Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v4p2.djvu/535

 see how far I could succour the party suffering. Time prevents my saying more upon this subject. I hope, however, you will see the propriety of immediately complying with my request. I have the honor to be, &c.

(Signed)“.”

The rumour of the Orestes having landed powder for Don Miguel’s service, originated in this way. The squadron within the Douro being in want of provisions, the Echo was purposely dispatched to procure a supply from the Nimrod sloop, at anchor without the bar. So soon as the steamer had received her cargo, she re-entered the river, and, without anchoring, ran at once alongside the Orestes, to avoid the double trouble of loading and unloading boats. It was nearly dusk. The Echo’s decks were lumbered with bags of biscuit, and a considerable quantity of beef and pork in casks. These casks of salt meat were, by the people of Oporto, magnified into barrels of powder – and twelve river boatmen were ready on oath to attest before the ministerial authorities, that one hundred barrels from the Orestes had been landed on the south side, immediately abreast of the ship. On the 19th Dec, we find Commander Glascock addressing the Visconde de Santa Martha as follows:

“Excellent Sir,– As you may naturally suppose from the position in which His Britannic Majesty’s squadron had been placed on the morning of the 17th, the ships were exposed to a fire of no inconsiderable degree. From the careless manner in which the troops of your Excellency had directed their musketry, considerable damage has been done to H.B.M. ships; and I regret to state that, from the incautious fire of your Excellency’s troops, a seaman of H.M.S. Orestes has received, it is feared, a mortal wound. The damage done to the rigging and equipage throughput the squadron, will be reported to H.B.M. Government.

“I cannot pay so poor a compliment to your Excellency, as Commander-in-chief of the army of operations, as to anticipate so weak a plea in excuse as that of ‘uncontrollable troops;’ – because such a plea would at once amount to a libel upon your own authority – nor do I altogether complain of the conduct of your soldiery during the heat of action; but I must complain of that unmanly and unmilitary practice of keeping up a fire for hours after the retreating party had crossed the river. This fire of which I complain, was opened in the direction of H.B.M. ships; and your Excellency’s troops, long after any necessity existed, divided themselves, and were seen scattered behind trees and rocks, apparently taking deliberate aim at the Echo steamer. Fortunately, the commander of