1813	Boat Attacks in the Mediterranean	167

service. The British landed, and in a few minutes afterwards carried the battery, mounting four 24-pounders, a 6-pounder field-gun, and a 13-inch mortar; and this although the French troops were strongly posted behind palisadoes, and stood until the marines were in the act of charging with bayonets, when they turned and suffered a severe loss. The guns at the battery were all destroyed, the tartan brought out, and the boats returned to the ship with no greater loss than two men killed and one wounded.

On the 30th, while the Undaunted was in company with the 38-gun frigate Volontaire, Captain and senior officer the Honourable Granville George Waldegrave, and the 18-gun brig-sloop Redwing, Captain Sir John Gordon Sinclair, 14 merchant vessels were discovered at anchor in the harbour of Morgion, situated between Marseille and Toulon. Lieutenant Isaac Shaw, first of the Volontaire, assisted by Lieutenants of marines William Burton and Harry Hunt, proceeded with the boats of the three ships, to endeavour to cut out the convoy.

On the 31st, in the morning, Lieutenant Shaw and his party landed at Sourion, and, marching over the hills at daylight, carried the two batteries of the place in the rear, after a partial resistance from 40 French troops stationed at them. Five 36-pounders in one battery, and two 24-pounders in the other, were thrown into the sea, one mortar well spiked, and all the ammunition destroyed. The boats, under Lieutenant Dey Richard Syer, although elsewhere opposed by two field-pieces, brought out 11 vessels, tartans and settees, laden with oil, and destroyed some others. The whole service was accomplished with so slight a loss as one marine killed, and two marines and two seamen wounded. The names of no other officers present, than those above given, appear in Captain Waldegrave's letter, except midshipman Charles Wyvill, on whom great praise is bestowed.

On the 2d of May Captain Robert Hussey Moubray, of the 74-gun ship Repulse, detached 100 marines from that ship, under Captain Edward Michael Ennis, along with the marines of the Volontaire and Undaunted, to destroy some newly erected works in the vicinity of Morgion ; while the boats of the squadron, under Lieutenant Isaac Shaw, first of the Volontaire, covered by the launches with their carronades and by the brig-sloop Redwing, brought out some vessels that were in the harbour. The detachment of marines landed, and drove a detachment of French troops to the heights in the rear of the harbour ; where they were kept in check until the vessels were secured, and the batteries, on which were found nine gun-carriages and a 13-inch mortar, were blown up and destroyed. On this occasion Lieutenant Shaw was wounded; and in the boats two men were killed and three wounded. The vessels brought out were six in number, all laden, but small.

Between the 10th and 15th of May, through the judicious

^ back to top ^