1755
1756
The island of Minorca, at which the King's Own were stationed, and where they were eventually called upon to perform most arduous and trying services, is the second of the Balearic islands, situated in the Mediterranean near the coast of Spain. This island had fallen successively under the dominion of the Carthaginians, the Romans, the Vandals, the Moors, the Arragonese, and the Castilians, and in 1708 it was captured by the British for the house of Austria; but at the peace of Utrecht, when the Austrian family was excluded from the throne of Spain, it was ceded to Great Britain; it had remained a part of the possessions of the British crown, and was garrisoned by a company of artillery and four regiments of foot. In this small island, which is diversified with hills and valleys, and in some parts rich in vegetation and abounding with the necessaries and many of the luxuries of life, the King's Own passed two years, during which time a dispute between the governments of France and England, respecting the extent of their possessions in North America, had occasioned a war between the two kingdoms, and in the early part of 1756 the French made preparations at Toulon and Marseilles for the capture of Minorca.
At this period the King's Own occupied extensive quarters in the several towns on the island, and their regimental head-quarters were at Ciudadella, the capital. The other corps were at Port-Mahon, which is stated to be one of the finest harbours in the world, and at Fort St. Philip; and the brave Lieut.-General Blakeney was lieut.-governor and commander-in-chief on the island. The regiments on the island were not discouraged at the preparations making in France; on the contrary, an officer, in a letter published at the time, observed,—"Our spirits are so good, our garrison so hearty, and our supplies so ample, that if our works do not defend us, and we defend our works until we can be relieved by a strong hand, we deserve to be buried in their ruins."
The French armament, commanded by Marshal Duke de Richelieu, arrived at Minorca in the middle of April, and effected a landing at Ciudadella on the 18th of that month; and as no part of the island was fortified to resist so powerful a force, excepting Fort St. Philip, situate on a rocky promontory at the entrance to the harbour of Port Mahon, the King's Own were withdrawn from the interior, and effected their retreat to the fort with the loss of one corporal taken prisoner by the enemy.
Preparations were made for a vigorous defence of the fort, and the French commander encountered so gallant and determined a resistance, that he was obliged to send for additional forces. The perseverance and endurance of the garrison became the subject of much admiration, and the vigilance and bravery of the officers inspired the troops with confidence. On the 19th of May the British fleet was descried bearing towards the island, and the men having become much exhausted by hard duty, looked forward for the expected relief with anxiety; but were disappointed: Admiral Byng, after skirmishing with the French squadron, retired, and was afterwards brought to trial for his conduct and shot. Lieut.-General Thomas Fowke, then commanding at Gibraltar, was also brought to trial for not sending a reinforcement from that garrison to Minorca, and was sentenced to be suspended from his appointment for one year. King George II. confirmed the sentence, but directed Lieut.-General Fowke to be dismissed from the service.
Although abandoned to their fate, Lieut.-General Blakeney and the four regiments under his orders defended their post with great gallantry; the men were nearly worn out with incessant duty and watching, so that they frequently fell asleep under a heavy cannonade; yet they persevered with astonishing resolution. About midnight on the 27th of June, a general assault was made at several different points; the garrison met the assailants with great courage, and repulsed them several times with much slaughter; many of the sick and wounded men came out of the hospital to join in the defence. Though repulsed at several points, the enemy, after much hard fighting, gained three of the out-works. Upon this subject a military historian observes,—"So many attacks made at one time against so small a body of men, who had such a variety of works to defend, it is rather a matter of surprise that the enemy were repulsed at so many, and succeeded at so few places."[25]
On the following day conditions of capitulation were tendered. "Thus did four regiments, and one company of artillery, maintain the fort against such numbers of the enemy by sea and land for such a length of time as can, perhaps, scarcely be paralleled in history. The terms on which the fort was at last surrendered by a handful of men, so distressed, so shattered, and so neglected, remain a lasting monument to their honour."[26]
The following is an extract from the articles of capitulation.
"The noble and vigorous defence which the English have made, having deserved all the marks of esteem and veneration which every military man ought to show to such actions, and Marshal Richelieu, being desirous also to show to General Blakeney the regard due to the defence he has made, grants to the garrison all the honours of war they can enjoy under the circumstances of going out for an embarkation; to wit, firelock on their shoulders, drums beating, colours flying, twenty cartridges each man, and also lighted match. He consents also that General Blakeney and his garrison carry away all the effects that belong to them."