highly of the detachment of artillery under his command. On the morning of the 5th, at thirty minutes past seven, the enemy again hoisted a flag of truce, and in consequence of the Dola having delivered hostages to ensure their compliance with our demands, I consented to a truce of fourteen days, and have every reason to conclude that every thing will be satisfactorily settled as soon as the courier who has been dispatched to Senna can return. During the whole course of the operations at this place, rendered extremely arduous from the violence with which the wind has blown, and the consequent difficulty of carrying them on, I have derived from Lieutenant Wilkie, First Lieutenaut of this ship, all the assistance which I could have anticipated from an Officer of his abilities and experience. To Captains Faithful and Robson, commanding the Honourable Company's cruisers Benares and Antelope; Captain Jones, commanding the Ernard Company's store ship, and Lieutenant Elwin, of the Thames Company's mortar boat, I am highly indebted for their zealous and active co-operations. They report most fully of the conduct of their crews. In calling your particular attention to the distinguished conduct of Lieutenant Moriarty, I feel myself quite unable to render justice to his merits, and I therefore take the liberty of requesting you will be pleased to recommend him to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. (Signed) JNO. R. LUMLEY, Captain. To Rear-Admiral the Honourable Sir Henry Blackwood, Bart. and K.C.B, Commander in Chief, &c. &c. &c. SIR, His Majesty's Ship Topaze, off Mocha, in the Red Sea, January 20, 1821. IN continuance of my letter of the 13th ultimo, I have the honour to congratulate you on the success which has since attended the exertions of the squadron under my command, and the satisfactory termination of its labours at Mocha. The anticipations I had indulged in, of being able to adjust amicably the differences subsisting between the Government of India and His Highness the Imaum of Senna, and which I had been induced to form from the apparent anxiety expressed by the Dola to co-incide with all our wishes, gradually dissipated before the evasive de lays by which he endeavoured to prolong the term of the time, and which (out of a spirit of conciliation) had drawn from me a concession of five days beyond the stated period. Sufficient having been done on my part to evince the friendliness of our disposition, it became my duty to shew that we were not to be made the dupes of Arab cunning, and every thing being prepared for resuming hostilities, should it become necessary; at four o'clock on the afternoon of the 25th, I ordered the flag of truce to be struck, with the intention of recommencing the attack as early next morning as day light would permit.. The interval of the truce had been well employed in ascertaining the best approaches, and on the 24th, the Benares, Antelope, and Thames mortar boat had been warped into a channel round a spit projecting from the north fort, and placed on its rear face, forming a battery of five long eighteenpounders and an eight-inch mortar, the distance from 350 to 450 yards; His Majesty's ship Topaze was likewise warped as close as her draught of water would permit, bearing on the sea face, with a bat a battery of sixteen long eighteen-pounders and eight thirty-two-pound carronades, at a distance of 700 yards. Thus prepared on the morning of the 26th instant, Mr. Russel (Master), with a party of seamen to work the guns of the Thames, the launch and barge for the purpose of enfilading the beach, and at ten minutes past six A. M. the squadron opened its fire against the north fort; it was instantly returned from the north and south forts, bunda, five gun, and north gate batteries. The peculiarly destructive effects of a cross hre were in ten minutes made manifest by the silence of the fort, and by ten o'clock compelled the enemy to abandon it; they retreated to the number of 150, exposed to a most galling fire of grape and cannister from the in-shore squadron, under which they suffered severely. At twenty minutes past ten I went in-shore on board the Benares, and Lieutenant Jacob having reported that there were two practicable breaches, I made the signal for the boats, and sent them with the detachment of marines, Bombay artillery, and sepoys of the squadron, under the command of Lieutenant Moriarty, to take possession and destroy it; the whole fire of the enemy was turned on our people while employed on this service, but the feelings which gave energy to their conduct were not to be impeded by any difficulties, and the celerity with which they pulled to land, the cool, deliberate style in which they formed on the beach, and the steady order in which they marched into the fort, in two divisions by the different breaches, excited my warmest admiration. I at noon enjoyed the satisfaction of witnessing the display of the British flag flying from the battlements; at three our people again embarked, having spiked all the guns, destroyed the carriages, formed and sprung three deep fougasses, which at twenty minutes past three burst burst with a dreadful explosion, reducing the whole to a complete mass of shapeless ruins. The Thames was employed this whole night throwing shells, with an effect corresponding to the precision with which they were projected. The demolition of the north fort having been thus accomplished it became my next concern to turn our force against the south one, but the extreme violence of the wind prevented my getting the vessels into position before the evening of the 29th, and the depth of water would not adunit of the Topaze's being hauled sufficiently close to batter it with advantage, her fire was however useful in keeping in check that of the enemy from the different batteries in the town; and the brisk one preserved by the cruisers required no addition to obtain the desired end. During the days of the 27th, 28th, and 29th, we had been partially engaging, and on the 30th at sun rise again opened our cannonade with effect, answering in description to that practised before, It was returned from the south fort, bunda, five gun, and south mosque batteries. At thirty minutes past nine the enemy to the number of two hundred or three hundred were constrained to retire, as formerly, under a galling fire of grape. The different detachments were again landed under the command of Lieutenant Moriarty, whom I sent on shore for that purpose; and at thirty minutes past ten, by hoisting His Majesty's colours, I observed he had gained possession of it. The work of destruction was once more proceeded in, and perfected a few minutes before oue, by the explosion of five fougasses which had been sprung, reducing the fort entirely to a heap of rubbish. The Thames was employed throwing shells (in consequence of Lieutenant Jacob having been severely wounded), under the superintendance of Mr. Russel. On the morning of the 31st the enemy enemy commenced firing from all the town batteries at the squadron, and a partial engagement was sustained. As I however had no longer any object in exposing the squadron, I ordered the cruisers and bomb out of range, and in the afternoon shifted the Topaze out also. The submission of the enemy relieved me from any embarrassment as to my further proceedings. Ameer Fathullah, who had been particularly deputed by the Imaum to treat with us, arrived on the 26th and assumed the Government of Mocha. Having evidenced the inutility of opposing us, and foreseen the ruin impending over his country, through the removal of its trade, and the interruption of its supplies, he began to consider it wiser to adopt every means of regaining our friendship, and with a view of obtaining this end, sent off, on the 1st instant, a deputation of merchants to entreat a cessation of hostilities, and at the same time to say, if acceded to, he would himself come off the'. next morning to wait on Captain Bruce and shew the powers under which he was authorised to act. The returns of the killed and wounded you will receive herewith. I rejoice to say they are not so severe as might have been expected from the opposition we experienced; and the wounded, through the skill and attention of Mr. Foy, Surgeon, and Mr. Porteous, Assistant, are all doing well I have great pleasure in acquainting you of the cordiality which has subsisted between Captain Bruce and myself, and the great benefit the public service has derived from his aid. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) JNO. R. LUMLEY, Captain. To Rear-Admiral the Honourable Sir 1821. S s A Re. |