An Historical Review of the Royal Marine Corps, from its Original Institution down to the Present Era, 1803Gillespie, Alexander, Major
History
An Historical Review of the Royal Marine Corps, from its Original Institution down to the Present Era, 1803
Gillespie, Alexander, Major
Great Britain. Royal Marines -- History
Captain, afterwards Colonel Moncrieffe, of the Engineers, exhibited
symptoms of the highest talents in his profession; and a share of
honour truly falls to the lot of Captain Charlton, of the Corps of
Royal Artillery, which has been eminently and uniformly great upon
every service allotted them.
Lieut. Colonel Glazier, who led the Grenadiers and Marines in
the charge which decided the fate of every thing, attracted much
praise.
Soon after the raising of the siege, Lieut. Colonel Maitland fell
a sacrifice to his fatigues, which, producing a bilious fever,
deprived his Country of a faithful servant, and the Soldier of a
true friend.
Sir George Collier was most usefully active during the period of
his command in North America. He undertook nothing in which he did
not succeed, and in every instance of service exhibited a prompt
and decisive mind. The enemy's Commerce and Naval Power suffered
much by his spirited measures, in which I cannot follow him.
In the month of June, Spain, after having received her treasures in
safety, entered the lists against Great Britain, whose situation
now seemed desperate to all the surrounding Powers. But the hour
of danger is the only occasion in which the native spirit of
Englishmen can best be known or appreciated. It called forth that
union which should ever constitute the pride, as it can alone
secure the independence of a nation.
Notwithstanding the immense superiority gained by this accession,
still the vigour of our combined enemies was by no means in an
adequate proportion. Their fleets soon after appeared on our
coasts, in numbers we were unable to oppose; but their exertions
against them were at first repressed by discord, and finally
averted by disease.
The only service upon which the Corps of Marines was employed
during the remainder of the present year, was in the capture of
Omoa, effected by parties from the Charon, Lowestoff, and Pomona
frigates, in conjunction with the Seamen of these ships, who were
trained to small arms, and a number of baymen and logwood cutters
that were embodied at Truxillo. Commodore Luttrell conducted the
naval part of the expedition, and Captain Dalrymple the land force.
Disembarking at Porto Cavallo, they sustained great fatigue in a
night's march toward the fort, with a view to surprize it, on the
16th of October. Such were their obstacles from morasses filled by
the rains, and intervening precipices, that they found themselves
nearly six miles distant in the morning, and that they were
discovered by the enemy. After giving the men a little respite,
Captain Dalrymple pushed on, drove the Spaniards from an ambuscade,
secured and established posts on the heights round the town and
fort, and having been incommoded by musquetry from the place, he
set it in flames, at which time Commodore Luttrell entered the
harbour and completed the blockade by sea.
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