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
capitulation; to which General Dundas returned an answer, that instead
of three days, he would allow them only three hours; and if they did not
surrender within that time, he would advance against the town. The
fifty-fifth company of grenadiers being left in possession of Bellvieu,
the remainder of the battalion moved on towards St. Pierré. In the mean
time the Admiral, Sir John Jervis, to co-operate with the land forces
under General Dundas, had ordered the following ships to sail for the
bay of St. Pierre, the Asia, Veteran, Santa Margarita, Blonde,
Rattlesnake, Zebra, and Nautilus, with the Vesuvius bomb. On board of
this fleet Colonel Symes had embarked with three light companies, and
Major Maitland with a detachment of the fiftieth regiment; Colonel Myers
with five companies of the first battalion of grenadiers, and five
companies of the third battalion of light infantry, (for the same
purpose of co-operating with General Dundas) had marched from Camp la
Coste towards Trinité.
The fleet on their arrival in the bay prepared for instant operation.
Colonel Symes, with the troops and seamen who were to land with him,
had, previous to their entering the bay, embarked on board of the Zebra
and Nautilus sloops, and some other vessels, which, being small, could
get nearer the shore, thereby rendering the debarkation of the troops
much less difficult.
In the evening of Feb. 16th they began to work towards the north part of
the bay, beyond the Jesuits' College, the other men of war standing
towards the town to cover them. About eleven o'clock the vessels with
troops and seamen on board were under a cross fire from two batteries of
red hot shot, which happily did them no damage, though they fell round
and near them. Captain Harvey in the Santa Margarita, perceiving the
troops were likely to be much annoyed, went close under the guns of the
most considerable of the two batteries, which he silenced; and about
four in the morning of the 17th the troops and seamen made good their
landing, and found that the enemy had left the other battery. During the
night the Vesuvius bomb did much execution with her shells, many of them
falling in the town, to which it set fire in some places: the fire
however was soon extinguished. The batteries in the town and on the
adjacent hills kept up a constant fire of shot and shells on the men of
war, as they advanced towards the town, which was returned with great
spirit. The Santa Margarita was struck with a shell, which fortunately
neither fired her, nor did any considerable damage. Colonel Symes on
landing advanced with the troops towards St. Pierre, which the enemy
evacuated on his approach, leaving their guns primed and loaded, and
their colours flying, which were hauled down by our people, and the
British union hoisted. About ten the whole of the troops and seamen had
marched into the town. No man was suffered to quit his ranks, nor was
the least injury done to any of the inhabitants, who, with the women and
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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