conduct of their respective officers and ships’ companies, who, together with their commanders, had all volunteered for the storming party.
“I also beg to call your attention, Sir, to the able conduct and professional abilities of Mr. James Wilson, surgeon of the late Hermes, and of the other surgeons of the squadron, who, under every local disadvantage, increased by the total want of medical assistants, have succeeded beyond expectation with the wounded, of whom, and of the killed, I regret having such large returns to make to you. I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed)“W. H. Percy.”
In this very gallant, but unfortunate attack, the Hermes had 17, including Messrs. Richard C. Pyne (master), B. Hewlett (master’s-mate), and G. Thompson (boatswain), slain ; 5 mortally, 2 dangerously, 15, including Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Nicolls, severely, and 3 slightly wounded: the Sophie 6 killed and 16 wounded. Fort Bowyer, when taken by the British, in Feb. 1815, up to which date no additional guns appear to have been sent to it, mounted three long 32-pounders, 8 twenty-fours, 6 twelves, 5 nines, one brass 4-pounder, 1 mortar, and 1 howitzer; its garrison consisted of 375 officers and men. We should here observe, that the chiefs of the Creek nations, in a letter to Sir Alexander Cochrane, dated May 28, 1814, had earnestly requested that officer to land a small body of troops; declaring, that if he would attack and take Mobile, all the Choctaw Indians, and the rest of the tribes in the American service, would “join with hearts and souls the British cause.” Notwithstanding this fact, Mr. James, in his account of the military occurrences between Great Britain and America, has thought proper to call the attack upon fort Bowyer an “unadvised” and “indiscreet” proceeding.
Captain Percy’s trial by court-martial, for the loss of his ship, took place on board the Cydnus frigate, off Cat island, Gulf of Mexico, Jan. 18, 1815. Among the witnesses examined were Captains Nicholas Lockyer and the Hon. R. C. Spencer, both of whom deposed that they considered the attack justifiable under the circumstances mentioned in the foregoing letter: Captain Spencer also declared that he would “most certainly have done the same” as Captain Percy, had he commanded the squadron. The court having deliberately
