[4] The churches taken by the English and used as forts before the assault were afterward demolished by them in order that the Spaniards might not make use of them for like purpose against them (Montero y Vidal’s Historia, ii, p. 15, note 1). [↑]
[5] Had our men taken thought to prevent the disembarking, perhaps they could have driven the enemy back, for they disembarked on a day when the waves were high and when there was a heavy surf, which overturned a lancha carrying a cannon of the caliber of eighteen. All its men fell into the water, and its equipment was rendered almost useless. Their men left the other lanchas with the water up to their breasts carrying their muskets and cartridge-boxes on their heads. Amid this discomfort, two hundred men reached the beach. They immediately formed ranks and allowed the others to disembark more quietly. See Martinez de Zúñiga’s Historia, pp. 604, 605. [↑]
[6] i.e., The small island of Cahayagan, at the west entrance to port of Palápog, north of Samar Island. [↑]
[7] The “Panther” carried sixty-four guns, and the “Argo” thirty. See Montero y Vidal, ii, p. 15. [↑]
[8] During the gale, the chief boat of the English, which was trying to disembark troops on the beach at Tondo, was obliged to give up the attempt because of the fire that was directed from the fort of Santiago. This ship would have been surely lost, had not the archbishop, confused and lacking good advice, ordered a complete cessation of firing from the citadel. See Montero y Vidal, ii. p. 23. [↑]
[9] This officer, later a subordinate admiral, was in 1782 in command of the “Royal George,” a three-decker of 108 guns, generally extolled as the finest ship in the British navy. While preparing for the relief expedition to Gibraltar under Admiral Howe, and while the vessel was heeled over for some trifling repairs, a sudden squall caught it, filling it with water, so that it sank with all on board, scarcely a person being saved. The wreck long obstructed the anchorage at Spithead. See Yonge’s History of British navy, i, pp. 392, 393. [↑]
[10] This letter is published in the following eighteenth-century magazines: London Gazette of April 16–19, 1763, from which this letter, as well the other letters published by them, were taken by the other magazines; London Chronicle, xiii, no. 986, April 19–21, 1763, pp. 379, 380; Gentleman’s Magazine, xxiii, pp. 177–179; London Magazine, xxxii, pp. 219–221; Dublin Magazine, 1763, pp. 255–257; Universal Magazine, 1763, pp. 206–208; and vol. ii of The Field of Mars, 1781. [↑]
[11] i.e., The Naranjos Group lying in the strait of San Bernardino, south of Sorsogon, and consisting of six small islands: San Andres, Medio, Escarpada, Aguada, Dársena, and Rasa. [↑]
[12] Its artillery was in the hold, and it only carried above hatches, five cannons of the caliber of eight, and four of the caliber of four. Notwithstanding this surprise, the unfortunate condition of the vessel, and the formidable force of the English, its commander, who was a Gallego, and the other Spaniards who were aboard it, as if they knew what had happened in Manila, and were of a mind to vindicate the luster of their fatherland, there at stake, fought desperately, and received 1,700 balls of the caliber of 18 and 24. Thirty-five of the English were killed and eighteen Spaniards in addition to the wounded. The ship after being captured was towed to Cavite, where it arrived November 12, 1762. The silks, spices, gold dust, and other effects that it contained, were worth 2,000,000 pesos fuertes. See Montero y Vidal, ii, pp. 16, 17, note 2.
“The Holy Trinity [‘Santisima Trinidad’], a rich galleon, taken at the Manilas by Adm. Cornish, arrived in Plymouth Road, June 9, commanded by Lieut. Mainwaring Wilding.” (Scots Magazine, 1764, xxvi, p. 348.)