squadron, and was consequently present at the surrender of that place[1]; after which event Captain Brisbane was sent, with a small force under his orders, accompanied by Major-General Montressor and 1800 troops, to take provisional possession of Corsica[2], where he remained until a convention was signed by his military colleague and the French General Berthier, by which the forts of Ajaccio, Calvi, and Bonifacio, were delivered up to the British, to be retained by them until the ultimate disposal of the island should be decided upon by the respective governments of Europe.
On his return to Genoa, Captain Brisbane was ordered home with four French brigs of war, taken at that place, under his protection. The Pembroke was paid off about Sept. 1814. In the Spring of the ensuing year Captain Brisbane was appointed to the Boyne, a second rate, bearing the flag of Lord Exmouth, who had been ordered to re-assume the command on the Mediterranean station, in consequence of Buonaparte’s return to France from Elba. After contributing to the restoration of the King of Naples, his Lordship proceeded to Genoa, and from thence escorted Sir Hudson Lowe and 4,000 British troops to Marseilles, for the purpose of creating a diversion in favour of the allied armies previous to the decisive battle of Waterloo. The subsequent proceedings of the squadron have already been noticed in his Lordship’s memoir, and at pp. 253, of this volume.
During the celebrated expedition against Algiers, Captain Brisbane commanded Lord Exmouth’s flag-ship, the Queen Charlotte of 108 guns; and after the bloody battle of Aug. 27, 1816, was selected by the commander-in-chief to negociate with the Dey, who it will be remembered was compelled to make a public apology before his ministers, and beg pardon of the British Consul, in terms dictated by the subject of this memoir[3].
- ↑ See Vol. I. p. 634.
- ↑ An account of Major-General Montressor’s proceedings in the island of Corsica will be found in Phillipart’s Royal Military Calendar, Vol. I. p. 208. et seq.
- ↑ According to Mr. Salamé, whose “Narrative of the Expedition to Algiers” is well worthy of perusal, the Queen Charlotte expended no less than 30,4241bs. of powder, and 4462 shot. The loss she sustained in the battle has been stated in our 1st vol. at p. 227.
