 men, soon after the effect of the
fire from the ships had been felt.  The effect of the shot on the fort
is thus described by an eye-witness:--

"Three or four shots set the big stones visibly clattering, as I could
mark by a pocket-telescope.  One block then fell out, then another, then
a third, fourth, etcetera; and these were followed by an avalanche of
loose rubbish, just as you see a load of gravel pour out from the end of
a cart when the back-board is removed."  From this it was argued that
the fortifications of Sebastopol would be as easily knocked to pieces;
but experience showed that there was a vast difference in the two works.
Bomarsund was somewhat of contract work.  The sea towers of Sebastopol
were as strong as hewn stone scientifically put together could make
them.

The navy lost only one man killed and one wounded.  A number of brave
and dashing acts were performed by naval men during the operations of
the fleet in the Baltic, to which it is impossible to refer in detail.
Amongst the many gallant acts performed by seamen on this occasion one
may specially be mentioned.  During the first attack upon the batteries
at Bomarsund, a live shell fell on the deck of the _Hecla_ with its fuse
still burning.  Had it remained there and been permitted to explode,
great damage to the ship and loss of life must have occurred.
Lieutenant Charles D.  Lucas seeing this, with the greatest presence of
mind and coolness, and regardless of the risk he incurred of being blown
to pieces, took up the shell, carried it to the side and dropped it
overboard.

A CAPTURE OF DESPATCHES.

While Captain Yelverton's squadron was off the island of Wardo,
information was received that an aide-de-camp of the Emperor of Russia
was about to land in charge of a mail and despatches for the Russian
general.  As there could be little doubt that these despatches would
contain valuable information for the guidance of the Allies, it was
important to secure them.

It occurred to Commander Bythesea that he could render this service to
his country.  He accordingly offered his services, and obtained
permission for himself and William Johnstone, a brave fellow, a stoker,
to proceed on shore for the purpose of intercepting them.  Being well
armed, they put on disguises, and went on shore, leaving the boat at
some distance; they then, ascertaining the spot where the mail-bags
would be landed, concealed themselves in some bushes in the
neighbourhood.

At length, after it was dark, on the night of the 12th of August, their
anxiety was relieved by the arrival of the Russian officer and the
mails, but they were accompanied by an escort of soldiers.  It would
have been madness to attack so large a body, and there appeared no
prospect of carrying out their bold attempt.  Great was their
satisfaction, however, to see the soldiers, believing that the coast was
clear, take their departure.  The officer and four men, however, still
remained.  The odds against them would have been great, had the men not
been loaded with the bags.

As soon as the soldiers were out of hearing, the gallant commander and
his companion sprang from their concealment, attacked the five men; two
of them fled; the other three they succeeded in making prisoners and
dragged them off to the boat with the mail-bags, which they also
secured, and then rowed off in triumph to the _Arrogant_.  The
despatches were carried to General Baraguay D'Hilliers, who expressed
high admiration at the bravery and dash of the exploit.  Both Commander
Bythesea and William Johnstone obtained the Victoria Cross.

ATTACK ON VIBORG--13TH JULY 1855.

The _Arrogant_, Captain Yelverton, having been joined by the
_Magicienne_, Captain Vansittart, proceeded with the _Ruby_ gunboat
along the coast to Kounda Bay, where a large body of Cossack troops were
encamped.  The _Ruby_ and the boats of the two ships stood in, and
dislodged the enemy with shells and rockets.  In spite of a fire kept up
on them from behind hedges, they landed; but as it was found that the
place contained only private property, it was not injured.

Next morning Captain Yelverton, having driven some soldiers from a
station at the mouth of the Portsoiki river, and destroyed some barracks
and stores, proceeded off Viborg.  Here the ships anchored as close as
they could get to the island of Stralsund.  An expedition was at once
formed to look into Viborg.  It consisted of the _Ruby_, commanded by
Mr Hale, mate, and the boats of the _Arrogant_, commanded by
Lieutenants Haggard and Woolcombe, and those of the _Magicienne_, under
the command of Lieutenants King and Loady; Captains Yelverton and
Vansittart, with Captain Lowdes, R.M., in command of a strong detachment
of marines, going on board the _Ruby_, which steamer towed the boats.
The expedition having opened the bay of Trangsund, a Russian man-of-war
steamer, with two large gunboats in tow, was seen not far off.

This novel and unexpected sight of a Russian man-of-war for once clear
of a stone wall, and to all appearance prepared for a fair and honest
fight, created the greatest enthusiasm among men and officers.  The
_Ruby_ at once opened fire on her, and compelled her to retire out of
range, with some damage.  The entrance of the Sound being reached,
Viborg was now in sight, and there was a fair prospect of attacking
three large gunboats lying with another steamer under an island about a
mile off, when suddenly an impenetrable barrier was found to have been
thrown across the passage.  At the same moment, at about 350 yards off,
a masked battery on the left opened on the _Ruby_ and boats, which they,
however, kept in check by an ably-directed return fire.

The enemy's steamer and gunboats now approached from under the island,
and opened fire on the expedition.  As it was impossible to get the
_Ruby_ through the barrier, Captain Yelverton ordered her other boats to
return towards Stralsund,--the enemy's riflemen, who followed along the
banks, being kept off by their fire.  Unhappily, an explosion took place
on board the _Arrogant's_ second cutter, by which the midshipman
commanding her, Mr Storey, was killed, and the boat was swamped.  In
this condition the boat drifted under the enemy's battery, when a hot
fire was poured into her.

All probably would have been killed or taken prisoners, had not George
Ingouville, one of the _Arrogant's_ crew, though already wounded, of his
own accord jumped overboard, and, taking the painter in hand, towed her
off the shore.  Probably his gallant conduct might not have availed to
save the lives of his shipmates, many of whom were by this time wounded,
had not the condition of the cutter been perceived from the _Ruby_.

On this, Lieutenant George Dare Dowell, R.M.A., of the _Magicienne_,
calling out for a volunteer crew, jumped into the _Ruby's_ gig, where he
was joined by Lieutenant Haggard of the _Arrogant_, and together they
pulled off, under a fire which grew hotter and hotter, to the rescue of
the boat and men.  Lieutenant Dowell was waiting at the moment on board
the _Ruby_ while his own boat was receiving a supply of rockets.  Taking
the stroke oar, he and his three companions pulled on, in spite of the
shower of grape and musketry which the Russians poured on them to
prevent them from accomplishing their object.  They succeeded, in spite
of this, in taking in three of the cutter's crew, and were mainly
instrumental in keeping the boat afloat and bringing her off to the
_Ruby_.  Two were killed and ten wounded during the whole affair.
Captain Yelverton speaks highly of the conduct of all the officers
engaged, where their cool and determined courage enabled them to handle
most severely, and to keep in check for upwards of an hour, a far
superior force of the enemy.  These were perhaps the most creditable
acts of individual gallantry performed at this time in the Baltic.  Both
Lieutenant Dowell and George Ingouville received the Victoria Cross.

It would be scarcely interesting or useful to describe the numberless
performances of the boats of the fleets in destroying barracks, stores,
and shipping.

It was a stern though painful necessity which demanded this mode of
proceeding.  The object was to show the enemy the power of the Allies to
injure them, and to make them earnestly desire peace, at every cost.  In
no instance was private property on shore intentionally injured.

