mishes on the heights of Pharon, he remained at Fort Pomet, till it was found necessary to destroy the enemy’s ships, and to evacuate the town and harbour of Toulon. He was then ordered to make the best retreat in his power from the post he commanded, but, although the republican troops were pouring down in considerable force, and were within a very short distance, he stopped to set fire to a train, which communicated with five hundred barrels of gunpowder. The explosion blew the fort to atoms; and, from the situation of himself and his men, it was supposed, at a distance, that they had all perished. Amidst his ardour, however, Lieutenant Brisbane’s judgment had not forsaken him. Himself and his party were safe; and after surmounting many difficulties and dangers, they effected their retreat without loss.
Early in 1794, Lieutenant Brisbane proceeded to Corsica; and, with 100 men belonging to the Britannia under his command, effected a landing at St. Fiorenzo. A body of troops, commanded by Liuetenant-General Dundas, were disembarked about the same time; and on the night of the 17th Feb., the heights of Fornelli were vigorously attacked, and carried by assault[1].
During the siege of Bastia, which was soon afterwards commenced, Lieutenant Brisbane had the honor of serving under the heroic Nelson, who commanded a brigade of seamen on shore, and of sharing in the extensive variety of services in which he was at that period engaged. There was even a similarity in their fate; for, having been entrusted by Nelson with the command of a small battery, our officer was dangerously wounded in the head while at his gun, a circumstance which reduced him to the mortifying necessity of being taken on board the Alcide, one of the ships then lying off the town . Several pieces of iron were extracted from the wound, (which had been occasioned by the collision of one of the enemy’s shot with Lieutenant Brisbane’s gun,) and a cure was at length effected; but his left eye sustained nearly a total deprivation of sight.
Lord Hood, in his official letter, announcing the surrender of Bastia, speaks very highly of the merits of Lieutenant Brisbane. “The Lieutenants Gore, Hotham, Stiles, Andrews, and
