boats, towed close to the shore: to attack such a force, with 4 howitzers and 40 men, seemed a useless sacrifice of brave men’s lives; I therefore, with the advice of Captain Torrens, halted on the hills, while I reluctantly saw the reserve embarked, under cover of the gun-boats, and the flotilla take a final leave of the island. I am happy to say our loss has not been so considerable as might have been expected from so desperate an attack, we having only 2 killed and 30 wounded. The enemy have suffered severely; we have buried between 30 and 40 of their dead, and received in the hospital 23 wounded, most of whom have undergone amputations: a great number were carried off the field to their boats. Major Melsteat, the commandant (an officer of great distinction) fell in the field; Captain Borgan, the next in command, was wounded in the arm; Captain Prutz, adjutant-general to the commander of the forces in Jutland, lost both his legs, and is (with 3 men) since dead.
“The most pleasing part of my duty is to bear testimony to the zeal, energy, and intrepidity of the officers and men I had the honor to command: to particularize would be impossible: the same ardour inspired the whole. To Lieutenant Baker, next in command, who will have the honor of delivering this despatch, and be able to give you every information you require, I am much indebted; his merit and zeal as an officer, which I have some years been acquainted with, and his volunteering with me on this service, claim my warmest esteem. Captain Torrens, the senior officer of royal marines, bore a conspicuous part on this day, and, although wounded, I did not lose his valuable service and able support. The discipline and state of perfection to which he had brought the battalion is highly creditable to him as an officer. Lieutenant R. C. Steele also claims my warmest acknowledgments for the arrangements he made, which enabled us to keep up so heavy and destructive a fire. Captain Steele, Lieutenant and Quarter-Master Fischer, senior subaltern. Lieutenants Stewart, Gray, Ford, Jellico, Atkinson, and Curtayne, all merit my warmest acknowledgments for the assistance they afforded me. Lieutenant Bezant deserves every commendation I can give him for his cool and able judgment in the direction of the guns in the Massareene battery. Lieutenant Turnbull, who acted as captain of the light company, when we pursued the reserve, manifested such zeal and energy, that I have no doubt, had we brought the enemy again to action, he would have bore a very conspicuous part.
“I cannot sufficiently express my thanks to Captains Baker and Stewart, of the Tartar and Sheldrake, for their great exertions to get round to the flotilla: had the wind favored them, they would have destroyed the whole[1]. * * * * *.
- ↑ Captain Joseph Baker died at Presteigne, in June, 1817. Captain James Pattison Stewart obtained post rank Feb. 1, 1812.