The shipping, however, did not escape; and in the two nights of the 23rd
and 24th of July, the boats of the _Harrier_, Captain Storey, destroyed
in the harbour of Nystad forty-seven vessels, amounting to nearly 20,000
tons.

On the 6th July the first shot was fired at Cronstadt, from a gun slung
on board a timber barge, by Captain Boyd.

The Russians, in return, endeavoured to injure the vessels of the
Allies, and to protect their shores by the employment of infernal
machines, as they were then called.  We call their much more certain and
more dangerous successors submarine mines, and regard them as a regular
means of defence.  These were intended to explode under water, and some
were fired by voltaic batteries, but invariably failed of going off at
the proper time; others exploded on being struck; but though the
_Merlin_ ran on to one, which went off under her bottom, comparatively
slight damage was done her.  The articles in her store-room, directly
over the spot where the machine struck her, were thrown about in every
direction, showing the force of the concussion.  Admiral Dundas and
several officers with him had, however, a narrow escape, one of the
machines exploding while they stood around it examining its structure.

BOMBARDMENT OF SVEABORG.

Among the more important performances of the allied fleet in the Baltic
was the severe injury inflicted on the fortress of Sveaborg, one of the
strongest belonging to Russia to keep her neighbours in awe in that part
of the world.

The fortress of Sveaborg is built on a granite island about a mile in
advance of Helsingfors, the Russian capital of Finland.  There are eight
island rocks connected by strong fortifications, and in the centre is
situated the fort in which the Russian flotilla was congregated.  It was
looked upon as the Gibraltar of the North, and had been considerably
strengthened since the commencement of the war.  The citadel of this
water-surrounded fortress is called Wargon.  The allied fleet,
consisting of seventeen British men-of-war, fifteen gunboats, and
sixteen mortar-vessels, with two French men-of-war, six gunboats, and
five mortar-vessels, left Nargen on the 6th of August, and anchored the
same night among the islands about five miles from Sveaborg.  During the
night and next day, some batteries were thrown up on the neighbouring
islands; and early on the morning of the 9th, the squadron having taken
up their positions,--several behind the islands, where the enemy's guns
could not reach them,--the bombardment commenced.  The showers of shot
and shell told with terrific effect on the devoted fortress; powder
magazines and stores of projectiles one after the other blew up, and
fires broke out in various directions, which all the efforts of the
garrison could not extinguish, and in a short time the whole of the
arsenal was reduced to ashes.  Still the mortars continued to play, to
prevent the fires which were blazing up around from being extinguished.
Very few men were wounded, and none were killed during the whole of the
operations.  Although the naval and military stores were destroyed, the
fortress still remained intact.  The Russians, however, had been taught
the lesson that it would be better for them in future not to make
aggressions on their neighbours, or to venture hastily into war.

Captains Yelverton and Vansittart had already shown them how little they
could rely on their boasted fortifications, by destroying all between
Viborg and Helsingfors, Fredericksham, Kotka, and Swartholme.

THE WHITE SEA SQUADRON.

A small squadron, consisting of the _Eurydice_, twenty-six guns,
_Miranda_, fifteen, and _Brisk_, fourteen, had been sent in July 1854
into the White Sea, to destroy the Russian shipping and forts on the
coasts of Russian Lapland.

On the 23rd of July the town of Novitska was attacked and burned by the
_Miranda_ and _Brisk_.

On the 23rd of August the _Miranda_ anchored off Kola, the capital of
Russian Lapland.  A flag of truce was sent on shore, demanding the
surrender of the fort, garrison, and government property.  All night the
crew remained at their quarters, and no answer being returned in the
morning, the flag of truce was hauled down, and the ship, getting within
250 yards of the battery, opened a fire of grape and canister.  A party
was then landed under command of Lieutenant J.  Mackenzie and Mr
Manthorpe, mate, who, at the head of a party of bluejackets and marines,
rushed up, sword in hand, to dislodge the enemy from the batteries and
to capture the guns.  A hot fire was opened on them from the towers of a
monastery; but they soon drove out the garrison, who took to flight, and
it, with all the government stores and buildings, was immediately set on
fire and completely consumed.

Kola lies thirty miles up a river of most difficult navigation, with a
strong current, and often so narrow that there was scarcely room for the
ship to swing.  Captain Lyons also had a very uncertain knowledge of the
strength of the enemy; but nothing could check his determination, and it
was, as we have seen, rewarded with complete success.  Taking into
consideration the difficulties to be encountered, this was one of the
most daring naval exploits performed in the north.  The _Miranda_, at
the approach of autumn, returned to England, and from thence went out to
join the fleet in the Black Sea.

ACTION ON THE DANUBE--JUNE AND JULY 1854.

The blockade of Sebastopol having been established, some of the lighter
cruisers were sent along the coast on various detached enterprises, for
the purpose of annoying and misleading the Russians, and effecting the
destruction of government property.

Two of the cruisers, the _Firebrand_, Captain Hyde Parker, and the
_Vesuvius_, Captain Powell, were despatched to destroy the guard-houses
and signal-stations on the banks of the Danube, which kept up the
communication with the Russian forts.  On the morning of the 22nd of
June the boats of the two steamers, manned and armed, with a Turkish
gunboat, all under the command of Lieutenant Jones, of the _Firebrand_,
pulled off towards a guard-house and signal-station about twenty miles
north of Sulineh.  As they approached, the signal was made from station
to station, summoning aid.  Behind some banks, close to the beach, were
posted bodies of Cossack cavalry, while others were scattered about
wherever they could find shelter from the shells and shot fired from the
boats' and ships' guns.  They, however, could not stand this long, and
fled in confusion.

On the boats reaching the shore, the seamen and marines landed, and,
forming on the beach, advanced in skirmishing order towards the
Cossacks, who, mounting their horses, fled in all directions.  The
guard-houses were immediately burnt, the signal-staff destroyed, and the
men returned to their ships in admirable order.  Several other stations
were destroyed on that and the following days; and on one occasion, on
the night of the 27th of June, Captain Parker surprised the garrison of
Sulineh, whom he put to flight, after capturing the officer in command
and others.  The officer was forwarded to Lord Raglan, who obtained some
important information from him.

The _Firebrand_ and _Vesuvius_ now kept up a strict blockade of the
Danube, and the crews were allowed to land without opposition; but at
length Captain Parker suspected that the gabion battery attached to the
quarantine ground was occupied, and, for the purpose of examining it,
entered the river on the 6th with the boats of the two ships.  Nothing
was discovered until Captain Parker's galley arrived opposite the gabion
battery, when a single rifle-shot was fired, which passed through the
boat, and this was followed by a volley, piercing the boat, grazing the
captain's elbow, and severely wounding one man.  Captain Parker on this
ordered the boat to pull round, and, as she retreated, with the greatest
coolness he discharged his rifle at the enemy, who were now pouring in a
galling and heavy fire on all the boats.  The pinnace, being in advance,
was especially exposed, and unhappily grounded within fifty yards of the
battery.

On seeing this, Captain Parker leaped on shore from his galley,
exclaiming, "We must storm--follow me, my men!" and gallantly rushed
forward, followed by all who had then come up.  Parallel with the river,
and at about fifteen yards from it, ran a line of high canes growing in
a marsh.  He advanced along this, and having fired and knocked down a
Cossack, he was reloading, when a volley of bullets came flying round
him, one of which pierced his heart, and he fell dead into the arms of
his coxswain, Mr Everard, a naval cadet, being at the moment by his
side.

