A History of the British Army, Vol. 1: First Part—to the Close of the Seven Years' WarFortescue, J. W. (John William), Sir
History
A History of the British Army, Vol. 1: First Part—to the Close of the Seven Years' War
Fortescue, J. W. (John William), Sir
Great Britain -- History, Military; Great Britain. Army -- History
Nevertheless after six days' rest he again advanced by the same
line to the fort from which he had been forced to retreat. To
prevent repetition of mishaps from ambuscades he gave strict orders
that the advanced guard should throw out flanking parties on each
side of the jungle-path. The injunction was disobeyed. The advanced
guard walked straight into an ambuscade, two officers fell dead,
the third, Adjutant-General Jackson, who was in command, turned and
ran; the advanced guard fled headlong back on to the support; the
support tumbled back on to the main body, and there, wedged tight
in the narrow pass, the English were mown down like grass by the
guns of the fort and the lances of the Spanish cavalry. At last an
old colonel contrived to rally a few men in the rear, and advancing
with them through the jungle fell upon the flank of the Spaniards
and beat them back. He paid for his bravery with his life, but he
assured the retreat of the rest of the force, which crept back
beaten and crest-fallen to the ships, leaving several colours and
three hundred dead men behind it.
Venables and his men were now thoroughly cowed by failure and
disease. Penn in vain offered to take the town with his sailors,
but Venables and Winslow would not hear of it. All ranks in the
fleet now abused the army for rogues, and the worst feeling
grew up between the two services. Finally, on the 7th of May,
the expedition sailed away in shame to Jamaica. Arrived there,
Penn, openly saying that he would not trust the army, led the way
himself at the head of the boats of the fleet; and after a trifling
resistance the Island was surrendered by capitulation. Then fleet
and army began to fight in earnest, officers as well as men; and
at last, after the commissioners in command had spent six weeks in
incessant quarrelling, Venables and Penn sailed home, leaving the
troops and a part of the squadron behind them.
[Sidenote: 1656.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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