the British Captain’s intentions, agreed to surrender by capitulation on the morning of the 9th.
We next find Captain Dickson commanding the Stately 64,. employed in the defence of Cadiz. On the 5th Dec. 1811, he was detached with the Druid frigate, Thunder bomb, and several gun-boats under his orders, to co-operate with the British troops at Tariffa, which place was then besieged by a French army of 10,000 men, whilst the garrison under Colonel Skerrett did not exceed 1500. The enemy had pushed their works close to that important fortress, the safety of which must be attributed to the unwearied exertions of the officers and men of the squadron, whose services were noticed in the most handsome manner by Rear-Admiral Legge, who commanded at Cadiz, as also by Commodore Penrose, whose broad pendant was then flying at Gibraltar. A very flattering vote of thanks was also decreed by the Spanish Regency and Cortes.
From the Stately, Captain Dickson removed into the Swiftsure 74, on the Mediterranean station; where his boats captured the Charlemagne, a French privateer of 8 guns and 93 men, Nov. 26, 1813. The loss sustained by the British in obtaining possession of this vessel, was 5 killed and 15 wounded.
In 1814, Captain Dickson joined the Rivoli, another third rate; and on the 30th April, 1815, he captured le Melpoméne, a French frigate, on her passage from Elba to Naples, to take on board Napoleon Buonaparte’s mother. Le Melpoméne made a brave defence of fifteen minutes, was very much cut up in her hull, masts, and rigging, and sustained a loss of 6 men killed and 28 wounded. The Rivoli, whose loss was only 1 man mortally, and a few others slightly wounded, had thus the honor to receive the submission of the last tri-colored flag struck in action at sea[1].
Agent.– Isaac Clementson, Esq.
EDWARD ROTHERAM, Esq
A Companion of the Most Honorable Military Order of the Bath.
[Post-Captain of 1800.]
This officer is a son of the late John Rotheram, M.D., of
- ↑ See James’s Nav. Hist. v. 5, p. 61.
