I obtained a Commission in the Army of His late Majesty King George III., at a very early age, through the influence of Lord Hutchinson, at that time British Ambassador at the Court of St. Petersburg, and joined the 2nd Battalion of the 8th (or King’s) Regiment of Foot, in the year 1808, at Chester. Being anxious to be employed on foreign service, I obtained leave in the same year to join the 1st Battalion of the Regiment at Halifax, in Nova Scotia, and towards the close of that year embarked again with a division of troops under Sir Geo. Prevost, to attack the French islands of Martinique, Guadaloup, &c., in the West Indies. The Halifax Division consisted of the 8th, 13th, 7th, and 23rd Fusileers, with Artillery and Engineers; and we joined the West Indian Division under the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Geo. Beckwith, at Barbadoes.
During the voyage from Halifax, the convoy, including a large fleet of transports, encountered a “white squall,” which only lasted about fifteen minutes. From the fury of the tempest the sea could not rise; it was smooth as a table, but covered with a dense white foam. The fleet had been carrying a press of sail, especially the dull sailers; when, like a clap of thunder, it was suddenly thrown on its beam ends. Sails were torn into ribbons and small spars and wreck were flying in all directions. Heavy rains then descended, followed by a dead calm, when an enormous sea arose—ships on the crest of the waves, finding others in the gulph below them under no control, and in imminent danger of crushing each other. Damages were repaired, and without any serious losses the fleet proceeded on its voyage.
The united force sailed from Barbadoes for Martinique, accompanied by the West India squadron, commanded by Sir Alexander Cochrane, who took up a position with the West Indian Division of Troops outside of Port Royal Harbour, on the west side of the island. The North American Division landed at Bay Robert, on the east side, and after two days’ sharp fighting drove the French force, consisting of four regiments of the line and about 11,000 Militia, across the island, when they took refuge in the strong fortress of Fort Bourbon, disbanding their Militia. On this occasion I had the honour of carrying the King’s colours of my regiment.
The siege of the fortress, armed with over 200 pieces of heavy ordnance, then commenced. The 8th Regiment was placed in position along a range of hills facing the fort, being a coffee plantation, forming part of the estate of the Empress Josephine of France. The ground had been recently broken up, and there being no tents, the heavy tropical rains severely tested the constitutions of the soldiers, who left their moulds in the loose earth on rising each following morning.
The mortar and breaching batteries maintained a heavy fire for about six weeks, when two breaches being reported practicable, the storming parties were told off for the assault on the following morning. At the dawn of day, however, a white flag was discernible; the garrison surrendered, marched out with the honours of war at 12 o’clock, piled arms, and were immediately placed on board transports for conveyance to Europe.
Four Imperial Eagles, the first Napoleon had ever lost, were among the trophies; afterwards placed in the Royal Chapel at Whitehall, London. The 8th Regiment chanced to encounter the French 8th of the line on this occasion, as it had previously done in Egypt; and was presented by the Commander-in-Chief with the fine set of brass drums delivered up by the latter corps.
Just previous to the arrival of the expedition, a French frigate, heavily laden with gunpowder for the garrison, had arrived at Martinique; but before it could be landed, preparations for cutting her out having been observed amongst the English fleet, she was blown up at night by the French. The whole island was shaken by the explosion; and the mountain of fire, with floating wreck clearly visible, was inconceivably grand and awful.
At this time, war with America appearing to be imminent, the North American Division was immediately embarked, and sailed for the defence of these provinces, landing at Halifax.
The 8th Regiment was ordered to embark, and sailed for Quebec in 1810, when it was thought the navigation of the River St. Lawrence would be open. The transports passed through the Gut of Causo towards evening, and entered the Gulf of St. Lawrence. About midnight they found themselves surrounded by broken ice, and four of the ships put back; but that in which I sailed continued her course. For three days and nights she was imperilled amongst floes of broken ice; fortunately, however, to leeward of a field of ice extending about 40 miles in length. The nights were dark, and men were placed on the bowsprit to watch the floating ice and give warning for the ship to put about. Very often the time was insufficient, and the ship’s sides were so frequently felt to be grinding against the ice, that it was feared the planks might not be able to resist such frequent abrasions. A few days later she cleared the Gulf and entered the noble River St. Lawrence, 90 miles wide at its mouth, and 400 miles distant from Quebec. On approaching the city the scene was magnificent. On the right, the large Island of Orleans—a perfect garden. Further on, the Falls of Montmorency, 240 feet high; and in front, the river here taking a bend, the Citadel, and the City of Quebec on a very lofty elevation. The latter has a most remarkable appearance, all the steeples and houses being covered with bright tin, to facilitate the snow in shooting off from the roofs.
Both banks of the river, so far as it had been settled by the French in Lower Canada, were laid out on a uniform military plan—a town with a steeple every nine miles, where the Captain of Militia was stationed, one of his lieutenants being on the other flank and another in the centre.