"Medusa, off Boulogne,
16th Aug. 1801.
"MY LORD,
"After the compleat arrangement which was made, the perfect good
understanding and regularity with which the boats you did me the
honour to put under my command left the Medusa, I have an anxious
feeling to explain to your lordship the failure of our enterprize,
that on it's outset promised every success. Agreeable to your
lordship's instructions, I proceeded, with the second division of
the boats under my direction, the half of which was under the
direction of Lieutenant Williams, senior of the Medusa, to attack
the part of the enemy's flotilla appointed for me: and, at half
past twelve, had the good fortune to find myself close to them;
when I ordered Lieutenant Williams, with his subdivision, to push
on to attack the vessels to the northward of me; while I, with the
others, run alongside a large brig off the mole head, wearing the
commodore's pendant. It is at this moment, that I feel myself at a
loss for words to do justice to the officers and crew of the
Medusa, who were in the boat with me; and to Lieutenant Langford,
the officers and crew of the same ship, who nobly seconded us in
the barge until all her crew were killed or wounded: and to the
Honourable William Cathcart, who commanded the Medusa's cutter, and
sustained the attack with the greatest intrepidity, until the
desperate situation I was left in obliged me to call him to the
assistance of the sufferers in my boat. The boats were no sooner
alongside, than we attempted to board: but a very strong netting,
traced up to her lower yards, baffled all our endeavours; and an
instantaneous discharge of her guns, and small arms from about two
hundred soldiers on her gun-wale, knocked myself, Mr. Kirby the
master of the Medusa, and Mr. Gore a midshipman, with two thirds of
the crew, upon our backs, into the boat; all, either killed or
desperately wounded. The barge, and cutter, being on the outside,
sheered off with the tide: but the flat-boat, in which I was, hung
alongside; and, as there was not an officer or man left to govern
her, must have fallen into the hands of the enemy, had not Mr.
Cathcart taken her in tow, and carried her off.
"Mr. Williams led his subdivision up to the enemy with the most
intrepid gallantry, took one lugger, and attacked a brig; while his
crew, I am concerned to say, suffered equally with ourselves:
nearly the whole of his boat's crew were killed or wounded.
Lieutenant Paley, who commanded the Medusa's launch, and the
Honourable Mr. Maitland, midshipman, were severely wounded; and Mr.
William Bristow, master's mate in the Medusa's cutter under
Lieutenant Steward, was killed.
"I now feel it my duty to assure your lordship, that nothing could
surpass the zeal, courage, and readiness, of every description of
officers and men under my command; and I am sorry that my words
fall short of their merit, though we could not accomplish the
object we were ordered to. I have the honour to be, &c.
"Edward T. Parker."