Nothing of consequence occurred within the limits of the Rear-Admiral’s command until Nov. 1806, about the middle of which month, he proceeded towards Batavia, in search of a French squadron which he expected to meet with; and, on the 27th, arrived in the Roads, with a squadron consisting of four sail of the line, two frigates, and a brig.
Having previously captured the Dutch East India Company’s armed vessel, Maria Wilhelmina, the Terpsichore frigate, preceded by the Sea-Flower brig, led through the very intricate navigation of those parts. On discovering the approach of the British force, the Dutch national frigate Phoenix, two armed ships, and four brigs, followed by the merchantmen, immediately ran on shore, the William corvette having first struck to the Terpsichore, on passing Onrust. The shoal water preventing Sir Edward’s ships from anchoring sufficiently near to fire with effect upon the batteries, or on the ships on shore, the boats of the squadron assembled alongside of the Terpsichore, which, with another frigate, had been placed as near as possible to cover them, and were led in to destroy the enemy’s vessels, by Captain Fleetwood Pellew, the Rear-Admiral’s son, under a heavy fire from them and the batteries. The crew of the Phoenix immediately abandoned her; and, on boarding, she was found to have been scuttled. Her guns, however, were instantly turned on the other ships, whilst the boats were destroying the remainder; after which, she also was set on fire and burnt. Two line-of-battle ships had quitted the anchorage, or they must inevitably have shared the same fate. The whole of the vessels destroyed and taken in Batavia Roads upon this occasion, including the merchantmen, amounted to about thirty; and, what was more highly gratifying, the loss of men on the part of the British, though exposed to the continued fire of the enemy, was only one killed, and four wounded.
The next event of which we find official notice took place at Griessee, Dec. 11, 1807, on which day the whole of the men of war remaining to the power of Holland in the East Indies, were destroyed[1]. On the 28th April, 1808, Sir Edward was advanced to the rank of Vice-Admiral of the
- ↑ See Captain Hon. F. B. R. Pellew, in our next volume.
