After the reduction of the Isle of France, three frigates were despatched on an expedition against the batteries of Tametava, on the coast of Madagascar, and to go from thence to root out the French from the Isle of Almerante, and some other places of minor importance; all which was happily accomplished; so that by the middle of January, 1811, there did not remain to the French a slip of territory in either of the Indies, nor a ship in the Indian ocean.
Captain Rowley returned to England with Vice-Admiral Bertie’s despatches, in which most honourable mention was made of his long and arduous services; and on his arrival was appointed to the America, of 74 guns, in which ship he proceeded to the Mediterranean. The following is a brief outline of his services on that station, where he continued during the remainder of the war.
On the 9th May, 1812, being on a cruize in the Gulf of Genoa, in company with the Leviathan 74, and Eclair sloop, he chased a fleet of merchant vessels deeply laden under the batteries of Languilla. At day-break on the following morning, the marines were landed, and stormed the batteries, mounting 9 heavy guns and a mortar, whilst the boats of the squadron brought out 16 of the vessels, and destroyed the remainder. This service was as performed with the loss of 4 men killed, 21 wounded, and 11 drowned. The latter was occasioned by the American’s yawl being sunk by a chance shot from the only gun that could bear on the boats, as they approached the shore.
Captain Rowley subsequently commanded the squadron stationed on the coast of Sicily and Naples; but nothing of moment occurred until the month of December, 1813, when he made a descent on the coast of Italy, under a hope of surprising Leghorn; but this gallant enterprize failed through the threatening state of the weather, and the inadequacy of his force, which consisted of only three ships of the line, two frigates, two post sloops, a store-ship, and about 1,000 men belonging to the Italian Levy. The loss sustained by the squadron on this occasion was 1 man killed, 3 drowned, and 11 wounded; that of the troops was likewise inconsiderable. About 300 prisoners were taken in two skirmishes with the
