of the Baltic fleet, in the official letter that he wrote to the Admiralty on that occasion, expressed his conviction that their lordships would duly “appreciate the good conduct” of the commander of the Sheldrake.
In July, 1811, Sir James Saumarez transmitted to the Admiralty a letter from Captain Charles Dudley Pater, of the Cressy 74, giving an account of an attack made off Hielm island, on the 5th of that month, by a Danish flotilla of seventeen gun-vessels and ten heavy row-boats, on a fleet of merchantmen under the protection of the Cressy, Defence 74, Dictator 64, Sheldrake, and Bruiser gun-brig. The enemy is therein stated to have been defeated with the loss of four gun-vessels, each mounting one long 24-pounder and 4 howitzers. On the 8th of the same month, Captain Stewart addressed an official letter to Captain Pater, of which the following is a copy:–
“I beg leave to inform you, that H.M. sloop under my command came up with the rear of the enemy’s gun-boats about six o’clock this morning, which we immediately brought to close action, and I am happy to say No. 2 and No. 5 struck to us: they each mount one long 24-pounder and one 32-pounder canonade, and are manned with 35 men each. As this brig has been in action with the enemy’s gun-boats four times, and five of them have been captured and destroyed by her, I trust it will not appear presumption on my part, to recommend to notice the first Lieutenant, William Luckraft, whose zeal, gallantry, and ability, have in every instance been truly conspicuous. Both lieutenants commanding the gunboats are severely wounded, and several men.”
Captain Stewart was promoted to post rank Feb. 1, 1812, and we soon afterwards find him performing “a most gallant exploit” within the rocks of Mardoe, on the coast of Norway:– his own description of it is the best that we can present to our readers:–
- ↑ Podargus, Captain William Robilliard; Calypso, Captain Henry Weir; and Flamer, Lieutenant Thomas England.
