On the 29th Mar. 1809, Lord Collingwood appointed Mr. O’Brien lieutenant of the Warrior 74, Captain John William Spranger, in which ship he assisted at the capture of the islands of Ischia and Procida, Zante, Cephalonia, &c. &c. &c., in June and October following[1].
On the 2nd Mar. 1810, he joined the Amphion, as junior lieutenant of that frigate; and shortly afterwards bore a part in a gallant exploit, the result of which was the surrender of the garrison of Grao, in the Friule, and the capture and destruction of about 35 vessels, chiefly laden with steel, iron, and merchandize[2].
Lieutenant O’Brien was second of the Amphion at the brilliant battle near Lissa, Mar. 13, 1811[3]; and after that event we find him conducting la Bellona, one of the captured French frigates, to Malta. His next appointment was, Nov. 16th in the same year, to be first of the Bacchante 38, on that day launched at Deptford.
The Bacchante sailed from Spithead, for Cadiz and the Mediterranean, June 2nd, 1812; captured la Victoire French privateer, near Palermo, July 26th, and arrived at Lissa on the 10th of the ensuing month. Three weeks afterwards, Lieutenant O’Brien conducted a dashing enterprise, which was thus officially reported to the senior officer in the Adriatic:
“Sir,– Having received information that seven vessels were laden with ship timber for the Venetian government, at Port Lema, on the coast of Istria, I yesterday evening detached the boats of this ship, under the direction of Lieutenant O’Brien, to bring them out, which I am happy to say he completely effected, though they were lying under the protection of a French xebec and two gun-boats.
“Lieutenant O’Brien received information of this unexpected force of the enemy from two merchant vessel he captured at the entrance of the port, and who stated their force to be very superior to his own; notwithstanding which he proceeded to the attack, and very gallantly carried them by boarding, as well as the timber vessels. At day light, I had the pleasure of seeing the whole coming towards the ship.
