they were now to proceed to the Rio de la Plata, and act in conjunction with the forces to be there assembled for the recovery of Buenos Ayres. The unsuccessful termination of the campaign in that quarter has been already described in our memoir of Vice-Admiral Stirling[1].
Captain Heywood continued to command the Polyphemus until she was ordered to receive the flag of Vice-Admiral B. S. Rowley, in May, 1808. He was subsequently appointed to act in the Donegal, a third rate, during the absence of her proper commander, Captain Pulteney Malcolm; and on the 18th March, 1809, we find him receiving the thanks of the Admiralty (conveyed through Rear-Admiral Stopford) for his conduct in the presence of a French squadron which had escaped from Brest, and for his gallantry in the attack made upon three frigates belonging to the said squadron, which had anchored in the Sable d’Olonne, and were there destroyed on the 23d of the preceding month[2].
In May following, Captain Heywood was appointed to the Nereus, a new 36-gun frigate, in which he served for some time on the Channel and Mediterranean stations. He returned to England with the remains of that great and good officer, Vice-Admiral Lord Collingwood, in the month of April, 1810.
Captain Heywood was next placed under the orders of Vice-Admiral De Courcy, who employed him on various confidential services in the Rio de la Plata, where his zeal and ability proved of great benefit to British commerce, as is fully acknowledged by a numerous body of merchants then residing at Buenos Ayres, from whom he received the following letters of thanks, dated July 27 and Dec. 8, 1811.
“Sir,– We have received the two letters dated the 21st inst. (July) which you did us the honor of writing to us, accompanied with copies of those you had the goodness to address to his Excellency Don Francisco Xavier Elio, at Monte Video, respecting the British vessels illegally and forcibly detained in that port, and subjected in consequence of the siege to great distress for want of provisions[3].
- ↑ See Vol. I, p. 407, et seq.
- ↑ See Vol. I., p. 617; and note * at p. 596.
- ↑ We need not remind the reader that a civil war then raged in the Provinces of la Plata; it is, however, necessary to state, that the decree of the Spanish Regency at Cadiz, conceding to Great Britain the power of carry-
