where Lieutenant Harris commanded her launch, and greatly distinguished himself in an action between the boats of the squadron under Sir Harry Neale, and those of the French ships, which that officer was then blockading. On this occasion, the barge of the Poictiers was sunk by the enemy’s land batteries, one of her marines killed, and, including several other casualties, Lieutenant W. Knight, of the Arrow schooner, mortally wounded.
On the breaking out of the American war, in 1812, the Poictiers proceeded to the Halifax station, and was employed in the blockade of the river Delaware, up which her boats were very frequently sent to annoy the enemy. On one of these occasions, an officer and a party of marines having been taken prisoners. Lieutenant Harris was sent under a flag of truce to effect their exchange, with orders, in case the ship should go in chase, to rendezvous on board a prize sloop at anchor in the mouth of the river. This he did for the night; and next morning, although with only one midshipman and a single boat’s crew, succeeded in capturing an American East Indiaman, of 20 guns, returning home ignorant of the war. On the Poictiers joining company, as money was much wanted for the payment of troops at Bermuda, Sir John Beresford proposed to ransom this valuable prize; and in the course of a week £645,000. sterling was sent down from Philadelphia for that purpose.
The subject of this memoir was advanced to his present rank on the 23d of June, 1815. He married, July 31st, 1821, Elizabeth Anne, only daughter of the late Rev. Henry Beavan, rector of Whitton, co. Radnor.
ALLEN OTTY, Esq.
[Commander.]
Passed his examination for lieutenant about Sept. 1809; obtained a commission on the 14th of April, 1810; and served as first of the Goshawk sloop. Captain James Lilburne, at the attack made by Captain (now Sir Thomas) Ussher upon several French privateers, in the strongly for-
