428
POST-CAPTAINS OF 1801.
plan. My thanks are due to Captain Dunn, of the Mermaid, for forwarding every thing from the beach to us in advance; as well as to Lieutenants Mason, of the America, Mapleton and Leach of this ship, and Travers, of the Imperieuse; and to the Midshipmen and small-arm men, and those stationed to a howitzer, for their steady good conduct. I have the honor to be, &c.
(Signed)“G. H. L. Dundas.”
“To Sir Josias Rowley, Bart.”
The subsequent operations against Genoa and its dependencies, in which Captain Dundas bore a principal share, are thus related by Sir Josias Rowley, who commanded the naval force acting in conjunction with Lord William Bentinck:
“H.M.S. America, March 31, 1814.
“Sir, I have much satisfaction in informing you, that the fortress of Santa Maria, with the forts and defences on the Gulf of Spezia, are in the occupation of his Majesty’s arms. On the 25th instant I anchored with the squardron as per margin (America, Edinburgh, Furieuse, Swallow, Cephalus, and Aurora, the latter a Sicilian Corvette,) off Lerici, the Hon. Captain Dundas having preceded us with the Edinburgh and Swallow, to accompany the movements of the troops under Major-General Montressor, dismantling the batteries as the enemy retired on their advance; a party of them endeavoured to re-occupy the castle of Lerici, but Captain Dundas, with the marines, was beforehand with them, and the enemy, after some firing from the boats of the squadron, retreated from the town. On the following morning, a deputation from the inhabitants of Spezia came on board, when I learned that the French had, during the night, evacuated that town and all the defences of the gulf, except the fortress of Santa Maria, which I sent an officer to summons, but found they were prepared to defend it. We immediately weighed, and anchored the ships in a position between Spezia and the fortress, which, in the evening, on the arrival of the troops, was invested. Strong parties of seamen were landed from the ships, and six 18-pounders from the Edinburgh, by the active exertions of the Hon. Captain Dundas, were got up the heights, through the most difficult places, and three batteries constructed, on which they were mounted. A 36 and 24-pounder, and two 13-inch mortars, were remounted on one of the dismantled forts, with two additional howitzers, under the direction of Lieutenant Bazelgette, of this ship, and a battery of two 36-pounders, under similar circumstances, by Lieutenant Mapleton, of the Edinburgh; and at 5 P.M. on the 29th, on a refusal from the enemy to capitulate, the fire from the whole opened on the fortress. It was kept up occasionally during the night; and renewed at day-light the following morning with such vigor and effect as completely to silence that of the enemy. Preparations were making to storm; but at 11 the enemy shewed a flag of truce, and capitulated. I feel much pleasure in having to report the zealous, able, and indefatigable exertions of the officers and men employed on the above service; to the Hon. Captain Dundas, who undertook the general direction of the seamen on shore, I am particularly indebted; and to Captains Mounsey and Stow, and Captain Staite. of his Sicilian Majesty’s corvette Auro-