d on her capture or destruction. Accordingly, on the
4th of June, he stood into the bay, with springs on his cables, ready to
attack the fort, and towing his boats, with fifty officers and men under
the command of Lieutenant Yeo. On passing close to the shore, the
_Loire_ was exposed to a fire from two long 18-pounders, which
considerably annoyed her. On this Captain Maitland ordered Lieutenant
Yeo to land and spike the guns. The gallant lieutenant departing on
this service, the _Loire_ stood on, when, as she opened the bay, she
discovered at anchor within it a large corvette pierced for 26 guns, and
a brig of 10 guns; but as the armament of both vessels was on shore,
they were unable to offer any resistance. The _Loire_, however, was now
exposed to a hot fire from a fort of 12 long 18-pounders, from which, as
she was less than a quarter-of-a-mile off, nearly every shot struck her
hull. Finding that by standing on he should be exposed to a still
hotter fire, Captain Maitland ran as close in as he could venture, and
anchoring the frigate with a spring on her cable, opened her broadside.
So strong, however, was the fort, that the frigate's shot committed
little or no damage, while numbers of her crew were falling, some
severely wounded. Lieutenant Yeo had in the meantime landed, and
storming the 2-gun battery, put its defenders to flight. Having spiked
the guns, Lieutenant Yeo discovered the large fort close to the town of
Muros, which was severely annoying the frigate. Without hesitation, he
resolved to attack it, and his men were eager to follow him. The
garrison were so occupied in firing at the frigate, that not only was
the approach of the British unperceived, but the outer gate had actually
been left open. On the seamen rushing forward, headed by Lieutenant
Yeo, the sentinel who only just then perceived them, fired his musket
and retreated, followed closely by the storming party, which on reaching
the inner gate was met by the governor, and those he had time to rally
round him, sword in hand. With a blow of his cutlass, which was broken
in the effort, the lieutenant laid him dead at his feet. A desperate
struggle ensued in the narrow passage between the officers of the
garrison and the British seamen, who, bearing down all opposition, drove
the enemy before them to the farther end of the fort, many of whom in
their terror sprang through the embrasures down upon the rocks below, a
height of twenty-five fee