they accordingly set out, and succeeded in gaining possession of a vessel suited for their purpose; but she lay on the opposite side of the bay, and before she could be of service to them, it was necessary to drag her upwards of two miles over the sands; this, too, with great intrepidity and exertion, they accomplished; but before she was afloat, they were up to their necks in the water. Having secured the vessel, they proceeded on board the Fisgard. In this affair 7 officers and 185 men were employed; of these 100 secured their retreat; and 4 officers and 88 men were made prisoners. Captain Martin continued to command the Fisgard during the remainder of the war; and in addition to the above services, either took, or assisted at the capture, of the following French and Spanish armed vessels:– La Venus of 32 guns and 200 men; Dragon corvette, 14 guns; la Gironde privateer, 16 guns, 141 men; l’Alerte, do. 14 guns, 84 men; El Vivo national vessel, 14 guns, 100 men; and three others mounting 18 guns.
On the renewal of hostilities, in 1803, our officer commissioned the Impetueux, 84, at Plymouth, and was employed in her off Brest, Ferrol, and Corunna, until the summer of 1807, when he joined the Prince of Wales, a second rate, from which ship he removed about the latter end of the same year into the Implacable, 74, and soon after proceeded to the Baltic, to which station a fleet had been sent under the orders of Sir James Saumarez, for the purpose of co-operating with the Swedes, who were at that time engaged in a war with Russia.
We are not aware of Captain Martin having participated in any affair requiring particular notice until the 26th Aug. 1808, on which day he greatly distinguished himself by the very gallant manner in which he attacked the Sewolod of 74 guns, whose fire he silenced in about 20 minutes, and was only prevented capturing her by the near approach of the whole Russian fleet, which bore up to her support. She afterwards grounded on a shoal at the entrance of the port of Rogerswick, and in that position was attacked by Rear-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood, in the Centaur, who compelled her to surrender after an obstinate defence, in which and in the action with the Implacable, she had no less than 303 men
