1811 - Capture of the Corceyre

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1811 Capture of the Corceyre 375

accompanied by their prizes, consisting of six gun-boats of one long 18-pounder each, 22 feluccas laden with oil, cotton, &c., and 20 large spars brought off from the beach, put to sea with the land breeze. Four other gun-vessels, one with two long 18-pounders were also destroyed ; but this very dashing service was not executed without loss, Lieutenant Kay of the 62d regiment and four men being killed, and Lieutenant Pipon of the marines and 10 men wounded. The commanding officer of the gun-boats was Captain Caraccioli, and the troops and armed peasantry, estimated at 700 men, were commanded by General Pignatelli Cercaro. Although Lieutenant Travers was an older lieutenant than many who were at that time commanders, and although Vice-admiral Sir Edward Pellew, the Mediterranean commander-in-chief, requested the attention of the lords of the admiralty to " the distinguished services " which he had on that and on former occasions performed, Lieutenant Travers, as we observe by the list, was not made a commander until the 15th of June, 1814.

On the 27th of November, at 9 a.m., Fano in the Adriatic bearing south-east distant four leagues, the British 74-gun ship Eagle, Captain Charles Rowley, discovered and immediately chased three vessels in the north-west quarter. These were the French 40-gun frigate Uranie, the armed en flûte frigate Corceyre, and brig-corvette Scemplone, from Triest on the 13th bound to Corfu. In the course of a short time the brig separated from her two companions ; and the Eagle continued in pursuit of the latter down the north-east coast of Italy until about 7 h. 30 m. p.m.; when, having lost her fore topmast by an overpress of sail, and been otherwise crippled by the 74's fire, the Corceyre hauled down her colours.

Owing to the extreme darkness of the night and the necessity, in the disabled state of the prize and the strength and direction of the wind, for the Eagle to stay by the Corceyre to prevent her going on shore near Brindisi, the Uranie effected her escape, as was supposed, into that port. The Corceyre is represented to have been pierced for 40 guns, and to have mounted 26 long 18-pounders on the main deck and two 6-pounders on the quarterdeck, with a crew of 170 seamen and 130 soldiers ; of whom she had three men killed and six or seven wounded, including her commander, Lieutenant de vaisseau " Longlade." The Corceyre was laden with 300 tons of wheat, and a quantity of military and other stores.

On the 28th of November, at 7 a.m. while the British 38-gun frigates Alceste and Active, Captains Murray Maxwell and James Alexander Gordon 18-pounder 36-gun frigate Unité, Captain Edwin Henry Chamberlayne, and 20-gun ship Acorn, Captain George Miller Bligh were lying in Port St.-George, Island of Lissa, the telegraph on Whitby hill announced three suspicious sail south. Captain Maxwell, the senior officer in the

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