Some Account of the Public Life of the Late Lieutenant-General Sir George Prevost, Bart. / Particularly of His Services in the Canadas, Including a Reply to the Strictures on His Military Character, Contained in an Article in the Quarterly Review

by E. B. Brenton

No. IX.

Account of the Attack upon Dominica by a French Squadron, p. 9.

"It may easily be supposed that much alarm prevailed at home, when it was known that two such formidable fleets[103] of the enemy were actually at sea, and which were aggravated by reports of strong detachments of the Brest fleet having also escaped, with a view to some grand combined exertion of the enemy. Where the blow was to fall, occupied the public mind. Malta, Brazil, the British West Indies—a general junction of the whole of the combined force of the enemy, in order to cover a descent upon Ireland. In short, every possible point of annoyance or attack was warmly agitated in the public mind. At length intelligence was received on the 6th May, from the British Commander-in-Chief of the forces in the windward and leeward islands, that Dominica had been attacked on the 22nd February preceding, by a French armament of one three-decker, and four other line of battle ships, three frigates, two brigs of war, and a schooner, with about 4,000 landmen on board. Brigadier-General Prevost, the Governor of the island, immediately made the best dispositions for its defence, and opposed, with the small force under his command, the landing of the French inch by inch. At length the whole of the enemy's force, consisting of 4,000 men, under the cover of the tremendous fire of the Majestueux, of 120 guns, four 74's, and the frigates, having landed, and having made such a disposition as threatened to cut off the retreat of the Governor, and his few remaining troops from the town and fort of Prince Ruperts, and thereby reduce the whole island; General Prevost, with the utmost promptitude and presence of mind, directed the regular force, under Captain O'Connell, to make a forced march across the island, and join him at Prince Ruperts; to which place he himself repaired attended only by his staff, and arrived in 24 hours: the troops also arriving there with their wounded, after four days continued march, through the most difficult country existing. The Governor immediately took the necessary precautions to place the fort in the best state, and his appearance was so formidable, that the French Commander-in-Chief, after having in vain summoned him to surrender, thought proper, after levying a contribution upon the inhabitants of Roseau, which town had been set on fire, in the moment of attack, and had suffered severely by the conflagration, on the 27th, to reimbark his whole force; and after hovering a day or two in the bay, and about the port of Prince Ruperts, made easy sail towards Guadaloupe. Throughout the whole of this transaction, the highest praise is due to the Governor, and the British troops under his command. At one period 200 of the latter were opposed to more than 2,000 of the enemy, and under the command of the gallant Major Nunn, who unfortunately received a mortal wound in the action, and subsequently under Captain O'Connell, succeeded in withstanding them for more than two hours, and then effected their retreat, after having made much slaughter of the invaders. Nor should the militia of the island be without their due share of praise, for their exemplary bravery and steadiness. Upon the whole it may be stated, with perfect propriety, in the words of General Myers, that in this affair, had not the town of Roseau been accidentally destroyed by fire, we should have little to regret, and much in which to exult."—Annual Register for 1805, p. 220.