WILLIAM AUGUSTUS MONTAGU, Esq.
A Companion of the Most Honorable Military Order of the Bath, and a Commissioner of the Stamp Office.
[Post-Captain of 1807.]
This officer was made a Lieutenant Nov. 14, 1804; and promoted to the rank of Commander Oct. 31, 1805: his post commission bears date Oct. 12, 1807.
We first find Captain Montagu commanding the Terpsichore, an old 32-gun frigate, on the East India station; where, with only 26 long twelves and 2 six-pounders mounted, and no more than 180 officers, men, and boys at quarters, he fought, and fairly beat the Semillante French frigate, mounting 40 guns, with a complement of at least 300 men. The particulars of this action, and of the five days’ chase which succeeded it, will be found in James’s Nav. Hist. 2d edit. vol. V. pp. 97–101[1].
Captain Montagu’s next appointment was to the Cornwallis, a large teak-built frigate, of 50 guns and 335 men[2]. In that ship he assisted at the reduction of Amboyna, &c. as will be seen by reference to p. 198 et seq. The following is a copy of his official letter to Captain (now Sir Edward) Tucker, giving an account of the service performed at Boolo-Combo:
“Sir,– I beg leave to inform you, that on my arrival in the Bay of Bouthian, I sent a flag of truce to the officer commanding the fort of Boolo-Combo, requesting permission to water the ship; this he positively refused; in consequence of which I landed a detachment of 100 men, under Captain Forbes of the Madras European regiment, with a field-piece, to take the fort, which the enemy continued to defend until the troops were within 200 yards of the breach; the Europeans having horses ready, then fled to a small fort at Bouthian, and the native soldiers, amounting to 200, took refuge in the woods, and continued to annoy us during our stay; so that I am sorry to say we had one man killed, and nine wounded, among the latter Captain Forbes slightly.
“The fort contained 9 nine-pounders and 2 brass field-pieces, defended by 30 Dutch soldiers, and the 200 natives already mentioned. Eleven small- ↑ See also Naval Chronicle, Vol. XXI. p. 23.
- ↑ See p. 169.
