In the early part of January, 1782, a French naval force, and a fleet of transports with an army on board, appeared before the island; and the commander of the British troops, being unable to oppose so formidable a host, retired to Brimstone Hill, where he was joined by the governor with a few militia. Unfortunately, the principal inhabitants were in the interest of the enemy; so much so, that twelve brass 24-pounders, two 13-inch mortars, and a quantity of ammunition, sent from England for their defence, were suffered, by the Council and Assembly of the island, to lie in a useless state at the foot of Brimstone Hill. The French Commander, the Marquis de Bouillé, immediately landed 8000 men and a formidable train of artillery, and advanced towards the hill on which the garrison had taken post. The ground occupied by the ROYALS, flank companies of the 15th, and militia, was about 200 yards in diameter, and remarkably strong; but the fortifications were old and in a ruinous state, and the troops had no intrenching tools: they, however, resolved to defend the place as long as possible, in hopes of being relieved. Although the French had so great a superiority of numbers they did not venture to attack the little band of stout-hearted Britons on Brimstone Hill by storm, but commenced the siege in regular form,--breaking ground on Sommerfall's estate on the north-west side, and on Rawlin's estate on the old road-side. The French artillery opened its fire on the 19th of January, and from that day a storm of balls and bombs rattled round Brimstone Hill with increasing fury, until the houses on the heights were battered to pieces, and the old works were nearly destroyed. During this period Rear-Admiral Hood appeared before the island with a British naval and land force, and a body of troops effected a landing on the 29th of January; but the French had so great a superiority of numbers, and they had completely surrounded Brimstone Hill, so that these few troops could not be of any use in attempting to save the island, and they re-embarked. The fire of the French batteries had, in the meantime, dismounted or disabled nearly all the guns on the hill; several large breaches had also been made in the works on the north-west side of the fort; the garrison was reduced by sickness and other casualties to about 500 men; the want of intrenching tools rendered it impossible for the men either to repair the damaged works or throw up intrenchments; the provision-stores had also been destroyed by the French batteries; and the few remaining men fit for service had to be under arms every night, expecting the enemy to storm the hill. Yet, under all these disasters, the garrison evinced that valour, firmness, and constancy, for which the British soldier has been distinguished at periods of extreme danger and privation.