party on shore. The enemy retreated, and took the strong positions of the castle and tower overlooking the harbour, where they kept up a constant fire of musketry through loop-holes, without the possibility of being dislodged; although I weighed and moved in, so that the whole fire of the ship was directed against them. Nothing could damp the ardour of the party on shore, who, together with Lieutenant Lester in the boats, lost not a moment in boarding and cutting the cables of 16 vessels, under a most galling fire,two of which were sunk in the entrance of the harbour, and fourteen got out. I have to regret the loss of 12 brave men killed and wounded; which is less than might have been expected, as more than 500 troops arrived from Civita Vecchia, but were checked in their advance, and forced to take a circuitous route, by a well-directed fire from the ship, which allowed sufficient time for all our men to embark * * * * * . The whole of this service was most successfully accomplished in three hours, and fourteen vessels deeply laden (with salt, tobacco, marble, and sundries), got off, which I was obliged to take in tow, as their sails had all been unbent, and taken on shore, to prevent our getting them out[1].”
The Furieuse formed part of the squadron under Sir Josias Rowley, at the capture of Via Reggio and the unsuccessful attempt upon Leghorn, in Dec. 1813[2]. She also assisted at the occupation of Santa Maria and the other forts, &c. in the Gulpli of Spezzia; likewise at the reduction of Genoa and its dependencies, in March and April, 1814[3].
After the cessation of hostilities between Great Britain and France, Captain Mounsey proceeded from Gibraltar to Bermuda, in company with a squadron under the orders of Captain Andrew King. We next find him conveying the 62d regiment to Halifax; and he was subsequently employed in an expedition up the Penobscot river, where he remained until the peace with America, in command of a small naval force left behind by Rear-Admiral Griffith, to assist the troops under Major-General Gosselin in fortifying and defending the peninsula of Castine[4]. The Furieuse was paid off shortly after the final overthrow of Napoleon Buonaparte, since
- ↑ The vessels sunk were the two gun-boats, each mounting a long brass 24-pounder and 4 swivels. One of the merchantmen was pierced for 12 guns, and had two long sixes mounted.
- ↑ See Vol. II. Part I. pp. 424–428.
- ↑ See Id. pp. 428–430.
- ↑ See Vol. I. Part. I. p. 558; and Vol. II. Part. II. p. 729 et seq.
