diff options
Diffstat (limited to '29984.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 29984.txt | 10503 |
1 files changed, 10503 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/29984.txt b/29984.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9900487 --- /dev/null +++ b/29984.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10503 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The History of the First West India Regiment, by +A. B. Ellis + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The History of the First West India Regiment + +Author: A. B. Ellis + +Release Date: September 14, 2009 [EBook #29984] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIRST WEST INDIA REGIMENT *** + + + + +Produced by Steven Gibbs, Jane Hyland and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +THE HISTORY + +OF THE + +FIRST WEST INDIA REGIMENT. + + +THE HISTORY + +OF THE + +FIRST WEST INDIA +REGIMENT. + + +BY + +A.B. ELLIS, + +_Major, First West India Regiment._ + +AUTHOR OF "WEST AFRICAN ISLANDS" AND "THE LAND OF FETISH". + + +London: + +CHAPMAN AND HALL, LIMITED, + +HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN. + +1885. + +CHARLES DICKENS AND EVANS, + +CRYSTAL PALACE PRESS. + + + + +I beg to return my best thanks to A.E. HAVELOCK, Esq., C.M.G. +Administrator-in-Chief of the West African Settlements; +Lieutenant-Colonel F.B.P. WHITE, of the 1st West India Regiment; V.S. +GOULDSBURY, Esq., Administrator of the Gambia Settlements; A. YOUNG, +Esq., Lieutenant-Governor of Demerara; F. EVANS, Esq., C.M.G., Assistant +Colonial Secretary of the Gold Coast Colony; ALFRED KINGSTON, Esq., of +the Record Office; and RICHARD GARNETT, Esq., of the British Museum, for +the very valuable assistance which they have rendered me in the +collection of materials for this Work. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + PAGE + INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER 1 + + + CHAPTER I. + + THE ACTION AT BRIAR CREEK, 1779--THE ACTION AT STONO + FERRY, 1779 26 + + + CHAPTER II. + + THE SIEGE OF SAVANNAH, 1779--THE SIEGE OF CHARLESTOWN, + 1780--THE BATTLE OF HOBKERK'S HILL, 1781 33 + + + CHAPTER III. + + THE RELIEF OF NINETY-SIX, 1781--THE BATTLE OF EUTAW + SPRINGS, 1781--REMOVAL TO THE WEST INDIES 43 + + + CHAPTER IV. + + THE EXPEDITION TO MARTINIQUE, 1793--THE CAPTURE OF + MARTINIQUE, ST. LUCIA, AND GUADALOUPE, 1794--THE + DEFENCE OF FORT MATILDA, 1794 53 + + + CHAPTER V. + + MALCOLM'S ROYAL RANGERS--THE EVACUATION OF ST. LUCIA, + 1795 63 + + + CHAPTER VI. + + THE CARIB WAR IN ST. VINCENT, 1795 69 + + + CHAPTER VII. + + MAJOR-GENERAL WHYTE'S REGIMENT OF FOOT, 1795 77 + + + CHAPTER VIII. + + THE CAPTURE OF ST. LUCIA, 1796 85 + + + CHAPTER IX. + + THE RELIEF OF GRENADA, 1796--THE REPULSE AT PORTO RICO, + 1797 93 + + + CHAPTER X. + + THE DEFENCE OF DOMINICA, 1805 103 + + + CHAPTER XI. + + THE HURRICANE AT DOMINICA, 1806--THE REDUCTION OF ST. + THOMAS AND ST. CROIX, 1807--THE RELIEF OF MARIE-GALANTE, + 1808 117 + + + CHAPTER XII. + + THE CAPTURE OF MARTINIQUE, 1809--THE CAPTURE OF GUADALOUPE, + 1810 125 + + + CHAPTER XIII. + + THE EXPEDITION TO NEW ORLEANS, 1814-15 141 + + + CHAPTER XIV. + + THE OCCUPATION OF GUADALOUPE, 1815--THE BARBADOS INSURRECTION, + 1816--THE HURRICANE OF 1817 160 + + + CHAPTER XV. + + THE DEMERARA REBELLION, 1823 170 + + + CHAPTER XVI. + + THE BARRA WAR, 1831--THE HURRICANE OF 1831--THE COBOLO + EXPEDITION, 1832 178 + + + CHAPTER XVII. + + THE MUTINY OF THE RECRUITS AT TRINIDAD, 1837 188 + + + CHAPTER XVIII. + + THE PIRARA EXPEDITION, 1842--CHANGES IN THE WEST AFRICAN + GARRISONS--THE APPOLLONIA EXPEDITION, 1848 208 + + + CHAPTER XIX. + + INDIAN DISTURBANCES IN HONDURAS, 1848-49--THE ESCORT TO + COOMASSIE, 1848--THE SHERBRO EXPEDITION, 1849--THE + ESCORT TO RIO NUNEZ, 1850 218 + + + CHAPTER XX. + + THE STORMING OF SABBAJEE, 1853--THE RELIEF OF CHRISTIANSBORG, + 1854 228 + + + CHAPTER XXI. + + THE TWO EXPEDITIONS TO MALAGEAH, 1854-55 236 + + + CHAPTER XXII. + + THE BATTLE OF BAKKOW, AND STORMING OF SABBAJEE, 1855 248 + + + CHAPTER XXIII. + + CHANGES IN THE WEST AFRICAN GARRISONS, 1856-57--THE + GREAT SCARCIES RIVER EXPEDITION, 1859--FIRE AT NASSAU, + 1859 257 + + + CHAPTER XXIV. + + THE BADDIBOO WAR, 1860-61 265 + + + CHAPTER XXV. + + THE ASHANTI EXPEDITION, 1863-64 276 + + + CHAPTER XXVI. + + THE JAMAICA REBELLION, 1865 286 + + + CHAPTER XXVII. + + AFRICAN TOUR, 1866-70 298 + + + CHAPTER XXVIII. + + THE DEFENCE OF ORANGE WALK, 1872 304 + + + CHAPTER XXIX. + + THE ASHANTI WAR, 1873-74 317 + + + CHAPTER XXX. + + AFFAIRS IN HONDURAS, 1874--THE SHERBRO EXPEDITION, 1875--THE + ASHANTI EXPEDITION, 1881 333 + + + APPENDIX 343 + + INDEX 361 + + + + +MAPS. + + 1. ST. VINCENT _facing page 69_ + + 2. GRENADA " 93 + + 3. DOMINICA " 103 + + 4. MARTINIQUE " 125 + + 5. GUADALOUPE " 133 + + 6. THE GAMBIA SETTLEMENTS " 178 + + 7. THE GOLD COAST " 215 + + 8. BRITISH HONDURAS " 219 + + 9. THE MELLICOURIE RIVER " 236 + + 10. SWARRA CUNDA CREEK " 265 + + 11. THE COUNTY OF SURREY, JAMAICA " 287 + + 12. ORANGE WALK " 305 + + 13. THE ROUTE TO COOMASSIE " 319 + + 14. BRITISH SHERBRO " 337 + + +THE HISTORY OF THE FIRST WEST INDIA REGIMENT. + + + + +INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. + + +At the present day, when our Continental neighbours are outvying each +other in the completeness of their military organisations and the size +of their armies, while in the United Kingdom complaints are daily heard +that the supply of recruits for the British Army is not equal to the +demand, it may not be out of place to draw the attention of the public +to a source from which the army may be most economically reinforced. + +The principal difficulty experienced by military reformers in their +endeavours to remodel the British Army on the Continental system, is +that caused by the necessity of providing troops for the defence of our +vast and scattered Colonial Empire. Without taking into consideration +India, our European and North American possessions, a considerable +portion of the army has to be employed in furnishing garrisons for the +Cape Colony, Natal, Mauritius, St. Helena, the Bermudas, the West +Indies, Burmah, the Straits Settlements, Hong Kong, etc.; which +garrisons, though creating a constant drain on the Home Establishment, +are notoriously inadequate for the defence of the various colonies in +which they are placed; and the result is that, whenever a colonial war +breaks out, fresh battalions have to be hurriedly sent out from the +United Kingdom at immense expense, and the entire military machine is +temporarily disarranged. + +In size, and in diversity of subject races, the British Empire may be +not inaptly compared with that of Rome in its palmiest days; and we +have, in a measure, adopted a Roman scheme for the defence of a portion +of our dominions. The Romans were accustomed, as each new territory was +conquered, to raise levies of troops from the subject race, and then, +most politicly, to send them to serve in distant parts of the Empire, +where they could have no sympathies with the inhabitants. In India we, +like the Romans, raise troops from the conquered peoples, but, unlike +them, we retain those troops for service in their own country. The +result of this attempt to modify the scheme was the Indian mutiny. + +The plan of a local colonial army was, however, first tried in the West +Indies. At the close of the last century, when the West India Islands, +or the Plantations, as they were then called, were of as much importance +to, and held the same position in, the British Empire as India does +now, there was in existence a West India Army, consisting of twelve +battalions of negro troops, raised exclusively for service in the West +Indies. + +As India was gradually conquered, and the West India trade declined +(from the abolition of the slave trade and other causes), the West India +Colonies, by a regular process, fell from their former pre-eminent +position. Each step in the descent was marked by the disbandment of a +West India regiment, until, at the present day, two only remain in +existence; and it is a matter of common notoriety that those two are +principally preserved to garrison Sierra Leone, the Gold Coast Colony, +British Honduras, and British Guiana--colonies the climates of which, +experience has shown, are fatal to European soldiers, who are +necessarily in time of peace, from the nature of their duties, more +exposed to climatic influence than are officers. Economy was, of course, +the cause of this continued process of reduction, for, until recently, +such gigantic military establishments as those of Germany, Russia, and +France were unheard of; and Great Britain was satisfied, and felt +secure, with a miniature army, a paper militia, and no reserve. All this +is now changed, and the necessity of an increase in our defensive power +is admitted. + +These negro West India troops won the highest encomiums from every +British commander under whom they served. Sir Ralph Abercromby in 1796, +Sir John Moore in 1797, Lieutenant-General Trigge in 1801, Sir George +Provost in 1805, Lieutenant-General Beckwith and Major-General Maitland +in 1809 and 1810, all testified to the gallantry, steadiness, and +discipline of the negro soldiers. Sir John Moore, speaking of the new +corps in 1796, said "they are invaluable," and "the very best troops for +the climate." To come to more recent times, in 1873 the 2nd West India +Regiment bore for six months the entire brunt of the Ashanti attack, and +had actually forced the invading army to retire across the Prah before +the men of a single line battalion were landed. In fact, the efficiency +of West India troops was, and is, unquestioned. + +This being so, it may be asked, why should not the present number of +regiments composed of negro soldiers be increased for the purpose of +garrisoning the colonies, especially those of which the climate is most +prejudicial to English soldiers? This would not be a return to the +former state of affairs, for when we had twelve negro regiments they +were all stationed in the West Indies, whereas the essence of the +present scheme is to send them on service in other colonies. Such an +augmentation of our West India, or Zouave, regiments certainly appears +politic and easy. I will also endeavour to show that it would be +economical. + +Each West India battalion would take the place of a Territorial +battalion now serving abroad. The latter would return to the United +Kingdom, be reduced to the Home Establishment, and have from 300 to 400 +men passed into the Reserve. Repeat this process seven or eight times, +and the services with the colours of between 2000 and 3000 European +soldiers are dispensed with, the Reserve being increased by that number. +In addition, negro soldiers being enlisted for twelve years' service +with the colours, negro regiments on foreign service would not require +those large drafts sent to white battalions to replace time-expired men, +transport for which so swells the army estimates; while the negro being +a native of the tropics, invaliding home would be reduced to a minimum. + +The pay of the black soldier is ninepence per diem, against a shilling +per diem to the white, so that there would be some saving effected in +that way. In fact, it has been calculated that for an annual addition to +the army estimates of some L27,000, six new negro battalions, each 800 +strong, could be maintained; giving, on the one hand, an addition of +4800 to our present military force, and on the other, an increased +Reserve, and six more Territorial battalions in the United Kingdom, +ready to hand on a European emergency. To this may be added the lives of +scores of Englishmen yearly saved to their country. + +By the Territorial scheme now in force in Great Britain, an attempt has +been made to localise corps on the German system, irrespective of the +fact that Germany has no colonies, while those of Great Britain are most +numerous. In Germany, in time of peace, each army corps is located in a +district, from which it never moves, and in which the Reserve men, +destined to complete the regiments to war strength, are compelled to +live. Thus, when a general mobilisation takes place, the men are on the +spot, and join the regiments in which they have already served. France +has adopted this system, with the exception that army corps are not +permanently located in districts, and the army thus localised is the one +for European service only. For her colonies an entirely distinct army is +maintained, composed of men specially enlisted for foreign service. In +Great Britain we have neither adopted the German system nor the French +modification of that system; but a scheme of localisation, with the +main-spring of localisation removed, has been endeavoured to be grafted +upon our old system, under which the regular army is sent on service in +time of peace to distant portions of the globe. Should the mobilisation +of an army corps be necessary in England, the Reserve men would, in a +large number of cases, find the regiments in which they had formerly +served, on foreign service. It would then be necessary to draft them +into regiments to which they were strangers, in which they would take no +interest, and where they would be unknown to their officers. On the +other hand, should it be necessary to despatch suddenly six or seven +battalions to India or the Cape, they have to be made up to a war +strength from other corps, for they have been reduced to a skeleton +establishment in order that men may be provided for the Reserve. + +Localisation, to be effectual, must be thorough; but it and the demands +of foreign service are so incompatible that they cannot be efficiently +combined. At the present time, neither is said to be in a satisfactory +condition, and the Reserve, which was expected to have risen to a total +of 80,000 men, consists of 32,000 only. + +Military reformers have long since arrived at the conclusion that if the +British Army is to be maintained at such a footing as to give weight to +the voice of Great Britain in the councils of Europe, we must have two +distinct armies; namely, one for home service, ready for a European +imbroglio, and a second to which the defence of the colonies can be +entrusted. The objection to this has been, hitherto, the great expense, +for it has always been taken for granted that this Colonial Army would +consist of white soldiers; and the question of increased pay, supply of +recruits, and periodical removal of men to the United Kingdom, over and +above the cost of the Territorial Army, had to be considered. With negro +troops, however, for the Colonial Army, this objection, if it does not +entirely disappear, is reduced at least by three-quarters. Should it be +tried on a small scale and found successful, there need be no reason why +in time almost the whole of the Territorial battalions should not be +withdrawn from foreign service. In this way localisation could be made a +reality; and with such vast untouched recruiting grounds as our colonies +offer, there can be no doubt as to the practicability of raising the +negro regiments required. Such regiments might also partly compose the +garrisons of Gibraltar, Malta, Cyprus, Aden, and Ceylon. There is, +indeed, no reason, except the hatred of the Hindoo for the negro, why +such regiments might not serve in India. As the negro would never +coalesce with the natives of India, a new and entirely reliable force, +indifferent to tropical heat, and not requiring a vast retinue of +camp-followers, would be always at hand. Of course, negro battalions +could never be employed in cold latitudes, for the negro suffers from +cold in a manner which is incomprehensible even to Europeans who have +passed the best part of their lives in the tropics. Instead of being +braced by and deriving activity from the cold, he becomes languid and +inert; and nothing but the rays of the sun can arouse him to any +exertion. Even in West Africa, during the Harmattan season, natives may +be observed in the early morning, hugging their scanty clothing around +them and shivering with cold; while the ill-fated expedition to New +Orleans showed what deadly havoc an inclement climate will play with +negro troops. + +Next, as to the men of whom these negro regiments would be composed. It +is too much the custom in Great Britain, in describing a man of colour, +to consider that all has been said that is necessary when he is called a +negro; yet there are as many nationalities, and as many types of the +African race, as there are of the Caucasian. No one would imagine that a +European was sufficiently described by the title of "white man." It +would be asked if the individual in question were an Englishman, +German, Frenchman, and so on; and the same kind of classification is +necessary for the negro. On the western coast of Africa, the portion of +the African continent from which North and South America and the West +Indies obtained their negro population, there are at least twenty +different varieties of the African race, distinct from each other in +features and even in colour; and these are again subdivided into several +hundred nations or tribes, each of which possesses a language, manners, +and customs of its own. + +In the days of the slave-trade, the slave-dealers adopted certain +arbitrary designations to denote from what portion of the coast their +wares were obtained. For instance, slaves shipped from Sierra Leone and +the rivers to the north and east of that peninsula, and who were +principally Timmanees, Kossus, Acoos, Mendis, Foulahs, and Jolloffs, +were called Mandingoes, from the dominant tribe of that name which +supplied the slave-market. Negroes from the Gold Coast kingdoms of +Ashanti, Fanti, Assin, Akim, Wassaw, Aquapim, Ahanta, and Accra were +denominated Koromantyns, or Coromantees, a corruption of Cormantine, the +name of a fort some sixteen miles to the east of Cape Coast Castle, and +which was the earliest British slave-station on the Gold Coast. +Similarly, slaves from the tribes inhabiting the Slave Coast, that is to +say, Awoonahs, Agbosomehs, Flohows, Popos, Dahomans, Egbas, and Yorubas, +were all termed Papaws; while those from the numerous petty states of +the Niger delta, where the lowest type of the negro is to be found, were +known as Eboes. + +Thousands of men of these tribes, and others too numerous to mention, +were carried across the Atlantic and scattered at hap-hazard all over +the West India Islands. At first tribal distinctions were maintained, +but in the course of years, in each island they gradually disappeared +and were forgotten; until at the present day a West India negro does not +describe himself as a Kossu or a Koromantyn, but as a Jamaican, a +Barbadian, an Antiguan, etc. It would naturally be supposed that as the +West India Islands all received their slave population in the same +manner, and that as in each there was the same original diversity of +nationalities, subsequently blended together by intermarriages and +community of wants and language, a West India negro of the present +generation from any one island would be hardly distinguishable from one +from any other. Nothing, however, would be further from the truth. Since +the abolition of slavery, the conditions of life in the various islands +have been so different--in some the dense population necessitating daily +labour for an existence, while in others large uncultivated stretches of +wood and mountain have afforded squatting grounds for the majority of +the black population--that, in conjunction with diversity of climate, +each group of islands is now populated with a race of negroes morally +distinct _per se_. The difference between a negro born and bred in +Barbados and one born and bred in Jamaica is as great as between an +American and an Englishman, and the clannish spirit of the negro tends +to increase that difference. At the present time the negro of Jamaica +does not care to enlist in the 2nd West India Regiment, which is largely +recruited in Barbados; and, in the same way, the Barbadian declines to +serve in the 1st West India Regiment, because it is almost entirely +composed of Jamaicans. + +While the negroes of the West Indies have thus lost all their tribal +peculiarities in the natural course of progress and civilisation, those +of West Africa have remained at a standstill; and there is to-day as +much difference between the hideous and debased Eboe and the stately and +dignified Mandingo, between the docile Fanti and the bloodthirsty +Ashanti, as there was one hundred and fifty years ago. Civilising +influences have made this contrast between the Africans and their West +India descendants still more striking. The latter have, since the +abolition of slavery, been living independent lives, in close contact +with civilisation, and enjoying all the rights of manhood under British +laws. From their earliest infancy they have known no language but the +English, and no religion but Christianity; while the former are still +barbarians, grovelling in fetishism, cursed with slavery, ignorant, +debased, and wantonly cruel. The West India negro has so much contempt +for his African cousin, that he invariably speaks of him by the +ignominious title of "bushman." In fact, the former considers himself in +every respect an Englishman, and the anecdote of the West India negro, +who, being rather roughly jolted by a Frenchman on board a mail steamer, +turned round to him and ejaculated, "I think you forget that we beat you +at Waterloo," is no exaggeration. + +Just as the negro races of West Africa are distinct from one another, +and the West India negro from all, so are the coloured inhabitants of +both those parts of the world entirely distinct from the Kaffir tribes +of South Africa; and a coalition between Galeka or Zulu inhabitants and +West India troops would be as impossible as the fraternisation of a +Territorial battalion with the natives of India. Apart, however, from +the fact that negro troops could always be safely employed alone outside +the colony in which they were bred, history has shown that the fidelity +of West India soldiers is beyond question. Indeed it would be difficult +to say what stronger ties there could be than those of sentiment, +language, and religion, and the association from childhood with British +manners, customs, laws, and modes of thought. When to these are added +discipline, the habit of obedience, and that well-known affection for +their officers and their regiment which is so particularly an attribute +of the West India soldier, it must be acknowledged that the guarantees +of fidelity are, with the single exception of race, at least as good as +those of the linesmen. + +In India, the native army consists of men hostile to us by tradition, +creed, and race, who consider their food defiled if even the shadow of a +British officer should chance to fall across it, and assuredly it would +be as safe a proceeding to garrison our colonies with English negroes as +to garrison India with such men. Yet that is done at the present day, +and excites no remark. + +The English-speaking negro of the West Indies is most excellent material +for a soldier. He is docile, patient, brave, and faithful, and for an +officer who knows how to gain his affection--an easy matter, requiring +only justness, good temper, and an ear ready to listen patiently to any +tale of real or imaginary grievance--he will do anything. Of course they +are not perfect; they have their faults, like all soldiers, and when +they chance to be commanded by an officer who is unnecessarily harsh, or +who speaks roughly to them, they manifest their displeasure by passive +obedience and a stubborn sullenness. English soldiers, on the other +hand, under such circumstances, proceed to acts of insubordination, and +it is for military judges to say which mode of expression they prefer. + +The West African negro does not appear to such advantage as a soldier. +Although all the specimens, with the exception of the Sierra Leone +negro, possess the first necessary qualification of personal courage, +they are dull and stupid, and cannot be transformed into intelligent +soldiers. It may be wondered why the Sierra Leonean, who alone among the +West Africans is an English-speaking negro, should be worse than his +more barbarian neighbours; but I believe the solution may be found in +the fact that the large proportion of slaves landed in former days at +Sierra Leone from captured slavers were so-called Eboes, from the tribes +of the Niger delta; which tribes all ethnologists are agreed in +describing as among the lowest of the African races, and which, it may +be remarked, are even at the present day addicted to cannibalism. The +West African soldier is a mere machine, who mechanically obeys orders, +and never ventures, under any circumstances, to act or think for +himself. Should an African be placed on sentry, he fulfils to the letter +the orders read to him by the non-commissioned officer who posts him, +but frequently entirely ignores their spirit. Sometimes this is +productive of amusing incidents. For instance, some years ago, among the +orders for the sentry posted at Government House, Sierra Leone, was one +to the effect that no one was to be permitted to leave the premises +after dark carrying a parcel. This order had been issued at the request +of the Governor, to prevent pilfering on the part of his servants. One +evening the Governor was coming out of his house with a small +despatch-box, when, to his surprise, he was stopped by the sentry, an +old African. + +"But I'm the Governor," said the astonished administrator, "and I had +that order made myself. You mustn't stop me." + +"Me no care if you be Gubnor or not," replied the imperturbable African. +"The corporal gib de order, and you no can pass." And Her Majesty's +representative had to turn back and leave his despatch-box at home. + +The greatest objection to the African, however, is the strange fact that +no amount of care or attention on the part of his instructors can ever +make him a good or even a fair shot. In the 1st West India Regiment +there are still a few Africans remaining, most of whom have from twelve +to eighteen years' service; and who have annually expended their rounds +without hitting the target more than once or twice during the whole +musketry course. Give these men a rifle rested on a tripod, and tell +them to align the sights upon some given mark, and they cannot do it. +They will frequently aim a foot or two to the right or left of an object +only a few yards distant. Every possible plan has been tried to make +them improve, but all have equally failed; and, in consequence, Africans +are not now enlisted. Still, although on account of this failing, +African troops could never, in these days of long-range firing, meet +Europeans in the field, a battalion of Africans would be quite good +enough for bush fighting against an enemy like the Ashanti, a still +worse marksman, and worse armed; or against tribes armed with the spear +or assegai. + +Of course one reason of the African's dulness is that until he enlists, +that is until he is from twenty-four to thirty years of age, he has +never exercised his mind in any way; and the long years of mental +idleness have produced a sluggishness which makes it extremely difficult +for him to acquire anything new that requires thought. After enlisting, +he picks up a species of unintelligible English, but that is the most +that he can do. It is pitiful to see these men, some of them now old, +struggling day after day, according to regulation, in the regimental +school, to learn their letters. It is to them the greatest punishment +that could be inflicted, and though they attend school for years, they +rarely succeed in doing more than master the alphabet. + +In former days, whenever the cargo of a captured slaver was landed at +Sierra Leone, a party from the garrison used to be admitted to the +Liberated African Yard for the purpose of seeking recruits amongst the +slaves. Many of the latter, pleased with the brilliant uniform, and +talked over by the recruiting party, who were men specially selected for +this duty on account of their knowledge of African languages, offered +themselves as recruits. If medically fit, they were invariably accepted, +though it must have been well known that they could not possibly have +had any idea of the nature of the engagement into which they were +entering. Some fifteen or twenty recruits being thus obtained, they were +given high-sounding names, such as Mark Antony, Scipio Africanus, etc., +their own barbaric appellations being too unpronounceable, and then +marched down in a body to the cathedral to be baptised. Some might be +Mohammedans, and the majority certainly believers in fetish, but the +form of requiring their assent to a change in their religion was never +gone through; and the following Sunday they were marched into church as +a matter of course, along with their Christian comrades. Although thus +nominally christianised, they still remained at heart believers in +fetish, for it is a remarkable fact that no adult West African has ever +become a bona-fide convert, and the missionaries have long since given +up attempting to proselytise grown persons, reserving all their efforts +for children. Holding, as they did, in great dread all fetish, or obeah, +practices; usually someone amongst them, more cunning than the rest, +professed an acquaintance with the supposed diabolical ritual; and +gained influence with, and extorted money from, his more timid comrades. +Officers now in the 1st West India Regiment can remember the time when, +there being many Africans in the regiment, the feathers of parrots or +scraps of rags might be found in the neighbourhood of the orderly room. +Whenever this was the case, it was known that an African was about to be +brought before his commanding officer for some neglect of duty or breach +of discipline; and these fetishes had been placed there to induce the +colonel to deal leniently with the offender. Ridiculous as this practice +must seem to every educated person, it sometimes produced the most +serious effects upon the credulous Africans; and I have heard old +officers speak of instances, which came within their own knowledge, of +soldiers who, having found old bones, broken pieces of calabashes, or +glass, placed on their beds, immediately resigned themselves to death, +saying that "fetish was thrown upon them," and in nine cases out of +twelve, so certain were they that it was impossible to escape the coming +doom, they positively frightened or worried themselves to death. The +professors of fetishism likewise drove a good trade in amulets which +rendered the wearer invulnerable. On one occasion at Sierra Leone, a +young African who had been recently enlisted displayed with much pride a +gri-gri or amulet which he wore on his wrist, and which, he asserted, +rendered him invulnerable. His West India comrades laughed at him; and +the African, indignant at the doubt thrown upon the efficacy of his +charm, drew his knife, and, before he could be stopped, plunged it into +his thigh to prove that he spoke the truth. His eyes were opened, +unfortunately, too late; for though he was at once removed to the +hospital, he died from the effects of this self-inflicted wound. In West +India regiments the practice of fetish was made a military crime, and +was severely punished. Sufferers or imaginary sufferers from fetishism, +however, rarely complained to their officers, for they believed that the +occult art practised by the professor was superior to any power held by +man, and consequently, culprits were but seldom detected. With the +disappearance of Africans from West India regiments, the offence of +fetishism has, however, also disappeared. + +Military crime in West India regiments is of comparatively rare +occurrence. Even when the 3rd West India Regiment was in existence, +there was less in the three negro regiments than in one of the Line; +while drunkenness is confined to the few black sheep who will be found +in every body of men. Riots or disturbances between West India soldiers +and the inhabitants of the towns in which they are quartered are unheard +of, and in every garrison they receive the highest praise for their +unvarying good and quiet behaviour. In fact they are merry, +good-tempered, and orderly men, who do not wish to interfere with +anyone; and, owing to their temperate habits, they are not led into the +commission of offences by the influence of drink. Of course, the popular +idea in Great Britain of the negro is that he is a person who commonly +wears a dilapidated tall hat, cotton garments of brilliant hue, carries +a banjo or concertina, and indulges in extraordinary cachinnations at +the smallest pretext; but this is as far from the truth as the creature +of imagination in the opposite extreme, evoked by the vivid fancy of +Mrs. Beecher Stowe. + +The bravery of the West India soldier in action has often been tested, +and as long as an officer remains alive to lead not a man will flinch. +His favourite weapon is the bayonet; and the principal difficulty with +him in action is to hold him back, so anxious is he to close with his +enemy. It is unnecessary here to refer to individual acts of gallantry +performed by soldiers of the 1st West India Regiment, they being fully +set forth in the following history; but of such performed by soldiers of +other West India regiments the two following now occur to me. + +Private Samuel Hodge, a pioneer of the 3rd West India Regiment, was +awarded the Victoria Cross for conspicuous bravery at the storming of +the Mohammedan stockade at Tubarcolong (the White Man's Well), on the +River Gambia, on the 30th of May, 1866. Under a heavy fire from the +concealed enemy, by which one officer was killed and an officer and +thirteen men severely wounded, Hodge, and another pioneer named Boswell, +chopped and tore away with their hands the logs of wood forming the +stockade, Boswell falling nobly just as an opening was effected. Again, +in 1873, during the Ashanti War--when it was reported, on the 5th of +December, by natives at Yancoomassie Assin that the Ashanti army had +retired across the Prah--two soldiers of the 2nd West India Regiment +volunteered to go on alone to the river and ascertain if the report were +true. On their return they reported all clear to the Prah; and said they +had written their names on a piece of paper and posted it up. Six days +later, when the advanced party of the expeditionary force marched into +Prahsu, this paper was found fastened to a tree on the banks of the +river. At the time that this voluntary act was performed it must be +remembered that, on the 27th of November, the British and their allies +had met with a serious repulse at Faisowah, through pressing too closely +upon the retiring Ashantis; that this repulse was considered both by the +Ashantis and by our native allies as a set-off against the failure of +the attack on Abracampa; that the Houssa levy was in a state of panic, +and no reliable information as to the position of the enemy was +obtainable. It was under such circumstances that these two men advanced +nearly sixteen miles into an (to them) unknown tract of solitary +forest, to follow up an enemy that never spared life, and whose +whereabouts was doubtful. + +Other qualifications apart, however, West India troops have proved +themselves of the very greatest value on active service in tropical +climates from the very fact that, being natives of the tropics, they can +undergo fatigue and exposure that would be fatal to European soldiers. +In campaigns in which both the West India and the European soldier are +employed, all the hard and unpleasant work is thrown upon the former, +and the publication in general orders of the thanks of the officer in +command of the force is the only acknowledgment he receives; for +newspaper correspondents, naturally anxious to swell the circulation of +the journals they represent, while giving the most minute details of the +doings of the white soldier, leave out in the cold his black comrade, +who has few friends among the reading public of Great Britain. +Occasionally, facts are even misrepresented. For instance, the defence +of Fommanah, on the 2nd of February, 1874, which was really effected by +a detachment of the 1st West India Regiment, was, in an account +telegraphed to one London daily paper, attributed to the 23rd Regiment, +of which corps there were only six or seven men in the place, and those +in hospital. + +On the last occasion on which West India troops served with Line +battalions, namely in the Ashanti War of 1873-74, West India soldiers +daily marched twice and even three times the distance traversed by the +white troops; and, south of the Prah, searched the country for miles on +both sides of the line of advance, in search of carriers. It is not too +much to say, that if the two West India regiments had not been on the +Gold Coast, no advance on Coomassie would, that year, have been +possible. In December, 1873, the transport broke down; there was a +deadlock along the road; each half-battalion of the European troops was +detained in the camp it occupied, and the 23rd Regiment had to be +re-embarked for want of carriers. The fate of the expedition was +trembling in the balance, and the control officers were unanimous in +declaring that a further advance was impossible, and that the troops in +front would have to return by forced marches. Prior to this, the want of +transport had been felt to such an extent that the West India soldiers +had been placed on half rations; a step, however, which was not followed +by any diminution of work, which remained as hard as ever. In this +emergency the two West India regiments, with the 42nd--to whom all +honour be due--volunteered to carry supplies, in addition to their arms, +accoutrements, and ammunition. They acted as carriers for several days, +and moved such quantities of provisions to the front that the pressure +was removed and a further advance made possible. Even if more carriers +had been obtained from the already ransacked native villages, they could +not have arrived in time, for the rainy season was fast approaching and +the delay of a fortnight would have been fatal. + +There was a peculiar irony of fate in the expedition being thus relieved +of its most pressing difficulties through the exertions of the West +India regiments. It had been Sir Garnet Wolseley's original intention to +take into Ashanti territory only the Rifle Brigade, the 23rd, and the +1st and 2nd West India Regiments; and, on the arrival of the hired +transport, _Sarmatian_, he wrote, on the 15th of December, that he did +not propose landing the 42nd. In the course of the next three days, +however, he changed his views, and, in his letter of the 18th December, +gave as his reason: "I find that the one great obstacle to the +employment of a third battalion of English troops, viz., the difficulty +of transport, is as great in the case of a West India regiment. The West +India soldier has the same rations as the European soldier, and a West +India regiment requires, man for man, exactly the same amount of +transport as a European regiment." The 42nd, therefore, was to be landed +and taken to the front, while the 1st West India Regiment was to remain +at Cape Coast Castle and Elmina as a reserve. Afterwards, when the +transport failed, it was found that the West India soldier could do the +work of the European on half rations, and carry his own supplies as +well. + +West India regiments at the present day labour under many disadvantages. +Owing to the two battalions having to furnish garrisons for colonies +which really require three, they are alternately for one period of three +years divided into three detachments, and for the next period of three +years into six. No lieutenant-colonel of a West India regiment can ever +see the whole of his regiment together. The largest number that, under +present circumstances, he can ever have under him at any one station is +four companies; and the most he can have under his actual command at any +one time is six companies on board a troopship. Thus in a regiment there +are sometimes three, and sometimes six, officers vested with the power +of an officer commanding a detachment; and however conscientiously they +may endeavour to follow out a regimental system, every individual has +naturally a different manner of dealing with men, and a certain amount +of homogeneousness is lost to the regiment as a whole. + +Endless correspondence is entailed, and sometimes questions have to +remain open for months, until answers can be received from distant +detachments. In small garrisons, also, drill becomes a mere farce; for, +after the clerks, employed men, and men on guard and in hospital are +deducted, there are perhaps only a dozen men or so left for parade. In +spite of all these drawbacks the regiments still maintain a wonderful +efficiency, and afford another proof of the soldierlike qualities of the +West India negro. + +Another disadvantage is that a West India regiment is never seen in +England, the British public knows nothing of such regiments, has no +friends, relatives, or acquaintances in their ranks, and consequently +takes no interest in them. Yet they are a remarkably fine body of men, +and a picked battalion of the Guards would look small beside them if +brigaded with them in Hyde Park. So little is known, that I have +sometimes been asked if the officers of West India regiments are also +black, and it is with a view to making the regiment to which I have the +honour to belong better known to the public at large, that the following +history has been written. There has been no attempt at descriptive +writing, facts being merely collected from official documents, so that +the authenticity of the narrative may be unquestionable. + +In order that the earlier chapters may be the more readily understood, +it may be as well to state that, with the 1st West India Regiment, which +was called into existence in the _London Gazette_ of the 2nd of May, +1795, were incorporated two other corps; of which one, the Carolina +Corps, had been in existence since 1779, while the other--Malcolm's, or +the Royal Rangers--had been raised in January or February, 1795. It is +from the Carolina Corps that the 1st West India Regiment derives the +Carolina laurel, borne on the crest of the regiment. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE ACTION AT BRIAR CREEK, 1779--THE ACTION AT STONO FERRY, 1779. + + +In the autumn of 1778, during the War of the American Independence, the +British commanders in North America determined to make another attempt +for the royal cause in the Southern States of Georgia and South +Carolina, which, since the failure of Lord Cornwallis at the siege of +Charlestown in July, 1776, had been allowed to remain unmolested. With +this view they despatched Colonel Campbell, in November, from New York, +with the 71st Regiment, two battalions of Hessians, three of Loyal +Provincials,[1] and a detachment of Artillery, the whole amounting to +about 3500, to make an attempt upon the town of Savannah, the capital of +Georgia. Arriving off the mouth of the Savannah River on the 23rd of +December, Colonel Campbell was so rapidly successful, that, by the +middle of January, not only was Savannah in his hands, but Georgia +itself was entirely cleared of American troops. + +It was about this time that the South Carolina Regiment, the oldest +branch of the 1st West India Regiment, was raised. Numerous royalists +joined the British camp and were formed into various corps;[2] and the +South Carolina Regiment is first mentioned as taking part in the action +at Briar Creek on the 3rd of March, 1779,[3] the corps then being, +according to Major-General Prevost's despatch, about 100 strong. The +action at Briar Creek occurred as follows: + +In the early part of 1779, General Prevost's[4] force was distributed in +posts along the frontier of Georgia; Hudson's Ferry, twenty-four miles +above Savannah, being the upper extremity of the chain. Watching these +posts was the American general, Lincoln, with the main body of the +American Army of the South, at Purrysburgh, about twenty miles above +Savannah, and General Ashe, who was posted with about 2000 of the +Militia of North and South Carolina and Georgia, at Briar Creek, near +the point where it falls into the Savannah River. + +General Ashe's position appeared most secure, his left being covered by +the Savannah with its marshes, and his front by Briar Creek, which was +about twenty feet broad, and unfordable at that point and for several +miles above it; nevertheless, General Prevost determined to surprise +him. For the purpose of amusing General Lincoln, he made a show of an +intention to pass the river; and, in order to occupy the attention of +Ashe, he ordered a party to appear in his front, on the opposite side of +Briar Creek. Meanwhile General Prevost, with 900 chosen men, made an +extensive circuit, passed Briar Creek fifteen miles above the American +position, gained their rear unperceived, and was almost in their camp +before they discovered his approach. The surprise was as complete as +could be wished. Whole regiments fled without firing a shot, and numbers +without even attempting to seize their arms; they ran in their confusion +into the marsh, and swam across the river, in which numbers of them were +drowned. The Continental troops, under General Elbert, and a regiment of +North Carolina Militia, alone offered resistance; but they were not long +able to maintain the unequal conflict, and, being overpowered, were +compelled to surrender. The Americans lost from 300 to 400 men, and +seven pieces of cannon. The British lost five men killed, and one +officer and ten men wounded. + +After this success, the British and American forces remained on opposite +sides of the River Savannah, until the end of April, when General +Lincoln, thinking the swollen state of the river and the inundation of +the marshes was sufficient protection for the lower districts, withdrew +his forces further inland, leaving General Moultrie with 1000 men at +Black Swamp. By this movement Lincoln left Charlestown exposed to the +British. General Prevost at once took advantage of this, and, on the +29th of April, suddenly crossed the river, near Purrysburgh, with 2500 +men, among whom was the South Carolina Regiment, which had been +considerably increased by accessions of loyalists and freed negroes. + +General Prevost advanced rapidly into the country, the militia under +Moultrie, who had considered the swamps impassable, offering but a +feeble resistance, and retiring hastily, destroying the bridges in their +rear. On the 11th of May, the British force crossed the Ashley River a +few miles above Charlestown, and, advancing along the neck formed by the +Ashley and Cooper Rivers, established itself at a little more than +cannon-shot from the city. A continued succession of skirmishes took +place on that day and the ensuing night, and on the following morning +Charlestown was summoned to surrender. + +Negotiations were broken off in the evening, much to the disappointment +of the British general, who had been led to suppose that a large +proportion of the inhabitants were favourable to the royal cause, and +that the city would fall easily into his hands. He now found himself in +a dangerous predicament. He was without siege guns, before lines +defended by a considerable force of artillery, and flanked by shipping; +he was involved in a labyrinth of creeks and rivers, where a defeat +would have been fatal, and General Lincoln with a force equal, if not +superior to his own, was fast approaching for the relief of the city. +Taking all this into consideration, General Prevost prudently struck +camp that night, and, under cover of the darkness, the direct line of +retreat on Savannah being closed, returned to the south side of the +Ashley River. From thence the army passed to the islands of St. James +and St. John, lying to the southward of Charlestown harbour, and +commencing that succession of islands and creeks which extends along the +coast from Charlestown to Savannah. + +In these islands the army awaited supplies from New York, of which it +was much in need; and, on the arrival of two frigates, it commenced to +move to the island of Port Royal, which at the same time would afford +good quarters for the troops during the intense heats, and, from its +vicinity to Savannah, and its excellent harbour, was the best position +that could be chosen for covering Georgia. + +Directly General Lincoln discovered what was taking place, he advanced +to attack. St. John's Island is separated from the mainland by a narrow +inlet, called Stono River, and communication between the mainland and +the island was kept up by a ferry. On the mainland, at this ferry, +General Prevost had established a post, consisting of three redoubts, +joined by lines of communication; and, to cover the movement of the army +to Port Royal Island, he here posted Lieutenant-Colonel Maitland with +the 1st Battalion of the 71st Regiment, a weak battalion of Hessians, +the North Carolina Regiment, and the South Carolina Regiment, amounting +in the whole to about 800 men. + +On the 20th of June, General Lincoln made a determined attempt to force +the passage, attacking with a force variously estimated at from 1200 to +5000 men and eight guns. Lieutenant-Colonel Maitland's advanced posts, +consisting of the South Carolina Regiment, were some distance in front +of his works; and a smart firing between them and the Americans gave him +the first warning of the approach of the enemy. He instantly sent out +two companies of the 71st from his right to ascertain the force of the +assailants. The Highlanders had proceeded only a quarter of a mile when +they met the outposts retiring before the enemy. A fierce conflict +ensued. Instead of retreating before superior numbers, the Highlanders +persisted in the unequal combat till all their officers were either +killed or wounded, of the two companies eleven men only returned to the +garrison; and the British force was sadly diminished, and its safety +consequently imperilled by this mistaken valour. + +The whole American line now advanced to within three hundred yards of +the works, and a general engagement began, which was maintained with +much courage and steadiness on both sides. At length the regiment of +Hessians on the British left gave way, and the Americans, in spite of +the obstinate resistance of the two Carolina regiments, were on the +point of entering the works, when a judicious flank movement of the +remainder of the 71st checked the advance; and General Lincoln, +apprehensive of the arrival of British reinforcements from the island, +drew off his men, and retired in good order, taking his wounded with +him. + +The battle lasted upwards of an hour. The British had 3 officers and 19 +rank and file killed, and 4 officers and 85 rank and file wounded. The +South Carolina Regiment had Major William Campbell and 1 sergeant +killed, 1 captain, 1 sergeant, and 3 rank and file wounded.[5] The +Americans lost 5 officers and 35 men killed, 19 officers and 120 men +wounded. + +Three days after the battle, the British troops evacuated the post at +Stono Ferry, and also the island of St. John, passing along the coast +from island to island till they reached Beaufort in the island of Port +Royal. Here General Prevost left a garrison under the command of +Lieutenant-Colonel Maitland, and proceeded with the remainder of his +force, with which was the South Carolina Regiment, to the town of +Savannah. + +The heat had now become too intense for active service; and the care of +the officers was employed in preserving their men from the fevers of the +season, and keeping them in a condition for service next campaign, which +was expected to open in October. