Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v3p2.djvu/37

 ashore. Nothing could surpass the undaunted and determined spirit with which she was hove off and towed out, under a most galling fire from the forts, her crew, and soldiers with musketry on shore, by which, I am sorry to say, Mr. Webb, midshipman, is dangerously wounded, and three other persons severely. Lieutenant Croker speaks in the highest terms of Lieutenant Sandom, the officers, seamen, and marines, employed on tha occasion. I have the honor to be, &c.

(Signed)“.”

“Hon. Capt. Duncan, H.M.S. Imperieuse.”

On the 8th of Oct. following, when reporting the capture of a French convoy at Marinelo, near Civita Vecchia, Captain Mounsey again made honorable mention of Lieutenant Sandom, “who; although sick, rendered him the greatest assistance in placing the ship, and by a well-directed fire obliged the enemy’s troops to change their route, whilst the boats’ crews and marines were re-embarking.”

The other services in which Lieutenant Sandom participated, while serving under Captain Mounsey, have been noticed. His subsequent appointments were, – in 1815, to the Iphigenia frigate. Captain Andrew King, fitting out for the East India station, whence he returned home in the Cornwallis 74; – Sept, 7th, 1818, to the Spencer 76, flag-ship of Sir Josias Rowleys on the Irish station; – Oct. 27th, 1819, to be first of the Liffey 50, Captain the Hon. Henry Duncan; – in 1821, to the Apollo frigate, then preparing for the reception of His Majesty George IV.; – and, Sept. 6th, 1822, to the Sparrowhawk sloop, Captain Edward Boxer, fitting out for the Halifax station. On the 26th of Dec. in the latter year, he was promoted to the rank of commander, through the kind exertions of Captain Duncan, whose favorable notice he had first attracted while serving in the Furieuse, and who, in speaking of him, says, “I flatter myself I have brought forward an officer who will, if opportunity offers, do credit to the service.”

In May 1824, Captain Sandom commissioned the AEtna bomb, destined to act against Algiers; which vessel was at Spithead, fully manned and equipped for service, on the eighth day after she went off the stocks at Chatham. He subsequently commanded the Bustard and Espiegle, 18-gun