DateEventSource 21.3.1806Took 3 French Armed luggeres from under a batteryW005 19.4.1806Destroyed a French shore batteyW005
Notes on Ship
Cutting out of PrizesW005 On the 21st of March the Colpoys chased in to the port of Avillas, under the protection of a battery of six long 24-pounders, three Spanish luggers. Having a fine commanding breeze, the Colpoys stood in after them; when, just as she got within range of the battery, and before her carronades could be worked with effect, the wind died away.
Lieutenant Ussher immediately manned two boats, and stepping into one himself, dashed through a heavy fire of grape from the battery and of musketry from a party of soldiers that had been sent on board the vessels to defend them. His boat, containing, besides himself, only six men, soon out-pulled the other boat. Without waiting for the latter, Lieutenant Ussher gallantly boarded and carried the three luggers, the captains and crews, all but 13 men, leaping over on one side, as the lieutenant and his little party entered on the other.
The second boat then came up, and assisted in getting off the prizes; one, named Santa Buena-Yentura. of two guns, laden with flax and steel; the second, named San- Antonio, of the same force and lading; and the third, the San-Real in ballast. The latter was given up to the enemy, with 11 of the prisoners. Notwithstanding the heavy fire of the battery, this truly gallant exploit was effected with the loss of only two men wounded, one of them severely. Destruction of a shore batteryW005 On the 19th of April, as the Colpoys was standing along-shore between the Gronans and Isle Groix, in company with the gun-brig Attack, Lieutenant [Thomas Swaine], two chasse-marees were perceived at anchor at the entrance of the river Douillan; but which, on the approach of the two brigs, got under way and stood up the river.
Finding it necessary to silence a two-gun battery before the boats could get to the chasse-marees, Lieutenant Usher, with 12 men from each brig, landed, and, after a short skirmish, got possession of, and spiked, the two guns, which were long 12-pounders. Lieutenant Usher afterwards brought the vessels down the river, and destroyed the signal-post of Douillan; accomplishing the whole of this daring and important service without the slightest loss, or any greater damage to the two brigs than that done to their standing and running rigging, while engaged with the battery previously to its destruction by the two boats' crews. For his gallantry upon this and several previous occasions, Lieutenant Usher, on the 18th of the following October, was promoted to the rank of commander.