FOOTNOTES
[1] On our arrival we found several of the ships that had parted company on the voyage; and each day after brought more of them, till the whole were collected.
[2] I have given an exact representation of one of these boats in the view of the town and bay of St. Pierre.
[3] See in the Appendix, page 1.
[4] An idea was started of raising four hundred white men in the island of Barbadoes to augment the army; but there was not time to arm and discipline them; therefore it was dropped. However, a certain number of negroes were provided to attend the army, four hundred of whom were sent from Dominica for that service; some more were brought from St. Vincent's; and the council of Barbadoes made an offer of supplying a large number of them to serve on very liberal terms; but when the matter came to be investigated, the terms were found to be far from equitable, and therefore were rejected.—Mr. Baillie and Mr. Monro, two planters of Grenada, were here introduced to the Commanders in Chief, and were received on board the Boyne as guests, and treated with the greatest hospitality; they proceeded with us on the expedition. Mr. Gibbs, one of the council of Barbadoes, also accompanied us.
[5] During the landing of our troops, Lieutenant Bowen, who was in a gun-boat, perceived a number of the enemy collecting in the woods near the shore, and being scarce noticed by them, was suffered to approach without molestation, and having loaded his gun with langrege, he dealt such destruction among them, that they fled in all directions. A shot from the battery, which stuck in the larboard bow of the Boyne, when cut out, proved to be a thirty-four pounder, and to have been heated, but not sufficiently to do any mischief by fire.
[6] The Generous Friends transport, laden with officers' baggage, &c. dragged her anchor on the night of the 5th, struck against a rock at the entrance of the bay, and was wrecked. Fortunately, however, the hands on board and the baggage were saved.
[7] The French have since said that they fired on the boat because it had a white flag hoisted: this was a most ridiculous objection; for, though with them a mark of aristocracy, it has ever been acknowledged by all nations as a signal of peace and cessation from hostilities. However, we found it necessary afterwards to comply with their wishes; and whenever a boat was sent from either party on a truce, they carried the flag of the opposite party in the bow of the boat, and their own colours abaft.
[8] Vide Appendix, page 14.
[9] Vide Appendix, pages 10, 11, 12.
[10] Vide Appendix, page 16.
[11] They met with considerable opposition in this business; and the boats employed in landing the troops by some mistake got close under the enemy's batteries, before they discovered their situation. Our loss however was less than might have been expected. The Dromedary, venturing too near the battery of Point Negro, received a shot between wind and water, entering under the counter, and a second shot went through the quarter-deck barricade, killed one man, and wounded four, among whom was Captain Tatham.
[12] Vide Appendix, page 7.
[13] About this time the army had nearly experienced an irreparable loss. As General Dundas was writing in his tent, a notorious villain, of the name of Barbarose, presented himself at the door of the tent, demanding to speak with the General, who, to drive him away, called to the centinel to "bayonet the fellow;" on which, in his fright, he dropped a dagger well oiled; and on being seized, proved to have been the assassin of a French royalist.
[14] On our first arrival at the island of Martinique, the Commanders in Chief dispatched Captain Mason (aid de camp to the General) bearing a flag of truce, with a summons to the town of St. Pierre. Au Cane, the mayor, met him on the quay on horseback, attended by a numerous body of armed men, with a field piece; &c. and instead of reading the letter and summons, dismissed him rudely with threats.
[15] Information having arrived that some of the enemy had retired from St. Pierre to a five-gun battery on that part of the island, Major Manningham was dispatched with a strong detachment in flat-boats, under the protection of the Zebra sloop of war, and was completely successful in driving them from thence.
[16] According to the best account I could collect, ten killed and forty-four wounded.—I must here beg the reader will pardon the inaccuracy of my account of the killed and wounded in this and the other actions that took place. Though I have made every possible inquiry, I have not been able to meet with the regular returns, which must have been given in to the adjutant general's office at Martinique.
[17] The two six-pounders were to strengthen the post that commanded the road to Fort Royal by Dillon's house.
