With Abercrombie and
Moore in Egypt

Captain Livingstone

We sailed on the 24th of June 1801 under sealed orders, leaving the ships of the Channel fleet behind us. We had a very quick and pleasant passage to the Straits of Gibraltar, where our ship ran foul of an American merchant vessel and damaged her much. Our commodore informed us that our destination was Minorca, there to join an expedition that was forming under our old friend Sir Ralph Abercrombie to assist the Austrians in Italy. We passed through the Straits but did not touch at Gibraltar and on the 17th July fell in with the Bulldog gunbrig on her way home with despatches; they told us that Malta had surrendered.

We had very light winds off the coast of Spain in passing Yvica and Majorca, and arrived at Minorca on the 21st of July. We then learned that Sir Ralph Abercrombie and Lord Keith had been at Genoa and had offered to land 6000 troops, which offer had been refused by General Melas. On 14th June the battle of Marengo was fought, which sealed the fate of Italy and the French got possession of the country. Many of the inhabitants of Genoa were actually on the point of starvation and supplies of provisions were sent to them from the British fleet. Lord Keith arrived on the Foudtqyant 80, and Sir Ralph in the Kent, 74.

Disputes arose betwixt our officers and the captain of the ship about having the regiment inspected on deck. One day he bawled out,'There is but one God in heaven, and only one commander on board his Maiesty's ship Diadem ; and I am he--Thomas Livingstone.' This his crew knew well for he was a tyrant.

The regiment was ordered out to bathe and swim and a number of us swam ashore. I took my canteen and a comrade had a Spanish dollar so we sent for wine and were sitting on the beach enjoying ourselves when unfortunately General Foxe and his suite came riding past. He ordered us all to be taken to the main guard. In a moment we jumped into the sea and, by diving among some small vessels lying near the shore, got all clear off except Corporal John MacDonald of our company, who was caught by an aide-de-camp and taken naked as he was to the main guard.

All the others got on board safely except myself who, having a canteen slung round my neck was nearly drowned when one of the ships' boats came to my aid. An oar was put under me and I was raised up and taken on board insensible. A shocking thing it would have been if I had been drowned in this condition, but the Lord has ever been merciful to me. Next morning the swimmers ashore were put in irons and we lay at the wardroom door for thee days. One of my comrades had secured my canteen full of wine, which had been searched for by the master at arms. On the third day all hands were piped up to see the swimmers flogged for going on shore without leave; but being all men of the very best character, it was decided that one should suffer for the whole. Lots were drawn and the lot fell on James Gardner, who took his punishment very contentedly.

Corporal MacDonald was tried by garrison court-martial, and our company having given most of the offenders was sent ashore to see the sentence carried out at the back of the quarantine island. This was a mess we had got into innocently enough ; it was the first offence with most of us and nearly all the squad rose to be useful non-commissioned officers.

The troops were landed for refreshment and exercise and the vessels cleaned out. Our regiment landed at Georgetown where lay the 42nd and goth regiments. Wine was very cheap here, about 3d. the bottle and rum and brandy sold for about Sd. the bottle, so many a gallon was drunk with our old acquaintances in these regiments whom we had not seen since we left the Rock. Bread was dear. On the 7th of August Colonel Erskine ordered us all to get sober as it was our turn to take duty tomorrow. I was made corporal on the 12th of August 1800, and mounted Little Ray guard at the back of the fort. Our regiment was inspected on the glacis by Sir Ralph and General Fore and we were paid up on to the 24th ofJuly. I got liberty to go to Port Mahon, one of the chief towns in the island; it has some good streets and buildings. In the dockyard undergoing repairs was the French ship Genereux, eighty guns, taken while trying to escape at the battle of the Nile and the Guillnunze Tell, takes at Malta. I returned to Georgetown by water on 30th March 1806. We got blue pantaloons and black gaiters served out. Lieutenants George Fraser and Gordon's wounds broke out afresh and both officers were sent back to England.

Minorca is of great service to Britain, it having a large harbour with water so deep that war vessels call come within a few feet of the shore. It is well sheltered by hill and there is plenty of fresh water which makes it very serviceable to our fleets in the Mediterranean; but now that Malta is ill our possession it is not likely we will retain them both. The harbour is well defended by batteries on one side and by Fort St George formerly St Philip on the other. The chief town is Crudadella about 30 miles from Port Mahon; it is very strong, with batteries cut out of the solid rock and mounted with heavy guns ; four regiments were doing duty here. The island has a barren appearance and most of the articles here are brought from other ports of the Mediterranean. The inhabitants appeared to me to be smaller than the generality of Spaniards.

We embarked on the 30th and sailed on the 31st. Colonel Erskine got the regiment transferred from the Diadem where we had been very uncomfortable to the Stntely, 64, Captain Scott, who was quite a different character from Captain Livingstone; it was a pleasure to be on board his ship. We had very light winds and came close on the small island of Alberan, half-way between Spain and Rarbary. On the 14th September we anchored in Tetuan Bay to the south east of Gibraltar belonging to Morocco. Here the fleet completed its stores of provisions and water and on the 29th sailed with a light breeze; passed the Spanish garrison of Ceuta on the north point of Africa opposite Gibraltar which is, I believe, very strong; some gunboats are stationed there ready to take an advantage when it offers. We thought we were to attack this place, so that we might command both sides of the straits. In this we were mistaken, but the garrison gave some of our vessels that came within range a salute of round shot, which our men of war were not slack in returning.

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