1809	Light Squadrons and Single Ships	170

of these, Captain Brenton anchored his three frigates, with springs on their cables, within half a mile of the town ; and, having placed the boats of the squadron under the orders of Lieutenant George Wickens Willes, first of the Spartan, and formed them into two divisions, he directed the first division, composed of the launches with their carronades, and other boats carrying field-pieces, and commanded by Lieutenant Charles George Rodney Phillott, first of the Amphion, to take a station to the northward, and the second division, composed of rocket-boats, and commanded by Lieutenant William Augustus Baumgardt of the Spartan, to the southward, of the town.

As soon as these arrangements were made, Captain Brenton sent a flag of truce on shore, to demand the surrender of all the vessels ; adding, that should any resistance be offered, the governor must be answerable for the consequences. At 11 h. 30 m. A, M. the officer returned to the Spartan, with a message from the commandant of Pesaro, stating that, in half an hour, the English commodore should have an answer. At the end of 35 minutes, observing no flag of truce flying on shore, but that troops were assembling in the streets and on the quays, and the inhabitants employed in dismantling the vessels, Captain Brenton hauled down the flag of truce, and fired one shot over the town to give warning to the women and children.

Shortly afterwards the three frigates and the gun and mortar boats, by signal from the Spartan, opened their fire upon the town. At 32 minutes past noon, observing several flags of truce hung out, Captain Brenton made the signal to cease firing. Lieutenant Willes then pulled into the harbour ; where he was informed that the commandant had made his escape with all the military. Considering the place now as surrendered at discretion, Captain Brenton sent all the boats to bring out the vessels, and landed the marines under Lieutenant Thomas Moore, of that corps, to protect them. By 6 h. 30 m p.m., 13 vessels, deeply laden, were brought off. Several others had been scuttled by the inhabitants and sunk, and some were aground. At 7 p.m. the castle at the entrance of the harbour was blown up, under the direction of Lieutenant Willes, and the British returned to their ships without a casualty. Nor was it known that any lives had been lost in the town, except one man, who, from not attending to the warning given him, was buried in the ruins of the castle.

On the 2d of May the Spartan and Mercury (the Amphion having been detached) chased two vessels into the port of Cesenatico, the entrance of which is very narrow, and was defended by a battery of two 24-pounders and a castle. Observing that several other vessels were lying in the harbour, Captain Brenton determined to take possession of the whole of them. The coast is so shoal, that the two frigates had only four fathoms considerably out of gun-shot of the town. On this account the boats

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