which is less than might have been expected, as more than 500 regular troops arrived from Civita Vecchia; but were kept in check in coming along, and forced to take a circuitous route, by a well directed fire from the ship, which allowed sufficient time for all our men to embark.
“It is now a pleasing duty to pay a just tribute of praise to the very gallant and determined conduct of Mr. Croker, first lieutenant, whose zeal on this and on every other occasion, merits my warmest commendation; and he speaks in the highest terms of admiration of the determined bravery of Lieutenants Lester, Whylock, and Davies, the petty officers, seamen, and royal marines, under his command.
“The whole of this service was most successfully accomplished in three hours, and fourteen vessels, deeply laden, gut clear off, which I was obliged to take in tow, as their sails had all been unbent and taken on shore, to prevent our getting them out. I have the honor to be, &e.
“To Captain the Hon. Henry Duncan,
&c. &c. &c.”
The vessels sunk were two gun-boats, each armed with one long brass 24-pounder and four swivels. The loss sustained by the British consisted of two men killed, three dangerously wounded, and seven very severely.
The Furieuse formed part of the squadron under Sir Josias Rowley, at the unsuccessful attempt upon Leghorn, in Dec. 1813. The following is an extract of that officer’s official despatch, reporting the capture of Fort Santa Maria and the other sea defences of the Gulf of Spezzia, in March, 1814:–
“To Captain Flin, Lieutenants Bazalgette, Mapleton, Croker, and Molesworth, Mr. Glen, master of the America, and Mr. Breary, mate of the Edinburgh, who had the direction of the guns in the batteries, much credit is due: the condition of the fort on its surrender plainly evinced the etTect of their fire.”
Lieutenant Croker also assisted at the reduction of Genoa and its dependencies, in the month of April following[1]. His promotion to the rank of commander took place Nov. 2d, 1814; on which occasion he was appointed to the Wizard sloop, in the Mediterranean: and soon after the flight of Napoleon Buonaparte from Elba, we find him re-