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 1: De Lancey's Corps, the New York Volunteers, and Skinner's +Corps.] + +[Footnote 2: "Annual Register," 1779, Beatson's "Memoirs," Gordon's +"History of the American War," etc. etc.] + +[Footnote 3: Beatson's "Naval and Military Memoirs," vol. iv. p. 492.] + +[Footnote 4: Major-General Prevost had come from Florida and assumed +command in January.] + +[Footnote 5: "Return of the killed, wounded, and missing at the repulse +of the Rebels at Stono Ferry, South Carolina, June 20th, 1779."] + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE SIEGE OF SAVANNAH, 1779--THE SIEGE OF CHARLESTOWN, 1780--THE BATTLE +OF HOBKERK'S HILL, 1781. + + +At the opening of the next campaign, although General Prevost had been +obliged to retire from Charlestown and to abandon the upper parts of +Georgia, yet, so long as he kept possession of the town of Savannah and +maintained a post at Port Royal Island, South Carolina was exposed to +incursions. The Americans, therefore, pressed the French admiral, Count +D'Estaing, to repair to the Savannah River, hoping, by his aid, to drive +the British from Georgia. D'Estaing, in compliance, sailed from Cape +Francois, in St. Domingo; and with twenty-two sail of the line and a +number of smaller vessels, having 4800 French regular troops on board +and several hundred black troops from the West Indies, appeared off the +Savannah so unexpectedly that the _Experiment_, a British fifty-gun +ship, fell into his hands. On the appearance of the French fleet, on +September 9th, General Prevost immediately called in all his outposts +in Georgia, sent orders to Lieutenant-Colonel Maitland, at Port Royal, +to rejoin him at once, and exerted himself to strengthen the defences of +the town of Savannah. + +For the first three or four days after the arrival of the fleet, the +French were employed in moving their troops through the Ossabaw Inlet to +Beaulieu, about thirteen miles above the town of Savannah. On the 15th +of September, the French, with a party of American light horse, attacked +the British outposts, and General Prevost withdrew all his force into +his works. + +On the 16th, D'Estaing summoned the place to surrender. +Lieutenant-Colonel Maitland's force had not yet arrived, the works were +still incomplete, and General Prevost was desirous of gaining time; he +consequently requested a suspension of hostilities for twenty-four hours. +This was granted, and in that critical interval Lieutenant-Colonel +Maitland, by the most extraordinary efforts--for one of General +Prevost's messengers had fallen into the hands of the enemy, who had at +once seized all the principal lines of communication--arrived with the +garrison of Port Royal, and entered the town. Encouraged by this +accession of strength, General Prevost now informed Count D'Estaing that +he was resolved to defend the place to the last extremity. On the 17th, +D'Estaing had been joined by General Lincoln with some 3000 men, which, +with the French troops, raised the total besieging force to something +over 8000. The besieged did not exceed 3000. + +The enemy spent several days in bringing up guns and stores from the +fleet, and on the 23rd the besieging army broke ground before the town. +On the 1st of October, they had advanced to within 300 yards of the +British works. On the morning of the 4th of October, several batteries, +mounting thirty-three pieces of heavy cannon and nine mortars, with a +floating battery of sixteen guns on the river, opened fire on the town. +For several days they played incessantly on the garrison, and there was +continued skirmishing between the negroes of the Carolina regiments and +the enemy.[6] + +On the morning of the 9th of October, the enemy, under a furious +cannonade, advanced to storm in three columns, with a force of 3000 +French under D'Estaing in person, and 1500 Americans under Lincoln. +General Prevost, in his despatch to Lord George Germain, dated Savannah, +November 1st, 1779, says: "However, the principal attack, composed of +the flower of the French and rebel armies, and led by D'Estaing in +person, with all the principal officers of either, was made upon our +right. Under cover of the hollow, they advanced in three columns; but +having taken a wider circuit than they needed, and gone deeper in the +bog, they neither came so early as they intended nor, I believe, in the +same order. The attack, however, was very spirited, and for some time +obstinately persevered in, particularly on the Ebenezer Road Redoubt. +Two stand of colours were actually planted, and several of the +assailants killed upon the parapet; but they met with so determined a +resistance, and the fire of three seamen batteries, taking them in +almost every direction, was so severe, that they were thrown into some +disorder, at least at a stand; and at this most critical moment, Major +Glasier, of the 60th, with the 60th Grenadiers and the Marines, +advancing rapidly from the lines, charged (it may be said) with a degree +of fury; in an instant the ditches of the redoubt and a battery to its +right in rear were cleared.... Lieutenant-Colonel de Porbeck, of +Weissenbach's, being field officer of the day of the right wing, and, +being in the redoubt when the attack began, had an opportunity, which he +well improved, to signalise himself in a most gallant manner; and it is +but justice to mention to your lordships the troops who defended it. +They were part of the South Carolina Royalists, the Light Dragoons +(dismounted), and the battalion men of the 4th 60th, in all about 100 +men, commanded (by a special order) by Captain James, of the Dragoons +(Lieutenant 71st), a good and gallant officer, and who nobly fell with +his sword in the body of the third he had killed with his own hand." + +After their repulse from the Ebenezer Redoubt, the enemy retired, and, a +few days afterwards, the siege was raised, the Americans crossing the +Savannah at Zubly's Ferry and taking up a position in South Carolina, +while the French embarked in their fleet and sailed away. During the +assault the French lost 700 and the Americans 240 killed. The British +loss was 55, four of whom belonged to the South Carolina Regiment, who +were killed in the redoubt, where also Captain Henry, of that corps, was +wounded. + +According to the "Journal of the Siege of Savannah," p. 39, the garrison +of the redoubt in the Ebenezer Road was as follows: + + 28 Dismounted Dragoons. + 28 Battalion men of the 60th Regiment. + 54 South Carolina Regiment. + --- + 110 + +In the same work is the following: "Two rebel standards were once fixed +on the redoubt in the Ebenezer Road; one of them was carried off again, +and the other, which belonged to the 2nd Carolina Regiment, was taken. +After the retreat of the enemy from our right, 270 men, chiefly French, +were found dead; upwards of 80 of whom lay in the ditch and on the +parapet of the redoubt, and 93 were within our abattis." + +The strength of the South Carolina Regiment at the termination of the +siege was: 1 colonel (Colonel Innes), 1 major, 4 captains, 7 +lieutenants, 3 ensigns, 15 sergeants, 7 drummers, and 216 rank and file. + +Nothing of note took place in Georgia and South Carolina till January, +1780, when Sir Henry Clinton arrived in the Savannah River with a force +destined for the reduction of Charlestown. He had sailed from New York +on the 26th of December, 1779, and, having experienced bad weather, put +into the Savannah to repair damages. Sir H. Clinton selected a portion +of General Prevost's force at Savannah to take part in the coming +operations, and among the corps so selected was the South Carolina +Regiment, which is shown in the return of troops at the capture of +Charlestown as "joined from Savannah." + +On the 10th of February, the armament sailed to North Edisto, where the +troops disembarked, taking possession of the island of St. John next day +without opposition. On the 29th of March, the army reached Ashley River +and crossed it ten miles above Charlestown; then, the artillery and +stores having been brought over, Sir H. Clinton marched down Charlestown +Neck, and, on the night of the 1st of April, broke ground at 800 yards +from the American works. The garrison of the city consisted of 2000 +regular troops, 1000 North Carolina Militia, and the male inhabitants of +the place. + +On the 9th of April, the first parallel was finished, and the batteries +opened fire; and Charlestown finally capitulated, after an uneventful +siege, on the 12th of May. In the "Return of the killed and wounded" +during the siege, the South Carolina Regiment is shown as having had +three rank and file wounded. + +Sir H. Clinton sailed from Charlestown on the 5th of June, leaving Lord +Cornwallis in command. The latter meditated an expedition into North +Carolina, and, for the preservation of South Carolina during his absence +with the main body of the troops, he established a chain of posts along +the frontier. One of these posts was at Ninety-six, and for its defence +was detailed the South Carolina Regiment, under Colonel Innes, with +Allen's corps, "the 16th and three other companies of Light +Infantry."[7] Lieutenant-Colonel Balfour was then in command of the +post, but was soon after relieved by Lieutenant-Colonel Cruger. + +The garrison of Ninety-six remained undisturbed till September, 1780, +when, Lord Cornwallis having moved into North Carolina and occupied +Charlotte, Georgia was almost denuded of troops; and an American leader, +Colonel Clarke, took advantage of this to attack the British post at +Augusta. Lieutenant-Colonel Brown, who commanded there with 150 men, +finding the town untenable, retired towards an eminence on the banks of +the Savannah, named Garden Hill, and sent intelligence of his situation +to Ninety-six. Lieutenant-Colonel Cruger, with the 16th and the South +Carolina Regiment, at once marched to his relief. Colonel Clarke, who +had captured the British guns and was besieging the garrison of Garden +Hill, upon being informed of Cruger's approach raised the siege, and, +abandoning the guns which he had taken, retreated so hurriedly that, +though pursued for some distance, he effected his escape. + +In the spring of 1781, Lord Cornwallis had again invaded North Carolina, +and, having defeated the American general, Greene, at Guildford Court +House, had continued his march towards Virginia, expecting the enemy to +make every effort to prevent the army entering that state. General +Greene, however, allowed Lord Cornwallis to pass on, and then, having +assembled a considerable body of troops, made a sudden descent upon the +British posts in South Carolina, where Lord Rawdon had been left in +command. These posts were in a line from Charlestown by the way of +Camden and Ninety-six, to Augusta in Georgia. Camden was the most +important, and there Lord Rawdon had taken post with 900 men. + +On the 20th of April, 1781, General Greene appeared before Camden, which +was a village situated on a plain, covered on the south by the Wateree, +a river which higher up is called the Catawba; and below, after its +confluence with the Congaree from the south, assumes the name of the +Santee. On the east of it flowed Pinetree Creek; on the northern and +western sides it was defended by a strong chain of redoubts, six in +number, extending from the river to the creek. Lord Rawdon's force was +so small that the approach of Greene to Camden necessitated the +abandonment of the ferry on the Wateree, "although the South Carolina +Regiment was on its way to join him from Ninety-six, and that was its +direct course; he had, however, taken his measures so well as to secure +the passage of that regiment upon its arrival three days after."[8] + +General Greene, whose force amounted to 1200 men, determined to await +reinforcements before attacking, and on the 24th of April he retired to +Hobkerk's Hill, an eminence about a mile north of Camden, on the road to +the Waxhaws. Here Lord Rawdon resolved to attack him, and on the morning +of the 25th, with 900 men, he marched from Camden, and, by making a +circuit, and keeping close to the edge of the swamp, under cover of the +woods, he gained the left flank of the Americans, where the hill was +most accessible, undiscovered. + +The alarm was given, while the Americans were at breakfast, by the +firing of the outposts, and at this critical moment a reinforcement of +American militia arrived. So confident was General Greene of success +that he ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Washington, with his cavalry, to turn +the right flank of the British and to charge them in the rear, while +bodies of infantry were to assail them in front and on both flanks. + +The American advanced parties were driven in by the British after a +sharp skirmish, and Lord Rawdon advanced steadily to attack the main +body of the enemy. The 63rd Regiment, with the volunteers of Ireland, +formed his right; the King's American Regiment, with Robertson's corps, +composed his left; the New York volunteers were in the centre. The South +Carolina Regiment and the cavalry were in the rear and formed a +reserve.[9] + +Such was the impetuosity of the British that, in the face of a +destructive discharge of grape, they gained the summit of the hill and +pierced the American centre. The militia fell into confusion, their +officers were unable to rally them, and General Greene ordered a +retreat. The pursuit was continued for nearly three miles. The Americans +halted for the night at Saunders' Creek, about four miles from Hobkerk's +Hill, and next day proceeded to Rugeley Mills, about twelve miles from +Camden. After the engagement the British returned to Camden. The +American loss was 300; the British lost 258 out of about 900 who were on +the field. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 6: "The True History of the Siege of Savannah," published +1780.] + +[Footnote 7: "The Campaigns of 1780 and 1781, in the Southern Provinces +of North America," by Lieutenant-Colonel Tarleton, London, 1787.] + +[Footnote 8: Tarleton, p. 461.] + +[Footnote 9: "Martial Register," vol. iii. p. 110.] + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE RELIEF OF NINETY-SIX, 1781--THE BATTLE OF EUTAW SPRINGS, +1781--REMOVAL TO THE WEST INDIES. + + +Lord Rawdon was not in a position to follow up his success at Hobkerk's +Hill, and on the 3rd of May, 1781, Greene passed the Wateree, and +occupied such positions as to prevent the garrison at Camden obtaining +supplies. Generals Marion and Lee were also posted at Nelson's Ferry, to +prevent Colonel Watson, who was advancing with 400 men, from joining +Lord Rawdon, and Watson was obliged to alter his route. He marched down +the north side of the Santee, crossed it near its mouth, with incredible +labour advanced up its southern bank, recrossed it above the encampment +of Marion and Lee, and arrived safely with his detachment at Camden on +the 7th of May. + +Thus reinforced, Lord Rawdon determined to attack Greene, and, on the +night of the 8th, marched from Camden with his whole force. Greene, who +had been informed of this movement, passed the Wateree and took up a +strong position behind Saunders' Creek. Lord Rawdon followed him and +drove in his outposts, but, finding the position was too strong for his +small force, he returned to Camden. + +Camden being too far advanced a post for Lord Rawdon to hold with the +few troops at his disposal, he evacuated it on the 10th of May, and +retired by Nelson's Ferry to the south of the Santee, and afterwards to +Monk's Corner. In the meantime, attacks were made on the British posts +in Georgia, Augusta itself being taken on the 5th of June, while the +post of Ninety-six in South Carolina was closely invested by General +Greene with the main American army in the Southern States. + +About this time, a change took place in the South Carolina Regiment. +Lord Rawdon, in a letter to Lieutenant-General Earl Cornwallis, dated +Charlestown, June 5th, 1781, speaks of the difficulty which he has +experienced in the formation of cavalry, and goes on to say that the +inhabitants of Charlestown having subscribed 3000 guineas for a corps of +dragoons, out of compliment to those gentlemen "I have ordered the South +Carolina Regiment to be converted into cavalry, and I have the prospect +of their being mounted and completely appointed in a few days." + +On the 3rd of June, Lord Rawdon had received considerable reinforcements +from England, and on the 9th he left Charlestown with about 2000 men, +including the South Carolina Regiment in its new capacity, for the +relief of Ninety-six. In their rapid progress over the whole extent of +South Carolina, through a wild country and under a burning sun, the +sufferings of the troops were severe, but they advanced with celerity to +the assistance of their comrades. On the 11th of June, General Greene +received notice of Lord Rawdon's march, and immediately sent Sumpter +with the whole of the cavalry to keep in front of the British army and +retard its progress. Lord Rawdon, however, passed Sumpter a little below +the junction of the Saluda and Broad Rivers, and that officer was never +able to regain his front. + +In the meantime, the Americans were pushing hard the garrison of +Ninety-six; they were nearly reduced to extremities, and in a few days +must have surrendered; but the rapid advance of Lord Rawdon left Greene +no alternative but to storm or raise the siege. On the 18th of June, he +made a furious assault upon the place; but, after a desperate conflict +of nearly an hour, was compelled to retire. Next day he retreated, +crossing the Saluda on the 20th, and encamping at Little River. + +On the morning of the 21st, Lord Rawdon arrived at Ninety-six, and the +same evening set out in pursuit of Greene, who, however, retreated; and +Rawdon, despairing of overtaking him, returned to Ninety-six. He now +found it necessary to evacuate that position and contract his posts; +and, having destroyed the works, he marched towards the Congaree. There, +on the 1st of July, while out foraging, two officers and forty dragoons +of the South Carolina Regiment were surrounded and taken prisoners by +Lee's Legion. This blow sadly crippled Lord Rawdon, who was much in need +of cavalry, and two days later he retreated to Orangeburgh. + +The summer heats now coming on, Lord Rawdon proceeded to England on sick +leave, leaving Lieutenant-Colonel Stuart in command of the troops in +South Carolina and Georgia. The new commander at once proceeded with the +army to the Congaree, and formed an encampment near its junction with +the Wateree. + +Towards the end of August, while Lieutenant-Colonel Stuart was expecting +a convoy of provisions from Charlestown, he received information that +General Greene, who had been reinforced and was now at the head of 2500 +men, was moving towards Friday's Ferry on the Congaree. The American +cavalry was so numerous and enterprising that the expected convoy, then +at Martin's, fifty-six miles from the British camp, would inevitably +fall into their hands unless protected by an escort of at least 400 men; +and Lieutenant-Colonel Stuart's force being too small to admit of so +considerable a body being detached without risk, he determined to +retreat by slow marches to Eutaw Springs, about sixty miles north of +Charlestown, and meet the convoy on the way. + +General Greene followed the retiring British, and, on the 7th of +September, arrived within seven miles of Eutaw Springs. Being there +reinforced by General Marion and his corps, he resolved to attack next +day. At six in the morning, two deserters from the American army entered +the British camp, and informed Stuart of the approach of the enemy; but +little credit was given to their report. At that time Major Coffin, with +140 infantry and 50 of the South Carolina Regiment, was out foraging for +roots and vegetables--the army having neither corn nor bread--in the +direction in which the Americans were advancing. About four miles from +the camp at Eutaw, that party was attacked by the American advanced +guard and driven in with loss. Their return convinced Colonel Stuart of +the approach of the enemy, and the British army was soon drawn up +obliquely across the road on the height near Eutaw Springs. + +The firing began between two and three miles from the British camp. The +British light parties were driven in on their main body, and the first +line of the Americans attacked with great impetuosity. For a short time +the conflicting ranks were intermingled, and the officers fought hand to +hand. At that critical moment, General Lee, who had turned the left +flank of the British, charged them in the rear. They were broken and +driven off the field, their guns falling into the hands of the +Americans, who eagerly pressed on their retreating adversaries. + +At this crisis, Colonel Stuart ordered a strong detachment to take post +in a large three-storey brick house, which was in rear of the army on +the right, while another occupied an adjoining palisaded garden, and +some close underwood. The Americans made the most desperate efforts to +dislodge them from their posts; but every attack was met with determined +courage. Four pieces of artillery were brought to bear on the house, but +made no impression on its solid walls, from which a close and +destructive fire was kept up, as well as from the adjoining enclosure. +Almost all the gunners were killed and wounded; and the guns had been +pushed so near the house that they could not be brought off. Colonel +Washington attempted to turn the British right, and charge them in rear; +but his horse was shot under him, and he was wounded and made prisoner. +After every attempt to dislodge the British from their position had +failed, General Greene drew off his men, and retired to the ground which +he had left in the morning. This conflict had lasted nearly four hours. +The Americans lost 555, the British 693. The British kept their ground +during the night, and next day began to retreat. About fourteen miles +from the field of battle, Lieutenant-Colonel Stuart was met by a +reinforcement, under Major McArthur, marching from Charlestown to his +assistance. Thus strengthened, he proceeded to Monk's Corner. + +Eutaw Springs was the last engagement of importance in the southern +provinces. The British soon retreated to a position on Charlestown Neck, +and confined their operations to the defence of the posts in that +vicinity; while in Georgia, the British force was concentrated at +Savannah. The surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, in October, +1781, and the subsequent peace negotiations, put an end to the +hostilities in America. + +Lieutenant-Colonel Tarleton says: "It is impossible to do justice to the +spirit, patience, and invincible fortitude displayed by the commanders, +officers, and soldiers during these dreadful campaigns in the Carolinas. +They had not only to contend with men, and these by no means deficient +in bravery and enterprise, but they encountered and surmounted +difficulties and fatigues from the climate and the country, which would +appear insuperable in theory and almost incredible in the relation. They +displayed military and, we may add, moral virtues far above all praise. +During renewed successions of forced marches, under the rage of a +burning sun and in a climate at that season peculiarly inimical to man, +they were frequently, when sinking under the most excessive fatigue, not +only destitute of every comfort but almost of every necessary which +seems essential to existence. During the greater part of the time they +were totally destitute of bread, and the country afforded no vegetables +for a substitute. Salt at length failed, and their only resources were +water and the wild cattle which they found in the woods. About fifty +men, in this last expedition, sunk under the vigour of their exertions +and perished through mere fatigue." + +At the cessation of hostilities, the South Carolina Regiment and the +Loyal American Rangers were removed to Jamaica, and as they are shown in +the Jamaica Almanack for 1782 as being then in the island, they +presumably arrived there about December, 1781. The South Carolina +Regiment was probably dismounted, as it is shown as being stationed at +Fort Augusta in Kingston harbour. At this time, the reinforcing of the +West India Islands by provincial corps was considered most important, +and in a letter to Sir Guy Carleton we find the following: "The object +of reinforcing those islands is so important, that His Majesty wishes to +have it understood that every provincial corps embarking for the West +Indies shall immediately be put upon the British Establishment." It was, +probably, on some such understanding that the two corps above mentioned +proceeded from South Carolina; but the promise, if made, was never +fulfilled, and neither of the two ever appeared in any Army List. The +following is the list of officers of the South Carolina Regiment given +in the Jamaica Almanack: + + Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant--CAPTAIN LORD CHARLES + MONTAGU, 88th Regiment. + + Major--JAMES BALMER. + + Captains--G.C. MONTAGU, ROBERT PALMER, W. OLIPHANT, W. LOWE. + + Lieutenants. + + R. MARSHALL. + J. CARDEN. + H. RUDGLEY. + M. RAINFORD. + H. CRADDOCK. + D. M'CONNELL. + P. SERGEANT. + J.P. COLLINS. + -- ODONNELL. + A. CLERK. + J. PETRIE. + -- SMITH. + + Ensigns. + + W. SPLAIN. + -- BELL. + -- SMITH. + J. KENT. + -- FARQUHAR. + B. MEIGHAN. + -- THOMAS. + +The South Carolina Regiment remained in Jamaica until the general +disbandment of the provincial corps in 1783. The lieutenant-colonel +commandant was given an independent company, and the whites, both +officers and men, were pacified with grants of land. The black troopers, +however, were a source of difficulty. These troopers, some of whom were +originally free, while some had been purchased by the British +Government, were in those days of slavery something of a "white +elephant" in a large slave-holding colony like Jamaica. The planters, +fearful of the consequences of the example to their slaves of a free +body of negroes who had served as soldiers, agitated for their removal +from the island, but, on the other hand, no other island was willing to +receive them. There is no trace of how the difficulty was finally +settled, but in a letter, dated War Office, June 15th, 1783, signed R. +Fitzpatrick, and addressed to Major-General Campbell, commanding in +Jamaica, the receipt of his letter concerning the disbandment of the +provincial troops in the island is acknowledged, and the removal of "the +blacks of the South Carolina Regiment" to the Leeward command approved +of. + +Some time, then, in September, 1783, the black troopers were removed to +the Leeward Islands, and in the "Monthly Return of His Majesty's Forces +in the Leeward and Charibee Islands, under the command of +Lieutenant-General Edward Mathew," we find them formed into a corps, +with a body of black artificers, who had served in South Carolina at the +sieges of Charlestown and Ninety-six, and thirty-three black pioneers +who had been included in the surrender of Yorktown. The following is the +state of this corps: + + RETURN OF THE BLACK CORPS OF DRAGOONS, PIONEERS, AND ARTIFICERS. + + A. Captains. + B. 1st Lieutenants. + C. 2nd Lieutenants. + D. Sergeants Present. + E. Drummers and Trumpeters Present. + F. Present, fit for duty. + G. Sick in Quarters. + H. Sick in Hospital. + I. On Command. + J. Total. + K. Total of the Whole. + + +------------+----------------+-----------+---+---+-------------------+---+ + | | | Officers | | | Effective Rank | | + | | | Present. | | | and File. | | + |Where | +---+---+---+ | +-------------------+ | + |Stationed. | Companies. | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | + +------------+----------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ + |Grenada | Capt. Mackrill | 1 | - | - | 3| 1 | 25| 7 | 10| 23| 65| 70| + |St. Vincent | Capt. Anderson | 1 | - | 1 | 14| 5 | 46| 4 | -|138|188|209| + |Grenada | Capt. Millar | 1 | - | - | 3| - | 19| 4 | 4| 19| 46| 50| + +------------+----------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ + | | Total | 3 | - | 1 | 20| 6 | 90| 15| 14|180|299|329| + +------------+----------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ + +The officers of this corps were, according to Bryan Edwards, vol. i. p. +386, taken from the regular army, and the companies were commanded by +lieutenants of regulars, having captains' rank. Artificers, it may be as +well to observe, were sappers and miners. The Royal Engineers at about +this date consisted of various companies of Artificers; later on they +were called Sappers and Miners; and, finally, Royal Engineers. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE EXPEDITION TO MARTINIQUE, 1793--THE CAPTURE OF MARTINIQUE, ST. +LUCIA, AND GUADALOUPE, 1794--THE DEFENCE OF FORT MATILDA, 1794. + + +In February, 1789, all three companies of the "Black Corps of Dragoons, +Pioneers, and Artificers" were stationed in Grenada, and from that date +until June, 1793, they are shown in every monthly return, with a +strength varying from 279 to 268, and an increase of four first +lieutenants. + +In February, 1793, the news of the French declaration of war was +received in the West Indies, and orders were soon after transmitted from +England to the Commander-in-Chief in the Windward and Leeward Islands to +attempt the reduction of the French islands. Tobago was taken on the +17th of April without much trouble, the majority of the planters in that +island being English; and an attack on Martinique was next meditated. +The whole of the British force in the West Indies was known and +acknowledged to be inadequate to the reduction of that island; but such +representations had been spread throughout the army, concerning the +disaffection of the greater part of the inhabitants of all the French +islands towards the Republican Government lately established, as to +create a very general belief that the appearance of a British armament +before the capital of Martinique would alone produce an immediate +surrender. Major-General Bruce, on whom the chief command of the troops +had devolved, was assured by a deputation from the principal planters of +the island that "a body of 800 regular troops would be more than +sufficient to overcome all possible resistance." + +These representations induced Major-General Bruce, in conjunction with +Admiral Gardner, to undertake an expedition; and the troops having been +embarked at Grenada in the men-of-war, the armament arrived off Cape +Navire, Martinique,[10] on the 11th of June, 1793. There the general met +the officer commanding the French Royalists, and, as the latter proposed +an attack upon the town of St. Pierre, the 21st Regiment was landed at +Cape Navire on the 14th, and there posted, to enable the Royalists to +concentrate in the neighbourhood of St. Pierre, where the remainder of +the British force joined them on the 16th. "The British troops consisted +of the Grenadiers, Light Infantry, and Marines from the fleet, with the +Black Carolina Corps, amounting in all to about 1100 men."[11] The +Royalists were said to number 800. + +On the afternoon of the 17th, the enemy made an attack, but were driven +back by the pickets, with the loss of one officer and three men killed +on the part of the British. An attack on the two batteries which +defended St. Pierre was planned for the morning of the 18th, but failed, +owing to the want of discipline on the part of the Royalists. +Major-General Bruce says: "The morning of the 18th was the time fixed +for the attack, and we were to move forward in two columns, the one +consisting of the British troops, the other of the French Royalists; and +for this purpose the troops were put in motion before daybreak; but, +unfortunately, some alarm having taken place amongst the Royalists, they +began, in a mistake, firing on one another, and their commander being +severely wounded on the occasion, the whole body, refusing to submit to +any of the other officers, retired to the post from which they had +marched." + +This conduct showed the general that no reliance could be placed on the +Royalists, and that the attack on St. Pierre, if carried out at all, +would have to be done by the British troops alone, whose numbers were +not equal to the task. He, consequently, ordered the troops to return to +their former positions, and on the 19th they re-embarked. As to have +left the Royalists in Martinique would only have been to leave them to +be massacred by the Republicans, those unfortunate people were embarked +on the 19th and 20th, and the 21st Regiment being taken on board at +Cape Navire on the 21st, the expedition returned to Grenada. + +It may be wondered whence came the Black Carolina Corps mentioned by +Major-General Bruce, but it is evident that by that designation the +Black Corps of Dragoons, Pioneers, and Artificers was locally known; for +in the monthly return, dated May 1st, 1794, the "state" of the corps is +headed, "Return of the Black Carolina Corps," and the title, "Black +Corps of Dragoons, Pioneers, and Artificers" ceases, from that date, to +be used in any official document. The strength of the corps in that +return is 258 of all ranks. + +The failure of Major-General Bruce's attempt on Martinique induced the +British Ministers to send out an armament under Sir Charles Grey for the +reduction of all the French West India Islands; and, until the arrival +of this force at Barbados, in January, 1794, the Black Carolina Corps +remained quietly in garrison at Grenada. The troops from the various +islands--and amongst them all three companies of that corps--were +collected at Barbados during the remainder of January, and, on the 4th +of February, the expeditionary force, 6085 strong, set sail from +Carlisle Bay. The army, in three divisions, landed at three separate +points in Martinique; the first at Gallion Bay, on the northern side of +the island, on the evening of the 5th of February; the second at Cape +Navire, nearly opposite on the south, on the 8th of February; and the +third at Trois Rivieres, towards the south-east. The British were so +rapidly successful that, by the 17th of February, the whole of the +island, except the two fortresses of Bourbon and Fort Royal, were in +their hands. The services of the Black Carolina Corps up to that date +are not known in detail, but the return of killed and wounded shows the +Dragoons as having had one rank and file killed. + +On the 20th of February, Forts Bourbon and Fort Royal were completely +invested, and the pioneers and artificers of the Carolina Corps were +busily engaged on the siege works. On the north-east side the army broke +ground on the 25th of February; and on the western side, towards La +Caste, fascine batteries were erected with all possible expedition. By +the 16th of March, the advanced batteries were pushed to within 500 +yards of Fort Bourbon, and 200 yards of the enemy's nearest redoubt. On +the 20th of March, the fortress of Fort Royal was carried by Captain +Faulkner, of the _Zebra_; and General Rochambeau at once sent a flag +from Fort Bourbon offering to capitulate. The terms were accordingly +adjusted on the 23rd, and on the 25th, the garrison, reduced to 900 men, +marched out prisoners of war. + +Martinique being now entirely conquered, Sir Charles Grey left there, as +a garrison under General Prescott, five regiments, and one company of +the Carolina Corps; and proceeded, on the 31st of March, with the +remainder of the force to the attack of St. Lucia. That island had no +means of defence against so considerable an invading force; and, on the +4th of April, the British colours were hoisted on the chief fortress of +Morne Fortune; the garrison, consisting of 300 men, having surrendered +on the same terms of capitulation that had been granted to General +Rochambeau. The 6th and 9th Regiments, with a company of the Carolina +Corps, being left as a garrison for St. Lucia, Sir Charles Grey returned +to Martinique, and commenced his preparations for an expedition to +Guadaloupe.[12] + +Guadaloupe really consists of two islands, separated from each other by +a narrow arm of the sea, called La Riviere Salee, which is navigable for +vessels of fifty tons. The eastern island, or division, which is flat +and low-lying, is called Grandeterre; while the western, which is rugged +and mountainous, is named Basseterre. + +On the 8th of April, the troops, with the remaining company of the +Carolina Corps, sailed from Fort Royal, Martinique; and, about one +o'clock in the morning of the 11th, a landing was effected at Grosier +Bay. Before daybreak on the 12th, the fort of La Fleur d'Epee was +carried by assault, and the greater part of the garrison put to the +sword. Fort St. Louis, the town of Point a Pitre, and a new battery upon +Islet a Cochon being afterwards abandoned, the possession of Grandeterre +was complete. The reduction of Basseterre was effected on the 21st of +the same month; and the company of the Carolina Corps, with other +troops, being left in garrison in Guadaloupe, the general returned to +Martinique. + +The British, however, were not permitted to remain long in peaceable +possession of their most recent conquest; for on the 3rd of June, a +considerable French armament arrived off Point a Pitre. Fort Fleur +d'Epee was taken by storm, and the place not being tenable after this +loss, the British crossed over to Basseterre. Several prisoners were +taken by the French, and amongst them were some of the Carolina Corps, +for in the return of that corps for February, 1795, dated March 1st, +there is the following note: "Some of the corps are prisoners at Point a +Pitre, but their number cannot be ascertained." In a later return, +however, we find that they consisted of one sergeant and eight rank and +file. + +On the 2nd of July, the British made an ineffectual attempt to recover +Point a Pitre, and soon after established their head-quarters at +Berville, in Basseterre. The camp at Berville was invested in September, +and on the 6th of October it was compelled to capitulate. Thus the whole +of Guadaloupe, with the exception of Fort Matilda, situated above the +town of Basseterre, and which was still held by a British garrison, was +recovered by the French. At the surrender of Berville, 300 French +Royalists, who were in the British camp, were massacred by the orders of +Victor Hugues, the French commander. + +Fort St. Charles, Basseterre, had been rechristened Fort Matilda by the +British on its surrender on the 21st of April, 1794, and against it +Victor Hugues now moved all his forces. The fort was commanded by +Lieutenant-General Prescott with a garrison of 610 men, including the +company of the Carolina Corps which had come to Guadaloupe. General +Prescott, in his despatch, dated "On board H.M.S. _Vanguard_, at sea, +December 11th, 1794," says: "To enter into a minute detail of the siege, +which commenced on the 14th of October, and terminated by evacuating it +on the 10th of December, would not only too much occupy your time, but +might be deemed equally unnecessary. It may be sufficient to remark that +on entering the fort I found it totally out of repair, the materials +composing the wall-work thereof being of the worst kind, and having +apparently but little lime to cement them properly. By the middle of +last month the works were very much injured by the daily and frequent +heavy fire of the enemy, and almost all the carriages of our guns +rendered useless. These were in general in a very decayed state, but +even the new ones for the brass mortars that were made during the siege +gave way from the almost incessant fire we kept up; so that upon the +whole, what from the nature of our defences and the small number of our +garrison, we were in a very unfit state to resist the very vigorous +exertions of our enemy, who began to prepare additional forces about the +20th of last month, but who, from a number of causes, and especially +from heavy and continued rains, could not open their new batteries till +the 6th of this month. On that day they began to fire from twenty-three +pieces of cannon, four of which were thirty-six-pounders, and the rest +twenty-four-pounders, and from eight mortars, two of thirteen inches and +two of ten. The fire was very heavy and continued all day and night, and +by it all the guns on the Gallion bastion were dismounted, and the +bastion itself a heap of ruins. Every day after this grew worse until +the 9th, on the evening of which day I went into the ditch accompanied +by the engineer, when we were both but too well convinced of the +tottering state of the works from the Gallion along the curtain, and +indeed the whole, from the east to the north-east. I could not hesitate +a moment about the necessity of evacuating the fort. I therefore sent +off immediately to Rear-Admiral Thompson, who commanded the detachment +of the squadron left for our protection, to acquaint him with the +necessity of evacuating the fort next evening, and to request that he +would have the boats ready to take off the garrison at seven o'clock. I +kept this my design a profound secret until half-past six o'clock of the +evening of the 10th, when I arranged the march of the garrison.... The +embarkation continued with little or no interruption, and was happily +completed about ten o'clock at night, without its being discovered by +the enemy, who continued firing as usual on the fort till two or three +o'clock on the morning of the 11th, as we could plainly perceive from +the ships. My satisfaction was great at having thus preserved my brave +garrison to their king and country." + +During the siege of Fort Matilda, the Carolina Corps lost 1 killed and 3 +wounded, 2 of whom afterwards died of their wounds. In the "State of the +Garrison of Fort Matilda, as embarked on the 10th of December, 1794," +the strength of the company of the Carolina Corps is shown as 1 captain, +1 lieutenant, 4 sergeants, and 30 rank and file. After the evacuation, +this company was stationed at Martinique; so that at the close of the +year 1794, two companies were in that island, and one in St. Lucia. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 10: See map.] + +[Footnote 11: Major-General Bruce's despatch.] + +[Footnote 12: See map.] + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +MALCOLM'S ROYAL RANGERS--THE EVACUATION OF ST. LUCIA, 1795. + + +In the commencement of the year 1795, a new corps was raised in the West +Indies, which was sometimes called Malcolm's Corps, sometimes Malcolm's +Rangers, and at others the Royal Rangers. It first appears in the +"Monthly Return of His Majesty's Forces in the Windward, Leeward, and +Caribee Islands," dated the 1st of May, 1795, as follows: + + ROYAL RANGERS, COMMANDED BY CAPTAIN MALCOLM, 41ST REGIMENT. + + A: Capt. Commandant. + B: Captains. + C: 1st Lieutenants. + D: 2nd Lieutenants. + E: Sergeants Present. + F: Drummers Present. + G: Present fit for Duty. + H: In Hospital. + I: In Quarters. + + +-------------+---------------+---+---+------------------------+ + | | Commissioned | | |Effective Rank and File.| + | | Officers. | | | | + | +---+---+---+---+ | +-----+-----+----+-------+ + | | | | | | | | | Sick and | | + | Stations. | | | | | | | | Wounded. | | + | | | | | | | | +-----+----+ | + | | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | Total.| + +-------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+-----+-----+----+-------+ + | Martinico | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 149 | 28 | 27 | 204 | + +-------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+-----+-----+----+-------+ + +This officer is mentioned by Bryan Edwards, vol. iii. p. 452: +"Lieutenant Malcolm, of the 41st Grenadiers, was appointed Town Major" +(of St. Pierre, Martinique, in 1794) "in consideration of his +distinguished conduct and active services at the head of a body of +riflemen, which was composed of two men selected from each company of +the 1st Battalion of Grenadiers. We shall have occasion to mention this +officer afterwards." + +This body of riflemen, raised during the operations in Martinique, in +March, 1794, must, if the above statement of its formation be correct, +have been European, for there were no black troops employed in the +reduction of that island, except the Carolina Corps. The corps of +riflemen is not shown in any return, and it is probable that at the +termination of the active operations the men rejoined their respective +battalions. The Royal Rangers, shown in the return of the 1st of May, +1795, were black; for Sir John Vaughan, in a letter dated Martinique, +April 25th, 1795, which gives an account of the operations in St. Lucia +in that month, says: "The flank companies of the 9th Regiment and the +black corps under Captain Malcolm were the troops engaged." These Royal +Rangers, then, were almost certainly entirely distinct from the "body of +riflemen," and the success which had attended Captain Malcolm's efforts +with the first body probably led to his being employed in raising the +second, about February or March, 1795. In the month of April, 1795, one +company of this corps, numbering 121 of all ranks, was in St. Lucia, +and the other company, 112 strong, in Martinique. + +Victor Hugues, having succeeded in ousting the British from Guadaloupe, +commenced, early in 1795, active measures for the recovery of the other +islands that had been wrested from France in the previous year, and the +plan which was first ripened appears to have been that against St. +Lucia.[13] "No official and scarcely any other accounts of the event are +to be found, but the invasion of this colony appears to have been +effected about the middle of February.... Nor can the strength of the +invading force be now ascertained. That force was probably few in +number, and stolen into the island in small bodies, and under cover of +the night. Aided, however, by an insurrection of the slaves, people of +colour, and democratical whites, it was sufficient to wrest from us the +whole of the colony, with the exception of the two posts of the Carenage +and the Morne Fortune."[14] + +Affairs remained in this situation till about the middle of April, when +Brigadier-General Stewart resumed active operations, in the hope of +recovering the lost ground. On the 14th of that month, he suddenly +disembarked near Vieux Fort, with a force consisting of a portion of the +6th and 9th Regiments, the company of the Carolina Corps which had +remained in the island since its capture in 1794, and one company of the +new corps of Malcolm's Rangers; and, after two days' skirmishing, that +town was abandoned by the French on the 16th, and immediately taken +possession of by the British, the enemy falling back upon Souffriere, +their chief stronghold. + +"Resolved to follow up his blow, General Stewart advanced against +Souffriere. Undismayed, however, by their recent defeats, the +Republicans had collected together a very formidable force, for the +defence of their main position. On his march, the British general was +suddenly attacked by a division which had been placed in ambush, and it +was not till after a severe struggle that the enemy were driven back." + +Sir John Vaughan, in a despatch dated Martinique, April 25th, 1795, +says: "He was attacked by the enemy upon his march on the 20th instant, +who had formed an ambuscade. The flank companies of the 9th Regiment, +and the Black Corps under Captain Malcolm, were the troops engaged. The +enemy, after a severe conflict, were driven back. Captain Malcolm, and +Captain Nesbitt of the 9th, were wounded, after behaving in a most +gallant manner." + +On the 22nd of April, the troops reached the neighbourhood of +Souffriere, near to which, on the mountainous ground, the attack was +made. The contest continued warmly for seven hours, and though the +greatest exertions were made by the British, they were finally compelled +to retreat to Choiseul, with a loss of 30 killed, 150 wounded, and 5 +missing. In the four days' fighting between the 14th and the 22nd of +April, Malcolm's corps lost 48 out of a total of 121.[15] At Choiseul +the troops embarked and returned to Vieux Fort, and thence to Morne +Fortune and the Carenage, which General Stewart considered his force +strong enough to hold until the arrival of reinforcements. + +Two months passed away without the occurrence of any event worthy of +notice. Sickness, in the meantime, was making great ravages amongst the +British, one-half of whose force was generally unfit for service. The +enemy, on the other hand, were daily gaining fresh accession of +strength. From Guadaloupe arms and other supplies were frequently +transmitted; and though some of the vessels fell into the hands of the +British cruisers, many more of them reached their destination in safety. +The French now began to act decisively. They first reduced Pigeon +Island, and, on the 17th of June, made themselves masters of the Vigie. +On this last post the communication between the Carenage and Morne +Fortune depended, and the enemy now prepared for a general assault upon +the latter. As, in the weak condition of the garrison, it would have +been imprudent to await the meditated attack, Brigadier-General Stewart +determined to evacuate the position; and, on the evening of the 18th, +the whole of the troops embarked on board H.M.S. _Experiment_, +undiscovered by the enemy, and proceeded to Martinique. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 13: Bryan Edwards.] + +[Footnote 14: See map.] + +[Footnote 15: Return of the killed, wounded, and missing in the actions +on the following days, of the troops under the command of +Brigadier-General Stewart, in the island of St. Lucia. + + * * * * * + +14th of April, 1795. + +Royal Rangers--1 sergeant, 5 rank and file, wounded. + +15th of April. + +Royal Rangers--2 rank and file, killed; 1 sergeant, 4 rank and file, +wounded. + +20th of April. + +Royal Rangers--6 rank and file, killed; 1 captain, 1 sergeant, and 18 +rank and file, wounded. + +22nd of April. + +Carolina Corps--1 rank and file, wounded. + +Royal Rangers--4 rank and file, killed; 5 rank and file, wounded. + +Names of the Officers killed and wounded. + +Captain Robert Malcolm, of the Royal Rangers, wounded.] + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE CARIB WAR IN ST. VINCENT, 1795. + + +Some little time before the arrival, at Martinique, of the company of +Malcolm's Rangers from St. Lucia, the company of that corps which had +remained in the former island had been despatched, with the 3rd +Battalion of the 60th Regiment, to St. Vincent. Since the month of +March, 1795, that island had been devastated by a war between the +Caribs, assisted by the French, and the British garrison. This war had +been carried on with varying success, and the most horrible atrocities +on the part of the Caribs, until the end of May, when the +Commander-in-Chief, Sir John Vaughan, went over to St. Vincent from +Martinique, to satisfy himself as to the state and military wants of the +colony; and, finding the enemy strongly posted within a short distance +of the town of Kingston itself, immediately on his return to Martinique +despatched the above-mentioned reinforcement, which arrived at St. +Vincent in the beginning of June. + +The principal position of the enemy was at the Vigie This post was +situated on a ridge, forming the south-west side of the valley of +Marriaqua, and consisted of three small eminences of different heights; +that nearest the sea, though the lowest, being the most extensive of +them all, and that to the fortifying of which they had paid the most +attention. + +Lieutenant-Colonel Leighton, commanding the troops in St. Vincent, on +being reinforced, determined to carry into execution a long meditated +attack upon the Vigie. Accordingly, on the night of the 11th[16] of +June, the troops marched through the town, and halted about ten o'clock +at Warawarrow River, within four miles of the Vigie. The force was +composed of detachments from the 46th and 60th Regiments, the company of +Malcolm's Rangers, the St. Vincent Rangers, almost all the southern and +windward regiments of the militia, and a small party of artillery. At +Warawarrow River the troops were divided into three columns; and the +third was further divided into small bodies to hold the passes at Calder +Ridge, and prevent the escape of the enemy. + +Just before daybreak, the westernmost redoubt, which overlooked the road +coming from Kingston, was attacked and carried almost without +opposition, the enemy retiring to their principal stronghold. The +grenadiers and Malcolm's Corps had in the meantime forced their way +through the bush on Ross Ridge, and being met by the light company, +which had kept along the road, the whole of the British advanced against +the third and strongest redoubt. At the upper end of the road a deep +trench had been dug, which obstacle for some little time delayed the +guns; but, by great exertions they were lifted up a bank eight or ten +feet in height, and then opened fire. + +For some time the enemy returned the British fire with great spirit. +About eight o'clock, however, they beat a parley, and sent out a flag of +truce to propose terms, which were refused. The troops were now led to +the assault, and in a short time carried the works, which were defended +by the French from Guadaloupe, the Caribs having retired early in the +morning, and escaped to the windward portion of the island. "Never did +troops display greater gallantry than did the British, militia, and +rangers on this occasion."