the Morant Keys, during a heavy gale of wind, Aug. 27, 1796. His post commission bears date Dec. 16th, in the same year.
Captain Winthrop’s next appointment was to the Circe, of 28 guns, stationed in the North Sea; and in the month of May, 1798, we find him serving in the expedition sent against Ostend, an account of which has been already given in our memoir of Rear-Admiral Raper[1]. Major-General Coote, who commanded the army employed on that occasion, in his despatches, spoke most highly of “the indefatigable exertions and good conduct of Captain Winthrop, who superintended the landing of the troops, and assisted in getting up the artillery, and other materials; and for some time commanded a detachment of seamen on shore.”
In the summer of 1799, our officer was entrusted with the command of a small squadron, employed on the coast of Holland; the boats of which, in the night of the 27th June, very gallantly cut out twelve sail of merchantmen from the Wadde, without having a man hurt; notwithstanding they were much annoyed by the fire from the enemy’s batteries and gun-boats. On the 10th July, the boats, with equal resolution and bravery, cut out three more valuable vessels from the same river, and burnt another laden with ordnance stores.
In the following month the Circe assisted at the capture of the Helder, on which occasion all the Dutch ships lying in the Nieuve Diep, together with the naval magazine at the Nieuve Werk, containing a large quantity of stores, were taken possession of by Captain Winthrop. This event led to the surrender of the enemy’s fleet in the Texel[2]. On the 8th Oct. in the same year, our officer being in the river Ems, proceeded to reconnoitre the port of Delfzel, where he discovered a sloop of war and a schooner lying within musket shot of the batteries, and conceiving it practicable to carry them by a coup-de-main, he gave the necessary orders for that purpose. Delfzel being distant 20 miles from the Circe, the boats proceeded with the first of the tide, and arrived there just as the moon went down, at which time Captain Winthrop ordered the attack to be made by Lieutenant Maughan upon the ship, and Lieutenant Pawle upon the
