Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

been indefatigable in following all the operations he has had a share in.

"To Captains Brown, Nugent, Harvey, Markham, Faulknor, Sawyer, Carpenter, and Scott, I am greatly indebted for the manner in which they conducted the attack against St. Pierre. Captains Harvey, Kelly, Rogers, Sailsbury, Incledon, Riou, Lord Garlies, Carpenter, Scott, and Bayntun, have gained great reputation in the army by the conduct of the naval battalions and working parties under their command. Captain Berkeley (since the arrival of the Assurance) has furnished a powerful reinforcement of men from that ship. Captain Pierrepoint has been very active in the service allotted to the Seaflower. In Captain Grey I have found the experience of age joined to the vigour of youth. The captains of the forty-four gun ships en flûte, of the store-ship and hospital-ship, have done well.

"For other particulars I beg leave to refer their lordships to Captain Powlett, who carries this dispatch, and to Captain Markham, of the Blonde, who conveys him. They served with Commodore Thompson at La Trinité, and arrived on the south side of the island in time to have a share in most of the transactions there. "I have the honour to be, sir, "With great consideration,

"Your most obedient humble servant,

"J. JERVIS."

Forty-two men were killed and wounded on board the different ships.

Captain Nugent was the second person on the walls of the fort. The lieutenant of the cutter, with the Veteran's people, hauled down the French colours. The admiral, with the general's consent, gave Captain Nugent command of the fort.

The capitulation gave the garrison the honours of war, and a passage to Europe; and to Rochambeau a passage to Rhode Island in America. They marched out between a file of the troops and seamen, which lined the way from the fort to the parade at Fort Royal. General Whyte and Captain Nugent had the honour of hoisting the English flag at Fort Bourbon."

General Prescott was left commander-in-chief of the island.

Commodore Thompson's Report of the Capture of Fort Royal,

Martinico.

"SIR, "Fort Royal, March 20, 1794. "I have the pleasure to acquaint you, that the only loss we sustained in the capture of Fort Royal is the pilot of the Zebra killed, and four seamen belonging to the same ship wounded. So soon as I perceived she could fetch in, I gave orders to Captains

Nugent and Riou, who commanded the fleet boats, which, with the men embarked in them, were lying upon their oars, to push in and mount the walls, when every exertion was made, and the boats seemed to fly towards the fort. Captain Faulknor, in the mean time, in a most spirited and gallant manner, entered the harbour through the fire of all their batteries, and laid his sloop alongside the walls, there being deep water close to; when the enemy, terrified at his audacity, the flat boats full of seamen pulling towards them, and the appearance of the troops from all quarters, struck their colours to the Zebra. A well-directed and steady fire from the gun-boats under Lieutenant Bowen, as also from our batteries, was of great service. The alacrity and steadiness of the officers and seamen in general under my command was such, that I had not the least doubt of success against the whole force of the enemy, had they disputed our entrance.

"The fort is full of ammunition and stores of all sorts, but the buildings are in a miserable condition from the effects of our bomb, the gun-boats and batteries.

"I have the honour, &c.
"J. THOMPSON."

Sir Charles Grey, in his dispatches, says, that "Captain Faulknor's conduct justly gained him the admiration of the whole army." Admiral Jervis made him post into the frigate captured in Fort Royal harbour, which, out of compliment to Captain Faulknor, he named the Undaunted.

In a letter to his mother, dated the 25th of March, Captain Faulknor says, "I had a ship's cartouch-box, which is made of thick wood, buckled round my body, with pistol cartridges in it for the pistol I carried by my side. As the Zebra came close to the fort, a grape-shot struck, or rather grazed, my right-hand knuckle, and shattered the cartouch in the centre of my body; had it not miraculously been there, I must have been killed on the spotthanks to Almighty God for his kind preservation of me in the day of battle! The admiral has appointed me to the Rose, paying me such compliments, that it is impossible for me to relate them. The sword and colours of Fort Royal were delivered to me by the governor of the fort and I take some credit to myself, that after the Zebra had stood an heavy fire, and when we had power to retaliate, for we were mounted upon the walls, I would not allow a man to be hurt, on their being panic-struck and calling for mercy. It would take a volume to relate the events which have happened to me since I left England. The Zebra, when she came out of action, was cheered by the admiral's ship; and the admiral himself publicly embraced me on the quarter-deck, and directed the band to play, See, the conquering hero comes.' Such compliments

[ocr errors]

are without example in the navy-I never could have deserved them."!

