accordingly carried it out at all risks. “Impossible,” was a word that found no place in his vocabulary; and this, all who served with him, knew full well. In his numerous encounters with our transatlantic brethren, the humblest of his crew was not exposed to greater fatigue and hardship than the Admiral himself. We have known him, after a sharp fight, followed by a sultry march, skirmishing with the enemy the greater part of the time, dismount from his horse, and take the muskets from two marines who were overpowered with heat and fatigue, and carry them himself! These, and similar acts, were the traits that endeared him, not only to his own, but also to the sister service."* The name of Sir Charles Napier, is familiar to every Englishman as belonging to as bold and dashing a naval officer as ever trod the quarter-deck. He was born in 1787, and counted among his ancestors, many who rendered distinguished services to the crown. He entered the navy as a boy, and gave early promise of his future career. The services he rendered up to 1833, cannot be better detailed than in Sir Charles Napier's own language, who, in the year mentioned, offered himself as a candidate for Parliamentary honours, and by way of banter was asked by his opponent who he was? He replied, "I have been asked who I am. I'll tell you. I am Captain Charles Napier, who, twenty-five years ago, commanded the Recruit brig, in the West Indies, and who had the honour of being twenty-four hours under the guns of three French line-of-battle ships flying from a British squadron, the nearest of which, with the exception of the Hawk brig, was from five to six miles astern the greatest part of the time. I kept flying double-shotted broadsides into them. One of the ships (the Hautpolt) was captured by the Pompey and Castor, the other two escaped by superior sailing. Sir Alexander Cochrane, my commander-in-chief, promoted me on the spot into her. At the siege of Martinique, the Eolus, Cleopatra, and Recruit, were ordered to beat up in the night between Pigeon Island and the main, and anchor close to Fort Edward, the abandonment of which was doubted. I offered to ascertain the fact, and with five men I landed in open day, scaled the walls, and planted the * Naval and Military Gazette. Union Jack on the ramparts. Fortunately, I was undiscovered from Fort Bourbon, which stood about a hundred yards off, and commanded it. On this being reported to Sir Alexander Cochrane, a regiment was landed in the night. Fort Edward was taken possession of, and the mortars turned against the enemy. I am in possession of a letter from Sir Alexander, saying, that my conduct was the means of saving many lives, and shortening the siege of Martinique.' I had once the misfortune to receive a precious licking from a French corvette; the first shot she fired broke my thigh, and a plumper carried away my mainmast. The enemy escaped, but the British flag was not tarnished. I afterwards served a campaign with the army in Portugal, as a volunteer, when I was again wounded. At the battle of Busaco, I had the honour of carrying from the field, my gallant friend and relative Colonel Napier, who was shot through the face. On my return to England, I was appointed to the Thames in the Mediterranean; leaving my mark upon every part of the coast, and bringing off with me upwards of a hundred sail of gun-boats and merchant vessels. I had the honour of running the Thames and Furieuse into the small mole of Ponza, which was strongly defended; and before they could recover from their surprise, I had captured the island without losing a man. I was then removed to the Euryalus, and had the good fortune to fall in with two French frigates and a schooner. I chased them in the night close into Calvi, in the island of Orsica, passing close under the stern of one of the frigates, and plumpering her as I passed; and though we were going eight knots an hour, I tried to run aboard of her consort, who was a little outside, standing athwart my hawse; the night was dark, the land close, and she succeeded in crossing me, but I drove her ashore on the rocks, where she was totally wrecked, and her consort was obliged to anchor close to her. The Euryalus wore round, and got off, almost brushing the shore as she passed. These ships were afterwards ascertained to be armée en flute, mounting 22 guns each, and the schooner 14. From the Mediterranean, I was ordered to America, and I believe I did my duty on that long and arduous service up the Potomac. In a tremendous squall, the Euryalus lost her bowsprit and all her topmasts, nevertheless, in twelve hours she was again ready for work. We brought away a fleet from Alexandria, were attacked going down the river by batteries, and I was again wounded in that action in the neck-That's who I am. In the service of Portugal, he held the post of admiral and achieved many brilliant exploits, chief of which was the capture of the fleet of the Don Miguel party. In this action, Napier, with 6 ships, and 176 guns, was opposed to ten ships, and 372 guns. The following interesting de scription of this affair is taken from one of his own letters: "At two o'clock the signal was made for battle and close order; the boats were lowered, and the squadron, led by the Rainha de Portugal, displaying the constitutional flag at the mast head, gradually edged away under their courses and top-gallant sails. The enemy were under their topsails, and as we approached, the lee line closed up in the intermediate spaces, but a little to leeward, forming a double column of two line-of-battle ships, a 