[17] The British killed and wounded amounted +to 30; 250 of the enemy are said to have fallen. In the redoubts were +taken three four-pounders and sixteen or seventeen swivels. + +At the close of the action, Malcolm's and the St. Vincent Rangers were +sent out to scour the valley of Marriaqua, and destroy the huts of the +Caribs. This service they effectually accomplished before nightfall, +having killed and taken prisoners many of the fugitives, and driven the +remainder into Massirica. + +A detachment of the 60th being left in the Vigie Lieutenant-Colonel +Leighton, on the morning of the 13th of June, marched with the remainder +of the troops, by several routes, towards the Carib district. So little +opposition was made to their march, the enemy constantly falling back +from ridge to ridge, that on the afternoon of the 16th they reached +Mount Young, from which the Caribs fled with such haste that they left +standing their houses, in all of which considerable quantities of corn +were found. This carelessness of the enemy provided the British with a +very welcome shelter. It was fortunate, also, that they had not +attempted to dispute the hills and passes; for, had they done so, the +troops would have suffered greatly, seven men, even as it was, having +expired on the march from fatigue alone. + +As soon as Mount Young was in our possession, the troops were busily +employed in spreading devastation through the Carib district. In Grand +Sable and other parts of the country, many houses were burned, and more +than 200 pettiaugres and canoes destroyed. Several hundred slaves were +also sent out, under the protection of military detachments, to dig up +and destroy the provisions of the enemy. On the 4th of July, a +detachment of the 46th and Malcolm's Rangers took, after a sharp action, +the enemy's post at Chateaubellair, near Walliabon, with a loss of 14 +killed and 39 wounded of the 46th, and 2 killed and several wounded of +Malcolm's. + +The evacuation of St. Lucia by Brigadier-General Stewart was, however, +as far as St. Vincent was concerned, attended by fatal consequences. +The proximity of the former island enabled the French unceasingly to +pour in new reinforcements to their Carib allies in St. Vincent; and, +towards the end of August, a small British post which had been +established at Owia was surprised by a detachment from St. Lucia, and +the whole of the guns and large quantities of supplies captured. + +Encouraged by this success, Victor Hugues resolved to endeavour to wrest +St. Vincent from the British, as he had already wrested Guadaloupe and +St. Lucia; and, in the middle of September, he landed in St. Lucia with +a force of some 800 men. These, embarked in four vessels, which escaped +the _Thorn_ and _Experiment_, the British ships of war on the station, +landed at Owia Bay, St. Vincent, on the morning of the 18th of +September; and the force of the enemy was now so vastly superior to that +of the British, that it became impossible for the latter to retain their +advanced positions. + +Orders were at once sent to Lieutenant-Colonel Leighton to abandon Mount +Young without delay, and retire to the vicinity of Kingston. They were +carried into execution on the night of the 19th. Having destroyed their +supplies and left their lights burning in their huts as usual, to +deceive the enemy, the troops were silently put in motion. They reached +Biabou the next evening, and, bringing in the detachment which was there +quartered, reached Zion Hill on the 21st; being then distributed among +the posts in the neighbourhood. + +The retreating British were speedily followed by the Caribs and French, +who drove off the cattle from several estates, and finally took up a +position on Fairbairn's Ridge, by which the communication was cut off +between Kingston and the Vigie. The detachment of the 60th at the latter +post being short of supplies, Lieutenant-Colonel Ritche, of the 60th, +with 200 of that corps and 150 of the St. Vincent Rangers, was detached +to escort the necessary stores. His division had nearly reached its +destination when it fell in with the enemy; a sharp action ensued, +victory was on the eve of declaring for the British, when, struck by an +unaccountable panic, they suddenly gave way and fled in all directions. +The supplies fell into the hands of the enemy, and a number of the mules +were killed. + +The news of this terrible disaster spread dismay through Kingston, for +it was thought that the enemy would at once attack all the British +posts. It was resolved to at once abandon the Vigie; and to facilitate +this step, Brigadier-General Myers, with the 46th and Malcolm's Rangers, +marched from Dorsetshire Hill, and posted himself opposite the enemy, as +if threatening an attack. This movement had the desired effect. The +enemy called in all the detachments which invested the Vigie, and thus +enabled the officer commanding that post to retreat at night through +heavy rain to Calliaqua, and thence proceed to Kingston in boats. + +While the troops were using the utmost exertion to strengthen the posts +in the neighbourhood of Kingston, an unexpected reinforcement arrived +from Martinique, on the 29th of September. It consisted of the 40th, +54th, 59th, and 2nd West India Regiments,[18] into which latter the St. +Vincent Rangers were at once drafted. Major-General Irving also came +over from Martinique to assume the command. + +The first effect produced by the arrival of this succour, was the +retiring of the enemy from their advanced position on Fairbairn's Ridge +to the Vigie, where they now collected the whole of their strength. From +this post Major-General Irving determined to dislodge them; and, on the +night of the 1st of October, the troops marched for that purpose. One +column, consisting of 750 men, under Lieutenant-Colonel Strutt, marched +by the high road and took post upon Calder Ridge, on the east of the +Vigie, about three in the morning. A second column, consisting of 900 +men, under Brigadier-General Myers, crossed the Warawarrow River, and +detached one party to proceed round by Calliaqua, and another to move up +the valley, and climb the heights near Joseph Dubuc's. With this last +force was Malcolm's Corps; and, to gain the point to which they were +directed, it was necessary to cross a deep rivulet and ascend a steep +hill covered with bushes and wood. In doing this it suffered a heavy +loss, both of officers and men, from the enemy, who fired upon it almost +in security under shelter of the bushes. The British, however, still +pressed on, and at length arrived on the top of the Marriaqua or Vigie +Ridge. During the ascent of the hill, Malcolm's Corps lost one man +killed and two wounded. + +In the meantime, the remainder of the second column were struggling in +vain to reach the summit of the same ridge; at a point where the enemy +had strongly occupied a thick wood, and thrown up a small work. Though +the opposing forces were within fifty paces of each other, not an inch +of ground was won on either side. Firing commenced at seven in the +morning, and was kept up till nightfall. All this time the British were +exposed to a violent tropical downpour of rain, which rendered the +abrupt declivity so slippery that it was almost impossible to maintain a +foothold on it; and, finding he could make no impression on the enemy, +the general, about 7 p.m., gave orders for the troops to retire. + +During the night, the enemy, from some unknown cause, abandoned the +Vigie, and that so hastily that they left behind them, undestroyed, both +guns and ammunition. They continued their retreat till they reached the +windward part of the island, and the British in their turn advanced. For +the remainder of the year, the troops were employed in circumscribing, +within as narrow limits as possible, the French and their Carib allies; +and, though great hardships were endured, no engagement worthy of note +took place. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 16: Coke; Bryan Edwards says the 8th.] + +[Footnote 17: Coke.] + +[Footnote 18: See next chapter.] + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +MAJOR-GENERAL WHYTE'S REGIMENT OF FOOT, 1795. + + +The terrible mortality which thinned the ranks of the British troops in +the West Indies, induced the British Ministers to think of reinforcing +the army with men better calculated to resist the influence of the +climate. The West India Governors were instructed, therefore, in 1795, +to bring forward in their respective legislatures a project for raising +five black regiments, consisting of 500 men each, to become a permanent +branch of the military establishment. There were already several black +corps in existence, for Mr. Dundas, during a debate in the House of +Commons on the West India Expedition, on the 28th of April, 1795, said +that "the West India Army of Europeans and Creoles consisted of 3000 +militia and 6000 blacks."[19] + +These black corps were distributed amongst the various islands, and +were the Carolina Corps, Malcolm's or the Royal Rangers, the Island +Rangers (Martinique), the St. Vincent Rangers, the Black Rangers +(Grenada), Angus' Black Corps (Grenada), the Tobago Blacks, and the +Dominica Rangers. Some of them, notably the Carolina Corps, Malcolm's +Corps, and the St. Vincent Rangers,[20] were paid by the Imperial +Government, and were consequently Imperial troops; although none of the +corps appeared in any Army List, nor were appointments thereto and +promotions therein notified in the _London Gazette_. + +The five black regiments, now proposed to be raised, were to be in +addition to those small black corps already in Imperial pay, and which +were to be blended into three permanent regiments. Consequently, in the +Army List dated March 11th, 1796, showing the state of the army in +1795,[21] we find the following eight corps, indexed under the heading +of "Regiments raised to serve in the West Indies:" + + Whyte's Regiment of Foot (Carolina and Malcolm's Corps). + Myers' " " (St. Vincent Rangers). + Keppell's " " (probably the Dominica Rangers). + Nicoll's " " } + Howe's " " } + Whitelock's " " }(the five new regiments). + Lewes' " " } + Skerrett's " " } + + +Major-General Whyte's regiment was called into existence by the +_Gazette_ of the 2nd of May, 1795; Major-General John Whyte, from the +6th Foot, being appointed colonel. On the 20th of May, Major Leeds +Booth, from the 32nd Foot, was appointed lieutenant-colonel; and other +officers were rapidly gazetted to it. On the 8th of August, Captain +Robert Malcolm, of the 41st Foot, was promoted major in Whyte's +regiment. The following is the list of officers appointed to the +regiment in 1795: + + MAJOR-GENERAL WHYTE'S REGIMENT OF FOOT. + + Rank. Name. Rank in the Regt. Army. + + Colonel John Whyte April 24, 1795 M.G., Feb. 26, 1795 + Lt.-Col. Leeds Booth May 20, 1795 + Major Robert Malcolm July 1, 1795 Lieut.-Col., + Oct. 5, 1795 + Capts. James Abercrombie " " Major, March 1, 1794 + Edward Cotter " " + Francis Costello " " + Alan Hampden Pye " " + Ralph Wilson " " + Thomas Cunninghame " " + (C.) William Powell Aug. 24, 1795 + Thomas Deane Sept. 1, 1795 + .............. + .............. + .............. + .............. + + Lieuts. Ross Gillespie July 1, 1795 Dec. 20, 1794 + Henry Maxwell " " March 8, 1795 + David Butler " " + Benjamin Chadwick " " + James Reid " " + James Stewart " " + James Sutherland " " + James Calder " " + Andrew Coghlan Aug. 24, 1795 Sept. 14, 1792 + Henry Goodinge Sept. 1, 1795 + Thos. Page Sept. 16, 1795 + .............. + (11 vacancies) + .............. + Ensigns William Graham July 1, 1795 + James Cassidy " " + -- McShee " " + -- Lightfoot " " + -- M'Callum " " + -- Froggart " " + -- McLean " " + R.W. Atkins " " + John Egan " " + James Reed " " + (Cornet) W. Connor " " + -- Crump " " + John Morrison " " + Donald M'Grace " " + William Reid " " + -- Dalton Sept. 1, 1795 + Thomas Byrne " " + C.B. Darley Sept. 9, 1795 + Christ. Thos. Roberts Oct. 5, 1795 + .............. + .............. + .............. + Adjutant .............. + Qrmr. -- McWilliam Nov. 18, 1795 + Surgeon -- Bishop June 10, 1795 + Chaplain .............. + +It was intended that each of these regiments raised for service in the +West Indies should have a cavalry troop, and in the _London Gazette_ are +the following: + +MAJOR-GENERAL WHYTE'S REGIMENT OF FOOT. + + August 1, 1795 Lieutenant--Powell, from the 8th Foot, to be + Lieutenant of Cavalry. + + August 29 Lieutenant--Powell, Lieutenant of Cavalry, to be + Captain of Cavalry. + + July 11 Acting Adjutant--Connor, from Lieutenant-Colonel + McDonnel's regiment, to be Cornet. + +But this idea was soon abandoned, and in 1797 the cavalry troop +disappeared. + +The 1st West India Regiment (for so it was at once styled in the West +Indies, although in the Army List and the _London Gazette_, the +designation "Major-General Whyte's Regiment of Foot" was not +discontinued until February, 1798) first appears in the "Monthly Return +for the Windward, Leeward, and Caribee Islands," in September, 1795, as +follows: + + A: Colonel. + B: Lieut.-Colonel. + C: Majors. + D: Captains. + E: Lieutenants. + F: Ensigns. + G: Chaplain. + H: Adjutant. + I: Quarter-Master. + J: Surgeon. + K: Mate. + L: Sergeants Present. + M: Drummers Present. + N: Present, fit for duty. + O: Sick. + P: Recruiting. + Q: Total. + + +-----------------+---------+-----------------------+--+--+----------+ + | | | Officers Present. | | | | + | | +-------------+---------+ | |Effective | + | | |Commissioned.| Staff. | | |Rank&File.| + | Regiments |Stations.+-------------+---------+ | +----------+ + | or Corps. | |A|B|C|D|E | F|G|H|I|J|K| L| M| N|O|P| Q | + +-----------------+---------+-+-+-+-+--+--+-+-+-+-+-+--+--+--+-+-+---+ + |Maj.-Gen. Whyte's|Martinico|-|-|-|3| 1| 5|-|-|1|-|-| 6| 6|43|4|4| 51| + | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | + |Brig.-Gen. Myers'|Martinico|1|-|-|2| 1| 1|-|-|1|-|-| 5| 6|41|5|5| 51| + +-----------------+---------+-+-+-+-+--+--+-+-+-+-+-+--+--|--+-+-+---+ + | |Total. |1|-|-|5| 2| 6|-|-|2|-|-|11|12|84|9|9|102| + +-----------------+---------+-+-+-+-+--+--+-+-+-+-+-+--+--+--+-+-+---+ + +and the following note is, in the same Return, appended to the state of +the company of the "Black Carolina Corps," which was in Grenada; the +other two companies having remained in Martinique since their removal +there from St. Lucia at the end of April, 1795. "This corps has been +reformed, and fifty of the men, who were fit for service, have been +drafted into the 1st New West India Regiment. When the remainder of the +corps can be collected together, it is possible a few more may be found +fit for service." + +Major-General Whyte's, or the 1st West India Regiment, remained at +Martinique, without any further accession to its strength than these +fifty men from the Carolina Corps, till December, 1795. + +In the "Muster Roll of His Majesty's 1st West India Regiment of Foot, +for 183 days, from the 25th of June to the 24th of December, 1795, +inclusive," the list of officers is given as already shown. Captain +James Abercrombie, Lieutenants David Butler, Benjamin Chadwick, and +James Sutherland are shown as "drowned on passage," and the following +note is added: "Some few of the dates of enlistments and enrolments of +the non-commissioned officers and drummers may not probably be quite +exact, and some others may have been engaged in England not down on the +muster roll, all the regimental books, attestation papers, etc., having +been left in possession of the paymaster, Brevet-Major Abercrombie (no +adjutant at that time being appointed), who was lost in December or +January last on board the _Robert and William_ transport, No. 44, on +the voyage to this country." The non-commissioned officers and drummers +were Europeans, one sergeant and three corporals being shown as "sick +and absent in England" in this roll; and, in the next, a drummer is +similarly shown. The roll is signed by Leeds Booth, Lieutenant-Colonel; +Ed. S. Cotter, Captain and Paymaster; and Thomas Holbrook, Acting +Adjutant. The following is the proof table: + + A: Colonel. + B: Lieut.-Colonel. + C: Major. + D: Captains. + E: Lieutenants. + F: Cornets. + G: Ensigns. + H. Adjutant. + I. Chaplain. + J. Quartermaster. + K. Surgeon. + L. Mate. + M. Sergeants. + N. Corporals. + O. Drummers. + P. Privates. + ++--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ +| | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | ++--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ +|Present | - | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5| - | - | 1 | - | - | 10| - | 12| 9| +|Absent | 1 | - | 1 | 8 | 6 | - | 13| - | - | - | 1 | - | 7| 3 | 3| 27| +|Non-effective | - | - | - | 5 | 7 | - | 5| - | - | 1 | - | - | 5| 8 | 5| 13| ++--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ +| Total. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 14| 14| 1 | 23| - | - | 2 | 1 | - | 22| 11| 20| 49| ++--------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ + +Although it was intended that the privates of West India regiments +should be black, yet, apparently, white men were not prohibited from +serving in the ranks; for, in later muster rolls, two or three privates +are shown as "enrolled in England," and one of these is afterwards shown +as "transferred to 60th." A volunteer, David Scott, who joined 29th May, +1797, was also promoted ensign in November of that year. These +enrolments of Europeans only occur in the first three years of the +regiment's existence, and negro privates were available for promotion +to, at least, the rank of corporal very early; for a Private John +Lafontaine, who was promoted corporal, is shown in the muster roll +terminating December 24th, 1796, as "claimed as a slave." The pay of a +private in a West India regiment was then sixpence per diem. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 19: In the Account of the Extraordinary Expenditure of the +Army, from 25th December, 1795, to 6th December, 1796, is the following: + + On account of pay for sundry black corps for the + year 1795, raised for service in the West Indies L10,120 12 9 + + On account of ditto for the year 1796 60,095 10 3 + ------------ + L70,216 3 0 +] + +[Footnote 20: "The military force in St. Vincent consists at present of +a regiment of infantry and a company of artillery, sent from England; +and a black corps raised in the country, but provided for, with the +former, on the British Establishment, and receiving no additional pay +from the island."--Bryan Edwards, vol. i. p. 428.] + +[Footnote 21: The Army List for 1795 is dated January 1st.] + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE CAPTURE OF ST. LUCIA, 1796. + + +In January, 1796, the company of Malcolm's Royal Rangers that was at St. +Vincent was moved to St. Christopher; the other company still remained +at Martinique, and both, in April, 1796, were selected to take part in +the expedition to St. Lucia. "That island could then muster for its +defence about 2000 well-disciplined black soldiers, a number of less +effective blacks, and some hundred whites, who held positions both +naturally and artificially strong, and were plentifully supplied with +artillery, ammunition, and stores. The post on which the Republicans +chiefly confided for their defence was that of Morne Fortune. It is +situated on the western side of the island, between the rivers of the +Carenage and the Grand Cul de Sac, which empty their waters into bays +bearing the same name. Difficult of access by nature, it had been +rendered still more so by various works. In aid of this they had also +fortified others of the mornes, or eminences, in its vicinity. The whole +of this position, embracing a considerable extent of ground, it was of +the utmost importance to invest closely, with as little delay as +possible, that the enemy might not escape into the rugged country of the +interior, and thus be in a condition to carry on a protracted and +harassing war, which experience had already more than once proved to be +highly detrimental to an unseasoned invading force. + +"To accomplish this desirable purpose, the British general determined to +direct his troops on three points, two of them to the north, and the +third to the south of Morne Fortune. The first division was to land most +to the north, in Longueville Bay, covered by several vessels, which were +intended to silence the batteries on Pigeon Island. Choc Bay was the +spot where the centre division was to be put on shore; and the third was +to disembark at Ance la Raye, some distance to the southward of the +hostile post."[22] + +The fleet with the troops destined for the attack of St. Lucia, under +Sir Ralph Abercromby, sailed from Carlisle Bay, Barbados, on the 22nd of +April, and anchored in Marin Bay, Martinique, on the evening of the +23rd, where Malcolm's Rangers joined the force, sailing for St. Lucia on +the 26th. The troops arrived off that island on the evening of the same +day, and 1700 men, under the command of Major-General Campbell, +composing the first division, were immediately landed in Longueville +Bay; without encountering any further opposition than a few shots from +the battery on Pigeon Island, the fire of which was speedily silenced by +that of the ships. + +A strong current had driven the transports so far to the leeward that it +was not practicable to land the centre division till the following +morning. Major-General Campbell was meanwhile on his march, and his +progress was only feebly opposed by about 500 of the enemy, who +ultimately retired from Angier's Plantation to Morne Chabot, and allowed +him to effect a junction with the centre division. The current having +acted still more powerfully on the vessels which conveyed the third +division, under Brigadier-General Morshead, two or three days elapsed +before the disembarkation in Ance la Raye could be entirely executed. +The troops at length took up their appointed station, and thus held +Morne Fortune invested on its southern side. + +To complete the investment on the northern quarter it was necessary to +obtain possession of Morne Chabot, which was one of the strongest posts +in the vicinity of Morne Fortune. At midnight of the 27th, therefore, +two columns, under Brigadier-Generals Moore and Hope, were despatched to +attack the Morne on two opposite sides; and, by this means, not only to +carry the position, but likewise to prevent the escape of the troops by +which it was defended. This plan, the complete success of which would +have materially diminished the strength of the Republican force, was in +part rendered abortive by a miscalculation of time. The column of +Brigadier-General Moore, consisting of seven companies of the 53rd +Regiment, 100 of Malcolm's Rangers, and 50 of Lowenstein's,[23] advanced +by the most circuitous route; while Brigadier-General Hope, with 350 men +of the 57th, 150 of Malcolm's Rangers, and 50 of Lowenstein's, took the +shorter road. Misinformed by the guides, Brigadier-General Moore's +column fell in, an hour and a half sooner than it had expected, with the +advanced picket of the enemy, who were thus put on their guard. At the +moment when they were discovered, the troops, in consequence of the +narrowness of the road, were marching in single file, and to halt them +was impossible. In this state of things their leader resolved not to +give his opponents time to recollect themselves, but to fall on them +with his single division. The spirit of the soldiers fully justified the +gallant resolution of their commander. Having been formed as speedily as +the ruggedness of the ground would admit of, they proceeded to the +assault. The Republicans made a stubborn resistance, but it was an +unavailing one, as they were finally driven from the Morne with +considerable loss. Nevertheless, as the second column did not arrive +till the combat was over, the fugitives succeeded in making good their +retreat. On the following day the victors also occupied Morne +Duchasseaux, which is situated in rear of Morne Fortune. + +In the hope of obtaining some advantage to counterbalance this +misfortune, the enemy, on the 1st of May, made a brisk attack on the +advanced post of grenadiers commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel MacDonald, +of the 55th Regiment. They were, however, repulsed with much slaughter, +though not till forty or fifty men, and several officers, were killed or +wounded on the side of the British, among them being Captain Coghlan, +1st West India Regiment, attached to the 48th Regiment, who was wounded. + +At the south side of the Morne Fortune the enemy had erected batteries, +which precluded any vessels from entering into the bay of the Grand Cul +de Sac. To open this bay to our fleet was an object of much importance, +as at present it was necessary to convey the artillery and stores from a +great distance, which could not be done without the previous labour of +opening roads through an almost impracticable country. It was, +therefore, resolved to make an attempt on these batteries. The principal +attack was to be conducted by Major-General Morshead, whose division, in +two columns, was to pass the river of the Grand Cul de Sac; the columns +of the right at Cools, and that of the left at the point where the +waters of the stream are discharged into the bay. To second this force, +Brigadier-General Hope, on the night of the 2nd of May, was to advance +from Morne Chabot with 350 men of the 42nd Regiment, the light company +of the 57th, and part of Malcolm's Rangers, the whole being supported by +the 55th Regiment, which was posted at Ferrands. A part of the squadron +was likewise to lend its assistance, by keeping up a cannonade on the +works of the enemy. Before the time arrived for putting this plan into +execution, Major-General Morshead was taken ill, and the command +devolved upon Brigadier-General Perryn. No change, however, took place +in the arrangements which had been formed. + +"At dawn of day, the division under Brigadier-General Hope began to +accomplish its part of the service by carrying the battery Seche, which +was situated within a short distance of the works of Morne Fortune. The +assailants suffered so little in the assault, that they would scarcely +have had anything to regret, had it not been for the fall of the gallant +Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm.[24] On the south side of the Morne, and at +the extremity of the line of attack, Colonel Riddel, who led the column +of the left, made himself master of the battery of Chapuis, and +established himself there. Had the remainder of the project been as well +executed, the proposed object would have been completely attained. +Unfortunately, however, from some unexplained cause, the division which +was the connecting link of the whole, that which was entrusted to +Brigadier-General Perryn, did not perform its allotted part, by crossing +the river at Cools. The consequence of this was that the victorious +columns were left insulated, and would have been exposed to no trivial +danger, had the enemy felt a sufficient reliance upon their own strength +to incite them to act with the requisite promptitude and vigour. +Painful, therefore, as it was to retire before a routed foe, the British +troops were compelled to abandon the batteries which they had won, and +to fall back upon their original stations. The ships at the same time +returned to their former anchorage. Our loss on this occasion was 105 +men; of whom only a very few were among the slain." + +The Vigie was now the only post occupied by the enemy in the vicinity of +Morne Fortune, and this was attacked by the 31st Regiment on the night +of May 7th; the assault, however, being repulsed with a loss of 200 men. +The main position was now invested by regular siege works, and the task +which the British had to perform was attended with no small difficulty. +"The country itself was of the most inaccessible kind, the chain of +investment was ten miles in extent, all the roads that were necessary +were to be made, of carriages there were none, horses were scarce, and +the Republicans had been industrious in availing themselves of all the +natural obstacles to our progress, and in creating as many others as +their ingenuity could contrive." Malcolm's Corps rendered good service +on these works, and the men being better able to stand the fatigue and +exposure than Europeans, were constantly employed. + +By May 16th, the first parallel was completed, and on the morning of the +24th, the 27th Regiment, supported by the 53rd and 57th, succeeded in +effecting a lodgment within 500 yards of the fort. The Governor, +acknowledging that further resistance was futile, demanded a suspension +of hostilities; terms of surrender were agreed upon, and on May 26th, +2000 men marched out as prisoners of war. One hundred pieces of +ordnance, ten vessels, and large stores of ammunition fell into the +hands of the British. + +Sir Ralph Abercromby sailed from St. Lucia on the 4th of June to the +relief of Grenada and St. Vincent, leaving Brigadier-General Moore for +the pacification of the first island with the 31st, 44th, 38th, and 55th +Regiments, O'Meara's corps of Rangers,[25] and the German Yagers. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 22: Bryan Edwards.] + +[Footnote 23: Lowenstein's Rangers were Europeans. They were afterwards +drafted into the 60th.] + +[Footnote 24: Return of killed, wounded, and missing, in the attack made +on the enemy's batteries, May 3rd, 1796. Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm's +Rangers: 3 rank and file, killed; 2 rank and file, wounded; 2 captains, +1 lieutenant, 7 rank and file, missing. Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm dead +of his wounds. The names of the officers of Malcolm's returned missing, +not known.] + +[Footnote 25: Raised in 1796. This corps became the 12th West India +Regiment in 1799.] + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE RELIEF OF GRENADA, 1796--THE REPULSE AT PORTO RICO, 1797. + + +Grenada, like St. Vincent, had been ravaged by the French and insurgent +slaves since March, 1795, and the relief of that island was one of the +first cares of Sir R. Abercromby. On leaving St. Lucia, the division of +the troops intended for Grenada was ordered to rendezvous at Cariacou, +one of the Grenadines; there Sir Ralph Abercromby met Major-General +Nicolls, then commanding in Grenada, and arranged with him the general +plan of operations. Before, however, those operations are described, it +will be necessary to go back to the month of March, 1796, when a company +of the Carolina Corps arrived in Grenada from Martinique, with +detachments from the 8th, 63rd, and 3rd Regiments, under Major-General +Nicolls. + +Shortly before the arrival of this reinforcement, the French and +insurgents had compelled the British to evacuate Pilot Hill, in the +neighbourhood of Grenville, and had taken up a strong position at Port +Royal. On the 23rd of March, Major-General Nicolls landed to the south +of Port Royal; during the night the guns were got in position, and at +daybreak opened on the enemy's works. The post occupied by the enemy was +a hill of very steep ascent, particularly towards the summit, upon which +a fort was constructed, and furnished with four six-pounders and some +swivels. The first object of the British commander was to gain a +position between the enemy and the open country, and thus leave them no +alternative but to surrender at discretion, or precipitate themselves +over a high cliff; but they had established themselves so strongly to +protect their right that this failed. In the meantime two large vessels +full of troops to reinforce the enemy arrived in the bay under Port +Royal, from Guadaloupe; and Brigadier-General Nicolls found it necessary +to storm the enemy's post without further delay. The troops employed in +this service were detachments from the 3rd, 29th, and 63rd Regiments, +under Brigadier-General Campbell; at the same time, 50 men of the 88th, +with the company of the Carolina Corps, Colonel Webster's Black Rangers, +and Angus' Black Corps, moved against the enemy's right flank, to +dislodge some strong parties which were posted on the heights. + +Owing to the difficult nature of the ground, it was nearly two hours +before the latter column could reach the enemy, when a heavy fire +commenced on both sides. The ascent was steep and difficult, encumbered +with rocks and loose stones and covered with dense bush. From the summit +of the ridge the enemy poured in a destructive fire, to which the +British could only reply at a great disadvantage, and, after losing +heavily, the column commenced to retire. Observing this retrograde +movement, Major-General Nicolls sent the 8th Regiment in support and +ordered Brigadier-General Campbell to proceed to the assault of the +redoubt. + +Repulsed at the first attempt the troops again pushed on, at length +gained the summit of the ridge, drove the enemy into their redoubt and +scrambled in after them through the embrasures. The enemy then fled in +all directions, some threw themselves down the precipices, whilst others +tried to escape down the hill through the thick underwood; but there was +so heavy a fire kept up on them from above by the British that they were +forced to attempt to escape along a valley, where they were charged by a +detachment of the 17th Light Dragoons, and cut to pieces. The British +loss consisted, in killed and wounded, of 110 Europeans and 40 of the +various black corps. The Carolina Corps lost one man killed and six +wounded. + +Affairs were thus situated when the fall of St. Lucia enabled Sir R. +Abercromby to send reinforcements to Grenada. The troops, with whom were +Malcolm's Rangers, disembarked at Palmiste, on the 9th June, while +Brigadier-General Campbell, with the troops already in the island, +advanced from the windward side to take the enemy in rear. Captain +Jossey, the commandant of the French troops at Goyave, near Palmiste, +seeing that resistance must be unavailing, surrendered that post, with +those of Mabouia and Dalincourt; but Fedon, the leader of the insurgent +slaves, who knew he could expect no mercy, retired at the head of about +300 men to two strong and almost unapproachable positions, called Morne +Quaquo and Ache's Camp, or Foret Noir, in the mountains of the interior. + +In these recesses he did not despair of being able to tire out his +pursuers; but Major-General Nicolls did not give him time to throw any +additional obstacles in the way of the troops. On the 18th of June he +despatched against him, from opposite quarters, two divisions, under +Brigadier-General Campbell and Count d'Heillemer; while +Lieutenant-Colonel Gledstanes was posted with the 57th Regiment at the +head of Grand Roy Valley, and the grenadiers of the 38th Regiment, with +the Carolina Corps and Malcolm's Rangers, advanced against a post which +the enemy had at the head of Beau Sejour Valley. The dispositions were +so admirably carried into effect, that the whole of the enemy's posts +were captured, nearly at the same moment, on the morning of the 19th. +"Many of the blacks were slain upon the spot, and the remainder were +promptly hunted down in the woods by detachments of the military. No +quarter was given to these ruffians, nor was any deserved by them, their +last efforts having been marked by a foul and wanton murder. When they +saw that their position at Morne Quaquo, which they had regarded as +impregnable, was on the eve of being forced, they led out twenty white +prisoners, stripped them, tied their hands behind them, and put them to +death. It was impossible, after having witnessed this act of baseness +and cruelty, that anything short of their extermination should satisfy +the victors."[26] + +Fedon, and a number of his followers, escaped to the woods; what became +of the former was never known, but the black corps were employed up to +December, 1796, in hunting down and capturing the stragglers, and it was +not until the end of that month that peace was entirely restored to +Grenada. + +Whyte's, or the 1st West India, Regiment had remained at Martinique +without any addition to its strength during the operations in St. Lucia +and Grenada. It had, however, according to the muster rolls for 1796, +transferred, on the 24th of March of that year, four sergeants and nine +corporals to Malcolm's Rangers, probably in anticipation of the speedy +drafting of the whole of that corps into its own ranks. In the Monthly +Returns of troops for March and April, 1796, Malcolm's Royal Rangers are +shown as "under orders for drafting into the 1st West India Regiment," +and in the May Return the corps ceases to be shown separately, and has +no "state" of its own. As we have seen, however, it continued to act +separately in St. Lucia in April and May, and in Grenada from June to +December; and it was not until its return to Martinique on the 28th of +December, 1796, that the drafting was finally completed. Of the +Carolina Corps all the men fit for service were collected at Martinique, +the remainder being formed into an invalid company at Grenada. It may be +thought that the process of forming the 1st West India Regiment was +being carried on very slowly, but it was more rapid than that of any +other West India Regiment, except the 2nd; while the 3rd, even on the +24th of December, 1797, had no non-commissioned officers, no privates, +and only two drummers. + +No military event worthy of note took place in the year 1797, in which +the Carolina Corps or the 1st West India Regiment took part, except the +expedition to Porto Rico, in which the pioneers of the former corps were +engaged. Sir Ralph Abercromby, with a force of 3000 men, sailed from +Martinique on the 8th of April, and, after a delay at St. Christopher's, +for the purpose of procuring pilots and guides, reached Porto Rico on +the 17th and anchored off Cangrejos Point. Next day the troops +disembarked, and, after a slight skirmish with the enemy, took up a +position before the town. The siege continued for a fortnight without +the British making any appreciable progress, while the force of the +enemy, originally larger than that of the besiegers, was receiving +continual accessions from various parts of the island. Sir Ralph +Abercromby, therefore, determined to abandon the attempt, and the troops +were accordingly re-embarked on the 30th of April. + +In March, 1797, one company of the Carolina Corps that was at +Martinique, 78 strong, was drafted into the 1st West India Regiment; +and, on the return of the expedition from Porto Rico, the remaining +company (Pioneer) was also drafted, and the Carolina Corps ceased to +exist. + +The following is the list of the officers who were serving in the 1st +West India Regiment in 1797, and it may be observed that so many changes +had taken place that, out of 43 officers who were gazetted to the +regiment in 1795, only 22 were left in 1797: + + Rank. Name. Rank in Regiment. Army. + + Colonel John Whyte April 24, 1795 M.-G., Feb. 26, 1795. + Lt.-Col. Leeds Booth May 20, 1795 + Major Charles Miller Nov. 30, 1796 + Captains Edward Cotter July 1, 1795 + Francis Costello July 1, 1795 + William Powell Aug. 24, 1795 + A.A. Nunn Feb. 2, 1797 November 17, 1795. + Robert Brown June 1, 1797 September 30, 1796. + James Maitland July 23, 1797 + James Stewart July 24, 1797 + Lieuts. William Graham Nov. 30, 1796 + James Cassidy Dec. 1, 1796 + -- M'Shee Dec. 2, 1796 + -- Lightfoot Dec. 3, 1796 + -- M'Callum Dec. 4, 1796 + -- Froggart Dec. 5, 1796 + -- M'Lean Dec. 6, 1796 + John Egan Dec. 8, 1796 + James Reed Dec. 9, 1796 + W.J. Speed Jan. 11, 1797 + -- Connor March 1, 1797 + William Reid March 2, 1796 + Thomas Byrne March 3, 1796 + J.C. Roberts July 1, 1796 + John C. M'Kay July 2, 1796 + Ensigns Donald M'Grace July 1, 1795 + -- Dalton Sept. 1, 1795 + C.B. Darley Sept. 9, 1795 + -- Horsford July 1, 1797 + David M'William July 2, 1797 + Morgan O'Meara July 3, 1797 + Charles Marraud July 4, 1797 + Niel Campbell July 5, 1797 + Adjutant Thomas Holbrooke April 17, 1796 + Qtrmastr. -- M'William Nov. 18, 1795 + Surgeon John Lindsay Dec. 25, 1796 + +During the active operations of the year 1796 the West India colonists +had offered no objection to the scheme of raising five new black +regiments, but, in 1797, when the question of providing for them was +brought before the various Legislatures, the plan met with the most +determined opposition. When, on the 17th of January, Governor Ricketts +communicated it to the House of Assembly in Barbados, and requested the +concurrence of that House, the Speaker, Sir John Gay Alleyne, +immediately rose and moved: + +"That the design of five regiments, etc. (as expressed in the message), +will, as far as such a design is likely to affect this island, prove +rather the means of its destruction than its defence." + +This resolution was carried, with two others, without a dissenting +voice. + +"The Assembly of Jamaica was no less decided and unanimous in its +opposition to the measure. It refused to make any provision whatever +for the subsistence of the 6th West India Regiment, which was commanded +by Lieutenant-Colonel Whitelocke. In this decision it was sanctioned by +the general voice of the white population. Meetings were held in almost +every parish of the island, in all of which the scheme of raising black +corps was heavily censured, as being, in the first place, unnecessary, +the negroes being already compellable to serve in case of emergency; +and, in the second place, as being of a nature to produce ultimately, +and perhaps at no distant period, the most destructive effects to the +persons and the property of the colonial proprietors."[27] + +The British ministers were reluctant to abandon that which appeared to +be a cheap and ready mode of recruiting in the western hemisphere, and +consequently persevered in their project, even increasing the number of +West India regiments in 1799 to twelve. That the fears of the colonists +were groundless time soon showed. In 1801, at St. Martin's, the 8th West +India Regiment, "composed of new negroes, who had never before faced a +foe, behaved with the utmost gallantry." In 1803, the 3rd West India +Regiment did good service at the capture of St. Lucia, as did the 6th at +the reduction of Surinam in 1804. In 1809, at the Saintes, where the 3rd +and 8th West India Regiments were engaged, "the black troops +distinguished themselves by their discipline and valour." How the 1st +West India Regiment remained true to its colours the succeeding chapters +will show.[28] + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 26: Bryan Edwards.] + +[Footnote 27: Bryan Edwards.] + +[Footnote 28: It is true that the 8th West India Regiment mutinied at +Dominica, in 1802, but it was under conditions which, to a certain +extent, extenuated it. For more than six months the men had been +defrauded of their pay. Being utterly uneducated and all new negroes, +they were ignorant of the proper methods of obtaining redress, and +consequently showed their resentment by violence.] + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE DEFENCE OF DOMINICA, 1805. + + +The 1st West India Regiment remained stationed at Fort Edward, +Martinique, during the whole of 1797, and up to the month of December, +1798; its strength at no time during this period being above 350 men. In +December, 1798, it was removed to St. Lucia, six companies being +quartered at Vieux Fort and two at Maboya, in the same island. The +strength then was 343, and the "state" shows 157 as wanting to complete +the establishment. The regiment remained at St. Lucia until July, 1801, +when it was moved to Port Royal, Martinique. In January, 1802, two +companies were detached to St. Vincent, and, in July, the remainder of +the regiment, with the exception of one company that remained in +Martinique, followed them to that island, from whence a company was soon +afterwards detached to Antigua. In October, these detachments rejoined +head-quarters, but, in April, 1803, two other companies were sent to +Grenada. In May, 1804, the regiment, with the exception of one company +at Grenada and another sent to St. Vincent, was moved to Dominica. In +this year the establishment of West India regiments was increased from +500 to 1000 men; and in December, 1804, the strength was 618. + +The rupture of the Treaty of Amiens had, in 1803, led to fresh conflicts +in the West Indies, in which, however, the 1st West India Regiment had +taken no share; but in the spring of 1805, while it was still stationed +at Dominica, the light company being with the 46th Regiment at Morne +Bruce, and the remainder of the regiment (except the two detachments) at +Prince Rupert's, its turn for active service came. + +On the 22nd of February of that year, the island was attacked by a +French combined naval and military force, under Admiral Missiessy and +General La Grange, which force had been despatched from France specially +for the reduction of Dominica. The enemy's flotilla consisted of the +following vessels: + + Guns. + Majestueuse 120 + Magnanime 74 + Suffren 74 + Jemmappes 74 + Lion 74 + Armide 44 + Gloire 44 + Infatigable 44 + Lynx 16 + Acteon 16 + --- + 580 + +The French regular troops employed were: + + 26th Regiment 1600 + 2nd Battalion Piedmontese 2000 + Dismounted Cavalry 250 + Artillery 250 + Detachments of Corps 500 + ---- + 4600 + +Exclusive of the marines of the various ships. + +The enemy's force sailed from Martinique on the afternoon of February +21st, 1805; and, flying the British flag, arrived off Dominica between 3 +and 4 a.m. on February 22nd. The British commander-in-chief, +Brigadier-General Prevost, deceived by the colours of the ships, sent +the captain of the fort, an artillery officer, on board the +_Majestueuse_, to conduct the supposed British admiral and his fleet to +a safe anchorage.[29] Shortly afterwards the boats pushed off with the +troops, and the squadron changed its colours to French. + +Directly this was perceived, the grenadier company of the 46th, with the +light company of the 1st West India Regiment (107 rank and file), under +Captain O'Connell, and a company of militia, marched from the garrison +at Morne Bruce to Point Michell, about three miles distant. At this spot +the enemy concentrated, and effected a landing under a heavy fire from +the fleet. Two thousand eight hundred troops having been landed at the +extremity of a cape within a short distance of Point Michell, they +advanced towards that place in column of subdivisions, the only +formation which the restricted space would admit, the point being +bounded by inaccessible heights on the right, and a broken and rugged +shore on the left. + +The two companies of the 46th and the light company of the 1st West +India Regiment were posted behind the walls of some ruined buildings in +the village of Point Michell, which afforded excellent cover, and where +they were entirely sheltered from the fire of the enemy's shipping; +while the French had to advance on a narrow front, entirely exposed to +their fire. + +The attack commenced about 5 a.m. Four times the enemy were led to the +assault, and as many times they were repulsed. At about 6.30 a.m. the +remainder of the 46th and some local militia arrived, and the struggle +continued; but not without loss on our side, Major Nunn and Captain +O'Connell, 1st West India Regiment, being wounded, the former mortally, +and four men killed. At last, the enemy, finding all his endeavours to +force the position were ineffectual, landed the remainder of his troops +to leeward of the town of Roseau, on the British right, and attacked +Fort Daniel, a small redoubt mounting a six-pounder gun, and defended by +2 artillerymen, and 1 sergeant and 5 men of the 1st West India Regiment. +These were all made prisoners in the work, which the enemy had attacked +with 500 men. Brigadier-General Prevost then retired with the militia to +the heights of Woodbridge Estate; and, the British right being now +turned, the regulars, some 200 in number, who had been so gallantly +defending the left, retired to effect a junction with the garrison at +Fort Rupert, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Broughton, 1st West India +Regiment. This was effected by Captain O'Connell, although wounded, in +four days, by the mountain paths, while Brigadier-General Prevost +arrived at the same place by the Carib Trail.[30] + +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." + + "Copy". "HEAD QUARTERS, PRINCE RUPERT'S, + "DOMINICA, _March 1st, 1805_. + "SIR, + + "About an hour before the dawn of day on the 22nd ultimo, an alarm + was fired from Scot's Head, and soon after a cluster of ships was + discovered off Roseau. As our light increased, I made out five large + ships, three frigates, two brigs, and small craft under British + colours, a ship of three decks carrying a flag at the mizen. The + frigates ranging too close to Fort Young, I ordered them to be fired + on, and soon after nineteen large barges, full of troops, appeared + coming from the lee of the other ships, attended and protected by an + armed schooner, full of men, and seven other boats carrying + carronades. The English flag was lowered, and that of the French + hoisted. + + "A landing was immediately attempted on my left flank, between the + town of Roseau and the post of Cachecrow. The light infantry of the + 1st West India Regiment were the first to march to support Captain + Smart's company of militia, which throughout the day behaved with + great gallantry; it was immediately supported by the grenadiers of + the 46th Regiment. The first boats were beat off, but the schooner + and one of the brigs coming close on shore to cover the landing, + compelled our troops to occupy a better position in a defile leading + to the town. At this moment I brought up the grenadiers of the St. + George's Regiment of militia, and soon after the remainder of the + 46th Regiment, and gave over to Major Nunn these brave troops with + orders not to yield to the enemy one inch of ground. Two + field-pieces (an amuzette and a six-pounder) were brought into + action for their support under the command of Sergeant Creed of the + 46th Regiment, manned by additional gunners and sailors. These guns, + and a twenty-four-pounder from Melville battery, shook the French + advancing column by the execution they did. + + "I sent two companies of St. George's Militia, under the command of + Lieutenant-Colonel Constable, and a company of the 46th, to prevent + the enemy from getting into the rear of the position occupied by + Major Nunn. + + "On my return I found the _Majestueuse_, of 120 guns, lying opposite + to Fort Young, pouring into the town and batteries her broadsides, + followed by the other seventy-fours and frigates doing the same. + + "Some artillery, several captains of merchantmen with their sailors, + and the militia artillery, manned five twenty-four-pounders and + three eighteens at the fort, and five twenty-fours at Melville + battery, and returned an uninterrupted fire; from the first post + red-hot shot were thrown. At about 10 o'clock, a.m., Major Nunn, + most unfortunately for His Majesty's service, whilst faithfully + executing the order I had given him, was wounded, I fear mortally. + + "This did not discourage the brave fellows. Captain O'Connell, of + the 1st West India Regiment, received the command and a wound almost + at the same time; however, the last circumstance could not induce + him to give up the honour of the first, and he continued on the + field animating his men and resisting the repeated charges of the + enemy until about one o'clock, when he obliged them to retire from + their position with great slaughter. It is impossible for me to do + justice to the merit of that officer; you will, I doubt not, + favourably report his conduct to His Majesty, and at the same time + that of Captain James of the 46th Regiment, and Captain Archibald + Campbell, who commanded the grenadiers of that corps. + + "Foiled and beat off on the left, the right flank was attempted, and + a considerable force was landed near Morne Daniel. The regulars, not + exceeding 200, employed on the left in opposing the advance of three + columns, consisting of upwards of 2000 men, could afford me no + reinforcement; I had only the right wing of the St. George's + Regiment of militia to oppose them, of about a hundred men. They + attacked with spirit, but unfortunately the frigates had stood in so + close to the shore to protect this disembarkation, that after + receiving a destructive fire, they fell back and occupied the + heights of Woodbridge Estate. Then it was that a column of the enemy + marched up to Morne Daniel, and stormed the redoubt defended by a + small detachment, which, after an obstinate resistance, they + carried. On my left, Captain O'Connell was gaining ground, + notwithstanding a fresh supply of troops and several field-pieces, + which had been brought on shore by the enemy. I now observed a large + column climbing the mountains to get in his rear. + + "The town, which had been for some time in flames, was only + protected by a light howitzer and a six-pounder to the right, + supported by part of the light company of the St. George's Regiment. + The enemy's large ships in Woodbridge Bay, out of the reach of my + guns, my right flank gained, and my retreat to Prince Rupert's + almost cut off, I determined on one attempt to keep the sovereignty + of the island, which the excellent troops I had, warranted. I + ordered the militia to remain at the posts, except such as were + inclined to encounter more hardships and severe service; and Captain + O'Connell, with the 46th Regiment, under the command of Captain + James, and the light company of the 1st West India Regiment, were + directed to make a forced march to Prince Rupert's. I then allowed + the President to enter into terms for the town of Roseau; and then + demanded from the French general that private property should be + respected, and that no wanton or disgraceful pillage should be + allowed; this done, only attended by Brigade-Major Prevost, and + Deputy Quartermaster-General Hopley, of the militia forces, I + crossed the island, and in twenty-four hours, with the aid of the + inhabitants and the exertions of the Caribs, I got to this garrison + on the 23rd. After four days' continued march through the most + difficult country, I might almost say, existing, Captain O'Connell + joined me at Prince Rupert's, himself wounded, and bringing in his + wounded, with a few of the Royal Artillery, and the precious + remainder of the 46th and the 1st West India Light Company. + + "I had no sooner got to the fort than I ordered cattle to be driven + in, and took measures for getting a store of water from the river + and the bay. I found my signals to Lieutenant-Colonel Charles + Broughton, of the 1st West India Regiment, made from Roseau soon + after the enemy had landed, had been received, and that in + consequence he had made the most judicious arrangements his garrison + would allow for the defence of this important post. + + "On the 25th, I received the summons[31] I have now the honour to + transmit, from General of Division La Grange, and without delay sent + the reply[32] you will find accompanying it. + + "On the 27th the enemy's cruisers hovered about the Head; however, + the _Centaur's_ tender, _Vigilante_, came in and was saved by our + guns. I landed Mr. Henderson, her commander, and crew, to assist in + the defence we were prepared to make. + + "As far as can be collected, the enemy had about 4000 men on board, + and the whole of their force was compelled to disembark before they + gained one inch of ground. + + "I entrust this despatch to Captain O'Connell, to whom I beg to + refer you. His services entitle him to consideration. I am much + indebted to the zeal and discernment of Fort-Adjutant Gualy, who was + very accessary to the due execution of my orders. + + "I cannot pass unnoticed the very soldierlike conduct of Lieutenant + Wallis, of the 46th Regiment, to whom I had entrusted the post of + Cachecrow, or Scot's Head. On perceiving our retreat he spiked his + guns, destroyed his ammunition, and immediately commenced his march + to join me at Prince Rupert's with his detachment. Nor that of + Lieutenant Schaw of the same corps, who acted as an officer of + artillery and behaved with uncommon coolness and judgment while on + the battery, and great presence of mind in securing the retreat of + the additional gunners belonging to the 46th Regiment. On the 27th, + after levying a contribution on Roseau, the enemy re-embarked, and + hovered that day and the next about this post. This morning, the + French fleet is seen off the south end of Guadaloupe, under easy + sail. + + "Our loss--you will perceive by the returns I have the honour to + transmit--was inconsiderable when compared with that of the enemy, + which included several officers of rank and about 300 others. + + "I have, etc., + (Signed) "GEORGE PREVOST. + + "Lieutenant-General Sir William Myers, + "Bart., etc., etc., etc. + + "P.S.