Upon the 5th of March, information was received at St. Vincent's of the insurrection at Grenada. Governor Seton ordered the signalof alarm to be fired, and in the evening the militia appeared in arms upon the parade. One-half were to do duty on Berkshire Hill during a certain number of days, when they were to be relieved by the others, and so on in rotation. The Queen's company to windward, and the Chateaubellair company to leeward, were left to guard their respective boundaries, and to forward to head-quarters any intimations respecting the Caribs' motions. On the following day, a planter, with his family, arrived in town from Mariaqua, who informed the governor that a friendly Carib had urged him to quit the island without delay, as his countrymen intended to proclaim war against the English within three days, and had determined to murder every one of them.

[ocr errors]

Governor Seton sent an aid-de-camp to the Caribs, who expressed the utmost surprize at the suspicions entertained against them. "They had," they said, " been once already deceived by the French; and their misconduct during the last war we had generously cancelled, and, since the peace, had displayed toward them the utmost kindness and humanity. No possible advantage could arise by their making war against us, and no pardon could be expected should they attempt it. They could not answer for those who resided at Grand Sable and Rabaccaw, not living in habits of intimacy with them; but could not discover, in any wise, that they intended to interrupt the tranquillity of the colony."

.

The next day, two Caribs who had been sent to the windward chiefs, Chatoyer and Duvalle, to summon them before the governor, returned, and said, that "they were of opinion that the Caribs had no intention of breaking with the English. But should the generality of them adopt a measure so absurd, they implored protection for themselves, their wives, and little ones, as they could not think of rendering themselves so detestable as to unite with them." Yet,

1

Coke's West Indies, vol. ii. p. 200.

CAPTAIN FAULKNOR'S LETTER TO HIS
MOTHER.

-

"His Majesty's ship Blanche, Barrington Bay, St. Lucia, April 4. "HONOURED MADAM.. Since my last of the 25th of March from Martinico, the fleet and troops have procedeed to this island, and found it an easy capture, after sustaining the fire from the different batteries, and intending to storm the strong fort of Morne Fortune, in which I was to have commanded a party of my own seamen of the Rose, which ship I had until this island was taken, when the admiral

was good enough to remove me to a frigate of thirty-two guns, the Blanche, where I mean to stop, not wishing to have a larger ship. The Rose was the first ship into Barrington Bay, so named by Sir John Jervis, it being the famous place where that good admiral made so gallant a defence in the late war. I think he will receive pleasure to hear of this event, and, had I a moment's time, I should not fail to write to him. We next proceed to Guadaloupe, where we shall probably meet with some opposition.—I am ever," &c.

Naval Chronicle, vol. xvi. p. 32.

on the Tuesday following, these men were foremost in plundering the very plantations where they had made these professions, and where they had resided, in ease and affluence, for more than ten years.

On Sunday evening information was received, that the Caribs in Mariaqua, in conjunction with the French, were plundering the estate of a French lady, who, with her family, were considered as well affected to the English. Captain Seton, the governor's son, was sent, with some volunteers, to apprehend the perpetrators. Late in the night, they fell in with some Carib and French huts, illuminated, and their inmates rioting on the plunder of the day. Only eighteen were made prisoners: these had the French national cockade in their caps, and arms and ammunition were found in the huts.

