CHAP. XXXIII.

CHAP. XXXIII.

The public emergencies called for a very considerable addition to the Corps of Marines in 1779. Seventeen thousand three hundred and eighty-nine were voted, being an effective augmentation of 5560.

Early in the year accounts were received of the capture of Pondicherry, by the united efforts of the Navy under Sir Edward Vernon, and a large force of European and Company's troops under Sir Hector Monro. After more than two months of very fatiguing duties, owing to the heavy rains, the siege was brought to that issue, which invited a general assault.

The works having been much battered in every quarter of approach, three different attacks were meditated; against L'Hospital Bastion to the southward, the East face of the North West Bastion, and from the sea to the northward.

These arrangements having been made, nearly 200 Seamen, and all the Marines of the squadron were landed on the 15th of October 1778, in order to have joined in the storm, which was to have taken place on the 17th. But Monsieur Bellecomb, who had hitherto defended himself with much obstinacy, dreading this event, proposed terms of surrender, which were accepted. Many were of opinion, that had he withstood the onset, its result would have been fatal to the British Army, from the extensive mines that he might have sprung.

Admiral Byron, who arrived in the West Indies in the beginning of 1779, rendered our Naval force in that country superior to the enemy. He was foiled in every attempt to bring D'Estaing to an action, who kept close in Martinique.

The English Admiral having gone to leeward, with a view to collect the homeward-bound at St. Kitt's, and to escort them, a small detachment of French troops took St. Vincent, after a very inadequate resistance; and the conquest of Grenada soon after followed, but under circumstances highly honourable to Lord Macartney and our arms. At this, D'Estaing, who united in himself the character of the Soldier and the Seaman, was present, and led a French column in storming the British lines upon Hospital Hill. These were carried, after a gallant defence, which led to the immediate surrender of the Island.

Scarcely was this accomplished, when he was called to act upon another element by the approach of Admiral Byron, who, deceived by intelligence as to the French force, hastened down under a press of sail and in a scattered order. A general ardour pervaded all to close with the enemy, whose numbers could only be gradually perceived as they stretched out from the land. They were at last discovered to be far superior to the chacing fleet, when the advanced ships of it, led by Admiral Barrington, nobly seconded by Captain, now Lord Gardiner, in the Sultan, and Sawyer in the Boyne, had begun the battle. To these names may be added Captains Collingwood, Edwards, and Cornwallis, as having been highly distinguished on the 6th of July. Lieut. Jonah Veale, of Marines, was killed in this action, and Lieut. Richards wounded.

D'Estaing evinced a total want of Naval enterprize through the day. He returned to Grenada during the following night, while Admiral Byron proceeded to St. Kitt's to repair his damages.

The approach of the hurricane season determined the French Admiral to take refuge, with his fleet, at Hispaniola, where he received an urgent call to unite with the Armies of America in recovering the Province of Georgia. Elated with his success at Grenada, he anticipated to himself the glory, not only of driving the British from this Colony, but of exterminating them from every post which they occupied along the sea-coasts of that Continent. There was not, to appearance, a force sufficient to stem his ambitious views; but they were opposed and frustrated by a spirit which often compensates the want of numbers.

D'Estaing's arrival on the coast of Georgia, early in September, was marked with a partial success by capturing the Experiment, of 50 guns, after a gallant defence on the part of Sir James Wallace. Unaccustomed to such an event as the capture of an English two-decker, it was considered as a favourable omen, and swelled his presumptuous hopes.

The appearance of such an armament struck wonder into General Prevost and the Garrison of Savannah, which were intended as the first victims to its power.

General Lincoln, with the Rebel Army from South Carolina, hearing of their new allies, moved towards Georgia, to combine in the attempt.

General Prevost issued orders to concentrate his detachments, and began to add to his works. Captain Henry, of the Royal Navy, commanded that force in the river Savannah with much zeal.

It became expedient, upon the nearer advance of the French Fleet, to move the ships of war close to the town, to land the guns and Seamen, and to incorporate their Marines with the Grenadiers of the 60th Regiment.

After D'Estaing had debarked his army of 5000 men, he instantly marched against Savannah, without waiting for Lincoln, and desired the Garrison to surrender, on the 16th of September. General Prevost solicited delay in answering his summons; in order to give time for his outposts to join him.

During the critical interval of 24 hours, which were allowed, that brave and active Officer, Lieut. Colonel Maitland, whom I have formerly mentioned, reached Savannah with a force of 800 men, after having encountered obstacles and difficulties of the most trying kind. Already, during the campaign of 1779, had he shewn himself most consummate in all the requisites of a Soldier, by the stand he made at John's Island with a handful of men, against ten times his numbers, under General Lincoln. That deed alone was enough to fix his military fame, which acquired additional glory by his wading march from Beaufort, to the relief of Prevost. In this, few men could have equalled, and none surpassed his undaunted fortitude and steady perseverance. It was the means of saving Georgia and its Capital.

