Then the Commissioners propounding a fortnight’s pay to the soldiery instead of the pillage of St. Domingo, the chief city of Hispaniola, Venables prevailed with them to be content with six weeks pay. But when that would not be yielded to by the Commissioners, he requested the officers and soldiers, without standing on any terms, to venture their lives with him, and trust to Providence for the issue and reward; which they agreed unto for that time, but withal many of them declared they would never strike stroke more, where there should be commissioners thus to controul the general and soldiers, but would forthwith return for England.
By this time they drew near to Hispaniola; the land general and officers were for running the fleet into the harbour of St. Domingo, but they of the fleet opposed it, Penn assured them there was a bomb which would hinder their advance; though Cox, being called in, said he believed there was none, yea, declared among the soldiers, that he conceived the harbour was incapable of any thing of that kind. During the debate about this matter, Captain Crispin, who commanded a frigate, offered to venture the running in of his vessel into the harbour, and bore up so near as to fire on the castle of St. Domingo, and discovered nothing of any bomb, or other obstruction, as he after declared; yet was he commanded off by Penn. Then they of the army resolved at a council of war, among other things, that one regiment staying to land to the east of the city, which fell by lot to Col. Butler; the rest of the army should land some miles distant at the river Hine, the place where Drake landed, and force the fort which stood at the mouth of it: yet they of the fleet carried the army westward to Point Nizas, whence they had to march above thirty miles north to the city, through a strange, woody, and very hot country, where no water could be found, and many of them had but two days victuals delivered them from the fleet, none above three. The mean while Cox, who was designed to be guide to the land forces, had been sent by Penn a fishing, and was not returned, nor could be heard of at the landing; in the want of him, Venables desired to have had Bounty, or Fernes, who also was acquainted with the Island, but Penn would not part with either of them.
So soon as they were landed, the Commissioners appointed the publishing of an order against plundering, and that all pillage should be brought in unto a common store; but therein gave Venables liberty to promise the soldiers, in case the city should be taken by storm, six weeks pay, or a moiety of the pillage, excepting arms, ammunition, and such like: or in case it should be surrendered, three weeks pay, or a third of the pillage. This was signed by Penn, Winslow, and Butler.
The soldiers, who were before disgusted, were by this exasperated into mutiny. A sea regiment, which came ashore, was the first that laid down arms; and by their example all the rest. And much ado Venables had in any sort to pacify them; at last they were persuaded to march, though with much discontent: and in that unsatisfied, mutinying humour, they marched four days without any guide, tormented with heat, hunger and thirst, when they might have landed at the place best fitted for attack, fresh on the first day.
The mean while Col. Buller had, according to his order, essayed to land eastward of the city; but finding no place for it, was afterwards appointed by the Commissioners to land at Hine river, but with express order not to stir thence till the army came up. Accordingly he landed on Monday, April 17, and with him Col. Houldip, and 500 of his regiment, having Cox in their company. At their approaching, the Spaniards abandoned the fort near the river mouth, leaving two great guns dismounted, and the walls, as much as their haste would allow, dismantled. This encouraged Buller to pursue them towards the city; but in the narrow passes of the woods, he missed his way, and came to some plantations vacant and waterless, purposing there to expect the army: yet next morning sent out a party to descry the fort St. Hieronimo, who exposed themselves too much to view, and alarmed the Spaniards.
Soon after Buller had marched from the fort where he landed, the army came to the other side of the river Hine, but could not pass it, wanting a guide to shew them the ford, which induced them to march five miles up the river, seeking one; and at last, the day being spent, they were forced to quarter that night without either food or good fresh water. Next day, after three miles march more, a ford was found, and the river passed, and they had not gone far, when a farm with water chancing in their way, gave them great refreshment. Where making a halt, and consulting what was meet for them to do, they resolved to go to the fleet at the harbour for provision for their hungry men; to which an Irishman, then brought in by some stratagem, offered to guide them the shortest way. And though Venables was jealous of him, and would not have heeded him, yet Commissioner Butler would have him followed, and charged them by virtue of their instructions so to do; and follow him they did, till a fruitless march three or four miles the contrary way, proved him a liar. At last, hearing Buller’s drums, they made towards him, and met with him near the strong fort, St. Hieronimo, a regular and well fortified pier, in the road to the city. Venables being at this time in the van, which he had led all their long march, went himself with the guide, for the officers being all very weary, were willing to be excused; to search the woods before the army, and discovered the Spaniards in ambush, before they stirred; who presently, thereupon advancing, the English forlorn immediately fired upon them too hastily and at too much distance, which gave the Spaniards advantage to fall in with them with their lances, before they could charge again, and so gave them some disorder, and killed some officers; among whom, to their great loss, Captain Cox perished; but the English quickly recovering themselves, beat the enemy back, and pursued them within cannon shot of the city.
