Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall sp1.djvu/350

  “My Lord,– I have the honor to acquaint your lordship, that, cruising in H.M. brig Colpoys under my command, agreeably to the orders of Admiral Cornwallis, on the 21st of this month we chased three Spanish luggers into the port of Avillas; and as we had a fine commanding breeze, I determined on following them in, notwithstanding the fire of a six-gun battery, under which they ran, but which I considered the Colpoys as competent to silence. For this purpose we prepared for anchoring with springs; but on arriving within range of the enemy’s guns, and before our carronades could be worked with effect, the wind died away. To draw the fire from the brig, and in order to lose no time in effecting my object, the two boats were immediately manned with volunteers, and, after pushing through a heavy fire of grape from the battery, and the musketry of a party of soldiers, which had been sent on board the vessels to defend them, I succeeded with 6 men, in the headmost boat, in boarding aud carrying them, the enemy jumping over one side as we entered on the other; 13 of them fell into our hands: the second boat, which pulled heavy, came up afterwards, and we succeeded in bringing them off.

“Notwithstanding the heavy fire of the enemy’s battery of 24-pounders, two men only received any hurt; one of them, I am sorry to add, a dangerous wound, though, I hope, not mortal.

“I have felt it a duty I owe to the steady courage and perseverance of the master, mates, and crew of the Colpoys, to detail to your lordship the circumstances of this little enterprise, as they have uniformly shown the same determination in my support in other affairs the Colpoys has been engaged in since I have had the honor to command them. I annex, in the margin, for your lordship’s information, the names of the captured vessels. I have the honor to be, &c.

(Signed)“.”

On this occasion, the enemy’s armed vessels fired round and grape at Lieutenant Ussher’s boat until he got within a few yards of the outermost, when she loaded her guns with musket-balls, by which the above-mentioned men were wounded. As soon as that vessel was secured Lieutenant Ussher made two of the prisoners jump overboard and swim on shore, directing them to tell the officer commanding the battery that if another gun was fired he would hang up the eleven Spaniards remaining in his possession. This menace had the desired effect, and the other vessels were taken possession of without further opposition; the one in ballast was given up to the prisoners.

