2^J2 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1S14. 



entrance to the harbour being 

 closed up by vessels sunk for that 

 purpose by the enemy, a naval 

 co-operation against the town and 

 camp was found impracticable. 



Under these circumstances, and 

 keeping in view your Lordship's 

 instructions, it was agreed be- 

 tween the Vice-Admiral and my- 

 self, that the capture of the town 

 would not have been a sufficient 

 equivalent to the loss which might 

 probably be sustained in storming 

 the heights. 



Having formed this resolution, 

 after compelling the enemy to 

 eink upwards of twenty vessels in 

 different parts of the harbour, 

 causing the citizens to remove al- 

 most the whole of their property 

 to places of more security inland, 

 obliging the government to con- 

 centrate all the military force of 

 the surroundmg states, harassing 

 the militia, and forcing them to 

 collect from many remote districts, 

 causing the enemy to burn a va- 

 luable rope-walk, with other pub- 

 lic buildings, in order to clear the 

 glacis in front of their redoubts, 

 besides having: beaten and routed 

 them m a general action, I retired 

 on the 14th, three miles from the 

 position which I had occupied, 

 where 1 halted during some hours. 



This tardy movement was partly 

 caused by an expectation that the 

 enemy might possibly be induced 

 to move out of the entrenchments 

 and follow us ; but he profited by 

 the lesson which he had received 

 on the 12th, and towards the 

 evening I retired the troops about 

 three miles and a half further, 

 where I took up my ground for 

 the night. 



Having ascertained at a late 

 hour on the morning of the 15tb, 



that the enemy had no disposition 

 to quit his intrenchments, I 

 moved down, and re-embarked the 

 army at North Point, not leaving 

 a man behind, and carrying with 

 me about two hundred prisoners, 

 being "persons of the best families 

 in the city, and which number 

 might have been very considerably 

 increased, was not the fatigue of 

 the troops an object principally to 

 be avoided. 



1 have now to remark to your 

 Lordship, that nothing could sur- 

 pass the zeal, unanimity, and ar- 

 dour, displayed by every descrip- 

 tion of force, whether naval, mi- 

 litary, or marine, during the 

 whole of these operations. 



I am highl)' indebted to Vice- 

 Admiral Sir A. Cochrane, Com- 

 mander in Chief of the naval 

 forces, for the active assistance 

 and zealous co-operation which he 

 was ready, upon every occasion, 

 to aflford me ; a disposition con- 

 spicuous in every branch of the 

 naval service, and which cannot 

 fail to ensure success to every 

 combined operation of this arma- 

 ment. 



Captain Edward Crofton, com- 

 manding the brigade of seamen 

 appointed to the small arms, for 

 the animated and enthusiastic ex- 

 ample which he held forth to his 

 men, deserves my approbation — 

 as do also Captains Nourse, Money, 

 Sullivan, and Ramsay, royal navy, 

 for the steadiness and good order 

 which they maintained in their 

 several directions. 



I feel every obligation to Rear- 

 Admiral Cockburn, for the coun- 

 sel and assistance which he af- 

 forded me, and from which I de- 

 rived the most signal benefit. 



To Colonel Paterson, for the 



