casion Captain Gore manifested great zeal, offering to serve as a volunteer under the orders of a junior officer, which offer was as handsomely declined hy his Lordship.
During the short-lived peace that succeeded the above disastrous attempt, the Medusa was employed in cruizing against the smugglers. On the renewal of the war, in March, 1803, she was sent to the Mediterranean with despatches relative to that event.
Captain Gore does not appear to have been engaged in any service requiring particular mention, until the 5th Oct. 1804, on which day he had the good fortune to share in the capture of three Spanish frigates laden with specie, and valuable merchandize to a great amount. The Mercedes, another frigate blew up during the action, with 811,000 dollars on board[1]. In the following month Captain Gore intercepted the Matilda, of 38 guns, from Cadiz, bound to the Rio de la Plata, with a cargo of quicksilver.
On the 21st Feb. 1805, he received the honor of knighthood; and some time after conveyed the late Marquis Cornwallis to India. His voyage from thence to England, with the remains of that lamented nobleman, was performed with astonishing celerity; the Medusa having run from the Ganges to the Lizard in eighty-four days, two of which were spent at anchor in St. Helena Roads; she was consequently but eighty-two days under sail, in which time she traversed the immense space of 13,831 miles.
Soon after his return, Jan. 1806, Sir John Gore removed into the Revenge, of 74 guns. In June, 1808, he received at
- ↑ See p. 536.
yards; they were moored by the bottom to the shore, and chained one to another; they were strongly manned with soldiers, and protected by land batteries, and the shore was lined with troops. Many were taken possession of; and, though they could not have been brought out, would have been burnt, had not the French resorted to a mode of offence which they have often used, but which no other people have ever been wicked enough to employ. The moment the firing ceased ou board one of their own vessels, they fired upon it from the shore, perfectly regardless of their own men. The French official account boasted of the victory. “The combat,” it said, “took place in sight of both countries; it was the first of the kind, and the historian woidd have cause to make this remark.” They guessed our loss at 400 or 500 men: it amounted to 44 killed and 138 wounded.
