to their being so flat and drawing very little water, he could not bring the Firm near enough to engage them with effect. On the following night, in wearing round to come out of Cancalle Bay, after discovering that the enemy had run ashore, the Firm took the ground at the top of high water; and all efforts to save her being ineffectual, she was set fire to and destroyed, in the presence of some hundreds of Frenchmen, who had assembled with field-pieces to prevent it. Lieutenant Little, with his officers and crew, not one of whom was hurt, were taken to Jersey in the Fylla; and a court-martial subsequently assembled to inquire into the circumstances attending the loss of the Firm, signified their approbation of what had been done, by a full and honorable acquittal.
In Dec. 1811, Lieutenant Little was appointed to the command of the Charles hired armed schooner, employed on the Downs station, where he retook two merchant vessels, and witnessed the capture of two French privateers. In Dec. 1813, we find him attached to the fleet under Admiral Young, anchored off Walcheren; and in the ensuing spring carrying over to France part of the suite of Louis XVIII. On his return from the latter service, he was appointed to the Whiting schooner, sent with despatches to America, and there actively employed under the orders of Rear-Admiral (now Sir George) Cockburn, until the termination of hostilities in 1815. During Napoleon’s 100 days’ war, he carried despatches to various places; and, after the battle of Waterloo, having removed into the Telegraph schooner, received the thanks of his commander-in-chief for his successful exertions in raising men at Bristol, for the fleet going against Algiers. On paying off the Whiting, he was presented with a service of plate by her officers and crew. On the morning of Jan. 20th, 1817, the Telegraph was wrecked under the Eastern Hoe, Plymouth, in the same violent gale of wind which proved fatal to the Jasper sloop and Princess Mary packet[1]. On the 28th, Lieutenant Little, and his officers
