death of that distinguished nobleman, on the 11th Sept. following[1].
In January, 1802, Mr. T. Bennett was appointed by Rear-Admiral Robert Montagu acting lieutenant of the Tartar frigate, at the particular request of her captain (the late Rear-Admiral) James Walker, with whom he afterwards served in the same capacity on board the Vanguard 74. Neither of these appointments, however, were confirmed; and as he had no sort of interest with Sir John T. Duckworth, the new commander-in-chief, he returned home a passenger in the Cerberus 32, Captain James Macnamara, and again joined the Amphion during the short peace of Amiens.
The Amphion was at this time commanded by Captain (now Sir Thomas Masterman) Hardy; and on the renewal of hostilities, in May 1803, she conveyed Lord Nelson from off Brest to the Mediterranean. A few days after joining the squadron employed in the blockade of Toulon, Mr. Bennett, to whom, at the recommendation of his friend Captain Hardy, the immoral hero had already given charge of a watch, was promoted into the Camelion brig; and this appointment, the first that was signed by his lordship after assuming the chief command on the above station, was confirmed at home, Dec, 9th, 1803.
The active services of the Camelion have been recorded in our memoir of the late Captain Sir Thomas Staines; but it is proper here to state, that Lieutenant Bennett commanded her boats on every occasion to which we have there alluded; and that he always most zealously and gallantly assisted that enterprising officer in keeping the whole of the enemy’s coast, from Toulon to Leghorn; in constant agitation and alarm. On the 29th Aug. 1803, whilst attacking five vessels under the batteries at Rimasol, his clothes and hat were shot through in an extraordinary manner, and every person in his own boat, except himself, two men, and a boy, was either killed or wounded. The French national vessel mentioned at
