affair,” says Capt. Duncan in his offcial letter, “could not have been exceeded; but I cannot find words to express my admiration of the manner in which Lieut. Travers commanded and headed the boats’ crews and landing party, setting the most noble example of intrepidity to the officers and men under him.”[1] The only reward, howerer, which Mr. Travers’ valour extracted from the Admiralty was an expression of “their Lordships’ approval.” With his usual courage and judgment he launched, a few days afterwards, with the boats of the Impérieuse and Thames 32 under his orders, and brought off from the beach near Palinuro, with a loss only of 1 man killed and 4 wounded, ten armed feluccas belonging to the enemy, laden with oil, although they were banked up with sand, and defended by a large detachment of Neapolitan troops. On the evening of 1 Nov. 1811 he landed at the head of the marines and seamen of the same ships, with 250 men of H.M. 62nd Regt. under Major Edw. Darley, the whole commanded by Capt. Chas. Napier of the Thames, at the back of the harbour of Palinuro; where, having discovered a short cut, he led the whole force, almost perpendicularly, up the heights, which were carried in fine style under a heavy fire from the enemy, who had assembled to oppose them, and who, soon after dark, endeavoured to regain their position, but were instantly compelled to retire. This step was taken in order to facilitate the capture of 10 gun-boats lying in the port, and of a number of merchant-vessels and valuable spars hauled on the beach, the latter intended for the equipment of the Neapolitan marine, and the whole protected by a battery and strong tower. It being ascertained, however, that nothing could be done on the land-side against these defences, an attack was made the next day by the Impérieuse and the Thames, on board of which ship Capt. Napier had returned. Two of the gunboats were sunk; the remainder surrendered; and the fort, whose fire was in 15 minutes silenced, was obliged in another quarter of an hour to haul down the Neapolitan flag. It was then taken possession of by Mr. Travers, who, on seeing the ships stand in, had “most gallantly pushed down the hill with a party of seamen and marines, and was waiting almost under the walls of the fort, ready to take advantage of any superiority the ships might have over it.” The issue of the proceedings we have here narrated was the annihilation of the tower (whose guns, 24-pounders, were pitched into the sea), of two batteries, and of a signal-station on the hill; the destruction of four gun-boats; and the capture of six others, with 22 feluccas, laden with oil, cotton, &c., and 20 large spars. Sixteen of the British were either killed or wounded. In his report of the performance, Capt. Duncan thus expresses himself: “I have before had opportunities of representing the gallantry of my First-Lieutenant, Travers; his behaviour on this occasion was most exemplary, and called forth the admiration of every officer, whether of the army or navy.”[2] Although the Commander-in-Chief even. Sir Edw. Pellew, upon the receipt of the despatch referred to, requested the attention of the Admiralty to the “distinguished services” of Lieut. Travers on the present and former occasions, he was again allowed to pass without reaping that promotion for which he had so long, so well, and so earnestly fought. On 27 June, 1812, he commanded the boats of the Impérieuse, in company with those of some other ships, and had 4 men killed and a Lieutenant (the present Capt. Wm. Walpole) and 10 men wounded, at the destruction of 18 merchant-vessels under the batteries of Languelia and Alassio, in the Gulf of Genoa. He participated next, while at the blockade of Naples, in a spirited skirmish which took place, 17 Aug. following, between the Impérieuse and Cephalus 18, on one side, and a Neapolitan force consisting, on the other, of the Joachim 74, a frigate, a corvette, and 22 gun-vessels. With a party of seamen and marines under his orders, he landed on a subsequent occasion at the mouth of the Tiber, and, after routing a body of dragoons, demolished a signal-tower, which had been the means hitherto of communicating to coasting-vessels intelligence of the proximity of the enemy, and of enabling them thereby to seek timely shelter. Landing again in the same neighbourhood he superintended the loading of two transports with timber which had been intended for the arsenal at Toulon. The Impérieuse was ultimately hove down and newly coppered at Mahon; and on the occasion Capt. Duncan obtained permission to shift her foremast further aft, for the purpose of improving her sailing. Anxious to get to sea, he went himself to the arsenal to hurry off spars and shears; but before these had arrived alongside the mast was already in its new position. Lieut. Travers had taken upon himself the responsibility of shifting it, by making a Spanish windlass of the hand-mast which was placed across the forecastle, supported by the bulwarks and four crossed handspikes, with purchases affixed to the deck and the heel of the fore-mast, and acted upon with levers. The head of the mast being steadied with guys, and a man placed at the lanyard of each shroud and stay, to ease away as it lifted, the operation was performed with the greatest facility. The fore-topmast at the time was merely struck, and none of its rigging displaced. So pleased was the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Edw. Pellew, who was in port, at the rapid and able manner in which the Impérieuse was hove down and refitted, that he not only complimented Mr. Travers verbally, but invited him frequently to his table on board the Caledonia. On resuming the blockade of Naples we find the Impérieuse, with three frigates and two 18-gun brigs under her orders, offering battle more than once, but in vain, to two of the enemy’s 74’s, two frigates, and a corvette. On 31 Aug. 1813 she made prize of L’Audacieux French privateer of 3 guns and 40 men; and one or two merchant-vessels about the same period fell into her hands. Subsequently to this Mr. Travers suggested the practicability of obtaining possession of between 50 and 60 coral boats, recently returned from the fishery, and then performing quarantine. His wishes being acceded to, he was sent by Capt. Duncan to endeavour to carry them into execution. With oars muffled, the boats, unobserved, passed the batteries; but unfortunately, on reaching the lazaretto, it was found that the objects of the enterprise had been admitted to pratique, and had entered the harbour one hour before. Resolved, however, to accomplish something, Mr. Travers landed, overhauled several vehicles that were passing along, and took from an officer in a carriage-and-four despatches of some importance. On 5 Oct. 1813 an attack was made by the Impérieuse, Resistance 38, and Swallow, Éclair, and Pylades sloops, supported by the Edinburgh 74, upon the defences of Port d’Anzo, consisting of two batteries, mounting two heavy guns each, on a mole, a tower to the northward with one gun, and a battery to the southward with two guns, to cover the mole. “Shortly after the ships,” says Capt. Hon. Geo. Heneage Lawrence Dundas, the senior officer present, “opened their fire, which they did by signal together, the storming party, under Lieut. Travers of the Impérieuse, and marines, under Capt. Mitchell, landed in the best order close under the battery to the southward, which Lieut. Travers carried instantly, the enemy flying in all directions. Lieut. Mapleton having taken possession of the mole-head, the convoy, consisting of 29 vessels, was brought out vrithout any loss, 20 of which are laden with timber for the arsenal at Toulon. On leaving the place, all the works were blown up and most completely destroyed. * * * * * * Capt. Duncan informs me that he gained much material and necessary information respecting this place by a very gallant exploit performed a few nights ago by Lieut. Travers, who stormed, with a boat’s crew, a martello-tower of 1 gun, destroy-
