“Commodore Brenton, &c. &c.”
In consequence of the state of things as detailed in the preceding correspondence, Captain Brenton felt much solicitude to comply, as far as his very limited means would enable him, with the wishes of the Arch-duke John, both as regarded the preventing supplies reaching Venice from the coast of Romagna, as well as to give every possible annoyance to the French army in Dalmatia. In order to effect the latter object he had detached the Amphion to cruize between Zara and Fiume, and the Thames was ordered to proceed off Punto Maestro, to stop all vessels attempting to get into Venice. And as the French had seized a number of fishing boats on the coast of Romagna, which they had laden with provisions, with a view of their not being examined by the British cruizers; Captain Waldegrave was directed to take all vessels of that description, and to destroy all such as were so employed, and to warn all fishermen against such acts of hostility, lest they should forfeit the indulgence they had hitherto received as peaceable industrious people. Captain Waldegrave was also ordered to take the Austrian flotilla off Cortelazzo under his command.
Having made these arrangements, Captain Brenton proceeded in the Spartan to the gulf of Fiume, with the intention of protecting the islands on the coast of Croatia, still under the Austrian government, and driving the French out of the others. The following letter to Lord Collingwood will at once give the official detail of his operations to the 12th of May:—
“Spartan, off Lussin Piccolo, 12th May, 1809.
“My Lord,
“In my letter of the 6th instant I had the honour to inform your Lordship of my intention to assist the Austrians in getting possession of the islands on the coast of Croatia. On approaching Veglia on the 7th, I was told that it had surrendered the day before, and that the Austrians had gone on to Cherso. I received at the same time information of a French garrison consisting of 200 men, having fortified the Island of Lussin, with a determination to hold out till relieved. I proceeded directly for the port of Cherso, where the imperial troops arrived a few hours before us. I proposed to their Commandant, Lieutenant Colonel Baron Peharnick, that a detachment should be embarked on board the Spartan, and an attack be immediately made upon Lussin, to which he assented, and came on board with one hundred and eighty men. We sailed from Cherso at daylight, on the 9th, accompanied by three trabacolos for the purpose of landing the troops. At two p.m. we arrived off the port of Lussin, and found the enemy prepared to receive us, having a battery on each side of the entrance of the bay, which is not more than two cables length across. From thence the bay runs to the S.E. about three miles in length, and in no part more than a quarter of a mile over. The shore on both sides high and rocky. At the extremity of the bay, the town is situated, and immediately above it, the citadel, a large stone building defended by eleven pieces of cannon.
“Our dispositions for the attack were immediately made, Baron Peharnick with fifty men in the boats of the Spartan, under the command of Lieutenant Willes, was to land to the southward of the western battery. Lieutenant Fagan commanding the royal marines of this ship, with his own party, and a detachment of Austrians embarked in two of the trabacolos for the purpose of attacking the eastern battery, whilst the ship was to run in and engage both of them.
“This plan was put in execution at three p.m. and both batteries carried after a very short resistance, the enemy retreating to the citadel.
“Baron Peharnick and myself having reconnoitred the town from an eminence, we were of opinion that the place might be taken by an immediate attack. Accordingly the imperial troops which were landed on the peninsula moved forward. Lieutenant Willes in the boats, accompanied by Lieutenant Fagan’s detachment in the trabacolos, ran up the bay accompanied by the ship. Upon approaching the town I sent a flag of truce forward, to summon it to surrender, but it was fired upon from the quay and houses. Lieutenant Willes instantly pushed forward in the most gallant manner with his boats, and found an anchorage for the ship, within pistol shot of the town, of which I availed myself immediately. One of the trabacolos with the marines and imperialists was at this moment sunk by the fire from the citadel, happily no lives were lost, and the troops landed to the left of the town, from whence they dislodged a party of the enemy that opposed them, the ship opening her fire upon the citadel.
“At twenty-two minutes past five a flag of truce was hoisted at the citadel, and the firing ceased. An officer came off to apologize for the flag of truce being fired at by mistake, and to know what terms we would grant. Our answer was, that the garrison should surrender at discretion, and an hour given for deliberation; at the expiration of which time a peremptory refusal was returned, and the firing recommenced on both sides; the remainder of the troops were landed, and the heights occupied to the right and left of the town. At half-past eight, finding the citadel silenced, I ceased firing, to give the troops an opportunity of advancing to surround it, or to storm it if practicable, and sent a field piece to Lieutenant Willes to cover them. At eleven, a sharp fire of musketry took place between the advance posts and the enemy. I immediately ordered Lieutenant Baumgardt to move forward with a twelve pounder carronade, and place it on an eminence to the right of the citadel. I sent another to Lieutenant Willes on the left, with directions for the troops to fall back upon their guns, that the ship might renew her fire. By three a.m. the batteries were erected within three hundred yards to the right and left of the citadel, and Baron Peharnick sent me word that the troops had retreated into the rear of them. A heavy fire commenced immediately, which was returned from the citadel. At four, a flag of truce came off with proposals to surrender, on condition of the garrison being sent to Italy: this I positively refused, and continued firing till five minutes after six, when they surrendered at discretion.