On Monday evening a reinforcement of thirty-four men was sent to windward to Captain Morgan, who expected to be attacked by the Caribs. The next morning they saw Mr. Gilchrist's house and plantations in flames; the troops immediately quickened their march, and got into a narrow range of high canes in a valley surrounded by hills: here they were sorely galled by the fire of the enemy, and retreated to join Captain Morgan, who determined to proceed to Kingston without delay. When they had advanced as far as Massarica river, they saw a body of Caribs, posted before them, on a ridge, which commanded the road. The Caribs made signs of peace, and so far imposed on some of the party, that they pronounced them friends, and encouraged the rest to go forward. As soon as they were completely exposed, the Caribs opened a destructive fire upon them, and another body of the enemy attacked them in the rear. A retreat was immediately determined upon, and effected, with the loss of sixteen of the finest young men in the colony. No quarter was given by the conquerors, who put their prisoners to death, by cutting off the legs and arms, and otherwise mangling their bodies.

Those who escaped spread terror and dismay by their reports. All the inhabitants of the windward country forsook their houses; and the Caribs burning every house and plantation, and putting every white man to death, advanced to Calliaqua. On Thursday morning they reached Dorsetshire Hill, pulled down the British flag, and hoisted the tri-coloured one in its place.

The Caribs to leeward, under Chatoyer, their commander-inchief, were not less active. They arrived at Chateaubellair on Tuesday morning, where they were joined, with the greatest zeal and eagerness, by all the French inhabitants, who became guides for the Caribs, and shewed them the hiding-places of the English as though ingratitude and murder were the proper returns for a repeated series of lavish acts of generosity.

Three white young men were taken prisoners, and carried to Dorsetshire Hill; where, upon the following Saturday, they were ordered out by Chatoyer, and massacred in the most shocking manner. Every exertion was used by the French and Caribs to render this position as strong as possible. With great labour they dragged one six and one four-pounder from Stubb's Bay, and had them mounted by Saturday night.

The English, in the meantime, removed their records, &c. to the fort on Berkshire Hill. Measures were also taken to secure the town; and the surrounding canes to a certain distance were burnt, that they might not conceal the approach of the Caribs. A post was established on Sion Hill. The Caribs were frequently seen on the estates belonging to Messrs. Kean and Sharp and once a small party advanced as far as the government house, none of which places are six furlongs from Kingston. The troops upon Sion Hill kept the enemy in awe, by a constant discharge of shot and shells.

On Wednesday morning, Captain Campbell, with a company of the 46th, arrived from Martinico; and in the course of the week, the Zebra sloop of war, and the Roebuck. These were opportune reinforcements; for the Caribs and French would have begun to bombard the town on the Sunday morning.

On Saturday at midnight, Captain Skinner, of his Majesty's sloop Zebra, led a party to storm Dorsetshire Hill. Lieutenants Hill and Samuel Grove of the navy followed. The company of the 46th, under Captain Carry, came next; and Major Whytell and Captain Campbell brought up the rear, with the militia and some armed Negroes. The ascent was by a winding and rugged path, and they got within eighty yards of the main post before they were discovered. Nothing could exceed the intrepidity of the assailants: they did not fire till they had approached within twenty yards, when Captain Skinner gave orders to fire and chargehe led the way himself, and was ably seconded by Lieutenants Hill and Grove. Captain Campbell of the 46th, and Major Whytell, stormed at another place; and in fifteen minutes the fate of the hill was decided. "Are you Chatoyer?" was the question asked the huge Carib chief, who fell, as he replied, “oui, b—e!” Major Leith, of the militia, killed him in single combat. His Royal Highness Prince William Henry had given Chatoyer a silver gorget, and this was found upon him.

The assailants had only five men killed and four wounded. Lieutenant Hill, of the Zebra, was one of the latter. Some of the enemy escaped, but several French and Caribs lay dead on the field.

In consequence of this defeat, the French abandoned their allies;

Coke's West Indies, vol. ii. pp. 205. 207.-The facts, which are not in Dr. Coke's West Indies, were given to the author by his old messmate, Captain S. Grove.

« AnteriorContinuar »