Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v3p1.djvu/273

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
258
POST CAPTAINS OF 1825.

as the gallant captain of la Virginie, in April, 1796[1]. The subsequent capture of la Psyché by Captain Lambert, then commanding the St. Fiorenzo frigate, has been officially described in our memoir of his first lieutenant, now Sir Bentinck C. Doyle, (p. 346 et seq. of Suppl. Part II.) On the 9th of Mar. 1806, the commander-in-chief of the squadron on the East India station, wrote to the Admiralty as follows:

“I feel the highest gratification in having the pleasure to enclose a copy of a letter I have very recently received from Captain Henry Lambert, containing the particulars of his success in taking the French national frigate la Psyché, Captain Jacques Bergeret, preceded by a very active pursuit. The loss of men on both sides is great; but, as usual, much more so on board the enemy. I cannot help expressing myself much pleased with the animated and spirited resolution taken by Captain Lambert, for renewing the attack, which was only prevented by victory. All the trading part of his Majesty’s subjects throughout India, rejoice on the occasion of this capture, as being more apprehensive of depredations on their trade from Captain Bergeret’s abilities and activity, than from the whole remaining force of the French navy at present in these seas united.

(Signed)Peter Rainier.”

From this period we find no particular mention of Captain Lambert until his appointment to the Iphigenia frigate, about July, 1808. The manner in which he was subsequently employed has been shewn under the head of Captain Chads; and that of his much lamented death is thus described by the surgeon of the gallantly defended Java:–

“Captain Lambert was wounded about the middle of the action, by a musket-ball fired from the main-top of the Constitution. I saw him almost immediately afterwards, and found that the ball had entered the left side under the clavicle, fracturing the first rib, splinters of which had severely lacerated the lungs. I put my finger in the wound, detached and extracted several pieces of bone; the haemorrhage was particularly trifling; his pulse became very quick and weak; the respiratory organs did not appear much affected; he said he felt no annoyance from the wound in his breast, but complained of pain extending the whole length of the spine. In a short time he became very restless, his pulse hardly perceptible, and his countenance assumed a most piteous appearance of anxious solicitude: from this state of irritability he became exhausted, and
  1. See Vol. I. Part I. p. 217.