Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v4p2.djvu/295

 We next find our young officer, Sept. 26th, 1803, re-entering the royal navy, as midshipman on board the Bloodhound gun-brig, commanded by the late Lieutenant Henry Richardson, and employed in the blockade of Boulogne. In the course of the same year, he was four times engaged with the enemy’s flotilla and land batteries. On the 29th Sept. he witnessed the destruction of two French gun-vessels; and on the 10th Dec. assisted in destroying a large ship, laden with hemp, iron, tar, &c. on the beach near Cape Grisnez. In the night of Jan. 20th, 1804, the Bloodhound was nearly sunk, off Dungeness, by the Arab 28, Captain Lord Cochrane, which ship, when in the act of wearing, ran her on board, stove in the larboard bow, and did considerable damage to her fore and head rigging.

In the ensuing spring, Mr. Woollnough was present at two attempts made to block up the entrance of Boulogne harbour, by means of three large merchant ships, loaded with masses of stone, firmly clamped and cemented together; leaving only spaces around the masts, filled with combustibles to ensure their destruction. After the abandonment of this hopeful scheme, the Bloodhound was incessantly employed in watching and annoying the enemy’s flotilla. On the 31st July, 1804, the thanks of the Admiralty were read to her officers and crew, for their gallant conduct in a recent action, of which an account is given in Vol. II. Part II. p. 127, et seq.

On the 15th of the following month, Mr. Woollnough joined the Agamemnon 64, Captain John Harvey; in which ship he assisted at the capture of four Spanish merchantmen, from the Havannah and Vera Cruz, laden with sugar, cochineal, coffee, twenty chests of silver, and nearly a million of dollars. One of these valuable prizes, the Cleopatra, taken off Cape St. Vincent, Dec. 29th, 1804, was entrusted to his charge, and safely conducted to Gibraltar.

On the 31st Jan. 1805, the Cleopatra was driven on shore in a heavy gale of wind, during which many vessels were totally destroyed, the bay and new mole being then crowded with shipping of every description. The Agamemnon 