[18] One day, when the Commander in Chief met them on the road, they (being ignorant that a battery was appointed for them to serve in) surrounded the General, and offered him their services, swearing they thought it d——d hard to have all work and no fighting; and hoped his Honour would let them have some share in it. The General, with that kindness which won the hearts of all that had the happiness to serve under him, said, "Well, my lads, you shall have a battery to yourselves." On which, having saluted him with three hearty cheers, the honest fellows went readily to their work again.
[19] The Admiral had lately promoted Mr. Rosehill to the rank of Lieutenant for his spirited behaviour at Trinité.
[20] Who this day performed the funeral service over thirteen people belonging to the army and navy.
[21] As it was my lot to be much in the society of this excellent young man, having from the time we arrived in the West Indies enjoyed his friendship, and on several occasions accompanied him on service, afterwards attending him from the camp at Point Negro to the hospital at St. Pierre, and remaining with him at intervals till the time of his death: these circumstances will, I trust, plead my excuse for detaining the reader from more important events of the campaign while I pay the tribute of respect to the memory of my gallant but ill-fated friend. Mr. James Miln was a native of Arbroath in Scotland, and after serving for near thirteen years with credit in the navy, was promoted to a lieutenancy on board the Blanche frigate by Admiral Sir John Laforey, and was afterwards taken on board the Boyne as fifth lieutenant by Sir John Jervis on his arrival at Barbadoes. His general good conduct as a man and officer soon attracted the notice of the naval Commander in Chief (than whom no man is more quick sighted to discern merit, and happy to reward it). By him no doubt he would have been much employed on the most active service, had not that melancholy event taken place, which deprived the service of a good and brave officer, and left me only the sad task of deploring, while I commemorate the death of a friend, from the excellency of whose heart and understanding I was in hopes of reaping future entertainment and improvement.
[22] Since writing of this, news has arrived from the West Indies of the capture of a ship belonging to Victor Hughes (the present republican tyrant of Guadaloupe) loaded with wealth amassed by this plunderer to the amount of half a million sterling. Such has been the general conduct of the French Commanders, while ours have been vilified for claiming even the legal bounty for their suffering and exhausted followers.
[23] See Appendix, page 24.
[24] See Appendix, page 25.
[25] The same officer who distinguished himself by his gallantry in saving his Majesty's ship the Guardian at the Cape of Good Hope in the year 1789. See Gent. Mag. vol. lx. page 465.
[26] See Appendix, pages 26 and 27.
[27] Monsieur de Tourelles, the ancient lieutenant of the fort, either through fear, ignorance, or treachery, refused to run the ship in under pretence of shoals.
[28] The whole fleet, witnessing this gallant action, instantly saluted the British colours with three hearty cheers.
[29] The gallant defence made by General Rochambeau and his garrison was strongly manifested on our entering Fort Bourbon, as there was scarce an inch of ground untouched by our shot or shells; and it is but justice to say, it did them the highest honour.—Among the casualties that happened during the siege, the following deserves notice. A party of the besieged were in one of the chambers of the Bomb-proof in the Traverse, when a shell from one of our batteries fell into the arched way, and rebounding, burst the door of the chamber, and killed the whole party.
[30] It is much to the credit of the officers, who served on shore from the landing on the island till the reduction of Fort Bourbon, a period of forty-seven days, that they shared the same hardships as the privates without a murmur, sleeping in their clothes the whole time; and being so situated that they seldom could have the benefit of tents or any kind of hovel, they were exposed continually to the heavy rains and nocturnal damps which in a tropical climate so severely try the constitution; but, owing (as it was imagined) to the flannel shirts which were invariably worn by all ranks, they, as yet, suffered less from sickness than could have been expected.
[31] By us called Pigeon Island. On it is a very strong battery, which commands a great distance.
