that ship’s boats at the capture of four French merchant vessels, anchored several miles up the Gironde river; and, on the following morning, assisted at the destruction of le Pluvier national brig, mounting 16 guns, with a complement of 136 men, lying under the battery of Royan, and fully prepared for action. His gallant behaviour on this occasion procured him, for the third time, publicly expressed official commendation, as will be seen by the following extract of Captain Richardson’s report to Captain William Ferris, of the Diana frigate, whose official letter has been given at full length in p. 908 et seq, of Vol. II. Part II.
“My officers and ship’s company behaved entirely to my satisfaction, and I feel much indebted to my first lieutenant (Thomas) Gardner, second Lieutenant Grace, and Mr. (Henry) Reneau, master’s-mate, commanding the boats, for the handsome manner in which they ran alongside of the enemy. Lieutenant (Ingram P.) Taylor, of the marines, and Mr. (Richard) Brickwood, purser, being the only officers on board, were of the greatest use, the former commanding the main deck, the latter the quarter-deck guns.”
Towards the close of 1811, Lieutenant Grace left the Semiramis, in order to become first of the Saldanha; but owing to the melancholy disaster which then befel his excellent and valued friend, Captain Pakenham, he was without a ship from that period until Aug. 1812, when we find him appointed to the San Domingo 74, fitting out for the flag of Sir John Borlase Warren, and about to be employed on the North American station[1]. His commission as commander bears date June 15th, 1814.
On Monday the 30th of October, 1820, the venerable mansion of the Marquis (now Duke) of Buckingham, at Wotton, occupied by his son and daughter, the Earl and Countess Temple, was wholly destroyed by fire. “The flames,” says an eye witness, “burst forth about one o’clock from a room appropriated to papers, directly above the nursery, and in less than two hours the entire of the interior was consumed, leaving nothing but the bare walls remaining. Captain
