quently addressed to Captain Tayler, by his commander-in-Chief:
“Sir,– I have heard with great regret, that you have been so severely wounded in the breaching battery before St. Sebastian, and that you are not likely, for some time, to be able to attend to your duty.
“Having frequently had occasion to commend your zeal and activity, which you have manifested in the different services upon which you have been employed on the north coast of Spain, I have not failed, in this instance, to represent to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, the additional claim which your present severe wounds give you to their lordships’ consideration, and to express a hope that they will be pleased to indulge you with an acting commander until you are again able to resume your duty. With this view, I have appointed Lieutenant John Campbell to take charge of the Sparrow, and convey you to Plymouth, with the least possible delay, in order that you may receive the best surgical assistance * *.
We have now to remark, that the Sparrow was more at sea in 1812 and 1813, than any sloop belonging to the Plymouth station, on which there then were fourteen others, all commanded by officers senior in rank to Captain Tayler, whose wonderful activity caused the port-admiral. Sir Robert Calder, truly to predict that he would be the first promoted. When obliged to come into harbour for provisions, &c. she seldom remained at anchor upwards of 30 hours; her crew, on those occasions, were always granted permission to go ashore, one watch at a time; and, although limited to 6 hours’ leave, they never broke it: the discipline on board the brig was so well-established, that only 5 men were punished at the gangway in a whole year; and not a man was ever allowed to be “started.” The following is a verbatim copy of an epistle written to Captain Tayler the day before he left her:–
