[Sidenote: 1742] In January 1742, nearly 3000 men, including 2000 Marines, arrived at Jamaica. Another expedition was now meditated, which put to sea early in March; but adverse winds, the separation of the transports having on board the working negroes, and the expectation of the periodical rains being then about to set in, suggested to a Council of War, held at Porto Bello, at the close of that month, the immediate return of the whole armament to the port they had left: the fleet arrived at Jamaica upon the 15th of May. It was now considered desirable to detach a force to take possession of _Rattan_, an island in the Bay of Honduras, and a situation proper for maintaining a commercial intercourse with South America, as well as the trade in logwood. An establishment having been formed there in the early part of the year, it was determined in a Council of War to send a force of 50 marines and 200 Americans, under Major Caulfield, in order to place the island in a state of military defence. On the 23rd of August the troops reached _Port Royal_, on the south side of the island, where they formed a camp and erected _Fort George_ to defend the harbour, as well as _Fort Frederick_ on the western part of it. A proportion of the Americans, who were papists, formed a plot to render the settlement abortive, and to rise upon the Marines. Her Majesty’s ship, the Litchfield, then in the harbour, hearing the alarm-guns, instantly landed her party of Marines, who, with those on shore, soon checked the daring mutiny, secured the delinquents, and preserved the settlement to the British Crown. At this period it was necessary to detach 500 men to the assistance of _General Oglethorpe_, in _South Carolina_, and to repel the menaces of the Spaniards against the infant colony of _Georgia_.[45] On the 23rd of September orders arrived at Jamaica for the recall of Admiral Vernon and of General Wentworth; for providing the fleet with a number of men from the Marines, sufficient to supply its wants; and also to fill up the vacancies in the eight Independent Companies raised for the defence of Jamaica (now the 49th Regiment):--These services absorbed all the men who were considered fit for duty, and the remainder were embarked for England. After the departure of Admiral Vernon, the Naval Command devolved on Sir Chaloner Ogle, who bore his testimony to the zeal and bravery of the troops, whose gallant efforts and patient endurance, under great privations, had been conspicuous throughout a series of misfortunes. Upwards of 7000 Marines and nearly 4000 other troops were the lamentable victims to pestilence and disease, but not to defeat; and the objects which had been effected, although not adequate to the hopes and expectations of the British Nation, were distressing to the enemy, and embarrassing to the Spanish Government. [Sidenote: 1743]