thereby preventing him reaching his ports in safety, by which several of his vessels suffered, and very considerable damage was done him, on the night of the 19th, and morning of the 20th July. In conveying to you this flattering commendation of our superiors, I must add, that I feel the greatest pleasure from the handsome manner in which the different vessels proceeded to execute my intentions; and beg you will express to your officers and crew how much I was pleased with their energy and ardour, and that it is my hope some more favorable opportunity will yet allow them to exert their courage with still better effect.
(Signed)“E. W. C. R. Owen.”
We have already stated that Captain Jackson was entrusted with the charge of one of the principal explosion vessels attached to the “catamaran expedition,” in the autumn of 1804[1]: his conduct on that dangerous service is thus noticed by a contemporary writer:
“Captain Jackson was ordered to lay her alongside of the French Admiral Bruix. The night was extremely dark, and when within a very short distance of his victim, his boat’s crew in the gig ready to put off, the string attached to the clock to set it going slipped out of his hand, and could not be found. Jackson said be thought it better to be blown up than to go back with such a story; and breaking open the hatchway, which was securely battened over, he jumped down, regained the string, and by the time he was on deck the vessel was alongside the Admiral’s praam. As he pulled the fatal line he stepped into his gig and put off; in twenty-five seconds (the expected time) the vessel exploded, but did no other injury to the enemy than taking away her bowsprit: Jackson and his brave crew escaped unhurt[2].”
On Captain Jackson’s return to the Downs, he had the honor of being invited to dine with the immortal Pitt and two of his colleagues, Lords Harrowby and Melville, at Walmer Castle, where he received a promise of promotion from the latter nobleman, who was then at the head of the Admiralty, but unfortunately retired from office before he could fulfil his intentions; which are thus alluded to in a letter from Lord Keith to the subject of this memoir:
- ↑ See p. 45 et seq., and note at p. 46.
- ↑ See Brenton’s Nav. Hist. v. III, p. 257.
