Sketches From My Life

war) broke out, and I was appointed first lie

ately for old England the Baltic fleet was put under the command of Sir C. N--, 'fighting old Charley' as he was called, though it was not long before we d

s and t

cked his h

ver more be

clared! Sharpen your cutlasses and the day's your own,' sent a thrill of joy through every breast. After following the melting ice up the Balt

f-battle ships, formed in two lines, steaming straight up to the frowning batteries of Cronstadt. On our approaching the batteries a shot was fired, and fell alongside the ship I was in, which

t judges, had we gone on we could have taken or destroyed Cronstadt, instead of which-what was done? They sent

y the English and French fleets, who were fit to do any mortal thing, but by an army fetched from France. When the army came, the poor little fort attacked by the fleet on the seasid

was left out in the cold. I shall never forget old Charley's answer to me when I applied for my promotion, it was

reconnoitre the Russian port of Abo. Of that squadron the vessel of which I was commander formed one. W

n. A council of war was held on board the senior officer's ship, at which council the sealed orders were o

ir might. The forts on the heights, such as they were, very insignificant temporary batteries of field-pieces, had com

lating conduct on the part of our chief. But some idea may be given of hi

s, suddenly threw a despatch over the table to S--, the admiral of the fleet, saying, 'What would ye do, mun, if ye received a letter like this?' S--, after reading the letter said, 'If I received a letter like that, I'd attack Revel or

if ever open mutiny was displayed-not by the crews of the ships, but by many of the captains, men who at

urned to England disgusted and disheartened. The next year the commander-in-chief was changed; I was appointed to his ship, and

proaches to that place to such an extent, that an attack was considered (and on this occasion there was no difference of opinion) most unadvisable. So we fell back on Sveaborg, which place

the squadron of mortar-boats which I had the good

promotion to the rank of comma

ppointed to a vessel in the Mediterranean which formed part of the fleet off S

Wm. M--, a man whose reputation as being the smartest officer in the navy, I must venture to s

say, 'I am here to find fault with, not to praise, officers under my command.' So many a fine fellow's zeal was damped by

h my command of H.M.S. F-- . I may mention that, differing as I did most materially with

uch as mine-namely, a gunboat of the first class-could be floated off the shore, in case of their stranding, by water-casks being lashed round them. So orders were given that all vessels of that class were to lumber their decks wit

light at the mischief he had done. The cocked hat was at once recovered, wiped dry, and placed in its proper place. The admiral, always stern as a matter of principle, looked, after this incident, sterner than usual, hardly recognised me except by a formal bow, then proceeded to muster the officers and crew. This over, he commenced to walk round the deck. I remarked with pleasure his countenance change when he saw how neatly his pet water-casks were painted and lashed to t

blue with anger, drew himself up, ordered his boat to be m

sidered useless lumber, in the form of water-casks, I had utilised them by making them into dog-kennels. The admiral hated

ia: just what I wanted, i.e., to be out of the comm