however, nothing particular occurred[1]. We next find him commanding the blockade of Cherbourgh, on which station the ships under his orders captured a number of French privateers; and on one occasion drove two frigates on shore near Cape la Hogue; but the protection afforded them by the batteries rendered it impossible to attempt their destruction with any probability of success[2].
On the Donegal being paid off in 1811, Captain Malcolm was appointed to the Royal Oak, a new 74, in which he continued off Cherbourgh until March 1, 1812, when he removed into the San Josef, 110 guns, as Captain of the Channel fleet under Lord Keith, which honorable post he held, occasionally commanding a detached squadron, until June 1, 1814, when he hoisted his flag[3] in the Royal Oak, and proceeded with a body of troops under Brigadier-General Ross, from Bourdeaux to North America.
Soon after his arrival in that quarter, our officer accompanied Sir Alexander Cochrane on an expedition up the Chesapeake, and regulated the collection, debarkation, and re-embarkation of the troops, &c. employed against Washington and Baltimore[4]; a service requiring indefatigable efforts, and which he performed in a manner that called forth the warmest acknowledgments of the Commander-in-Chief.
An account of the attempt made upon New Orleans, in the months of Dec. 1814 and Jan. 1815, by the naval and military forces under Sir Alexander Cochrane and Major-General Pakenham, will be found under the head of Sir Edward Codrington. On that occasion the subject of this memoir superintended the disembarkation of the army, and the various services performed by the boats in conjunction with it. The manner in which he executed these duties may be gathered from the official despatches relative to that event, wherein Sir Alexander says, “it is a duty that I fulfil with much
- ↑ The Donegal had previously assisted at the destruction of three French frigates in the Sable d’Olonne. She was commanded on that occasion by Captain Peter Heywood, Captain Malcolm being absent attending a court-martial.
- ↑ See Captain Charles Grant, in our next volume.
- ↑ Captain Malcolm was nominated a Colonel of Royal Marines, Aug. 12, 1812; and advanced to the rank of Rear-Admiral, Dec. 4, 1813.
- ↑ See p. 524, et seq.
