was completely surprised by 600 of the enemy, who got possession of the camp, and put all they found to the sword; some few men escaped through the woods to Morne Rhonde, and some were taken from the shore by the boats of his Majesty's ship Experiment, Captain Barrett. From Ouia the Caribs sent to St. Lucia for reinforcements, and in a few days were joined by 500 men : Mount Young was evacuated in consequence on the 19th of September; every thing was destroyed that could not conveniently be carried away and leaving lights in the huts, the troops marched out in the night. At Biabou they collected the party stationed there, and the whole reached Zion Hill on the 21st. On the evening of the 22d the enemy appeared in force in Mariaqua Valley, and on the following morning were posted on Fairbain's Ridge, thus cutting off all communication with the Vigie. The necessity of supplying this post with provisions obliged the general to risk a convoy for that purpose. Eighty laden mules, under the care of LieutenantColonel Ritchie of the 60th, left Greathead's house near Zion Hill at two o'clock in the evening of the 24th. At Calliaqua they turned up, in a direction to get between the enemy and the Vigie; but from behind a "galba hedge" which flanked the path, the enemy commenced a sharp fire; the troops, however, gained the ridge, and obliged their opponents to fall back; orders were then given to charge, by Captain Forster, who commanded in front; "not an individual would obey him: from some unaccountable cause our men gave way just in the moment of victory, and fled in different directions, closely pursued by the enemy. The greatest part of the provisions fell into their hands; our loss was estimated at about sixty men killed and taken prisoners;" the rest found shelter under the guns on Sir William Young's Rock. Colonel Ritchie with about twenty men retired to a mill belonging to Dr. Collins, where they repulsed several attempts which were made to storm the place: at midnight they abandoned the mill, and retired to Sir William Young's Rock. Colonel Ritchie died of his wounds.

Twenty-eight "johannes" were now offered to any person who would deliver a letter to the commanding officer at the Vigie; should he be a slave his liberty was promised. Two slaves volunteered the attempt; one was obliged to return; but Tamaun, a Negro, with his dispatch rolled in a piece of thin lead to preserve it from rain, and in case of detection to enable him to throw it away, escaped detection in Mariaqua Valley by lying flat upon his face while a Carib came out of a hut close to him, cut some wood and returned to make a fire. Tamaun then descended a precipice, by the roots and branches of the trees growing on its side, and at daylight, from a high tree, saw that he was nearer the Vigie than he expected. By six o'clock on the morning of the 26th the advanced guard carried him to the commanding officer's tent, who, in com

Coke's West Indies, vol. ii. pp. 229. 231.

pliance with the dispatch, abandoned the Vigie at seven o'clock the same evening, arrived at Calliaqua without molestation; and from thence with his men was conveyed in boats to Sir William Young's Island and Rock.

Captain Molesworth also evacuated the post at Morne Rhonde. The Vigie was once more occupied by the enemy, to the great alarm of the inhabitants. On the 29th his Majesty's ship Scipio arrived with a convoy of transports, having on board the 40th, 54th, and 59th regiments, who were landed without delay. The enemy called in all their out-posts and made every exertion to strengthen the Vigie. At ten o'clock on the night of the 1st of October, 750 men, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Strutt, marched by Calliaqua to the heights of Calder, where they lay concealed in a piece of standing corn.

Major-General Irving and Brigadier-General Meyers with the main body, about 1000 strong, marched at two o'clock from Greathead's house to Warawaroa Valley. At Augur's Pasture, Captain Boland of the 40th regiment was detached with 350 men, to gain the heights to the westward of the enemy's position. He was attacked in his ascent, but gallantly, though with considerable loss, gained the place. The two generals, with the 59th regiment, gained Fairbairn's Ridge by day break. To oppose their ascent from thence to the Vigie Ridge, the enemy posted their whole force on a small eminence, covered with a thick wood. The 59th, under Major M'Cleod, persevered in their attempts to climb the mountain, under a heavy fire of musketry, until the generals ordered them to retreat as it became dark. 100 men were killed and wounded in this unsuccessful attack.

