Auchmuty, to la Plata. The convoy sailed from Falmouth on the 11th Oct., touched at Rio Janeiro for water and refreshments, and formed a junction with Rear-Admiral Stirling off Maldonado, Jan. 5, 1807. Buenos Ayres had in the interim been retaken by the enemy; and the British Commanders, seeing the necessity of securing some strong post before any attempts were made for its recovery, immediately proceeded to invest Monte Video, which fortress, as already stated at pp. 406 and 625, was carried by storm on the 3d of the following month[1]. Captain Donnelly on that occasion commanded the brigade of seamen and marines landed from the squadron to co-operate with the army; and the assistance rendered by him in transporting the battering train, ammunition, stores, and provisions, from the place of debarkation, a distance of about seven miles, along a heavy sandy road, erecting batteries, &c, was duly acknowledged by Brigadier-General Auchmuty, and the naval Commander-in-Chief, with whose despatches he arrived at the Admiralty on the 12th April, and shortly after had the honor of receiving the thanks of both Houses of Parliament.
Subsequent to this event, Captain Donnelly brought an action, in the Court of Common Pleas, against Sir Home Popham, to recover a sum which he had paid to him in error. In the distribution of some prize-money, he had allowed Sir Home the share of a Flag-Officer having the power of appointing a Captain under him; but he afterwards found that Sir Home had only the temporary rank of Commodore, and no authority to appoint his Captain; consequently his proper share was much less than it had been calculated at. The Judge was of opinion that Captain Donnelly had established his claim; and the jury accordingly returned a verdict for him of 2004l. 17s. 3d., the sum overpaid.
In 1808, our officer was appointed to the Invincible, of 74
- ↑ Having referred the reader to our memoir of Rear-Admiral Stirling, we beg leave to point out two errors which have this moment been discovered by us at p. 406. The Rear-Admiral, instead of escorting the corps under Sir S. Auchmuty to South America, had proceeded thither some time before, for the purpose of superseding Sir Home Popham. The army and naval brigade were landed on the 16th Jan. 1807, and Monte Video was invested on the 20th. By the passage alluded to, both events appear to have taken place on the 18th. This inaccuracy renders it necessary to make similar corrections at pp. 624 and 625.
