Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v4p2.djvu/93

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commanders.

ing ten 12-pounder carronades, with a complement of fifty men, in which vessel he cruised on the N.W. coast of Ireland during the remainder of that year, and was subsequently employed off Boulogne.

On the morning of Feb. 11th, 1813, at daybreak, being then about three miles from Boulogne pier. Lieutenant Morgan observed a lugger of 14 guns at anchor on the Barbara’s lee-beam, and immediately made sail with the intention of running her on board. To avoid this measure, the Frenchman cut his cable, and hastened to close with six other luggers, mounting from eight to fourteen guns each. Having succeeded in forming a junction, the whole of these vessels stood out, in two divisions, to cut off the retreat of the Barbara; notwithstanding which, and although her rigging was much damaged by shot from the land batteries, she continued to approach them under a smart fire, and at 8-10 a.m. commenced action within pistol shot. At 9-15, after making two ineffectual attempts to board her, and sustaining a loss of four men killed and eleven wounded, two of whom mortally, the enemy wore round and stood in shore, evidently in confusion, leaving the Barbara nearly unrigged, but without a single person either slain or wounded. On the following day. Lieutenant Morgan, after a short action, drove on shore and destroyed a lugger. In the ensuing month, he was placed under the orders of Rear-Admiral (afterwards Sir (George) Hope, whose squadron he accompanied to the Baltic.

On the 13th April 18I3, the Barbara stood into Aalbourg, and cut out from that anchorage a ship of 400 tons, two galliots, and a sloop, laden with corn for the Norwegian market. These prizes she brought off in triumph, although closely pursued by nine Danish armed vessels, which were at times barely out of gun-shot. She was afterwards stationed at the entrance of the Cattegat, and frequently engaged with the enemy’s flotilla and flying artillery along shore. On the 18th June, she brought to and examined a licensed Danish merchantman, under the fire of three national brigs and five gunboats, close in shore off Christiansand. On the 3d July, she