“The painful part of my duty is, to inclose the list of killed and wounded in the attack on D’Jebail; I deeply lament that it has been so severe.
Benbow.—2 marines killed, 4 wounded severely.
Hastings.—2 marines killed, Lieut. C.W. Adair slightly, 7 marines severely, 3 slightly, wounded.
Castor.—1 marine wounded severely.
Zebra.—1 marine killed.
Cyclops.—Lieut. George Gifford wounded severely, 1 seaman severely.
Total killed, 5. Total wounded, 18.
“(Signed) Henry Martin.”
“To Commodore Napier.”
On the 22nd I marched, with a Turkish battalion and a battalion of marines, by the road of Antoura and Argentoun toward Merouba, through the strongest and most difficult country I ever beheld, over roads hardly passable, and under a fiery sun; the marine battalion, unaccustomed to marching, were sorely pressed, and arrived with difficulty at Argentoun; there they halted, and I went on with a couple of companies of Turks, who were good marchers, holding a party of marines, the least fatigued, ready to advance should we be pressed. About two hours before sunset we came in sight of Osman Pacha’s camp and the Albanian standards; they appeared intrenched in a very strong position. The marines were now ordered to move on and show themselves, and we continued to advance through a most difficult but beautifully romantic country. In an hour we joined the mountaineers, under the Scheik Francis (the person who had been designated the Seraskier by Mr. Wood), in position in a small village, a little distance from very precipitous rocks, through which an execrable road led to Merouba, where Osman was intrenched. I desired the mountaineers to throw themselves amongst the rocks, to see whether they were occupied or not, which they did with considerable reluctance, till assured all was safe; they then went on with great alacrity: this enabled me to reconnoitre Osman’s position; he appeared well fortified, and from that I augured he was as much afraid of being attacked by us as we were of being attacked by him. In the evening we returned to Argentoun, where we attempted to get some rest, but from the numerous bedfellows in the shape of monstrous fleas, our slumbers were anything but sound. At dawn of day we were again on the move, and returned to the camp, after a very hot and fatiguing march. The following is my report of this reconnoissance to the Admiral:—