Among the numerous states which have arisen from the fragments of the
Spanish empire in South America is that of Venezuela, of which
Carthagena on the northern coast, and on the eastern shore at the
entrance of the Gulf of Darien, is one of the chief towns. Although the
inhabitants have proved themselves on many occasions to be a brave and
gallant people, they too frequently, after they drove out the Spaniards,
quarrelled among themselves, and at the time of which we write had
allowed their navy to fall into a very disorganised condition. It
appears that the British merchant brig _Jane and Sarah_, in company with
a sloop called _Little William_, were lying at Sapote, a harbour near
Carthagena, when, on the 6th of February 1841, some Venezuelan
ships-of-war, under the orders of General Carmona, attacked the two
vessels and plundered them of a large amount of goods and specie. A
Colonel Gregg and other passengers, together with their crews, were
taken on shore and imprisoned. We are not aware of what crime Colonel
Gregg and the other persons were accused. They found means, however, to
communicate their condition to the British consul resident at
Carthagena, who immediately interested himself on their behalf, and
applied to the Government for their release.
His intercession was perfectly unsuccessful. As soon, therefore, as he
was able, he sent off a despatch to Lieutenant De Courcy, commanding HM
brig _Charybdis_, stationed on the coast to protect British interests,
and which was fortunately then in the neighbourhood. Immediately on
receiving the communication, Lieutenant De Courcy came off the port of
Carthagena, and despatched a boat with an officer bearing a letter to
the commodore of the squadron, then at anchor inside, demanding the
release of Colonel Gregg and the other British subjects.
The Venezuelan squadron consisted of a corvette, a brig, and three
schooners of war. When the officer got on board the corvette, he found
the commodore, who treated him with great insolence, observing that, as
the letter was not written in Spanish, he could not understand it, and
therefore could not receive it, treating the threatened interference
with the greatest contempt. The unfortunate Colonel Gregg, it appears,
was shot, immediately after the application for his release had been
made; so that probably the commodore was acting under the orders of the
Government, who were little aware of the punishment they were about to
draw down on the head of the commander of their ships.
As soon as the British officer had returned on board the _Charybdis_,
and reported these circumstances, Lieutenant de Courcy determined to
compel attention to his communications. The _Charybdis_ was rated as a
six-gun brig, but she carried only one long gun amidships and two
carronades, and her full complement of officers and men was but
fifty-five. Nothing daunted, however, he boldly entered the port, and
was passing up to an anchorage, when, without any provocation, he was
fired into by the corvette,--the commodore's vessel,--and the forestay
of the _Charybdis_ was shot away.
This was an insult not for an instant to be borne, and, in spite of the
small size of his vessel and the apparently overwhelming force opposed
to him, he immediately took up a position, and opened his fire on the
corvette. His officers and crew enthusiastically supported him, and,
working their guns with a will, so rapidly was their fire delivered, and
so well was it directed, that in a short time the corvette hauled down
her colours and surrendered, when, on taking possession of her, it was
found that the commodore and twenty-five of his men had been killed.
In the meantime, a brig-of-war had been coming down to the assistance of
the corvette, followed by three schooners; and scarcely had the first
been disposed of when she came into action. Unexhausted by their
exertions, the gallant crew of the _Charybdis_ fought their guns as
before, and in five minutes after they had been brought to bear on the
brig, she sank; and in a short time the schooners, after exchanging a
few shots, also surrendered.
Thus, in the course of less than an hour, the whole of the squadron was
captured or destroyed,--the victor remaining at anchor in their port
with his prizes, to await the decision of the admiral on the station as
to their disposal. In consequence of Lieutenant De Courcy's capture of
the Venezuelan squadron, he at once received his promotion to the rank
of commander.