[32] The conduct and abilities of Colonel Coote in this enterprise gained him the particular thanks of the Commander in Chief, whose orders he had so ably executed; and he was well supported by the whole of his department, particularly by Major Evatt, Captains Buchanan, Crosbie, Welch, Thomas Grey (one of the General's aid de camps), and Stovin; also by Major of Brigade Vischer, with Lieutenant Drozier, and the detachment of royal artillery, who spiked the guns.
[33] The garrison that marched out with General Ricard, and laid down their arms as prisoners of war, were about three hundred men, troops of the line (among which one hundred and twenty-five were of the regiment d'Aunai), some artillery, and a few people of colour. General Ricard, at his own request, was sent to America, as had been General Rochambeau, who chose that place in preference to his own distracted country, where the system of blood that was then the order of the day under the tyranny of Robespierre, would have immolated even these men, who had with so much bravery defended the posts intrusted to them by their country.
[34] The General transmitted also a plan of the projected works on Morne Fortuné, earnestly recommending them to be finished, as it was a very strong post, not commanded, but commanding every other post around it.
[35] The revenue department was however an exception to this arrangement of the civil departments, as the purpose of trade could not of course be answered through the forms of a French custom-house, or the revenue laws adhered to but by the establishment of our own people to carry on that necessary branch. Those places therefore in the district of the island of Martinique, which were immediately necessary to be filled, were attended to, and a list of them sent home, that when his majesty's pleasure should be made known with regard to the future civil government, they might be put in motion without any delay.
[36] Consisting of the Boyne, Irresistible, Veteran, Winchelsea, Solebay, Quebec, Ceres, Blanche, Rose, Woolwich, Experiment, and Roebuck, together with the transports with troops, and the ordnance and hospital ships and victuallers.
[37] As this is an office, I believe, hitherto unknown in the navy, I shall explain the reason of its being now established. The Admiral had in a former war experienced the attention and zeal of Mr. Weir, and being well acquainted with the fatigue and danger that would unavoidably be the lot of his surgeon, if he did his duty, he pitched upon him for that office, and as an encouragement he procured permission to appoint a surgeon general to the navy, and his appointment did honour to his discernment. Mr. Weir was indefatigable in attending the wounded and sick in his own ship, and equally ready to visit others; and even where his duty had no demand on him, his humanity led him to give his advice and assistance. In his mode of treatment of that dreadful disease, the yellow fever, he was more successful than was generally the case, as the Boyne lost a less proportion of patients under that afflicting malady than any other ship on the expedition.
[38] Lieutenant George Vaughan of the Boyne was this day promoted to the command of the Zebra sloop, and the Chaplain of the Boyne was appointed to the chaplaincy of the garrison of Guadaloupe, there being no other chaplain on the expedition; but government at home did not think fit to confirm the appointment. Lieutenant Davers of the Boyne was promoted to be acting commander of the Inspector, from whence he was promoted to the command of the Bull Dog sloop. Lieutenant Ogle was also appointed acting commander of the Assurance.
[39] After the islands were captured, a small reinforcement arrived, which was to be retained by Sir Charles Grey, if he thought fit; but as he knew it was much wanted to carry on the war at St. Domingo, and as it was insufficient to enable him to undertake an expedition against Cayenne, which he at first intended, he sent it on to Jamaica, under the command of Brigadier General Whyte; and Lieutenant Colonel Lennox, who came out soon after, he dispatched thither also.
[40] Admiral Rodney used to say of these people, that "they were smugglers in peace, and traitors in war;" an opinion, I believe, confirmed by repeated experience.
[41] Of this General Sir Charles Grey himself shared.
[42] During the time that Fort Bourbon was besieging we sent a summons to the town of St. Pierre, which was rejected with an uncommon degree of insolence, and Captain Mason (the General's aid de camp, who went with the flag of truce) was insulted. About a fortnight afterwards the place was taken by storm, without any capitulation, consequently subject to plunder by the custom of war; but so far from any irregularity being suffered, a drummer was hanged by order of General Dundas for attempting it; and such exact discipline and quiet behaviour was maintained among the troops, that the shops were opened the day after the capture. From the time of the refusal of the summons to the final capture, the republicans continued to load all the property and produce on board vessels under American colours, which they did constantly, in order to deprive the captors of their just rights, in case the place should be taken.—Interested American merchants were continually endeavouring to wrest the hard-earned prize money from the army and navy, while they were supplying the enemy with provisions and other necessaries.