Commander Powell, who succeeded to the command, ordered a heavy fire of
shell and congreve rockets to be opened on the battery, under cover of
which the marines and seamen stormed the place, and drove out the
Russians, who took shelter in the marsh, where they could not be
followed.

Captain Parker was a most gallant officer, and his loss caused deep
regret among all his brother officers.

On the 13th, the _Spitfire_, Lieutenant Johnstone, towing the boats of
the _Vesuvius_, crossed the bar at the Sulineh mouth of the Danube, and,
having driven off the enemy, the marines and bluejackets landed and
totally destroyed the town of Sulineh, by setting it on fire in every
direction.

BOMBARDMENT OF SEBASTOPOL--17TH OCTOBER 1854.

We have now to give an account of the chief naval exploits of the war,
when the wooden walls of Old England were to try their strength with the
stone ramparts of Russia.  While the heavy artillery of the Allies
opened fire on the city from the newly-erected batteries on the
neighbouring heights, it was arranged that the fleets should attack from
the sea.  The fleet was to form a semicircle before the harbour's mouth;
the French to engage the forts on the south, the English the forts
Constantine and Alexander and the Stone and Wasp forts on the north.
The morning was actively spent by the crews in preparing for action.

At fifty minutes past ten the signal for weighing was made; and the
fleet, the fine old _Agamemnon_ leading, stood towards the batteries.
She was followed in order by the _Sanspareil_, screw, the sailing--ships
being moved by steamers lashed alongside,--_Albion_, by _Firebrand;
Queen_, by _Vesuvius; Britannia_, by _Furious; Trafalgar_, by
_Retribution; London_, by _Niger; Vengeance_, by _Highflyer; Rodney_, by
_Spiteful; Bellerophon_, by _Cyclops; Arethusa_, by _Triton_; while
_Samson, Tribune, Terrible, Sphinx, Lynx_, and _Spitfire_ acted as
look-out ships, and were allowed to take up independent positions.
Besides the stone fortifications, the enemy had thrown up numerous
earthworks, and placed guns along the cliff to the north.  To one of
these forts the seamen gave the name of the Wasp; to another, the
Telegraph battery.

The French weighed first, a little before ten, and proceeded to their
position, on the south of the line, when the enemy opened fire on them.
The Turks took up a position in the centre; and now the magnificent
_Agamemnon_ steamed on, with the gallant little _Circassian_, commanded
by the brave Mr Ball, piloting the way, sounding as he went, and
marking the position the larger ships were to take up.

At half-past one the _Agamemnon_ began to draw in close with the land,
when, to try range, she opened fire from her large pivot-gun on the Wasp
battery, which instantly returned it; and in a short time Fort
Constantine commenced firing with terrible effect, the _Agamemnon_
suffering fearfully.

At two p.m. she anchored, head and stern, in a quarter less five
fathoms, 750 yards off Fort Constantine, on which she immediately opened
her fresh broadside.  At five minutes past two, the _Sanspareil_ and
_London_ anchored astern, and ably seconded the gallant Sir Edmund by
the fire which they poured into the Star Fort and the smaller forts on
the cliff.  At twenty minutes past two, the _Albion_ anchored, and
engaged the Wasp, to take off the fire from the _Agamemnon_, which, from
her position, exposed to a cross fire, was suffering more than the other
ships.  The _Britannia_, now in fifteen fathoms water, and some two
thousand yards off, opened fire, and the action became general.

The commander of the detached steamers determined that they also should
play their part.  The _Terrible_ and _Samson_ dashed on inside the other
ships, and engaged the northern forts in the most gallant manner.
Nothing could exceed the steady way in which the _Vesuvius_ carried her
huge consort into action, nor the spirited manner in which the _Albion_
engaged Fort Constantine.  The _Arethusa_,--a name long known to fame,--
urged on by the little _Triton_, well preserved the renown her name has
gained, by boldly engaging the huge stone fort, at which, in rapid
succession, broadside after broadside was discharged, the crew of the
_Triton_ coming on board to assist in manning her guns.  At length, with
her rigging cut to pieces, and numerous shot-holes in her hull, and
eighteen killed and wounded, and five wounded belonging to the _Triton_,
she was towed out of action.

The _Albion_, though farther out than the _Agamemnon_, was in reality
suffering far more than that ship, and she at length was compelled to
haul off, with one lieutenant and nine men killed, and three other
officers and sixty-eight men wounded.  The _London_, also, with four
killed and eighteen wounded, was at the same time taken out of action.
All this time the gallant Sir Edmund Lyons refused to move; indeed, his
ship was suffering more aloft than in her hull, and, notwithstanding the
tremendous fire to which she had been exposed, she had only four killed
and twenty-five wounded.  This was owing to the vice-admiral's bravery
in going so close to the shore; the majority of the shot, flying high,
struck her rigging instead of her hull.  Still she was struck 240 times,
and became almost a wreck,--her hull showing gaping wounds, her
main-yard cut in two places, every spar more or less damaged, two
shot-holes in the head of the mainmast, and her rigging hanging in
shreds; the ship also having twice caught fire,--once when a shell fell
in her maintop and set fire to the mainsail, and another having burst in
the port side and set fire to the hammock-nettings.  The _Rodney_,
however, suffered still more in masts and rigging, she having tailed on
the reef, whence she was got off by the gallant exertions of Commander
Kynaston, of the _Spiteful_.  The _Albion_ and _Arethusa_ suffered
greatly in their hulls.

At length one ship after another had drawn off; and the fire of the
forts being concentrated on the _Agamemnon_, Sir Edmund despatched one
of his lieutenants in a boat, to summon the _Bellerophon_ to his aid.
The appeal was nobly and immediately answered, and she contributed
greatly to take off the fire which the Wasp and Telegraph batteries were
showering on her.  As the _Agamemnon_ was the first to go into battle,
so she was one of the last to haul out of the engagement, which she did
soon after six p.m., but not till darkness had compelled the combatants
on shore to cease from firing.  The action lasted altogether from
half-past one to half-past six,--the loss being 44 killed and 266
wounded.

A naval brigade had at this time been formed, and a considerable number
of officers and men belonging to the different ships were consequently
serving on shore.  Owing to this circumstance, probably, the casualties
were lessened.  The admiral had also left all the spare top-masts and
spars on board the _Vulcan_, with the sick and prisoners, at the
anchorage off the Katscha; so that the ships were soon able to repair
the damages they had received aloft.  No sooner had the fleet once more
anchored in safety, than the captains went on board the _Agamemnon_, to
pay their respects to Sir Edmund Lyons, as did the French on the
following day, all declaring that his ship had held the post of honour.
Still, many other ships were not behind his in the gallant way in which
they were fought.

The French ships were also fought with great courage and judgment, and
suffered even more than the English.  The Turks, from being much farther
out, escaped with slight damage.

The result of the action, bravely as it had been fought, was not
satisfactory.  It was a trial of strength between stone and wood, and
the stone was undoubtedly the victor.  Probably a considerable number of
Russians were killed and wounded, and it served as a diversion to the
land attack; but next day not a gun the less frowned from the batteries
of Fort Constantine, and but a trifling damage had been done to the
stonework.

