Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v2p2.djvu/446

  by M. Pierre Isaac Taupier, Capitaine de fregate. Our sails and rigging are a good deal cut, but I am happy to say I had not a man killed; and the only person wounded is Mr. Thomas Gill, Master’s-Mate, whose left arm was carried off by a shot – a very worthy, promising young man, who has served his time in the navy, and will, if he survives, do credit to your patronage. The loss of the enemy is one killed and 13 or 14 wounded, by their own account.

“The conduct of Mr. James Alexander Gordon, the first Lieutenant, on this as well as many other recent occasions, has been highly exemplary and praiseworthy; and I have much pleasure in informing you, that the whole of the officers and ship’s company behaved fully to my satisfaction. I have the honor to be, &c.

(Signed)“.”

“''To Sir J. T. Duckworth, K.B. Commander-in-Chief, &c. &c.''”

Some time after this affair. Captain Bissell was promoted into the Creole frigate, and Lieutenant Gordon appointed to succeed him in the command of the Racoon. Amongst other captures made by the latter, during his continuance on the Jamaica station, was l’Alliance French privateer, of 6 guns and 68 men. His post commission bears date May 16, 1805. From this period Captain Gordon does not appear to have been again employed until the spring of 1807, when he obtained the command of the Mercury, a 28-gun frigate, in which he convoyed some merchant vessels to Newfoundland; and on his return from that service was sent to join Lord Collingwood, on the Mediterranean station. An exploit performed by the Mercury and her companions, off Cadiz, on the 4th of April, 1808, has been noticed in our memoir of Sir Murray Maxwell, who reported in becoming terms, the gallantry and excellent conduct of all the officers and men employed under his orders.

About the month of August following, Captain Gordon was removed into the Active frigate, rated at 38, but mounting 46 guns. As the particulars of several gallant exploits achieved by his boats singly, and in conjunction with those of other ships, between June 29, 1810, and July 27, 1811, will be given in a subsequent part of this work, we shall here merely insert an extract from his senior officer’s public letter, relative to an important service performed at Ortano, on the