Penrose received a letter from Sir John Hope, in which that, distinguished General expresses himself as follows:
“I have often seen how gallantly the navy will devote themselves when serving with an army; but I never before witnessed so bold and hazardous a co-operation; and you have my most grateful thanks.
“I wrote you in the course of last night, to say how much we stood in need of boats, seamen, &c. but when I saw the flotilla approach the wall of heavy surf, I regretted all I had said, for fear it might have urged your zeal beyond what you may have thought right.”
To this handsome acknowledgment was added the just applause of Lord Wellington, who expressed himself “infinitely indebted to Rear-Admiral Penrose for the cordial assistance he received from him in preparing for the plan” (of crossing the Adour), “and for that which he gave to Lieutenant-General Sir John Hope in carrying it into execution.”
The following is an extract of Lord Keith’s reply to the Rear-Admiral’s official letter, detailing the particulars of the above service:–
“I have great satisfaction in observing, that the arduous service of entering the Adour was executed under your own immediate direction, on the 24th Feb., when the bar of that river was passed, under circumstances where zeal, intrepidity, and judgment were never more requisite, nor wore more conspicuously displayed. I most highly approve of the activity with which you appear to have collected the means for undertaking this service, as well as of the ability with which you directed its execution; and you will be pleased to express to the officers and men who were employed on the service, my best thanks for their zealous exertions, and my admiration of their intrepid conduct.”
It is here proper to add, that the above service was performed without pilots, and that no one British subject concerned was acquainted with any of the localities!
On the 27th Feb. 1814, Bayonne was closely invested by Sir John Hope, and Marshal Soult completely routed, near Orthes, by the main body of the allies. The enemy in his retreat, left open the direct road to Bourdeaux, and Lord Wellington availed himself of the opportunity to send a detachment, under Sir William Beresford, to take possession of that city. This expedition proved of great consequence to the cause of the Bourbons, whose restoration now first
