Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall sp3.djvu/112

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100
POST-CAPTAINS OF 1812.

manner until she was reduced to a mere wreck; 9 of her crew were killed and 12 wounded: the Tamar had only 1 slain and 2 wounded.

Mr. Le Geyt’s next appointment was, in 1801, to the Leviathan 74, bearing the flag of Sir John T. Duckworth; who promoted him into the Stork sloop, on the Jamaica station, May 28, 1803. While commanding that vessel, he captured the French privateers, la Coquette of 2 guns and 95 men, and l’Hirondelle, of 3 guns and 44 men.

On the 23d March, 1805, being then off Cape Roxo, Porto Rico, Captain Le Geyt discovered a large schooner, lashed alongside a brig in the harbour; and for the purpose of cutting her out, he despatched his pinnace and cutter, containing between them 18 men, under the command of Lieutenant George Robinson, assisted by Lieutenant James Murray. As the schooner, which proved to be the Dutch privateer Antelope, was preparing to heave down on the following day, her guns, 5 in number, were on board the brig, and the two vessels were defended by at least 40 men; but both were simultaneously boarded by the boats, and gallantly carried without any other casualty to the British than the junior lieutenant and 1 man slightly wounded. The privateer’s men having taken to the water soon after the boats got alongside, only 15 prisoners were secured.

On the 25th Aug. 1806, Captain Le Geyt was sent from Port Royal, with the Superieure brig, and two schooners under his orders, to attack a number of small vessels collected at Batabano, on the south side of Cuba, On the 30th, one of the schooners, mounting 4 guns, and having on board about 30 officers and men, gallantly attacked and captured a Spanish guarda-costa, of 10 guns and 45 men, close to the Isle of Pines.

At this period, Captain Le Geyt had the mortification to learn from his pilot, that the Stork could not approach within 30 leagues of Batabano, and he therefore directed Captain Edward Rushworth, of the Superieure, to proceed with that vessel and the schooners, after having reduced their draught of water as nmch as possible, and reinforced them with the boats and a party of men from his own sloop: the result of