Operations in South Carolina—Capture of Cumberland Island and the Fort of Point-à-Petre—An Affair with the American Riflemen in the Woods—An Abattis—Anecdotes of the 2nd West India Regiment—A Rattlesnake—Capture of the Town of St. Mary’s—Destruction of the Forts and Barracks—Nassau, New Providence—Compliment to the Royal Marines—Return Home—Concluding Remarks.
On the 11th of January, 1815, we took possession of Cumberland Island without meeting any resistance. The marine battalions, commanded by Colonel Richard Williams and Colonel Malcolm, and the two flank companies of the 2nd West India Regiment, under Major Bradley, were disembarked, encamped, and works thrown up for protection—rumours being afloat that the enemy intended to attack us.
Having waited some days for the arrival of the rear-admiral, and the ships being greatly in want of water, Commodore Barrie determined on making an attack upon the fort of Point-à-Petre and the town of St. Mary’s, South Carolina. The boats of the squadron were ordered to attack the fort by water, under the command of two most excellent officers—Captain C. B. H. Ross[P] and Captain Samuel Jackson, of the Albion and Lacedemonian—while the Royal Marine battalion, with the commodore, part of the 2nd West Indian Regiment, and a few seamen, with myself, landed, to march through the woods and assail it in the rear. After advancing about a couple of miles we saw a few riflemen, who immediately retired into the woods. We kept on a kind of footpath and soon came to an abattis, behind which the enemy was posted, who immediately opened a brisk fire, but by bugling, cheering, and blazing away right and left, we drove them out and arrived at the fort which they had abandoned, just as the boats landed. The battery mounted six 24-pounders, and two brass 6-pounder field pieces. During this bush-fight a tragic economical occurrence, worthy of Joey Hume, took place. While scrambling over the fallen timber of the abattis, after the American sharpshooters, two blacks of the 2nd West Indian Regiment stumbled upon one of them; the rifleman fired and missed, one of the blacks put his musket to his shoulder and was going to shoot him when the other called out “Ta’am, why for you poil king cartridge? tick him, Ta’am, tick him!” which between the two was immediately accomplished. Each party lost some killed and wounded, but the woods being very thick we made few prisoners.
During the time we were here, and at Cumberland Island, we had some sharp white frosts and a little ice, two things the West Indian blacks had never seen; they were puzzled not a little, particularly when they beheld their own breath. The keen morning air having rendered their faces of a sickly purple colour, their major enquired what was the matter; their reply was: “Major, me no know—me no like it at all—me no see ’um, but he bity me toe a my finger.” When we laughed at their droll description, they said, breathing hard, “Eh! you no see smoke come out of my mouth, ah! massa major, he bity me toe a my finger!” shaking and rubbing their hands, and stamping with their feet, “Bad country this, no like em at all.” Several of these poor fellows were frost bitten, and lost their limbs.
After the capture of the fort and barracks we embarked, and proceeded up the river to the town of St. Mary’s, which surrendered without further opposition. We made the inhabitants pull down their own fort and stockade in the town, took possession of the shipping and stores, and destroyed the public buildings.
A curious thing occurred on board one of the ships: a rattlesnake versus grog or, finding a Tartar. During the time I was pulling about, taking possession of some of the vessels, and sending boats to others, I was startled by a tremendous noise on board one of the prizes, and saw the men running up the rigging in all directions, while others took to the boats. I went directly alongside to see what was the matter, thinking that some torpedo or clock-work, such as had blown up poor Lieut. Geddes, of the Ramilies, off New London, had been discovered. Upon inquiry I found that a rattlesnake had been the cause of all the row. Some of the boats’ crews on going on board very naturally went down below into the cabin, and other parts of the ship to see what she contained. Jack spied in the master’s cabin a large case, the wire-work of which was placed against the ship’s side, and which in their hurry they had not observed. The vessel, I must remark, was bound to France. Seeing this case the thought instantly struck them that it must contain wine or spirits; they were determined, after all their toil, to have a good drink before any of the officers came below; an iron crowbar and cutlasses soon ripped open the top, when, instead of rum, wine, or brandy, out jumped a large rattlesnake, at least two yards’ long—away flew the sailors up the hatchways, some got into the boats, others in the rigging, the snake made one spring up the ladder, and was on deck after them in a moment—he soon jumped overboard, and, the vessel being pretty close to the shore, made his escape into the rushes and we saw no more of him.
After remaining here a few days, I accompanied Captain Ross and Captain Jackson forty miles up the river, to bring down the Countess of Harcourt Indiaman, that had been captured by a privateer some months before. In going up and down the river St. Mary’s we saw several large alligators sleeping on the banks, which at a little distance were taken for logs of timber, until they began to plunge into the water; we fired at several, and observed the balls strike the scales, but they bounded off, apparently without doing them any injury. I saw some of the Americans with the upper part of their shoes made of the skin, it had been tanned, and wore well, the knobs looked curious. I regretted afterwards I did not procure some of the shoes and tanned skins, and bring them home with me to England.
After returning with the Indiaman, which we loaded with cotton, etc., I was ordered to proceed to Nassau, New Providence, to bring 300 more of the 2nd West India Regiment, it being the intention of the rear-admiral to make some attack further to the northward.
We reached the Bahamas in ten days, first making the hole in the rock at the island of Abacco, which is a most excellent land-mark: it lies in lat. 25°, 56 N., long. 77°, 20 W. from London. Then, steering S. by E., 18 leagues, we arrived off the bar of New Providence, where we took a pilot to conduct us to the anchorage. An immense shark followed us over the bar, and remained by the ship during our stay, and proceeded with us again when we sailed. The water was so very clear that we saw him daily at the bottom. He was too cunning to take bait, though now and then he would come up to the top, eat the bones and bits of biscuit thrown overboard, and try and get the piece of beef off the hook, but never would swallow it.