had one thousand two hundred men on shore, at work and in the batteries, and the general good conduct of the officers, seamen, and marines, with the harmony that has invariably subsisted between the Austrian troops and our people, is quite gratifying to me.
“When we opened against the citadel it contained eight hundred Frenchmen, forty-five large guns, four mortars, and four howitzers.
“The consequences of the taking this place will be felt throughout this country; and General Nugent has deservedly all the merit of having liberated these provinces in the space of two months, with so small a force. About fifty sail of vessels were taken in this port. Our loss has not been so great as might have been expected under all the circumstances.” – (Eagle, 4 killed, 7 wounded – total loss, 10 slain, 35 wounded).
Captain Rowley continued to serve in the Adriatic until the fall of Ragusa made the allies masters of every fortress in Dalmatia, Croatia, Istria, and the Frioul, with all the islands in that sea. In April 1814, he attended Louis 18th from England to France; and in the following month, he obtained the royal permission to accept and wear the insignia of a Knight of the Imperial Military Order of Maria Theresa, which had been conferred upon him by the Emperor of Austria, “in testimony of the high sense entertained by that sovereign of his distinguished gallantry and services.” He was advanced to the rank of rear-admiral on the 4th June 1814, nominated a Knight Commander of the Most Honorable Military Order of the Bath, Jan. 2d, 1815; and appointed to the chief command in the River Medway, towards the close of the latter year.
Sir Charles Rowley’s next appointment was, in the autumn of 1820, to be commander-in chief on the Jamaica station, then much infested with pirates. Immediately on those desperadoes attempting to insult the flag of Great Britain, this active officer took such effectual steps that many vessels were captured and destroyed by the cruisers under his orders. Of the survivors of their lawless crews, about thirty were sentenced to death, and executed at Port Royal. He returned home, with his flag on board the Sybille 44, in May 1823; was promoted to the rank of vice-admiral in May 1825; nominated a Groom of His Majesty’s Bed-chamber, Nov. 23d, 1832; and appointed one of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, in Dec. 1834.
Sir Charles married Elizabeth, youngest daughter of the