However, the diversions caused by these attacks from the sea were of
much consequence; and on other occasions the smaller steamers, gun and
rocket-boats, were sent off the mouth of the harbour during the night to
distract the attention of the Russians.

CRIMEAN NAVAL BRIGADE.

Soon after the army reached Balaclava, portions of the crews of most of
the larger ships had been sent on shore, at first simply to assist in
garrisoning the heights above Balaclava, and placed under the command of
Captain Lushington.  The brigade was soon afterwards increased by a
party under Lord John Hay, of the _Wasp_.  Both officers and men,
however, very soon volunteered for other services, and in every post of
danger there was some portion of the naval brigade to be found.  It was
here that Captain William Peel first showed the gallantry and judgment
for which he became so conspicuous.  He took command of one of the
advanced batteries before Sebastopol, which did good service.  During
the first six days of the bombardment, ending October 22nd, the naval
brigade lost twelve killed and sixty-six wounded.

From the first, the conduct of all the men, though placed in a novel
situation, was excellent, and the gallantry of officers and men
conspicuous.  From being near Balaclava, and from being supplied with
tents and clothing and food from their ships, they had not the same
dreadful hardships to endure as the soldiers; they yet sought out
danger, and as readily exposed their lives on shore as they are
accustomed to do at sea.

Among all the acts exhibiting gallantry, coolness, and judgment, one
performed by Mr N.W.  Hewett, then acting mate of HMS _Beagle_, stands
conspicuous.

On the 26th of October 1854, the day after the battle of Balaclava, he
was in charge of the right Lancaster battery before Sebastopol, with a
party of bluejackets under him, when the Russians made a desperate
sortie from the walls against Sir De Lacy Evans' division.  The advance
of the Russians placed the gun in great jeopardy; and their assault was
so vigorous that their skirmishers had got within 300 yards of the
battery, and were pouring in a sharp fire from their Minie rifles.  By
some misapprehension the word was passed to spike the gun and retreat;
but Mr Hewett, taking upon himself to disregard what he heard,
answered, "That order did not come from Captain Lushington, and till he
directs us to desert the gun, we'll not move."  This proceeding was
hazardous, for at the time the gun was in an ineffectual position, in
consequence of the enemy advancing on its flank.  With the assistance,
however, of the seamen with him, and of some soldiers who came to his
aid, he got round the gun into position; then, blowing away the parapet
of the battery, he opened on the advancing column of the Russians so
effective a fire, that they were completely staggered, and their
progress was stopped.  Seconded by his companions, whom his spirit
animated, again and again he discharged his death-dealing gun, till the
enemy gave way and retreated.

A story is current that he actually did receive an order to abandon the
gun, and that afterwards, while he was reflecting what might be the
consequences of having disobeyed it, his commanding officer inquired,
"Mr Hewett, were you not ordered to spike that gun and retreat?"

"I was, sir."

"And you chose to disregard the order, and fight the gun?"

"I did, sir; but I am sorry if--"

"Well, then, you are promoted."  Sir Stephen Lushington brought Mr
Hewett's conduct before the commander-in-chief, and he received from the
Admiralty, as a reward, his lieutenancy, which he so well merited.  At
the battle of Inkermann his bravery was again conspicuous, and he was
soon afterwards appointed to the command of the _Beagle_ gunboat in the
Sea of Azov.

A LIVE SHELL AMONG THE POWDER.

Captain Peel of the _Leander_ repeated the exploit of Mr Lucas, already
related, under even more exciting circumstances.

He was in command of a battery outside Sebastopol on the 18th of
October, when a live shell with fuse burning fell among the powder cases
outside the magazine.  Had it exploded, it would in any case have
created great havoc, but there was the additional risk that it might
explode the magazine, in which case everyone near would have been
killed.  The moment it fell, Captain Peel seized it and threw it over
the parapet, which was not quite the same as throwing it overboard at
sea, for it exploded as it fell, but happily, being outside the battery,
caused no mischief.

Captain Peel distinguished himself on many occasions during the war.  At
the battle of Inkermann he joined the officers of the Grenadier Guards,
and assisted them in defending and saving the colours of the regiment
when hard-pressed in the Sandbag Battery.  At the assault of the Redan
he volunteered to lead the ladder-party, and carried the first ladder
until disabled by a severe wound.

EDWARD SAINT JOHN DANIELS.

This young officer, a midshipman of Captain Peel's ship, took example
from the conduct of his noble chief, and vied with him in feats of
daring.  In Captain Peel's battery there was a call for volunteers to
bring in powder to the battery from a waggon in a very exposed
situation, a shot having disabled the horses.  Instantly Mr Daniels
sprang forward, and, followed by others, performed the dangerous
service.  At the battle of Inkermann he followed his captain as his
aide-de-camp through the terrific fire of that eventful day.  Again, on
the 18th of June, he accompanied Captain Peel when he led the
ladder-party in the assault on the Redan.  Together they approached the
deadly breach, when Captain Peel was struck in the arm, and might have
bled to death, had not young Daniels remained by him on the glacis under
a terrific fire, and with admirable devotion and perfect coolness
applied a tourniquet to his arm, not leaving him till he was able to
gain a less exposed position.

BRAVERY OF FIVE SEAMEN AT INKERMANN.

During the battle of Inkermann, while the right Lancaster battery was
fiercely attacked by the Russians, five gallant bluejackets, picking up
the muskets of the disabled soldiers, mounted the banquette, and, under
a fierce fire, kept rapidly discharging them, while their comrades below
loaded and handed them up others as fast as they could, contributing
much to keep the enemy at bay.  Two were killed, or died from their
wounds; but the three survivors, Thomas Reeve, James Gorman, and Mark
Scholefield, obtained the Victoria Cross.

COMMANDER ROBY.

John Taylor, captain of the forecastle, and Henry Curtis, boatswain's
mate, were in the advance sap opposite the Redan on 18th June 1855,
immediately after the assault on Sebastopol, when they observed a
soldier of the 57th Regiment, who had been shot through both legs,
sitting up, and calling for help.  Lieutenant D'Aeth, of HMS _Sidou_,
was also of the party, but died of cholera soon after.  The brave seamen
could not bear to see their poor countryman thus perishing, and, though
the Redan was still keeping up a tremendous fire, climbing over the
breastwork of the sap, Captain Roby and the two seamen proceeded upwards
of seventy yards across the open space towards the salient angle of the
Redan, and, at the great risk of their own lives, lifted up the wounded
soldier and bore him to a place of safety.

John Sullivan, boatswain's mate, while serving in an advanced battery,
on the 10th of April 1855, showed the most perfect coolness and bravery,
by going forward and placing a flag on a mound in an exposed situation,
under a heavy fire, to enable another battery, Number 5, to open fire on
a concealed Russian battery, which was doing great execution on the
British advanced works.  Commander Kennedy, commanding the battery,
spoke in the highest terms of Sullivan's bravery on that and on other
occasions, and recommended him for promotion.

DASHING SERVICE OF JOHN SHEPHERD, A BOATSWAIN.