50 gun ship, a 50 gun frigate, three heavy corvettes, two brigs, and xebec. Previous to this, the frigate being to leeward, tacked, and had all the appearance of coming over; but, after fetching in the wake of the 50 gun ship, she again tacked, and took her station. "The enemy kept their line close, and reserved their fire till well within musket-shot; the frigate then threw out a signal which we concluded was for permission to fire. "The Commodore's answer was hardly at the mast head, ere the frigate opened her broadside, which was instantaneously followed by the whole squadron, with the exception of the Don John, whose stern and quarter guns could only bear. 66 The men were lying down at their quarters; few were struck down on the main-deck; but the three foremast guns on the quarter-deck were nearly dismounted. At this time we had not fired a shot, and I ordered a few to be thrown on board, to check as much as possible, their taking a deliberate aim. Our example was followed by the Don Pedro, and we soon passed the frigate and Martin Freitas, the latter losing her fore topmast. At this time, the stern most line-of-battle ship luffed to, her helm was put up to avoid her broadside, and the Don John bore up across her bows; intending to place us between the two line-of-battle ships. This was just what I desired, and when she passed too far to leeward to recover a weather position, our helm was put suddenly down. The frigate flew to, grazing the Rainha's stern with her flying jib-boom; the foremast guns were poured into her, crammed to the muzzle with round and grape shot; the helm was then shifted, and we ran alongside under a heavy fire, which struck down my secretary, master, and many men. The ships were lashed with the main sheet, and Commodore Wilkinson and Captain Charles Napier, heading the boarders, passed from the bower anchor to her bulwark, driving the men across the forecastle, along the larboard gangway. "I had not intended to board, having enough to do to look after the squadron; but the excitement was too great, and I found myself, without hardly knowing it, on the enemy's forecastle, supported by one or two officers. There I paused, till several men rushing on board, we rushed aft with a loud cheer, and either passed through or drove a party down upon the break of the quarter-deck. At this moment, I received a blow from a crowbar, the owner of which did not escape unscathed. Barradas, the captain of the ship, came across me, wounded in the face, and fighting like a tiger. He was a brave man. I saved his life. The second captain came next, and made so goodnatured a cut at me, that I had no heart to hurt him; he also was spared. Barradas took up arms again, and was finally killed in the cabin. "The Commodore and Captain Charles Napier, after driving a whole host before them, fell severely wounded on the quarter-deck; the former with difficulty regained his ship; the latter, being stunned, lay some time, until the noise of friends coming to his assistance, aroused him from his stupor. "The quarter-deck was now gained, but the slaughter still continued, nothwithstanding the endeavour of the officers to subdue it. The main and lower decks were yet unsubdued, and as the Don Pedro ranged up on the opposite side to board, both ships fired. I hailed Captain Globe to desist, as we had carried the upper deck, and desired him to follow the Don John, who had made off; at the same time, a ball from the lower deck struck him, and in a few minutes he was no more. Lieutenants Edmunds and Woodridge jumped down with a party on the main deck, which they carried, but both fell under mortal wounds. In a few minutes all was quiet; the lower deck gave in, and many of the Portuguese seamen rushed on the quarter-deck for safety, with white courass on their left arms, having discovered that was the badge worn by our men in boarding. Others got on board my ship, amongst whom several little boys found their way into the gun room, and employed themselves wiping glasses. "The men were now ordered back to the Rainha, with the exception of those appointed to remain, and in the hurry, the ships separated, leaving me in the prize. I, however, soon got back to the flag-ship. The fore topsail, which was cut to rags, was shifted in half an hour (the mainsail was also useless, and was in the act of being shifted,) all was set, and we were fast approaching the Don John, the Don Pedro being still nearer, when, seeing no chance of avoiding an action, she luffed to, and hauled her colours down "The Don Pedro was directed to secure her, and I followed the Martin Freitas, who had been too strong for the Portunese (whose captain, Blackstone, was mortally wounded) and the Villa Flor, though much disabled, was making off; by ten, she was in my possession. The Princess Real, corvette, coming across a steamer, surrendered also. A little after, I got alongside of the Rainha, Captain Peak, in the Donna Maria, passed under the 50gun frigate's stern, raked her, luffed to, and after firing a few broadsides, ran his bowsprit into her mizen rigging, and carried her in gallant style. 66 Thus finished the action of the 5th of July, 1833, leaving in our possession two ships of the line, mounting 86 guns each, including four 48-pounders for throwing shells; one frigate of 52 guns, a 50-gun ship, and a corvette of 18 guns; two corvettes, and two brigs escaped. The enemy were amply found in every species of warlike stores, and mounted stern-guns, in addition to the full complement of their broadsides. "The loss of the squadron was about ninety killed and |