Sir Edward) Thornbrough. The following is a copy of the first gazette letter in which his name appears:
“My Lord,– On the morning of the 27th, Captain Dilkes having observed at day-light several small vessels under sail in the Pertuis Breton, sent the boats of his squadron in chace; and they succeeded in capturing, in a manner highly to the credit of the officers and crews concerned, nine sail, and drove six on shore; another was destroyed by the enemy.
“I herewith enclose Captain Dilkes’s letter, and beg strongly to recommend that meritorious officer to your lordship’s notice. He has commanded the blockading squadron in the Pertuis Breton since the 1st April, and during that time we do not know of any vessel of the enemy having escaped his vigilance. I have directed him to send the Colpoys brig with the prizes to Plymouth, which I hope your lordship will approve of. I have the honor to be, &c.
“To Admiral Lord Gardner.”
The vessels captured on this occasion were two armed chassé marées, two others laden with wheat, and five in ballast; one sloop and six chassé marées had previously been taken and destroyed by the Hazard and her consorts[1].
On the 2d Oct. 1807, a court-martial was held on board the flagship in Hamoaze, on charges exhibited by Captain Dilkes against Mr. William Berry, first Lieutenant of the Hazard, for a breach of the 2d and 29th articles of war. The charges being fully proved, the prisoner was condemned to be hanged, which awful sentence was carried into execution on the 19th of the same month. Further particulars will be found in the Naval Chronicle, Vol. xviii, p. 342 et seq.
The subject of this memoir commanded Sir Alexander Cochrane’s flag-ship at the reduction of Martinique, in Feb. 1809; and served on shore with a detachment of seamen, under the orders of Commodore Fahie, during the the last par. of p. 880., at the commencement of 1810[2]. His post commission bears date Jan. 18, 1809.
In Oct. 1810, Captain Dilkes was appointed to the Castor of 32 guns, which frigate he continued to command until
- ↑ Conflict, Growler, and Colpoys.
- ↑ See Vol. I. p. 264 et seq.; and the last par. of p. 880.