While he was boatswain's mate of the _Saint Jean d'Acre_, and serving in
the naval brigade, he volunteered to proceed in a punt, during a dark
night, into the harbour of Sebastopol, and to endeavour, with an
apparatus he carried, to blow up one of the Russian line-of-battle
ships.  He reached the harbour, and had got past the enemy's steamboat
at the entrance of Careening Bay, when he was prevented from proceeding
farther by a long line of boats, which were carrying troops from the
south to the north side of Sebastopol.  On the 16th of August, he again
made the attempt from the side of Careening Bay, then in possession of
the French.

The above are only some few of the gallant deeds done by the officers
and men of the naval brigade before Sebastopol.  All, from Sir Stephen
Lushington downwards to the youngest midshipman or ship-boy, did their
duty right nobly; and though the bluejackets of England have no cause,
as a rule, to complain that their gallantry is not sufficiently
appreciated, perhaps on this occasion the service they rendered to their
country is scarcely understood as it should be.  On the disastrous
assault on the Redan, 18th of June 1855, the naval brigade consisted of
four parties of sixty men each, one for each column; but two only went
out, the other two being kept in reserve.  They were told off to carry
scaling-ladders and wool-bags, and to place them for the
storming-parties.  They were led by Captain Peel.  Severely they
suffered.  Out of the two small parties, fourteen were killed and
forty-seven were wounded.

When the soldiers, overwhelmed by the terrific fire of the batteries,
retreated towards the trenches, several officers and men were left
behind wounded, and endured fearful agonies for hours, without a drop of
water or a cheering voice to comfort them.  Among others, Lieutenant
Ermiston lay for five hours under the abattis of the Redan, and was
reported dead; but he had only a contusion of the knee, and, watching
his opportunity, he got safely away.

Mr Kennedy, mate of the _London_, was also left behind, close to the
abattis, and, after several hours of painful suspense, concealed among
the dead, he rolled himself over and over down the declivity, and
managed to get into the trench.

Lieutenant Kidd came in all safe, and was receiving the congratulations
of a brother officer, when he saw a wounded soldier lying out in the
open.  He at once exclaimed, "We must go and save him!" and leaped over
the parapet in order to do so.  He had scarcely proceeded one yard on
his errand of mercy, when he was shot through the breast, and died an
hour afterwards.

Lieutenant Dalyell, of the _Leander_, had his left arm shattered by a
grape-shot, and underwent amputation.

Lieutenant Cave, and Mr Wood, midshipman, were also wounded; as was
Captain Peel, as has been described.  Indeed, of the whole detachment,
only three officers came out of action untouched.

Not only were the subordinate officers of the navy thus conspicuously
brave and active, but a sailor was from the first one of the ruling
spirits of the campaign.  To Sir Edmund Lyons did England owe, in an
incalculable degree, the success which attended our arms on the shores
of the Euxine.

He it was who organised and conducted the expedition to the Crimea,
prepared the means of landing, and superintended all so closely, that
"in his eagerness he left but six inches between the keel of his noble
ship and the ground below it."  Not only in matters connected with the
transport of the troops, but also in every subsequent stage of the
expedition, Sir Edmund Lyons gave the most valuable assistance to Lord
Raglan and his successors.  How, at the battle of the Alma, he supported
the French army by bringing the guns of his ship to bear on the left
flank of the Russians, and what a conspicuous part he took with the
_Agamemnon_ on the first bombardment of Sebastopol, are incidents
well-known at the time.  But he had more to do in the way of advice and
of encouragement than the public ever heard of.  Day after day he might
have been seen on his grey pony, hovering about the English lines on the
heights of Sebastopol; he was present at Balaclava, and he was present
at Inkermann.  It was thus that, having conveyed our soldiers to the
Crimea, he saved them from being compelled to leave it, baffled, if not
vanquished.  A day or two after the battle of Balaclava, Sir Edmund
Lyons, on landing, learnt to his astonishment that orders had been
issued to the naval brigade to embark as many guns as possible during
the day, for Balaclava was to be evacuated at night,--of course,
surrendering to the enemy the greater portion of the guns.  On his own
responsibility, the admiral at once put a stop to the execution of this
order, and went in search of Lord Raglan, who, it appears, had come to
the resolution of abandoning Balaclava, in consequence of the opinion
expressed by the engineers, that, after the loss of these redoubts in
our rear lately held by the Turks, we ought to concentrate our strength
on the plateau.  Taking Lord Raglan aside, Sir Edmund Lyons strongly
opposed these views.  He pointed out that the advanced position in the
valley in front of which these redoubts were situated had been
originally occupied in accordance with the advice of those very
officers, and in opposition to that of Sir Edmund, who had suggested at
the time that they were covering too much ground.  He argued that, as
the engineers had been mistaken once, they might be wrong again; and he
clinched his argument by saying that, whatever might be the value of his
opinion in such a case, he was at all events entitled to pronounce an
opinion as to the insufficiency of Kamiesch as a harbour for the allied
armies; that this harbour was utterly inadequate; and that the
abandonment of Balaclava meant the evacuation of the Crimea in a week.
After some conversation, Lord Raglan said, "Well, you were right before,
and this time I will act upon your advice."  Sir Edmund obtained leave
to countermand the orders which had been issued; Balaclava was
maintained as our base of operations, and the army was saved from what
might have proved an inglorious defeat, if not a terrible disaster.
This, as we have said, was perhaps the most important of all the
services rendered by the admiral, and he well deserved the peerage which
it earned for him.

Sir Stephen Lushington, having attained his rank as admiral in July
1855, was succeeded in the command of the naval brigade by Captain the
Honourable Henry Keppel, whose gallantry on various occasions had been
especially conspicuous.  At length, on the 19th September, Sebastopol
having fallen, the gallant naval brigade was disbanded,--the jovial
bluejackets leaving Balaclava to return to their ships, amid the
enthusiastic cheers of their red-coated comrades, among whom but one
feeling was universal, that of regret at losing the company of so merry
a band.  Not a soldier but admired their bravery, their invariable
good-humour, and marvellous aptitude in adapting themselves to whatever
circumstances they might fall in with.

EXPEDITION TO KERTCH.

The importance of securing the outlet to the Sea of Azov had long been
seen; and on the 22nd of May an expedition sailed from Balaclava, under
the joint command of Sir George Brown and General D'Autemarre, for the
purpose of capturing the fortresses of Kertch and Yenikale, which
command its entrance.  They had under them 15,000 troops and five
batteries of artillery.  Admirals Lyons and Bruat accompanied the
expedition.  While the troops were landed some miles to the south of
Kertch, the squadron proceeded on to attack it in front; but, before
they arrived, the Russians, believing that they could not defend the
place, evacuated it, as did most of the inhabitants.  Yenikale was
deserted in the same manner, and the armies and fleets achieved a
bloodless victory, while the smaller steamers of the squadron were sent
off up the Sea of Azov in chase of the Russian men-of-war.

A light squadron of English and French vessels was placed under the
command of Captain Lyons of the _Miranda_, with directions to capture
and destroy all the ships, magazines, and stores of provisions belonging
to the enemy.  The larger quantity of provisions for the Russian army in
the Crimea had hitherto been conveyed across the Sea of Azov.  In a few
days the _Miranda_ and her consorts destroyed four months' rations for
100,000 men, and not less than 300 Russian vessels.

