lingwood, when reporting this action to the Admiralty, informed their lordships that they would see in his communication “an instance of that zeal and enterprise which marked the general conduct of her commander”; whose admirable behaviour off Cadiz, on the 4th April 1808, is thus described by Captain (now Sir Murray) Maxwell, in a public letter to Rear-Admiral Purvis, the senior officer on that station:
“Sir,– I have the honor to inform you, that when at anchor to day with H.M. ship Mercury, and Grasshopper brig, St. Sebastian’s lighthouse S.E., distant 3 miles, wind W.S.W., a large convoy of the enemy was discovered, coming along shore from the northward, under the protection of about twenty gun-boats, and a numerous train of flying artillery on the beach. At 3 P.M. I made the signal to weigh and attack the convoy, and stood directly in for the body of them, then off the town of Rota; at 4, the enemy’s shot and shells from the gun-boats and batteries going far over us, H.M. ships opened their fire, which was kept up with great vivacity until half-past 6, when we had taken seven of the convoy, and drove a great many others on shore in the surf; compelled the gun-boats to retreat, which they did very reluctantly, and not until two of them were destroyed; and actually silenced the batteries at Rota; which latter service was performed by the extraordinary gallantry and good conduct of Captain Searle, who kept in upon the shoal to the southward of the town, so near as to drive the enemy from their guns with grape from his carronades, and at the same time kept in check a division of gun-boats that had come out from Cadiz to assist the others engaged by the Alceste and Mercury. It was a general cry in both ships, ‘Only look how nobly the brig behaves!’ * * * * * *. It is with much pleasure I have to add, that the frigates received no material damage; but the Grasshopper, I am sorry to say, is a great deal damaged in the hull, her main-top-mast is shot through, and her shrouds, sails, and running rigging are cut almost to pieces; she had one man mortally wounded, the gunner and two others wounded, but not severely. The captured vessels are all loaded on government account for the arsenal at Cadiz; and, I am happy to say, there is a very considerable quantity of valuable ship timber taken.”
Nineteen days after this exploit, and two previous to the date of his post commission, Captain Searle had the good fortune to capture two Spanish merchant vessels from South America, each having a cargo worth 30,000l. sterling. When first discovered, they were proceeding alongshore, under the protection of four gun-boats; but on being chased by the Grasshopper and another brig[1], they pushed in among the
- ↑ The Rapid of 12 guns, commanded by Lieutenant Henry Baugh.
