The Life of Thomas, Lord Cochrane, Tenth Earl of Dundonald Volume II Part 15

XVIII.

_Karteria_, Gulf of Lepanto, Sept. 27th, 1827.

MY LORD,

I have the honour to transmit you a report of my proceedings from the day I left you till this moment. Captain Thomas, of the _Sauveur_, joined me the 21st, and proposed with much gallantry to go into the Gulf in the daytime. The wind being usually out at night I consented with some difficulty, in consequence of the little dependence I can place on my engine, which might render it impossible for me to follow him immediately. The _Sauveur_, with gunboat _Bavaroise_ in tow, and accompanied by two schooners (you had left to keep the blockade at Missolonghi, but who, contrary to my knowledge, thus disobeyed your orders), pa.s.sed into the Gulf the evening of the 21st in most gallant style, in despite of the enemy's very formidable batteries and one brig of war and two schooners at the Morea Castles, and several vessels at Lepanto. I attempted to steam in that night, but the engine failed me within two miles of the Castles. The next day, the wind being strong in, I attempted to sail in, but when within gunshot of the Castles the wind failed me, and it was not until the evening of the 23rd that I could get pa.s.sed, towing after me the _Philh.e.l.lene_ gunboat, of whose commander I have always had particular occasion to be satisfied. All our damage amounted to a few ropes cut. On communicating with the Morea, the 24th, I was informed that the enemy had nine vessels at Salona, and there were three Austrians there, that Captain Thomas had attacked them the 23rd, but in consequence of unfavorable weather he had not made any impression, and that he retired to Loutraki. I immediately despatched a mistico to desire Captain Thomas to join me with all the vessels he could collect; but not seeing him on the 26th, and fearing that the Turks might strengthen themselves during a delay, I stood in on the 26th with the gunboat _Philh.e.l.lene_; but we no sooner approached than the wind came so strong out that we could not keep the ship head to wind, and found it necessary to retire. The Turks have at Salona a very fine Algerine schooner brig, of fourteen guns, brig of sixteen guns, bearing an admiral's flag, three smaller schooners, two armed transport brigs, and two large boats with guns, and they have a battery on sh.o.r.e. There are also three Austrians. While under their fire one of my engineers was slightly wounded. I am now waiting for the arrival of Captain Thomas, for whom I have sent again, and preparing for a final trial.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. HASTINGS.

XIX.

_Karteria_, Loutraki, Oct. 7th, 1827.

MY LORD,

Captain Thomas arrived here after our affair at Salona with the prizes, and sent off immediately to Poros for provisions and ammunition. I could not (notwithstanding your orders for him to remain only seven days in the Gulf) allow him to depart in the state he then was--having only five days' provisions, and four cartridges a gun. He received some powder and provisions yesterday, and in consequence of your order of the 27th, which he received yesterday, departs immediately. If the length of time Captain Thomas has remained in the Gulf is contrary to your intentions, I am alone responsible; he was always anxious to depart. My crew is in a very discontented state, in consequence of the month being expired without their receiving their wages. Twelve have left me, and if I do not get money I fear the whole crew will follow their example. I have sent an officer to Poros for provisions, ammunition, and money, if possible. I understand the English are about to prevent any offensive operations of General Church, and if not, he would never be able to undertake any, situated as he is for money and provisions. This seems to render my remaining here any longer of no use. As soon as I can get any money and provisions and arrange about the prizes I will quit the Gulf; but as I have no orders from you where to go, I shall return to Poros unless you contrive to send me some directions in the interim.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. HASTINGS.

XX.

_Karteria_, Loutraki, Oct. 8th, 1827.

MY LORD,

I have the honour to receive your letter of the 3rd, and am happy to hear that the _Enterprise_ is arrived. I have also received one thousand dollars with the stores, &c., which are very acceptable. I despatched the _Sauveur_ yesterday, according to your order of the 27th ult. I still retain the gunboats, which are very useful. I wish further orders from your lordship to know whether we are to remain in the Gulf, and if you wish us to go out. There is yet at the Castles a brig and three or four Turkish schooners. I do not exactly know their position. I intend to run down there one of these days and see what can be done with them; if close under the walls of the Castles, which are very strong, we could burn them some dark night if you would send me a dozen rockets. I would go with a small boat close to them and do their business. Mr. Hane announces to me that your lordship proposes coming up to Corinth, in which case I will do myself the honour of waiting upon you, and receiving your further orders. I have despatched a gunboat to General Church to inform him of your intention, and to bring him here if he wishes to confer with your lordship.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. HASTINGS.

XXI.

_Karteria_, Loutraki, Oct. 14th, 1827.

MY LORD,

Mr. Hane writes me that the Turkish fleet is off Patras. From time to time I have received vague accounts of vessels off there, but nothing certain. I shall fortify myself either here or at the port on the other side, under the village of Pera ora--I think the latter. I want fuzes for sh.e.l.ls. A box was sent (I suppose in mistake for fuzes), but it contained blue lights. Pray give an officer an order to send me at least five hundred fuzes. In my last to your lordship I mentioned of what service rockets would be to us as means of attack on the enemy's vessels at the Castles; they will be of no less service as weapons of defence. Pray, my lord, let me have as large a quant.i.ty as possible. I understood you were coming to Corinth, which has detained me here, or I would by this have been at the other end of the Gulf to gain information, and see after the brig, for I fear Thomas is not too prudent. I have just been informed that much cannonading was heard in the quarter of Lepanto the day before yesterday. I hope no misfortune has befallen him. I have the two gunboats and one mistico out to bring me information, and I can receive nothing. Pray let me have the rockets.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. HASTINGS.