These weary spent men, drawn on by their eagerness to this skirmish, forgot that thirst, which, so soon as the pursuit was over, they fainted under; many, both men and horse, dying on the place for very thirst. Venables, being much endangered at this action in the route of the forlorn, was earnestly entreated and pressed by the officers not to hazard himself so again, but to march with the body. This over, they called a council of war, where, considering their want of match, which was spent to three or four inches, and of provision, which all had been without two days, and some longer, and had no other sustenance but what fruits the woods afforded; they once again resolved to return to their ships, which the Irishman’s relation, and Commissioner Butler’s peremptory charge had diverted them from, and caused them to lose many men and horses with thirst and hunger in marching back that way, which otherwise had been saved.
Some four or five days were spent at the harbour in refreshing the tired, fainting soldiery, and taking new resolutions for a second march and charge. Wherein, they could not well be more speedy, for Penn and Winslow, two of the Commissioners, keeping at sea with the fleet, (which rode some leagues off from the fort by Hine river,) and refusing to come ashore, Venables, though then ill with the flux, was forced to make many dangerous passages to and from them in small Brigantines for their concurring counsel, which often differing, caused much delay, and gave the Spaniards time to gather heart and strength for better defence. The common soldiers this mean while, were but ill treated from the fleet. Those that by sickness or wounds in the last action, were disabled for further service, (they having no tents or carriages ashore to dispose of them in) were sent a ship board, and there they were kept forty-eight hours on the bare decks, without either meat, drink, or dressing; that worms bred in their wounds, which would soon be in that hot country, and some of them by that very usage perished, particularly one Captain Leverington, a brave man. The others ashore being furnished with the worst, and most mouldy of the biscuits; no beef, altogether unwatered, and no brandy to cheer their spirits; had their thirst greatly enraged, which that river, even where it was fresh, yet coming from copper, rather augmented than assuaged. And this usage and diet, together with the extraordinary rains that fell on their unsheltered bodies, cast them all into violent fluxes; sorry encouragements and preparatives for a second attempt, which yet was at last resolved on.
Tuesday, April 25. They had with them one mortar-piece, and two drakes, in the drawing whereof, and carrying of mattocks, spades, and calabashes of fresh water, the strongest men were employed till all were reduced to almost a like weakness; and the cruel sea-officers offered them no more brandy with them, than would be about a good spoonful to a man. One night they lodged in the woods; the next day they advanced toward the fort of St. Hieronimo, which they resolved to attack, being in their way, about a mile from the town, and not fit to leave at their backs.
April 26. Adjutant-General Jackson had this day the command of the forlorn, consisting of four hundred men; in the van whereof, he put Captain Butler, and himself brought up the rear. Also he marched without any wings on either hand to search the woods, and discover ambushes, which was expressly contrary both to order, and their daily practice throughout their whole march from Point Nizas. With the forlorn thus managed, and all ready to faint with thirst, having marched eight miles without water, in a narrow pass in the thick woods, where but six could well march abreast, they fell into an ambuscado of the Spaniards, who suffered the forlorn all to march within them, and then charged them both in van and flank. Captain Butler with the van undauntedly received the charge, and in order, fired again, and all of them stood till he fell; but the rear ran away without abiding a charge, Jackson himself being the first man that turned his back. Venables, his regiment, with Ferguson his Lieutenant Colonel in the head of them, being next, charged their pikes on Jackson and his flying men; but they being too well resolved to be stopt, first routed that regiment, and then most of Heanes’s regiment. These all came violently upon the sea regiment, which was led by Venables and Goodson, then Vice-Admiral, who with their swords forced the runaways into the woods, choosing rather to kill, than be routed by them. At the same time, which much advantaged them, the rear part of Heanes’s regiment having opened and drawn themselves on either side into the woods, counterflanked the Spaniards, and charged their ambuscadoes, which the Spaniards perceiving, and that the sea regiment advanced unrouted, retreated. The English then charged them afresh, pursued them, and beat them back beyond the fort, and so regained the bodies of the slain, and the place of fight, which ground they kept the rest of that day, and the night following, though the guns from the fort all that time, as well as during the skirmish, played hotly upon them, and killed sometimes eight or nine at a shot.