Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v1p2.djvu/258

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
674
REAR-ADMIRALS OF THE RED.

fire of that ship. This being communicated by telegraph, the Rear-Admiral made the signal to storm; when Captain Rowley, leading in his gig the first detachment of marines, took possession of the fort, and hoisted the English colours; whilst Captain Hoste, of the Bacchante, with the marines of the Milford, took and spiked the guns of the first battery, which was under the fire of those ships, and early evacuated. Captain Rowley leaving a party of seamen to turn the guns of the second battery against the others, without losing time, boldly dashed on through the town, although annoyed by the enemy’s musketry from the windows of the houses, and a field-piece in the centre of the great street; but the seamen and marines proceeded with such firmness, that the French retreated before them, drawing the field-piece until they came to the square, where they made a stand, taking post in a large house. At this time the boats with their carronades, under Captain Markland of the Milford, opened against the gable end of it with such effect, that the enemy gave way at all points, and forsook the town in every direction. Captain Hoste, with his division, followed close to Captain Rowley; and on their junction, the two batteries, with the field-piece, stores, and ninety sail of ships, were taken possession of, with the loss of only 1 man killed, and 6 wounded .

It was highly to the honor of the victors, that although the place was taken by storm, not an individual was plundered; more than half of the smaller class of vessels were returned to the proprietors; thirteen sent to Lissa, laden with oil, grain, powder, and merchandize; the rest destroyed; 59 iron guns (part only mounted) rendered totally useless; 8 brass 18-pounders, and one field-piece taken away; 500 stand of small arms, 200 barrels of powder, rations of bread for 70,000 men, and two magazines with stores, &c. burnt. Five days after the above event, the fortress of Farasina, mounting five 18-pounders, was attacked by Captain Rowley, and after some resistance stormed, carried, and laid in ruins, by a party of seamen and marines, landed under cover of the Eagles’s fire, and headed by Lieutenant Greenaway of that ship.

On the 2d of the following month (August), the Eagle sailing along the coast of Istria in company with the Bacchante, discovered twenty-one vessels at anchor in the harbour of