sent him to the coast of France, on a very confidential service, under the orders of Captain Wright[1]. Whilst in that vessel, he received the thanks of Rear-Admiral Robert Montagu for his gallant conduct in an action with the Boulogne flotilla.
Lieutenant Harper’s next appointment was to be first of the Wasp sloop. Captain John Simpson, the remarkable escape of which vessel, from the Rochefort squadron, in Aug. 1805, has been recorded at p. 55 of Suppl. Part II. In Jan. 1806, being then senior lieutenant of the Star sloop, off Oporto, he boarded and captured, with two boats containing about 20 men, a Spanish lugger privateer, of 1 long 6-pounder, 6 swivels, and 45 men.
At the commencement of 1807, Lieutenant Harper joined the Excellent 74, Captain John West, under whom he served, on the Mediterranean station, upwards of three years.
After cruising for a considerable time off Cadiz, the Excellent was sent to co-operate with the Spanish patriots on the coast of Catalonia. Some of the events that occurred at Rosas, previous to the fall of that important post, are related by Captain West, in an official letter to Lord Collingwood, of which the following are extracts:–
“My Lord,– I have anxiously waited an opportunity to inform your lordship of the investment of Rosas by the enemy, with a force computed at 5000 or 6000 men.
“On the evening of the 6th instant, the enemy was first observed in motion, between Figueras and Castillera, and, on the following morning, was in complete possession of the heights that encompass this bay. On the same day, at noon, a small body of the enemy entered the town of Rosas, which, in an instant, was cleared of its inhabitants, who either fled to their boats or the citadel for protection; but a well-directed Are from the Excellent and Meteor, bomb, both within point-blank shot of the town, obliged the enemy precipitately to retire. On the first appearance of the enemy. Colonel O’Daly, governor of this fortress, made application to me for assistance, when I immediately reinforced his garrison with the marines of the Excellent, (with the exception of an officer and 25 men, who had been previously detached to fort Trinity) and an officer and 50 seamen. On the 7th, the enemy took possession of several houses and ruins
