ship, through ill-health, about a week previous to the battle of Trafalgar, we find no further mention of the subject of this sketch until he was made commander, and appointed to the Moselle brig, of 18 guns, January 22, 1806. In the course of that year, he successively visited the Western Islands, Barbadoes, the coast of America, and Halifax. In 1807, he appears to have been very actively employed on the Mediterranean station.
The Moselle was afterward sent to Jamaica, from whence Captain Gordon returned home, invalided, towards the close of 1808. His next appointment was, about Dec. 1809, to the Rattler sloop, then employed in convoying transports to and from Lisbon; but subsequently attached to the squadron under Vice-admiral Sawyer, on the North American station. In 1812, and the following year, Captain Gordon commanded a small detachment in the bay of Fundy, where the Rattler and her consorts made many prizes, principally American merchantmen. In May, 1813, he addressed the following letter to the senior officer off Boston:–
“Sir,– I have the honor to acquaint you, for the information of the commander-in-chief, that H.M.S. under my command drove on shore, and captured, on the 19th instant, off Kenebank, the private armed ship Alexander, of 18 guns, returning to Salem from a cruise of 10 weeks. The Alexander is a remarkably fine ship, four years old, and was considered the fastest sailing privateer out of the United States; she left Salem with a crew of 127 men, but had only about 70 remaining at the time of her capture, the greatest part of whom made their escape on her getting a-ground, and several were drowned in their attempt to swim from her. H.M. schooner Bream, contributed much to our assistance in getting the ship off, and, I am happy to say, with hardly any injury.
“I had the honor to report to the senior officer at Halifax, my having; chased onshore, near Bayley’s Mistake, the American privateer schooner Gallynippee, of 2 long 6-pounders and 36 men, on the 2d inst. and of her being in that situation attacked and destroyed by the boats of H.M. ship, in charge of Mr. James Cutlip, acting master. I have the honor to he, &c.
(Signed)“Alex. Gordon.”
“To the Hon. T. B. Capel, Captain H.M.S. La Hogue.”
Several other small privateers were likewise destroyed by the boats of the Rattler, during her stay in the bay of Fundy.
On the 28th June, 1813, Captain Gordon was removed to the Chesapeake frigate, then just captured by the Shannon; and he continued to command that ship until she was ordered
