Isis will soon be ready to receive your active exertions. Your true friend and humble servant,
Lieut. Debenham’s next appointment was to the Formidable 98, in which ship he served, under Captains Edward Thornbrough and Richard Grindall, on the Channel and West India stations, from Aug. 1800 until Oct. 1802. The following testimonial was granted to him by the former excellent officer:
“These are to certify the Right Honorable the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that Lieutenant John Debenham served under my command, on board the Formidable, and always conducted himself in an officer and gentleman-like manner, and very much to my satisfaction.
In 1805, Mr. Debenham was first lieutenant of the Devastation bomb, on the Downs station, and present in several actions with the enemy’s flotilla, collected for the invasion of England. In 1806 and 1807, he commanded the Furious gun-brig, and displayed great vigilance in blockading Calais, Ostend, and the intermediate ports. Whilst thus employed, he cut out a vessel from under the batteries on Calais cliff; and afterwards drove a smuggler ashore near Dunkirk, where he landed and took possession of her under a heavy fire from a battery near at hand, with the soldiers belonging to which, who, when their guns would no longer bear upon him, came out to drive him away, he maintained a contest until some horse-artillery were seen advancing from Nieuport. He subsequently made an attack upon several vessels of the same description at anchor under the two batteries of Nieuport haven, and persevered in endeavouring to capture them until his boat’s mast was shot away. It is proper to state, that these several attacks were conducted by himself in a six-oared boat, unsupported by any other, and in the open day.
In addition to the above services, the active commander of the Furious saved several British merchant vessels from falling into the hands of the enemy; retook a transport full of horses, close in with Dunkirk; and captured several Danish and other merchantmen.
In Dec. 1807, having received a violent contusion of the foot, and had three of his toes dislocated, by the firing
- ↑ See Addenda ☞.
