the rank of commander for the conspicuous part he had borne in the night attack upon la Ville de Varsovie, French 80, and her consorts, in Aix roads, on the 11th April preceding[1]. His conduct on that occasion was thus recorded in the minutes of the above tribunal:
“Captain George Wolfe, of l’Aigle, was again called in and examined. * * * * * * Q. Do you know of any particular fire-ship or ships that were improperly conducted on the evening of the 11th of April?
“A. the ship that passed between us and the island Olivera, and got on shore there, was the only one I particularly noticed. I hailed five that came near us, from our own ship being very nearly set on fire by those that were badly managed. I could not learn the names of two of the officers of fire-ships that behaved well; five behaved very well: one of them teas commanded by Captain Newcombe, who desired me to remember he had passed us; Lieutenant Cookesley, of the Gibraltar, was another, who begged I would keep my eye upon him, as he would not fire his vessel till he was amongst the enemy: I did, and saw him run on board a two-decked ship.”
The two-decker alluded to by Captain Wolfe was la Ville de Varsovie, and her officers afterwards affirmed that they cut and run aground purposely to avoid the fire-vessels; we have already stated that she was destroyed on the following day; and we have only to add, that Mr. Cookesley’s commission as commander was dated back to the day on which he had so highly distinguished himself. From May 1810 until Dec. 1816, he successively commanded the Recruit, 18 gun-brig, and Hazard, ship-sloop; the whole time on the Newfoundland station, with the exception of one year in the West Indies and at Brazil. His promotion to post rank took place Dec. 7, 1818.
JAMES MURRAY, Esq.
[Post-Captain of 1818.]
Was made commander, June 14, 1809; appointed to the Oberon brig, on the North Sea station, April 30, 1810; to the Satellite 16, fitting for the Mediterranean, Aug. 19, 1815; and promoted to post rank, Dec. 7, 1818. He subsequently commanded the Valorous 26, on the Newfoundland station.
