H.M. ships under circumstances so peculiarly annoying.” On the 19th, Commander Glascock was under the necessity of complaining to Colonel Hodges, commandant of the British brigade in the service of Don Pedro, that two privates of that corps had conducted themselves, when passing close by the Orestes, in a manner truly insulting to His Britannic Majesty’s flag.
On the 5th Nov., the Childers having quitted the Douro, Commander Glascock became senior officer of the squadron in that river, then consisting of the Orestes 18, Nautilus and Leveret 10 gun brigs, AEtna surveying vessel, and Echo steamer. About the same time part of Don Pedro’s naval force, under Vice-Admiral Sartorious, crossed the bar, and moored in positions best suited to defend the Foz, or to act as occasion might require. On the 9th, a mortar battery compelled some of these vessels to make a move; and next day the Sampaio, a formidable fortress commanding the mouth and lower extremity of the river, unmasked, opening a tremendous fire on one of the corvettes. The retreat of the constitutional squadron created no little confusion: then it was that the British men-of-war and merchantmen became in an awkward dilemma; for in taking up their new positions, Sartorious’s ships had mingled with both the former.
In a letter to Rear-Admiral Parker, dated Nov. 10th, Commander Glascock says: “Placed as I am in a situation of such responsibility – removing the whole squadron from side to side as the batteries open from contending parties – I trust you will excuse my not being able to enter into a full detail of the operations so suddenly commenced this day. Don Miguel’s general (the Visconde de Santa Martha) has opened batteries, which if not carried by a coup-de-main on the part of Don Pedro’s troops, must inevitably destroy his shipping in the river; and it will be extremely fortunate if the British vessels, men-of-war as well as merchantmen, escape the fire of the contending parties. At this moment, when I write, shell and shot are passing in all directions between and over the masts of H.M. ships.”
On the 12th, at 8 a.m., a shell was thrown so close to the
