liberately weighed and considered the whole and every part thereof; the Court is of opinion, that the charge is not proved; and are further unanimously of opinion, that no possible blame whatever attaches to Captain O’Connor; and do therefore fully acquit him.”
We subsequently find Captain O’Connor commanding the Ned Elven brig, on the Baltic station, where he captured le General Rapp, French privateer, of 8 guns and 41 men, in Dec. 1808. His next appointment was to the Bonne Citoyenne corvette, in which vessel he continued actively employed until promoted to post-rank, Oct. 21, 1810.
In April, 1814, Captain O’Connor assumed the command of the Prince Regent, a 58 gun-ship, built at Kingston, on Lake Ontario, and bearing the broad pendant of Sir James L. Yeo, commodore of the naval force employed in defending the Canadian frontier. The following is a copy of that officer’s official letter to Mr. Croker, reporting the successful result of an expedition against Oswego, situated on the river of the same name, near its confluence with the above lake.
“Sir,– My letter of the 10th April last will have informed their lordships, that H.M. ships Prince Regent and Princess Charlotte were launched on the preceding day. I now have the satisfaction to acquaint you, for their Lordships’ information, that the squadron, by the unremitting exertions of the officers and men under my command, were ready on the 3d instant, when it was determined by Lieutenant-General Drummond and myself, that an attack should be made on the forts and town of Oswego, which, in point of position, is the most formidable I have seen in Upper Canada; and where the enemy had, by river navigation, collected from the interior several heavy guns and naval stores for the ships, and large depots of provisions for their army.
“At noon, on the 5th, we got off the port, and were on the point of landing, when a heavy gale from the N.W. obliged me to gain an offing. On the morning of the 6th, every thing being ready, 140 troops, 200 seamen armed with pikes, under Captain Mulcaster, and 400 marines, were put into the boats; the Montreal and Niagara took their stations abreast, and within a quarter of a mile of the fort, the Magnet opposite the town, and the Star and Charwell to cover the landing, which was effected under a most heavy fire of round, grape, and musketry, kept up with great spirit. Our men having to ascend a very steep and long hill, Were consequently exposed to a destructive fire; their gallantry overcoming every difficulty, they soon gained the summit of the hill, and throwing themselves into the fosse, mounted the ramparts on all sides, vying with each other who should be foremost. Lieutenant Laurie, my secretary, was the first who
