1707
In June, 1707, an opportunity offered of co-operating with the Duke of Savoy and Prince Eugene, in an intended attack upon Toulon: the fleet proceeded for the coast of Italy, where it anchored, on the 28th of June, between Nice and Antibes, about a league from the Var: after a conference between the commanders-in-chief, it was decided that a joint attack should be made upon a part of the enemy’s army then entrenched upon that river: the positions, being evacuated by the enemy, were immediately occupied by six hundred British seamen and marines: the passage was thus secured for the Duke of Savoy to prosecute his designs, and frigates were stationed along different parts of the sea-coast: every aid was afforded by the fleet both as to men and cannon; but the enemy having daily augmented his forces, and having made a successful sally, the siege was raised on the 10th of August, 1707, after a loss of more than a thousand men. The French, from a sudden dread of consequences, sunk a number of their largest ships of war, which were ever after unfit for service.
1708
King Charles having urged the reduction of Sardinia, with a view to open a passage for his troops in Naples to attack Sicily, as well as to secure a supply of provisions for his armies, a body of marines was withdrawn from Tarragona, a strong sea-port and garrison in Catalonia, to assist in this enterprise. On the 12th of August, 1708, the whole arrived before Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia; and on receiving an equivocal answer to the summons to surrender, the bombardment commenced on that evening, and continued, without intermission, until the next morning, when at the break of day Major-General Wills (thirtieth regiment) and the whole of the marines, with one Spanish regiment, were landed. The place, in consequence, almost immediately surrendered.
The whole having been re-embarked, the fleet again set sail on the 18th of August, 1708, for Minorca, and arrived at Port Mahon on the 28th of that month.
At this period two of the Marine regiments were drafted, and the officers and men were incorporated into the other four, now employed on this service: this measure had become necessary in order to supply the casualties which had occurred, and to render these corps effective. For this purpose all the marines capable of duty, were drawn from the fleet about to return home, in order to assist in the reduction of an island, which, it was expected, would make a spirited and tedious defence.
The first attack was against Fort Fornede, which was cannonaded by two of the ships, and surrendered after a contest of four hours; a detachment having been pushed to Citadella the capital, it surrendered without resistance:—the batteries were opened on the works defending the town of Port Mahon on the 17th of September, when, after a short but brisk fire, and the loss of only six men, a lodgment was effected under the walls of St. Philip’s Castle; and on the next day the place surrendered.
Thus was this strong fortress, and the important Island of Minorca, gained by a force of only two thousand four hundred men; the garrison consisted of one thousand soldiers, with upwards of one hundred pieces of cannon mounted.
Admiral Sir George Byng arrived at Lisbon on the 14th of October, from Portsmouth, having Her Majesty the Queen of Portugal on board; but although many other objects of service were in contemplation, nothing further was attempted during the remainder of the year 1708.