A strong body of Albanian troops being posted in the Castle of
D'Jebel, Captain Martin was despatched in the 'Carysfort,' with the
'Dido,' and 'Cyclops,' having on board 220 marines and 150 armed
mountaineers to turn them out.
The 'Carysfort' anchored at noon, having the 'Dido' ahead and the
'Cyclops' astern, with springs on their cables, within musket-shot of
D'Jebel. Immediately afterwards a number of mountaineers came down
to the beach, and were brought off in the boats.
As soon as the marines were prepared for landing, and their
commanding officer had reconnoitred the place of disembarkation, the
ships opened their fire on the castle, which was returned by
musket-shots.
After the fire had been continued for an hour, the marines, commanded
by Captain Robinson, accompanied by a large party of armed
mountaineers, pushed off from the 'Cyclops,' and formed on the beach
to the south of the town, their landing being covered by the ships,
which again opened on the castle. Captain Austin superintended the
landing of the marines, and accompanied them as they advanced to
attack the castle. The fire from the ships and the launch's
carronades having cleared the gardens in front of the castle, the
signal was made to push on. The marines on this advanced with their
invariable gallantry to the assault; but when they got within thirty
yards of the towers, a destructive fire was opened on them from a
crenelled outwork, having a deep ditch in front, which was completely
masked from the fire of the ships. In vain Captain Robinson and the
other officers looked for some part of the castle wall which might
prove practicable. No gate was accessible, and nothing but the
muzzles of the enemy's muskets were visible through the loop-holes.
The marines were falling on every side without a prospect of success.
Most unwillingly, therefore, Captain Robinson drew them off, they
retiring steadily, and in good order. It being found that the place
could not be taken unless the tower was levelled, the ships again
commenced firing at it, but the immense solidity of the building
prevented any impression being made on the walls. At half-past 5
o'clock, therefore, the marines embarked, and the firing ceased. The
party were retiring when it was discovered that an English flag,
which had been planted on a garden wall by the pilot of the 'Cyclops'
as a signal to the ships, had been accidentally left there.
To allow it to fall into the hands of the enemy would be a disgrace
which could not be borne, yet to recover it would be a work of great
danger. However, volunteers were not wanting to attempt its
recovery; and Lieutenant Grenfell, and Macdonald, a seaman of the
'Cyclops,' undertook to bring it off.
Without delay they set off on their hazardous expedition. Their
progress was watched with the most intense anxiety from the decks of
the ships. They reached the garden-wall--they seized the flag-staff,
and, hauling down the flag, they hastened with their prize to the
shore.
Loud cheers from all the ships greeted them as they returned on board
uninjured and successful.
A party of the mountaineers were established in the town at night,
and the next morning it was discovered that the Albanians had
evacuated the castle, leaving behind them three wounded men, one of
whom died soon after he was made prisoner.
The loss of the British in front of the castle walls was very severe,
and as follows:--
'Benbow,' 2 marines killed, 4 wounded severely. 'Hastings,' 2
marines killed, 7 wounded severely; Lieut. C. W. Adair, slightly, 3
marines slightly. 'Castor,' 1 marine wounded severely. 'Zebra' 1
marine killed. 'Cyclops,' Lieut. George Giffard wounded severely, 1
marine wounded severely. Total killed, 5. Total wounded, 18.
The frigates, and other smaller ships and steamers, were chiefly
employed, during the operations, in landing arms and supplying them
to the mountaineers, who wished to support the government of the
Sultan.
On the 11th of September, the English and Austrian Admirals of the
fleet off Beyrout, sent a joint note to Suliman Pacha the Governor,
desiring him to withdraw his troops from the town and thus put a stop
to further effusion of blood. A verbal answer, however, only was
returned, to the effect that the Pacha was holding a council of war,
and would send a reply the next morning. As this was evidently an
evasion to gain time, the bombardment was renewed with shot and shell
till the 16th, when the Egyptians retired from the town.
Great care was taken on every occasion, throughout the war, to fire
at the castles and strongholds, and to do as little injury as
possible to the towns and non-combatants.