1811 - Colonial Expeditions, East Indies

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1811 Colonial Expeditions - East Indies 26

It was not during many months that the captain of the Clorinde was allowed to enjoy the ease and comfort, the good cheer and safe quarters, of a home-port. On the 13th and five succeeding days of March, 1812, Captain Saint-Cricq was tried by a court-martial, for not having done all in his power in the action in which the Renommée had been captured ; for having separated from his commodore in the heat of the battle, when he ought to have closed him, &c. ; and for having omitted to proceed to Java, as prescribed by his instructions dated December 22, 1810, in case of inability to enter the Isle of France. Upon these charges the French captain was found guilty, and sentenced to be dismissed the service, degraded from the legion of honour, and imprisoned for three years.

The Néréide and Renommée, being both new frigates, and the first a particularly fine one, were added to the class of British 38s ; the Néréide under the name of Madagascar, and the Renommée, under that of Java. Lieutenants John Baldwin and George Scott, first of the Astrea and Ph�be, were each deservedly promoted to the rank of commander; but Lieutenant Thomas Bevis, the first of the Galatea, and who was wounded in the action, still remains a lieutenant. This, surely, is an extension of the blasting effects of the charge against the Galatea never contemplated by its author.

Colonial Expeditions - East Indies.

On the 18th of April, the expedition destined for the conquest of the Dutch island of Java having, under the personal directions of Captain Christopher Cole of the 36-gun frigate Caroline, by the express orders of Vice-admiral Drury issued during the illness that terminated his life, completed its preparations, the first division of the troops, commanded by Colonel Robert Rollo Gillespie, sailed from Madras roads under the convoy of the Caroline, and on the 18th of May anchored in the harbour of Penang or Prince of Wales's island, the first point of rendezvous. On the 21st the second division of the troops, commanded by Major-general Wetherall, and escorted by the British 38-gun frigate Phaëton, Captain Fleetwood Broughton Reynolds Pellew, arrived also, having quitted Madras about six days after the Caroline. On the 24th the Caroline and Phaëton, with their respective charges, sailed from Penang, and on the 1st of June arrived at Malacca, the second rendezvous. Here the expedition was joined by a division of troops from Bengal, and by Lieutenant-general Sir Samuel Auchmuty, and Commodore William Robert Broughton of the Illustrious 74, the military and naval commanders-in-chief. The whole of the troops thus assembled, including 1200 too sick to proceed, amounted to 11,960 officers and men, of whom very nearly half, or 5344, were Europeans.

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