[43] Consisting of four thousand six hundred and forty-two men.
[44] He was interred on the 4th of June, with all military honours, on one of the highest batteries in Fort Matilda, which, from that circumstance, was called Dundas's battery, and a stone with a suitable inscription was placed over his remains. The command of the forces, and the government of Guadaloupe, now devolved on Lieutenant Colonel Blundell of the forty-fourth regiment.
[45] This armament appears to have sailed from Rochfort about the 25th of April, and to have been forty-one days on the passage.
[46] Their success appears to have been greatly accelerated by the treachery or cowardice of several French royalists then in the fort, who offered their services to sally on the besiegers. Accordingly they marched out; but, on approaching the enemy, they were panic struck and fled, and few of them returned to Fleur d'Epée. The British merchants and sailors from the town of Point à Pitre had thrown themselves into this fort to assist the garrison, which was greatly reduced by sickness and death. This little band, under command of Lieutenant Colonel Drummond of the forty-third regiment, did all that gallant men could do; twice they repulsed the assailants; but at length, overpowered by numbers, and the royalists having demanded that the gates should be thrown open, and the enemy now pouring in from all sides, the few remaining troops were obliged to make the best retreat they could to Point à Pitre, which, not being tenable after the loss of Fleur d'Epée, was abandoned by them, and they crossed over to Basse Terre. In this affair, besides the loss of many others, Captain Suckling of the artillery was wounded at his gun by a bayonet, and left behind at Point à Pitre.—There were in Guadaloupe when taken by the French a larger proportion of troops than in either of the other conquered islands.
[47] Accompanied also by the Honourable Captain Stewart, brother to Lord Garlies; who having received permission to return to England, handsomely came forward at this time to offer himself as a volunteer.
In this second campaign (see Appendix, page 37) Colonel Symes, Colonel Francis Dundas, and Colonel Sir Charles Gordon, were promoted to the rank of brigadier general.
[48] See the Appendix, page 32.
[49] On the 18th of June, Lieutenant Colonels Coote and Cradock arrived from St. Christopher's, where they had been detained by the yellow fever, which they had caught on board a transport in which they were proceeding to England on leave of absence, and though not recovered from the baneful effects of that disease, they now came forward to offer their services to the Commanders in Chief, which were accepted in a manner highly honourable to both parties.
[50] In the afternoon one hundred and eighty seamen from the Boyne, Commanded by Lieutenants Wolley, Thomson, and Maitland, landed under the Salines to windward of Grozier, and took post on the heights near that place; other parties of seamen also were landed at Grozier, forming altogether a strong reinforcement for the army.
[51] With whom on this occasion Lieutenant Thomson served as a volunteer.
[52] In this business Lieutenant Wolley had some narrow escapes. The commanding officer of the fort rushed out of the guard-room on the alarm, with a lighted match in his hand. He first fired an amuzet, luckily pointed in an opposite direction; he then three times attempted to fire a twenty-four pounder as Mr. Wolley and his men were advancing to the muzzle of it; but fortunately, either from the dampness of the powder, or trepidation of the man, it missed taking effect; on which he flung down his match, and retreated to the further end of the fort, whither Mr. Wolley followed; but, from the darkness of the night, he soon lost sight of him. As he returned he was met by his own men, who, taking him for an enemy, were about to put him to death, when his voice discovered their mistake. Had the cannon in the first instance gone off, it must have made considerable havock among our men, as it was loaded with a bag of musket balls.—This day Captain Armstrong of the 8th regiment, was killed by a cannon ball at the landing-place at Grozier, while giving directions to a serjeant about some ordnance which was to be landed there. He was on horseback, and had just remarked, that there could be no danger from the fire at Fleur d'Epée at that place; a shot, however, from the fort dipped over the point of land which seemed to shelter the landing-place, and cut him asunder. He has often been heard to say that he thought that a man must be truly unfortunate who fell by a single cannon ball.
