Note 46 — Chapter XII

Their success appears to have been greatly accelerated by the treachery or cowardice of several French royalists then in the fort, who offered their services to sally on the besiegers. Accordingly they marched out; but, on approaching the enemy, they were panic struck and fled, and few of them returned to Fleur d'Epée. The British merchants and sailors from the town of Point à Pitre had thrown themselves into this fort to assist the garrison, which was greatly reduced by sickness and death. This little band, under command of Lieutenant Colonel Drummond of the forty-third regiment, did all that gallant men could do; twice they repulsed the assailants; but at length, overpowered by numbers, and the royalists having demanded that the gates should be thrown open, and the enemy now pouring in from all sides, the few remaining troops were obliged to make the best retreat they could to Point à Pitre, which, not being tenable after the loss of Fleur d'Epée, was abandoned by them, and they crossed over to Basse Terre. In this affair, besides the loss of many others, Captain Suckling of the artillery was wounded at his gun by a bayonet, and left behind at Point à Pitre.—There were in Guadaloupe when taken by the French a larger proportion of troops than in either of the other conquered islands.