APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. 



163 



merchant vessels, bound to this 

 island, had been captured by a 

 French privateer, and carried into 

 the island of Lagosta, admiral 

 Freemantle and myself judged it 

 expedient to lose no time in put- 

 ting an end to a system which was 

 likely to become very detrimental 

 to the prosperity of this island, and 

 to our commercial interests in ge- 

 neral. For this purpose I embark- 

 ed on board his majesty's frigate, 

 Apollo, commanded by capt. Tay- 

 lor, on the 19th ult. with detach- 

 ments from this garrison amount- 

 ing to about 300 men, including 

 artillery, with two six-pounders, 

 two howitzers, and two mountain 

 guns. The troops, together with 

 a detachment of seamen and ma- 

 rines, landed on the island of La- 

 gosta on the 21st, and marched to- 

 wards the principal work, con- 

 structed by the enemy for the de- 

 fence of the island, from whence 

 the garrison opened a well-directed 

 fire of shot and shells. As the 

 work in question is situated on the 

 summit of a high conical hill, com- 

 manding the town, I found it ne- 

 cessary to take up a favourable po- 

 sition, from whence I was enabled 

 to forward the preparations neces- 

 sary for the reduction of the fort. 

 During this interval, captains May, 

 3Sth, and Ronea, Calabrese Free 

 corps, together with Mr. G. Bow- 

 en, first- lieutenant of his majesty's 

 ship Apollo, with a party of forty 

 men, succeeded in spiking the 

 guns of one of the enemy's lower 

 Batteries, and in destroying a ma- 

 gazine of provisions, both of which 

 were within musket-shot of the 

 fort. On this occasion a French 

 Serjeant of artillery and two sol- 

 diers were taken prisoners. Mr. 

 UUark, purser of his majesty's ship 



Apollo, volunteered his services on 

 both these occasions. Having re- 

 ceived certain intelligence that a 

 detachment of three hundred men, 

 commanded by a lieutenant-co- 

 lonel, had marched from Ragusa, 

 to reinforce the garrison of La- 

 gosta and being aware of the great 

 difficulty which would have at- 

 tended the attempt to get batter- 

 ing artillery on the only hill which 

 commanded the fort, capt. Taylor 

 and myself were induced to offer 

 favourable conditions to the French 

 commandant, who, after some he- 

 sitation, agreed to surrender (to- 

 gether with the garrison consisting 

 of 139 men), on the terms, a copy 

 of which I have the honour to en- 

 close your lordship. I have also 

 the honour to enclose your lord- 

 ship a return of the enemy's ord- 

 nance, ammunition and stores, 

 which fell into our hands. It is 

 particularly gratifying to me to be 

 able to inform your lordship, that 

 during the whole of our operation, 

 the inhabitants gave us the most 

 unequivocal proofs of their attach- 

 ment, and rendered us the most 

 efficacious assistance. 



Finding that the French priva- 

 teer, together with the prizes, had 

 taken refuge in the island of Cur- 

 zola, captain Taylor and myself 

 immediately proceeded thither. 

 We landed (without delay) the 

 troops under my command, with 

 one hundred and tv/enty seamen 

 and marines, together with a how- 

 itzer and field-piece. Major Sles- 

 sor, 35th, advanced at day break 

 with the flankers, and got posses- 

 sion of a fortified building on the 

 height, which commands the town 

 within musket-shot. In this ope- 

 ration he was supported by a se- 

 cond party, under the command 



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