The enemy, apprehensive of being attacked again during the night, and having almost expended their ammunition, abandoned the Vigie in the night, managing the thing so well that it was first discovered by accident. A drunken man, who had been a spectator of the action, lost his way back during the retreat, as did a sergeant and ten men of the 5th regiment: a Negro in the interest of the enemy offered to guide them to town, but instead of so doing betrayed them into the Vigie, with the intention of making them prisoners, when, finding that his friends had abandoned the place, he did so also, and left these men in possession of the Vigie. In the morning General Irving sent Lieutenant Kelly to take possession of that post, which he found pre-occupied by his drunken countryman, who is said to have refused him admittance until he had agreed to sign a receipt for the place.

Mount Young and Mount William now became the enemy's principal posts, and upon these they entrenched themselves. About the 16th of November the English took post on Forbes' Ridge, and from thence harassed their opponents with both shot and shell.

On the 29th Brigadier-General Stuart assumed the command, upon the resignation of General Irvine, and with a few inconsiderable skirmishes the year closed.

1796.

In Jamaica, by the 15th of January, 91 men, 111 women and 124 children, Maroons, had surrendered to General Walpole ; and the next day Lord Balcarres had in his possession 400, of whom 130 were men.

General Walpole differed in opinion with Lord Balcarres; he had promised, in a secret article, that the Maroons should not be sent off the island. Lord Balcarres appointed ten o'clock on the 1st of January for them to come in and perform the treaty — this General Walpole found did not allow them time, however well disposed they might be. Upon the 17th he says, in his letter to Lord Balcarres, "I hope your lordship will not think me unreasonable in requesting, at the termination of this rebellion, your permission to return to Europe, with a view to obtain his Majesty's consent, at a general peace, to a sale of my commission."

Lord Balcarres calls them "quicksilver rebels," and suggests, that as a rumour may reach them, that they had not surrendered soon enough to be benefited by the terms of the treaty, which would make them uneasy-that their numbers resident with General Walpole may be reduced by every means he could devise.

Upon the 18th, General Walpole states, that thirty-two were still out. On the 20th, Lord Balcarres gives him permission to keep any number under ten, and their families may remain with them; but he adds, "I confess I shall enjoy no ease until I hear that all the rest are actually in Montego Bay.

On the 21st, General Walpole says, "I have given assurances to the Maroons of a little longer indulgence for the coming in of their families, some few of whom, from sickness, are still with the remaining Maroons in the woods." On the 22d of January, Lord Balcarres writes to General Walpole, " It will be difficult, I may say impossible, for me to meet the legislature until this measure is effected" [sending the Maroons to Montego Bay]. "It will be impracticable for me to inform the assembly that these people have surrendered, unless I can give a much more solid proof of it than the information of their skipping about in Old Town." On the 23d General Walpole replies, "I am not so fortunate as to coincide with your way of thinking, and my reason is, that a very different line of conduct has produced the success which we have already experienced, and if pursued will probably produce more; the dogs had certainly nothing to do with it." Lord Balcarres

Proceedings against the Maroons, pp. 31. 37.

