That one time Crozier was chased into the ocean by French Cavalry

(for @theherbstorian)

One of his closest friends, JH Loftie, retold this story to a crowd who were present to organize a memorial for Crozier in 1859, as reported by the Belfast News-Letter:

“Captain Crozier, from his very boyhood was imbued most deeply with that sense of duty which was the polestar of the British service both naval and military, but particularly the naval. ‘Duty’ was alone his word. When he was a mere boy of fourteen on board the Hamadryad, cruising off the coast of France, he was sent on shore to leave a bundle of Royalist proclamations. The French Imperial Government were very indignant at the English presuming to put these proclamations on the coast of France, and said they would hang any person as a spy whom they found doing it. The Captain said to [then Volunteer of the First Class] Crozier, ‘You see that sandhill with the flagstaff. Go up there, and leave these proclamations.’ The ship, of course, was lying at a considerable distance, and Crozier, on landing, found that instead of being close to high water mark, as was supposed, it was probably half a mile inland. From a sense of duty and obedience to command, he went up the sandhill, and there deposited the bundle of papers. He was seen by the gendarmerie, and a company of soldiers was sent to cut him off. This was perceived from the ship. A boat was manned, and sent in with an 18-pounder, which fired grape-shot and cleared a way for him through the soldiers; but he was pursued by the gendarmerie on horseback. He told Mr. Loftie that he never had such a run in his life, for the bullets were flying about him. The first thing he did on reaching the water was to throw himself in and dive, and then just keep his head up to get breath till the boat picked him up. And what was his reward for this? The first word of the First Lieutenant was ‘How did you come to give us all this trouble, Sir? Look at all the trouble we have had for you.’ Crozier said, ‘I went as I was desired.’ ‘But did you not know that we only wanted to leave them ashore.’ ‘I thought so,’ said Crozier, ‘but I was desired to leave them at the flagstaff, and I was not to put my opinion in opposition to your command.’ That was how the sense of duty went through every part of his life.”

sometimes I wish this man had written down even half as much about his life as Fitzjames wrote