The Sparrow also assisted at the attacks upon Puerta Galetta and Guiteria, July 11 and 18, 1812[1]. Shortly after the latter affair, Captain Tayler stood in between the castle of St. Ano and Isle Mouro, at the entrance of St. Andero harbour, keeping up a heavy fire of grape, and effectually covering the debarkation of some men sent from the squadron to erect a battery upon the island. While executing this service, his brig received seven shot from a field piece, in an outwork of 3 long 24-pounders, mounted en barbette; but fortunately the French could not depress their heavy guns sufficiently to point them likewise at her hull; and, although her boats and sails were riddled by musketry, she sustained no greater loss than 1 killed and 3 wounded.
On the following day, Captain Tayler again engaged the enemy in front of St. Ano, and, at the same time, the island battery opened a fire upon that castle, which was continued without intermission until it had only one serviceable gun remaining. He subsequently ran through the same narrow passage and closely reconnoitred the harbour; sounding all the way and taking cross bearings for the future guidance of the squadron. The proceedings of a detachment afterwards landed to complete the subjugation of St. Ano, and then to cooperate with the Spanish guerillas in an attack upon St. Andero, have been noticed in our memoir of Rear-Admiral Lake, C.B. who commanded the forces on shore[2].
After the evacuation of that town by the French under General Caffarelli, the Sparrow was sent to reconnoitre Santona, Guiteria, and Fontarabia; the fortifications of which were most accurately and fully described in her commander’s reports to Sir Home Popham. While surveying the former place she had one man severely wounded by a musket-ball from the shore: the examination of Guiteria also took place so close to the rock that the enemy’s shells flew over her. Together with his remarks on Fontarabia, Captain Tayler transmitted a plan for surprising the batteries along the Bidassoa, and destroying the bridge of Irun. His suggestions were
