Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v2p2.djvu/34

 On the 6th Sir Home Popham arrived off Castro, where a 24-pounder, and a company of marines had been landed by Sir George Collier to assist Colonel Longa in an attack on the place. Information was, however, received of the approach of 2500 French troops, whose arrival obliged the Spanish commander to retire, and the parties landed from the squadron were reimbarked. In the evening the enemy were seen marching into the town.

On the 7th the enemy were driven out of Castro by the fire of the squadron, and preparations were made for a landing and an attack on the castle, which accordingly took place on the 8th, when the commandant surrendered with 150 men, the remainder of the enemy’s force having marched towards Larido. Twenty-six guns of different sizes were found in the town and castle of Castro; those in the former were withdrawn, and the latter was put into a state of defence, and garrisoned by the marines and Spanish artillerymen of the Iris. The further proceedings of the allied forces are thus described in the London Gazette:

“ the 10th the squadron proceeded off Puerta Galetta, to co-operate in an attack upon it with the Spanish troops under Longa, and on the llth much firing was kept up against the batteries; but the enemy being found stronger than the Spaniards had expected, the attack was abandoned. During the morning, Captain Bloye of the Lyra, landed with a party of marines, and knocked off the trunnions of the guns in the Bagona battery, and destroyed one mounted on a height. On the 12th the Venerable anchored off Castro, which had been, feebly attacked by the enemy the evening before. One of the Imperial guards was -wounded and brought in a prisoner.

“On the 15th, the enemy’s moveable column having been drawn by a feint to Santona, from whence it could not reach Guetaria in less than four days, another attack was intended to be made upon the latter place, in concert with the guerillas under Don Caspar, and with the: promised aid of one of the battalions under General Mina. Early in the morning of the 13th, one 24-pounder under Lieutenant Groves, and a howitzer under Lieutenant Lawrence, of the marine-artillery, were landed from the Venerable, and mounted on a hill to the westward of Guetaria, under the directions of Captain Malcolm, while the Hon. Captain Bouverie landed with 2 guns from the Medusa, and after many difficulties in drawing them up, mounted them on the top of a hill to the eastward. The Venerable’s guns began firing at noon, and continued till sunset, when