Such were his personal fatigues and anxieties to reach the scene of his future duties, that both struck at the vitals of his existence, which afterwards closed a life long valuable to mankind by habitual exercises of the most amiable benevolence, and happy to himself by the approving consciousness of its having never been stained by dishonour. The activity of his spirit, however, buoyed him up under every bodily suffering, while Savannah was besieged by the enemy.

My limits will not allow me the extent of detail, which was very creditable to the courage and exertions of all.

Count D'Estaing, little looking for such protracted operations, and growing impatient under them, determined to storm early on the morning of the 9th of October.

Two feigned attacks by the American Militia, were planned against the Garrison, to attract its attention to the centre and left, and it was also resolved that, whilst D'Estaing and Lincoln moved against Spring-hill redoubt in front, Count Dillon, with another column, should advance along the edge of a swamp which communicates with the river above the town, silently pass the redoubts and batteries, and thus gain the rear of the British lines. This column losing its way, was embarrassed in the morasses, and after the dawn was exposed to a heavy fire, that threw it into a disorder from which it could not recover.

D'Estaing, under the cover of darkness, got near the redoubt just as the day began to break; but he was received with incessant volleys and heavy discharges, which committed a dreadful carnage. This part of defence was entrusted to Captain Tawse and his little Corps of Provincial Dragoons, who maintained it with enthusiastic bravery. Alternately had the French and American standard been planted on the parapet, when that gallant Chief, defending in person the gate of his redoubt, and his sword still unentangled from the body of an impetuous Frenchman, received his own death-wound. Here there still continued a doubtful contest for possession, when Lieut. Colonel Maitland, commanding the force upon the right of our lines, pushed on the 60th Regiment and the Marines, who, with charged bayonets, soon decided the struggle. The assailants were driven from the ditch, and retreated quickly, with the loss of 901 killed and wounded.

It was with difficulty the British could be restrained from following their superior forces, whose future operations were limited to the re-embarkation of their troops and stores, and the retreat of the Rebel Army into South Carolina.

The Count D'Estaing, with a part of his fleet, returned to France, after having achieved nothing worthy of notice, and his other ships proceeded for the West Indies.

Throughout this service the Navy were justly entitled to a great share of merit. Never were the exertions of the Sailors at the great guns more animated or useful.

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.

After cannon being landed, and the batteries opened during some days, they had produced but little effect upon the enemy's works; on which it was resolved to storm them with 150 Seamen and Marines, united with some loyal Irish, who were to be aided in their approach by a fire from the ships and the heights. Under this cover the assailants advanced at four in the morning, against walls 28 feet in height. To these they applied their scaling ladders, when the storming party, headed by two British Seamen, gained the top, and being instantly seconded, the Spaniards, paralysed at the daring act, begged for quarter.

It is to be regretted that the name and local origin of one intrepid Sailor, upon this occasion, should have been lost. Ascending with two cutlasses, he soon found an enemy almost asleep, whom he disdained to sacrifice: rousing him from his slumbers, he put one into the Spaniard's hand, telling him they were now equal. Whether from a dislike to the combat, or in gratitude for such generous conduct, the tender, however, was not accepted.

The Commanders declined some offers of ransom made by the enemy which would have been highly advantageous to themselves; but they militated against their Country's interest. This conquest was obtained with a very trifling loss.

Some valuable captures were brought into our ports during the year, and our Commerce was well protected.

Sir James Wallace, by an exploit in Cancalle Bay, recalled to the public mind the deeds of former times, by the capture or destruction of three frigates under the French batteries.

Lieutenant A. J. Field, of the Marines, still lives an instance of Providence, by an escape from the melancholy fate of too many of his shipmates in the Quebec frigate, which blew up in action with La Surveillante.

In this, British valour would have ultimately triumphed; but it was obliged to yield to destiny. The most amiable manners, in union with a cool courage, were the predominant features of Captain Farmer's character.

Captain Pearson, of the Serapis, ennobled himself by a brave defence against a much greater force, which assumes an historical importance, from its happy consequences in saving a large and valuable convoy entrusted to his care.

An action was fought between his Majesty's ship Pearl and the Spanish frigate St. Ammonica, which very much signalized Captain, now Admiral George Montague, and in which Lieutenant Fowke, of Marines, was also distinguished.

Nothing of attached moment farther, appears within the review of 1779.