guns, six 6-pounders, overboard, and set her on fire. Having now full possession of Castellar, the marines were stationed in the castle, and we began to ship off as much grain and flax as our boats could convey, before a reinforcement of the enemy might oblige us to evacuate it; and I have the pleasure of saying, that we got about fifteen tons of corn, and a quantity of flax, by four o’clock, when they made their appearance with about 100 regular troops, 25 of whom were dragoons; but as we saw them early from our mast-head, our people embarked from the castle, by signal, just as the enemy entered the town. I have peculiar satisfaction in adding, that this has been accomplished without the smallest loss on our part. I have the honor to be, &c.
“To Rear-Admiral Boyles.”
The gallant and successful exertions of Captain Nicolas, his officers, and crew, did not fail to obtain the approbation of their new commander-in-chief, Sir Edward Pellew, who, in a despatch to Rear-Admiral Boyles’ successor, the late Sir Thomas F. Freemantle, expressed himself in these terms. “The services mentioned in Captain Nicolas’s letters appear to do much credit to those employed therein. I shall forward them to the Admiralty.”
On the 4th April, 1812, a Neapolitan flotilla, consisting of a brig, three schooners, and fourteen gun-vessels, was engaged by the Pilot, in company with the Thames frigate, then commanded by Captain Charles Napier. Unfortunately, however, from its being a perfect calm, the enemy were enabled to effect their escape under the strong batteries of Salerno. On the 16th, nine vessels, laden with oil, were launched by the Pilot’s crew from the beach near Policastro, above 80 of the civic militia having been previously driven out of that town by a party of small-arm men and marines under Mr. Roger Langlands, who was soon afterwards rewarded with a lieutenant’s commission for his able conduct and conspicuous bravery on every occasion whilst acting as master of the Pilot. In the course of the same month, above a dozen other small craft were brought off from under the towns of Camerota, Lela, and Pisciota, where they were hauled up on shore for security: several towers were also blown up in the vicinity of those places.
On the 14th May, 1812, the Thames and Pilot attacked the