[53] In this affair Captain Morrison of the 58th regiment was killed by a musket ball through his head as he was leading his men on to the attack; he fell regretted by all who knew him, being an accomplished, amiable, and brave man: I too felt severely on this occasion, having enjoyed much of his society and friendship. The Commander in Chief, who knew his worth, paid the tribute of applause to his memory; and the Admiral, when he heard of his fall, exclaimed, "He has left few equals behind him."
[54] A young officer, formerly of Walsh's regiment, took this opportunity of escaping to us. His name was Clarke, his family of Martinique, where his father was a counsellor at law. He had been imprisoned three months at Bourdeaux, on his endeavouring to avoid joining the armies on the frontiers, and was released to embark on this expedition, as the only chance of rejoining his friends. He reported, that one Fremont, a daring fellow, who, though not first in command, had great influence, was killed this morning on the walls of Fleur d'Epée, by a musket-ball from one of our people. The enemy lost in this action upwards of three hundred men. On the 29th, the Commander in Chief sustained a heavy loss in the death of Captain Newton Ogle, of the 70th regiment, one of his excellency's aid-de-camps; he was a young man of an excellent understanding, and had distinguished himself on all occasions where his exertions had been called forth.
[55] Lieutenant Wolley of the Boyne, was appointed acting major of brigade; and Lieutenants Thomson and Maitland, and Mr. Oswald, commanded the three companies of seamen.
[56] One of the frigates in the harbour did great execution; by a single discharge of grape-shot, killing three officers and thirty-six privates of the light infantry, who were unfortunately drawn up in a street effectually commanded by her guns.
[57] General Symes died soon after of his wound.
[58] Captain Burnet of the 43d regiment, who had led his company of grenadiers into the town, was blown up at the time Captain Robertson was killed. His clothes being on fire, were pulled off by his brother officers. His face and hands were rendered entirely black by the explosion. In this situation he first received a musket-ball which broke his arm, and was then met by his own grenadiers, who, taking him for one of the French blacks, attacked him with charged bayonets, and wounded him in three places before he could make himself known to them. The instant they discovered their mistake they expressed the utmost horror and contrition, and brought off this excellent officer in their arms; who, I am happy to be enabled to add, survived, notwithstanding the dreadful situation he was in. Lieutenant Conway of the 60th regiment, was also blown up, and in that condition continued to lead on his men and encourage them, till unfortunately he fell by a musket-ball through his body.
[59] General Grey was waiting on Morne Mascot for Brigadier General Symes's signal of his having succeeded in taking the heights near Point à Pitre; having the second battalion of grenadiers, the 65th regiment, and six companies of Grand Terre, and second battalion of seamen commanded by Captain Sawyer, ready to attack Fort Fleur d'Epée by storm.
[60] Our loss in killed, wounded, and missing, amounted to thirty-eight officers, forty-three serjeants, and six hundred and eleven privates.
I must here beg leave to add an extract from Admiral Sir J. Jervis's public letters to the Lords of the Admiralty on this subject. "The fate of Captain Lewis Robertson, who had distinguished himself highly, fills my mind with the deepest regret; he had long been a child of misfortune, although he possessed talents to merit every success and prosperity; and, as I am informed, has left a widow and infant family unprovided for. I beg leave to recommend them to the protection and good offices of their lordships, to obtain a suitable provision, which will be a great encouragement to officers in similar circumstances, to emulate so great an example."