--As I find I cannot spare Captain O'Connell from the duty of + this garrison, I must refer you to the master of a neutral vessel, + who has engaged to deliver this despatch." + + * * * * * + +Extract from Minutes of the House of Assembly, Dominica, dated Roseau, +2nd May, 1805: + +"Resolved, that the Committee of Public Assembly be instructed to write +to England for a monument to be erected to the memory of Major Nunn, of +the 1st West India Regiment, who gallantly fell on Feb. 22nd, 1805. + +"Resolved, that the thanks of this House be presented to Captain +O'Connell, of the 1st West India Regiment, and that the sum of one +hundred guineas be appropriated for the purchase of a sword for him. + +"Resolved, that the thanks of this House be presented to the officers, +non-commissioned officers, and privates of the 1st West India Regiment, +for their gallant conduct on the same occasion." + +Similar sentiments were expressed, and conveyed to the regiment, at a +meeting held on May 23rd, 1805, at the London Tavern, Lord Penrhyn +president. + +Captain O'Connell was promoted to Major, 5th West India Regiment, and +Lieutenant Winkler to Captain, vice O'Connell. + +Return of the killed and wounded in the actions of the 22nd of February, +1805, at Point Michell, Morne Daniel, and Roseau, in the island of +Dominica. + +1st West India Regiment--9 rank and file, killed; 1 field officer, 1 +captain, and 8 rank and file, wounded. + +For its services on this occasion the 1st West India Regiment was +permitted to inscribe the word "Dominica" on its colours. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 29: This does not appear in Brigadier-General Prevost's +letter, but is mentioned in that of General La Grange.] + +[Footnote 30: "During a continued march of four days, through an +exceedingly difficult country, that brave officer (Captain O'Connell) +did not leave behind even one of his wounded men."--BRYAN EDWARDS.] + +[Footnote 31: A summons to surrender.] + +[Footnote 32: A refusal.] + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE HURRICANE AT DOMINICA, 1806--THE REDUCTION OF ST. THOMAS AND ST. +CROIX, 1807--THE RELIEF OF MARIE-GALANTE, 1808. + + +In 1806, Dominica was visited by a terrific hurricane, from which the +1st West India Regiment suffered some loss. On the afternoon of the 9th +of September the sky became totally overcast, and masses of clouds +gathered over the island. About 7 p.m. a tremendous thunderstorm +commenced, accompanied by violent gusts of wind, which increased in +strength, until by 10 p.m., every vessel in the harbour, to the number +of sixteen, was either sunk or driven ashore. The rain fell in such +torrents that the whole of the barracks on Morne Bruce, where a +company-of the 1st West India Regiment was stationed, and nearly the +whole of those on Morne Cabot, were carried away, and three men of the +1st West India Regiment were killed, and several injured. Every house +from the River Mohaut to Prince Rupert's was overthrown, and the town of +Portsmouth was laid in ruins. In Roseau, 131 persons were killed or +wounded, the greatest mischief being there caused by the overflowing of +the river, which inundated the town in all directions, every house which +obstructed its passage being swept away by the torrent. "No pen," says a +witness of the scene, "can paint the horrors of that dreadful night! The +tremendous noise occasioned by the wind and rain--the roaring of the +waters, together with the shock of an earthquake, which was sensibly +felt about midnight--the shrieks of the poor sufferers crying out for +assistance--the terror of those who in their houses heard them, and +dared not open a door or window to give succour, and who momentarily +expected to share the same fate, formed a scene which can hardly be +conceived, and is still more difficult to be described." + +The regiment remained stationed at Dominica until the month of April, +1807, when it was removed to Barbados, with the exception of four +companies which had been detached to Grenada and Tobago, and which soon +after rejoined head-quarters at Barbados. + +In this year also, the establishment of West India regiments was +augmented by a second lieutenant-colonel, Major Samuel Huskisson, from +the 8th Foot, being appointed the second lieutenant-colonel of the 1st +West India Regiment by the _Gazette_ of the 2nd of June. + +A war having broken out with Denmark, the British Ministers, early in +September, 1807, sent out orders to the Commander of the Forces in the +West Indies, to reduce the Danish islands of St. John, St. Thomas and +Saint Croix, and the 1st West India Regiment, with the other troops +stationed at Barbados, embarked in men-of-war under General Bowyer, on +the 15th of December, to proceed on this duty. On the 19th of December +the expedition reached Sandy Point, Saint Christopher's, and receiving +some troops from that garrison, sailed again the same day; arriving at +St. Thomas, where it was joined by reinforcements from Antigua and +Grenada, on the 21st. A summons to surrender was at once sent to the +Governor, Von Scholten, the terms of which he accepted next day, and +surrendered the islands of St. Thomas and St. John with their +dependencies. A small garrison of the 70th Regiment being left at St. +Thomas, the 1st division of the troops, in which was included the 1st +West India Regiment, sailed on the evening of the 23rd for Saint Croix. +The expedition arrived off the town of Frederickstadt on the 24th; and +the Governor having capitulated on the 25th, the troops were landed, and +the forts and batteries taken possession of, a royal salute being fired +as the British colours were hoisted. Next night, the garrison and town +of Christianstadt, on the other side of the island, were also occupied. +The 1st West India Regiment during this expedition was commanded by +Major Nathaniel Blackwell; and after the surrender of Saint Croix, it at +once returned to Barbados. In January, 1808, three companies were +detached from Barbados to Antigua, and one to Tobago; the detachment at +Antigua rejoining head-quarters in October of the same year. + +The next service seen by the regiment was at Marie-Galante,[33] in 1808. +Deseada and Marie-Galante, the former a few miles to the north-east, and +the latter a few miles to the south-east of Guadaloupe, had been +captured by Captain Selby and a naval force in March, 1808. Deseada, the +French Governor of Guadaloupe allowed to remain unmolested; but +Marie-Galante was so good a privateer station, and its loss also brought +the British so much more nearly in contact with him, that he determined +to try to recover it. + +The attempt was made on the 23rd of August, by Colonel Cambriel, who, +with about 200 men in seventeen boats stole over from Guadaloupe and +landed near Grand Bourg. They were preparing to attack the battery when +they were espied from the _Circe_; thirty of whose seamen hurried on +shore, threw themselves into the battery before the French could reach +it, and gave them such a warm reception as to compel them to retreat. +The enemy's boats were seized by the _Circe_, and the escape of the +French being thus cut off, they retired to the centre of the island. +Intelligence of their landing was forwarded to General Beckwith, at +Barbados, who lost no time in sending Lieutenant-Colonel Blackwell[34] +with three companies of the 1st West India Regiment against them. + +The following is Lieutenant-Colonel Blackwell's report to General +Beckwith: + + "GRAND BOURG, MARIE-GALANTE, + "_Sept. 4th, 1808_. + + "SIR, + + "I have the honour to inform you that the troops which you were + pleased to place under my command arrived here, in H.M. Ship + _Captain_, on the 29th of August; and finding from Captain Pigot, + commander of this island, that the French troops were strongly + posted within three miles of Grand Bourg, I was immediately landed + with the three companies of the 1st West India Regiment; and having + obtained an increase of my force, of about 140 marines, and some + sailors, together with a six-pounder, from the army schooner + _Maria_, I lost no time in fulfilling the instructions I received + from you. + + "I have now much satisfaction in reporting, that after a pursuit of + the enemy for five days and nights, and having during that period + had four engagements with him, in each of which he was repulsed, and + obliged to make most precipitate retreat, leaving behind him arms, + ammunition, etc., at every different post that had been attacked, + and at one place in particular, nine mariners (who had been taken + prisoners on the first landing of the enemy), and at another, a + brass six-pounder, which had only arrived from Guadaloupe two days, + and which was found spiked; by constantly marching and harassing + him, we found, on coming within one hundred yards of his front + yesterday morning, that he was willing to surrender, and sending out + a flag of truce, I granted the following terms: 'That the French + troops might march out from the ground they then occupied with the + honours of war, but that they should lay down their arms in front of + the troops, and surrender themselves as prisoners of war, and that + all prisoners taken since their arrival in the island should be + immediately returned.' I was, however, much astonished to find that + Colonel Cambriel, who had commanded the army, was not present when + they surrendered, but I have since understood that he had quitted it + the morning previous, and had returned to Guadaloupe, but I have + some reason to imagine he is still in this island. + + "The field-piece I had taken from the army schooner became useless + after the first day, from the tract of the country the enemy led us + over; I therefore sent it back to Grand Bourg, and at the same time + I directed fifty marines to occupy the post of Delosses, three miles + from town, which kept up the communication with the interior of the + island. + + "In our several attacks, it gives me pleasure to say that we have + had only two privates wounded, one of them since dead. The loss on + the part of the enemy I have not ascertained, but imagine it to have + been considerable. I am sorry to mention to you that a gentleman + from Antigua, of the name of Brown, being a prisoner of war, was in + rear of the enemy's picket when attacked on the evening of the 2nd + instant, and received a mortal wound. The force which has been + brought from Guadaloupe I have not yet exactly found out, but from + all accounts must have been above 200 rank and file. + + "From the return I send herewith, you will find that 162 privates + have laid down their arms, and there are at present many who have + been sick dispersed through the country. The inhabitants that joined + were very considerable. I believe their number amounted to from four + to five hundred.... + + "I have likewise to return my best thanks to all the officers, + non-commissioned officers, and privates who were under my command, + for the cheerfulness with which they went through the long and + harassing marches, and I think it is a duty incumbent upon me to + mention to you their extreme good conduct since they have been in + the field. + + "I have the honour to be, etc., + (Signed) "NATH. BLACKWELL, + "Lieut.-Colonel 4th W.I. Regiment." + + "Return of prisoners who surrendered on the 3rd of September, 1808: 4 + captains, 8 lieutenants, 162 rank and file, 1 staff. + + "Return of arms, ammunition, and accoutrements taken and destroyed from + 30th August to 3rd September: 1 field-piece, 450 firelocks, 200 belts + and pouches, and 24 kegs of ball-cartridge. + + "Ammunition for field-piece not ascertained." + +On this occasion was captured the drum-major's staff of the French 26th +Regiment (now in the possession of the 1st West India Regiment), bearing +the motto: "La Republique Francaise une et indivisible. Battalion +26me," and surmounted by the cap of Liberty. + +Of the companies of the regiment employed on this service, one was the +grenadier company under Captain Cassidy, another the light company under +Captain Winkler, and the third a battalion company under Lieutenant +Nixon. On the return of the detachment to Barbados it was formed up on a +garrison parade at St. Ann's on the right of the regiment; and +Lieutenant-General Beckwith, after thanking Lieutenant-Colonel Blackwell +and the officers and men engaged for their meritorious exertions, +presented the former with a sword. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 33: See map of Guadaloupe.] + +[Footnote 34: Major Nathaniel Blackwell, 1st West India Regiment, was, +by the _Gazette_ of May 24th, 1808, promoted Lieutenant-Colonel of the +4th West India Regiment, for his services at the reduction of the Danish +West India Islands. At this time he had not yet joined his new corps.] + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE CAPTURE OF MARTINIQUE, 1809[35]--THE CAPTURE OF GUADALOUPE, 1810. + + +The 1st West India Regiment continued doing duty at Barbados until +January 27th, 1809, when eight companies joined the expedition against +the Island of Martinique. + +The interception, in the summer of 1808, of some despatches from the +Governor of Martinique to the French Ministry asking for supplies and +additional troops, and describing the condition of the island as almost +defenceless, first directed the attention of the British Government to +the reduction of this French colony. Preparations for the attack began +at Barbados in November, 1808, the expedition assembled at Carlisle Bay, +Barbados, in January, 1809, and on the 28th of that month the force +sailed for Martinique. + +The expeditionary force was under the command of Lieutenant-General +Beckwith, and consisted of two divisions, each of two brigades, the 1st +Division being commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir George Prevost, and +the 2nd Division by Major-General Maitland. The 1st West India Regiment +was included in the 1st Division. Six battalion companies, with the 13th +and 8th Regiments, formed the 2nd Brigade under Brigadier-General +Colville; while the grenadier company (Captain Winkler), with the 7th, +23rd, and a light battalion, in which latter was the light company, 1st +West India Regiment, formed the 1st Brigade, under Brigadier-General +Hoghton. + +On the 30th of January the expedition arrived off the Island of +Martinique, and on the evening of the 31st the troops disembarked, the +1st Division landing at Malgre Tout, Bay Robert, and the 2nd near St. +Luce and Point Solomon on the opposite side of the island. + +The 1st Division marched the same night to De Manceaux Estate. The roads +were in a wretched condition from the rains, and the horses being done +up from the length of time which they had been on board ship, the troops +were obliged to drag the guns themselves. After a short rest the force +continued its march to Papin's, which it reached at midnight. Here the +main body of the 1st Division halted for the night, while the grenadier +company of the 1st West India Regiment, with the 7th Regiment, pushed on +to the heights on De Bork's Estate. + +On the day following they were joined by the 23rd and the light +infantry battalion, and advanced to the heights of Morne Bruno, the +French skirmishers falling back slowly before them, while keeping up a +smart fire. From this point the grenadier company, 1st West India +Regiment, advanced with the 7th, the 23rd being in support, against the +French position on the heights of Desfourneaux. + +The enemy, under General De Hondelot, were well placed on the crest of +the ridge, with a mountain torrent in their front, and a strong force of +artillery drawn up on their left flank. The flank companies of the 7th +were ordered to turn the French right, while the light battalion, with +which was the light company, 1st West India Regiment, moved against his +left, and the grenadiers of the 1st West India Regiment, with the +remainder of the 7th, advanced against the centre. The troops rushed +forward, fording the stream under a heavy fire, and attacking the enemy, +who was greatly superior in numbers, with the bayonet, drove him from +his position. + +From this point, with the co-operation of the 2nd Brigade, the French +were beaten back to the heights of Surirey, where they made a determined +stand, but by a brilliant charge, the British carried the hill, and +forced them to take shelter under the guns of their redoubts.[36] + +The troops encamped for the night on the position which they had won, +while the enemy took up a second position, strengthened by two redoubts +connected by an entrenchment. + +Next morning, February 2nd, the British made a movement to turn the +French right, and, being much annoyed by the enemy's advanced redoubt, +the light battalion and the 7th Regiment were ordered to take it. They +were repulsed with considerable loss, but, on the following night, the +2nd division of the British having come up, the enemy abandoned the work +and spiked the guns, retiring with all his force to Fort Bourbon, or +Desaix. + +While the 1st Division had thus been engaged at Morne Bruno and Surirey, +the 2nd had been equally successful. Upon landing at St. Luce, a +detachment of the Royal York Rangers took possession of the battery at +Point Solomon, on the south side of Fort Royal Bay, thus securing a safe +anchorage for the fleet. The same corps then pushed on and invested +Pigeon Island, a small fortified island which commanded the anchorage in +the upper part of the bay, and which had to be captured before any +attempt could be made against the formidable fortresses of Bourbon and +Fort Republique. Batteries were erected on Morne Vanier, from which +Pigeon Island was shelled with such success that the garrison +surrendered. + +The way being now open for the fleet, preparations were commenced for +the capture of Fort Bourbon. It was decided to attempt to take the place +by storm, and on February 4th, the 1st Division, which, under Sir +George Prevost, had marched over from Surirey, advanced to the assault, +the grenadier companies forming the "forlorn hope." The fire from the +enemy's guns was, however, so heavy and well-directed that the attempt +failed, notwithstanding the most conspicuous gallantry on the part of +the British, and the troops retired with a loss of 330 killed and +wounded, the grenadier company of the 1st West India Regiment having +suffered heavily. + +General Villaret, the French commander, supposing Fort Bourbon to be +impregnable, abandoned Fort Republique, leaving in it 4 mortars and 38 +heavy guns, and collected his entire force, some 3000 in number, in Fort +Bourbon. Being well supplied with food and ammunition, he resolved +quietly to wait in the citadel; confident that the British army would +gradually melt away from the sickness caused by the heavy rains, which +had now set in and fell incessantly. On the 7th February a British force +entered by night the abandoned Fort Republique; and, though the work was +furiously bombarded from Fort Bourbon, in two days the guns which had +been left in the fort were unspiked and the fire returned. In the +meantime other batteries had been in course of construction, and by +February 18th Fort Bourbon was completely invested. + +The enemy were then summoned to surrender, but General Villaret +declaring that he would rather bury himself under the ruins of the +citadel, the bombardment commenced. The British batteries, six in +number, opened fire simultaneously at 3.30 p.m. on Sunday, February +19th, and the fire was hotly returned. At Colville's battery, where were +four companies of the 1st West India Regiment, the brushwood in front of +the guns was set on fire, and was only extinguished with much +difficulty, and a terrific fire was kept up on both sides. On February +20th the enemy ceased firing during the whole day, recommencing again on +February 21st; but on the 22nd a shell from our batteries having blown +up the magazine, the enemy sent out terms of capitulation. These were +rejected, but on the 24th the place surrendered; the garrison, 2700 in +number, became prisoners of war, and three eagles remained as trophies +in the British hands. + +The following general orders were issued during this brilliant campaign: + +1. Morne Bruno, February 3rd, 1809.--"The benefit the advanced corps, +under Lieutenant-General Sir George Prevost, have produced to His +Majesty's service, from the gallant and successful attack made upon +Morne Bruno and the heights of Surirey, on the 1st instant, by the 1st +Brigade of the army and the light battalion, under Brigadier-General +Hoghton, demands from the Commander of the Forces a reiteration of his +acknowledgments, and his assurance to the brigadier-general, and to the +commanding officer of the Royal Fusiliers, of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, +and of the light battalion, also to the officers, non-commissioned +officers, and soldiers of those regiments, that he will not fail to lay +their meritorious exertions before the King. The exertions of all the +corps engaged yesterday were conspicuous; and, although the state of the +works possessed by the enemy did not admit of their being carried by the +bayonet, which rendered it the general's duty to direct the corps +employed to retire, they manifested a spirit and determination which, +when tempered by less impetuosity, will lead to the happiest results." + +2. February 27th, 1809.--"The grenadier company, with a detachment of +the battalion of the 1st West India Regiment, who were engaged with the +enemy both on the 1st and 2nd of February, 1809, having been omitted to +be mentioned in the general orders of February 3rd, referring to those +operations, the Commander of the Forces takes the present occasion to +acknowledge their services. From the day of the regiment landing, to +that of the enemy's surrender, it served with the greatest credit under +all the disadvantages to which a West India regiment is exposed. The +hard and severe work is generally performed by them, which the European +soldiers could not undergo from the climate." + +During this campaign the 1st West India Regiment was commanded by +Lieutenant-Colonel Tolley; and, in token of its services, it was +permitted to retain two brass side-drums and five battle-axes, which it +had captured from the enemy. + +The 1st West India Regiment continued to serve in Martinique till the +17th of May, 1809, when the head-quarters and six companies were removed +to the Island of Trinidad. There they remained until the month of +December following, when an expedition was formed for the reduction of +Guadaloupe. + +Since the expulsion of the British in 1794, that island had enjoyed a +period of tranquility; its armament had been considerably increased +under successive governors, slavery had been re-established, and its +harbours swarmed with privateers, which preyed upon British commerce. +The incessant annoyance and loss to our trade caused by these vessels, +was a strong incentive for a descent upon the island. Added to this, it +was a colony of considerable importance to France; the mother country +depending, in a great measure, upon it for colonial produce. + +The British army was assembled at Prince Rupert's Bay, Dominica, where, +on the 22nd of January, 1810, the flank companies of the 1st West India +Regiment joined. The force was under the command of Lieutenant-General +Sir George Beckwith, and was thus composed: + + 1ST DIVISION--MAJOR-GENERAL HISLOP. + + {Light Companies of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, + 3rd Brigade--Brig.-General { 6th, and 8th West India Regiments 500 + Maclean {90th Foot 500 + {8th West India Regiment 400 + + {Battalion made up of 13th and 63rd + 4th Brigade--Brig.-General { Regiments 600 + Skinner {York Light Infantry Volunteers 200 + {4th West India Regiment 400 + + 2ND DIVISION--BRIGADIER-GENERAL HARCOURT. + + {Light infantry 500 + 1st Brigade--Brig.-General {15th Foot 300 + Harcourt {3rd West India Regiment 400 + + {Grenadiers of the 1st, 4th, and 8th + 2nd Brigade--Brig.-General { West India Regiments 300 + Barrow {25th Foot 600 + {6th West India Regiment 350 + + RESERVE. + + {Grenadiers 300 + 5th Brigade--Brig.-General {Royal York Rangers 900 + Wale {Royal Artillery 300 + {Military Artificers 100 + +On the 23rd of January the fleet sailed from Dominica, the 2nd Division +being ordered to proceed to the Saintes, to prepare for disembarking +near Basseterre, while the 1st Division and the Reserve made for the +north-eastern quarter of that part of Guadaloupe which is called +Cabesterre. + +The light infantry battalion of the 3rd Brigade effected its landing at +9 a.m. on the 28th of January, without opposition, at the Bay of St. +Marie; and immediately possessed itself of the heights, so as to cover +the disembarkation of the remainder of the 1st Division and the Reserve. +The whole of the troops were landed about half-an-hour after noon, and +the light infantry battalion was ordered forward as the advance guard of +the division. It reached the village of Marigot about sunset, and +crossing the river (called Riviere des Peres Blancs), halted in the +mountains in the most advantageous position for maintaining itself +during the night. The remainder of the division encamped at Marigot. +The troops had marched this day with three days' cooked provisions in +their havresacks. The Reserve remained at St. Marie to cover the landing +of munitions and supplies. + +On the 29th of January, the troops were under arms an hour before +daylight, and the light battalion, being again pushed to the front, +reached Bannaniers by sunset. There the division encamped for the night, +while the light companies of the 1st and 3rd West India Regiments were +ordered to possess themselves of the strong pass of Lacasse, above the +British position. + +On the same day, the 29th, the 2nd Division, after making a feint of +disembarking at Trois Rivieres to draw off the attention of the enemy, +proceeded in the ships to the western side of the island. + +On the 30th of January, at daybreak, the 1st Division again advanced. +Between 9 and 10 a.m. the light battalion, which was still leading, +descended the heights on the side of Trois Rivieres, and coming up with +the rear of a detachment of the enemy, dispersed it after a short +conflict. Pursuing its march it reached the open ground, or savannah, at +Loriols Trois Rivieres about 11 a.m., and there halted to allow the +column to come up. + +The enemy's position was now in front, and consisted of a line of +redoubts and entrenchments on the commanding heights of Petrizel. +Major-General Hislop at once made his dispositions for an attack on the +following morning; the light battalion moving to the left, and the 4th +Brigade, with the remainder of the 3rd, extending along the heights to +the right. In the execution of this order, the light battalion, +advancing along the high road towards the enemy's position, alarmed him +to such a degree as to induce him to open fire from all his batteries +and entrenched lines, not only from Petrizel, but also from his post at +Dole; from which he kept up for some time an incessant fire, without +doing any other injury than killing one man, and wounding another. The +troops took up their positions in the meantime without further +inconvenience. Towards the close of the evening numbers of the enemy +were seen ascending the mountains above their works at Petrizel. The +heat this day had been excessive, and the country through which the +troops marched exceedingly difficult, the strong pass of Trou au Chien +lying in their way. The night closed in with heavy rain. + +On the 31st, at daylight, not a soul was to be seen near the enemy's +works; and, it having been ascertained that they were evacuated, the +light company of the 1st West India Regiment was ordered to march at +noon and take possession. + +The 1st Division remained halted during the 1st of February, and on the +2nd, the light battalion, as advanced guard of the 4th Brigade, was +ordered to march, by a very difficult ascent, to the centre of the +Palmiste heights; while the remainder of the 3rd Brigade moved to the +right of the same heights, by an easier route. The troops bivouacked on +the heights for the night. + +While these operations had been going on, the 2nd Division had, at 10 +a.m. on the 30th of January, disembarked at a bay to the northward of +the village of Les Vieux Habitans and about three leagues to the north +of the town of Basseterre. The troops gained the heights above the +village after a slight skirmish, and encamped on the ground for the +night. During the two succeeding days the 2nd Division was employed in +bringing up guns to a height near Post Bellair. + +By the combined movements of the two divisions, General Ernouf, the +French commander, was now, by the night of the 2nd of February, hemmed +in at the extremity of the island between the sea and the British army. +He had judiciously chosen his position, which was naturally strong, and +which he had strengthened by all the artificial means in his power. He +was posted on heights, his left supported by the mountains of Matouba, +and every accessible point of his line covered by abattis and stockaded +redoubts. In his front was a river, the passage of which, exceedingly +difficult in itself, was rendered much more so by a detachment of troops +stationed behind abattis. The ground also, between the river and the +heights, was bushy and full of rugged rocks, and of course highly +unfavourable to the march of the assailants. + +It was on the 3rd of February that the British troops were put in motion +to dislodge him from his advantageous position. The 1st Division, soon +after dawn, descended the north side of Palmiste, passed the river +Gallion, and under a heavy fire from a battery at the bridge of Voziere, +formed on the opposite heights, taking up a position so as to intercept +the communication between the town of Basseterre and the enemy's camp. +The 2nd Division had, during the night of the 2nd, pushed forward the +grenadiers of the 2nd Brigade and a detachment of the 6th West India +Regiment to occupy the ridge Beaupere St. Louis, on the upper part of +which the strong post of Bellair was situated. On the morning of the 3rd +the enemy perceived what had been done, and moved out in force to +dislodge the British. The 1st Brigade was immediately ordered up in +support; but, before it could gain the heights, a smart action had taken +place, and it only arrived in time to complete the defeat of the enemy. +In this engagement the grenadier company of the 1st West India Regiment +lost 2 rank and file killed, Captain Cassidy and 9 rank and file +wounded. During the remainder of the day the troops of the 2nd Division +were moved up to Bellair, and the whole army remained on the ground +during the night. + +Next morning, the 4th, the British advanced to the final assault of the +position. The 1st Division was charged with the operations on the right, +while the task of turning the left was entrusted to Brigadier-General +Wale with the Reserve. At dawn of day the light company of the 1st West +India Regiment and the York Light Infantry were ordered to advance to +the enemy's post at the bridge of Voziere. For some time they were +unseen, but a picket of the enemy, moving along the opposite side of the +ravine, discovered them; and, opening fire, a general discharge soon +followed, in the face of which the British rushed forward and carried +the work. Almost at the same moment, Brigadier-General Wale, who, with +the Reserve, had forded the Gallion River, and under a heavy fire +ascended the heights, carried the enemy's works on the left; and General +Ernouf's situation had become so critical, that he at once hoisted flags +of truce in the works which he still retained at Matouba. + +On the 5th of February, the terms of capitulation were signed, the +French marching out with military honours, and becoming prisoners of +war. The British loss was 52 officers and men killed, 250 wounded, and 7 +missing. The French lost 600 killed, and 2000 prisoners. Captain H. +Downie, of the 1st West India Regiment, was mentioned in despatches for +gallantry at the storming of the work at the bridge of Voziere. + +The following general order was published, dated Beau Vallon, +Guadaloupe, 6th Feb., 1810: "The enemy are now prisoners of war, to be +sent to England, and not to serve until duly exchanged. Thus through the +exertions and general co-operation of the fleet and the army, has been +effected the important conquest of this colony in nine days from the +landing of the 1st Division. The Commander of the Forces returns his +public thanks to the officers of all ranks for their meritorious +exertions, and to the non-commissioned officers and soldiers for the +cheerfulness with which they have undergone the fatigues of a march, +difficult in its nature, through the strongest country in the world, and +the spirit which they have manifested upon all occasions to close with +the enemy." + +In this campaign, it may be observed, all the hard work had fallen to +the lot of the 1st Division, and especially to that of the light +infantry battalion of the 3rd Brigade, which had, by forced marches, +moved across the whole breadth of the island, from St. Marie to the +neighbourhood of Basseterre, over a wild and broken country, in six +days. + +For their services at the capture of Guadaloupe, Captains Cassidy and +Winkler were appointed brigade-majors at Trinidad and Grenada +respectively; and the words "Martinique" and "Guadaloupe" were inscribed +on the colours of the regiment, "as a mark of royal favour and +approbation of its gallant conduct at the capture of those islands in +1809 and 1810." + +On the completion of this service the flank companies rejoined +head-quarters at Trinidad, as did the two companies detached at +Martinique and the two at Barbados. The whole regiment was then +stationed in Trinidad, seven companies being at St. Joseph's and three +at Orange Grove. This arrangement lasted until March, 1814, when the +head-quarters and four companies were moved to Martinique, four +companies to St. Lucia, and two to Dominica. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 35: This island had been restored to France by the Treaty of +Amiens.] + +[Footnote 36: The grenadier company of the 1st West India Regiment lost +1 rank and file, killed; 1 drummer, 18 rank and file, wounded; 1 +subaltern, missing.] + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE EXPEDITION TO NEW ORLEANS, 1814-15. + + +In July, 1814, the 1st West India Regiment was removed to Guadaloupe, +except two companies detached to St. Martin's and Marie-Galante, and +remained so stationed until it was selected to take part in the +expedition to New Orleans. + +In June, 1812, the United States of America had declared war against +Great Britain, Washington had been captured by the British on July 24th, +1813, and the war had been carried on with varying success until towards +the close of the year 1814. In October of that year an expedition to New +Orleans was decided upon; the force was to rendezvous at Negril Bay, +Jamaica, and for that place the 1st West India Regiment embarked at +Point a Prene, Guadaloupe, on November 14th, 1814. Lieutenant-Colonel +Whitby, who had for the first time joined the regiment on the previous +day, was then in command. + +The assembly of the fleet, and the concentration of troops at a point +so near to their own coast, had aroused the suspicions of the Americans; +and the treachery of an official in the garrison office at Jamaica +enabled them to receive positive information as to the aim and +destination of the expedition. This official communicated the +intelligence to an American trader residing in Kingston, and the latter +at once sailed in a coasting schooner for Pensacola; where General +Jackson, who commanded the United States army of the South, was on the +point of marching to the relief of St. Mary's, then being attacked by a +naval force under Rear-Admiral Cockburn. The American general, upon +learning of the proposed expedition, at once marched to the Mississippi, +concentrated a force of 13,000 men in and around New Orleans, and threw +up works on either side of the river to defend the passage in the +neighbourhood of the town. + +On the 26th of November, 1814, the British fleet, under the command of +Vice-Admiral Sir A. Cochrane, having on board a force of some 5000 men +under Major-General Keane, sailed from Negril Bay and arrived off the +Chandeleur Islands near the entrance of Lake Borgne, on December 10th. + +"To reduce the forts which command the navigation of the Mississippi was +regarded as a task too difficult to be attempted, and for any ships to +pass without their reduction seemed impossible. Trusting, therefore, +that the object of the enterprise was unknown to the Americans, Sir +Alexander Cochrane and General Keane determined to effect a landing +somewhere on the banks of Lake Borgne, and pushing directly on, to take +possession of the town before any effectual preparation could be made +for its defence. With this view the troops were removed from the larger +into the lighter vessels, and these, under convoy of such gun-brigs as +the shallowness of the water would float, began on the 13th to enter +Lake Borgne."[37] + +The Americans, however, being well acquainted with what was taking +place, opposed the passage of the lake with five large cutters, each +armed with six heavy guns, and these were immediately attacked by the +smaller craft of the British. Avoiding a serious engagement, they +retired into the shoal water where they could only be attacked by boats, +and owing to the delay in getting together a sufficiently powerful +flotilla, it was not till the 15th that they were captured, and the +navigation of the lake cleared. The vessels of a lighter draught having +all run aground in a vain endeavour to pass up the lake, the troops were +embarked in boats to carry them up to Pine Island, a distance of thirty +miles. + +"To be confined for so long a time as the prosecution of this voyage +would require, in one posture, was of itself no very agreeable prospect; +but the confinement was but a trifling misery when compared with that +which arose from the change in the weather. Instead of a constant +bracing frost, heavy rains, such as an inhabitant of England cannot +dream of, and against which no cloak could furnish protection, began. In +the midst of these were the troops embarked in their new and straitened +transports, and each division, after an exposure of ten hours, landed +upon a small desert spot of earth, called Pine Island, where it was +determined to collect the whole army, previous to its crossing over to +the main. + +"Than this spot it is scarcely possible to imagine any place more +completely wretched. It was a swamp, containing a small space of firm +ground at one end, and almost wholly unadorned with trees of any sort or +description. The interior was the resort of waterfowl; and the pools and +creeks with which it was intercepted abounded in dormant alligators. + +"Upon this miserable desert the army was assembled, without tents or +huts, or any covering to shelter them from the inclemency of the +weather.... After having been exposed all day to the cold and pelting +rain, we landed upon a barren island, incapable of furnishing even fuel +enough to supply our fires. To add to our miseries, as night closed, the +rain generally ceased, and severe frosts set in, which, congealing our +wet clothes upon our bodies, left little animal warmth to keep the limbs +in a state of activity; and the consequence was, that many of the +wretched negroes, to whom frost and cold were altogether new, fell fast +asleep and perished before morning." + +By December 21st the whole army was collected at Pine Island, and next +day it was formed into three brigades, the 1st West India Regiment with +the 21st and 44th Regiments composing the 2nd Brigade. The 1st West +India Regiment, which had left Negril Bay 500 strong, was now so reduced +by mortality and sickness that barely 400 men were in a condition to +take the field. The cold was intense, and, considering the latitude, 29 deg. +N., almost incredible. It appears that when the regiment left Jamaica no +attempt was made to furnish the men with warm clothing, and their +sufferings from this cause, they being all natives of the tropics, can +be better imagined than described. During the voyage the regiment had +been much scattered in small craft, where the soldiers were obliged to +sleep on deck, exposed to the torrents of rain which fell by day and to +the frosts that came on at night; and, being unaccustomed to the +severity of an American winter, large numbers of them died from cold and +exposure, the 5th West India Regiment suffering equally with the 1st. + +On December 22nd, the 1st Brigade (1600 strong) left Pine Island in +boats to proceed to Bayou Catalan, a small creek eighty miles distant, +which ran up from Lake Ponchartrain, through the middle of an extensive +swamp, to within ten miles of New Orleans. Next day it landed at the +mouth of the creek and advanced along an overgrown footpath on the +banks of a canal, its movements being concealed by the tall reeds of the +swamp. After being delayed by several small streams, it finally emerged +from the morass, and entering the cultivated portion of the district +took up a position across the main road from Proctorsville to New +Orleans, the Mississippi being on its left and the swamp on its right. + +The exhausted troops, without any camp equipment, encamped for the night +on the position. They were not, however, allowed to enjoy a long period +of rest. Late in the evening a large schooner was observed stealing up +the river, until she arrived opposite the bivouac fires around which the +men were asleep; and before it could be ascertained whether she was a +friend or foe, a broadside of grape swept through the camp. Having no +artillery with them, and no means of attacking this formidable +adversary, the troops sheltered themselves behind a bank. The night was +as dark as pitch, and the only light to be seen was the flash of the +enemy's guns as he continued to pour broadside after broadside into the +camp. To add to the miseries of the condition of the British it began to +rain heavily, and the earth, barely raised above the level of the river, +became a vast puddle of slime, in which the soldiers were compelled to +lie down to avoid the iron showers of grape that tore through the air. + +In the meantime the 2nd Brigade, with the 1st West India Regiment, had +embarked in the remainder of the boats from Pine Island, about ten +hours after the departure of the 1st Brigade, and after being exposed to +an incessant downpour of rain during the night of December 22nd, had +arrived at the mouth of the Bayou Catalan at nightfall on the 23rd. In +the stillness of the night the sound of the guns of the schooner as she +opened fire on the 1st Brigade were distinctly heard, and the troops, +stimulated to fresh exertions, hurried on to the assistance of their +comrades. As they drew nearer to the camp, the roll of musketry was +heard, for the enemy had brought up a force of 5000 men from New +Orleans, thinking to overwhelm the solitary 1st Brigade in the dark, and +had unexpectedly opened a semicircle of fire upon it. The 2nd Brigade +pushed on, and arrived just in time to prevent the Americans turning the +British right, which, owing to their local knowledge, they had partially +succeeded in doing. Coming up the canal bank, the 2nd Brigade in their +turn took the enemy in flank, and a hand-to-hand conflict took place +along the whole line, the British fighting with the energy of despair in +the darkness and depths of the wood, and trusting to the bayonet alone. +At last, about 3 a.m. on the 24th, the enemy retired, beaten off at all +points. + +The losses in the night's engagement, and the deaths from cold and +exposure that had occurred during the passage from Pine Island, had so +thinned the already attenuated ranks of the 1st West India Regiment, +that on the morning of the 24th, only 16 sergeants and 240 rank and +file were available for duty. The officers serving with them were Major +Weston, Captains Isles and Collins, Lieutenants McDonald, Morgan, +Miller, Magee, Pilkington, McKenzie, and Dalomel. + +Notwithstanding the repulse which the Americans had experienced, the +schooner continued to annoy our troops. She had anchored in the river +beyond musket range, and, from that safe distance, continued to pour +round-shot and grape into the camp, which had been increased on the +evening of the 24th by the arrival of the 3rd Brigade, consisting of the +93rd and the 5th West India Regiment. On December 25th, Captain Collins, +1st West India Regiment, was killed by a shot from one of her guns, and +there were several other casualties in the regiment. On that day, +however, Sir Edward Pakenham, who had been sent out from England to +assume the command, arrived, bringing some guns with him. During the +night a battery was quietly thrown up opposite the schooner, and at +daybreak a heavy cannonade was opened on her with red-hot shot. Before +long she was set on fire, and blew up, while another vessel, which had +come to her assistance, was compelled to cut and run up the river. + +The main obstacle to an advance being now removed, Sir Edward Pakenham +divided the army into two columns. The right column, commanded by +Major-General Gibbs, consisted of the 4th, 21st, 44th, and 1st West +India Regiments; the left, under Major-General Keane, was composed of +the 85th, 93rd, 95th, and 5th West India Regiments. + +In the meantime the American general had occupied a position facing the +British, with the Mississippi on his right, and an impenetrable morass +on his left, covering New Orleans, and rendering an advance on that town +impossible, until his position had been carried by a front attack. The +ground thus occupied, about 1000 yards in breadth, had been fortified so +as to be almost impregnable. Three deep parallel ditches had been dug +across the whole front; in rear of these was a strong loop-holed +palisade, and several batteries had been erected so as to bring a +cross-fire to bear upon the level plain, across which the British would +have to advance to the assault. The right flank of the enemy was further +protected by a strong work thrown up on the right bank of the +Mississippi, which effectually prevented our gun-boats turning the +position, should they succeed in entering the river. + +The night of December 26th was spent in continual alarms. Small bodies +of American riflemen would creep down upon the pickets under cover of +the darkness, and, firing upon the sentries, prevent the main body from +obtaining any sleep. "Scarcely had the troops lain down, when they were +aroused by sharp firing at the outposts, which lasted only till they +were in order, and then ceased; but as soon as they had dispersed, and +had once more addressed themselves to repose, the same cause of alarm +returned, and they were again called to their ranks. Thus was the night +spent in watching, or at best in broken and disturbed slumbers, than +which nothing is more trying, both to the health and spirits of an +army." + +At daybreak on the 27th, the pickets were withdrawn, and the British +formed in order of attack. The right column took post near the skirts of +the morass, throwing out skirmishers half-way across the plain to meet +the American riflemen, while the left column drew up upon the road. It +was a clear, frosty morning, and in this formation the troops advanced, +the enemy's skirmishers slowly falling back before them. + +After an advance of about four miles the American position was sighted, +and the British were saluted by a heavy cannonade from the batteries and +shipping. "Scarce a ball passed over or fell short of its mark, but all +striking full into the midst of our ranks, occasioned terrible havoc. +The shrieks of the wounded, therefore, the crash of firelocks, and the +fall of such as were killed, caused at first some little confusion; and +what added to the panic was, that from the farm-houses beside which we +stood bright flames suddenly burst forth. The Americans, expecting this +attack, had filled them with combustibles for the purpose; and directing +against them one or two guns, loaded with red-hot shot, in an instant +set them on fire. The scene was altogether very sublime. A tremendous +cannonade mowed down our ranks, and deafened us with its roar; whilst +two large chateaux and their out-buildings almost scorched us with the +flames, and blinded us with the smoke which they emitted." + +The troops having formed line, advanced to storm the enemy's works. The +right column, after a sharp and victorious skirmish with an advanced +body of the enemy, arrived at the edge of the marsh, through which it +endeavoured in vain to penetrate. At the same time the left column +reached the first ditch, or canal, and, being unable to cross it, there +halted, the men endeavouring to shelter themselves from the enemy's fire +in a wet ditch about knee-deep. The troops being unable to close with +the enemy, Sir Edward Pakenham ordered them to retire. This was effected +by battalions, the last corps moving off about noon; and by nightfall +the army was encamped about two miles from the former camping-ground, +and the same distance from the enemy's position. + +The 28th, 29th, and 30th, were occupied in bringing up guns from the +fleet, on which duty the two West India Regiments and the seamen were +employed. Major Weston and Lieutenant Magee, 1st West India Regiment, +died from exposure and fatigue while engaged in this work. + +During the night of the 31st, six batteries, mounting in all 30 pieces +of heavy cannon, were completed, at a distance of some 300 yards from +the American lines, and at dawn the artillery duel commenced. During the +whole of the day a heavy cannonade continued, till, towards evening, +the British ammunition began to fail, and the fire in consequence to +slacken. The fire of the Americans, on the other hand, increased; and, +landing a number of guns from their vessels, they soon compelled the +British to abandon their works. The enemy made no attempt to secure the +guns, and during the night they were removed. + +Sir Edward Pakenham now decided to send a portion of his force across +the river to attack the fort on the right bank and turn its guns upon +the main position, whilst the remainder should at the same time make a +general assault along the whole entrenchment. "But before this plan +could be put into execution, it would be necessary to cut a canal across +the entire neck of land from the Bayo de Catiline to the river, of +sufficient depth and width to admit of boats being brought up from the +lake. Upon this arduous undertaking were the troops immediately +employed. Being divided into four companies, they laboured by turns, day +and night.... The fatigue undergone during the prosecution of this +attempt no words can sufficiently describe; yet it was pursued without +repining, and at length, by unremitting exertions, they succeeded in +effecting their purpose by the 6th of January." + +On January 1st H.M.S. _Vengeur_ arrived off the Chandeleur Islands with +a convoy of transports, containing the 7th and 43rd Regiments, under +Major-General Lambert, and these two battalions, each 800 strong, joined +the army on the evening of January 6th. Next day the final arrangements +were made. Colonel Thornton, with the 85th, the marines, and a body of +seamen, in all 1400 men, were to cross the river immediately after dark, +seize the batteries on the right bank, and at daylight commence firing +on the enemy's line, which at the same moment was to be attacked by the +remainder of the army. Major-General Keane, with the 95th, the light +battalion, and the 1st and 5th[38] West India Regiments, was to attack +the enemy's right, Major-General Gibbs, with the 4th, 21st, 44th, and +93rd, force the left, whilst Major-General Lambert was to hold the 7th +and 43rd in reserve. + +In accordance with this scheme, Colonel Thornton at nightfall moved his +force down to the brink of the river, but no boats had arrived. Hour +after hour elapsed, and then at last only a sufficient number to +transport 350 men made their appearance. With this small force Colonel +Thornton determined to make the attempt, and pushed off. The loss of +time which had occurred was however fatal, for day began to break before +the boats had crossed the river, and though the troops carried the +batteries by assault, after a short but obstinate resistance, the alarm +had already been carried to the main body of the enemy, and they were +thoroughly prepared for defence. + +The capture of the works on the right bank had, however, really made the +front attack upon the American lines unnecessary; for the passage of the +river now being clear, the armed boats from the canal could have passed +up the stream and taken the whole of the position in rear. Had this been +done, the American general would inevitably have been obliged to abandon +his defences, falling back upon New Orleans, and we should have obtained +possession of his formidable position without the loss of a man. +Major-General Pakenham, however, still persevered in his original +intention, and ordered the assault to take place. + +There had been so much mismanagement, that the advance, which should +have taken place at dawn, did not commence till some time after +daylight. The officer, whose duty it was to have prepared fascines for +the purpose of filling the ditches, had neglected his work; and, at 2 +a.m., the hour at which he had been directed to have them ready, not one +was made.