Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall sp3.djvu/349

 The very masterly and complete manner in which the service has been performed by Captains Clephane and Markland, and Lieutenant John Harper, excites my highest admiration; every officer, seaman, and marine, I am assured, individually distinguished himself.

“On the merits of Lieutenant John Harper, an officer of fifteen years standing, I cannot speak in terms of sufficient praise; his conduct on this, as on many former occasions, teas that of a most experienced and enterprising officer.”

“H.M.S. Acorn, off Trieste, July 29, 1809.

“Sir,– It is with the greatest satisfaction I have to inform you, that the service you did me the honor to put under my direction, has been completely executed by the boarding and bringing away, under a very heavy fire, all the gun-boats and merchant vessels which had taken shelter under the castle of Douin.

“Covered by the fire of H.M. sloops Acorn and Bustard, the detachment of boats, under the orders of Lieutenant John Harper, pushed on shore, and, in about half-an-hour, had complete possession of the enemy’s vessels.

“I take the liberty to express my high sense of the conduct of Captain Markland, both by his leading into a place so little known, and by the well-directed fire he kept up.

“It would be the highest presumption in me to attempt, by any praise of mine, to add to the merits of Lieutenant Harper, which are so well known to you; yet I conceive it a most indispensable, and likewise a most pleasant duty, to express my greatest admiration of the prompt, gallant, and determined manner in which he performed the above service, with so inferior a force; and likewise of the judicious and soldier-like conduct of Captain Cummings, R.M., who by taking post on shore with a small party of his men, entirely prevented the enemy annoying our people, from the rugged precipices surrounding the port, while in the act of launching the vessels. Lieutenant Harper speaks highly of the great attention and good conduct of every officer and man under his orders. Permit me to add, how much pleased I am with the conduct of the officers and ship’s company of the Acorn, it being the first time I have bad the honor to carry them before an enemy.

“The loss the enemy sustained could not be ascertained, but it is conjectured they had from 20 to 30 killed and wounded. Our loss, though comparatively small, I much regret.

“To John West, Esq. Captain H.M.S. Excellent.” 