particular service. The garrison of Cadiz at this time consisted of from 4000 to 4500 men. On the line wall facing the sea, seventy pieces of cannon and eight mortars had been mounted, and near Alameda were four other mortars; from the Capuchins, at the back of the town, to the land point, were three batteries of four guns each. Such was the strength of the forts at Cadiz when Sir Horatio Nelson undertook its bombardment. The transactions of that memorable night were detailed by him in the following otBcial letter to Earl St. Vincent, dated Theseus, July 4th, 1797:
“In obedience to your orders, the Thunder bomb was placed by Lieutenant Gourly, her present commander, assisted by Mr. Jackson, master of the Ville de Paris, who volunteered his able services, within 2500 yards of the walls of Cadiz; and the shells were thrown from her with much precision, under the direction of Lieutenant Baynes, of the royal artillery; but unfortunately it was soon found that the large mortar had been materially injured by its former services. I therefore ordered her to return under the protection of the Goliath, Terpsichore, and Fox, who were kept under sail for that purpose. The Spaniards having sent out a great number of mortar gun-boats and armed launches, I directed a vigorous attack to be made on them, which was done with such gallantry, that they were driven and pursued close to the wall: of Cadiz, and must have suffered considerable loss. I have the pleasure to inform you, that two mortar-boats and an armed launch remained in our possession.’”
Lieutenant Conolly’s next appointment was. Dec. 26th, 1797, to the Emerald 36, in which frigate he served under Captains Lord Proby, Thomas Moutray Waller, and James O’Brien, on the Mediterranean and West India stations, until the peace of Amiens. During this period of four years, he assisted at the capture of many prizes, among which were the French privateer Chasseur Basque, taken on the coast of Portugal, Feb. 12th, 1798; three frigates and two brigs of war, captured by a detachment from the fleet under Lord Keith, June 18th, 1799[1]; and two Spanish frigates, each laden with quicksilver, &c., together with several valuable merchantmen under their convoy, from Cadiz bound to Lima, April 5th[errata 1], 1800[2].
From Jan. 13th, 1802, until April 16th, 1804, Lieutenant Conolly appears to have been on half-pay. At the latter date,
Errata:
- ↑ Correction: April 5th should be amended to in April
