GENERAL HISTORY 



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iialf ati hour the frigate was bat- 

 tered to pieces, and flames veere 

 seen bursting from her hatchways, 

 the brigs had struck, and most of 

 the gun-boats were beaten, and 

 some sunk. The Podargus and 

 Flamer being a-ajround were at 

 this time engaged with numerous 

 gun-boats, and batteries, but were 

 at length safely got afloat. At 

 three in the afternoon, the Dicta- 

 tor, Calypso, and Prize brigs, were 

 returning through the passages, 

 when they were assailed by a di- 

 vision of gun-boats so placed be- 

 hind the rocks that no gun could 

 be brought to bear on them. In 

 this situation, the prize brigs ran 

 aground, and it was necessary to 

 abandon them in the state of com- 

 plete wrecks, humanity forbidding 

 setting them on fire, on account 

 of the many wounded they had on 

 board. In this bold enterprize the 

 English squadron suffered a loss of 

 50 in killed and wounded : that of 

 the Danes was at least 300. 



Of minuter successes, one most 

 worthy of notice was commu- 

 nicated by Capt. Josias Rowley, 

 of the America, in a letter dated 

 off" Languillia, May lOth, address- 

 ed to Vice-admiral Sir Edward 

 Pellew, the commander-in-chief 

 off" Toulon. It states, that the 

 America, in company of the Le- 

 viathan and Eclair, having, on the 

 preceding day, fallen in with a 

 convoy of 18 sail of the enemy 

 deeply laden, which took shelter 

 under the town and batteries of 

 Languillia, on the coast of Genoa, 

 it appeared to him and Captain 

 Campbell practicable to destroy 

 them by getting possession of the 

 batteries. For this purpose, the 

 marines of the America and Le- 



viathan were landed at day-break 

 on the 10th, and whilst a party was 

 detached to carry a battery to the 

 eastward, which was eftected, the 

 main body rapidly advancing 

 through a severe fire of grape, car- 

 ried the battery adjoining the town 

 of Languillia, consisting of four 

 24 and 18-pounders, though pro- 

 tected by a strong body of the 

 enemy posted in a wood and in 

 several contiguous buildings. The 

 fire of the Eclair having in the 

 meantime driven the enemy from 

 the houses on the beach, the boats 

 proceeded to bring out the vessels, 

 which were secured by various 

 contrivances ; and 16 being towed 

 off, the marines were re-embarked 

 without' molestation, though a 

 strong party was advancing from 

 the town of Allassio to reinforce 

 their friends. The loss in the spi- 

 rited attack on the batteries was 

 much less than might have been 

 expected, but the America's yawl 

 was unfortunately struck by a 

 chance shot, and ten marines and 

 a seaman were drowned. 



Another attempt was made, on 

 June 27th, to carry off a convoy 

 from the towns of Languillia and 

 Allassio, by the Leviathan, Capt. 

 Campbell, who had also under his 

 command the Cura(;oa,Imperieuse, 

 and Eclair. The marines landed 

 on this occasion were attacked, as 

 soon as formed on the beach, by 

 treble their number ; but rushing 

 on with their bayonets they drove 

 the enemy from their batteries, 

 killing many, spiked the guns, and 

 destroyed the carriages, and re- 

 embarked with several prisoners. 

 The vessels were, however, so 

 firmly secured, that they could not 

 be brought away, and they were 



de- 