The celebrated Brigadier General Arnold, being on business of a mercantile nature at Point à Pitre, was captured at the time the place fell into the hands of the republicans, and, being apprehensive of ill treatment, changed his name to Anderson. He was put on board a prison-ship in the harbour, and had considerable property in cash with him, of which, it is supposed, Fremont and Victor Hughes were informed, as he received an intimation from one of the French sentries, that he was known, and would soon be guillotined. On this alarming intelligence he determined to attempt an escape, which he effected in the following masterly manner. At night he lowered into the sea a cask containing clothes and valuables, with a direction on it, that if it floated to the shore of our camp at Berville, it might be known, and restored to him; he then lowered down his cloak bag to a small raft which he had prepared, on which also he got himself, and proceeded to a small canoe, in which he pushed for the British fleet, directed by the Admiral's lights. On his making towards the mouth of the harbour he was challenged by the French row guard, but by the darkness of the night escaped from them, and arrived on board the Boyne by four o'clock on Monday morning, the 30th of June.
During the whole time of this latter campaign the fever, which had been so destructive the preceding year, continued to rage in our army and navy with unabated violence. General Grey lost all the servants he brought from England by it, including two who had lived with him for many years. It first broke out with violence when the former campaign ended.
[61] Among the many causes of uneasiness that now bore hard upon the Commanders in Chief (by the failure of their well-concerted plans, the dreadful mortality among their troops, and the despair of reinforcements arriving from Europe) the misconduct of one high in estimation as an officer, and hitherto looked upon as a man of strict integrity, was not the least galling. The case was this: At the taking of St. Lucia, Colonel Sir Charles Gordon, who had repeatedly distinguished himself by his gallant conduct, was appointed governor of that island, and in the last promotion was advanced to the rank of brigadier general; soon after which some very unpleasant reports prevailed, of extortions and peculations by him, and taking bribes of the inhabitants, who were supposed to be disaffected, in order to suffer them to remain on the island, and then breaking his word with them. At length a regular complaint was laid before the Commander in Chief, who instantly ordered a court martial to be summoned, and sent an officer to St. Lucia to arrest Sir Charles Gordon, and convey him to Martinique, in order for trial. At this time the fever raged so violently that the two first courts-martial that met on this business, were dissolved by the death of a majority of the members. At length, in order to prevent the like accident from again interrupting the course of justice, the General appointed a greater number of officers than usual to attend, and the trial proceeded; the event of which was, that the prisoner was found guilty of the crimes laid to his charge, and was sentenced to refund the money he had extorted, and to be rendered incapable of serving his majesty again: but, in consequence of some favourable circumstances that came out on the trial, he was allowed to sell his commission. See Appendix, pages 42, 43, 48.
[62] The horses that were sent from America for the purpose of mounting the light dragoons, were so bad, that only three out of forty were sound, or fit for service, insomuch that Captain Hare was obliged to present a memorial to the Commander in Chief on the subject.
[63] Consisting of seventy rank and file only.
[64] I am sorry to add, that this officer soon afterwards fell a victim to the yellow fever.
[65] In one of these attacks Monsieur Vermont was shot through the body, his lieutenant, Monsieur De Lisle, was shot through his breast, and another of his officers killed; in this situation he beat off the enemy. This gallant, but unfortunate officer, was, at the beginning of the revolution, possessed of a good estate near Trois Riviere on Basse Terre, which soon made him an object of republican vengeance; his house was attacked, but he escaped into the woods, supposing that his amiable wife would be safe from their fury, being far advanced in her pregnancy; but the monsters, not regarding her situation, put her to death with circumstances of barbarity too dreadful to relate, and such as would fill, I trust, every Briton's breast with the utmost horror; his aged mother too, and beautiful sister, shared the same fate. He was taken and thrown into prison at Fort Matilda, to reserve him for a public spectacle on the guillotine, when we arrived, and released him from thence by the capture of the island.