[39] Eventually an insufficient number were got together, but +"the 44th, which was appointed to carry them, had either misunderstood +or neglected their orders, and now headed the column of attack, without +any means being provided for crossing the enemy's ditch, or scaling his +ramparts." + +"The indignation of our brave leader on this occasion may be imagined, +but cannot be described. Galloping towards Colonel Mullens, who led the +44th, he commanded him instantly to return for the fascines and ladders, +but the opportunity of planting them was lost; and, though they were +brought up, it was only to be scattered over the field by the frightened +bearers, for our troops were by this time visible to the enemy. A +dreadful fire was accordingly opened upon them, and they were mowed down +by hundreds while they stood waiting for orders." + +The word being given to advance, the other regiments rushed on to the +assault. On reaching the first ditch a horrible scene of carnage ensued; +the few fascines that were thrown down floated away; there were no +ladders, and the men, crowding to the edge of the ditch in the hope of +closing with the enemy, fell in heaps. Many threw themselves into the +water, and endeavoured to struggle across, but were shot down, or +drowned. On the right, Major-General Keane's column had, though reduced +to half its strength, succeeded in passing the ditches near their +junction with the marsh, and pushed on desperately to the palisade. But +to scale this obstacle without ladders was no easy matter. Some few, +indeed, by climbing upon their comrades' shoulders succeeded in entering +the works, but only to be at once shot down; while those who remained +outside were exposed to a flanking fire that swept them down by scores. +The two West India regiments distinguished themselves by their desperate +valour, so much so, indeed, as to win encomiums from the American +general, Jackson. + +On the left there had been a slight success, the 21st Regiment having +stormed and taken a three-gun battery; but they were not supported, and +the enemy, forcing their way into the work, retook it with great +slaughter. In vain was the most obstinate courage displayed, the British +were beaten off at all points. + +"Sir Edward saw how things were going, and did all that a general could +do to rally his broken troops. Riding towards the 44th, which had +returned to the ground, but in great disorder, he called out to Colonel +Mullens to advance; but that officer had disappeared, and was not to be +found. He therefore prepared to lead them himself, and had put himself +at their head for that purpose, when he received a slight wound in the +knee from a musket-ball, which killed his horse. Mounting another, he +again headed the 44th, when a second ball took effect more fatally, and +he dropped lifeless into the arms of his aide-de-camp." + +Major-Generals Keane and Gibb were, almost at the same moment, borne off +the field severely wounded. "All was now confusion and dismay. Without +leaders, ignorant of what was to be done, the troops first halted and +then began to retire; till finally the retreat was changed into a +flight, and they quitted the ground in the utmost disorder. But the +retreat was covered in gallant style by the reserve. Making a forward +motion, the 7th and 43rd presented the appearance of a renewed attack, +by which the enemy were so much awed that they did not venture beyond +their lines in pursuit of the fugitives." + +The British loss in this action was over 1000 killed; while the +Americans stated their total loss to be 8 killed and 14 wounded. The 1st +West India Regiment had 5 rank and file killed, 2 sergeants and 16 rank +and file wounded. The following officers were wounded: Captain Isles, +Lieutenants McDonald and Morgan, Ensigns Miller and Pilkington; and all, +with the exception of Ensign Miller, severely so. Lieutenants McKenzie +and Dalomel, the only remaining officers of the regiment with the +expedition, were publicly thanked by Major-General Lambert for the +courage which they had displayed, and the able manner in which they had +withdrawn the remnant of their corps from the enemy's palisades. + +The capture of New Orleans being now despaired of in the shattered +condition of the force, a retreat was determined upon. As it was +impossible, without great risk, to return to the fleet by the route by +which the army had come--there not being sufficient boats to embark more +than a third of the force at a time--it was decided to make a road from +the firm ground to the water's edge, a distance of many miles, through +the very centre of a morass, where human foot had never before trodden. +The difficulties experienced in making this road were immense. Sometimes +for miles together no firm soil could be found, nor trees to furnish +brushwood, and all that could be done was to lay down bundles of reeds +on the morass. Nor were the enemy idle; there was constant skirmishing +at the outposts, and a continual fire was kept up on the camp from a +six-gun battery mounted on the bank of the river. + +After nine days' incessant toil the road was completed; the sick and +wounded were first removed, then the baggage and stores, and on January +17th, the infantry alone remained in the camp. On the evening of the +18th it also began its retreat. Leaving the camp-fires burning as if no +movement were taking place, battalion after battalion stole away in the +darkness in the most profound silence. Marching all night over the +fragile road of reeds, through which the men sank knee-deep into the +mud, the army reached the borders of the lake at dawn. Boats were in +readiness, and regiment after regiment embarked and set sail for the +fleet, the only loss being the capture of a boat containing two officers +and forty men of the 14th Light Dragoons. + +After remaining a few days at the Chandeleur Islands, the naval +commander decided, in concert with Major-General Lambert, to make an +attack on Mobile, and the fleet accordingly proceeded to that place. On +February 12th, Fort Bowyer, which commanded the entrance to the harbour, +surrendered, and a British garrison being left in the citadel, the fleet +retired to Isle Dauphin, West Florida. Hostilities were then terminated +by a treaty of peace, and the 1st West India Regiment returned to +Barbados, where early in March, Brigade-Majors Cassidy and Winkler +rejoined from the West India staff. The former succeeded to the +majority, vice Weston, deceased.[40] + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 37: "The Campaigns of the British Army at Washington and New +Orleans," by an Officer.] + +[Footnote 38: According to Major-General Lambert's despatch to Earl +Bathurst, the 5th West India Regiment was to cross the river with +Colonel Thornton.] + +[Footnote 39: This officer was afterwards dismissed the service.] + +[Footnote 40: The British force employed in this expedition has been +thus estimated: + + 14th Dragoons 295 + Royal Artillery 570 + Sappers and Miners 98 + 4th Foot 747 + 21st Foot 800 + 44th Foot 427 + 85th Foot 298 + 93rd Foot 775 + 95th Foot 276 + 1st and 5th West India Regiments 1040 + Seamen and Marines 1200 + Staff Corps 57 + ---- + 6583 + 7th Foot } arrived on January 6th { 750 + 43rd Foot } { 820 + ---- + 8153 + +Out of the ten officers who accompanied the regiment on this ill-fated +expedition one was killed, two died from exposure, and five were +wounded.] + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE OCCUPATION OF GUADALOUPE, 1815--THE BARBADOS INSURRECTION, 1816--THE +HURRICANE OF 1817. + + +A few months after the disastrous expedition to New Orleans, and while +the 1st West India Regiment was still stationed at Barbados, an +expedition was formed by Lieutenant-General Sir James Leith, commanding +the forces in the Windward and Leeward Islands, against the Island of +Guadaloupe, the Governor of which, Admiral Comte de Linois, a staunch +Bonapartist, had thrown off his allegiance to Louis XVIII., when the +news of the escape of Napoleon from Elba had reached the West Indies, +and had, on June 18th, 1815, proclaimed the latter Emperor. On the +formation of this expedition, Captain Winkler, 1st West India Regiment, +was appointed to the staff. + +The fleet with the troops from Barbados, among whom were 400 picked men +of the 1st West India Regiment, under Major Cassidy, attached to the 2nd +Brigade, commanded by Major-General Murray, sailed from Carlisle Bay, +Barbados, on the 31st of July, while other troops from St. Lucia, +Martinique, and Dominica, rendezvoused at the Saintes. The force from +Barbados anchored in the Bay of St. Louis, Marie-Galante, on the 2nd of +August; but it was not until the night of the 7th that the troops from +the Leeward were all assembled at the Saintes. + +The internal state of Guadaloupe and the season were both so critical +that Sir James Leith determined to attack at once; and on the morning of +the 8th the whole fleet stood towards the Ance St. Sauveur. It was the +intention of the general to attack in three columns, each of one +brigade, but the scarcity of boats and the heavy surf necessitated that +each brigade, should disembark in succession. + +A portion of the 1st Brigade being landed without opposition at Ance St. +Sauveur, and ordered to drive the enemy from the broken ground and +ravines about Trou au Chien and Petit Carbet, the fleet dropped down to +Grand Ance, where the principal attack was to be made. There, after the +enemy's batteries had been silenced by the fleet, the 2nd Brigade, with +the remainder of the 1st, were landed; and after a short but sharp +skirmish with a body of the enemy, advanced with the bayonet and drove +him from his position at Petrizel. The approach of night put an end to +further advance, and the troops bivouacked on the ground they had won. + +Next morning, the 9th, at daybreak, the troops advanced in two columns. +The 1st Brigade moved upon and occupied Dole, while the 2nd Brigade +marched by difficult mountain paths upon the left of Morne Palmiste, by +Petrizel, and by this turning movement compelled the enemy to withdraw +his posts and retreat to Morne Palmiste by noon. While this had been +taking place the 3rd Brigade had disembarked in the vicinity of Bailiff, +to leeward of Basseterre, and after a short struggle had occupied that +capital. + +In the afternoon of the 9th, the 1st and 2nd Brigades converged upon +Morne Palmiste, and clambering up the rugged and bush-covered heights, +compelled the enemy, after the exchange of a few shots, to evacuate his +works and retire to Morne Houel, where he had eight guns in position. + +While the British were still occupying the defences on Morne Palmiste, +intelligence was brought to Sir James Leith that the French Commander of +Grandeterre, with the whole of his available force, was moving in rear +of the 1st and 2nd Brigades to endeavour to form a junction with the +main body of the enemy at Morne Houel. The detachment of the 1st West +India Regiment was at once despatched to reinforce the rear-guard, and +to occupy in force all the passes of the Gallion, a river running +through a formidable ravine at the foot of Morne Palmiste. The troops +from Grandeterre being thus cut off, endeavoured to form a junction by +unfrequented paths through the woods; but, being met at every point by +the skirmishers of the 1st West India Regiment, who searched the woods +in every direction, they were compelled to abandon the attempt and +retire at dusk. + +The night closed in with torrents of rain, and the British, having been +told off in columns in readiness to attack the formidable position of +Morne Houel at daybreak next morning, bivouacked on the ground, without +shelter, and drenched to the skin. About 11 p.m., the Comte de Linois +sent a messenger to propose terms of surrender; but nothing being +definitely settled, the troops were put in motion at daybreak on the +10th. As they drew near to the works, however, the French hoisted the +British flag on Morne Houel in token of surrender, and the position was +occupied without resistance. This success put an end to the active +operations. + +The British loss in this, the third invasion of Guadaloupe, amounted to +16 killed and 40 wounded. The 1st West India Regiment suffered no loss. + +The following general order was issued, dated Head-Quarters, Government +House, Basseterre, Guadaloupe, 10th August, 1815: "The Commander of the +Forces congratulates the army on the conquest of Guadaloupe being +accomplished, and desires the generals and other officers, and the +troops employed on that important service, to accept his best thanks for +the gallant, zealous, and active manner in which they have compelled the +enemy to surrender. + +"It is certainly a matter of gratifying reflection to the troops +employed, not only that a colony of such importance should be placed +under the British flag, but that the exertions of the army have, in two +days, defeated all the preparations and force of the enemy; thus +sheltering the peaceable inhabitants from a formidable and sanguinary +system of revolutionary violence which had been practised against their +persons and property, and which threatened the entire destruction of +social order. + +"Lieutenant-General Sir James Leith will not fail to represent the +steadiness and good conduct of the troops to H.R.H. the +Commander-in-Chief." + +Guadaloupe, however, was not at once reduced to a state of tranquility. +A number of French soldiers, who had deserted previous to the surrender +of the island, took refuge in the woods, whence they carried on a +desultory and ferocious war against the British posts. The 1st West +India Regiment, being composed of men better able to support the +hardships of a guerilla war, carried on in a country naturally +difficult, during the height of the tropical rains, was continually +employed against these insurgent bands, and several men were killed and +wounded in unknown and forgotten skirmishes. + +Major Cassidy and Captain Winkler were each presented with a sword of +honour by the major-general; and the order of the Fleur de Lys was +transmitted to them by Louis XVIII., for their services in Guadaloupe. + +Major Cassidy and the detachment of the 1st West India Regiment, +remained in Guadaloupe until the 10th of October, 1815, on which day +they embarked for Barbados, arriving at that island on the 26th. The +regiment being then very much below its strength, on account of the +heavy losses which it had sustained during the expedition to New +Orleans, it was determined to transfer the majority of the privates who +remained to the 3rd, 4th, 6th and 8th West India Regiments, and reform +the regiment from a body of some 700 American negroes, who, in the late +war with the United States, had served with the British, and had been +temporarily organised as Colonial Marines. + +On the 14th of December, the skeleton of the regiment embarked in H.M.S. +_Niobe_ for Bermuda, where the Colonial Marines were then stationed, and +arrived at St. George's on the 9th of January, 1816. It was only then +discovered that the number of men with whom it was intended to reform +the regiment, did not exceed 400; most of whom were of but poor +physique, and, moreover, unwilling to engage. At first the authorities +determined to force these men to enlist, but ultimately the whole plan +was abandoned; and the skeleton of the regiment left Bermuda on the 18th +of March to return to the West Indies. It arrived at Barbados on the 1st +of April; and the men who had already been transferred being sent back +to it, the corps was completed with drafts from the late disbanded +Bombor Regiment. + +This was effected in time to enable the 1st West India Regiment to take +a very active part in the suppression of an alarming insurrection of +slaves, which broke out suddenly at Barbados on Easter Sunday, the 14th +of April, 1816. "The revolt broke out in St. Philip's parish, shortly +after sunset, and it extended, in the two following days, to the +parishes of Christ Church, St. John and St. George. A conflagration upon +a high ridge of copse-wood called Bishop's Hill, in the parish of St. +Philip's, was the first signal. Shortly after, the canes upon eight or +nine of the surrounding estates were set on fire. Some few of the rebels +were furnished with fire-arms, and a scanty supply of ammunition, and +the remainder were armed with swords, bludgeons, and such rude weapons +as they had been able to procure. Their approach was announced by the +beating of drums, the blowing of shells, and other discordant sounds. +They demolished the houses of the overseers, destroyed the sugar works, +and fired the canes.... Sixty estates were more or less damaged, many of +them to a considerable amount."[41] + +As soon as the news reached Bridgetown, martial law was proclaimed, the +1st West India Regiment was at once ordered to march, and the militia of +the island were called out. Major Cassidy, who was in command of the 1st +West India Regiment, found the rebels occupying a position on the +heights of Christ Church, on Grazett's Estate, a dense mob of half-armed +slaves crowning the summits of the low hills. He endeavoured to parley +with them, but without success; and an advance being ordered, the 1st +West India Regiment stormed the heights, and at the point of the bayonet +drove the rebels from their position. Not a shot was fired by the +regiment on this occasion, Major Cassidy being anxious to save bloodshed +as much as possible; but a large body of the slaves offered a furious +resistance, closing with and aiming blows at the soldiers with their +rude weapons, and endeavouring to wrench the muskets from their hands, +so that a considerable number of the insurgents were thus killed and +wounded. This resistance only lasted for a few minutes, and the slaves, +broken and dispirited, fled in all directions; only to be hunted down +and fired upon by the militia all over the disaffected portions of the +island. The 1st West India Regiment took no part in the pursuit and the +capture or slaughter of the fugitives, this duty being left to the +European militia, who, if the author of "Remarks on the Insurrection in +Barbados"[42] may be believed, were guilty of many excesses. + +By the planters this revolt was attributed to the introduction of the +Slave Registry Bill into the British Parliament, and it was discovered +that several free men of colour, who had for several months previous +attended nocturnal meetings of slaves on the estates where the +insurrection began, had told the slaves that a law was being passed in +England to make them free, and that as the King was giving them their +freedom the King's troops would not be employed against them. + +Amongst other articles taken from the rebels by the 1st West India +Regiment was a flag bearing the figure of a general officer (supposed to +be intended for the King), placing a crown in the hands of a negro who +had a white woman on his arm. Beneath these figures was the following +motto: "Brittanie are happy to assist all such friends as +endeavourance." In the struggle on Christ Church heights the regiment +lost one man killed and seventeen wounded. + +The following general order was issued, dated August 26th, 1816: +"Colonel Codd, in communicating the following letters conveying the +thanks of the Members in Council and House of Assembly at Barbados to +himself and the officers, non-commissioned officers, and men employed +during the late insurrection of slaves, feels it his duty to specify the +commanding officer and corps whose good conduct on that occasion he has +already reported in his official despatch to the Commander of the +Forces, namely, Major Cassidy and the 1st West India Regiment." + +In November, 1816, the regiment was removed from Barbados and +distributed amongst the following islands: + + Head-quarters. The Grenadier, Light, and 1 Company at Antigua = 3 + 2 Companies at St. Christopher = 2 + 1 Company at Montserrat = 1 + 2 Companies at St. Lucia = 2 + 2 Companies at Dominica = 2 + -- + 10 + +Lieutenant-Colonel Whitby commanded at head-quarters. + +Nothing of note occurred till October, 1817, when, on the 21st of that +month the Island of St. Lucia was visited with a most violent hurricane +in which the Governor, Major-General Seymour, was so severely injured +that he died a few days afterwards; and Brevet-Major Burdett, 1st West +India Regiment (then commanding the garrison), together with his wife, +child, and servants, was killed by the fall of his house and buried +under its ruins. The distress that the troops endured was great. The +whole of the buildings on Morne Fortune and Pigeon Island, with the +exception of the magazine and tanks, were levelled with the ground, and +the fragments, together with the men's clothing and equipment, carried +off by the wind to the woods about Morne Fortune. The hurricane had +struck the island so rapidly that, although an order to evacuate the +barracks was given at once, the men had barely time to escape from the +buildings before they fell with a crash. The town of Castries was laid +in ruins, and twelve vessels that were in harbour were driven ashore. +When the hurricane abated, the killed and wounded were moved under the +parapet of Fort Charlotte and temporary shelter erected from the ruins. + +In January, 1819, when Lieutenant-Colonel J.M. Clifton retired, the +second lieutenant-colonelcy in the regiment was abolished. In May of +that year the head-quarters and three companies were moved to Barbados, +two companies remaining at Antigua, two at St. Lucia, two at Dominica, +and one at Tobago. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 41: Bryan Edwards.] + +[Footnote 42: Published in London in 1816.] + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +THE DEMERARA REBELLION, 1823. + + +On the 25th of October, 1821, the establishment of the 1st West India +Regiment was reduced from ten to eight companies, which were thus +distributed: + + Head-quarters and 3 Companies at Barbados. + 1 Company at Demerara. + 1 " " St. Lucia. + 1 " " Dominica. + 1 " " Antigua. + 1 " " Tobago. + -- + 8 + +No change took place in this distribution until 1823, when the light +company rejoined the head-quarters at Barbados, from Tobago. + +In August, 1823, an alarming insurrection broke out among the slaves in +the district of Mahaica, on the east coast of Demerara. The first notice +of the impending rising was communicated, on the morning of the 18th of +August, by a mulatto servant, to Mr. Simpson, of Plantation Reduit (now +Plantation Ogle), a place distant some six miles from Georgetown. The +servant stated that all the negroes on the coast plantations would rise +that night; and Mr. Simpson at once proceeded with the intelligence to +Georgetown, warning the various planters at their habitations _en +route_. The Governor appeared to doubt the reliability of the +information, but called out a troop of burgher horse, and proceeded with +a portion of it to Plantation Reduit. There a considerable body of +negroes, armed with cutlasses, sticks, and a few muskets, was met; and, +after a short parley with them, which led to no result, the Governor +returned at once to Georgetown, and called upon the officer commanding +the troops for assistance. + +A detachment of the 21st Regiment, and No. 8 Company of the 1st West +India Regiment, the whole being under the command of Captain Stewart, of +the latter corps, at once marched up the coast; while the militia of +Georgetown was called out and patrolled the town. A body of the rebels, +who had with them as prisoners several Europeans, was met near +Wittenburg Plantation. On the approach of the troops the slaves opened a +desultory fire, which did no damage, and a volley being returned, they +dispersed in all directions. The force under Captain Stewart then +proceeded further up the coast, encountering and dispersing other +parties of slaves. + +Next day, the 19th of August, martial law was proclaimed, for nearly all +the negroes employed upon the coast estates had risen and were +overrunning the country, capturing every European they met. Continually +dispersed by the troops, they reassembled again, and, after being +repulsed by a detachment of the 21st in an attack upon the post of +Mahaica, a body of some 2000 of the better-armed slaves collected +together and began to advance on Georgetown. By this time another +detachment of the 21st Regiment had come up from Georgetown, under the +command of Lieutenant-Colonel Leahy of that corps, who joined the troops +already in the field, and moved with his whole force against this more +formidable body of insurgents. Proceeding past pillaged houses and +destroyed bridges, the troops at last fell in with the rebels, and +Lieutenant-Colonel Leahy, after reading a proclamation that had been +issued by the Governor, warned them that if they did not disperse the +men would open fire. After waiting for some time, the order to advance +was given, and the slaves at once commenced firing. This was returned by +the troops, and after a conflict of a few minutes' duration the rebels +fled in all directions. + +This was the last occasion on which the slaves assembled in any +considerable force, but a constant skirmishing was kept up along the +whole line of the coast; and two companies of the 1st West India +Regiment, which were despatched from Barbados when the news of the +insurrection reached there, and arrived at Demerara on the 26th of +September, were actively employed in assisting to restore tranquility +in the colony and in the apprehension of the ringleaders of the +rebellion. Captain Chads, Lieutenants Strong and Lynch, and Ensign +Brennan were the officers who were serving with these two companies. + +The following general order was published, dated Head-quarters, Camp +House, 17th December, 1823: + +"Major-General Murray has great satisfaction in communicating to the +troops and militia within this colony the following extracts from +letters from Lord Bathurst, and the Commander of the Forces, Sir Henry +Ward, the former conveying the approbation of His Majesty, and the +latter that of His Royal Highness, the Commander-in-Chief, for their +conduct during the late insurrection. The Commander-in-Chief takes this +opportunity of again returning his thanks to the officers and troops for +the uniform support he has received from the former, and for the good +conduct of the latter, during the late operations; by these means alone +have those services been accomplished which have occasioned His +Majesty's flattering marks of approbation." + +Extract (No. 1) of a letter from the Right Honourable Lord Bathurst, to +His Excellency Sir John Murray: + + "Downing Street, 23rd October, 1823. + + "I have received your several despatches, as per margin, reciting + the series of events that had occurred from the first intimation + received by you on the 18th of August last, of a disposition towards + insurrectionary movements on the part of the slave population in + the District of Mahaica, and concluding with an account of the + general termination of the revolt, which had yielded to the prompt + and judicious measures of remonstrance and resistance offered by + you, and which you represent to have been so admirably enforced by + the civil and military authorities under your command. With respect + to those measures, I have laid them before His Majesty, and they + have received his most gracious approbation, which you will convey + to the officers, both civil and military, who have so distinguished + themselves on this occasion." + +Extract (No. 2) of a letter from His Royal Highness the +Commander-in-Chief, to Sir Henry Ward, K.C.B., commanding the Windward +and Leeward Islands: + + "I have received your further despatch reporting to His Lordship the + issue of this revolt, so satisfactorily and judiciously terminated + by the prompt and vigorous measures taken by Major-General Murray, + and the exemplary zeal, discipline and good conduct of the 21st + Regiment, the 1st West India Regiment, and the Militia, which + entitle officers and men to the greatest credit." + +Ensign Miles, of the 1st West India Regiment, the only officer serving +with No. 8 Company under Captain Stewart, died a few days after the +termination of the rebellion, of fever produced by fatigue and exposure +in hunting down the rebel leaders. + +In February, 1824, the Court of Policy passed a vote of thanks, and +conferred a gift of 200 guineas on the regiment, to be expended in the +purchase of plate, as a mark of the high estimation in which the +inhabitants of the colony held the services of Captain Stewart and his +detachment. + + "KING'S HOUSE, DEMERARA, + "_19th July, 1824_. + + "SIR, + + "I have the honour to enclose to you for the information of Captain + Stewart and the detachment of the 1st West India Regiment, which + served with so much credit to itself under his command during the + late revolt in this Colony, the accompanying resolution of the + Honourable Court of Policy, expressive of the sense entertained by + the Court of that officer's conduct, and that of the officers and + men placed under him during that distressing period. + + "I have, etc., + "JOHN MURRAY, + "Major-General. + + "To Major Capadose, + "Commanding Detachment, 1st West India Regiment." + + "Extract from the Minutes of the Proceedings of the Honourable Court of + Policy of the Colony and dependant Districts of Demerara and Essequibo, + at an extraordinary and adjourned meeting held at the Court House, + George Town, Demerara, on Tuesday, the 13th of January, 1824. + + "The Court of Policy, feeling anxious to mark its sense of the eminent + service performed, in the late unhappy revolt, by the troops composing + the garrison, as well as by the Militia of the United Colonies, take + the opportunity afforded it by the cessation of Martial Law, to express + its highest approbation of, and to return its warmest thanks to His + Excellency the Commander-in-Chief for the able and judicious measures + adopted by him, which succeeded in putting a speedy termination to a + Revolt, in its nature most serious and alarming.... + + "The steady and soldierlike conduct of the detachment of the 1st West + India Regiment commanded by Captain Stewart, the Court cannot too + highly estimate; and it begs, as a testimony of its lasting regard, to + be allowed to present to the Mess, through Captain Stewart, the sum of + two hundred guineas, to be laid out in plate." + + On the 25th of October, 1824, the three companies stationed at Demerara + were removed to Barbados, where they arrived on the 2nd of November. + The following brigade order was published at Demerara prior to the + embarkation of the detachment: + + "The detachment of the 1st West India Regiment under Major Capadose, + will embark on board the _Sovereign_ at half-past six on Monday + morning, the 25th instant, and the transport will proceed to Barbados + with the evening tide of that day. + + "The Major-General commanding the district cannot allow these excellent + troops to embark without expressing to them his approbation of their + excellent conduct and discipline, and his cordial wishes for their + health and good fortune. The unremitting attention of Major Capadose in + the command of the detachment, and of Brevet-Major Gillard, Captain + Hemsworth, and Lieutenant Strong, in that of their respective outposts, + have given the Major-General unqualified satisfaction, and he requests + those officers to accept his thanks." + +The distribution of the regiment was now as follows: 5 companies at +Barbados, 1 at St. Lucia, 1 at Dominica, and 1 at Antigua, and this was +continued till the 21st of February, 1825, when the head-quarters, with +4 companies, embarked on board the _Sovereign_ transport, and proceeded +to the Island of Trinidad, to relieve the 3rd West India Regiment, +ordered to be disbanded. The head-quarters landed at Port of Spain, +Trinidad, on February 23rd, and were quartered at Orange Grove Barracks, +being removed to San Josef Barracks on May 1st, 1828. + +In April, 1826, a second lieutenant-colonelcy was re-established in the +regiment, Major Henry Capadose being promoted Lieutenant-Colonel, +without purchase, on the 22nd of that month. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE BARRA WAR, 1831--THE HURRICANE OF 1831--THE COBOLO EXPEDITION, 1832. + + +In 1826, owing to the difficulty found in obtaining a sufficiency of +recruits in the West Indies, it was decided to send a company of the 1st +West India Regiment to Sierra Leone, there to be stationed as a +recruiting company, the recruits to be sent to the head-quarters of the +regiment as opportunities occurred. The recruiting company embarked at +Trinidad on the 17th of April, 1826, in the _Duke of York_ brigantine, +and proceeded to Dominica, where it was transhipped to the _Jupiter_ +transport. Captain Myers proceeded in charge of it to England, where it +was inspected by Major-General Sir James Lyon, and it finally arrived at +Sierra Leone on August 16th, 1826. Captain Myers having obtained sick +leave in England, Captain Stewart, Lieutenant Brennan, and Ensign +Russell, were the officers who had charge of the company. + +The recruiting was so successfully carried on, that on July 9th, 1827, +73 recruits joined the head-quarters of the regiment at Trinidad; on +December 27th, 1828, 182; and on February 28th, 1829, 39; the last being +volunteers from the Royal African Corps. In 1829, Captain Evans and +Lieutenant Montgomery proceeded to Sierra Leone to join the recruiting +company. + +The recruiting company continued being occupied with its peace duties +until the year 1831, when the Barra War broke out. Towards the end of +September, 1831, the Lieutenant-Governor of the Gambia Settlements sent +an urgent despatch for assistance to the Governor of Sierra Leone. The +news arrived at the latter place on October 1st, and on the 4th a force +under Captain Stewart, 1st West India Regiment, consisting of +detachments from the recruiting companies of the 1st and 2nd West India +Regiments, from the Sierra Leone Militia, and from the Royal African +Corps, sailed for the Gambia in H.M. brig _Plumper_, and the _Parmilia_ +transport. The events which led to this movement were as follows: + +In August, 1831, disturbances having occurred amongst the Mandingoes[43] +living in the neighbourhood of Fort Bullen, Barra Point, Ensign Fearon, +of the Royal African Corps, by direction of Lieutenant-Governor Rendall, +had proceeded with thirty men of his corps and a few pensioners, on the +night of August 22nd, to the stockaded town of Essaw, or Yahassu, the +capital of Barra, to demand hostages from the king. At Essaw this small +force was attacked by a large body of Mandingoes, and compelled to +retire to Fort Bullen, to which place the victorious Mandingoes +advanced, completely investing it on the land side. The day following, +Ensign Fearon, having lost twenty-three men out of his little force, +evacuated the work, which was in an almost defenceless condition, and +retired across the river to the town of Bathurst. After this defeat the +chiefs of the neighbouring Mohammedan towns sent large contingents of +men to the King of Barra; several thousand armed natives were collected +at a distance of three miles only from Bathurst, and that settlement was +in such imminent danger that the Lieutenant-Governor was compelled to +send to Sierra Leone for assistance. + +On November 9th the reinforcements arrived in the Gambia, and found Fort +Bullen still in the hands of the natives, who fortunately had confined +themselves to making mere demonstrations, instead of falling upon the +settlement, which lay entirely at their mercy. On the morning of +November 11th a landing was effected at Barra Point by the force, +consisting of 451 of all ranks, under cover of a heavy fire from H.M. +brig _Plumper_ (Lieutenant Cresey), the _Parmilia_ transport, and an +armed colonial schooner. The enemy, estimated at from 2500 to 3000 +strong, were skilfully covered from the fire of the shipping by the +entrenchments which they had thrown up, and from which, as well as from +the shelter of the dense bush and high grass, they poured in a heavy +and well-sustained fire upon the troops who were landing in their front. +Notwithstanding all disadvantages, however, the British pushed on, and, +after an hour's hard fighting, during which the enemy contested every +inch of ground, they succeeded in driving them from their entrenchments +at the point of the bayonet, and pursued them for some distance through +the bush. The British loss in this action was 2 killed, 3 officers[44] +and 47 men wounded. + +The next few days were occupied in landing the guns, and placing Fort +Bullen in a state of defence; and at daybreak on the morning of November +17th the entire force marched to the attack of Essaw, the king's town, +leaving the crew of H.M. brig _Plumper_, under Lieutenant Cresey, in +charge of Fort Bullen. + +On approaching the vicinity of the town the troops deployed into line, +and, the guns having been brought to the front, a heavy fire was opened +on the stockade. This was kept up for five hours, and was as vigorously +returned by the enemy from their defences, with artillery and small +arms. The rockets were brought to bear as soon as possible, and the +first one thrown set fire to a house in the town; but the buildings +being principally composed of "swish," and the natives having taken the +precaution of removing the thatched roofs of the greater number, the +rockets produced but little effect, as they could do no injury to the +walls. Towards noon some of the enemy were observed leaving the rear of +the town, and shortly afterwards a very superior force of natives +appeared in the bush on the British right, threatening an attack in +flank. A second body was also observed making a lengthened detour on the +left, apparently with the intention of attacking the British rear. The +men's ammunition being almost exhausted, and the artillery fire, though +well sustained, having produced no effect upon the strong stockades +which surrounded the town, it was deemed prudent to retire, and the +force was accordingly withdrawn to Benty Point, having suffered a loss +during the day of 11 killed and 59 wounded. Lieutenant Leigh, of the +Sierra Leone militia, and 5 men subsequently died of their wounds. + +On December 7th, Lieutenant-Colonel Hingston, Royal African Corps, +arrived with reinforcements and assumed the command. Immediately upon +this accession to the British strength, the King of Barra notified his +desire to open negotiations, and, terms being proposed which he +accepted, a treaty was finally concluded and signed at Fort Bullen on +January 4th, 1832. The detachment of the recruiting company, 1st West +India Regiment, returned to Sierra Leone on the conclusion of the war. + +In the West Indies, the detachment of the 1st West India Regiment +stationed at Barbados, had, in 1831, suffered from a violent hurricane +which visited that island on the 10th of August of that year. The +barracks and hospitals at St. Ann's were completely ruined, 36 men of +various corps were killed, and a commissariat officer, with three of his +children, and his entire household, entombed in the ruins of his house. + +An officer of the garrison, who gives an account of this hurricane,[45] +says: "Describe the appearance of our barracks, I really cannot. This I +can say, in truth, that in no part of the world, a more beautiful range +of buildings, or on a more liberal scale or appropriate site, could have +been found. The establishment was complete in all respects for every +branch of a small army. It was the depot of our West India military +possessions. Well--in two hours during this awful night almost every +building in the garrison was destroyed.... What a moment was that, when, +thanks be to Heaven, the gale in some degree abated. The officers crept +out one after the other, and the scene that followed can be compared +only to that which one sees and feels after an action--who has +escaped?--who is dead?... The first person I found wounded was Mrs. +Brocklass, the lady of an officer of the 1st West India Regiment, who, +with three fine children, finding the roof over them falling, hastened +from under it. She had the misfortune to be knocked down by some +shingles, received a blow on the head, and had two or three ribs broken; +the children fortunately escaped: her husband was on duty in a most +perilous situation.... The huts which were the quarters of the married +people of the 1st West India Regiment were blown to pieces, and four men +and one woman severely injured. The north building of the men's new +barracks accommodated the left wing of the 36th Regiment, besides which +a detachment of the 1st West India Regiment was quartered on the ground +floor. None of the latter were hurt, but two men of the 36th were +killed. The greater part of the spacious galleries was carried away, +some of the arches that supported them fell, and many were very much +broken. None of the roof remains that will ever be of service." + +Towards the end of the year 1832, numerous complaints were made by +native traders who were in the habit of trading to the Sherbro and the +adjacent territories, that they were molested and their goods plundered +by a marauding party of Mohammedan Acoos, who had established themselves +in the vicinity of the Ribbie River. These Acoos were liberated +Africans, that is, slaves who had been set free from captured slavers at +Freetown, Sierra Leone, and had, contrary to the regulations then in +force, clandestinely left the Colony. + +A party of volunteers, having been despatched to gather information +concerning these rebels, ascertained that they had been joined by other +parties of marauders, and had established themselves at a place called +Cobolo, on the northern bank of the Kates, or Ribbie River. The manager +of the Waterloo District also reported various outrages and depredations +committed by this band. + +On December 13th, 1832, the Hastings company of volunteers, with that of +Waterloo, marched from the village of Waterloo towards Cobolo, distant +by road some thirty miles, with orders to capture and bring in the +leaders of the rebels. Next morning, as this force was approaching +Cobolo, the Acoos, who were concealed in the bush, fired upon the head +of the column, and the volunteers at once, and without firing a shot, +turned and ran in the greatest confusion; nor did they recover from +their panic till they had reached Waterloo. The Acoos pursued the +fugitives for some little distance, and killed seven of their number. + +The rising, originally trivial, had now, through the shameful behaviour +of the volunteers, become serious. The news of the defeat spread with +great rapidity among the unruly tribes on the frontier of the Colony; +and a Mohammedan priest, proclaiming himself a prophet, placed himself +at the head of the movement. The Governor acted with promptitude; and +recognising the great danger of delay, despatched, on December 17th, all +the available men from the garrison of Sierra Leone, under +Lieut.-Colonel Hingston, Royal African Corps. The recruiting company of +the 1st West India Regiment accompanied the force, under the command of +Lieut. W. Montgomery, 1st West India Regiment. + +The troops proceeded to Waterloo in boats, and were there joined by the +Wellington company of the Sierra Leone militia, and the Hastings company +of volunteers. At the same time, H.M. brig _Charybdis_ (Lieut. Crawford) +was sent with the York company of volunteers to the mouth of the Ribbie +River, with orders for the seamen and marines to ascend the river in +boats, co-operate with Lieut.-Colonel Hingston's column, and cut off the +retreat of the rebels. + +Lieut.-Colonel Hingston's force marched from Waterloo on December 18th, +and, halting for the night at Bangowilli, about twenty miles from the +former village, advanced towards Cobolo next morning at daybreak. The +march was unusually fatiguing, and for many miles the troops had to move +through rush beds and mangrove swamps, frequently up to the hips in mud +and water. On emerging upon the dry ground near Cobolo the report of +fire-arms was heard in front, and scouts being thrown forward, it was +learned that the Kossoos, which tribe had suffered most from the +predatory propensities of the rebels, had taken up arms and were then +engaged in attacking Cobolo. The troops at once pushed on, and a few +minutes after their arrival on the scene, the Acoos, completely routed, +fled in all directions, many being killed and a great number drowned +while endeavouring to escape across a neighbouring creek. + +The British force remained at Cobolo for four days, daily sending out +small parties in pursuit of the dispersed rebels. By one of these +parties Oji Corri, the leader of the movement, was shot down; and the +rebellion being at an end the troops returned to Freetown, Sierra Leone, +on December 28th; a detachment of the 2nd West India Regiment, under +Lieutenant Lardner, being left at Waterloo to watch the movements of the +Mohammedan Acoos in the neighbouring villages. + +Lieutenant Montgomery, 1st West India Regiment, died at Freetown of +fever, on April 9th, 1833, and this event left the recruiting company +without an officer of the corps until the arrival in Sierra Leone of +Captain Hughes on November 29th, 1834. + +In the West Indies one company had been removed from the head-quarters +at Trinidad to Tortola in May, 1834, and this detachment was, in +January, 1836, moved to St. Vincent. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 43: The Mandingoes are a warlike Mohammedan tribe, inhabiting +the territory inland from the Gambia River to Sierra Leone.] + +[Footnote 44: Captain Berwick, Royal African Corps; Lieutenant Lardner, +2nd West India Regiment; and Captain Hughes, Gambia Militia.] + +[Footnote 45: An account of the fatal hurricane by which Barbados +suffered in 1831, published at Bridgetown, Barbados, 1831. + +"DETACHMENT 1ST WEST INDIA REGIMENT. + +"Return of the men killed and wounded during the late hurricane, 15th +August, 1831: + +"Killed--Henry Read, private. + +"Wounded--4 privates. + + (Signed) "H. BROCKLASS, Lieut., 1st W.I. Regt." + +] + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE MUTINY OF THE RECRUITS AT TRINIDAD, 1837. + + +On April 1st, 1836, the 1st West India Regiment was increased from eight +to ten companies, and recruits being obtained with difficulty, the +Government commenced the injudicious practice of enrolling the slaves, +disembarked from captured slavers, in the West India regiments. In +September of that year the slaves from two slavers which had been +captured off Grenada by H.M.S. _Vestal_, 112 in number, were drafted +into the 1st West India Regiment. Similarly, in January, 1837, 109; on +May 20th, 112; and on May 21st, 93 slaves, recently disembarked from +slavers captured by H.M.S. _Griffon_ and _Harpy_, were sent to the +regiment. Thus, in the years 1836-7, 426 such slaves were received, 314 +of them in the year 1837 alone. + +The formality of asking these men whether they were willing to serve was +never gone through, many of them did so unwillingly; and it must be +remembered that they were all savages in the strictest sense of the +word, entirely unacquainted with civilisation, and with no knowledge of +the English language. The majority of them were natives of the Congo and +of Great and Little Popo, two towns on the western frontier of Dahomey; +and it may be here remarked that the negroes of these districts have +maintained their reputation for ultra-barbarism even to the present day. + +The only result to be anticipated from such a wholesale drafting of +savages into a regiment was a mutiny, and every inducement to mutiny +appears to have been afforded them. Instead of dividing them +proportionately between the head-quarters and the detachments, they were +nearly all kept at the former; and but three weeks before the actual +rising, as if to further remove all check, 100 rank and file, all old +soldiers, were sent from Trinidad and distributed between St. Lucia and +Dominica. Thus, on June 18th, 1837, the day of the mutiny, with the +exception of the band, officers servants, and mess-waiters, all the men +at San Josef's barracks, Trinidad, were slaver recruits. The ringleader +of the movement was one Daaga, or Donald Stewart, and the following +account of him, and of the mutiny, is taken from Kingsley's "At Last": + +"Donald Stewart, or rather Daaga, was the adopted son of Madershee, the +old and childless king of the tribe called Paupaus,[46] a race that +inhabit a tract of country bordering on that of the Yarrabas.