In the meantime the town of Roseau had been set on fire, and the whole of it destroyed, except a few small houses belonging to free negroes. The French, after blowing up the fortifications, embarking some guns and spiking others, re-embarked; taking with them such of their prisoners as were regulars, and levying a contribution of L5500 upon the inhabitants, and on February 27th the force set sail for Guadaloupe. The French in their attack on Point Michell had lost over 300 men, and in selecting that spot for landing they had displayed a most astonishing ignorance of the locality, for, if a force had at once been put ashore between Point Michell and Fort Young at Roseau, the British could hardly have ventured upon a serious defence. The loss sustained by the British regulars was 21 killed, 21 wounded, and 8 prisoners. The loss of the militia is not stated, but was considerable, the French accounts fixing it at 200. The following despatch addressed to Earl Camden, K.G., one of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, by Lieutenant-General Sir William Myers, Bart., commanding the troops in the Windward and Leeward Islands, gives the official account of this affair: "BARBADOES, _March 9th, 1805_. "MY LORD, "I have the honour to enclose to your Lordship a copy of a despatch from Brigadier-General Prevost, dated Dominica, 1st of March, 1805. The details contained therein are so highly reputable to the Brigadier-General and the small portion of troops employed against so numerous an enemy, that I have great satisfaction in recommending that their gallant exertions may be laid before His Majesty. "The zeal and talent manifested by the Brigadier-General upon this occasion, it is my duty to present for the Royal consideration, and at the same time I beg to be permitted to express the high sense I entertain of the distinguished bravery of His Majesty's troops and the militia of the colony employed on that service. "The vigorous resistance which the enemy have experienced, and the loss which they have sustained in this attack, must evince to him, that however inferior our numbers were on this occasion, British troops are not to be hostilely approached with impunity; and had not the town of Roseau been accidentally destroyed by fire, we should have little to regret, and much to exult in. "Your Lordship will perceive by the Returns that our loss in men, compared to that of the enemy, is but trifling; but I have sincerely to lament that of Major Nunn, of the 1st West India Regiment, whose wound is reported to be of a dangerous kind; he is an excellent man, and a meritorious officer. "I have, etc., (Signed) "W. MYERS, "Lieutenant-General."