Page:A Naval Biographical Dictionary.djvu/1288

1274  Commodore Cockburn was thus induced to express himself: “I must beg leave to mention to you (Sir Rich. Goodwin Keats, whom the had conveyed to Cadiz) the unremitting assistance I have received from Lieut. Westphal, First of the, who, by his conduct on this service, has added to the many claims he already had to my particular notice and recommendation.” Both before and after this affair Mr. Westphal was in frequent action, in command of the ’s boats, with the French batteries between Sota and Puerto Santa Maria. Towards the close of 1810 he sailed in escort of two Spanish line-of-battle ships of 120 guns each for the Havana, and then proceeded to Vera Cruz – returning, early in 1811, to Cadiz with 2,000,000 dollars. On the day after the battle of Barrosa he contributed to the capture of the enemy’s works between Catalina and Santa Maria. He subsequently, 22 April, 1811, assumed the command, pro tem., of the 74; in which ship, he was for some time employed in cruizing between Capes Trafalgar and Spartel, and in equipping several Spanish men-of-war at Cadiz, preparatory to their removal for security to. On the latter service being completed he was nominated by Rear-Admiral Hon. Arthur Kaye Legge, Acting-Commander, 5 July, 1811, of the sloop. In this vessel, after having conveyed part of the Royal Family of Spain from Cadiz to the coast of Portugal, he was sent to cruize between Rota and San Lucar. While on that station he made an attack, on the night of 30 Sept. 1811, on a 6-gun battery at Chipiona, and, with the assistance of his boats, brought out, with the loss of only 1 man wounded, two privateers which had been reposing under its protection. Although praised for his “zeal and activity” by Rear-Admiral Legge, who made a point of reporting his conduct to the Admiralty, Mr. Westphal, instead of being confirmed by their Lordships, was superseded from the, 4 Oct. 1811. In the course of the following month, having returned to England, he became First-Lieutenant of the 50, fitting for the broad pendant of Commodore Cockburn, with whom he again visited Cadiz, on a political mission. On the promotion of the latter officer to the rank of Rear-Admiral, Mr. Westphal sailed with him, as First-Lieutenant of his flag-ship, the 74, for the Chesapeake, where he arrived in March, 1813, and soon found opportunities of distinguishing himself. Passing over many of the operations in which he enacted a part, we find him, 29 April, 1813, commanding a highly successful boat expedition sent up the Elk river, the result of which was the expulsion of the enemy from French Town and the destruction of their depots of flour, military stores, &c., besides six of their heavy guns being disabled and five of their vessels burnt. Although the amount of property destroyed was estimated at 500,000l., and the Americans were fully prepared for the attack, the British loss was confined to 1 man wounded. “To Lieut. G. A. Westphal,” writes Rear-Admiral Cockburn in the despatch addressed by him to the Commander-in-Chief, Sir John Borlase Warren, “who has so gallantly conducted and so ably executed this service, my highest encomiums and best acknowledgments are due; and I trust. Sir, you will deem him to have also thereby merited your favourable consideration and notice.” In command, under Capt. John Lawrence, of the boats of the squadron, Mr. Westphal, on the morning of 3 May, 1813, led, in a rocket-boat, the van of an expedition despatched against the town of Havre-de-Grace at the entrance of the Susquehanna river, where the Americans were sent scampering into the woods, and a battery, a valuable cannon-foundry in the vicinity of the town, and the houses of such as had opposed the invaders, destroyed. On at first landing Mr. Westphal, having dismounted an American officer, set off on the captured horse in pursuit of the fugitives; forgetting, in the ardour of the moment, that it was not possible for his men to keep pace with him – a circumstance indeed that did not present itself to him until he found himself, unsupported, in the midst of a body of armed men. Firing his pistols right and left, however, and slashing his sword in all directions, he dashed through them and succeeded, although wounded by a shot through the hand, in effecting his escape, bearing away with him at the same time as his prisoner a Captain in the American militia. Referring to his conduct Rear-Admiral Cockburn, in his official report to Sir J. B. Warren, expresses himself to this effect:– “Of Lieut. G. A. Westphal, whose exemplary and gallant conduct it has been necessary for me already to notice in detailing to you the operations of the day, I shall now only add, that from a thorough knowledge of his merits (he having served many years with me as First-Lieutenant), I always, on similar occasions, expect much from him; but this day he even outstripped those expectations: I therefore, Sir, cannot but entertain a confident hope that his services of to-day, and the wound he has received, added to what he so successfully executed at French Town, will 6btain for him your favourable consideration and notice and that of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty.” On 6 May, having ascended the Sassafras river, Mr. Westphal assisted, after routing 400 men who had opened a fire upon the British from an entrenched position on the opposite banks, in demolishing the settlements of George Town and Frederick’s Town. Subsequently to the attack upon Crany Island and the capture of Hampton he removed with Rear-Admiral Cockburn, 1 July, 1813, to the 74. After the taking, on 12 of the same month, of Portsmouth and Ocraroke islands, he took command of the advanced division of boats, and by “pulling directly and resolutely” for a large brig, the Anaconda, mounting 18 long 9-pounders, induced the crew, who had opened a heavy fire, to abandon her, although supported by a schooner, the Atlas, of 10 guns, who, having no alternative, immediately struck her colours. Four days previously to the latter event Mr. Westphal had been promoted by the Admiralty to the rank of Commander; and on the being purchased into the service, the command of her was given to him. As soon as she was ready for sea he was sent in charge of 12 valuable merchant-vessels from Halifax to the West Indies. During the passage he encountered two large American privateers, one of which he compelled to strike, but failed in obtaining possession of, as she made off while he went in pursuit of her consort, whose escape was also effected. From March until Dec. 1814 Capt. Westphal was employed, under the orders of Capt. Clement Milward of the 20, in crmzing off the river Mississippi. He then joined the expedition against New Orleans. “In the endeavours,” we learn, from a document bearing the signature of Sir Alex. Cochrane, the Commander-in-Chief, “to place the small vessels of war as near as possible to the jpoint of landing, Capt. Westphal was particularly conspicuous in his zeal and success towards the effecting of this important object; he having, by the utmost perseverance, skill, and exertion, hove the over a bank, nearly five miles in extent (upon which there were only eight feet of water), into Lac Borgne, and there occupied a situation that enabled that sloop to render the most essential aid and protection to the open boats conveying troops and supplies from the fleet to the army; which were frequently rescued by her assistance from the imminent danger to which they were reduced by the severity of the weather. Capt. Westphal, after stationing his vessel, was landed with a division of her seamen, and served in the naval brigade under the command of Sir E. Thos. Troubridge, who made honourable mention of his exertions. The was afterwards,- until the cessation of hostilities, stationed in the Gulf of Florida, with the  schooner under her orders. In consequence of the injuries she had sustained during the operations against New Orleans, she was condemned at Jamaica