[66] Their conduct prior to, and since the enemy had attacked the camp, deserved a far better fate: finding themselves excluded from terms of capitulation, they wished permission to cut their way through the enemy's army, by which a few of them, at least, might escape, and the rest meet an honourable death; but this request, it is said, was refused; perhaps it was believed that on their capture the enemy would relent, and not put their sanguinary threats into execution. Two of these unfortunate men hastened to the shore, in hopes of getting on board the covered boat; but being disappointed, and aware of the fate that awaited them, they instantly shot themselves on the beach. On hearing of this melancholy business, General Grey published an order that did equal honour to his feelings and his mind. See Appendix, page 53.
[67] This part of the agreement, however, was not complied with, as they remained prisoners for more than a year afterwards, during which time many of them died.
[68] General Prescott had so small a force in that quarter, that he could not possibly afford any material assistance to General Graham; but he had made an effort by sending a detachment from the 35th regiment to support some royalists at St. Marié, which however proved ineffectual; and the numbers at Martinique being now too small for the defence of it, General Grey was unable to afford any assistance from thence; however he ordered the flank companies of the 4th battalion, of the 60th regiment from St. Vincent's, and part of the 21st from St. Christopher's, to reinforce Brigadier General Graham. Fortunately, however, they arrived too late, as their numbers were inadequate to save it, and they afterwards made part of the garrison at Fort Matilda.
[69] This gentleman, after having enjoyed a lucrative post, was unwilling to lose the fruits of it, and, instead of rendering any assistance to General Prescott, he took French leave, not forgetting to carry with him a chest well lined, in order to render his residence at Antigua comfortable.
[70] The republican officer who came with him informed us that he saw the execution of the unfortunate royalists, and that twenty-seven heads were struck off in seven minutes and a half!
[71] On the 19th of October the Admiral sent Lieutenant Skynner with a party of seamen to a battery at the N. W. end of the town, from whence he brought off some cannon and mortars.
[72] On the 2d of November, Captain Miller was promoted to the command of the Vanguard, Captain Sawyer being removed to the Assurance, vice Captain Bryer, deceased; and Lieutenant Launcelot Skynner of the Boyne, was appointed commander of the Experiment, vice Captain Miller.
[73] Fort Matilda, formerly Fort Charles, was at first a battery only, erected to command the road; afterwards it was enclosed as a depot for arms and ammunition in case of insurrection among the slaves; and during the last war the French added to its outworks, which were now totally in ruins, but served the enemy, particularly those on the opposite side of the Galion river, as trenches, and effectually covered their musketry that commanded the principal works of the besieged: in short, the fort was completely commanded on the three sides by land, so that not a man in it could move without being seen by the enemy.
[74] During the siege a cannon ball took off the fore part of the General's hat. He coolly observed, "that a miss was as good as a mile!"
[75] So much having been said of this man, it may be agreeable to the reader to be informed of his origin, and pursuits in the former part of his life.—Victor Hughes was originally a petty inn-keeper at Basse Terre, Guadaloupe; from whence he was driven for some misdemeanor, and became master of a small trading vessel at St. Domingo; then a lieutenant in the French navy; and afterwards a deputy in the national assembly: from whence he came out to the West Indies as commissioner, with controlling powers over the commanders of the army and navy. His abilities were certainly good, his courage and perseverance undoubted; but, from the ferocity of his character, he was both feared and hated. Colonel Drummond, who with his small party was taken at Point Bacchus, relates that the republicans put to death all the sick they found in the hospital at Petit Bourg, many of the women, and some children, cutting off heads, and otherwise mutilating the bodies; that, as the men who surrendered with him at Point Bacchus, fainted in their march, they were instantly bayonetted; the Colonel himself was, by particular directions from Victor Hughes, ordered to clean the prison ship in turn with the others; but from this disgrace he was relieved by the dutiful attachment of his men, who would not permit it: his food and lodging were the same as the rest, no attention being paid to his rank; but from the respect and good behaviour of his men, not one of whom would desert from him. A great number of people of all ages, sexes, and conditions, were condemned to the guillotine by this inexorable tyrant, all of whom were conducted in boats round the prison ship, in order to distress and intimidate the British prisoners.