102

answers the same day, "When I enforce the measure of sending these Maroons to Montego Bay, I surely take off from you all responsibility respecting the bad effects of our taking such a step, for which I am alone answerable. and pointedly request, that all the Maroons may be sent to Montego I therefore most earnestly Bay." General Walpole answers, the same date, "Another batch of Maroons have just set off for Montego Bay, making from 90 to 100 men capable of bearing arms." were sent off. On the 26th, General Walpole requests permission On the 24th, sixty-seven to send Smith, the Maroon, with eight others, to persuade the rest to come in. On the 27th, Lord Balcarres replies, "that to allow "him to do so would be in contradiction to the spirit of his orders. The opinions of his Majesty's confidential servants are fixed and determined on the principles of carrying on this war: nothing can be left, under these circumstances, to your discretion. My orders therefore are, that the Maroons be sent down immediately to Montego Bay, when the dogs are out, not when the dogs are in. They ought to march by moonlight." On the 26th, General Walpole reports, from Old Maroon Town, that "Colonel Skinner speaks highly of the activity and utility of the Spaniards and their dogs;" and next day states, "that about twenty of the Maroons are now here, chiefly Smith's and Johnstone's families, and I did suppose that it had been left to my discretion to have retained that number; but they can be sent down on Friday, if your lordship should not alter your opinion. I thank your lordship for leaving nothing to my discretion; discretionary orders are too apt to be civil, and consequently not very precise. Your lordship will have the goodness to say, whether any and how many Maroons may be left here." On the 28th he states, "Johnstone and Smith have again assured me, that if I will go with them, or Skinner, they think that every man now out may be brought in. They will go with soldiers, but not dogs." Lord Balcarres replies, "that Smith's application to go out without dogs convinces him that they had not a moment to lose. The best and most agreeable news that could possibly reach me to-morrow forenoon would be, to hear that all the Maroons are secured and marched off to Montego Bay. am on thorns until that moment arrives."

I

On the 29th, General Walpole reports his having sent the Maroons to Montego Bay, and regrets that the opportunity of bringing in the others should be lost. On the 31st, he states that he had been to Montego Bay, and from the crowded state of the barracks he apprehended some disorders would break out among the Maroons, and suggests planking the stables for them, and he asks for 1000 or 1200 Negroes as pioneers," to get with all possible dispatch through the remainder of the work."

Lord Balcarres says, "his requisition will startle the country,

and that roads and communications should not be made without an act of the legislature ;" and adds, "I think you give much more consideration to the present state of the war than either I or the country do. Your request to have nothing left to your discretion is totally incompatible with the very high situation in which you are placed; and the great opinion I have had of the proper exercise of that discretion assuredly will justify the favorable report I have made to his Majesty of your services." His lordship then asks for a return of the arms brought in. The reply is ninety-fiveand the general adds, "I must repeat, that if your lordship had had the different communications and conferences on the spot, that you would then have been more of my opinion."

On February the 2d, Lord Balcarres states to General Walpole, "My object has been to keep myself free and uncommitted; by no means to cramp you in any point that I am not forced to. I do not know your opinion respecting the treaty, nor do I desire to know it; I have formed my own, and must declare it when I am called upon. You will of course take every means in your power to get in or destroy the rebels who are still out. But what I have

anxiously wished for, namely, the securing the persons of these Maroons, has been executed, and I can now report with correctness and security: while these people remained in the Old Town, I could advance nothing but with incorrectness and insecurity. You may always keep any three Maroon men with you that you fix upon (Montague, James, and old Jarrett excepted), but no terms can be held to the rebels now out." His lordship then states his intention of sending 160 Maroons from Montego Bay to St. Ann's. On February the 12th, the general reports, that Johnson had brought in six Maroons, with a number of women and children - that the remainder, seeing their countrymen sent off to Montego Bay, have construed it into treachery on our part. "I am told," he says, "that some came to surrender, and upon this went back to the woods. Their want of water is, I understand, extreme; they cannot get any but what they draw from the wild pines. I have offered no terms but lives." The general adds, that the want of water prevented his attending the Maroon party with a detachment of troops; but he was satisfied of their fidelity, and recommends seven of them by name. On the 18th, he mentions his intention of cutting a road to Pond River, the place where the Maroons made their last stand, in order to avail himself of the water, in case any expedition should be sent into the woods; he also complains of the commissioners not furnishing provisions. On the 20th Lord Balcarres says, "I am convinced the country will be of opinion, that martial law ought not to be continued. If, however, the banditti of runaway slaves have gone down to Old Womans Savanna, the 14th light dragoons must occupy posts in that neighbourhood; the country

Proceedings against the Maroons, p. 65.