An Account of the Campaign in the West Indies, in the Year 1794: Under the Command of their Excellencies Lieutenant General Sir Charles Grey, K.B., and Vice Admiral Sir John Jervis, K.B.Willyams, Cooper
History
An Account of the Campaign in the West Indies, in the Year 1794: Under the Command of their Excellencies Lieutenant General Sir Charles Grey, K.B., and Vice Admiral Sir John Jervis, K.B.
Willyams, Cooper
English West Indian Expedition, 1793-1794; West Indies, British--History; West Indies, French -- History
Brigadier General Whyte (being now reinforced with a detachment of the
royal artillery, some ordnance, mortars, &c.) Colonel Symes, with a
detachment of the fifteenth regiment and two hundred seamen from the
Admiral, armed with pikes and pistols, under the command of Lieutenants
Rogers and Rutherford, ascended the heights on the 9th instant, and got
possession of Mount Matharine, which commanded Pigeon Island, at the
distance of not more than four hundred yards, where they erected their
batteries. On this day his Excellency the Admiral sailed from Maran Bay,
and anchored in Petite Ance d'Arlet, from whence he could send succours
of men and ammunition to General Whyte; who accordingly instantly landed
two companies of seamen, with several cannon, which they in vain
attempted to drag over the hills to General Whyte's post, a distance of
four or five miles; for the steepness and ruggedness of the roads,
rendered every effort ineffectual. However he sent him a plentiful
supply of shot and other ammunition, with one howitzer; and in the
evening Lieutenant Miln was dispatched with a party, carrying provisions
and spirits for the army. We found the country on the march from Ance
d'Arlet to General Whyte's camp beautiful in a high degree, but the
roads almost impassable: a succession of steep roads, through thick
woods, at length brought us to the summit of a hill (on which our seamen
were posted), commanding a fine view of the bay of Fort Royal, with
Islet aux Ramieres, or Pigeon Island, in front; and on each side rose
hills finely clothed with wood, on one of which our little army was
posted. During the time we were there, the enemy on Pigeon Island
annoyed us with their shells and shot, by which one of our seamen was
killed, and another mortally wounded. The two five and a half inch
howitzers, brought by the seventieth regiment from head quarters, being
now placed in a battery under the direction of Captain de Rivigne of
the royal artillery, so as to take the island in reverse, and Colonel
Dornford having also joined with a company of artificers, the batteries
were completed during the night of the 10th instant, and opened on
Tuesday morning, February 11th, under the conduct of Major Manley, who
kept up so incessant and well-directed a fire upon Pigeon Island, that
in two hours the garrison struck their colours, and surrendered at
discretion, having fifteen killed and twenty-five wounded. When our
batteries opened, it consisted of two hundred and three men.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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