by Lieutenant O’Reilly, of the Surveillante; marines were also landed from that frigate, the Medusa, and Rhin, with a carronade from each ahip; and Captain Malcolm took the command of the island during the night, whilst Sir George Collier was in the Venerable’s battery on the hill.
“At dawn of day (21st) a 24-pounder was brought to the east side of the town, within two hundred yards of the convent, and another was in the act of being landed upon St. Nicholas to bombard it, when the.French commandant beat a parley, and surrendered with the remainder of his party, consisting of 290 men of the 119th regiment. The enemy’s loss was supposed to be considerable, as the guerillas, who were better posted, and fired with more celerity, had 56 men killed or wounded. Not a man was hurt in the British squadron, either by the surf or the enemy, There were two 18-pounders mounted on the fort, and 3 smaller guns in the barracks; the latter, with the muskets, were given to the guerillas, who were also supplied with every description of military stores of which they stood in need. The 18-pounders were rendered useless, the fort destroyed, and the convent blown up[1].”
The enemy had by this time collected about 1100 men in the neighbourhood of Lequitio; but on hearing from the peasantry that 2000 men had been landed from the English squadron they retired; and intercepted letters were transmitted to Sir Home Popham, by which the commandant of Guernico was instructed to prepare rations for a French General and 2600 of the Imperial Guards.
On the 23d in the afternoon, the squadron being on its way to co-operate in an attack intended to be made by a Spanish General upon Bilboa, and the wind being unfavourable for getting round Machichaco, part of the ships anchored off Bermeo, and parties were prepared to land by 6 P.M. The enemy having retired, a small magazine of provisions left by them in a fortified convent was taken possession of and distributed to the poor, and the ships in want of water were completed. The battery on the hill of Bermeo, consisting of five 18-pounders, and all the fortified places of which the enemy had had possession, were at the same time blown up, and the guns rendered useless.
- ↑ Sir Home Popham commended in high terms the conduct of all the officers and men employed on this occasion; and expressed his sense of the assistance rendered by Sir Howard Douglas and General Carrol, who had embarked in the Venerable, and volunteered their services wherever they could be employed.
