and Onderneming were taken by the boats of the Arrogant, on the north coast of Java, May 17th and 25th, 1800.
Lieutenant Gordon’s next appointment was, in May 1803, to the Polyphemus 64, Captain John Lawford; by whom he was entrusted with the charge of the Santa Gertruyda, a Spanish galleon, taken off Cape St. Mary, Dec. 7, 1804. His arrival at Plymouth is thus noticed in a letter from thence, dated Jan. 10, 1805:–
“The large frigate seen off the Sound, in tow of an armed ship, after beating off and on the whole day and night, this morning made some progress. At 11 a.m. she stood into the Sound and fired a gun. On being boarded, she proved to be a Spanish frigate mounting only 14 guns, from Peru and Mexico, bound to Corunna, deeply and richly laden. She was captured by the Polyphemus, but parted company in a violent gale of wind on the 16th ult., since which she has experienced very bad weather, carried away her main-mast, and had her rudder choked. She fell in with, a few days since, the Harriet armed defence ship, which took her in tow; and has been beating about the Channel ever since. The Spanish captain speaks in the highest terms of the attention and politeness of Lieutenant Gordon, and the nautical skill he displayed when the ship carried away her main-mast, and was labouring very much, with the rudder choked, in the gale on Christmas day.”
We have been informed, since the publication of Vice-Admiral Lawford’s memoir[1], that the Santa Gertruyda lost her rudder and was totally dismasted, after she parted company with the ship appointed to see her into port; also that a new rudder had been constructed, and jury-masts-rigged[errata 1], before she fell in with the Harriet.
The Polyphemus, at this period, formed part of the squadron employed off Cadiz, under the orders of Sir John Orde, who was directed by the Admiralty to promote her first lieutenant, whenever an opportunity should offer. Instead of doing so, however, the Vice-Admiral shortly afterwards gave the command of the Wasp sloop to one of his own officers, and appointed Lieutenant Gordon to succeed him in the Glory 98, from which ship he was again removed to the Polyphemus, on a change taking place in the naval administration, occasioned by Lord Melville’s retirement.
With the exception of his being obliged to leave the latter
Errata:
- ↑ Correction: jury-masts-rigged should be amended to jury-masts rigged
