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Chapter 3 - 1803 - 1814
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From There Go the Ships by George Shirley
Page 39
the Thames used to shake their heads when they saw
me beating against a rising storm.
But hearing that the Cleopatra, a smart 32-gun frigate, was fitting
out at Chatham, the gunner of which, being married, preferred it
home life, a change was effected, and once more the prospect of
active service was before me, and in a dashing frigate, the delight
of a true seaman, although it was in different climes and scenes
from which I had been used. She was appointed to the North American
and West
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Indian station, and commissioned
by Captain Sir I. Laurie.
I joined on August 2nd, 1804, and when all was completed sailed
for our destination, leaving my yawl in charge of a Thames waterman,
little thinking I should not see the white cliffs of old England
for ten years to come. Smart frigates were mostly employed as
scouts to a squadron or a fleet, but we were mostly employed looking
after French privateers, and protecting our merchantmen, as well
as looking after their enemies. We were occupied, in conjunction
with others, in operations against the French West India Islands,
Guadeloupe, Martinique, etc., the harbours of which formed a refuge
for privateers and ships of war. We were in the operations against
Martinique which led to its capture, for which I received a bar
to my medal. Once, when cruising off the island, we saw a number
of ships in the harbour, the entrance of which was protected by
forts on the high land, and I slung a gun, it long 12-pander,
nearly perpendicular, according to the captain's order; and there
being a good breeze we
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© Peter Smith 2008
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