[47] These +races are constantly at war with each other. + +"Daaga was just the man whom a savage, warlike, and depredatory tribe +would select for their chieftain, as the African negroes choose their +leaders with reference to their personal prowess. Daaga stood six feet +six inches without shoes. Although scarcely muscular in proportion, yet +his frame indicated in a singular degree the union of irresistible +strength and activity.... He had a singular cast in his eyes, not quite +amounting to that obliquity of the visual organs denominated a squint, +but sufficient to give his features a peculiarly forbidding appearance; +his forehead, however, although small in proportion to his enormous +head, was remarkably compact and well formed. The whole head was +disproportioned, having the greater part of the brain behind the ears; +but the greatest peculiarity of this singular being was his voice. In +the course of my life I never heard such sounds uttered by human organs +as those formed by Daaga. In ordinary conversation he appeared to me to +endeavour to soften his voice--it was a deep tenor: but when a little +excited by any passion (and this savage was the child of passion) his +voice sounded like the low growl of a lion, but when much excited it +could be compared to nothing so aptly as the notes of a gigantic brazen +trumpet. + +"Daaga having made a successful predatory expedition into the country +of the Yarrabas, returned with a number of prisoners of that nation. +These he, as usual, took bound and guarded towards the coast to sell to +the Portuguese. The interpreter, his countryman, called these Portuguese +'white gentlemen.' The white gentlemen proved themselves more than a +match for the black gentlemen; and the whole transaction between the +Portuguese and the Paupaus does credit to all concerned in this +gentlemanly traffic in human flesh. + +"Daaga sold his prisoners, and under pretence of paying him, he and his +Paupau guards were enticed on board a Portuguese vessel: they were +treacherously overpowered by the Christians, who bound them beside their +late prisoners, and the vessel sailed over 'the great salt water.' + +"This transaction caused in the breast of the savage a deep hatred +against all white men; a hatred so intense that he frequently, during +and subsequent to the mutiny, declared he would eat the first white man +he killed; yet this cannibal was made to swear allegiance to our +sovereign on the Holy Evangelists, and was then called a British +soldier. + +"On the voyage the vessel on board which Daaga had been entrapped was +captured by the British. He could not comprehend that his new captors +liberated him: he had been overreached and trepanned by one set of white +men, and he naturally looked on his second captors as more successful +rivals in the human, or rather inhuman, Guinea trade; therefore, this +event lessened not his hatred for white men in the abstract. + +"I was informed by several of the Africans who came with him, that when, +during the voyage, they upbraided Daaga with being the cause of their +capture, he pacified them by promising that when they should arrive in +white man's country he would repay their perfidy by attacking them in +the night. He further promised that if the Paupaus and Yarrabas would +follow him, he would fight his way back to Guinea. This account was +fully corroborated by many of the mutineers, especially those who were +shot with Daaga; they all said the revolt never would have happened but +for Donald Stewart, as he was called by the officers; but Africans who +were not of his tribe called him Longa-longa, on account of his height. + +"Such was the extraordinary man who led the mutiny I am about to relate. + +"A quantity of captured Africans having been brought hither from the +islands of Grenada and Dominica, they were most imprudently induced to +enlist in the 1st West India Regiment. True it is, we have been told +they did this voluntarily; but it may be asked, if they had any will in +the matter, how could they understand the duties to be imposed on them +by becoming soldiers, or how comprehend the nature of an oath of +allegiance, without which they could not, legally speaking, be +considered soldiers? I attended the whole of the trials of these men, +and well know how difficult it was to make them comprehend any idea +which was at all new to them by means of the best interpreters +procurable. + +"To the African savage, while being drilled into the duties of a +soldier, many things seem absolute tyranny which would appear to a +civilised man a mere necessary restraint. To keep the restless body of +an African negro in a position to which he has not been accustomed; to +cramp his splay feet, with his great toes standing out, into European +shoes made for feet of a different form; to place a collar round his +neck, which is called a stock, and which to him is cruel torture; above +all, to confine him every night to his barracks--are almost +insupportable. One unacquainted with the habits of the negro cannot +conceive with what abhorrence he looks on having his disposition to +nocturnal rambles checked by barrack regulations. + +"Formerly the 'King's man,' as the black soldier loved to call himself, +looked (not without reason) contemptuously on the planter's slave, +although he himself was after all but a slave to the State; but these +recruits were enlisted shortly after a number of their recently imported +countrymen were wandering freely over the country, working either as +free labourers, or settling, to use an apt American phrase, as +squatters; and to assert that the recruit, while under military +probation, is better off than the free Trinidad labourer, who goes where +he lists and earns as much in one day as will keep him for three days, +is an absurdity. Accordingly, we find that Lieutenant-Colonel Bush, who +commanded the 1st West India Regiment, thought that the mutiny was +mainly owing to the ill-advice of their civil, or, we should rather say, +unmilitary countrymen. This, to a certain degree, was the fact; but, by +the declaration of Daaga and many of his countrymen, it is evident that +the seeds of the mutiny were sown on the passage from Africa. + +"It has been asserted that the recruits were driven to mutiny by hard +treatment of their commanding officers. There seems not the slightest +truth in this assertion; they were treated with fully as much kindness +as their situation would admit of, and their chief was peculiarly a +favourite of Colonel Bush and the officers, notwithstanding Daaga's +violent and ferocious temper often caused complaints to be brought +against him. + +"On the night of the 17th of June, 1837, the people of San Josef were +kept awake by the recruits, about 280 in number, singing the war-song of +the Paupaus. This wild song consisted of a short air and chorus. The +tone was, although wild, not inharmonious, and the words rather +euphonious. As near as our alphabet can convey them, they ran thus: + + "Dangkarree + Au fey + Oluu werrei + Au lay. + +which may be rendered almost literally by the following couplet: + + "Air by the chief: 'Come to plunder, come to slay.' + "Chorus by followers: 'We are ready to obey.' + +"About three o'clock in the morning, their war-song (highly +characteristic of a predatory tribe) became very loud, and they +commenced uttering their war-cry. This is different to what we conceive +the Indian war-whoop to be; it seems to be a kind of imitation of the +growl of wild beasts, and has a most thrilling effect. + +"Fire was now set to a quantity of huts built for the accommodation of +African soldiers to the northward of the barracks, as well as to the +house of a poor black woman called Dalrymple. These burnt briskly, +throwing a dismal glare over the barracks and picturesque town of San +Josef, and overpowering the light of the full moon, which illumined a +cloudless sky. The mutineers made a rush at the barrack-room and seized +on the muskets and fusees in the racks. Their leader, Daaga, and a +daring Yarraba named Ogston, instantly charged their pieces--the former +of these had a quantity of ball cartridges, loose powder, and ounce and +pistol balls, in a kind of gray worsted cap. He must have provided +himself with these before the mutiny. How he became possessed of them, +especially the pistol balls, I never could learn; probably he was +supplied by his unmilitary countrymen; pistol balls are never given to +infantry. Previous to this Daaga and three others made a rush at the +regimental store-room, in which was deposited a quantity of powder. An +old African soldier, named Charles Dixon, interfered to stop them, on +which Maurice Ogston, the Yarraba chief, who had armed himself with a +sergeant's sword, cut down the faithful African. When down, Daaga said +in English, 'Ah, you old soldier, you knock down.' Dixon was not Daaga's +countryman, hence he could not speak to him in his own language. The +Paupau then levelled his musket and shot the fallen soldier, who groaned +and died. The war-yells, or rather growls, of the Paupaus and Yarrabas +now became awfully thrilling as they helped themselves to cartridges; +most of them were fortunately blank, or without ball. Never was a +premeditated mutiny so wild and ill-planned. Their chief, Daaga, and +Ogston, seem to have had little command of the subordinates, and the +whole acted more like a set of wild beasts who had broken their cages, +than men resolved on war. + +"At this period, had a rush been made at the officers' quarters by one +half (they were more than 200 in number), and the other half surrounded +the building, not one could have escaped. Instead of this they continued +to shout their war-song, and howl their war-notes; they loaded their +pieces with ball cartridge or blank cartridge and small stones, and +commenced firing at the long range of white buildings in which Colonel +Bush and his officers slept. They wasted so much ammunition on this +useless display of fury that the buildings were completely riddled. A +few of the old soldiers opposed them and were wounded, but it +fortunately happened that they were, to an inconceivable degree, +ignorant of the right use of fire-arms--holding their muskets in their +hands when they discharged them, without allowing the butt-end to rest +against their shoulders or any part of their bodies.[48] This fact +accounts for the comparatively little mischief they did in proportion to +the quantity of ammunition thrown away. + +"The officers[49] and sergeant-major[50] escaped at the back of the +building, while Colonel Bush and Adjutant Bentley came down a little +hill. The colonel commanded the mutineers to lay down their arms, and +was answered by an irregular discharge of balls, which rattled amongst +the leaves of a tree under which he and the adjutant were standing. On +this Colonel Bush desired Mr. Bentley to make the best of his way to St. +James's Barracks[51] for all the disposable force of the 89th Regiment. +The officers made good their retreat, and the adjutant got into the +stable where his horse was. He saddled and bridled the animal while the +shots were coming into the stable, without either man or beast getting +injured. The officer mounted, but had to make his way through the +mutineers before he could get into San Josef, the barracks standing on +an eminence above the little town. On seeing the adjutant mounted, the +mutineers set up a thrilling howl, and commenced firing at him. He +discerned the gigantic figure of Daaga (alias Donald Stewart), with his +musket at the trail: he spurred his horse through the midst of them; +they were grouped, but not in line. On looking back he saw Daaga aiming +at him; he stooped his head beside his horse's neck, and effectually +sheltered himself from about fifty shots aimed at him. In this position +he rode furiously down a steep hill leading from the barracks to the +church, and was out of danger. His escape appears extraordinary: but he +got safe to town, and thence to St. James's, and in a short time, +considering it is eleven miles distant, brought out a strong detachment +of European troops; these, however, did not arrive till the affair was +over. + +"In the meantime a part of the officers' quarters was bravely defended +by two old African soldiers, Sergeant Merry and Corporal Plague. The +latter stood in the gallery near the room in which were the colours; he +was ineffectually fired at by some hundreds, yet he kept his post, shot +two of the mutineers, and, it is said, wounded a third. Such is the +difference between a man acquainted with the use of fire-arms and those +who handle them as mops are held. + +"In the meantime Colonel Bush got to a police station above the +barracks, and got muskets and a few cartridges from a discharged +African soldier who was in the police establishment. Being joined by the +policeman, Corporal Craven, and Ensign Pogson, they concealed themselves +on an eminence above, and, as the mutineers (about 100 in number) +approached, the fire of muskets opened on them from the little ambush. +The little party fired separately, loading as fast as they discharged +their pieces; they succeeded in making the mutineers change their route. + +"It is wonderful what little courage the savages in general showed +against the colonel and his little party, who absolutely beat them, +although but a twenty-fifth of their number, and at their own tactics, +_i.e._ bush fighting. + +"A body of mutineers now made towards the road to Maraccas, when the +colonel and his three assistants contrived to get behind a silk-cotton +tree, and recommenced firing on them. The Africans hesitated, and set +forward, when the little party continued to fire on them; they set up a +yell, and retreated down the hill. + +"A part of the mutineers now concealed themselves in the bushes about +San Josef Barracks. These men, after the affair was over, joined Colonel +Bush, and, with a mixture of cunning and effrontery, smiled as though +nothing had happened, and as though they were glad to see him; although, +in general, they each had several shirts and pairs of trousers on, +preparatory for a start to Guinea, by way of Band de l'Est. + +"In the meantime the San Josef militia were assembled to the number of +forty. Major Giuseppi and Captain and Adjutant Rousseau, of the second +division of militia forces, took command of them. They were in want of +flints, powder, and balls; to obtain these they were obliged to break +open a merchant's store; however, the adjutant so judiciously +distributed his little force as to hinder the mutineers from entering +the town or obtaining access to the militia arsenal, wherein there was a +quantity of arms. Major Chadds and several old African soldiers joined +the militia, and were by them supplied with arms. + +"A good deal of skirmishing occurred between the militia and detached +parties of the mutineers, which uniformly ended in the defeat of the +latter. At length Daaga appeared to the right of a party of six at the +entrance of the town; they were challenged by the militia, and the +mutineers fired on them, but without effect. Only two of the militia +returned the fire, when all but Daaga fled. He was deliberately +reloading his piece, when a militia-man, named Edmond Luce, leaped on +the gigantic chief, who would have easily beat him off, although the +former was a strong young man of colour, but Daaga would not let go his +gun; and, in common with all the mutineers, he seemed to have no idea of +the use of the bayonet. Daaga was dragging the militia-man away, when +Adjutant Rousseau came to his assistance, and placed a sword to Daaga's +breast. Doctor Tardy and several others rushed on the tall negro, who +was soon, by the united efforts of several, thrown down and secured. It +was at this period that he repeatedly exclaimed, while he bit his own +shoulder, 'The first white man I catch after this I will eat him.' + +"Meanwhile about sixteen of the mutineers, led by the daring Ogston, +took the road to Arima, in order, as they said, to commence their march +to Guinea; but fortunately the militia of that village, composed +principally of Spaniards, Indians, and Sambos, assembled. A few of these +met them and stopped their march. A kind of parley (if intercourse +carried on by signs could be so called) was carried on between the +parties. The mutineers made signs that they wished to go forward, while +the few militia-men endeavoured to detain them, expecting a +reinforcement momently. After a time the militia agreed to allow them to +approach the town; as they were advancing they were met by the +Commandant, Martin Sorzano, Esq., with sixteen more militia-men. The +Commandant judged it imprudent to allow the Africans to enter the town +with their muskets full-cocked, and poised ready to fire. An interpreter +was now procured, and the mutineers were told that if they would retire +to their barracks the gentlemen present would intercede for their +pardon. The negroes refused to accede to these terms; and while the +interpreter was addressing some, the rest tried to push forward. Some of +the militia opposed them by holding their muskets in a horizontal +position, on which one of the mutineers fired, and the militia returned +the fire. A melee commenced, in which fourteen mutineers were killed +and wounded. The fire of the Africans produced little effect: they soon +took to flight amid the woods which flanked the road. Twenty-eight of +them were taken, amongst whom was the Yarraba chief, Ogston. Six had +been killed, and six committed suicide by strangling and hanging +themselves in the woods. Only one man was wounded among the militia, and +he but slightly, from a small stone fired from a musket of one of the +Yarrabas. + +"The quantity of ammunition expended by the mutineers, and the +comparatively little mischief done by them, was truly astonishing. It +shows how little they understood the use of fire-arms. Dixon was killed, +and several of the old African soldiers were wounded, but not one of the +officers was in the slightest degree hurt. + +"I have never been able to get a correct account of the number of lives +this wild mutiny cost, but believe it was not less than forty, including +those slain by the militia at Arima, those shot at San Josef, those who +died of their wounds (and most of the wounded men died), the six who +committed suicide, the three who were shot by sentence of the +court-martial, and one who was shot while endeavouring to escape +(Satchell). + +"A good-looking young man, named Torrens, was brought as prisoner to the +presence of Colonel Bush. The colonel wished to speak to him, and +desired his guards to liberate him; on which the young savage shook his +sleeve, in which was a concealed razor, made a rush at the colonel, and +nearly succeeded in cutting his throat. He slashed the razor in all +directions until he made an opening; he rushed through this: and +notwithstanding that he was fired at, and, I believe, wounded, he +effected his escape, was subsequently retaken, and again made his escape +with Satchell, who after this was shot by a policeman. + +"Torrens was retaken, tried, and recommended to mercy. Of this man's +fate I am unable to speak, not knowing how far the recommendation to +mercy was attended to.[52] In appearance he seemed the mildest and +best-looking of the mutineers, but his conduct was the most ferocious of +any. The whole of the mutineers were captured within one week of the +mutiny, save this man, who was taken a month after. + +"On the 19th of July, Donald Stewart, otherwise Daaga, was brought to a +court-martial. On the 21st, William Satchell was tried. On the 22nd, a +court-martial was held on Edward Coffin; and on the 24th one was held on +the Yarraba chief, Maurice Ogston, whose country name was, I believe, +Mawee. Torrens was tried on the 29th. + +"The sentences of these courts-martial were unknown until the 14th of +August, having been sent to Barbados in order to be submitted to the +Commander-in-Chief. Lieutenant-General Whittingham, who approved of the +decision of the courts, which was that Donald Stewart (Daaga), Maurice +Ogston, and Edward Coffin, should suffer death by being shot; and that +William Satchell should be transported beyond seas during the term of +his natural life. I am unacquainted with the sentence of Torrens. + +"Donald Stewart, Maurice Ogston, and Edward Coffin were executed on the +16th of August, 1837, at San Josef Barracks. Nothing seemed to have been +neglected which could render the execution solemn and impressive; the +scenery and the weather gave additional awe to the melancholy +proceedings. Fronting the little eminence where the prisoners were shot +was the scene where their ill-concerted mutiny commenced. To the right +stood the long range of building on which they had expended much of +their ammunition for the purpose of destroying their officers. The rest +of the panorama was made up of an immense view of forest below them, and +upright masses of mountains above them. Over these, heavy bodies of mist +were slowly sailing, giving a sombre appearance to the primeval woods +which, in general, covered both mountains and plains. The atmosphere +indicated an inter-tropical morning during the rainy season, and the sun +shone resplendently between dense columns of clouds. + +"At half-past seven o'clock the condemned men asked to be allowed to eat +a hearty meal, as they said persons about to be executed in Guinea were +always indulged with a good repast. It is remarkable that these unhappy +creatures ate most voraciously, even while they were being brought out +of their cell for execution. + +"A little before the mournful procession commenced, the condemned men +were dressed from head to foot in white habiliments trimmed with black; +their arms were bound with cords. This is not usual in military +executions, but was deemed necessary on the present occasion. An attempt +to escape on the part of the condemned would have been productive of +much confusion, and was properly guarded against. + +"The condemned men displayed no unmanly fear. On the contrary, they +steadily kept step to the Dead March which the band played; yet the +certainty of death threw a cadaverous and ghastly hue over their black +features, while their singular and appropriate costume, and the three +coffins being borne before them, altogether rendered it a frightful +picture; hence it was not to be wondered at that two European soldiers +fainted. + +"The mutineers marched abreast. The tall form and horrid looks of Daaga +were almost appalling. The looks of Ogston were sullen, calm, and +determined; those of Coffin seemed to indicate resignation. + +"At eight o'clock they arrived at the spot where three graves were dug; +here their coffins were deposited. The condemned men were made to face +to westward; three sides of a hollow square were formed, flanked on one +side by a detachment of the 89th Regiment and a party of artillery, +while the recruits, many of whom shared the guilt of the culprits, were +appropriately placed in the line opposite them. The firing party were a +little in advance of the recruits. + +"The sentence of the courts-martial and other necessary documents having +been read by the fort adjutant, Mr. Meehan, the chaplain of the forces, +read some prayers appropriated for these melancholy occasions. The +clergyman then shook hands with the three men about to be sent into +another state of existence. Daaga and Ogston coolly gave their hands; +Coffin wrang the chaplain's hand affectionately, saying, in tolerable +English, 'I am now done with the world.' + +"The arms of the condemned men, as has been before stated, were bound, +but in such a manner as to allow them to bring their hands to their +heads. Their nightcaps were drawn over their eyes. Coffin allowed his to +remain, but Ogston and Daaga pushed theirs up again. The former did this +calmly; the latter showed great wrath, seeming to think himself +insulted; and his deep, metallic voice sounded in anger above that of +the provost-marshal, as the latter gave the words, 'Ready! present!' But +at this instant his vociferous daring forsook him. As the men levelled +their muskets at him, with inconceivable rapidity he sprang bodily +round, still preserving his squatting posture, and received the fire +from behind; while the less noisy, but more brave, Ogston, looked the +firing-party full in the face as they discharged their fatal volley. + +"In one instant all three fell dead, almost all the balls of the firing +party having taken effect.[53] The savage appearance and manner of Daaga +excited awe. Admiration was felt for the calm bravery of Ogston, while +Edward Coffin's fate excited commiseration. + +"There were many spectators of this dreadful scene, and amongst others a +great concourse of negroes. Most of these expressed their hopes that +after this terrible example the recruits would make good soldiers." + + * * * * * + +The foregoing account is identical with that in the regimental records, +with the exception that the Yorubas are not in the latter credited with +so large a share in the mutiny. According to Colonel Bush's account, the +greater majority of the mutineers were Popos, Congos, and Eboes; the +Yorubas who took part in it being very few in number. On the other hand, +both Sergeant Merry and Corporal Plague, who defended the officers' +quarters against the recruits, were Yorubas. + +It is, perhaps, needless to add, that after this no more wholesale +draftings of slaves into the regiment took place. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 46: Now spelt Popos.] + +[Footnote 47: The Yorubas are a warlike Mohammedan tribe living in and +around Lagos. The Houssa Constabulary is largely recruited from them.] + +[Footnote 48: This is the manner in which West African savages usually +fire, and it is dictated by motives of sound prudence, for the +Birmingham muskets with which they are supplied by British traders are +so unsafe (the barrel not uncommonly being made of old iron piping), and +the charges of powder used are so immense, that the bursting of a piece +is looked upon as an ordinary occurrence; and when firing they like to +keep their muskets as far removed from their bodies as possible. The +majority of the mutineers fired in this manner, because, having been +less than three weeks in the regiment, they had not yet been drilled +with arms.] + +[Footnote 49: All young ensigns just arrived from England to join the +regiment.] + +[Footnote 50: Sergeant-Major D. Cantrell. He had been the first to give +the alarm.] + +[Footnote 51: Eleven miles distant from San Josef.] + +[Footnote 52: Torrens was sentenced to death, but, at the intercession +of Colonel Bush, the sentence was commuted to imprisonment for life.] + +[Footnote 53: The firing party was furnished by the 1st West India +Regiment.] + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +THE PIRARA EXPEDITION, 1842--CHANGES IN THE WEST AFRICAN GARRISONS--THE +APPOLLONIA EXPEDITION, 1848. + + +On the 7th of December, 1837, the head-quarters of the 1st West India +Regiment embarked at Trinidad for St. Lucia, leaving one company at St. +James' in the former island; and, after a detention of ten days in +quarantine at Pigeon Island, landed on the 24th of December at Gros +Islet, St. Lucia, and occupied Morne Fortune Barracks and Fort. The +detachments were stationed in Tobago, Demerara, and St. Vincent. + +In the early part of the year 1839, the strength of the regiment being +very much above its establishment, owing to the large drafts of recruits +from Sierra Leone, Lieutenant-General Sir S.F. Whittingham issued an +order, dated February 1st, authorising an augmentation to twelve +companies. On the 1st of July of the same year the regiment was further +increased to thirteen companies, it being notified at the same time that +it was to be considered only a temporary arrangement, as the surplus +over 1000 men were eventually to form another corps. + +On December 7th, 1839, the head-quarters of the regiment proceeded from +St. Lucia to Demerara, to relieve the 76th Regiment, which was suffering +heavily from the prevailing epidemic of yellow fever, arriving at the +latter colony, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Capadose, on +December 13th. The distribution of the regiment was then: Head-quarters +and 2 companies at Demerara, 3 companies at Barbados, 1 at Trinidad, 1 +at Tobago, 1 at St. Lucia, 1 at St. Vincent, 1 at Grenada, 1 at +Dominica, and 1 at Antigua. + +By Horse Guards order of the 1st of July, 1840, the Royal African Corps +and the three supernumerary companies of the 1st West India Regiment +were formed into one corps, and designated the 3rd West India Regiment; +the 1st West India Regiment remaining at the ordinary establishment of +ten companies. + +New colours were presented to the regiment at Demerara on May 24th, +1841. + +In September and October of the same year a violent epidemic of yellow +fever broke out in Demerara, and the mortality amongst the men of the +52nd Regiment was so alarming that that corps was moved to Berbice, and +the entire duties of the garrison fell upon the 1st West India Regiment. +The whole of the officers of the 52nd Regiment occupying the west wing +of the Georgetown Barracks fell victims to this dreadful scourge, as +did Captain French and Lieutenants de Winton and Archdale of the 1st +West India Regiment. + +On the 11th of January, 1842, a detachment of the regiment, consisting +of two lieutenants (Bingham and Wieburg), two sergeants and twenty-seven +rank and file, left Georgetown, Demerara, by direction of the +Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies (Lord John Russell), to +proceed to Pirara, on the south-western frontier of British Guiana, and +expel a party of Brazilians who had for some time encroached on British +territory. The country through which the party had to pass was +unexplored and almost unknown, and the duties were most arduous. It was +intended to reach Pirara by ascending the Essequibo and Rypumani Rivers, +and, to effect this, a particular description of boat, locally called +_corials_, had to be built, each capable of holding eight men, including +the Indians who paddled. During the journey seventy-three rapids or +falls were crossed, in most instances the _corials_ being unladen and +the stores carried above the falls; and it was not until February 12th +that Lieutenant Bingham's party reached a point on the Rypumani, eleven +miles from Pirara. Next day they took possession of the village of +Pirara, which they found occupied by a detachment of Brazilian troops +who had been quietly sent over the border. Having selected and fortified +a position, and raised temporary shelter for his men, Lieutenant +Bingham--as the Brazilian commander declined to withdraw--despatched +Lieutenant Bush, 1st West India Regiment, who had accompanied the party +as a volunteer, to Georgetown for further instructions. That officer +arrived there on March 11th, and on April 19th he again started with a +small reinforcement under Ensign Stewart. This second party reached +Pirara on May 21st, and found the detachment all well, but half-starved, +as the Brazilians refused to sell them anything, and the stores had been +some time exhausted. However, on the arrival of the reinforcement the +Brazilian troops considered it advisable to withdraw across the +frontier; and, with the exception of a few occasional night forays made +by half-breeds and Indians in the pay of the Brazilians, the detachment +met with no further opposition. + +In 1843 it was decided to make an alteration in the system under which +the West Coast of Africa was continuously garrisoned by the 3rd West +India Regiment, and to remove that corps to the West Indies. The West +African garrisons were to be composed of two companies from each of the +three West India regiments; and, in accordance with this scheme, two +companies of the 1st West India Regiment, under Captain L.S. O'Connor, +embarked at Barbados for Sierra Leone on March 22nd, 1843, arriving at +the latter place in the month of May of the same year. Early in 1844 the +3rd West India Regiment left West Africa for the Bahamas, and the two +companies of the 1st West India Regiment, with one of the 3rd West India +Regiment, composed the garrison of Sierra Leone, while that of the +Gambia consisted of two companies of the 2nd West India Regiment and +one of the 3rd. This arrangement was almost at once upset by the +necessity of furnishing a garrison for the Gold Coast, over which the +Crown had, in 1843, resumed jurisdiction, as it was suspected that the +Government of the merchants, which had been established at Cape Coast +Castle since 1831, connived at the maintenance of the slave trade; and, +in January, 1844, one captain, two subalterns, and 100 men of the 1st +West India Regiment left Sierra Leone for the Gold Coast. + +In the same year, two companies of the regiment, under the command of +Captain Robeson, proceeded from Demerara to Jamaica, disembarking there +on June 1st. This was the first occasion on which any portion of the +corps was stationed in that island. + +On the 25th of February, 1845, the head-quarters, with the Grenadier and +No. 8 Companies, embarked at Demerara in the _Princess Royal_ transport, +and sailed for Jamaica, to relieve the head-quarters of the 2nd West +India Regiment ordered to Nassau, disembarking at Port Royal on March +6th. The distribution of the regiment was then as follows: The +Grenadier, No. 1, No. 8, and the Light Company in Jamaica,[54] No. 5 at +Demerara, No. 2 at Trinidad, No. 3 at Dominica, No. 6 at Grenada, No. 4 +at Sierra Leone, and No. 7 at Cape Coast Castle. During the last six +months of this year (1845) over 300 recruits joined the head-quarters +from West Africa. + +In 1846, No. 5 Company was removed from Demerara to Tobago, and the +detachments at Dominica and Grenada rejoined head-quarters in Jamaica, +where No. 2 and No. 5 Companies also rejoined on the 16th of December, +1847.[55] + +In the beginning of the year 1848, the King of Appollonia, a state on +the western frontier of the Gold Coast Colony, closed the roads leading +to Cape Coast Castle, stopped all trade, and maltreated several British +subjects. Messengers were sent to him by the Lieutenant-Governor +demanding explanation and redress, with no other result than the +detention and imprisonment of the messengers; and matters were at last +brought to a crisis by the murder of the French Commandant of Assinee +and his boat's crew, the pillaging of Dutch canoes at Axim, and the +capture of some Dutch subjects. + +The only force Mr. Winniett, the Lieutenant-Governor of the Gold Coast, +had at his disposal was No. 7 Company of the 1st West India Regiment, +then commanded by Lieutenant E.H. Bingham; but, with the assistance of +some influential merchants, he succeeded in raising an expeditionary +force of from 4000 to 5000 natives. On the 24th of March, 1848, the +Lieutenant-Governor marched, with half the native levies and the company +of the 1st West India Regiment, from Cape Coast Castle to the then Dutch +settlement of Axim, 120 miles distant from Cape Coast and about twenty +miles from Atemboo, or Attaambu, the King of Appollonia's chief town and +residence. By the 3rd of April the whole force was concentrated at Axim, +and on the 6th, at 5 a.m., it moved onwards towards Appollonia. + +The country consisting of impenetrable forest, the force had to march +from Axim to Appollonia along the sandy beach; and there were the mouths +of two considerable rivers to be crossed. The first river, the Ancobra, +was reached at 6 a.m.; and, although a very heavy sea was breaking on +the bar, the passage of the stream was commenced in canoes, which had +been brought from Axim for that purpose. The first detachment consisted +of the native allies, and, as soon as the canoes gained mid-stream, +several hundred armed Appollonians appeared on the further bank, and +opened fire on them as they came within range. Several natives were +struck, and three of the canoes being upset the remainder returned to +the bank they had just left. + +It being found impracticable to induce the native auxiliaries to make a +further attempt to force the passage, this duty devolved upon the +company of the 1st West India Regiment, which the Lieutenant-Governor +had originally intended holding in reserve; and, under cover of a fire +from two rocket-troughs, it crossed the river in the canoes, driving the +Appollonians, in spite of a smart resistance, into the bush. The +remainder of the force then passed over, several natives being drowned +in the surf during the passage; and at 10 a.m. they pushed on, reaching +the Appollonian village of Asantah about 1 p.m. This place was found to +be deserted, and here the force encamped for the night. + +Next morning at daybreak a further advance was made, and about 6 a.m. +the Abmoussa River--or, rather, Lagoon--was reached. A very heavy and +dangerous surf was breaking on the bar, and the dense bush on the +further bank, which grew close down to the water's edge, was observed to +be full of armed men. + +The company of the 1st West India Regiment was again called upon to lead +the way, and the men, embarking in the canoes, paddled out into the +breakers. A continued and furious fusillade was at once opened by the +concealed enemy upon the men, who were unable to reply, as their +attention was entirely occupied in keeping the canoes from capsizing. +Fortunately, the Appollonians fired wildly, and their powder was of bad +quality; for, although almost every man of the detachment was struck by +slugs or fragments of iron, only eleven were wounded, and those +slightly. A canoe was, however, unhappily upset, and two men beaten +against the rocks and drowned. The company formed up on landing, and +advanced steadily through the bush against the enemy, who offered but a +feeble resistance and soon retired altogether. One man was shot dead +while stepping ashore, an ambushed native firing at him at the distance +of a few feet only. The native allies now passed over, and the march was +continued. Parties of the enemy were observed hovering round the flanks, +but no attack was made, and at 3 p.m. a halt was ordered at the village +of Barcoo. + +The force was here divided into two parts, of which one, consisting +entirely of natives, was to move through the bush and prevent the king +escaping inland; while the other, consisting of the company of the 1st +West India Regiment with the remainder of the native allies, was to +march along the beach and attack the town in front. This movement would +probably have been successful, had the division of natives performed the +duty allotted to them; but, being fired upon by some ambushed +Appollonians, they refused to proceed further, and when the company of +the 1st West India Regiment reached Atemboo, they found it entirely +deserted. + +The success which had so far attended the expedition, however, produced +such an effect upon the native mind that, on March 9th, the principal +chiefs of Appollonia came in to Atemboo to make submission; and, as it +was reported that the king was in hiding in the immediate neighbourhood, +parties were sent out in search of him. On the 18th his wives and family +were captured to the westward, near the old fort, and the day following, +a party of the 1st West India Regiment brought in a body of 121 men, all +heavily manacled with irons weighing from fifty to ninety pounds, and +who had been intended to be sacrificed at an approaching "custom." Two +of these men thus unexpectedly saved from a horrible death volunteered +to point out where the king was concealed, and some men of the regiment +being sent out under their guidance, succeeded in capturing him in his +hiding-place, in the midst of a mangrove swamp. + +The object of the expedition being accomplished by the capture of the +king, the force moved back to Axim, on the 21st of March, and, on the +evening of the same day, the Lieutenant-Governor, with the captive king +and the company of the 1st West India Regiment, embarked on board the +merchant brig _Governor_, arriving at Cape Coast Castle on the 24th. + +Lieutenant-Governor Winniett in his despatch says: "I cannot speak too +highly of the detachment of the 1st West India Regiment. During its +march of more than 120 miles, sometimes through very bad roads, and +under the powerful rays of the sun, the crossing of five rivers, and +other circumstances of disadvantage, no complaints were heard, neither +was a man seen in a state of intoxication during the campaign. Mr. +Bingham, the officer commanding the detachment, was most active in +executing all orders entrusted to his care, and I have great pleasure in +bringing him under your Lordship's notice." + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 54: The companies in Jamaica were detached thus: No. 1, No. 8, +and Grenadier Company at Up Park Camp. The Light Company between Port +Antonio and Montego Bay.] + +[Footnote 55: The distribution in Jamaica then was: + + Grenadier, Light, No. 2, } at Up Park Camp. + and No. 5 Companies } + No. 1, at Spanish Town. + No. 8, at Port Royal. + No. 3, at Falmouth } To occupy posts vacated + No. 6, at Lucea } by the 38th Regiment. + +] + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +INDIAN DISTURBANCES IN HONDURAS, 1848-9--THE ESCORT TO COOMASSIE, +1848--THE SHERBRO EXPEDITION, 1849--ESCORT TO RIO NUNEZ, 1850. + + +While No. 7 Company had thus been engaged on the Gold Coast, the +quinquennial relief for the West African garrisons had sailed from the +West Indies, No. 2 and No. 5 Companies, 1st West India Regiment, having +embarked at Jamaica on February 21st, 1848. They arrived at Sierra Leone +in April, and No. 5 Company being there landed to relieve No. 4, No. 2 +proceeded to Cape Coast Castle to relieve No. 7. The two relieved +companies rejoined the head-quarters at Jamaica on July 2nd, 1848. No. 8 +Company having been sent to Nassau in February, and the light company in +July, while No. 1 had been despatched to Honduras in May, the +distribution of the regiment in August, 1848, was as follows: 2 +companies in West Africa, 2 at Nassau, 1 in Honduras, and 5 in Jamaica. + +No. 1 Company had been sent to Honduras in reply to an urgent appeal for +a reinforcement from the Honduras Government, that colony being +threatened with the horrors of an Indian war. In 1847 a war broke out +between the Yucatecans and the Indians, and caused much anxiety to the +British colony, whose strict neutrality satisfied neither of the +contending parties. The Yucatecans, being driven out of the southern +portion of Yucatan, took refuge in our territory, and raids and +reprisals were frequent between them and the Santa Cruz Indians. In 1848 +the town of Bacalar, situated on the shores of a lake, about twenty +miles from the northern frontier of British Honduras, was captured by +the Indians, and the fugitives, streaming into the colony, spread alarm +amongst the colonists. It was at this time that reinforcements were +applied for, and No. 1 Company, under Major Luke Smyth O'Connor, +despatched from Jamaica. + +On arriving at Belize the company was at once moved up to the Hondo, and +towards the end of May a portion of it proceeded on escort duty with a +British commissioner to Bacalar to endeavour to arrange a peace. That +town had been the scene of the most frightful atrocities, and the +streets were found strewn with the dead bodies of men, women, and +children. Negotiations failing, the escort returned to the Hondo. + +Collisions now became frequent between the Yucatecans and the Indians, +and our northern border became a rallying point for both sides. The +small British force was continually harassed by alarms and forced +marches taken to prevent violation of British territory, until towards +the close of 1848, it being rumoured that the Indians intended to cross +the Hondo and sack Belize, it was withdrawn from the north for the +protection of that town. Additional reinforcements were now asked for, +and on March 29th, 1849, No. 4 Company, under Captain Meehan, embarked +at Jamaica for Honduras. + +In January, 1849, No. 1 Company had again advanced to the Hondo, and +were within a few miles of Chac Creek on that river, when the sanguinary +struggle between the Yucatecans and Indians took place. Hearing the +sound of firing the troops marched to the spot, and finding the Indians +employed in roasting the dead bodies of the defeated Yucatecans, were +only with the utmost difficulty restrained from attacking them. But the +most strict orders had been given for the preservation of British +neutrality, and nothing could be done. Indeed, the Indians were +themselves well aware of the advantages which they derived from our +neutrality, and were exceedingly careful not to come into contact with +the British; even going so far as on one occasion to shoot a chief and +flog six men, who had been accused of committing an outrage across the +Hondo. + +In March, 1849, Major O'Connor visited Bacalar to endeavour to make +peace, but without success; and the two companies of the regiment +remained stationed on the Hondo, amid the same scenes of horror, until +February, 1852, when they rejoined head-quarters at Jamaica. + +To return to the companies in West Africa. In September, 1848, Mr. +Winniett, the Lieutenant-Governor of the Gold Coast, received +instructions from the Secretary of State for the Colonies to proceed on +a mission to Coomassie, the capital of the Ashanti kingdom, for the +purpose of establishing friendly relations between Great Britain and +that power. Captain Powell, 1st West India Regiment, was then in command +of No. 2 Company, stationed at Cape Coast Castle, and he, with +forty-eight men of the regiment, accompanied the Lieutenant-Governor as +an escort. + +The mission left Cape Coast Castle on the 28th of September, 1848, +crossed the River Prah on October 4th, and on the 8th reached the +village of Karsi, about two miles from Coomassie. There the party halted +to prepare for the entry into the capital, and, at noon, the King's +messengers having informed them that everything was in readiness for +their reception, they proceeded towards Coomassie. + +Captain Powell says: "At a distance of about a mile from the town, a +party of messengers with gold-handled swords of office, arrived with the +king's compliments. After halting for a short time, we proceeded to the +entrance of the first street, and then formed in order of procession, +the escort leading. Presently a party of the king's linguists, with four +large state umbrellas, ensigns of chieftainship, came up to request us +to halt for a few minutes under the shade of a large banyan tree in the +street, to give the king a little more time to prepare to receive us. +After a brief delay of about twenty minutes, during which a large party +of the king's soldiers fired a salute about a hundred yards distant from +us, we moved on to the market-place, where the king and his chiefs were +seated under their large umbrellas, according to the custom of the +country on the reception of strangers of distinction. They, with their +numerous captains and attendants occupied three sides of a large square, +and formed a continuous line about 600 yards in length, and about ten +yards in depth. After we had passed along about three-fourths of the +line, we found the king surrounded by about twenty officers of his +household, and a large number of messengers with their gold-handled +swords and canes of office. Several very large umbrellas, consisting of +silk velvet of different colours, shaded him and his suite from the sun. +These umbrellas were surmounted by rude images, representing birds and +beasts, overlaid with gold; the king's chair was richly decorated with +gold; and the display of golden ornaments about his own person and those +of his suite was most magnificent. The lumps of gold adorning the wrists +of the King's attendants, and many of the principal chiefs, were so +large that they must have been quite fatiguing to the wearers. We +occupied about an hour in moving in procession from the banyan tree, +where we had rested on entering the town, to the end of the line +prepared for our reception; after which we proceeded to an open space +at some distance from the market-place, and there took our seats. At +3.15 p.m. the chiefs commenced moving in procession before us, and this +lasted until 6 p.m. Those whom we had first saluted in the market-place +passed us first. Each chief was preceded by his band of rude music, +consisting chiefly of drums and horns, followed by a body of soldiers +under arms, and shaded by a large umbrella. The king was preceded by +many of the officers of his household, and his messengers with the +gold-handled swords, etc. etc. When he came opposite the governor, and +received our military salute, he stopped, and approaching him took him +cordially by the hand. After the king, other chiefs, and a large body of +troops, passed in due order; and at 6 p.m. the ceremony closed." + +At 9.30 a.m. on October 26th, 1848, the mission left Coomassie on its +return journey to the coast, and arrived at Cape Coast Castle on +November 4th. This was the first occasion on which a British Governor, +or a body of regular troops, had ever visited Coomassie. + +In March, 1849, a further change took place in the distribution of the +regiment in the West Indies, No. 7 Company, under Captain R. Hughes, +proceeding to Nassau from Jamaica. There were thus the head-quarters and +3 companies in Jamaica, 3 in Nassau, 2 in Honduras, and 2 in West +Africa. + +In June, 1849; the Acting Governor of Sierra Leone found that the state +of affairs in Sherbro, a low-lying tract of country some seventy-five +miles to the southward of Sierra Leone, imperatively called upon the +British to take steps for putting an end to the war which for a long +time had been carried on between the rival chiefs of the Caulker family, +and had utterly paralysed trade. H.M.S. _Alert_ and _Adelaide_ were to +be employed, but as a military force was required to proceed with the +naval one, the under-mentioned force embarked in the Colonial steamer +_Pluto_ on the 18th of June: Captain Grange, Lieutenant Jones, and 45 +men of the 1st West India Regiment, and 44 men of the 3rd West India +Regiment. The expedition arrived at Yawrey Bay, at the mouth of the +Cockboro River, on the 19th of June, when a stockaded fort was shelled +and destroyed by the _Adelaide_. The expedition then proceeded to +Bendoo, and after some delay, owing to the difficulty in inducing the +chiefs to come in, returned to Yawrey Bay on the 29th, where +negotiations were held and a treaty of peace between the Government and +rival chiefs signed. The detachments rejoined at Freetown, Sierra Leone, +on July 7th. + +On the 29th of November, 1849, Lieutenant Tunstall and 34 men of No. 2 +Company of the 1st West India Regiment, left Cape Coast Castle and +proceeded to Appollonia in canoes, in aid of the civil power. After an +absence of three weeks, during which they endured great hardships from +exposure and fatigue, they rejoined their detachment at Cape Coast. + +In the beginning of the year 1850, the Rio Nunez was in such a disturbed +state as to necessitate the Governor of Sierra Leone taking steps for +the protection of British subjects there. Some influential chiefs of the +river having also besought the intervention of the Government to restore +peace, commissioners were appointed, and as war was actually being +carried on at the time, a military force was detailed to accompany them. +This force consisted of Lieutenant Searle and 33 men of the 1st West +India Regiment and Captain Prendergast and 34 men of the 3rd West India +Regiment, and it embarked in H.M.S. _Teazer_ on the 22nd of February, +1850. The _Teazer_ arrived at the Rio Nunez on the 24th, and proceeded +up the river to Ropass, a town some distance up the stream, where the +commissioners landed with the escort. A "palaver" was held at this place +on March 1st, the rival chieftains being attended by large bodies of +armed men, but no satisfactory arrangement was arrived at, and next day +the commissioners and troops proceeded to Walkariah, a town higher up +the river. Here matters were finally amicably settled, and the party +returned to Sierra Leone on March 9th. + +In the West Indies there had been little change since 1849, except that +on the 13th of February, 1851, the head-quarters and two companies were +removed from Up Park Camp to Spanish Town; and a detachment consisting +of half a company, under Ensign Cave, was sent to Turk's Island in +December, 1851. This latter rejoined head-quarters in Jamaica in +January, 1852; and in February, No. 1 and No. 4 Companies, under Captain +Robeson, rejoined from Honduras. In the same year, however, they again +went on detachment: No. 1, under Captain Grange, to St. Christopher's, +and No. 4, under Lieutenant Imes, to Barbados. The distribution of the +regiment in September, 1852, was thus: the Grenadier, No. 3 and No. 6 +Companies, at Jamaica; the Light, No. 7 and No. 8 Companies, at Nassau, +No. 4 at St. Christopher's, No. 1 at Barbados, No. 5 at Sierra Leone, +and No. 2 at Cape Coast Castle. + +In February, 1852, Major L. Smyth O'Connor, 1st West India Regiment, had +arrived at Sierra Leone and assumed command of the troops in West +Africa, and finding in May that the company on the Gold Coast was +reduced by deaths to only 50 rank and file, he recommended that it +should be recalled to Sierra Leone, the Gold Coast Corps, then almost +completed, being quite sufficient for the garrison of the Gold Coast. + +In September, 1852, Major O'Connor was appointed Governor of the Gambia, +and as by Horse Guards letter of September 20th, 1852, "it was +considered expedient that he should continue invested with the command +of the troops on the West Coast of Africa, and move the head-quarters +to the Gambia," this was done in October, 1852. + +The War Office having approved of Major O'Connor's recommendation, No. 2 +Company, 50 strong, arrived at Sierra Leone from Cape Coast Castle on +March 20th, 1853. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +THE STORMING OF SABBAJEE, 1853--THE RELIEF OF CHRISTIANSBORG, 1854. + + +On March 23rd, 1853, No. 3 and No. 6 Companies, under Captain A.W. +Murray and Lieutenant Upton, embarked at Port Royal, Jamaica, in the +troopship _Resistance_, for the relief of the West African garrisons. On +May 17th, the _Resistance_ arrived at the Gambia with four out of the +six companies forming the relief for the detachments of the three West +India regiments, and reinforcements being urgently required for the +suppression of a hostile movement amongst the Mohammedans at Sabbajee, +they were landed. + +On the 25th of May, Lieutenant-Colonel O'Connor prepared to take the +field with a force of 603 men, consisting of 463 of the 1st, 2nd, and +3rd West India Regiments, 35 pensioners, and 105 of the Gambia Militia. +A field battery, consisting of 2 six-pounder field-guns and 2 howitzers, +was also organised. On the 30th May, the brigade marched from Bathurst +to Josswung, a distance of eight miles, where a camp was formed; and on +June 1st, the force advanced to the attack of Sabbajee.