This work was ably done, and individuals often even thus had
opportunities of exhibiting their gallantry.  Arriving off Genitchi on
29th May 1855, with his little squadron, Captain Lyons sent Commander
Craufurd with a flag of truce, to demand the surrender of a number of
vessels which were seen, as well as government stores.  This demand
being refused, the squadron opened fire on the town, while the boats
under the command of Lieutenant Mackenzie pulled in, and set fire to
seventy-three vessels and some corn-stores on shore.  The wind shifting,
there seemed a probability that the more distant vessels and stores
might escape.

As the enemy had had time to make preparations, another expedition would
be, it was evident, more dangerous than the first.  As, however, the
vessels were in a favourable position for supplying the Russian armies
in the Crimea, and their destruction was of the greatest importance,
Captain Lyons despatched the boats, commanded and officered as before.

Seeing that there would be great risk in landing a party in presence of
a superior force out of gunshot of the ships, Lieutenant Cecil Buckley,
_Miranda_, Lieutenant Hugh Burgoyne, _Swallow_, and Mr J.  Roberts,
gunner of the _Ardent_, volunteered to land alone and fire the stores.
While these three gallant officers proceeded on their dangerous
undertaking, Lieutenant Mackenzie pushed on under a fire of four
field-guns and musketry, and destroyed the remaining vessels, the ships
resuming their fire on the town.  The shore party succeeded in reaching
the stores, to which they effectually set fire.  On their retreat to
their boat, they were, however, very nearly cut off by a body of
Cossacks who charged down on them, but they got safe on board.  Though
several shots struck the boats, only one man was slightly wounded.

PROCEEDINGS AT TAGANROG--3RD JUNE.

Captain Lyons arrived off this place with a large mosquito fleet of
steamers, gunboats, and boats from the English and French men-of-war.
Taganrog was summoned to surrender, but the governor refused, and a
brisk fire was opened on the place.  In vain the enemy endeavoured to
get down to the store-houses on the beach to protect them.  Lieutenant
Mackenzie, first of the _Miranda_, had charge of a separate division of
light boats, with rockets and one gun, to cover the approach of
Lieutenant Cecil Buckley, _Miranda_, who, in a four-oared gig, manned by
volunteers, accompanied by Mr Henry Cooper, boatswain, repeatedly
landed and fired the different stores and public buildings.  This
dangerous, not to say desperate, service, when carried out in a town
containing upwards of 3000 troops, constantly endeavouring to prevent
it, and only checked by the fire of the boats' guns, was most
effectually performed.

GALLANTRY OF S.  TREWAVAS, SEAMAN.

The _Beagle_, to the command of which ship Lieutenant Hewett had been
appointed on the 3rd July, was off the town of Genitchi, where there was
a floating bridge which it was most important to destroy, as it
communicated with the town and the Arabat spit.  Mr Hewett accordingly
despatched his gig, under command of Mr Hayles, gunner of the _Beagle_,
and paddle-box boats under Mr Martin Tracy, midshipman of the
_Vesuvius_.  The undertaking was one of considerable danger, for troops
lined the beach not eighty yards off, and the adjacent houses were
filled with riflemen, all of whom opened a hot fire on the boats.  The
_Beagle_ fired on them in return, as did Mr Tracy from the paddle-box
boats, causing great confusion and dismay in their ranks.  However, Mr
Hayles pulled in, ably seconded by a seaman lent from the _Agamemnon_,
Stephen Trewavas, who, though already wounded from the fire of the
enemy, cut the hawsers and cast the boats adrift.  Mr Hayles was also
wounded.  Trewavas obtained the Victoria Cross for his coolness and
determination on this occasion.

The squadron continued its course round the coast, destroying fisheries,
guard-houses, barracks, stores of forage and provisions, and vessels,
wherever they could be found.

BRAVE DEVOTION OF F.  KELLAWAY, BOATSWAIN.

The _Wrangler_, Commander Burgoyne, came off Marioupol, Sea of Azov,
where some boats, fishing-stations, and haystacks were discovered across
a small lake.  On this, Commander Burgoyne despatched Mr Odevaine,
mate, and Mr Kellaway, boatswain, to destroy them.  They had nearly
reached the spot, when they were fired on by a party of Russians, who
suddenly rushed out from their ambush, and endeavoured to cut off their
retreat.  One seaman fell into the enemy's hands, but the rest of the
party were making good their escape, when Mr Odevaine tripped up and
fell.  Mr Kellaway, believing that his commanding officer was wounded,
though at the risk of his life, ran back to his rescue.  While lifting
him up they were surrounded by the Russians, and though the gallant
boatswain made a stout resistance, they were both made prisoners and
carried off.  Commander Burgoyne and the other officers of the ship were
witnesses of the devoted conduct of Mr Kellaway, but were unable to
render them assistance.

LIEUTENANT G.F.  DAY AT GENITCHI.

While Lieutenant Day was in command of the _Recruit_ he performed
several very gallant acts, but none surpassed the following:--

It was important to ascertain the practicability of reaching the enemy's
gun-vessels which lay within the Straits of Genitchi, close to the town.
With this object in view, Mr Day, having provided himself with a
pocket-compass, went on shore one dark but fine night, and proceeded
through the enemy's lines, traversing a distance of four or five miles,
occasionally up to his knees in water, till he got within 200 yards of
the vessels.  From the perfect silence which reigned on board them, he
was persuaded that they were without crews; and when he returned, it was
with the conviction that the expedition was a feasible one.  The
correctness of this opinion he was induced to doubt on the following
day, in consequence of the increased activity apparent in the direction
of the vessels.  Notwithstanding the danger he must have been aware he
was running,--for it was in attempting a reconnaissance on the same
ground that Captain L'Allenand, of the French steam-vessel _Monette_,
lost his life,--he resolved to pay another visit to the spot.  The night
was squally, and he thought it wiser to take a larger circuit than
before.  He persevered, and gained the spot, when he ascertained that
the vessels were manned, and that their crews were apparently on the
alert.  He decided, consequently, that it would be out of the question
to make any attempt to surprise them.

CLOSELY PURSUED.

Captain Commerell, having ascertained that large quantities of
corn-forage were collected on the Crimean shore of the Sivash,
considered that it was of importance to destroy them, and determined
himself to undertake the dangerous task, accompanied by Mr Lillingston,
mate, William Rickard, quartermaster, and George Milestone, A.B., and
another man.  Having left the ship at nightfall, they hauled their small
boat across the spit of Arabat, and traversed the Sivash to the Crimean
shore of the Putrid Sea.  Here Mr Lillingston and one man remained in
charge of the boat.  They had now a distance of two miles to proceed, to
reach the magazine of corn and forage, amounting to 400 tons, which they
had devoted to destruction.  They had also two rivers to ford,--the
Kara-su and Salghir,--the magazine being on the banks of the latter
stream.  Near the magazine was a guard-house, and close to it a village,
in which twenty or thirty mounted Cossacks were posted.  Nothing
daunted, they pushed on, and, having crossed the two rivers without
being discovered, they set light to the stacks.  With unexpected
rapidity the whole blazed up, and soon gave notice to the enemy of what
had occurred.  They beat a rapid retreat, and, having recrossed the
Salghir, ran for their lives, pursued by the Cossacks, who soon opened
on them a hot fire.  On they ran, fortunately taking the right road, the
Cossacks increasing in numbers.  Milestone at length gave signs of being
exhausted.  The boat was yet some way off.  The Cossacks were scarcely
fifty yards behind, when Milestone fell in some deep mud, from which, in
his tired condition, he had no power of drawing himself out.  On this,
Rickard, discovering his condition, entreated his captain to make good
his escape, while he attempted to help Milestone.  This he succeeded in
doing, though the Cossacks were now not forty yards from them, Mr
Lillingston and a man who remained in the boat covering them with their
rifles; and there fortunately being some 200 yards of mud for the
horsemen to traverse, all the party reached the boat in safety.  Both
Captain Commerell and his brave boatswain Rickard most deservedly
received the Victoria Cross.

