Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall sp1.djvu/235

 vessels, from 20 to 50 tons, hauled up under its protection, we burnt; and, previous to abandoning the fort, we spiked the guns, brought off the ammunition, and burnt the public buildings.”

On the 1st Feb. 1810, perceiving a brig lying under the fort at Manippa, with Dutch colours flying, Captain Montagu sent three boats to bring her out. This service was performed with great judgment by Lieutenant Vidal, under a heavy fire of musketry and grape, the vessel being very close to the shore. The prize was bound to Amboyna, with a cargo of turtle, fowls, fruit, and sago, which afforded a seasonable supply to the ship’s company of the Cornwallis.

Two days afterwards Captain Montagu captured the Dutch corvette Mandarine, of 16 guns and 66 men. His conduct at Amboyna is thus spoken of by Sir Edward Tucker.

Captain Montagu’s official letter reporting the capture of the Margaretta Dutch national brig, Mar. 2, 1810, will be given in our memoir of Lord Selsey, who had the direction of the boats employed on that occasion.

From this period we lose sight of Captain Montagu until Nov. in the same year, when he was entrusted with the command of the naval brigade landed to assist at the reduction of the Isle of France. The following paragraph is extracted from the general orders issued by Major-General the Hon. John Abercromby after the defeat of the French troops before Port Louis, Dec. 1, 1810:

In another general order, promulgated subsequent to the surrender of that valuable. colony, there appears another paragraph, no less complimentary to the navy:

“The exertions and able assistance received from Captain Montagu, R.N. and the officers and seamen with the army on shore, have been too 