appears to have first embarked as midshipman on board the Elephant 74, Captain (now Sir Thomas) Foley, in Aug. 1800. We subsequently find him serving under Sir John Gore, in the Medusa frigate and Revenge 74, from which latter ship he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant, Aug. 11th, 1808[1]. In Mar. and April 1810, he commanded a detachment of seamen landed from the Magnificent 74, to assist at the reduction of St. Maura, an island situated near the entrance of the Gulf of Lepanti[2], and his conduct during that siege was thus officially commended:–
“Ten of the Magnificent’s guns were landed, and 150 seamen, under the command of Lieutenant Astley, whose assiduous attention and activity in performing every duty entrusted to him, the General speaks of in strong terms of approbation.
(Signed)“Geo. Eyre, Captain, and senior naval
officer in the Ionian Sea.”
At a subsequent period. Major General Sir John Oswald wrote to Lieutenant Astley as follows:–
“I beg to assure you that I bear in perfect remembrance your very meritorious conduct during the time you served on shore with the army at the siege of St. Maura. At the time I strongly expressed to Sir George Eyre and the other several officers of the navy, the sense I entertained of the essential benefits derived from your unremitting zeal and exertions; and I shall be happy to repeat this testimony to your good conduct in any way or shape which may be most conducive to forward the objects you have in view.”
On the 14th Oct. 1811, Captain Eyre, then employed in co-operation with the Spanish patriots in Valencia, addressed an official letter to Sir Edward Pellew, of which the following is an extract:–
“Upon my arrival off Valencia, on the 8th instant, I lost no time in assuring General Blake of my readiness to undertake any service in which I could be useful in forwarding his plans for the defence of this province; and the next day I received from his Excellency a letter containing a request that I would endeavour to relieve the castle of Oropesa, which was closely invested by the enemy, and much distressed for provisions.
“I, in consequence, immediately proceeded thither, with three gunboats which the General had put under my command, and arrived there