Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall sp1.djvu/346

  off a felucca which they had discovered lying aground under a small battery on the north side of Porto Rico. On this occasion the Trent’s barge was opposed by a body of cavalry, and actually attacked by numerous troopers, who rode into the sea and behaved in a very creditable manner until the launch rounded an intervening point of land, and commenced firing upon them with grape, canister, and musketry, when they scampered off in the greatest confusion, many of the horses throwing their riders, to the great amusement of every Briton present.

Lieutenant Ussher continued in the Trent until her return to England with the flag of Sir Hyde Parker, when, being threatened with locked jaw, and suffering severely in other respects from his various wounds, he was obliged to retire for a time from active service, and thereby lost the fairest chance of promotion. Whilst on shore he was surveyed by the college of surgeons; but, although they reported that his wounds were equal to the loss of a limb, and the following warm letter was written in support of his claims, he did not obtain a pension until Dec. 1814:

“Great Cumberland Place, Oct. 1, 1801.

“Sir,– Lieutenant Ussher, a most gallant and deserving officer, serving under my command in the West Indies, having acquainted me, that there is a stop put for the present to a pension intended to be granted him for his wounds, for want of Captain Laroche’s letter of the action in which he was wounded, I herewith have the honor to enclose a copy of Captain Laroche’s letter, and as Lieutenant Ussher was, whilst in the West Indies, ever distinguished for his gallant conduct in cutting vessels out of the enemy’s harbours and attacking batteries, and most warmly recommended to me by every Captain under whom he served, I beg leave in justice to his merits not only to recommend him for a pension, but for any mark of favor their Lordships may think proper to bestow on him. I am, &c.

(Signed)“.”}}

“To Evan Nepean, Esq.”

The letter referred to in was worded as follows:

“London, Feb. 27th, 1802.

“Sir,– Having heard that the pension intended to have been granted to Lieutenant Thomas Ussher, for a severe wound he received in an action with the enemy (when Captain Laroche commanded the Pelican while I