XXII.

_Karteria_, Port Strava, Gulf of Lepanto, Oct. 17th, 1827.

MY LORD,

Not having received any orders from your lordship, I am still in the Gulf. In consequence of an order from your lordship to Captain Thomas, I despatched the _Sauveur_ on the 7th inst., and sent the gunboat _Philh.e.l.lene_ with her with letters to General Church, and orders to wait and bring me information how the _Sauveur_ got past the Castles; for I was a good deal anxious on her account, and should have gone myself to give her any a.s.sistance in case of need, but that I understood you intended coming over to Corinth. Mr. Hane bringing me letters for General Church, I despatched the other gunboat, _Bavaroise_, with these, and also some for the _Sauveur_, in case she was still in the Gulf. Mr. Darby, the commander of the _Bavaroise_, had directions to bring General Church if he was anxious to communicate personally with your lordship. Day after day I awaited anxiously an answer, till at length the mistico I had sent three days ago to General Church, to learn something of the fleet outside, which Mr. Hane wrote me for certain was Turkish, returned yesterday evening, informing me that the _Sauveur_ and two gunboats had gone out on Wednesday. General Church writes me that he positively intends pa.s.sing into Roumelia, and wants my aid; but I am now quite alone (except the mistico, with whom I know not what to do). He continually applies to me for provisions, and will soon probably for money. What am I to do about him? Although wishing to aid General Church and the service in all I can, I must acknowledge I have no confidence in his intended movement, more particularly as he tells me he has no provisions, and wants me to seize by force what I find in boats. All I could get by this discreditable way of raising provisions would not certainly feed one hundred men for three days, and therefore could not aid General Church, and would be a gratuitous vexation of these miserable peasantry. If General Church had money and provisions, much is to be done in Roumelia, but without these nothing can be achieved anywhere.

As soon as I have got the prizes back to Loutraki, and formed batteries, I will go and visit General Church, and learn more particulars. But I am very anxious for some orders from your lordship, having received nothing but the official letter of thanks since I left you. I write in haste, and beg your lordship to let me have an answer as soon as possible.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

XXIII.

_Karteria_, Loutraki, Oct. 27th, 1827.

MY LORD,

I am ready to do all and anything for the good of the service, but I fear General Church has no means. I had him on board for two days, making reconnaissances round the Gulf, and from what I can gather, the money said to be at Corfu is a chimera. I suspect he has not a shilling anywhere, and cannot stir. He talks, it is true, of expeditions, and I have always a.s.sured him of my readiness to aid him, but we cannot be consuming months after months in the hopes of his receiving supplies. I must limit the period of his embarkation, and if he cannot then act, I think I shall be justified in quitting him. I shall try, however, to destroy the other vessels in the Gulf first. We are in great want of fire-bars. I am laying in a stock of wood, but we have not yet been able to succeed perfectly with it. I have taken out the bars and filled the ash-pits; this we find does better than with any bars in, but we cannot as yet keep up steam with it. I hope, however, ultimately to succeed--in fact our coals are nearly finished.

To show you how General Church goes on--his gunboat has only advanced twenty feet from the beach, and yet he will not send away that swindler Allen, who commands her. I told him I would not meddle with her until he dismissed that man, and things remain thus. General Church, while on board, received letters announcing the unlooked-for destruction of the Turkish fleet; still I have not entirely credited it, and I am in anxious expectation of some decisive information about it. I am obliged to your lordship for the fuzes, and hoped to have had also some rockets. We are beginning to get short again of provisions, viz., biscuit. The loaded prize is condemned, with a ridiculous clause for me to pay the crew. They say nothing of the other vessels. I send Captain Hane to Egina, to hasten the condemnation of the light vessels and counteract the intrigues which I have no doubt Tombasi has recommenced. I shall also endeavour by him to have more biscuit; we have now but for a fortnight.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

XXIV.

_Karteria_, Loutraki, Nov. 8th, 1827.

MY LORD,

The General Church has at length put himself in motion. Some provisions and money have arrived on the other side for him (I mean at Calamachi), and I hope to sail with it to join him to-night. I fortunately received a fortnight's provisions yesterday, when I had only one day's biscuit on board. After destroying, or ascertaining that I cannot destroy, the vessels at Lepanto, I will go outside the Gulf and blockade Missolonghi, Patras, and the Gulf, hoping the General will blockade them by land. I fear much, however, for provisions; I will endeavour to get some from the Ionian Islands; but money and everything else is scarce with me,--but I hear your lordship is in the same predicament, and therefore I cannot complain. May I beg of your lordship to grant a commission of naval lieutenant to M.

Falanga, who has served on board this vessel from 29th March, 1827, and is a most deserving officer? he is the only sailor officer I have, and was always the only one of any use in that capacity. He behaved extremely well both at Volo, Tricheri, and Salona, at which latter place he was wounded in the neck with a musket-ball, while setting fire to one of the abandoned vessels. I may really say he is the only Greek I ever saw who seems to conceive what an officer ought to be.

Although he would be a great loss to me, and I should be sorry to part with him but for his own advantage, I can strongly recommend him for promotion in the command of a vessel, since (as I hear) your lordship is in such dreadful want of officers to command. I am sure he would give you the highest satisfaction.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

F. A. Hastings.

XXV.

_Karteria_, Nov. 17th, 1827.