On my return from New Providence with troops, we again took on board part of the marine battalion from the fort and barracks of Fort Washington at Point-à-Petre, the guns of which we embarked; then, blowing up the works and burning the barracks, we returned to Cumberland Island to plan further annoyances to the enemy.
While we were absent at the Bahamas, Captain Phillot, of the Primrose, brig, had been sent ninety miles up the river to attack some troops and destroy their stores of provisions, but the river becoming narrow, and the Americans lining the banks with sharpshooters, besides felling trees to stop the boats, he failed in the object, having lost several men killed and wounded, amongst the latter Captain Phillot himself severely. Had the enemy not prematurely shown their intention, they would have blocked up the boats, and probably captured them all. As it was, nothing but the coolness and bravery of the commander, and officers and men under his orders, prevented it.
Just at this period we received the news of the total failure of our southern expedition to New Orleans, which event gave us deep and sincere regret, but we hoped by a gallant dash to wipe out our distressing feelings at such an unfortunate event; but while in the midst of preparations we received intelligence that the olive branch of peace was received, and the demon of war between parent and child had ceased. Had it arrived immediately after the taking of Washington, how great would have been our delight! As it was, although we could not help feeling a secret pleasure at the prospect of returning home to our families and friends, yet the throwing away so many valuable lives in the swamps of New Orleans cast a damp on our spirits, and a secret wish to try and blot it from our memories by some gallant achievement.
Previous to returning to Nassau, I had the honour to receive a public letter of thanks from my brave and worthy commodore, Barrie. To have his approbation was, indeed, a flattering testimonial, and I look back at this hour with pleasure when we served together on the other side of the Atlantic, and I hope, if ever England should be again plunged in war, that fortune may place me under his command.
On the 6th of March the ship I commanded was ordered to proceed to Nassau with the 2nd West India Regiment, and from thence to Bermuda, where we arrived the beginning of April with a re-captured English brig. After remaining there a fortnight, and receiving letters of thanks from Sir Alexander Cochrane and Rear-Admiral Cockburn, addressed to my officers and ship’s company, as well as two others to myself, we proceeded to Halifax, Nova Scotia, at which place we embarked the 98th Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Douglass, and sailed, in a heavy snow-storm, on the 20th of May with a convoy of transports for England, and arrived at Spithead in June, after a passage of twenty-two days.
From the period of our sailing from Britain (April, 1814) until the same month, 1815, we had been constantly employed upon a variety of harassing services and desultory warfare, with the gallant Royal Marine battalions, under the present colonels, Sir R. Williams[Q] and Sir John Malcolm, and it would be the height of injustice not to bear witness to their most brave, able, and steady conduct on every occasion. But where did they ever do otherwise? From the sun’s rising in the east to its setting in the west, in both hemispheres, it has witnessed the devoted bravery and loyalty of the whole corps of Royal Marines.
After remaining sometime at Spithead, orders came for us to embark part of the suite of the Duchess D’Angoulême. After making the necessary preparations, and expending some of my own money in the outfit, we received counter orders.
In August the ship was ordered to Sheerness to be paid off; on the 23rd I was promoted to the rank of captain, and on the 9th September the pennant was hauled down, and I parted from my old officers and ship’s company with very great regret. Thus ended my naval services for the present, after nearly seventeen of the best years of my life in active warfare; and I have now to thank God for His protection and providence on many trying occasions.
I shall conclude by making a few remarks before closing this narrative upon the unfortunate mistake this country committed with regard to our quarrel with the United States, and also upon the actions which took place between our frigates and theirs, and upon the subject of searching for English sailors on board their vessels.
The great error that England committed was her not having declared war against America two or three years earlier than she did. She ought to have done it on account of their having aided and assisted our mortal enemy, by carrying on the trade for France in vessels belonging to the United States, and not have allowed them to become the aggressors, to choose their own time, and make the first attack. Had she done so in 1808-1809, or even in 1810, America would have been completely in our power, for the whole of her merchant vessels covered the seas, and her few men-of-war were not particularly well manned. The embargo had been on two years, by which time most of her trading vessels were safely returned from every part of the world; and her seamen being thrown out of employ, were glad to enter on board their men-of-war and privateers for the chance of prize money. But she being now ready, and having secured nearly all her merchant vessels safe in their own ports, first insulted the British flag by sending a 58-gun frigate, the Constitution, to attack the Little Belt corvette of 18 guns then cruizing on the American coast to intercept French vessels. This large frigate of 58 guns, and 487 men, very gallantly fired into the little sloop of war of 18 guns and 120 men, killed and wounded several of them; but she in a very spirited manner returned the fire of this greatly superior force, and killed some of her men. Commodore Rogers, of the American 58-gun ship, pretended to make an apology to Captain Bingham, of His Majesty’s ship Little Belt, by saying he took her for a frigate, or he should not have fired into her.