Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall sp4.djvu/73

 port of Sapri, which was defended by a strong battery and tower, mounting two 32-pounders, which surrendered at discretion, after being battered for two hours within pistol-shot; the fortifications were then blown up, and the guns thrown into the sea. During the day, 28 vessels laden with oil were launched; but from a heavy gale of wind coming on in the night, they were driven on shore, and the greater part went to pieces. In his report of this attack, Captain Napier says, “I owe much to the support I received from Captain Nicolas, who flanked the battery in a most judicious manner, and afterwards commanded the launching ”.

In reply to that communication. Rear-Admiral Freemantle expressed “much pleasure in conveying his sentiments of the zeal by which Captains Napier and Nicolas had been actuated.”

Previous to this event, the Pilot was engaged in harassing a large convoy laden with timber, protected by fourteen gunboats and several scampavias; but in consequence of a calm it was found impossible to prevent them from escaping. In June following she joined the Euryalus frigate and Cephalus brig, in an ineffectual attempt to destroy a large convoy at Dino, protected by three batteries, several gun-boats, and numerous troops, on which occasion they were warmly engaged for five hours, but the Cephalus alone sustained any loss : her consorts, however, were much cut up in sails and rigging.

In addition to the above mentioned services, the Pilot captured and destroyed numerous small merchantmen, while employed on the east and west coasts of Calabria, between April, 1810, and July, 1812. The total number of vessels thus disposed of by her, alone, during that period, exceeded 130; indeed scarcely a week elapsed without her doing something towards the complete annihilation of the enemy’s trade. Her aggregate loss did not exceed 8 men killed and 24 wounded: among the latter wore Mr. Henry Pierson Simpson, master’s-mate, and Mr. John Barnes, midshipman. The other young gentlemen who commanded boats, on these