“The arrangements for the attack were, that 401 officers and men, selected as per margin[1], under the command of Captain Court, should be landed a little to the right of Portuguese bay, and advance immediately to the attack of the batteries on the heights commanding that anchorage, as well as the town and fort of Victoria; and that, at the same time, the ships should commence their attack on the fort and such batteries as they could be brought to bear upon: about 2 P.M., the boats being all out, and every thing in readiness for landing the party selected for that service, the ships were got under weigh, and stood across the bay, with the apparent intention of working out to sea; but, by keeping the sails lifting, and other manoeuvres, we contrived to drift in towards the spot fixed upon for a landings at the same time keeping the boats on the opposite side of the ships, so as not to be perceived by the enemy.
“Upon a nearer approach the preparative signal was made to bear up and sail large; the ships bore up together with a fine breeze, and passing within a cable’s length of the landing-place, slipped all the boats at the same moment per signal. The troops, seamen, and marines were instantly landed, and formed agreeably to the directions issued by Captain Court, to whose report of their further proceedings I beg leave to refer your Excellency.
“The ships immediately commenced an attack upon the fort and surrounding batteries, which was continued without intermission for two hours and a half, by which time, having drifted very close in, exposed to a very heavy fire, particularly from the heights on the left of the town, with red hot shot, and the object of the attack being accomplished by the unexampled intrepidity of the troops, seamen, and marines, in storming and gaining possession of the heights commanding Portuguese bay, I took advantage of a spirt of wind off the land, and ordered the ships to anchor.”
Before we proceed with Captain Tucker’s narrative, it may not be amiss to shew in what manner the heights commanding Portuguese bay were carried by the detachment under Captain Court, from whose letter we shall therefore draw the necessary extracts.
- ↑ Dover 85, Cornwallis 106, Samarang 35, troops 176.
Vice-Admiral Drury had requested the supreme government to lend the services of a detachment of artillery and two companies from one of the native regiments, which was immediately attended to.