CAPTURE OF KINBURN--17TH OCTOBER 1855.

The allied fleet left Kamiesch on the 7th of October, with about 5000
British troops on board, and a still larger number of French.  Appearing
off Odessa to alarm that place, and to mislead the Russians, they
proceeded directly for Kinburn.

The troops landed about three miles south of Kinburn early on the 15th,
and the bombardment soon afterwards commenced; but it was not till the
17th that the grand attack took place, thus described by an
eye-witness:--

"Continually on the move, the steamers and gunboats, firing as they
went, swept down the defences of the Russians, silencing their guns,
killing the men, or forcing them to take refuge underground.  Then a
grand movement of the fleet took place.  The admirals and their
three-deckers were observed at noon entering into action in splendid
order, French and English advancing in line under steam, and approaching
close into the land.  The fleet in the lagoon closed in at the same
moment, and simultaneously heavy broadsides were poured in from all
quarters.  The central fort was the only one which replied, and then
only with a solitary gun at long intervals.  Nothing of a grander or
more imposing effect could be witnessed than the three-deckers veering
round to deliver their fire, their jibs set to bring their guns to bear.
Three times the _Montebello_, commanded by the French admiral,
delivered a broadside from every gun in her sides.  As she did so, she
became lost in wreaths of white smoke.  The iron shower swept over the
fort with a din that surpassed all other sounds, and the air
reverberated with the roar of ordnance.  All round the enemy the fire
was delivered in continuous discharges, and there was no pause.  It was
then that the Russians gave signs of surrender.  A struggling form was
seen on the ramparts, waving a white flag as a token.  As by magic, the
firing ceased."

The old Russian general shortly afterwards came out of the castle, and
delivered his sword to Admiral Sir Houston Stewart and General Bazaine.
Only two seamen were hit; but the Russians lost 43 men killed, 114
wounded, and upwards of 1200 prisoners.



CHAPTER ELEVEN.

THE INDIAN MUTINY.

THE "SHANNON'S" BRIGADE IN INDIA.

From the Journal of Lieutenant E.  Hope Verney, RN, published by
Saunders and Otley.

HM screw steam-frigate _Shannon_, of fifty-one guns, 600 horse-power,
and 2667 tons, at that time the largest frigate afloat, was commissioned
at Portsmouth by Captain William Peel on the 13th of September 1856, and
destined for the China Seas.  On her arrival at Hong-Kong, Lord Elgin,
hearing of the outbreak of the mutiny in India, embarked in her with a
body of troops for Calcutta.  She arrived on the 6th of August in the
mouth of the Ganges, when Captain Peel offered the services of his crew,
with the ship's guns, to the Governor-General to form a naval brigade.
On the 14th, Captain Peel, with a number of officers and 450 seamen,
embarked in a flat, towed by a river steamer, and proceeded up the
Hooghly, to join the force advancing to the relief of Lucknow.  On the
18th, they were followed by another party of five officers and 120 men,
under the command of Lieutenant Vaughan,--the frigate being left with
140 men, under the command of Mr Waters, the master.

The steamers were of light draught, and could proceed but slowly with
the heavily-laden flats in tow against the strong current.  The vessels
anchored at night, and proceeded on their voyage during the day, when
the men underwent a course of drilling, to fit them for the service they
had undertaken.  At length, towards the end of October, they reached
Allahabad, at the junction of the Jumna and Ganges; and while one
division was left to garrison that place, the remainder proceeded on
towards Cawnpore by land.  While at Futtehpore, near the Ganges,
information was received that a party of rebels were in the
neighbourhood; and 100 men of the naval brigade, commanded by Captain
Peel, with Lieutenant Hay, Mr Garvey, Lieutenant Stirling, RM, and Mr
Bone, and 430 men of different regiments, under command of Colonel
Powell, started in pursuit.  "After marching about twenty-four miles, at
three p.m. they came in sight of the enemy, found entrenched in a strong
position behind some hillocks of sand; and, driving their skirmishers
out of a field of corn, engaged and defeated them, capturing two guns
and an ammunition waggon.  The whole force of the enemy exceeded 4000
men, of whom about 2000 were Sepoys, who fought in uniform.  The enemy's
artillery was well served, and did great execution.  The gallant Colonel
Powell, pressing on to the attack, had just secured two guns, when he
fell dead with a bullet through his forehead."

Captain Peel then took the command.  It was not till half-past four that
the enemy fired their last shot and retreated, leaving 300 killed behind
them, while the British loss was 95 killed and wounded.  Of the naval
brigade, Lieutenant Hay, RN, was wounded in the hand, and Lieutenant
Stirling, RM, severely in the leg.

On the 12th of November, the naval brigade arrived before Lucknow.  On
the 14th, an attack was made on the city, when the Martiniere College
and another large building were captured.  While the brigade's guns were
in action, one of them exploding, killed Francis Cassidey, captain of
the maintop and severely wounded several other men.

Again, on the 16th, the naval brigade guns were engaged in the attack on
Secundra Bagh, when Lieutenant Salmon, RN, was severely wounded, and
Martin Abbot Daniel, midshipman, was killed by a round shot in the head.

In writing to his father, Captain Peel says: "It was in front of the
Shah Najeef, and in command of an eight-inch howitzer, that your noble
son was killed.  The enemy's fire was very heavy, and I had just asked
your son if his gun was ready; he replied, `All ready, sir'; when I
said, `Fire the howitzer'; and he was answering, `Ay, ay,' when a round
shot in less than a moment deprived him of life.  We buried him where he
fell, our chaplain reading the service; and, in laying him in his
resting-place, we felt, captain, officers, and men, that we had lost one
the best and noblest of the `Shannons.'"

Twelve or thirteen of the naval brigade were wounded on this occasion,
and three or four were killed.  On the following day, that masterly
movement took place by which the women and children, and sick and
wounded, were safely brought out of Lucknow; and on the 24th, one of
England's noblest heroes--Sir Henry Havelock--died.

On the 28th of November, the brigade marched on Cawnpore, when, meeting
the enemy, a party of thirty-six bluejackets, with two twenty-four
pounders, under Lieutenant Hay, with Mr Garvey, mate, and Mr H.A.
Lascelles, did good service.  Mr Lascelles, naval cadet, aide-de-camp
to Captain Peel, greatly distinguished himself, seizing a rifle from a
wounded man of the 88th, and charging with that regiment.  About this
time the brigade was joined by Captain Oliver Jones, RN, on half-pay, as
a volunteer, who did good service on various occasions.

