The Sun.
London, England, 1830-07-24 00:00:00

MY FIRST ACTION.

The operations against the town of Flushing
not keeping pace with our Commander-in-
Chief's impatience, he determined to force the
butteries with his squadron, and as our ship
bore the flag of Lord the second in com-

mand, we were to follow next in the line to him,
giving the town the advantage of our broadsides
as we passed. Whether in our ardour we went
too near the shore, or whether we drew more
water than our leader, we grounded stern-on to

the batteries, and were consequently► exposed to
the whole weight of the enemy's fire, without
being able to return but a few shot from our
stern-chasers. I shall never forget my sensations
on this occasion. When told that we were pre-
paring for action, I could scarcely believe that
my precious person was to be endangered ; that
I, so lately the pet of a whole household, on

whom the breath of heaven was hardly allowed
to blow, and who, but a few short days before,
would have been surrounded by a whole host of
doctors if but my finger ached, was now to be
exposed to the shot and shell of a real enemy.
It appeared to me impossible; and I was much
more afraid of being hurt than killed. When
the drum beat to quarters, my heart was in my

mouth, and although we sailed gaily into action,
with the band playing " God save the King,"
not all the pomp of war, or even the ridicule of
my more experienced companions, could over-
come the agony of my sensations. I was sta-
tioned on the quarter-deck, I suppose in order

to accustom me to stand fire, and was nominally
one of the Captain's Aides-de-Camp; I say no-
minally, because if he bud not had others of

more use to him than I was, he would have been
but indifferently served. I stood under the poop
awning, almost paralyzed with fear ; I do not
think any power on earth could have induced
me to have moved one inch from the place where
I happened to be when the first shot was fired.
To add to my terror, as soon as the ship
struck against the ground, I heard the Ad-
miral say distinctly to the Captain, ,f By -
Codrington, we shall be all blown up ; it will be
impossible to get her off before next tide."--
This was an awful moment for older and braver
hands than I: we could do nothing with our
guns, and the men were ordered to lie down At

their quarters. The shot passed over us and
through us ; and we could use only the car-
ronades on the poop, which was dreadfully ex-
posed to the enemy's fire. One single shot slid
horrid execution among the marines, by striking
a stand of arms, and killing or wounding several
men with the splinters. I shall not easily forget
a poor corporal of marines, who bad both his
arms and both his legs shot off as he was elevat-
ing a carronade on the poop. It is now twenty
years ago, yet the poor man's countenance is as
plainly I►efore me at this moment as if it were
only yesterday, as he was carried past me to be
lowered down the hatchway to the surgeons
below. nu bore the amputation of three of his
limbs, and died under the operation of the fourth.
At length, the gun-boats and bomb-vessels got
in-shore of' us, and took off part of the enemy's
fire, by giving them other employment ; but they
still sent us a red-hot shot now and then, and
once set our hammock 'lettings on fire. They
could not, however, stand our land batteries,
which Opened upon them in great force, and they
soon hung out a white flag, and demanded a
truce for four hours. Great was my delight, on
this cessation of hostilities ; and I would not
even confess my fright when the action wan over;
but fancied myself quite a hero, and ready to
face any enemy, because 'I had escaped unhurt,
particularlv when. the Captain, who partly well
guessed the state of my feelings, laughed at, me
for my " immoveability," as he called it. I
have been in many battles since, in many situa-
tions of equal or greater danger, yet none af-
feeted me like this.- -J of a Vale-
tudinarian.