and Serecold; Lieutenants Gore, Hotham, Stiles, Andrews, and Brisbane. Captain Wolseley, who had particularly distinguished himself at the capture of St. Fiorenzo, and been recently appointed to the Imperieuse, a fine prize frigate, kept a diligent watch upon the island of Capraja, where the enemy had magazines of provisions and stores; whilst Captain Young, in the Fortitude, guarded the port of Bastia. Captain Hallowell displayed great perseverance, by the unwearied attention which he paid to the difficult and fatiguing service of guarding the harbour’s mouth during the night, with the gun-boats and armed launches, whilst the smaller boats were very judiciously placed in the intervals between, and rather without the ships, which were moored in a crescent, just out of reach of the enemy’s guns.
The total number of British serving on shore at the siege of Bastia was 1433 officers and men; the Corsicans, under Paoli, were in number about the same. The enemy’s garrison consisted of 1000 regulars, 1500 national guards, and a large party of Corsican troops. The loss sustained by the British amounted to 14 killed, 34 wounded, and 8 missing.
The expected reinforcement of troops from Gibraltar having arrived, under the command of Lieutenant-General Stuart, immediate preparations were made for attacking Calvi, and thus completing the reduction of Corsica. This was effected on the 10th August, after a siege of fifty-one days, during which the place was defended with the greatest bravery. Lord Hood, in his despatches relative to this important event, speaks highly of the meritorious conduct of Captains Wolseley, Hood, Sir C. Hamilton, Sir H. Burrard, Cunningham, Macnamara, and Robinson, for their steady perseverance in preserving their respective stations under manifest difficulties, which prevented succours being thrown into the garrison. The casualties at the siege of Calvi were 31 killed and 60 wounded; among the latter was Captain Nelson, who lost the sight of an eye. Captain Serecold, who served with him in the batteries, fell by a grape shot whilst mounting a gun. In him the service lost a brave and promising officer.
Among the vessels taken in the port of Calvi, were the French frigates Melpomene, of 40 guns, and Mignonne 32.
