who lets no opportunity of distinguishing himself escape; and he speaks in the highest terms of the whole of the petty officers and men employed with him. I have the honor to be, &c.
The captured armed vessels consisted of the Andre Roguing, and Vincenzo del Mondo, each mounting one long 12-pounder and three swivels, with a crew of 16 men; the Nicolo Pascolicio, of one 12-pounder and 16 men; and five others (names unknown) of one 12-pounder and 12 men each. In the performance of this very gallant and important service, the British had not a man killed, and only two wounded.
The foregoing letters were published by the Admiralty, Jan. 22, 1813; and on the same day Lieutenant O’Brien was advanced to the rank of commander: he did not hear of his promotion, however, for nearly three months afterwards. On the 13th and 14th Nov. 1812, he assisted in bringing off a large quantity of government oak timber from the beach near Fesano, a small town in the vicinity of Pola, where the enemy had 300 soldiers, but made no effort to prevent its being taken away. Only a very brief extract of the following official letter was ever published in the London Gazette:
"Sir,– I have to inform you, that at day-break this morning, in company with H.M. sloop Weazle, I discovered a division of the enemy’s flotilla close to us, steering for the coast of Italy; it was nearly a calm. The enemy, on seeing us, separated; and I detached the boats of this ship, under Lieutenant O’Brien, to attack one division, and directed the Weazle’s boats, with one from the Bacchante, to pursue the other, then endeavouring to gain the island of Funo. The Weazle was directed to support her boats, whilst I continued, with what little wind there was, the chase of those my own boats were after; and I have much satisfaction in stating the capture of the whole without the loss of a man. the enemy waited in line to receive the attack; but the judicious disposition of the commanding lieutenant, and his prompt measures for boarding them, occasioned their surrender after a good deal of firing, and a very spirited resistance from the sternmost gun-boat. It is my duty to state the conduct of my first lieutenant, O’Brien, whose judgment and bravery are highly conspicuous: and it is only a continuation of a variety of boat services which that officer has been engaged in, and which has been invariably crowned with success.
“I beg leave to recommend him to the notice of the commander-in-chief, as a brave deserving officer.
