1809	Boat Attacks on the Baltic	181

number, each armed with one long 24 and one long 30 pounder, and manned with 46 men. The position they had taken was of extraordinary strength, being betwixt two rocks, which served as a cover to their wings, and whence a destructive fire of grape could be poured upon any boats that should assail them. Notwithstanding this, it was resolved to attempt the capture or destruction of the flotilla ; and Lieutenant Joseph Hawkey, first of the Implacable, was gratified with the command of the Enterprize, to consist of the boats of the four ships, 17 in number, containing about 270 officers and men. Among the officers employed, were the following: Lieutenants William Houghton and Frederick Vernon, and Lieutenants of marines James Thomas Cracknell and James Clarke, of the Implacable; Lieutenants Charles Allen, John Sheridan, and John Skekel, and Lieutenants of marines George Kendall and Alfred Octavius Carrington, of the Bellerophon; Lieutenant George Rennie, Lieutenant of marines Robert Gilbert, and midshipman John B. Mounteney, of the Melpomène, and Lieutenant James Stirling, of the Prometheus.

At 9 p.m. the boats proceeded to the attack, and, regardless of the heavy fire opened upon them in their advance, pushed on, not firing a musket until they touched the sides of the gunboats ; when the British seamen and marines boarded, sword in hand, and carried all before them. Of the eight gun-boats, six were captured, one was sunk, and one escaped ; and the whole 12 merchant vessels under their protection, and which were laden with powder and provisions for the Russian army, were also captured, together with a large armed ship. The latter was burnt, but the other vessels were brought safe out.

This truly gallant exploit was not accomplished without a serious loss. Lieutenant Hawkey, the commanding officer of the detachment, having taken one gun-boat, was killed by a grape-shot while in the act of boarding the second ; and the last words of this gallant young man were: " Huzza ! push on, England forever!" Captain Martin, in his letter to Vice-admiral Sir James Saumarez, thus eloquently touches upon the merits of Lieutenant Hawkey: " No praise from my pen can do adequate justice to this lamented young man ; as an officer, he was active, correct, and zealous, to the highest degree ; the leader in every kind of enterprise, and regardless of danger, he delighted in whatever could tend to promote the glory of his country. " The next officer, Lieutenant Charles Allen, of the Bellerophon, assumed the command of the party, and completed the business in the successful manner already described.

The whole of the loss on the British side amounted to two lieutenants (Messrs. Hawkey and Stirling), one midshipman (Mr. Mounteney), one second master (Benjamin Crandon), eight seamen, and five marines killed, and one boatswain (Matthew Vesey), 25 seamen, and 11 marines wounded. Among

^ back to top ^