The Admiral also tendered his acknowledgments to all the Officers, Seamen, and Marines, for their gallant behaviour, and for a victory that had been gained by their discipline and good order.
No battle on the sea ever produced more signal consequences.—It stimulated Austria to resume her arms, and aroused the effeminate States of Italy to a sense of their glory and their danger.
Although eclipsed in comparison, still the subordinate Naval transactions in the Mediterranean were guided by a similar spirit. Lieut. Perry, of Marines, distinguished himself upon a voluntary dash at the corvette Mendovi, which was carried by the boats of the Flora, under a heavy fire from the batteries of Corigo, that brig, and the vessels in the harbour. John Perks, private Marine, was the only brave fellow killed in this daring attempt, and Lieut. Perry was slightly wounded.
Captain Digby, and the crew of the Aurora, were likewise noticed for a train of enterprize; and Captain Foote, with all his coadjutors, in the Seahorse, by the capture of La Sensible French frigate.
The action of Captain Manley Dixon, in the Lion, of 64, with four heavy Spanish frigates, one of which he took, was a most brilliant affair, in which all under his command were alike deserving.
The combat between Le Genereaux, of 74, full of men, and the Leander, of 50, upon the 18th of August, though unfortunate in its issue, was yet highly honourable to our arms, when the circumstance of her diminished crew is considered. Captain Thompson, whose conduct in the battle of the Nile had been most conspicuous, says, that "his antagonist run the Leander on board the larboard bow, with a view to carry her, and continued along-side for some time; a most spirited and well-directed fire, however, from our small party of Marines (commanded by a Serjeant) on the poop, and from the quarter-deck, prevented the enemy from taking advantage of his good fortune, and he was repulsed, in all his efforts to make an impression on us."
The Leander, afterwards reduced to a wreck, surrendered to her superior foe; but not without killing or wounding one-third of their number. The brave Serjeant Dair and seven Marines were slain, and nine wounded; being nearly a half of their little party.
The capture of La Legere gun-boat, by the Alemene, Captain Hope, afforded a striking instance of intrepidity in James Harding, Marine Drummer, and John Taylor, Seaman, on board the British frigate. Although going through the water more than five miles an hour, yet, observing a packet of dispatches to have been thrown overboard from the republican vessel, they dashed into the sea and recovered them, at the imminent risk of their lives; those fine fellows were, however, picked up by a boat, and each of them was rewarded by a pension of 20l. a year, from the Corporation of London. The contents were of much importance, as being from the National Convention to their General Buonaparte, in Egypt. Harding afterwards shared upwards of 200l. from the galleons taken on the 16th of October, by the Alemene and others.
So sensible was the Common Council of London of their merits, and so anxious to recompence them, that they made special enquiry, through their clerk, to the Board of Admiralty, in order to ascertain the circumstances and families of those brave men, and the above annuity was consequent upon that investigation.