the 24th Oct. and 9th Nov., stating the services you have performed on the coast of Calabria, in company with Captain Napier of H.M.S. Thames. I have forwarded them to the Admiralty, recommending to their Lordships’ notice these testimonies of your zeal and gallantry, and of those who have served under your orders. I sincerely regret the loss you have sustained on this occasion. I desire you will convey to Captain Napier, and to the officers, seamen, and marines employed on these services, my entire approbation of their excellent conduct, and I have directed Admiral Freemantle to express to Major Dailey, and the officers and men of the detachment of the 62d regiment, acting with you at Palinuro, my thanks for their co-operation.
“I have requested their Lordships’ attention to the distinguished services of Lieutenant Eaton Travers, first of the Imperieuse, on this and former occasions. I am, &c.
“Hon. Capt. Duncan[1].”
With the exception of his capturing a Neapolitan cutter, while on a cruise with the Swallow hrig under his orders, we find no further particular mention of Captain Duncan till June 27, 1812, on which day he assisted at the destruction of a French convoy, and the batteries of Languilla and Alassio, in the Gulf of Genoa, by a squadron under the command of Captain Patrick Campbell[2]. In the execution of this service the Imperieuse had 4 men killed, and a Lieutenant (William Walpole) and 10 other persons wounded.
On the 17th Aug. following, Captain Duncan then reconnoitring Naples, a squadron consisting of a 74-gun ship, bearing a Commodore’s broad pendant, a frigate, a corvette, thirteen large cutter-rigged gun-boats, and nine smaller ones, got under weigh, apparently with an intention of attacking the Imperieuse and her consort, the Cephalus brig of 18 guns. Captain Duncan allowed them to approach nearly within reach, when the frigate and gun-boats, which formed the lee division, shewed an inclination to annoy him with long shot, and he ordered the brig to wear and meet them; which her commander, the late Captain Edward Flin, did in a very handsome style, under a heavy fire, and actually obliged the whole to tack from him. The line-of-battle ship was at this time on Captain Duncan’s weather quarter, and had it fully
- ↑ The high approbation of the Admiralty was conveyed to Captain Duncan in a letter from their Lordships’ Secretary, dated Jan. 23, 1812.
- ↑ See p. 293 of this volume.
