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POST-CAPTAINS OF 1811.

by Sir John B. Warren, and admitted by their lordships, although the Captain who had died[1] was then proceeding to Barbadoes, for the purpose of placing himself under the orders of Sir Alexander Cochrane.

Captain Huskisson’s promotion to post rank took place Mar. 14, 1811; at which time the Pelorus was employed on the Jamaica station. From May 1 in the same year, until June 1812, he commanded the Garland frigate. At the latter period he was removed by Vice-Admiral Stirling to the Barbadoes of 28 guns, and ordered to accompany the Polyphemus 64, with a fleet of merchantmen, to a certain latitude. Whilst thus employed he captured, after a seven hours’ chase, the United States’ revenue schooner James Madison, pierced for 14 guns, but with only 10 mounted, and a complement of 65 men. This fine fast-sailing vessel had been hovering about the outskirts of the convoy all the preceding day, and her commander was meditating an attack upon the rear of the fleet, with a view of burning as many vessels as he possibly could, in the course of the ensuing night.

A few days afterwards, the Barbadoes was separated from the convoy in a violent hurricane, during the continuance of which she lost her topmasts and main-yard, and was otherwise much disabled.

After refitting at Bermuda, Captain Huskisson took charge of three small vessels bound to Halifax, and was proceeding thither with 60,000 dollars on board for the dock-yard, when, in the night of Sept. 28, 1812, the Barbadoes and two of her consorts were unfortunately wrecked on the N.W. bar of Sable Island. There being a very heavy surf between them and the shore, the boats were all stove and unfit for service before half the frigate’s crew were landed; and at the end of 46 hours, there was nothing to be seen of her except mere fragments of wreck, with which the beach was strewed; happily, however, only one man perished on this disastrous occasion: the specie was saved by throwing it overboard, with a buoy attached to each of the cases.

  1. Captain Charles Worsley, of the Statira 38, whose demise took place at sea, Nov. 17, 1809.