154 
finding it expedient to place his 
flotilla collectively upon the esta- 
blishment of a thirty-six gun fri- 
gate, I have appointed him to the 
command thereof. 
Captain Montressor, whom I 
have placed in the command of 
the gun vessels, until Captain 
Lockyer’s wounds will admit of his 
serving and Captain Roberts, 
whom I have before had occasion 
to mention to their Lordships, 
together with Lieutenants Tatnell 
and Roberts of the Tonnant, and 
the whole of the officers mentioned 
by Captain Lockyer, I trust will 
not fail to meet their Lordships’ 
notice. 
Our loss has been severe, par- 
ticularly in officers; but consi- 
dering that this successful enter- 
prize has given us the command 
of Lac Borgne, and considerably 
reduced our deficiency of trans- 
ports, the effort has answered my 
fullest expectation. 
I have the honour to be, &c. 
ALEXANDER COCHRANE, 
Vice Admiral and Commander 
in Chief. 
John Wilson Croker, Esq. &c. 
His Majesty’s Sloop Sophie, 
Cat Island Roads, 
Dec. 18,1814. 
Sir,—I beg leave toinform you, 
that in pursuance of your orders, 
the boats of the squadron which 
you did me the honour to place 
under my command, were formed 
into three divisions (the first 
headed by myself, the second by 
Captain Montressor, of the Manly, 
and the third by Captain Roberts, 
of the Meteor), and proceeded on 
the night of the 12th instant from 
the frigate’s anchorage, in quest 
of the enemy’s flotilla. 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815. 
After a very tedious row of 36 
hours, during which the enemy 
attempted to escape from us, the 
wind fortunately obliged him to 
anchor off St. Joseph’s island, and 
nearing him on the morning of 
the 14th, I discovered his force 
to consist of five gun-vessels of 
the largest dimensions, which 
were moored in a line abreast, 
with springs on their cables, and 
boarding nettings triced up, evi- 
dently prepared for our reception. 
Observing also, as we approach- 
ed the flotilla, an armed sloop, 
endeavouring to join them, Cap- 
tain Roberts, who volunteered to 
take her with part of his division, 
succeeded in cutting her off and 
capturing her without much op- 
position. 
About ten o'clock having closed 
to within long gun-shot, I di- 
rected the boats to come to a 
grapple, and the people to get 
their breakfasts; and as soon as 
they had finished, we again took 
to our oars, and pulling up to 
the enemy against a strong cur- 
rent, running at the rate of nearly 
three miles an hour, exposed to a 
heavy and destructive fire ofround 
and grape, about noon I had the 
satisfaction of closing with the 
Commodore in the Seahorse’s 
barge. 
After several minutes obstinate 
resistance, in which the greater 
part of the officers and crew of 
this boat were either killed or 
wounded, myself amongst the 
latter, severely, we succeeded in 
boarding, and being seconded by 
the Seahorse’s first barge, com- 
man, and aided by the boats of | 
the Tonnant, commanded by Lieu- | 
manded by Mr. White, midship- | 
tenant Tatnell, we soon carried | 
