Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall sp3.djvu/384

  , we believe, a nephew to the late celebrated civil engineer. The following is a copy of the first published gazette letter in which his name appears: –

“H.M.S. Melpomene, in the Sleeve, May, 1, 1809.

“Sir,– I beg leave to acquaint you, that having chased a Danish man-of-war cutter, of 6 guns, and apparently quite new, on shore at Huilbo (a harbour in Jutland); and anchored H.M. frigate in 19 feet water, the boats were sent under the directions of Lieutenants Plumridge and Rennie, who succeeded in boarding and destroying her, with other vessels, under a most tremendous fire.

“The immense crowds of the enemy exposed to the fire of the Melpomene and that of her launch’s carronade, leaves me good reason to suppose their loss must be very considerable. Ours is confined to Lieutenant George Rennie and 5 men severely wounded in the boats; but more might have been expected from the severe and galling fire altogether directed on them.

“I cannot close this letter without expressing how much Lieutenants Plumridge and Rennie are to be admired, with every officer and man, for their zealous and gallant conduct on this occasion. I have the honor to be, &c.

(Signed)“, Captain.”

“''To Rear-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood, K.B. &c. &c. &c.''”

The Melpomene was shortly afterwards attacked during a calm, by twenty large Danish gun-vessels, on which occasion she had 34 of her officers and crew killed and wounded, and sustained considerable damage in her hull, sails, and rigging. She subsequently proceeded to the Gulf of Finland, and, in company with the Implacable 74, captured nine Russian transports, laden with timber, spars, and cordage. On the 6th July, 1809, her boats assisted at the capture of three other vessels, in the Gulf of Narva. An exploit of a very brilliant description, subsequently performed by them, in conjunction with those of the Implacable, Bellerophon, and Prometheus, will be noticed in our memoir of Captain Frederick E. V. Vernon.

We next find the subject of this sketch acting as commander of the Hecate sloop, at the reduction of the Mauritius,