Captain Lyons arrived off this place with a large mosquito fleet of
steamers, gunboats, and boats from the English and French men-of-war.
Taganrog was summoned to surrender, but the governor refused, and a
brisk fire was opened on the place. In vain the enemy endeavoured to
get down to the store-houses on the beach to protect them. Lieutenant
Mackenzie, first of the _Miranda_, had charge of a separate division of
light boats, with rockets and one gun, to cover the approach of
Lieutenant Cecil Buckley, _Miranda_, who, in a four-oared gig, manned by
volunteers, accompanied by Mr Henry Cooper, boatswain, repeatedly
landed and fired the different stores and public buildings. This
dangerous, not to say desperate, service, when carried out in a town
containing upwards of 3000 troops, constantly endeavouring to prevent
it, and only checked by the fire of the boats' guns, was most
effectually performed.