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 repeated discharges of musketry from the troops and militia, who poured down in numbers from the surrounding country.

“I should not have been thus particular in recounting a circumstance which was not attended with ultimate success, were it not to mark my admiration of the noble conduct of Lieutenant Oliver, in so gallantly attacking and carrying a fort which, with the men it contained, ought to have maintained itself against fifty times the number of the assailants: but nothing could withstand the prompt and manly steps taken by that officer and his gallant crew on this occasion: and as, in my humble judgment, the attempt was most daring and hazardous; and, had the privateers been there, I doubt not but success would have attended them; so I humbly solicit the honor of notice to this most gallant officer. I have the honor to be, &c.

(Signed)“.”

“''To Rear-Admiral Dacres, &c. &c. &c.''”

The credit of this truly gallant exploit has been given, by Mr. James, to the present Commander Thomas Oliver; and that author follows up his error by observing, that his nominee was promoted in the course of the same year, for his brave and meritorious conduct. Lieutenant James Oliver was placed by Lord Mulgrave upon the Admiralty list for promotion, and presented with a sword by the Committee of the Patriotic Fund; but, in consequence of the Commander-in-chief at Jamaica placing his young nephew in a vacancy to which this gallant officer ought to have been appointed, and the retirement of his lordship from office, he did not obtain a commander’s commission until Dec. 4th, 1813; when, instead of being continued in active service, he had the mortification to be placed upon the half-pay list.

On the 14th May, 1805, the subject of this memoir assisted at the capture of a Spanish letter of marque, laden with coffee and bees’ wax, from the Havannah bound to Vera Cruz. He subsequently followed Captain Dashwood into la Franchise 36, and was first lieutenant of that frigate at the siege of Copenhagen, in 1807 ; also at the capture of Samana, in the island of St. Domingo, Nov. 11th, 1808.

