found at the anchorage of St. Martha, we have no doubt that she would have met with a similar fate to the Hermione[1], in which case he would have been appointed to command her, and a new line marked out for his future career in life. His subsequent exploits sufficiently prove what an example he would have set to those who accompanied him in Feb. 1805.
On the last day of that month, Sir John T. Duckworth appointed Lieutenant Willoughby first of the Acasta frigate, in which ship he himself was about to return home, fully expecting that his protege would be promoted immediately he struck his flag, and that he should be able to obtain him the command “of a fine sloop” as soon as he arrived in London. The Vice-Admiral’s court-martial, however, put an end to these flattering prospects, and the subject of this memoir was consequently obliged to serve as a Lieutenant for at least two years longer[2].
Mr. Willoughby’s subsequent appointments were, Aug. 11, 1805, to the Prince 98, Captain Richard Grindall; Dec. 28, 1800, to the Formidable 98, Captain Francis Fayerman; and Jan. 15, 1807, to the Royal George 110, bearing the flag of Sir John T. Duckworth, who was then about to proceed on an expedition against Constantinople[3].
The accidental destruction of the Ajax, an 80-gun ship belonging to Sir John Duckworth’s squadron, has been noticed at p. 648 of vol. I. Lieutenant Willoughby’s humane exertions and miraculous escape on that occasion, are worthy of particular mention.
- ↑ See Vol. I, Part II, pp. 823-826.
- ↑ Sir John T. Duckworth was tried on charges preferred against him by Captain (now Sir James) A. Wood, whom he had unjustifiably dispossessed of the command of the Acasta, a circumstance noticed at p. 794 of Vol. I.; and, although he managed to obtain an acquittal, he did not retain sufficient influence to get any of his followers promoted.
- ↑ See Vol. I. pp. 316, 798, and 808, et seq . N.B. The following corrections should be made at p. 318 of that volume:– for 100,000 read near 200,000: and at the end of the same paragraph, for force consisted of eight ships of the line, two frigates, and two brigs, read force now consisted of seven sail of the line, two frigates, and two bombs.