"Our army on the march is a sight affording much interest and
amusement,--such a menagerie of men and beasts, footmen and cavalry,
soldiers and sailors, camels and elephants, white men and black men,
horses and oxen, marines and artillery, Sikhs and Highlanders.

"When we leave the encampment, all is shrouded in darkness, and everyone
naturally feels a little grumpy; but when the first streaks of dawn
appear, and we have been an hour on the road, the welcome note is heard
in the distance of the bugles sounding the `halt.'  With great rapidity
it passes from regiment to regiment, and dies away in the rear.  Cavalry
dismount, infantry pile arms in the middle of the road, and for a few
minutes the whole army disperses on each side of it.  The favourite
refreshment of officers is bread, cold tongue, and `brandy pawnee,'
which find their way out of innocent-looking holsters.  And now we take
off overcoats and monkey-jackets, which were needed when we started in
the cold and damp night; the bluejackets fasten theirs over their
shoulders, and the officers strap theirs to their saddles.  The brief
halt is too quickly at an end, and after a ten minutes' rest the advance
again sounds down the line from bugler to bugler.  All at once fall in,
arms are unpiled, and, enlivened by our band, we again step out; now
feet begin to ache, and boots to chafe; but the cheery music of the
bands, bugles, or drums and fifes of the regiments marching next to us,
generally the Rifles, infuses energy into the most footsore.  We make
three halts in a march of thirteen or fourteen miles, of which the last
is the longest, to allow the quartermaster-general and his staff to ride
on and mark out the camp.  As the sun rises, the heat rapidly increases,
and the camels and elephants are seen making short cuts across the
fields, and keeping always clear of the road.  When our bands have blown
as much wind as they can spare into their instruments, our men strike up
a song; and old windlass tunes, forecastle ditties, and many a
well-known old ballad resound through the jungles and across the fertile
plains of Bengal, and serve to animate our sailors and astonish the
natives."

On the 2nd of January 1858, the naval brigade were engaged at the battle
of Kallee-Nuddee.  A party of seamen, under Lieutenant Vaughan, had been
repairing the bridge across that river, when the Sepoys opened fire on
him from a small gun in the opposite village.  He returned it, and,
crossing the bridge with three guns, held in check a body of the enemy's
cavalry visible beyond the village.  Brigadier Greathed's division and
other troops were engaged all the time.  Lieutenant Vaughan now pointed
and fired one of his guns at a small gun of the enemy, which was
concealed behind the corner of a house.  His first shot struck the roof
of the house; his second struck the angle of the wall about half-way
down; and a third dismounted the gun, and destroyed the carriage.
Captain Peel, who was standing by, said, "Thank you, Mr Vaughan;
perhaps you will now be so good as to blow up the tumbril."  Lieutenant
Vaughan fired a fourth shot, which passed near it, and a fifth, which
blew it up, and killed several of the enemy.  "Thank you," said Captain
Peel, in his blandest and most courteous tones; "I will now go and
report to Sir Colin."

The village was stormed and the enemy driven out by the 53rd Regiment,
when the cavalry pursued and cut up the rebels terribly, capturing all
their guns.

Soon after this, as Captain Peel and Captain Oliver Jones with three men
of the 53rd were passing through the battery, five Sepoys jumped out of
a ditch, and attacked them frantically.  All were killed, Captain Jones
shooting the last with his revolver,--one man of the 53rd, however,
being dangerously wounded.

Eighteen or twenty bluejackets were attached to each gun, and with
drag-ropes ran them about with the greatest rapidity.  On the march they
were dragged by bullocks; but if a gun stuck, the animals were taken
out, and the wheels and drag-ropes manned by bluejackets; and having an
elephant to push behind with his forehead, they never failed to
extricate a gun from the worst position.  This was carrying out to
perfection the principle of a "steady pull and pull together."

On the 3rd of March the brigade were before Lucknow, and engaged in the
taking of the Dilkoosah, when two were mortally wounded.

Captain Oliver Jones was at this time serving as a volunteer with HM
53rd Regiment.  He was the second to mount a breach at the capture of
one of the forts, when he received a wound on the knuckles, but cut down
the fellow who gave it him.

The naval brigade guns were now posted to the right of the Dilkoosah,
and near the river Goomtee.  Mr Verney had a narrow escape.  The enemy
brought two guns down to the corner of the Martiniere, and opened on
them.  A shot struck the ground close to where he was standing, and so
completely surrounded him with dust that his comrades supposed he had
been killed, and were surprised to see him standing in the same place
when the dust cleared off.

Lieutenant Vaughan was now made a commander, but resumed his former
duties.

On the 9th of March, the brigade's six eight-inch guns and two
twenty-four pounders went down in front of the Dilkoosah, with four
rocket-hackeries, the whole under command of Captain Vaughan,
accompanied by Lieutenants Young, Salmon, Wratislaw, Mr Daniel, and
Lords Walter Kerr and Arthur Clinton, midshipmen.  Captain Peel was also
there, with his two aides-de-camp, Watson and Lascelles.  Unhappily,
while looking out for a suitable spot in which to post some guns for
breaching the Martiniere, he was severely wounded in the thigh by a
musket-ball.  The brave captain was carried to the Dilkoosah, where the
bullet was extracted by the surgeon of the 93rd Highlanders.  The
brigade's guns were most actively engaged in battering the Begum's
palace; and it was here, on the 12th, that Mr Garvey, mate, as he was
riding fast on in front of a row of cohorns to deliver a message, and
not perceiving that the quick-matches were alight, was struck dead by
one of the shells.  He was the second officer of the brigade killed, and
a most promising young man.

All the guns of the brigade were on that memorable day very hotly
engaged.  Several had been posted behind some earthworks thrown up by
the enemy.  As the men could not see over the bank to point their guns,
Captain Oliver Jones placed himself at the top, and, though thus
becoming a clear mark for the enemy, with the greatest coolness directed
their fire.

On the 13th the naval guns were placed in a more advanced battery.
While warmly engaged with the enemy, some sand-bags forming the front of
the battery caught fire.  A coloured man of the name of Hall, a
Canadian, under a heavy fire of bullets from loopholes not forty yards
distant, gallantly jumped out and extinguished some, and threw away
others that were burning.  In the performance of this service he was
severely wounded.  He was a man of athletic frame, and always remarkable
for his steady good conduct.  He afterwards received the Victoria Cross.

The next day, after Sir James Outram had, by his admirable manoeuvre,
driven the rebels from their lines, Captain Vaughan being in front, Sir
Colin Campbell met him, and desired him to bring up a gun's crew of
bluejackets to man an abandoned gun, which was to be turned against the
retreating enemy.  Lord Walter Kerr was sent back for the gun's crew,
and Captain Vaughan and Mr Verney proceeded to the gun itself, which
was at the gate of an outer court of the Kaiser Bagh.  They found that a
body of Sepoys were defending themselves in an adjoining court, and that
it was necessary to blow away the gate of it, that the troops might
storm.  It was for this object that Sir Colin ordered the guns to be
turned against them.  In the meanwhile, however, they kept a continual
fire on the little band of British, from the walls and over and round
the gate, whenever they approached the gun.  Captain Vaughan then fired
a few rounds at the gate, Mr Verney loading and sponging, three of the
_Shannon's_ bandsmen 

Showing first 200,000 characters. Full text: gutenberg.org/ebooks/21402