[56] + +Sabbajee was one of the oldest Marabout towns in Combo, and boasted the +possession of the largest mosque in that portion of Africa. The town, +more than a mile in circumference, was surrounded by a strong stockade, +double ditches, and outward abattis; and the inhabitants, who could +muster 3000 fighting men, were, from their predatory and warlike habits, +the dread of the surrounding country. + +On approaching the town, a strong body of the enemy was observed +stationed round the mosque, while the stockade was lined with men. A +portion of the stockade presented the appearance of having been removed, +but had in reality only been laid lengthwise, so as to form a very +formidable obstacle; while a deep trench dug in rear was crowded with +men, who, in perfect security, could fire upon the advancing British, +should they fall into the trap which had been laid for them, and attempt +to carry the town at this point. + +The force was drawn up in three divisions: the 1st West India Regiment, +under Captain A.W. Murray, forming the centre division; the 2nd West +India Regiment, under Captain Anderson, the right; and the 3rd West +India Regiment, under Captain Brabazon, the left. At about four hundred +yards from the stockade the field battery opened fire, and with such +precision that after a few rounds the roof of the mosque and those of +the adjacent houses were in flames. Observing the disorder caused +amongst the enemy by the burning of their sacred building, +Lieutenant-Colonel O'Connor determined to seize the opportunity, and +storm. + +The right and left divisions extended in skirmishing order, the centre +remaining in column, and the whole advanced to the assault. The enemy +kept up a heavy fire from the loop-holes of their stockade, over which +the green flag was flying; but at the same moment the three divisions, +which had in advancing formed a crescent, rushed at the stockade at +three different points, and, clambering over, got at the enemy with the +bayonet. This was more than they could stand, and abandoning their +stockade, they fled down the streets and escaped through sally-ports in +the rear of the town. + +A strong body of fanatics, however, still held the mosque, the fire in +the roof of which they had succeeded in extinguishing, and, amid the +beating of war-drums and cries of "Allah" from the priests, kept up a +smart fire upon the troops as they entered the large central square in +which the mosque stood. To have stormed the building would have involved +great sacrifice of life; the men, therefore, were directed to occupy the +houses enclosing the square, and open fire, until the rockets could be +brought into play. + +The second rocket fired whizzed through the roof of the mosque, the +defenders of which, however, only increased their drumming and shouts of +defiance, for they were secure in their belief of the local tradition, +which said that the mosque was impregnable and indestructible. In a very +few minutes flames began to appear on the roof, and, though the enemy +worked hard to extinguish it, it rapidly increased, until the mosque was +untenable. Dozens of the fanatics blew out their brains rather than +surrender, while others threw themselves out of the windows and +passages, and rushed sword in hand, in a state of frenzy, upon the +British. The coolness and steadiness of the troops was, however, more +than a match for the mad rage of the Mandingoes, who were shot down one +after another, until the whole of the defenders of the mosque were +killed or made prisoners. The remainder of the enemy, who fled at the +storming of the stockade, had taken refuge in the neighbouring woods, +and, the object of the engagement being accomplished by the capture of +the town, they were not pursued. + +The stockade and mosque being destroyed, the force left Sabbajee on June +4th, and returned to Josswung, where, by an arrangement with the King of +Combo, a portion of that kingdom, including the town of Sabbajee, was +ceded to the British. + +The mosque was a singularly strong building, and for a day and a half +resisted every effort to pull it down, being eventually reduced to +ruins by blasting the walls with bags of gunpowder. It consisted of a +large central hall, with walls made of baked clay, three feet in +thickness, and an external corridor running round the whole +circumference of the inner apartment. The roof, conical in shape, was +supported by six masonry pillars. + +As the Gambia was still in an unsettled state, Lieutenant-Colonel +O'Connor deemed it prudent to increase its garrison at the expense of +that of Sierra Leone. No. 6 Company of the 1st West India Regiment was +therefore detained at Bathurst, and on June 8th, No. 3 Company, under +Captain Murray, proceeded in the _Resistance_ to Sierra Leone. On +arriving at that station, on June 17th, Captain Murray assumed the +command of the troops. + +No. 2 Company embarked at Sierra Leone for Jamaica on June 22nd, +arriving at Kingston on August 5th. On October 18th the _Resistance_ +returned from the West Indies with the remaining companies destined for +the quinquennial relief, and No. 5 Company, embarking in her on October +22nd, reached Jamaica on November 25th. The West African garrisons were +now as follows: At the Gambia, one company of the 1st West India +Regiment, two of the 2nd, and one of the 3rd; at Sierra Leone, one of +the 1st West India Regiment, and one of the 3rd. + +In the West Indies the following changes had taken place: Nos. 7 and 8 +Companies had been moved in August from Nassau to Barbados and Dominica +respectively, and, in July, the light company had proceeded from Nassau +to Jamaica. In December, 1853, the distribution of the regiment was then +as follows: 4 companies at Jamaica, 2 at Barbados, 1 at Dominica, 1 at +St. Christopher's, 1 at Sierra Leone, and 1 at the Gambia.[57] + +In September, 1854, the inhabitants of Christiansborg, a Danish +settlement on the Gold Coast four miles from Accra, which had been +recently purchased by the British, rose in rebellion against the +Colonial authorities. The only armed force then on the Gold Coast +consisted of the Gold Coast Artillery, recruited from amongst the Fanti +tribes, and this body the rebels blockaded in the Castle of Christiansborg. +On the outbreak of the rebellion, the Lieutenant-Governor of the Gold +Coast at once sent to Sierra Leone for assistance; and, on the 12th of +October, the following detachments embarked at Sierra Leone in H.M.S. +_Britomart_ and _Ferret_: Lieutenant Strachan and 33 men of the 1st West +India Regiment, Captain Rookes and 46 men of the 2nd West India +Regiment, Lieutenant Haneahan and 31 men of the 3rd West India Regiment. +From the Gambia were also despatched in the Colonial steamer _Dover_, on +the 24th of October: Ensign Anderson and 25 men of the 1st, Captain +Mockler and 70 men of the 2nd, and Lieutenant Hill and 23 men of the 3rd +West India Regiment. + +The troops from Sierra Leone and the Gambia arrived at Christiansborg on +the 27th of October and the 7th of November respectively. Several small +skirmishes had taken place between the Gold Coast artillery and the +rebels without either side gaining any material advantage; but, on the +arrival of the reinforcement from Sierra Leone, the siege was raised, +and the natives retired inland to some villages on the plain behind +Christiansborg. There, like all undisciplined bodies, they gradually +melted away; the chiefs, finding their followers abandoning them, were +compelled to ask for terms; and directly negotiations were opened, the +detachments of the three West India regiments re-embarked to return to +Sierra Leone, sailing from Christiansborg on the 12th of November. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 56: See map.] + +[Footnote 57: This year, 1853, appears to have been particularly +unhealthy in the West Indies, to judge from the following inscription, +taken from an intramural monument in Kingston Cathedral Church: + +TO THE MEMORY OF THE FOLLOWING: + +Capt. Robt. Mostyn, 3rd W.I.R., died of yellow fever, at Nassau, +Bahamas, 23rd July, 1853, aet. 27. + +Ensign John Alex. Gordon Pringle, 3rd W.I.R., died of yellow fever at +Kingston, Jamaica, 31st July, 1853, aet. 21. + +Assist.-Surg. Walter William Harris, 1st W.I.R., attached to 3rd W.I.R., +died at Up Park Camp, of yellow fever, 4th Aug., 1853, aet. 24. + +Lieut. John Maryon Wilson, 3rd W.I.R., died at Up Park Camp, of yellow +fever, 13th Aug., 1853, aet. 22. + +Eliza Chancellor Wilson, wife of the above, died at Up Park Camp, of +yellow fever, 5th Sept., 1853, aet. 22. + +Cath. Elizabeth, wife of Lieut. Wm. Hen. Wilson Hawtayne, 3rd W.I.R., +died of yellow fever at Nassau, Bahamas, 9th Aug., 1853, aet. 23. + +Asst.-Surg. Gideon Jas. Wm. Griffith, 3rd W.I.R., died of yellow fever +at Lucia, 26th Aug., 1853, aet. 23. + +Also, Selina Maria, wife of Capt. C.S.H. Hingston, 3rd W.I.R., died at +Up Park Camp, 11th April, 1854, aet. 23. + + Erected by the officers of the 1st and 3rd W.I. Regts. + +] + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +THE TWO EXPEDITIONS TO MALAGEAH, 1854 AND 1855. + + +The troops that had been despatched from Sierra Leone and the Gambia for +the relief of Christiansborg, returned to Sierra Leone, in H.M.S. +_Prometheus_, on the 25th of November, 1854, and in consequence of the +hostile attitude assumed by the chiefs of the Mellicourie and Scarcies +Rivers, and the outrages committed by natives on mercantile factories in +those rivers, the Governor of Sierra Leone decided to detain the +contingent which had been sent from the Gambia, in order to have a +sufficient force to overawe the chief of Malageah, the principal +offender, and compel him to sign a treaty of trade. With this view, +accordingly, detachments of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd West India Regiments, +numbering in all 401 officers and men, under the command of Captain +Rookes, 2nd West India Regiment, embarked in H.M.S. _Prometheus_ and +_Dover_, on the 2nd of December, and sailed for the Mellicourie River, +on which the town of Malageah is situated. The officers of the 1st West +India Regiment who accompanied the expedition were Captain R.D. +Fletcher, Lieutenant Connell, Lieutenant Strachan, and Ensign Anderson. + +On December 4th, the expedition arrived off Malageah, and the +river-banks having been reconnoitred, Captain Heseltine, of H.M.S. +_Britomart_, who had been appointed diplomatic agent with powers to +negotiate, directed a landing to be made. The troops disembarked, and +meeting with no opposition, advanced on the town, seizing and occupying +the mosque and the king's house, while a second body took possession of +all the approaches to the town. By these means, a party of some 200 +chiefs and Marabouts, who filled the mosque, were surrounded. + +In the meantime, the 1st Division, under Captain R. D'Oyley Fletcher, +1st West India Regiment, had proceeded to a creek to the eastward of the +town, which they ascended in the boats of the _Britomart_, and then +crossing by bye-paths through the swamp and bush to the back of the +town, where they dispersed a body of 150 natives armed with rifles and +muskets, they joined the main body before the mosque. + +Negotiations were opened by the diplomatic agent, and continued for +about half-an-hour; when, as it was noticed that the Marabouts were +gradually leaving the mosque and all going in one direction, a +reconnoitring party of ten men, under Lieutenant F.J. Connell, 1st West +India Regiment, was sent to the northern side of the town. Lieutenant +Connell, on reaching the town gate, found from 1800 to 2000 natives +armed with fire-arms, spears, bows and arrows, formed in a semicircle, +from eight to ten deep, facing the small picket that had been there +posted. The whole of the main body, with the seamen and marines, was at +once ordered up, and took up a position on the plateau to the north of +the town, facing the natives, while a detached party occupied the walls +and gates. At first there was a disposition on the part of the natives +to resist this movement, but it was so rapidly executed that they were +taken by surprise, and, losing cohesion, they soon after gradually +dispersed. + +The king, Bamba Mima Lahi, now signified his desire to come to terms, +promised to comply with all demands, and to pay one thousand dollars as +a fine for his offences. The force accordingly re-embarked, the object +of the expedition having been effected without bloodshed, and returned +to Sierra Leone on December 6th. The following letter may be of +interest: + + "H.M.S. BRITOMART, + "_Sierra Leone, December 6th, 1854._ + + "SIR, + + "In bringing back the troops that have been embarked on board the + _Prometheus_ and landed at Malageah, and who, whilst afloat, have + been under my command, I beg to bear testimony to their quiet, + orderly, and zealous conduct, both afloat and ashore, where, had it + not been for the above good qualities, collision would have been + inevitable. + + "To Captains Rookes, Mockler, and Fletcher, and the officers of the + force, I beg to return my sincere thanks for their zealous and + active co-operation; further comment on my part would be + presumptuous. + + "A. HESELTINE, + "Commander and Senior Naval Officer. + + "Lieutenant-Colonel Foster, + "Commanding troops." + +On the 14th of December, the Gambia contingent sailed for the Gambia in +the Colonial steamer _Dover_, and the garrison of Sierra Leone remained +at its ordinary strength of three companies. + +In May, 1855, as the King of Malageah had not observed the stipulations +of the treaty that had been forced upon him, and had not paid the fine +of one thousand dollars, the Acting Governor of Sierra Leone, a +gentleman of colour, determined to take steps for his punishment. On the +21st of May, accordingly, he sent for Captain R. D'Oyley Fletcher, 1st +West India Regiment, who was then in command of the troops, and informed +him that it was his intention to send a force of 150 men, that very day, +to burn the town of Malageah, and, if possible, capture the king. He +added that the troops would proceed in H.M.S. _Teazer_, then lying in +the harbour. + +Captain Fletcher, in reply, said that he could not approve of the +proposed arrangements; that since a force of 400 men had been deemed +necessary to extract a promise from the king, it was, to say the least, +injudicious to endeavour to force him to fulfil that promise with only +150 men. He stated that at the last expedition more than 2000 armed +natives had been seen, and he considered it inadvisable to proceed to +actual hostilities without a force proportionate to the duty to be +performed. He further suggested that the expedition should be delayed +for two or three days, so that the detachments of the 2nd West India +Regiment might be brought in from Waterloo and the Banana Islands, and +the whole garrison employed on the duty. The Acting Governor overruled +these objections, insinuated that Captain Fletcher was actuated by fears +for his personal safety, and finally peremptorily ordered the force he +had mentioned to embark. + +In consequence, on the evening of May 21st, Captain Fletcher, Lieutenant +Strachan, Lieutenant Wylie, and 69 men of the 1st West India Regiment, +with Lieutenants Keir and Beazley and 79 men of the 3rd West India +Regiment, embarked on board the _Teazer_. Lieutenant Vincent, 2nd West +India Regiment, was attached to the 1st for duty, and +Deputy-Assistant-Commissary-General Frith and Surgeons Marchant and +Bradshaw accompanied the troops. + +The _Teazer_ arrived off Benty Point, at the mouth of the Mellicourie +River, on the morning of May 22nd, and, after a delay of a few hours, in +consequence of the difficulty in crossing the bar, the expedition +arrived off Malageah. + +Lieutenant-Commander Nicolas, of the _Teazer_, and Mr. Dillet, the +Acting Governor's private secretary, had been appointed commissioners, +and, by their direction, the troops disembarked about 10 a.m. A flag of +truce was flying on the king's house, and, as he showed a disposition to +come to terms, the commissioners determined to depart from their +instructions, and make an attempt to settle the affair without having +recourse to force. They accordingly informed the king that if he would +pay the fine his town would be spared; and they granted him one hour for +this purpose, warning him that if at the expiration of that time the +money was not forthcoming, the town would be shelled. + +Two hours having passed without any communication having been received +from the king, the _Teazer_ at noon opened fire, and the troops advanced +on the town, covering their flanks with skirmishers. This advance would +have been unnecessary had the _Teazer_ been supplied with rockets; but +there being none, the men were obliged to set fire to the houses. It +would be difficult to imagine a worse-planned expedition. + +The troops gained the central square of the town, and, in compliance +with the written instructions, set fire to the mosque, the king's house, +and other principal buildings; and ultimately the whole town appeared to +be in flames. The left division, under Lieutenant Vincent, was exposed +to a desultory fire, during the whole of these operations, from the +enemy concealed in the bush; and large numbers of natives were observed +gathering on the plateau to the north of the town. As it seemed +impossible that any portion of the town could escape the conflagration, +and as the heat from the burning buildings was intense, the troops +retired to the river bank, and embarked in the _Teazer's_ boats. +Scarcely had the seamen dipped their oars into the water, to pull out +into the stream, than a volley was poured into the boats from the dense +bush which grew close down to the edge of the water; and the ambushed +enemy then commenced firing rapidly, but fortunately with so little +precision that the troops succeeded in reaching mid-stream with a loss +of only five wounded. + +The boats continued their course to the ship, and the troops +re-embarked. The town was still in flames, but they were gradually +subsiding, and before nightfall were entirely extinguished, leaving a +considerable portion of the town still unconsumed. The commissioners, +upon this, decided, as it was too late to land again that day, to drop +down the river as far as Benty Point for the night, and to return next +morning to complete the work of destruction. Captain Fletcher then +objected to any second landing being made, pointing out that the whole +country was now alarmed, and that the people of Malageah would be +reinforced by those of Fouricariah (a populous town further up the +river), and that quite enough had been done to punish the king. The +commissioners agreed with his views, but decided that their orders were +so peremptory that they could not, without running the risk of censure, +leave the river until the entire town had been destroyed. + +At 5.30 a.m. on May 23rd, the _Teazer_ left Benty Point, and steaming up +the river, anchored off Malageah, in which the ruins were still +smouldering. The vessel was so ill-provided with munitions of war that +hardly any shell remained from the previous day. What little there was, +was thrown amongst the houses to endeavour to fire them, and the attempt +being unsuccessful, it became necessary to land the men. The dense bush +around the town having been well searched with grape and canister to +clear it of any lurking enemy, the troops, 135 in number, were landed on +the bank of the mangrove creek running inland towards the town, and no +enemy appearing, they advanced to set fire to the buildings that had +hitherto escaped destruction. + +The advanced guard of thirty men, with whom were Lieutenant-Commander +Nicolas and Mr. Dillet, who had landed to point out which houses it was +most important to thoroughly destroy, had only advanced some two hundred +yards from the bank of the creek, when they were received with a +murderous discharge of musketry from the enemy concealed in the bush. +Almost the whole of the advanced party were shot down in this one +volley, twenty men being killed on the spot, and Lieutenant-Commander +Nicolas and Mr. Dillet severely wounded. The main body, seventy-five in +number, under Captain Fletcher, at once hurried up to prevent the +wounded falling into the hands of the barbarous natives, and behaved +with great gallantry, for though falling thick and fast under the +tremendous fire which the concealed enemy--to the number of several +hundreds--poured into them from a distance of ten or twelve yards, they +held their ground until the wounded had been safely conveyed to the +boats. + +Scarcely had this been accomplished than the rear-guard of thirty men, +under Lieut. Keir, 3rd West India Regiment, was attacked by a large +number of natives who had moved through the bush, and actually succeeded +in cutting off our men from the boats. The enemy advanced with great +determination into the open, thinking to overwhelm this small party, and +they were only driven back into the bush by repeated volleys and a final +charge with the bayonet. + +By this time fully one-third of the men who had landed having been +killed, and a great number wounded, the order was given to retire, which +was done steadily, the ground being contested inch by inch. At this time +Company Sergeant-Major Scanlan, of the 3rd West India Regiment, and six +men who were covering the retreat, fell, the former mortally wounded; +and some of the bolder of the natives, rushing out of their concealment, +seized Deputy-Assistant-Commissary Frith, and dragged him away into the +bush, where he was barbarously murdered in cold blood. Scanlan was +lying in the narrow path, his chest riddled with bullets, when the chief +fetish priest of the place, to encourage the natives to make further +efforts, sprang upon a ruined wall in front of him, and began dancing an +uncouth dance, accompanying it with savage yells and significant +gestures to the dying man. He paid dearly for his rashness, however, for +Scanlan, collecting his strength for a last supreme effort, seized his +loaded rifle, which was fortunately lying within reach, and discharged +it at the gesticulating savage, who threw up his arms and fell dead. The +next moment Scanlan was surrounded by a horde of infuriated barbarians, +and his body hacked into an undistinguishable mass. + +The troops, sadly diminished in number, at last reached that portion of +the mangrove creek where they had left the boats. Of these there had +been originally but two, and one having at the commencement of the +action been used to convey Lieutenant-Commander Nicolas and Mr. Dillet, +under the charge of Surgeon Bradshaw, to the ship, one only remained for +the men to embark in. The tide having fallen, this was lying out near +the entrance of the creek, separated by an expanse of reeking mud from +the shore. The men, seeing their last chance of safety cut off, threw +themselves into the mud, in which many sank and were no more seen. Some +few, however, succeeded in floundering along, half wading and half +swimming, until they reached her, and climbed in. She was, however, so +riddled with bullets, that she filled and sank almost immediately. + +Captain Fletcher, Lieutenant Wylie, Lieutenant Strachan, and Lieutenant +Vincent, with some thirty men, endeavoured to make a last stand upon a +small islet of mud and sand, near the left bank of the creek; but +Lieutenant Wylie was shot dead almost at once, and Lieutenant Vincent, +being shot through the body, jumped into the water, to endeavour to swim +to the ship. In a few seconds seventeen men had fallen out of this +devoted band, and the survivors, plunging into the creek, swam down +towards the river. The natives lined the banks in crowds, keeping up a +heavy fire upon the men in the water; and Captain Fletcher and +Lieutenant Strachan, who were the last to leave the shore, only reached +the _Teazer_ by a miracle, they having to swim more than half a mile to +reach her. + +As the last of the survivors gained the vessel, the natives, between two +and three thousand in number, lined the banks of the river, brandishing +their weapons and uttering shouts of defiance; and the heads of several +of the killed, horribly mutilated, were held out towards the ship on +spears, amidst cries of exultation. All the ammunition for the +_Teazer's_ guns having already been expended in shelling the town and +clearing the bush, it was impossible to reply to the enemy, and the +vessel proceeded slowly down the river, returning to Sierra Leone next +day. + +The casualties of this day were as follows: The 1st West India Regiment, +out of 62 men who landed, lost 38 killed and 3 wounded. The 3rd West +India Regiment, out of 73 men who landed, lost 46 killed and 8 wounded. +Total, 95 killed and wounded, out of a force of 135 men. + +The casualties amongst the officers were nearly equally heavy. Out of +the ten Europeans who were under fire, three, namely Lieutenant Wylie, +1st West India Regiment, D.A.C.G. Frith and C.S.M. Scanlan were killed; +and three, Lieutenant Vincent, 2nd West India Regiment, +Lieutenant-Commander Nicolas, and Mr. Dillet, severely wounded. + +It was learned afterwards that the reason so large a force was assembled +at Malageah was that it was the time for the annual gathering of the +river tribes, to hear the laws read by the Alimani. This circumstance +ought of course to have been known to the Acting Governor, who was well +acquainted with the customs of the people. The Imperial Government held +him responsible for this defeat, and, in November, 1855, he was relieved +of his post, and charged "with having, when Acting Governor, on the 21st +of May, 1855, without authority, and upon insufficient grounds, sent an +expedition against the Moriah chiefs in the Mellicourie River, beyond +the Colony, with orders to burn or destroy the town of Malageah, planned +without foresight or judgment, disastrous in its termination, and +disgraceful to the British power," and was suspended from his office of +Queen's Advocate and from his seat at the Council Board. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +THE BATTLE OF BAKKOW, AND STORMING OF SABBAJEE, 1855.[58] + + +The company of the 1st West India Regiment stationed at the Gambia was +the next to see active service, but fortunately under circumstances less +disastrous than had fallen to the lot of the company at Sierra Leone. + +In June, 1855, the inhabitants of Sabbajee again began to exhibit signs +of lawlessness; and, early in July, an influential Mohammedan of that +town, named Fodi Osumanu, sent an armed party to the British settlement +at Josswung to seize a woman, whose husband he had already placed in +confinement in Sabbajee itself. In consequence of this outrage a warrant +was issued for the apprehension of Fodi Osumanu, and, as a precautionary +measure, the constables despatched to put the warrant in force were +accompanied by a small party of the 2nd West India Regiment, under +Lieutenant Armstrong, 3rd West India Regiment. + +They arrived at Sabbajee on the morning of July 16th, and at first Fodi +Osumanu offered no opposition to his arrest; but, on gaining the central +square of the town, he endeavoured to break away from the police, and, +upon this signal, the Mandingoes rushed upon the British from every +street and alley. Nothing but the coolness and steadiness displayed by +both officers and men, saved the whole from destruction. Forming square, +they retreated steadily out of the town, repulsing the repeated attacks +of the natives, and retired in good order to Josswung, and thence to the +military post at Cape St. Mary's. In effecting this, two men were +killed, and the Queen's Advocate, Lieutenant Davis, 2nd West India +Regiment, and Lieutenant Armstrong were wounded, the latter so severely +as to render amputation of the right arm necessary. + +Intelligence of this occurrence being carried to Bathurst in a few +hours, the Governor, Lieutenant-Colonel L. Smyth O'Connor, 1st West +India Regiment, at once called out all the available force of the +Colony; and, aware that every half-hour was of importance, as the +inhabitants of Sabbajee were receiving reinforcements from the +disaffected Mandingo towns of Jambool, Burnfut, and Cunju, and had +already burned and pillaged Josswung, he marched the same day. The force +consisted of 120 men of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd West India Regiments, with +120 of the Royal Gambia Militia; and, on arriving at Cape St. Mary's, on +the evening of July 16th, it was joined by 26 pensioners of the West +India regiments. The officers of the 1st West India Regiment present +were Lieutenant-Colonel O'Connor, Lieutenant E.F. Luke, and Lieutenant +Henderson. + +Early next morning the whole force marched towards Sabbajee, meeting +with no resistance until it arrived at the wood of Bakkow. To reach +Sabbajee it was necessary to pass through this wood, a jungle of dense +tropical vegetation, only traversable by a single bush path some five +feet in breadth, and, before entering this defile, Colonel O'Connor +wisely ordered rockets to be thrown amongst the trees, with a view to +ascertaining if they covered any concealed enemy. + +Hardly had the first rocket fallen than the wood appeared alive with +men, who, from every bush and tree, opened a destructive fire upon the +British. This was promptly and steadily replied to by the detachments of +the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd West India Regiments, which were in the van, and +the action became general. The militia were drawn up in two bodies, one +acting as a support to the regulars, and the other as a reserve; and the +latter, shortly after the commencement of the engagement, retreated +without orders, and without firing a shot. The party of militia in +support, as soon as they observed the flight of the reserve, fell back +hurriedly in great confusion, nor could their officers nor the Governor +himself succeed in stopping them, and both parties of militia retired +upon Cape St. Mary's, abandoning their wounded. + +The detachments of the West India regiments still held their ground; but +at the end of half an hour, as it was manifestly impossible, with the +now greatly reduced numbers, to force the passage of the wood, and as +the enemy were observed extending in large numbers round both flanks so +as to threaten the line of retreat, the order was given to retire upon +Cape St. Mary's. This was effected in good order, the victorious natives +following the retreating force for more than two miles, and keeping up +an incessant fire. The combined detachments suffered in this affair a +loss of twenty-three killed and fifty-three wounded. Lieutenant-Colonel +O'Connor was himself severely wounded in the right arm and left +shoulder. + +The news of this repulse was received with the greatest consternation at +Bathurst, which was entirely denuded of troops and quite at the mercy of +the rebellious Mandingoes. Preparations for defence were at once +undertaken, all the reliable natives, principally persons in the employ +of the Government or of the merchants, in all some 200 in number, were +armed, and a vessel was despatched to the neighbouring French settlement +of Goree to seek assistance. The Mandingoes, fortunately, made no +attempt to follow up their success, and the chiefs of British Combo +having volunteered their aid to the Government, a number of their men +were armed, and on July 29th some sharp skirmishing took place between +them and the Mandingoes in the neighbourhood of Bakkow, in which the +Combos lost twenty-five killed, but without reaping any success. + +On the afternoon of July 30th, the French brig-of-war _Entreprenant_, +Captain Villeneuve, arrived, bringing with her eighty men, which was all +the disposable force the French Governor of Goree had at his command; +and all preparations being completed by the night of August 3rd, the +combined British and French force marched from Cape St. Mary's next +morning at daybreak. The French had brought with them three +twelve-pounder field-guns, which, with a 4-2/5-inch howitzer, and three +rocket-troughs in the possession of the British, were formed into a +battery under the command of Lieutenant Morel, of the French marine +artillery. The force was further increased by an irregular contingent of +some 600 loyal natives. + +As on the former occasion, no opposition was encountered until arriving +at the wood of Bakkow, where the enemy showed in great force, and opened +a heavy fire from the shelter of the forest. The irregular contingent, +supported by the detachments of the 1st and 2nd West India Regiments, +replied to the enemy's fire in a most effective manner; but so +determined was the resistance, that the Mandingoes, when silenced in our +front, taking advantage of the cover afforded by the high grass and +clumps of monkey-bread trees, made repeated attacks on the flanks, and +even at one time threatened the rear. Shell and rockets were thrown +into the wood, and the village of Bakkow, which was occupied by the +enemy, was burned; but it was not until after two hours' obstinate +fighting, in the course of which the detachments of the 1st and 2nd West +India Regiment had four times to repulse flank attacks with the bayonet, +that the passage could be forced. + +The wood being traversed, the force debouched upon the plain of +Sabbajee, a sandy level, covered with a scanty growth of Guinea grass +and dotted with clumps of dwarf palm. The guns were at once placed in +position for breaching the stockade, and fire was opened with wonderful +precision. A few rounds only had been expended, when a large body of +natives from the disaffected and neighbouring town of Burnfut made a +sudden and determined onslaught on our flank, charging furiously forward +with brandished scimetars. This was met by a party of French marines and +the detachments of the 1st and 2nd West India Regiments, who, after +firing a volley at a very close range, charged gallantly with the +bayonet and speedily routed the enemy, who took refuge in a neighbouring +copse. Being ordered to dislodge them from this cover, the detachments +of the 1st and 2nd West India Regiments advanced in skirmishing order, +and after a short but sharp conflict, drove them out on the further +side. + +After a bombardment of an hour and a half, seeing that the enemy +extinguished the thatched roofs of their houses as fast as they were +ignited, and that the ammunition was becoming exhausted, +Lieutenant-Colonel O'Connor determined to carry the stockade by storm. +The detachments of the West India regiments formed up in the centre, a +division of French marines being on either flank, and the whole dashed +forward to the assault in the face of a tremendous fire of musketry that +was opened throughout the entire length of the loop-holed stockade. In a +few seconds the troops were under the stockade, which was composed of +the stout trunks of trees, standing some eighteen feet high, and braced +on the inner side by cross-beams. A temporary check was here experienced +(the men having no ladders for escalading), during which the Mandingoes +kept up a close fire from their upper tier of loop-holes, while others +crouching in the ditch in rear hewed and cut at the feet and legs of the +troops through the apertures in the stockade on a level with the ground. +The check was, however, of short duration, for the British opened fire +on the enemy through their own loop-holes, and drove them back, while +others, clambering over the rough defences, effected an entrance. + +After this, the Mandingoes offered but a feeble resistance, and soon +fled into the open from the further side of the town. Here they were +pursued and shot down by the irregular contingent, who had been sent to +cut off their retreat as soon as it was seen that the stockade was +carried. The enemy's loss during the assault was exceedingly heavy, the +ditch in rear of the stockade, and in which they were principally +sheltered, being full of dead. The loss of the combined force, exclusive +of irregulars, was seventeen killed and thirty-one wounded. + +Inside the stockade the 1st West India Regiment captured two +kettledrums, of which one was a war-drum, and the other a death-drum, +that is to say, a drum that is only beaten when an execution is taking +place. These drums, consisting of polished hemispherical calabashes, of +a diameter of about thirty inches at the drum-head, are now in the +possession of the regiment. + +The following letter, referring to these operations, which terminated +with the capture of Sabbajee, was published in general orders at the +Gambia, on the 26th of October, 1855: + + "HORSE GUARDS, + "_Sept. 6th, 1855._ + + "SIR, + + "The General Commanding-in-Chief having had before him the + despatches which were addressed to the Adjutant-General on July 30th + and 6th ultimo, giving an account of the proceedings, from the 16th + July to the 4th August last, of the force under your command against + the Mohammedan rebel town of Sabbajee, which was eventually taken by + assault at the point of the bayonet, I am directed to assure you of + Lord Hardinge's satisfaction at the perusal of those despatches, and + that he considers the gallantry and steadiness displayed by the + troops on this occasion, and the judgment with which they were + directed by you, to be deserving of high praise. + + "His Lordship further desired that the expression of his sentiments + might be communicated accordingly to yourself and to all the troops + concerned. + + "I have, &c., + + (Signed) "C. YORKE, + "Military Secretary. + + "Lieut.-Colonel O'Connor, + "1st West India Regiment, + "Commanding troops, Western Coast of Africa." + + +In the West Indies nothing of importance had occurred, and no change of +station had taken place, since December, 1853. In this year, however +(1855), No. 8 Company rejoined head-quarters at Jamaica from Dominica, +and No. 1 was moved from St. Christopher to Demerara. The distribution, +then, at the close of 1855, was: No. 2, No. 5, No. 8, the Grenadier and +Light Companies at Jamaica, No. 7 and No. 4 at Barbados, No. 1 at +Demerara, No. 3 at Sierra Leone, and No. 6 at the Gambia. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 58: See map.] + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +CHANGES IN THE WEST AFRICAN GARRISONS, 1856-57--THE GREAT SCARCIES RIVER +EXPEDITION, 1859--FIRE AT NASSAU, 1859. + + +In January, 1856, it was determined to make a further change in the mode +of garrisoning the settlements on the West Coast of Africa, and the +following letter was issued on the subject: + + "HORSE GUARDS, + "_2nd January, 1856_. + + "In obedience to orders from the Secretary of State, War Department, + the Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief is pleased to direct that + instead of the detachments to the western coast of Africa being + furnished, as at present, by two companies from each of the West + India regiments, the settlements in that part will be garrisoned by + a wing composed of six companies, to be furnished in succession by + each of the West India regiments. + + "At the next relief the 1st West India Regiment will furnish six + companies accordingly, each company made up and kept effective to + 100 rank and file, the force to be distributed as at present, viz.: + + "Gambia 3 Companies. + "Sierra Leone 3 Companies. + + "The remaining four companies of the 1st West India Regiment will be + stationed at Jamaica, as a depot to receive and train recruits, and + maintain the efficiency of the companies on the coast of Africa." + +In anticipation of this change, and as recent events at the Gambia and +Sierra Leone had shown the necessity for an increase in the strength of +the detachments, No. 2 Company of the 1st West India Regiment, under +Captain W.J. Chamberlayne, embarked at Jamaica for Africa in the _Sir +George Pollock_ on February 19th, 1856. It arrived in the Gambia on +April 1st, and detachments to McCarthy's Island, 179 miles up the River +Gambia, and to Fort Bullen, were at once furnished from it. + +No other change in the distribution of the regiment took place in this +year, with the exception that No. 5 Company, under Captain R. Hughes, +was moved from Jamaica to Barbados in December. + +In January, 1857, No. 1 Company from Demerara, and Nos. 4 and 7 from +Barbados, embarked on board the troopship _Perseverance_, for Africa, +under the command of Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Clarke, and Captains +Hughes and Macauley, arriving at Sierra Leone on February 28th. + +Nos. 1 and 7 Companies were there disembarked, and the _Perseverance_ +then proceeded to the Gambia, where No. 4 Company was landed. In +accordance with the scheme that the remaining four companies of the +regiment should be stationed at Jamaica, No. 5 Company rejoined there +from Barbados on April 17th; but, two months later, the scheme was again +revised, and, on June 4th, the head-quarters and four companies embarked +for Nassau, New Providence, under Lieutenant-Colonel F.A. Wetherall. + +The detachments on the West Coast of Africa were very much subdivided, +that of the Gambia furnishing garrisons for Fort Bullen, Cape St. Mary, +and McCarthy's Island; and that of Sierra Leone a garrison for Waterloo. +In April, 1857, the garrison of Fort Bullen was reinforced by No. 2 +Company under Captain Chamberlayne from Bathurst, in consequence of +disturbances having broken out between the King of Barra and one of his +principal chiefs named Osumanu Sajji, and was withdrawn in May, on +tranquility being restored. + +In August, 1858, the natives of Sherbro threatened to plunder the +British factories that had been established on Sherbro Island, and +stopped the trade, and for the protection of the lives and property of +the Consul and British subjects, a detachment of the 1st West India +Regiment, under Captain R. Hughes, proceeded in H.M.S. _Spitfire_ to +Sherbro Island on September 1st. They there landed and remained until +October 2nd, when, all fears of an attack being at an end, they +returned to Sierra Leone. In January, 1859, however, another attack was +threatened by the Mendis, and a detachment of the 1st West India +Regiment, under Captain Luke, was sent for the protection of the +factories in H.M.S. _Trident_ on January 15th, returning to Sierra Leone +on February 18th. + +In September and October, 1858, Captain Luke, 1st West India Regiment, +who was then on leave of absence on the Gold Coast, served with the +expeditionary force against the rebel Krobo stronghold of Krobo Hill. +Captain Cochrane, Gold Coast Artillery, commanding the force, in +concluding his despatch of October 26th, 1858, says: "It is not too much +to say that all who have joined the expedition have done their best to +further its interests, but I beg especially to call your Excellency's +notice to the voluntary services of Captain F.H. Luke, of the 1st West +India Regiment, whose energy, zeal, and disinterestedness, have been +warmly commended by every officer here, and are deserving of honourable +mention." + +In February, 1859, the town of Porto Lokkoh, distant some forty miles +from Sierra Leone, and on the Sierra Leone River, was burned and +pillaged by a body of Soosoos who had, for some time back, established +themselves at Kambia, on the Great Scarcies River. For previous outrages +committed by them, Kambia had been bombarded by a naval squadron under +Commodore Wise on February 1st, 1858, after which the Soosoos had +entrenched themselves in a stockaded work, or war fence, near Kambia. +There they had been suffered to remain, but the destruction of Porto +Lokkoh, the chief _entrepot_ of the Sierra Leone trade, necessitated +further measures being taken against them. + +Consequently, on March 20th, 1859, the Governor of Sierra Leone, Colonel +Stephen Hill, proceeded with a force of 203 men of the 1st West India +Regiment, under Major A.W. Murray, in H.M.S. _Vesuvius_, _Trident_, and +_Spitfire_, to the Great Scarcies River, where they arrived at daybreak +on the 22nd. The officers of the regiment serving with the expedition +were Major Murray, Brevet-Major Pratt, Lieutenants Fitzgerald, Mackay, +and Mawe, Ensigns Ormsby and Temple. Colonel Hill, in his despatch, +says: + +"The troops having landed to the right of the town, I formed the +detachment of the 1st West India Regiment, under Major Murray, into four +divisions; and the marines formed, under the command of Captain Hill, +2nd West India Regiment, A.D.C., another division. A party of the former +corps, acting as gunners, accompanied the Marine Artillery, who took +charge of two mountain howitzers. + +"Having extended one division in skirmishing order, I advanced; and, +finding the first stockade deserted I passed on to the furthest one, +which was then occupied by the sailors of the second division of boats +under Commander Close. I then proceeded to the extreme left of all the +defences, and halted in clear ground to await the arrival of our native +allies. Shortly afterwards Commodore Wise sent to inform me that the +enemy, who had retired before us with some loss, were in the jungle to +our left at the head of some rocks, on which they could cross the river +at low water. I immediately extended two divisions of the 1st West India +Regiment as skirmishers, with the marines supporting one, and a division +of the 1st West India the other, leaving one division in reserve in +charge of the howitzers, after having first fired some rounds of shell +into the jungle. + +"Our advance was most difficult, the bush being almost impenetrable. +However, we persevered, and, having reached a high point overlooking the +country around, and not seeing any enemy, I ordered a halt, and, after +some time, we retired unmolested, the Soosoos never having allowed us to +close with them. The Commodore then sent me a second message to the +effect that he had seen about 500 men, who had, on our advance, retired +across the river, over the rocks, and disappeared in the bush on the +opposite side. + +"The detachment of the 1st West India Regiment, under Brevet-Major +Pratt, kept the ground during the night; and our allies having arrived, +and been placed in possession of the stockades, the troops were +re-embarked on the 24th, and we proceeded on our return to Sierra Leone, +where we arrived on the 26th. + +"I have much pleasure in stating that all the officers and men under my +orders performed their duties in an exceedingly zealous and +satisfactory manner, exhibiting a cheerful obedience, and only anxious +to close with the enemy. None but those present could form a just +estimate of the difficulty attending our advance, and the consequent +physical exhaustion. The heat was intense; a great part of the jungle +had been fired, and the bushes and the high grass formed a network +through which we were obliged to cut our way." + +On January 8th, 1860, the men of the companies of the 1st West India +Regiment stationed at Nassau specially distinguished themselves at an +alarming fire that there broke out at Fort Charlotte, and the following +Garrison Order was published on the subject: + +"Lieutenant-Colonel Bourchier takes the earliest opportunity in his +power of expressing his thanks to Major R. D'O. Fletcher, the officers, +the non-commissioned officers, and the men of the 1st West India +Regiment, for the prompt manner in which they turned out and lent their +efforts to avert the extension of the late fire at Fort Charlotte. + +"Such occasions as this test the discipline of a corps in a high degree, +the more so when, as in the present instance, the danger of an explosion +from the proximity of the flames to the magazine was imminent. + +"Where all were zealous, the conduct of Ensign Bourke, 1st West India +Regiment, was most conspicuous, who, assisted by Company Sergeant-Major +Mason and a party of four men of the regiment, placed wet blankets on +the most exposed portion of the roof of the magazine, which was then +actually ignited; and it will be most gratifying to Lieutenant-Colonel +Bourchier to bring the circumstance under the notice of H.R.H. the +General Commanding-in-Chief." + +At the Gambia nothing of moment had occurred since 1807, with the +exception that a violent epidemic of fever broke out at Bathurst in +September, 1859, to which one officer and several men of the regiment +succumbed. