186 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. 



mander-in-chief will recommend 

 her to the protection of the lords 

 comraipsioners of the Admiralty. 

 My veteran boatswain, Mr. Ste- 

 phens, has lost an arm. He fought 

 under lord Rodney on the 12th of 

 April. I trust his age and services 

 will be duly rewarded. 



I am happy to say that Mr. Sam- 

 well, a midshipman of much merit, 

 is the only other officer wounded 

 besides myself, and he not danger- 

 ously. Of my gallant seamen and 

 marines we had twenty-three slain 

 andfifty-six wounded. I subjointhe 

 names of the former. No expres- 

 sions I can make use of can do jus- 

 tice to the merits of my valiant offi- 

 cersand crew; the calm courage they 

 displayed during the cannonade,and 

 the tremendous precision of their 

 fire, could only be equalled by the 

 ardour with which they rushed to 

 the assault. I recommend them 

 all warmly to the protection of the 

 commander-in-chief. Having re- 

 ceived a severe sabre wound at the 

 first onset, whilst charging a part 

 of the enemy who had rallied 

 on their forecastle, I was only 

 capable of giving command till as- 

 sured our conquest was complete, 

 and then directing second lieut. 

 Wallis to take charge of the Shan- 

 non, and secure the prisoners, I 

 left the third lieutenant, Mr. Falki- 

 ner (who had headed the main- 

 deck boarders) in charge of the 

 prize. I beg to recommend these 

 officers most strorgly to the com- 

 mander-in-chief's patronage, for 

 the gallantry they displayed during 

 the action, and the skill and judg- 

 ment they evinced in the anxious 

 duties which afterwards devolved 

 upon them. 



To Mr. Etough, the acting 



master, I am much indebted, for 

 the steadiness in which he conn'd 

 the ship into action. The lieuts. 

 Johns and Law, of the marines, 

 bravely boarded at the head of their 

 respective divisions. It is impos- 

 sible to particularize every brilliant 

 deed performed by my officers and 

 men ; but I must mention, when 

 the ships' yard-arms were locked 

 together, that Mr. Cosnahan, who 

 commanded in our main-top, find- 

 hig himself screened from the ene- 

 my by the foot of the topsail, laid 

 out at the main-yard-arm to fire 

 upon them, and shot three men in 

 that situation. Mr. Smith, who 

 commanded in our fore-top, storm- 

 ed the enemy's fore-top from the 

 fore-yard-arm, and destroyed all 

 the Americans remaining in it. I 

 particularly beg leave to recom- 

 mend Mr. Etough, the acting 

 master, and Messrs. Smith, Leake, 

 Clavering, Raymond, and Little- 

 John, midshipmen. This latter 

 officer is the son of capt. Little- 

 John, who was slain in the Berwick. 

 The loss of the enemy was about 

 70 killed, and 100 wounded. 

 Among the former were the four 

 lieutenants, a lieutenant of marines, 

 the master and many other officers. 

 Captain Laurence is since dead of 

 his wounds. 



The enemy came into action 

 with a complement of four hundred 

 and forty men ; the Shannon hav- 

 ing picked up some recaptured 

 seamen, had three hundred and 

 thirty. The Chesapeake is a fine 

 frigate, and mounts forty-nine guns, 

 eighteens on her main deck, two 

 and thirties on her quarter-deck 

 and forecastle. Both ships came 

 out of action in the most beautiful 

 order, their rigging appearing as 



