gun-boats, placed under the command of Captain Arthur Farquhar, commanding la Desirée frigate, and about to assume the direction of the Heligoland squadron.
It is impossible to imagine any thing more miserable than the state of these gun-vessels. They were originally built for the Walcheren expedition, and had ever since been in the river Medway, exposed to all weathers. They were now hastily fitted out, armed with two long 24-pounders, and manned with 24 men each; but had no subordinate officers whatever, to assist the lieutenants in command. Strips of tarred canvas were obliged to be applied to their sides and decks, in order to keep the crews dry; and seldom have officers or men undergone such privation, and for such a length of time, as did Mr. Haultain and his associates. Had it not been for the unremitting kindness of Captain Farquhar, and the officers of la Desirée, miserable indeed would have been their situation. To use the words of that brave and zealous commander, “a month’s service in these boats was equal to a year in any other.”
We have stated in Suppl. Part III. p. 191, that Cuxhaven was re-occupied by the French on the 8th May, 1813. In the following month. Captain Farquhar arrived at Heligoland, and immediately directed his whole force to attack their batteries, for the purpose of trying their strength, as well as to exercise the flotilla. A heavy cannonade, within pistol-shot, accordingly took place, and was continued until the enemy’s works had evidently suffered much damage, when the squadron and gunboats retired with small loss. From this period, scarcely a week passed without the latter being engaged either with the enemy on shore or afloat.
In Sept. 1813, Lieutenant Haultain volunteered to attack eight Danish gun-vessels, lying at Busum, a small and intricate harbour, near the mouth of the Elbe. Captain Farquhar not only agreed to his proposal, but reinforced the flotilla with the boats of the squadron, placed under the command of Lieutenant Samuel Radford, first of la Desirée, and accompanied the whole in his gig. After great labour at the oars, for twelve hours, among shoals and sand-banks which
