three anchors, and a hawser from the mast-head to the cliff above her, and her guns pointed to the sea. This disposition induced me to attempt cutting her out. About half-past two (P.M.) I brought the Arrow to an anchor within gun-shot, and sprung her broadside to the shore; then sent the boats armed under Lieutenant C. F. Daly, with orders to bring her out; but, very soon after they put off, grape and musket-shot were fired at them, both from the privateer and the shore. I then supported the boats by a brisk fire from the Arrow, and Lieutenant Daly succeeded in boarding the privateer, cut her adrift, and would have brought her out, but her rudder being unhung and ashore, she soon after grounded within pistol-shot of the beach. I judged it therefore expedient to set her on fire, by which she was totally destroyed. She was a tartan, mounting 4 long guns, with about 74 men, and rowing 24 oars; a new vessel, fitted out at Leghorn, and had done some mischief.
“I cannot but express the very high sense I entertain of the conduct of Lieutenant Daly, the officers, and men employed in the boats on this occasion, for their spirited resolution in boarding the privateer, amidst a heavy cross fire from that vessel, the cliffs, beach, and houses. I have to lament the loss of Mr. Thomas Patterson, master’s-mate, and one seaman killed; also several wounded, one of whom is since dead.”
The Arrow’s heroic defence against two large French frigates, on her return from the Mediterranean, has been fully described in our memoir of Captain Vincent. We subsequently find Lieutenant Daly accompanying Sir Home Popham to the Cape of Good Hope, in the Diadem 64; and on the surrender of that colony, he appears to have been sent home with despatches in the Seahorse transport. His promotion to the rank of Commander took place April 10, 1806.
We now lose sight of Captain Daly until June 1808, at which period he commanded the Comet, an 18-gun ship-sloop, on the north coast of Spain, where he performed a very important and hazardous service, as will be seen by the following copy of an official letter from the officer under whose orders he was then serving:
