Tsour, September 26.
“I have the honour to acquaint you, that agreeably with the arrangements I had made, the Castor appeared off Jaffa on the 22nd, the following day calling again off Caiffa, whence, proceeding in the further execution of your orders of the 14th instant, the Pique, and Ottoman frigate Dewan, in company, I beg to acquaint you that Her Majesty’s two frigates took up their positions off this town about noon on the 24th instant, (having ordered the Ottoman frigate to take a position in the South Bay, which the badness of the anchorage prevented her doing, and from the calms and light winds she did not rejoin until yesterday): the town was summoned by an officer bearing a flag of truce, to surrender to the Sultan, to which the civil authorities readily consented; but as 500 Egyptian troops still kept possession, I directed the inhabitants to be warned to quit the town immediately, as it was my intention to dislodge the soldiers, and having given them sufficient time to do so, a fire was opened by both ships at the distance of about 500 yards, which soon accomplished the object. At day-light the following morning, Captain Boxer having gallantly landed and reconnoitred to prevent surprise, the marines of the two frigates, with a few small-arm-men, under the command of Lieutenant Patey, senior Lieutenant of this ship, landed and took possession of the town, which we still hold. Two guns were found mounted on the works, the trunnions of which were knocked off; also, a vast quantity of grain in the public stores, and some munitions of war; a brig has been loaded with part of the former, and the latter brought off.
“The arduous duty of levelling great sandbanks ten feet high, thrown up by the enemy to cover the approach to the town from the fire of the ships, loading grain, and in gun-boats by day and night, all in full view of 1500 of the enemy’s troops, who are two miles off, will, I hope, sanction my recommending to your notice every individual officer and man of the two ships, for each man has nobly performed his part in like manner as at Caiffa.
“To my gallant friend, Captain Boxer, I am deeply indebted for the assistance he has afforded me on every occasion in the execution of this service, but particularly for his vigilance each day in preventing surprise on the troops landing. He speaks in the highest terms of Lieut. Curry, senior Lieutenant of the Pique, who had charge of the party employed levelling the approach to the town.
“It affords me much pleasure to say we have not lost a man on this service, and I am much gratified in being able to state that none of the inhabitants have been hurt.
“I feel myself called upon to recommend especially to your notice Lieutenant Patey of this ship, as an officer of great merit, who has highly distinguished himself on this service as well as at Caiffa.
“I have, &c.,
“Edward Collier, Captain.”
“Admiral Sir Robert Stopford, G.C.B.,
Commander-in-Chief.”