mache, of 44 guns and 450 men each, and the Mameluke brig, of 18 guns and 150 men. They had been cruizing for four months in various parts of the Atlantic, and were on their return to France, deeply laden with the most valuable portion of the cargoes of thirty-six vessels of different nations, which they had taken and destroyed. A line-of-battle ship, with sails bent, and top-gallant-yards across, lay at the entrance of the harbour of l’Orient, spectator of the operations of the day, but the wind did not serve till night for her coming to the support of her friends; every assistance, however, was afforded them of boats, men, &c. from the port, directed, as Captain Hotham supposed, by the French Admiral in person.
When the gallantry of the action with such a force, under numerous galling batteries, and the intricacy of the navigation amidst dangerous rocks, at the very mouth of the enemy’s harbour, are taken into consideration, the performance of so important a service, while it reflects the highest honor upon the courage, skill, and extraordinary management of all concerned, must be acknowledged to have added fresh lustre to the naval annals of Great Britain. No officer but one who possessed great local knowledge, could, under such difficult circumstances, have ventured to undertake the service that Captain Hotham so bravely and so effectually performed. The loss sustained by the Northumberland amounted to 5 men killed and 28 wounded.
At the general promotion, Dec. 4th, 1813, our officer was nominated a Colonel of Royal Marines. He subsequently served as Captain of the Fleet and as a Flag-Officer, under the orders of Sir Alexander Cochrane, on the American station. His first commission as Rear-Admiral bears date June 4th, 1814; and on the 2d Jan. 1815, he obtained the rank of a K.C.B. On the renewal of the war in Europe, occasioned by Napoleon Buonaparte’s return from Elba, Sir Henry Hotham commanded a division of the Channel fleet; and after the battle of Waterloo, was stationed on the French coast to prevent the escape of that personage, who, as is well known, surrendered himself to the Bellerophon, which ship formed a part of the force under our officer’s orders[1]. In the spring of 1818 Sir Henry was called upon to take a seat at the Board of Admiralty, where he remained until the month of March, 1822.
