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
Several skirmishes now daily took place, and many fell on both sides;
though, from want of steadiness at the last, the enemy were always
greater losers than ourselves. On the morning of the 29th of June, a
large body of the enemy, to the number of one thousand, marched out of
Fort Fleur d'Epée, and seemed to meditate an attack on a detachment of
light infantry under Colonel Gomm, posted to the right of the grenadiers
who were on Morne Mascot, under Brigadier General Fisher. By this false
movement, they hoped that a detachment of the grenadiers would be sent
to reinforce the light infantry, and thereby weaken the force on Morne
Mascot, which was their real object of attack. In a short time, however,
they were perceived mounting the side of Mascot heights, with colours
flying and singing the national songs, covered by a heavy fire of round
and grape-shot from Fleur d'Epée, which prevented our grenadiers from
shewing themselves till the enemy were close to them; on which General
Fisher made them prostrate themselves on the ground, and wait the
approach of the enemy in that posture. The instant the republicans came
within a few yards of them they started up, and an obstinate engagement
commenced, which terminated at length by the grenadiers advancing to the
charge; on which the enemy fled, and were pursued down the hill with
great slaughter. Our loss amounted to thirty killed and wounded: among
the former was Lieutenant Toosey of the 65th regiment; of the latter,
Captain De Rivigne of the artillery, received a ball in the side of his
neck. Brigadier General Fisher was hit three times by grape-shot, which
caused contusions only, and his horse was killed under him. In the
evening the enemy sent in a flag of truce, requesting permission to bury
their dead and carry off their wounded, which was granted them;[54] yet
they left a number of both, on the side of the hill, to the great
annoyance of our piquet, which during the following night was disturbed
by the groans of the dying and wounded. The day following the enemy
again made an attempt, in equal force, against our post on Mascot, and
was again repulsed with great loss. The rainy season being already set
in, and the hurricane months now approaching, determined the Commander
in Chief to make an effort to finish the campaign at once. From his
success in the two last engagements, and the excellent manner in which
he had planned the attack, it would no doubt have succeeded, had his
orders been punctually obeyed. The plan he had laid down was, for a
large body of troops under General Symes, to march during the night, and
make themselves masters of Morne Government, and the other commanding
heights round the town of Point à Pitre, whilst himself, at the head of
the rest of his army, was in readiness on the heights of Mascot to storm
Fort Fleur d'Epée, on receiving a signal from General Symes; but, from
some unfortunate misapprehension, the whole of General Grey's
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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