French crew, however, seeing the smallness of the party to whom they had succumbed, soon rallied, and succeeded in driving back their assailants, scarcely one of whom escaped uninjured.”
During this sanguinary conflict, which took place near Civita Vecchia, July 14th, 1803, Lieutenant George Elliot Salter boarded the enemy over the bow, and received a mortal wound: Lieutenant Gabriel was shot through the body and arm, and had his thigh dreadfully lacerated by a pike. The Patriotic Society at Lloyd’s soon afterwards resolved, “that a sword of 50l. value, and the sum of 50l., should be presented to him in consideration of his gallantry and exertions;” but, unfortunately for him, his distinguished patron, Sir James Wallace, had then recently died, whereby he was deprived of such powerful influence as would otherwise have secured his promotion. The manner in which he conducted himself whilst serving under Captain Barrie will be seen by the following testimonial:
“These are to certify that Commander J. W. Gabriel served under my command for upwards of six years, as first lieutenant of H.M. ships Brilliant and Pomone; during the whole of which time, he conducted himself in a most exemplary manner. I ever found him a cheerful volunteer on all occasions of danger, and I never entrusted him with the execution of any kind of service, which he did not perform, most completely to my satisfaction, and highly to his own credit. I have communicated to him, at different times, the official thanks of almost every superior officer the Pomone served under, particularly of Sir Richard Keats, for his zealous exertions in burning H.M. brig Atalante in the face of the enemy, when on shore on the Isle St. Martin, after the boats of the Penelope had failed in the attempt; also for his meritorious exertions to save the crew of H.M. cutter Pigmy, when she was wrecked on Isle Rhé. – Of Sir Richard Strachan, for his able and gallant conduct in capturing and destroying, with the boats of the Pomone, &c. &c. sixteen of the enemy’s vessels under Sables d’Ollone[1]. For this service, and his general conduct, he also received the thanks of Lord Gardner, who strongly recommended him to the Admiralty for promotion. – Of Lord Henry Paulet and Lord Collingwood, for his gallant conduct in cutting out a large French brig from under the guns of the batteries of Oneglia. Lord H. Paulet and his crew, who witnessed this affair, as a mark of their admiration of it, refused to participate in their share of the capture. – He was also publicly thanked
