the Theseus, had furnished the means to the utmost of his ability. But it is doubtful whether the labours of these officers would have been sufficient to support the Pasha against the attacks of the French, had not the vessels, having on board the greater part of their battering train and ammunition, fallen into the hands of the British. The flotilla was doubling Mount Carmel, when it was discovered from the Tigre, pursued, and overtaken. It consisted of a corvette and nine gun-vessels, seven of which, mounting 34 guns, with 238 men, were captured, the corvette having on board Buonaparte’s personal property; and the remaining two small vessels escaped. The cannon, platforms, and ammunition, were immediately landed, and the gun-boats manned and employed in molesting the enemy’s posts established on the coasts, in order to intercept or harass the communications and the convoys.
On the return of Sir W. Sidney Smith, who had been obliged during the equinoctial gales to take shelter off Mount Carmel, he found the French had profited by his involuntary absence, to push their approaches to the counterscarp, and even into the ditch of the north-east angle of the town wall, where they were employed in mining the tower, to increase a breach they had already made in it; and which had been found impracticable when they attempted to storm the place on the 1st April. In this operation they were impeded by the fire from the prize guns, which had been mounted by Captain Wilmot[1], of the Alliance, under the direction of Colonel Phélypeaux, and his fire slackened; but the probable effect of the mine caused serious apprehension, and a sortie was resolved on to stop the enemy’s progress there. The
- ↑ Captain Wilmot was shot by a rifleman, on the 8th April, as he was mounting a howitzer on the breach.
After having been three days off Jaffa, whither he was despatched by Sir W. Sidney Smith, the Turkish blue flag was confided to him, an honour never before conferred upon a Christian; it imparts the power of a Pasha over the subjects of the Grand Seignior [ See p. 314. ]. The premature death of this meritorious officer, was occasioned by the blowing up of the after part of the Theseus, while lying off Jaffa.
