marines to North America, where she arrived about the end of May, 1814.
Captain Badcock was next employed in the blockade of Commodore Barney’s flotilla, up the Patuxent river; and he appears to have had frequent skirmishes with the enemy’s militia, when making excursions on shore, for the purpose of destroying their public buildings, watering his ship, and obtaining refreshments for her crew. On one of these occasions, a marine, named Patrick Gallaghan, behaved with great coolness and presence of mind, while posted at some distance from the working party. Observing five American horsemen ride down to the comer of a wood, from whence three of them galloped towards him, he immediately got behind a hay-stack, cocked his musket, and waited their approach: they passed without seeing him, and dismounted; when he instantly called out, “Surrender, you rascals, I have you all in a line, and by J___s I will shoot you altogether, if you do not throw down your arms !” – they immediately complied, and he marched them before him, horses and all, to the beach. Unfortunately this brave fellow was unfit for promotion being too fond of strong drink, and therefore could not be rewarded. This circumstance serves to shew how much an Order of Merit is wanted in the naval service; for how many hundreds of sailors and marines have, like Patrick Gallaghan, richly deserved medals, or some other honorary distinctions, who, for the same reason, could not be made petty or non-commissioned officers.
It will be seen by reference to pp. 9–14, that Captain Badcock commanded a subdivision of boats in the Washington expedition: we have, therefore, only to add, that he was away from his ship 18 days and nights; the whole time in an open boat. After the failure of the Baltimore expedition, he was left in the Chesapeake, under the orders of Captain Robert Barrie, with whom he proceeded above 90 miles up the Rappahannock river, and subsequently to the coast of Georgia. He also accompanied Captain Charles B. H. Ross up St. Mary’s, river[1]; displaying, on every occasion, his
