Leeward Islands, that that officer was directed by the Admiralty to convey to him, publicly, their Lordships” approbation of his conduct.
After the surrender of Count de Linois and the Buonapartean garrison of Guadaloupe, in Aug. 1815, on which occasion the last tri-coloured flag that flew in the West Indies was struck to the British navy[1]. Captain Branch received orders to carry home the different officers charged with despatches from Lieutenant-General Sir James Leith, Rear-Admiral Sir P. C. Durham, and the Count de Vaugiraud, governor of Martinique, to whom the British commanders were indebted for a trifling addition to their means of attack. The Swinger was paid off immediately after her arrival in England[2].
Captain Branch’s next appointments were, Oct. 4, 1816, to the Helicon of 10 guns; and Feb. 21, 1818, to the Harlequin 18; in which sloops he served three years, chiefly on the north coast of Ireland, under the orders of Sir Benjamin Hallowell and Sir Josias Rowley, both of whom were much pleased with his active exertions while he was attached to their respective flags.
After this very fagging triennial service, Captain Branch naturally expected promotion, particularly as his claim thereto was so much strengthened by his gallant action with the American, on the coast of Surinam; his advancement to post rank, however, did not take place till Dec. 20, 1822. From that time, he constantly applied for employment until Dec. 6, 1827, when he obtained the command of the Mersey 20, fitting for the Jamaica station, where he was compelled to invalid (about thirteen months after his appointment to that ship), in consequence of debility from repeated attacks of fever, added to the alarming state of his wound, which opened
- ↑ See Vol. I. Part II. note at p. 869.
- ↑ Sir Philip C. Durham’s flag-lieutenant reached the Admiralty, Sept. 18, 1815; and was made a commander on the 20th of the same month.
