The Arrogant, Captain Yelverton, having been joined by the Magicienne, Captain Vansittart, proceeded with the Ruby gunboat along the coast to Kounda Bay, where a large body of Cossack troops were encamped. The Ruby and the boats of the two ships stood in, and dislodged the enemy with shells and rockets. In spite of a fire kept up on them from behind hedges, they landed; but as it was found that the place contained only private property, it was not injured.
Next morning Captain Yelverton, having driven some soldiers from a station at the mouth of the Portsoiki river, and destroyed some barracks and stores, proceeded off Viborg. Here the ships anchored as close as they could get to the island of Stralsund. An expedition was at once formed to look into Viborg. It consisted of the Ruby, commanded by Mr Hale, mate, and the boats of the Arrogant, commanded by Lieutenants Haggard and Woolcombe, and those of the Magicienne, under the command of Lieutenants King and Loady; Captains Yelverton and Vansittart, with Captain Lowdes, R.M., in command of a strong detachment of marines, going on board the Ruby, which steamer towed the boats. The expedition having opened the bay of Trangsund, a Russian man-of-war steamer, with two large gunboats in tow, was seen not far off.
This novel and unexpected sight of a Russian man-of-war for once clear of a stone wall, and to all appearance prepared for a fair and honest fight, created the greatest enthusiasm among men and officers. The Ruby at once opened fire on her, and compelled her to retire out of range, with some damage. The entrance of the Sound being reached, Viborg was now in sight, and there was a fair prospect of attacking three large gunboats lying with another steamer under an island about a mile off, when suddenly an impenetrable barrier was found to have been thrown across the passage. At the same moment, at about 350 yards off, a masked battery on the left opened on the Ruby and boats, which they, however, kept in check by an ably-directed return fire.
The enemy’s steamer and gunboats now approached from under the island, and opened fire on the expedition. As it was impossible to get the Ruby through the barrier, Captain Yelverton ordered her other boats to return towards Stralsund,—the enemy’s riflemen, who followed along the banks, being kept off by their fire. Unhappily, an explosion took place on board the Arrogant’s second cutter, by which the midshipman commanding her, Mr Storey, was killed, and the boat was swamped. In this condition the boat drifted under the enemy’s battery, when a hot fire was poured into her.
All probably would have been killed or taken prisoners, had not George Ingouville, one of the Arrogant’s crew, though already wounded, of his own accord jumped overboard, and, taking the painter in hand, towed her off the shore. Probably his gallant conduct might not have availed to save the lives of his shipmates, many of whom were by this time wounded, had not the condition of the cutter been perceived from the Ruby.
On this, Lieutenant George Dare Dowell, R.M.A., of the Magicienne, calling out for a volunteer crew, jumped into the Ruby’s gig, where he was joined by Lieutenant Haggard of the Arrogant, and together they pulled off, under a fire which grew hotter and hotter, to the rescue of the boat and men. Lieutenant Dowell was waiting at the moment on board the Ruby while his own boat was receiving a supply of rockets. Taking the stroke oar, he and his three companions pulled on, in spite of the shower of grape and musketry which the Russians poured on them to prevent them from accomplishing their object. They succeeded, in spite of this, in taking in three of the cutter’s crew, and were mainly instrumental in keeping the boat afloat and bringing her off to the Ruby. Two were killed and ten wounded during the whole affair. Captain Yelverton speaks highly of the conduct of all the officers engaged, where their cool and determined courage enabled them to handle most severely, and to keep in check for upwards of an hour, a far superior force of the enemy. These were perhaps the most creditable acts of individual gallantry performed at this time in the Baltic. Both Lieutenant Dowell and George Ingouville received the Victoria Cross.
It would be scarcely interesting or useful to describe the numberless performances of the boats of the fleets in destroying barracks, stores, and shipping.
It was a stern though painful necessity which demanded this mode of proceeding. The object was to show the enemy the power of the Allies to injure them, and to make them earnestly desire peace, at every cost. In no instance was private property on shore intentionally injured.
The shipping, however, did not escape; and in the two nights of the 23rd and 24th of July, the boats of the Harrier, Captain Storey, destroyed in the harbour of Nystad forty-seven vessels, amounting to nearly 20,000 tons.
On the 6th July the first shot was fired at Cronstadt, from a gun slung on board a timber barge, by Captain Boyd.