Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall sp4.djvu/118

 On the 27th of the ensuing month, Lieutenant Henderson was appointed first of the Active frigate. Captain (now Sir James A .) Gordon, under whom he served, principally in the Adriatic, until Aug. 1, 1811. During that period, he assisted at the capture and destruction of many of the enemy’s vessels; and bore a part in one of the most severe and brilliant actions that has ever been recorded. For his gallant conduct at the battle off Lissa, which is spoken of by Captain Gordon “in the warmest terms,” he was advanced to the rank of Commander, immediately the intelligence reached England, and his commission dated back to the day on which that victory was so nobly achieved.

On the 27th July, 1811, the boats, small-arm men, and marines of the Active, the whole under the command of Lieutenant Henderson, who had not yet been informed of his promotion, were detached by Captain Gordon, to attack a convoy which had ran. above the island of Ragosniza, and taken shelter in a creek on the main. From the narrowness of the entrance, and three gun-vessels protecting it, with about 150 armed men on each point, Lieutenant Henderson was induced to land in the night, in order to take possession of a hill which appeared to command the creek, leaving the boats, under Lieutenant James Gibson, to push for the gun-vessels the moment a concerted signal was made from the top of the hill.

On Lieutenant Henderson and his party gaining the summit, after dislodging several soldiers who fired upon them during their ascent, he found himself immediately above the gun-vessels and 28 sail of merchantmen; he then made the signal for the boats to advance, and at the same time descended the hill, exposed to the fire of one gun-vessel and some soldiers; but the attack was so well planned, and so gallantly executed, that his party had only time to fire two vollies into the vessels before they were boarded. The enemy, finding themselves attacked so warmly, then fled in all directions, leaving behind them a number of killed and wounded. The guns were immediately turned on the 