1806 - Boats of Bacchante at Santa-Martha, Stork and consorts at Batabano


 
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Naval history of Great Britain - Vol. IV
by
William James
1806 Light Squadrons and Single Ships 258

Anson had not a man hurt. The Arethusa, however, did not escape so fortunately, having had two seamen killed, the captain (but who did not quit the deck), one lieutenant (Henry Higman), one lieutenant of marines (John Fennell), 27 seamen, and two marines wounded. The hot shot from the castle had also set the frigate on fire ; but the exertions of her officers and men soon extinguished the flames. The Pomona mounted 38 long guns and carronades (long twelves on the main deck), with a complement of 347 men ; of whom it appears, her captain and 20 men were killed, two lieutenants and 30 men wounded.

The money, belonging to the King of Spain, had been landed at the castle by the governor of Havana and the Spanish admiral ; both of whom had come out purposely to anchor the Pomona in a place of safety, and had only quitted her 10 minutes before the action commenced. There was, however, a considerable quantity of plate and merchandise still on board, which fell to the share of the captors. The Pomona, under the name of Cuba, was afterwards added to the British navy, and the first lieutenants of the Arethusa and Anson, John Parish and Thomas Ball Sullivan, deserved the reward of promotion for their gallantry in this action, which they shortly afterwards obtained for the Capture of Cura�oa.

On the 29th of August, in the evening, the British 20-gun ship Bacchante, Captain James Richard Dacres, cruising off Santa-Martha on the Spanish main, sent her boats, under the command of Lieutenant George Norton, assisted by John Howard the gunner, master's mates Henry Overend and Joseph Birch, lieutenant of marines John M. Pilcher, William Leriche purser, and Robert Burnett the carpenter, to attempt the capture or destruction of some Spanish vessels at anchor in the harbour. On the 30th, at 1 A.M., the boats arrived at the entrance of the harbour, and immediately dashed for the vessels, under a tremendous fire from them, the batteries, and the beach, where several field-pieces had been stationed. Notwithstanding this heavy fire, Lieutenant Norton and his party, without incurring any loss, succeeded in bringing out one armed brig and two armed feluccas.

Having received information that several privateers were in the habit of resorting to the small ports of Batabano and Trinidad in the island of Cuba, Vice-admiral Dacres, the commander-in-chief at Jamaica, detached Captain George Le Geyt, with the 18-gun ship-sloop Stork, the 14-gun schooner-sloop Sup�rieure, Captain Edward Rushworth, and schooners Flying-Fish, of 12 guns, Lieutenant James Glassford Gooding, and Pike, of four guns, Lieutenant John Ottley, to endeavour to capture or destroy the marauders.

With this purpose in view, the four British vessels, on the 25th of August, set sail from Port-Royal, and on the 30th at daylight made the Isle of Pines. At noon, when abreast of the

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