Captain Wight was now placed under the orders of the late Captain Newman, who was employed with a small squadron watching the port of Havre, where a considerable force had been collected for the purpose of assisting in the meditated invasion of Great Britain. Thirty-six sail of brigs, luggers, and other armed vessels, being moored in the form of a half moon between the heads of the piers, and Captain Wight feeling confident that the Wolverene’s easy draught of water and peculiar armament would enable him to annoy them considerably, he prevailed upon his commanding officer to sanction an attack by her alone, although the appearance of the flotilla lying in shoal water, close to the shore, and under the protection of a formidable citadel and several land batteries, afforded but little probability of her being able to dislodge the enemy without the aid of other small vessels.
Captain Wight’s first attempt proved ineffectual; and after maintaining a close action with the flotilla and batteries for nearly an hour, he was obliged to haul out without making any apparent impression on them. He, however, had tlie gratification of being saluted on his return by three hearty cheers from Captain Newman, and all the officers and men who had witnessed his gallant conduct. The next day it was agreed upon that he should lead the Loire and Maidstone frigates as close as possible along the southernmost side of the bank de la Jambe, and denote the soundings by signal as he proceeded. His second attack was commenced with great spirit, the Wolverene approaching close to the enemy’s centre, and sustaining a very heavy fire for about an hour, in little more than twelve feet water. Captain Wight at length determined upon boarding some of the outermost vessels, but had scarcely filled his main-top-sail for that purpose, and directed the whole of his fire against six of them, when they cut their cables, and were drifted by the flood tide into the harbour. The wind now dying away, the Wolverene was unavoidably driven so near the piers that the French troops began to engage her with musketry; and it is said that the present American Commodore Rodgers, then at Havre, personally directed the fire of a heavy piece of artillery against her. Her situation had indeed become rather alarming; but
