This severe cannonading so greatly intimidated the French, that they evacuated the fort they had taken with much precipitation, and retreated to the side of a hill just opposite to it, out of the line of fire. There they remained a considerable time, as if to meditate on some other mode of attack; but shortly after, about two thousand of them gained possession of the heights above Roseau, where they seemed to wait the coming on of night, to make their further approaches.
This last circumstance determined the fate of the island; as the Lieutenant-governor, seeing the danger to which the small force he had would inevitably be exposed by a further resistance, he, with the advice of his Privy-council, then assembled at the Government-house, sent out a Flag of Truce to the Marquis de Bouillé, with offers to surrender the island by capitulation.
This offer was readily accepted, and the Marquis, under protection of the Truce, came with it to the Government-house, in order to grant his terms, and to sign his part of the Articles of Capitulation. While this was doing, the firing from the batteries ceased, which gave two French frigates an opportunity of coming abreast of Roseau; when the Commanders of them, it is probable, not knowing that the island had surrendered, seeing the English colours still flying, with those of the French under them on the same staff, they fired some broadsides into the town.
This unexpected salute exasperating the militia, they immediately returned it with a forty-two pound cannon-ball, which, however, fell wide of its mark, the gun, in the hurry they were in to shew their resentment at so flagrant a breach, as they supposed, of the Truce, being ill-pointed. This the militia were soon ready to rectify, by pointing another gun of the same metal point blank on one of the frigates, to which it would, doubtless, have done considerable damage; but just as the match was going to be put to the touch-hole, the Marquis, with the Lieutenant-governor, came running into the fort, and begged them to desist; at the same time, hailing the frigates from the ramparts, acquainted their Commanders with the surrender of the place.
Matters being thus accommodated, the two Commanders in Chief returned to the Government-house, where the Articles of Capitulation being ready, were, by both of them, duly signed and concluded. This being done, the Marquis returned to his troops; and soon after marched them into Roseau, thereby taking possession of the country for his most Christian Majesty.
It is worth while noticing here, the ceremonies used on this occasion, as it is to be hoped they may never again happen in Dominica. The French troops marched into the town in most regular and solemn order, the drums beating a slow march, and the French soldiers, with small boughs and flowers in their hats by way of laurels, with assumed fierce countenances as they came by our small force, seemed to threaten it with instant dissolution. The English soldiers and inhabitants, with two field pieces in their front, and lighted matches, their muskets grounded, and standing in two divisions, the regulars on the right, the militia on the left. The latter were permitted to take up their arms, and to retire with them to their houses, amidst an almost lawless troop of ruffians, by whom they had to pass; and who, with curses and reproaches for being disappointed of plundering and murdering the inhabitants, still threatened them, if they were not satisfied. The English soldiers left their arms grounded, and retired to a place appointed for them by the Lieutenant-governor; and the next day were sent off the island, agreeably to the Articles of Capitulation, which are as follows:
ARTICLES OF CAPITULATION,
Between the Marquis de Bouillé, General of the Windward West India Islands, belonging to his most Christian Majesty, and Governor Stuart, Commander in Chief and the Inhabitants of the Island of Dominica, belonging to his Britannic Majesty.