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +THE BADDIBOO WAR, 1860-61. + + +The next active operations in which the 1st West India Regiment was +engaged, took place at the Gambia, where the King of Baddiboo, an +important Mohammedan state up the river, had in August and September, +1860, plundered the factories of several British traders, and afterwards +refused to pay compensation. The Governor of the Gambia, Colonel D'Arcy, +resolved to blockade the kingdom of Baddiboo, in the hope that the +enforced suspension of trade would compel the king to come to terms, +and, on October 10th, 1860, the gunners of the companies of the 1st West +India Regiment stationed at Bathurst embarked in the barque _Elm_ and +the schooner _Shamrock_, to close all the Baddiboo river ports. On +November 3rd additional gunners were sent in the schooner _Hope_, and +the blockade was strictly enforced, the natives not being allowed to +export any articles of produce or import anything. + +While the blockade was still in force, the wing of the 2nd West India +Regiment, which had been wrecked in the troopship _Perseverance_ at +Maio, one of the Cape Verde Islands, while on its way to relieve the +wing of the 1st West India Regiment, arrived in West Africa in various +vessels, three companies at the Gambia and three at Sierra Leone; and as +in January, 1861, the blockade had manifestly failed in its object of +inducing the King of Baddiboo to indemnify the plundered merchants, +Governor D'Arcy determined to take advantage of the presence of an +unusual number of regular troops to organise a formidable expedition; +which step was rendered necessary from the fact that the numerous +Mohammedan tribes around the settlement and on the banks of the river +were narrowly watching events, and had, owing to the long delay in +punishing the King of Baddiboo, already commenced to show signs of +lawlessness. + +On January 12th, 1861, the hired transport _Avon_ arrived at the Gambia +to convey the wing of the 1st West India Regiment to the West Indies, +and Colonel D'Arcy proceeded in her to Sierra Leone to make arrangements +for the services of a portion of the garrison of that settlement. On +February 2nd, he returned to the Gambia in the _Avon_ with three +companies of the 1st West India Regiment and one of the 2nd West India +Regiment. + +The expeditionary force now consisted of six companies of the 1st West +India Regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel A.W. Murray, and four of the +2nd West India Regiment, under Major W. Hill; the Gambia Militia were +called out, and the West India detachments at McCarthy's Island, Cape +St. Mary's, and Fort Bullen replaced by pensioners. + +Everything being in readiness, the Governor decided to make one last +endeavour to arrive at a peaceful solution of the difficulty (although +the king's people had recently, on several occasions, fired on the +schooners blockading the river), and despatched H.M.S. _Torch_ with a +flag of truce to Swarra Cunda Creek. Commander Smith returned with the +intelligence that the natives had prepared stockaded earthworks, were +assembled in large numbers, and had refused to hold any communication +with the ship. + +On February 15th, the expedition left Bathurst, and steaming up to +Swarra Cunda Creek, some forty miles up the river, anchored there for +the night. The troops were under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel +Murray, 1st West India Regiment, and were thus distributed: + +The gunners of the 1st and 2nd West India Regiment on board H.M.S. +_Torch_. + +Nos. 1 and 7 Companies, 1st West India Regiment, on board the Colonial +steamer _Dover_. + +Nos. 2 and 3 Companies, 1st West India Regiment, on the schooner +_Elizabeth_. + +Nos. 4 and 7 Companies, 2nd West India Regiment, on the schooner +_Margaret_. + +The _Dover_, after distributing her contingent amongst the other three +vessels lying in the creek, returned to Bathurst the same night to bring +up Nos. 4 and 6 Companies of the 1st West India Regiment and two +companies of the 2nd West India Regiment. + +On February 16th, the whole force being collected, the _Torch_ and the +_Dover_ steamed up the creek to the trading landing-place of Swarra +Cunda, towing the schooners. The earthworks were observed to be full of +armed men, who shouted and brandished their weapons, amid a tremendous +beating of war-drums. The _Torch_ anchored about 180 yards from the +earthworks, the two schooners lying above her and the _Dover_ below, in +such positions as to be able to bring a cross-fire to bear. The +Governor, being still anxious to avoid bloodshed, hailed the enemy +through his interpreter, calling upon them to surrender. They replied +with yells of defiance, and were then informed that if they did not +abandon their works the ships would open fire in half-an-hour. + +The half-hour having elapsed without any result, except a considerable +accession to the enemy's strength, fire was opened from the guns of the +_Torch_ and _Dover_, while the troops poured in a destructive storm of +musketry. The enemy replied with great spirit; and, although the +sixty-eight-pounder shell were crushing through the earthworks and +carrying away large portions of the parapets, some of the warriors +continued calmly up and down in full view on the most exposed portions +of the works, to encourage the others; and it was not until this +terrible fire of shell and musketry had lasted for three hours, that the +natives began to abandon their works, retiring even then very +gradually. This movement being observed, a landing was at once ordered; +and the boats, which had been collected together under cover of the +_Torch_, pulled in rapidly for the landing-place. Before, however, they +reached the shore, some 800 natives, who had occupied the extreme right +of the earthworks, which had not suffered from our fire as much as the +other portions, rushed down to oppose them. + +The landing was effected in the teeth of all opposition, the troops +wading ashore and attacking the enemy with the bayonet. Colonel D'Arcy +in his despatch says:--"Nothing could exceed the gallantry of the +landing on the part of the officers and men of the 1st and 2nd West +India Regiments; and now commenced a smart skirmish with a numerous +enemy, in which our black soldiers evinced a gallantry and a +determination to close which I felt proud to witness." + +While this stubborn and hand-to-hand conflict was at its height, a +shrill cry was suddenly heard in rear of the enemy, and at once, as if +by a preconcerted plan, those natives who were disputing the landing +broke and fled, while, at the same moment, a body of some 300 cavalry +debouched from the shelter of a clump of dwarf palms, and came down at +full gallop on the troops, who were already somewhat scattered in +pursuit of the retreating enemy. The men at once formed rallying +squares, and in a moment the Mandingo horsemen were amongst them, +brandishing their scimetars and discharging matchlocks and pistols. The +fire from the squares was so steady and well sustained, that, with one +exception, the enemy could effect nothing. They rode round and round the +squares for a few minutes, uttering shouts of defiance and endeavouring +to reach the men with their spears; and finally, a good many saddles +having been emptied, galloped off as rapidly as they had come, their +long robes streaming out behind in the wind. The one exception referred +to was that of a group of three men of the 1st West India Regiment and +two of the 2nd, who, having advanced too far in pursuit, had become +separated from their comrades, and, on the sudden appearance of the +cavalry, had not time to reach any of the squares. They stood back to +back, surrounded by the enemy, until overwhelmed by force of numbers and +ridden down, being afterwards found lying where they had stood, +surrounded by eleven dead Mandingoes whom they had shot or bayoneted. + +This cavalry charge was the last hope of the enemy; and no sooner was it +repulsed than they withdrew in great disorder. The troops pursued for a +short distance, but as it was not deemed advisable to scatter the small +force, especially as the day was beginning to close, they were soon +recalled, and the men bivouacked on the ground they had so ably won, the +bivouac being so arranged that the guns of the _Torch_ could sweep the +front and one flank. Wells were dug, the dead buried, and the night +passed without further disturbance. + +Next morning, the 17th, the Gambia Militia Artillery, with 400 native +allies, arrived and landed, and in the afternoon the 1st and 2nd West +India Regiments, under Lieutenant-Colonel Murray, after a short +resistance, took and destroyed the stockaded town of Carawan, situated +to the right of the position. Encouraged by this success, the native +allies and the Gambia Militia Artillery advanced to the town of Swarra +Cunda, to the left of the position, and finding it abandoned, destroyed +it also. + +During the ensuing night, H.M.S. _Arrogant_, Commodore Edmonstone, +arrived in the Gambia River, and early next morning the _Dover_ brought +the Commodore, with a naval brigade of seamen and marines, up to Swarra +Cunda Creek. This unlooked-for accession of strength determined +Lieutenant-Colonel Murray to advance into the interior, and strike a +blow that would bring the war to a conclusion. Cattle were obtained for +the field-guns, which were then landed, and about noon on the 18th, the +force marched inland, four companies of the 1st West India Regiment +forming the right division, four of the 2nd West India Regiment the left +division, and two of the 1st the reserve, with the guns on the flanks. + +The country through which the advance was made was a level sandy plain, +covered with tall grass, and dotted here and there with clumps of baobab +and dwarf palm. Occasionally a few clearings for the cultivation of the +ground nut were met, but as a rule the march was made through grass more +than waist high. The enemy showed in force, but made no serious +opposition to the advance; and, though large bodies of cavalry were +observed hanging about the flanks and rear, they showed no disposition +to close, and the towns of Kinty-Cunda and Sabba were destroyed without +loss on our side, and very small loss, if any, on the part of the enemy. + +The 19th and 20th were devoted to changing the camping ground, and +arranging a plan of campaign against Indear, the king's town, in which +the shipping might be used as a base; but, on the afternoon of the +latter day, a slave-girl, who came into the camp to claim British +protection, reported that the king's warriors, having been largely +reinforced, had come down from Indear, and had erected a stockade on the +ruins of Sabba. Although it did not suit Lieut.-Colonel Murray's plans +to return to Sabba, he did not consider it advisable to leave this +unexpected challenge unanswered; and, on the morning of February 21st, +the force again marched for Sabba. + +On approaching that town it was ascertained that a double stockade had +been built, which appeared to be full of armed men, while detached +parties were observed partially concealed in the long grass to the left +of the stockade, and facing our right. The troops were halted and formed +for attack, the Naval Brigade, consisting of seamen and marines from +H.M.S. _Arrogant_, _Falcon_, and _Torch_, being in the centre, four +companies of the 1st West India Regiment on the right, four of the 2nd +on the left, and two of the 1st in reserve. The howitzer battery at once +opened on the stockade, and, after a few rounds, the centre advanced to +within effective rifle range and commenced firing. Directly this +movement took place, the detached parties of Mandingoes on our right +approached skirmishing through the tall grass, and attacked the four +companies of the 1st West India Regiment, while large bodies of cavalry +simultaneously appeared on the left, threatening the flank of the 2nd +West India Regiment. While the 1st West India Regiment was hotly engaged +on the right, the field-guns of the Gambia Militia Artillery, under +Colonel D'Arcy, who was present as a volunteer and honorary colonel of +that corps, were hastily brought up, and opened fire on the stockade, to +breach it. As it was apparent that this would be a work of some time, +the timber of which the stockade was built being quite stout enough to +withstand for some time the fire of light guns, Lieutenant-Colonel +Murray directed the Commodore to storm. In an instant the seamen +extended, and, advancing at a sharp run, clambered over the stockades, +and, attacking the enemy with the bayonet, soon carried the place. +Acting in concert with this forward movement of the centre, the right +(1st West India Regiment) closed on the natives with whom they had been +engaged, and, cutting them off from the stockade, killed or wounded the +entire force on this side, with a loss to themselves of one officer +(Lieutenant Bourke) and twenty-two men severely wounded, besides slight +casualties. The cavalry on the left, seeing the turn affairs had taken, +withdrew without making any attack. The Naval Brigade lost Lieutenant +Hamilton, of the _Arrogant_, and three men killed, and twenty-two +wounded. + +Ensign Garsia, of the 1st West India Regiment, had a narrow escape. +Shortly before the Naval Brigade had advanced to storm, he had been +despatched by Lieutenant-Colonel Murray with an order to Major Hill, +commanding on the left, and, in crossing the front of the stockade under +a heavy fire, both he and his horse were shot and rolled over together, +Ensign Garsia being very severely wounded. While thus lying at a +distance of some seventy yards from the stockade, a Mohammedan, dressed +in yellow--a colour only assumed in this part of the world when the +wearer is engaged in some desperate enterprise--climbed over the +stockade and ran towards the wounded man with a drawn scimetar in his +hand. He escaped numerous shots that were fired at him, reached Ensign +Garsia, and had actually raised his scimetar to strike off his head, +when a wounded sailor, who was lying on the ground, shot him dead, with +his cry of exultation on his lips. + +No sooner was the enemy dispersed and in full retreat, than messengers +arrived from the King of Jocardo, whose territory is separated from +Baddiboo by the Swarra Cunda Creek, begging an interview with the +Governor, and promising that, if he would grant a three days' +armistice, he would bring together all the chiefs of the Baddiboo towns, +who were now anxious for peace, but afraid to come in. The Governor +acceded to these terms, but, in case of negotiations failing, +Lieutenant-Colonel Murray proceeded with his preparations for an advance +on Indear on the morning of the 25th. On the 24th, the Governor received +another message from the King of Jocardo, begging him to extend the +armistice for another day, the distance to the different towns being so +great. This was granted, and at 6 a.m. on the 26th, the King of Baddiboo +came to terms, promising to pay a considerable sum to the Government as +a fine for his past misdemeanours, and leaving hostages in the +Governor's hands. + +The officers of the 1st West India Regiment who took part in this +expedition were Lieutenant-Colonel A.W. Murray, Captains H. Anton, J.A. +Fraser, J. Fanning, and G.H. Duyer, Lieutenants A. Temple, J. Moffitt, +R. Brew, T. Edmunds, J. Bourke, and Ensigns M.C. Garsia and T. +Nicholson. Lieutenant-Colonel Murray was awarded the C.B. for his +services. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +THE ASHANTI EXPEDITION, 1864. + + +The head-quarters and four companies of the 1st West India Regiment had +been removed from Nassau to Barbados in the hired transport _Avon_, +before that vessel sailed for West Africa, and on the 3rd of March, +1861, the six companies of the regiment embarked in her at the Gambia +for the West Indies. During the four years' tour of service which they +had just completed, five officers had fallen victims to the fatal West +African climate, Lieutenant Kenrick having died at Sierra Leone, in +August, 1857; Lieutenant Leggatt, in February, 1859; Brevet-Major Pratt, +in July, 1859; and Captain Owens, in July, 1860; while Lieutenant E. +Smith had died at the Gambia, in September, 1859. + +On the arrival of the wing from West Africa, the regiment was +distributed in the West Indies as follows: The head-quarters, with Nos. +5, 7, and 8, the Grenadier and Light Companies at Barbados; Nos. 1 and 2 +at St. Lucia; No. 3 at Trinidad; and Nos. 4 and 6 at Demerara. Towards +the close of the year the practice of selecting men for flank companies +was forbidden by Horse Guards General Order, and the grenadier and light +companies became Nos. 9 and 10. + +The regiment remained thus stationed until December, 1862, when the +three existing West India Regiments were called upon to furnish two +companies each for the formation of a new 4th West India Regiment, and +Nos. 9 and 10 Companies of the 1st West India Regiment were transferred. +In the same month, No. 1 Company rejoined head-quarters from St. Lucia. +The establishment of the regiment was now eight instead of ten companies +as formerly. + +On the 23rd of December, 1862, a detachment of three companies (Nos. 5, 7, +and 8) embarked in the troopship _Adventure_, under Lieutenant-Colonel +Macauley, and proceeded to Honduras, arriving there on January 3rd, +1863. A war of reprisals between the Santa Cruz and Ycaiche Indians was +then raging on the frontier, and the greatest vigilance was necessary to +prevent violation of British territory, the detachments of the regiment +at the outposts of Orange Walk and Corosal being continually employed. + +In March, 1863, the whole of the southern side of Belize was destroyed +by fire, and the detachment of the 1st West India Regiment there +stationed received the thanks of the Legislative Assembly for the +assistance it had rendered in preventing the conflagration spreading, a +sum of $200 being voted for the men, "as an acknowledgment of the +valuable services rendered by them." In this, or the preceding year, +companies were designated alphabetically instead of numerically; No. 1 +becoming "A," No. 2, "B," and so on. + +On the 31st of October, 1863, A Company, with the head-quarters, +embarked at Barbados on board the troopship _Megaera_, which had arrived +the day before from Demerara with D and F Companies. The vessel then +proceeded to St. Lucia, where B Company was embarked, and all four went +to Nassau. The distribution of the regiment was then: 4 companies at +Nassau, 3 in Honduras, and 1 in Trinidad. + +In 1863 occurred what is usually called the Second Ashanti War. It was +caused, as almost every Ashanti war or threat of invasion has been +caused, by the refusal of the Governor of the Gold Coast to surrender to +the Ashanti King fugitives who had sought British protection. In revenge +for this refusal an Ashanti force made a raid into the Protectorate, and +reinforcements were at once asked for by the Colonial Government. In +December, 1863, B Company, 1st West India Regiment, under Captain Bravo, +embarked at Nassau in H.M.S. _Barracouta_ for Jamaica, and proceeded, +towards the end of February, 1864, to Honduras, in the troopship +_Tamar_. There E and G Companies embarked, and all three, under the +command of Major Anton, sailed for Cape Coast Castle on the 2nd of +March, arriving there on the 9th of April. The officers of the regiment +serving with these companies were Major Anton, Captains Bravo and +Hopewell Smith, Lieutenants J.A. Smith, Gavin, Roberts, Smithwick, +Lowry, Barlow, Allinson, and Ensign Alt. + +On the arrival of the detachment of the 1st West India Regiment at Cape +Coast Castle, the strength of the expeditionary force was as follows: + + Officers. Men. + 1st West India Regiment 11 300 + 2nd West India Regiment 6 170 + 3rd West India Regiment 6 170 + 4th West India Regiment 30 850 + 5th West India Regiment 4 10 + --- --- + 57 1,500 + +The rainy season--the most unhealthy period of the year on the Gold +Coast--was then commencing, and the Government appear to have had some +idea of making an advance upon Coomassie at its close--about the month +of June or July. In order to have everything in readiness for the +forward movement, depots of stores and munitions of war had been +established at Mansu and Prahsu, and at Swaidroo in Akim, detachments of +troops being stationed at these places for their protection. These +detachments the Colonel commanding the troops on the Gold Coast +determined to maintain during the rainy season, and it fell to the lot +of B and G Companies of the 1st West India Regiment to be detailed for +the fatal duty of relieving the detachment then encamped at Prahsu. + +Towards the end of the month of April these two companies, under +Captains Bravo and Hopewell Smith, started amidst continuous torrents +of rain on their march of seventy-four miles to the Prah. They had, +since their arrival, been encamped with E Company on the open space to +the west of the town known as the parade ground, there being no +accommodation for them in the Castle; and owing to the unsanitary +condition of the site and the want of proper shelter, had already begun +to suffer from the effects of the climate. + +On arriving at the Prah they encamped at the ford of Prahsu, at a point +where the river, making a sudden bend, enclosed the encampment on three +sides. Here in the midst of a primeval forest, on the banks of a +pestilential stream, without proper shelter or proper food, they +remained for nearly three months. The sickness that ensued was almost +unparalleled. Before they had been a month encamped, four officers and +102 men were sick out of seven officers and 214 men who had marched out +of Cape Coast; and the hospital accommodation was so bad that the men +had to lie on the wet ground with pools of water under them. The rains +were unusually severe, the camp speedily became a swamp, the troops had +worse food than usual, and, above all, were compelled to remain +inactive. The small force had no means of communication with the coast, +and no expectation of a reinforcement; and, had the enemy made an +appearance, the troops were hardly in a fit state to defend themselves. +Day after day torrents of rain fell; it was impossible to light fires +for cooking purposes except under flimsy sheds of palm branches; and +night after night officers and men turned into their wretched and +dripping tents hungry and drenched to the skin. Neither was there any +occupation for the mind or body, and universal gloom and despondency set +in. It was no unusual thing for two funerals to take place in one day, +and the unfortunate soldiers saw their small force diminishing day by +day, apparently forgotten and neglected by the rest of the world. + +By a general order published at Cape Coast Castle, on the 30th of May, +1864, the garrison at Prahsu was, on account of the sickness there +prevailing, reduced to 100 men; and on the 6th of June, G Company, under +Captain Hopewell Smith, marched from the Prah and proceeded to Anamaboe, +a village on the sea-coast some thirteen miles to the east of Cape Coast +Castle. B Company still continued to suffer severely, and on the 18th of +June, 57 men were in hospital out of a total strength of 100. + +At last the Imperial Government resolved to put a stop to the waste of +life that was taking place, and sent out instructions to the Colonial +Government that all operations against the Ashantis were to cease, and +the troops to be withdrawn. The welcome intelligence reached Prahsu on +the 26th of June, but the work of burying the guns and destroying the +stores and ammunition, which had been collected there at such great +labour and expense that the Government did not care to incur it again +in their removal, occupied several days, and it was not until the 12th +of July that the detachment marched out of the deadly camp on the Prah. + +On the 27th of July, the hired transport _Wambojeez_ arrived at Cape +Coast Castle, to remove the detachments of the 1st and 2nd West India +Regiments to the West Indies, and on the 30th they embarked. The day +before their embarkation the following general order was issued: + + "(General Order, No. 285.) + + "BRIGADE OFFICE, CAPE COAST CASTLE, + "_28th July, 1864_. + + "Paragraph 3.--The Lieutenant-Colonel commanding feels great + pleasure in publishing, for the information of the officers and + soldiers of the 1st and 2nd West India Regiments about to embark for + the West Indies, the following handsome testimony of their + soldierlike conduct while employed on the late expedition, by His + Excellency Governor Pine, in which feelings and kind sentiments the + Lieutenant-Colonel fully concurs, adding his own thanks to Major + Anton and Captain Reece for the ready and cheerful manner in which + they co-operated with him in carrying out the duties of the command, + and to the officers and men under their respective orders. + + "It is a pleasing duty to the Lieutenant-Colonel to have to announce + to these corps that, from the day they took the field until this + hour, not a complaint has been brought by an inhabitant against any + of the men, so excellent has the conduct of all been. + + "It is also gratifying to Lieutenant-Colonel Conran to see so few + men on the sick list when about to embark, considering the large + numbers that were reported sick on their return from the front." + + "GOVERNMENT HOUSE, CAPE COAST, + "_27th July, 1864_. + + "SIR, + + "On the eve of the departure of the detachments of the 1st and 2nd + West India Regiments, which have been annexed to your command on my + requisition since April last, I request that you will be pleased to + permit me, through you, to record my thanks as Governor of these + settlements for the services they have performed conjointly with + yourself and regiment. + + "I feel that I have been the means of imposing upon Her Majesty's + troops a laborious, ungracious, and apparently thankless duty; but + my intentions and motives have been so fully, and I trust, + satisfactorily discussed throughout Great Britain, that I dare hope + that the officers and men will believe that I invited them to + participate in a constitutional measure, which I felt convinced + would add to their military reputation and honour. + + "To the decision of Her Majesty's Government as to its altered + policy we are all compelled to bow, and it only remains for me to + express my regret to every officer and man of the 1st and 2nd West + India Regiments, for the natural and laudable disappointment which + they have experienced in not being engaged in more active military + operations, and to tender my heartfelt thanks for the prompt and + ready obedience with which they responded to my call on behalf of + our Royal Mistress, and for their patience and endurance under + extraordinary trial. + + "Major Anton I have served with, and marked with admiration his + display of fortitude, moral courage, and disinterested kindness + during the fearful epidemic of 1859 in the Gambia. Captain Bravo, as + second in command in the Gambia, was my esteemed friend, and enjoyed + the respect of all who knew him. + + * * * * * + + "This hasty and imperfect notice I trust you will not deem unworthy + of being communicated to the highest military authority, and I shall + esteem myself fortunate indeed if I shall be instrumental in the + remotest degree in their advancement. + + "I have, etc., + (Signed) "RICHARD PINE, + "Governor and Commander-in-Chief, Gold Coast. + + "The Hon. Colonel CONRAN, + "Commanding the troops on the Gold Coast." + +The _Wambojeez_ arrived at Barbados on the 3rd of September; there the +detachment of the 1st West India Regiment embarked by companies in +H.M.S. _Pylades_, _Greyhound_, and _Styx_, for Jamaica, and disembarked +at Port Royal on the 15th of September. H and C Companies rejoining at +Jamaica soon after from Honduras and Trinidad, the distribution of the +regiment was as follows: head-quarters and three companies at Nassau, +five companies in Jamaica. + + NOTE.--Out of the 11 officers and 300 non-commissioned officers and + men who landed at Cape Coast Castle on the 9th April, only 6 + officers and 269 non-commissioned officers and men re-embarked on + July 30th, 5 officers having been invalided, and 31 men having died + during their short stay of three months and a half. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +THE JAMAICA REBELLION, 1865. + + +In October, 1865, a rebellion broke out amongst the black population of +Jamaica. On the 7th of that month, at the Petty Sessions at Morant Bay, +a prisoner, who had been convicted of an assault, was rescued from the +police, and on the 9th a warrant was issued for the apprehension of two +persons named Bogle and several others, who were stated to have taken an +active part in the riot of the 7th. Six policemen and two rural +constables proceeded, early on the morning of the 10th of October, to +execute this warrant at Stony Gut, about five miles from Morant Bay, +where Paul Bogle and some other of the alleged rioters lived. They found +Bogle in his yard, and told him that they had a warrant for his +apprehension. He desired to have the warrant read to him, which was +done. He then said that he would not go, and upon one of the policemen +proceeding to apprehend him, he cried out: "Help, here!" At the same +time, a man named Grant, who was with him, and who was addressed as +"Captain," called out, "Turn out, men." Almost immediately a body of +men, variously estimated at from 300 to 500, armed with cutlasses, +sticks, and pikes, rushed out from a chapel where Bogle was in the habit +of preaching, and from an adjoining cane-field, and attacked the +policemen. + +The police were, of course, overpowered. Some of them were severely +beaten. Three of their number were made prisoners and detained for +several hours, being ultimately only released upon their taking an oath +that they would "join their colour," and "cleave to the black." + +So far, perhaps, the disturbances might have been considered to be +nothing more than an ordinary riot; but the proceedings of the rioters +on the following day soon put their intentions beyond all reasonable +doubt. + +On the 11th of October the Vestry, consisting of certain elected members +and magistrates, assembled in the court-house at Morant Bay about noon, +and proceeded with their ordinary business till between three and four +o'clock, when notice was given that a crowd of people was approaching. +The volunteers were hastily called together, and almost immediately +afterwards a body of men, armed with cutlasses, sticks, bayonets, and +muskets, after having attacked the police station and obtained +possession of such arms as were there deposited, were seen entering a +large open space facing the court-house, in front of which the +volunteers had been drawn up. The Custos, Baron Ketelhodt, went out to +the steps, and called to the people to know what they wanted. He +received no answer, and his cries of "Peace! peace!" were met by cries +from the crowd of "War!" + +As the advancing mob drew near, the volunteers retired till they reached +the steps of the court-house. The Custos then began to read the Riot +Act. While he was in the act of reading it stones were thrown at the +volunteers, and Captain Hitchins, who commanded them, was struck in the +forehead. The captain, having received authority from the Custos, then +gave the word to fire. The order was obeyed, and some of the rioters +were seen to fall. The volunteers were soon overpowered, and the +court-house, in which refuge was sought, was set on fire. Many people +were barbarously murdered while trying to escape. Eighteen persons, +including the Custos, two sons of the rector, the Island Curate of Bath, +the Inspector of Police, the captain, two lieutenants, a sergeant, and +three privates of volunteers were killed. Thirty-one persons were +wounded. + +After this the town remained in possession of the rioters. The gaolers +were compelled to throw open the prison doors, and fifty-one prisoners +who were there confined were released. Several stores were attacked, and +from one of them a considerable quantity of gunpowder was taken. An +attempt was made to force the door of the magazine, where about 300 +stand of arms were stored. Fortunately the endeavour was not successful. + +Major-General L.S. O'Connor, commanding the troops in Jamaica, was +inspecting the left wing of the 1st West India Regiment, under Major +Anton, at Up Park Camp, on the morning of the 11th of October, when the +news of the riot at Stony Gut on the 10th arrived, with a requisition +from Governor Eyre for 100 men in aid of the civil power. In less than +an hour Captain Ross's company paraded and marched to Kingston, where +they embarked in H.M.S. _Wolverine_. Unfortunately, it not being +supposed that there was any necessity for urgency, the _Wolverine_ did +not leave Port Royal for Morant Bay until daybreak on the 12th. At about +noon on the 12th the news of the massacre of the magistrates reached +Port Royal, where Major-General O'Connor was inspecting the detachment +of the 1st West India Regiment, under Captain Luke. In two hours from +the receipt of the intelligence, the company embarked on board H.M.S. +_Onyx_, and landed at Morant Bay on the morning of the 13th. + +Captain Ross, on arriving at Morant Bay, had found the town deserted by +all the Europeans, except Mr. Georges, who was severely wounded with +three musket balls in his leg. The bodies of the unfortunate +magistrates, many of which were barbarously mutilated, were buried by +this company. This duty performed, the men patrolled the roads in the +neighbourhood, and many ladies, whose husbands had been murdered or +taken prisoners, and who had fled with their children, on the approach +of the rioters, to bamboo thickets or other shelter, hearing the sound +of the bugles, came in for protection. Numbers of them had passed the +night in copses, from which, trembling with terror, they had seen their +houses pillaged. + +On the 12th of October, large parties of the rebels, armed with guns and +cutlasses, marched in military order through Bath and other contiguous +districts. Stores were pillaged, and property taken or destroyed. Blue +Mountain Valley Estate, Amity Hall, Monklands, which is sixteen miles +from Morant Bay, and Hordley Estate, were all attacked by the +insurgents, the occupiers barely escaping with their lives. At Blue +Mountain Valley and Amity Hall, barbarous murders were perpetrated. + +On the 13th of October, martial law was proclaimed throughout the county +of Surrey (except the county and city of Kingston), and Major-General +O'Connor immediately took steps to hem in the disturbed districts. On +the 15th of October, a detachment of the 1st West India Regiment was +sent to Port Antonio; and at mid-day, Captain Hole, of the 6th Regiment, +with 40 men of his own corps, and 60 of the 1st West India Regiment, +under Ensign Cullen, marched from that place to Manchioneal, twenty +miles eastward of Port Antonio. On the same day, 120 men of the 6th +Regiment, under Colonel Hobbs, occupied (as head-quarters) Monklands, in +the district of the Blue Mountain Valley, about sixteen miles from +Morant Bay. Captain Strachan's company of the 1st West India Regiment +proceeded to Spanish Town, whence Lieutenant Allinson, with 31 men, was +sent on to Linstead, where a repetition of the Morant Bay massacre was +apprehended. A detachment of the 6th was sent to Buff Bay to protect +some valuable sugar estates. + +On the 13th and two succeeding days the insurgents continued their +course through Port Morant northward to Manchioneal, and on to Mulatto +River and Elmwood; the last of which places is situated in the most +northerly part of St. Thomas-in-the-East, where that parish abuts upon +Portland. As they advanced with the cry of "colour for colour" they were +joined by a considerable number of negroes, who readily assisted in the +work of plundering. The houses and stores were sacked. The intention +also of taking the lives of the whites was openly avowed, and diligent +search was made for particular individuals. But in each case the +imperilled person had timely notice, and sought safety in flight. + +Elmwood was the point furthest from Morant Bay to which the disturbances +extended; the arrival of the troops at Port Antonio, on the 15th, +putting a stop to the further progress of the insurgents northwards. +Thus in the course of four days the rebels had spread over a tract of +country extending from White Horses, a few miles to the west of Morant +Bay, to Elmwood, at a distance of upwards of thirty miles to the +north-east of that place. + +In the meantime, detachments of troops were rapidly converging upon the +disturbed districts. As the rebels were reported to be occupying Stony +Gut, an almost impregnable ravine three miles in length, a detachment of +the 6th Regiment was sent to dislodge them. Captain Luke, 1st West India +Regiment, by a rapid and judicious movement of his company towards Cuna +Cuna Gap, rescued from the hands of the insurgents upwards of eighty +Europeans and influential people of colour, who had, with their wives +and children, been in hiding for three or four days in the woods and +mountains, and conveyed them to a place of safety. Captain Hole moved +towards Bath from Manchioneal, and, in a despatch to Brigadier-General +Nelson, he mentions "a meritorious act of three privates of the 1st West +India Regiment deserving commendation. The three men got separated from +their party, and proceeded as far as the Plantain Garden River, where a +great number of rebels are lurking. The soldiers encountering the +rebels, shot several--among them three of the murderers of Mr. Hire--and +brought back with them two cartloads of plunder, among which was some of +Mr. Hire's clothing, and other property." + +Kingston, as has been said, was exempted from martial law, and +consequently became the refuge of the most disaffected people. Arrests +were made hourly, and upwards of two hundred political prisoners were +confined in the military custody of the 1st West India Regiment at Up +Park Camp, which was under martial law. Threats were daily circulated +that the city would be fired in various places, and the streets were +patrolled by day and night. Sunday, the 22nd of October, was said to be +fixed for a massacre of the loyal inhabitants while at church, and such +universal panic prevailed, that every place of worship was on that day +empty. + +The insurgents gradually dispersed as the troops advanced, numbers being +captured. On the 23rd of October, Paul Bogle, the ringleader, was taken; +and, on the 24th, was tried and hanged. On the same day, George William +Gordon, a coloured member of the House of Assembly, who had been tried +by a court-martial on the 21st, and found guilty of complicity in the +rebellion, was hanged at Morant Bay. All the insurgents taken in arms +were put to death, and the houses of those who were known to have taken +part in the insurrection were burned. By these vigorous measures all +outward signs of resistance were crushed, and the movement prevented +from becoming general; though reports were constantly received from +various parts of the island, of disloyalty and seditious intentions. + +On the 29th of October, letters D and F Companies of the 1st West India +Regiment, with Major McBean, Captains Ormsby and Smithwick, Lieutenants +Lowry, Niven, Hill, and Bale, and Ensign Cole, arrived from Nassau. +Detachments were at once sent to Port Maria under Captain Ormsby, to +Savannah la Mar under Lieutenant Hill, and to Vere under Lieutenant +Bale. The 2nd West India Regiment, arriving from Barbados, was stationed +along the north-western coast of the island. + +From evidence subsequently obtained it was evident that the rising had +been long planned, and that the outbreak at Morant Bay was premature. It +is clear that meetings took place, where bodies of men were drilled, +oaths administered, and the names of persons registered. The insurgents +were so confident of ultimate success that the crops were uninjured, and +the buildings for the most part preserved; they openly avowing that they +intended taking them for themselves, when the whites were expelled. The +rebels appear to have expected that the Maroons would join them, but +that people remained faithful to their allegiance, and assisted in the +suppression of the disturbances. + +Although all the rebels in the field were taken or dispersed before the +end of October, the island was not entirely quiet for some time after; +and as late as the 14th of December, a detachment of the 1st West India +Regiment, under Captain Ross, was sent from Black River to Oxford +Estate, thirty miles distant, that place being reported to be +disaffected. + +Major-General O'Connor, in his despatch reporting the restoration of +order, says: "The men employed in the field, exposed to the tropical +sun, heavy rains, constant and long marches by day and night, have all +(the 2nd 6th Regiment, and the 1st West India Regiment) highly +distinguished themselves by their patience, perseverance, and general +good conduct." He might have added that the fidelity of the black +soldiers of the 1st West India Regiment could hardly have been put to a +more crucial test. Nine-tenths of those men were Jamaicans, born and +bred, and in the work of suppressing the rebellion they were required to +hang, capture, and destroy the habitations of not only their countrymen +and friends, but, in many instances, of their near relatives. Yet in no +single case did any man hesitate to obey orders, nor was the loyalty of +any one soldier ever a matter for doubt. + +Governor Eyre having, by his prompt and vigorous measures, saved the +colony of Jamaica from a repetition of those horrors which devastated +the French West India Islands in the early part of the century, was +subjected to a most vindictive and ungenerous attack on the part of the +Exeter Hall party in England. By that party the judicial executions of +the rebels were stigmatised as "atrocities," while the massacre at +Morant Bay and the murders of the planters were only spoken of as +"unfortunate occurrences." Owing to their clamour, a commission was sent +out from England to inquire into the state of affairs in the colony. The +commission arrived at the following conclusion: "That though the +original design for the overthrow of constituted authority was confined +to a small portion of the parish of St. Thomas-in-the-East, yet that the +disorder, in fact, spread with singular rapidity over an extensive tract +of country, and that such was the state of excitement prevailing in +other parts of the island, that had more than a momentary success been +obtained by the insurgents, their ultimate overthrow would have been +attended with a still more fearful loss of life and property." + +Many of the disaffected negroes, finding that they were being backed up +by an influential party in England, preferred the most unfounded charges +against several of the officers who had been most active in the +suppression of the rebellion. Amongst others, Ensign Cullen, of the 1st +West India Regiment, was charged with having had three men wantonly shot +at Duckinfield Suspension Bridge, on the 21st of October, while on the +march from Manchioneal to Golden Grove; and Staff-Assistant-Surgeon +Morris, who had been in medical charge of Ensign Cullen's detachment, +was charged with shooting a fourth man. + +After these charges had been allowed to hang over these officers' heads +for nearly a year, they were given an opportunity of clearing themselves +before a general court martial, which assembled at Up Park Camp on the +2nd of October, 1866, and terminated its proceedings on the 4th of +December. It is needless to say that both were acquitted.[59] + +For the valuable and efficient services rendered by the regiment during +this rebellion, the House of Assembly in Jamaica voted the sum of L100 +to be expended in plate. + +In March, 1866, all being quiet in Jamaica, Captain Smithwick's company +returned to Nassau in H.M.S. _Sphynx_, being followed by Captain +Ormsby's company, in August, in H.M.S. _Barracouta_. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 59: The following was the composition of the court: + + Lieutenant-Colonel R.T. Farren, C.B., Depot Battalion--President. + Major W.R. Williamson, 48th Regiment } + " J.H. Campbell, 71st " } + Captain F.D. Walters, 44th " } + " J.G. Day, 28th " } + " J.A. Barstow, 89th " } Members. + " J.L. Seton, 102nd " } + " C.V. Oliver, 66th " } + " J.T. Ready, 66th " } + Captain Maclean, Rifle Brigade--Officiating Judge Advocate. + Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel C.F.J. Daniell, 28th Regiment--Prosecutor. + +] + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +AFRICAN TOUR, 1866-70. + + +In August, 1866, it again became the turn of the 1st West India Regiment +to furnish a portion of the garrisons of the Western Coast of Africa. +The system of these garrisons had again been changed, and now consisted +of one battalion divided between Sierra Leone and the Gambia, and half a +battalion distributed between the Gold Coast and Lagos. At this time the +left wing of the 2nd West India Regiment was garrisoning the two latter +colonies, and the 1st West India Regiment was to garrison the two +former. + +On the 29th of August, 1866, four companies under Major Anton embarked +at Jamaica in H.M.S. _Simoom_, and proceeded to Africa; two being landed +at the Gambia on the 28th of September, and two at Sierra Leone on the +6th of October. The _Simoom_, returning to the West Indies, embarked the +remaining company at Jamaica in November; and proceeding to Nassau, the +head-quarters and three companies there stationed were also embarked, +the whole arriving at Sierra Leone, under Captain Bravo, on the 31st of +December. The distribution of the regiment now was: Head-quarters, with +A, B, D, E, F, and G Companies at Sierra Leone; C and H Companies at the +Gambia. Major Anton was in command at the latter station, and on the +25th of May, 1867, Lieutenant-Colonel Yonge arrived at Sierra Leone and +assumed command there. + +In the beginning of August, 1867, a disturbance of a serious character +occurred on the Gold Coast at Mumford, a town situated half-way between +Cape Coast Castle and Accra; and Lieutenant H.F.S. Bolton, 1st West +India Regiment, who, being temporarily in the employ of the Colonial +Government, was Civil Commandant of the latter town, was despatched with +a party of the 2nd West India Regiment to establish order. The cause of +the disturbance was an old-standing quarrel between two of the native +companies at Mumford, and a conflict had taken place, resulting in a +large number of killed and wounded. On the arrival of the troops the +principal offenders were arrested, and order was restored. + +Since the arrival of the regiment in Africa, small detachments had been +furnished from Sierra Leone to Sherbro, Songo-town, and the island of +Bulama, at the mouth of the Jeba River. In September, 1867, the troops +were withdrawn from the latter station. + +In October, 1867, Lieutenant Bolton was employed in arresting some +recalcitrant chiefs at Pram-Pram, near Accra, Lieutenant Ness, 2nd West +India Regiment, with a detachment of that corps, acting under his +orders. The service was attended with considerable difficulty and some +danger, and the following general order was published on the subject, +dated Cape Coast Castle, January 15th, 1868: + +"The officer commanding the troops has much gratification in publishing +in orders an extract of a letter received from the Horse Guards, +expressing the approval of His Royal Highness the Field-Marshal +Commanding-in-Chief, of the manner in which the difficult duties were +carried out by the officers and troops employed in the recent expedition +to Pram-Pram. + +"'The attention of the Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief having been +drawn to a despatch, received at the Colonial Office, from the +Administrator-in-Chief of the West Africa settlements, containing a very +favourable account of the conduct of Lieutenant H.F.S. Bolton, of the +1st West India Regiment, and Lieutenant (now Captain) Ness, of the 4th +West India Regiment,[60] and of the troops under their command, on a +recent expedition to some chiefs at Pram-Pram and Ningo, on the Gold +Coast; I am directed to acquaint you that His Royal Highness considers +the report to be highly satisfactory, and I have to request that you +will express to the officers and troops employed on the service in +question, His Royal Highness's approval of the manner in which they +carried out the very difficult duties they had to perform.'" + +On the 9th of August, 1868, at the request of the Governor-in-chief, the +garrison of the 2nd West India Regiment on the Gold Coast being much +below its allotted strength, E Company, 1st West India Regiment, 100 +strong, proceeded to Cape Coast Castle, under Lieutenant C.J.L. Hill, +and, in consequence of this reduction of the Sierra Leone garrison, the +Songo-town detachment was withdrawn. + +In January, 1869, a company under Captain K.R. Niven, with Ensign W.A. +Broome, was despatched to Sherbro Island for the protection of British +subjects, an invasion of that island being hourly expected. The presence +of the troops soon produced the desired effect, and the detachment +returned to Sierra Leone on the 27th of February. + +In April, 1869, in consequence of the difficulty experienced by the +Colonial Government in arresting certain rebellious chiefs at the +Amissah River, about twenty miles to the east of Cape Coast Castle, the +police having been attacked and driven off, the Acting Administrator, +Mr. W.H. Simpson, applied for a military party to aid in establishing +the authority of the Government over the people of that place; and, on +the 7th of that month, Lieutenant E.G. Macdonald, 1st West India +Regiment, with twenty-five non-commissioned officers and men of letter +E Company, marched for Anamaboe, leaving that place next morning for +Amissah River. On arriving there the chiefs were captured with some +little difficulty, and the party returned to Cape Coast next day. + +On the 1st of April, 1869, the 4th West India Regiment was disbanded, +and the three remaining West India regiments were each augmented by one +company; the detachment of the 4th West India Regiment at Jamaica being +formed into the ninth, or letter "I," Company of the 1st West India +Regiment. On the 30th of September, 1869, it embarked for Honduras in +the brigantine _W.N.Z._, under Major McAuley, arriving at its +destination on the 14th of October. + +In May, 1869, the Gambia was visited by a severe epidemic of cholera. +Owing to the sanitary measures adopted by Major W.W.W. Johnston, 1st +West India Regiment, commanding the troops, the regiment escaped with +only eighteen deaths out of the 200 men there stationed between the 5th +of May and the 6th of June, the period when the epidemic was at its +height; while in the town there were more than 1500 deaths, out of a +population of some 5000. + +In 1870 the three years' tour of service of the regiment on the West +Coast of Africa expired. The 3rd West India Regiment having been +disbanded, a considerable reduction in the West African garrisons became +necessary, and it was intended that the relief for the eight companies +of the 1st West India Regiment should consist of four companies of the +2nd. On the 24th of May, the head-quarters, with A, B, and F Companies, +under Captain Samson, embarked at Sierra Leone in H.M.S. _Orontes_, +which, proceeding to the Gambia, took on board the two companies there +on the 29th. The head-quarters, with the three companies from Sierra +Leone, landed at Jamaica on the 27th of June, and the _Orontes_ then +sailed for Nassau, where the two companies from the Gambia were +disembarked. On the return of the troopship to the West Coast of Africa +with the four companies of the 2nd West India Regiment, the company of +the 1st West India Regiment at Cape Coast Castle was embarked on the +24th of August, and the remaining two at Sierra Leone on the 27th. All +three proceeded to Jamaica, under the command of Captain J.A. Smith, and +landed at Kingston on the 3rd of October. The distribution of the +regiment was now as follows: head-quarters and six companies at Jamaica, +two at Nassau, and one at Honduras. On the 15th of November, F Company, +under Captain Butler, embarked at Jamaica for Honduras; thus making up +the detachment at that station to two companies. + +During the West African tour of 1866-70, two officers succumbed to the +influence of the climate, Lieutenant Gavin having died at Sierra Leone +on the 22nd of February, 1869, and Lieutenant Maturin on the 7th of +December of the same year. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 60: By the Gazette of September 25th, 1867, Lieutenant R.E.D. +Ness, 2nd West India Regiment, was promoted Captain, by purchase, in the +4th West India Regiment.] + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +THE DEFENCE OF ORANGE WALK, 1872. + + +On the 1st of September, 1872, a most determined attack was made by the +Ycaiche Indians on the outpost of Orange Walk, British Honduras, which +was garrisoned by thirty-eight men of the 1st West India Regiment, under +Lieutenant Joseph Graham Smith. + +Orange Walk is situated on a deep and sluggish stream in the northern +district, named the New River,[61] at a distance of some thirty-three +miles from its mouth, and, in 1872, contained a population of about 1200 +souls, the majority of whom were either Indians or Hispano-Indians, and +indifferent to British rule. The business portion of the town, and most +of the shops or stores, were on hilly ground, considerably above the +river-bed, and built here and there, without an attempt at order or +regularity. About midway between the river and this upper portion of the +town was the barrack, consisting of one large room, sixty feet by +thirty feet, the two ends of which were partitioned off, leaving the +central part for the men's quarters. The partitioned portion at the +south end was used as a guard-room. The walls of the building were +constructed of _pimentos_, or round straight sticks, varying from +half-an-inch to three inches in diameter, driven firmly into the ground, +in an upright position, as close together as possible, and held in their +places by pine-wood battens. The roof was composed of palm-leaves, or +"fan-thatch." The floor was boarded. + +On the south-eastern side of the barrack, the ground fell towards the +river, which was about fifty yards distant. About ten yards from the +water's edge was a large quantity of logwood, packed in piles four feet +high, and some little distance from each other. Across the road, on the +southern side, were several native houses; to the east, and about forty +yards distant, was a group of four small buildings consisting of +commissariat stores and the officers' quarters; while the nearest +building on the north was the Roman Catholic Church, about eighty yards +off. + +How or when the invaders crossed the Rio Hondo, the northern boundary of +the colony, has not been ascertained; but it is a significant fact, +suggestive of strong suspicions against the loyalty of the Indian and +mixed Spanish-Indian population, whose small settlements were dotted +here and there on the line of march of the invaders, that no information +was conveyed, either to the district magistrate at Orange Walk, or to +the officer commanding the small detachment, that an enemy was at hand, +prepared, as the settlers must have known, to attack and plunder the +town. + +The Indians, consisting of about 180 braves, or fighting men, and 100 +camp followers, led by Marcus Canul, chief of the Ycaiche, approached +the town about 8 a.m. on Sunday, the 1st of September. They were divided +into three sections, each of 60 men, and they entered the town at three +different points; one attacking the upper portion, and pillaging and +setting fire to the houses and stores, the other two marching directly +upon the barracks, but from opposite sides. Of these latter two, one +took up a position behind the stacks of logwood, thus commanding one +side and one end of the barrack; and the other established itself close +to the officers' quarters, under cover of a stone building, which +commanded the other side of the barrack and the end already commanded +from the stacks of logwood. + +So sudden and unexpected was the attack, that Lieutenant Graham Smith +and Staff-Assistant-Surgeon Edge, who were both at the time having their +morning baths, barely had time to escape to the barracks; Lieutenant +Smith, with nothing on but his trousers, and Dr. Edge in a state of +nudity; while the first notice the men in the barrack had of the +approach of the enemy, was the shower of lead which rattled on the +building. + +Lieutenant Graham Smith says: "At about 8 a.m. on September 1st, I was +bathing, when I heard the report of a gun and the whizz of a bullet +along the road running past the south end of the barrack-room. I looked +out of the door of my house facing the barracks, and saw the corporal of +the old guard, which had just been relieved, running towards me. He +said, 'The Indians have come.' I repeated this to Dr. Edge, who was +living in the same quarters with me, then put on my trousers, ran across +to the barrack-room, and got the men under arms as quickly as possible." + +Before Lieutenant Graham Smith had reached the barracks, the two +divisions of the enemy had taken up their respective positions, and were +pouring in unceasing discharges of ball, which penetrated the pimento +sticks and raked the building from end to end. The guard, the only men +who had ammunition in their possession, returned the fire, and at this +moment Lieutenant Smith arrived with Dr. Edge. + +Sergeant Belizario, coming forward and asking for ammunition to serve +out, reminded Lieutenant Smith that he had left the key of the portable +magazine, in which the ammunition was kept, in his quarters. The open +space between his quarters and the barrack-room was swept with an +unceasing shower of lead; but there was no help for it, and the key had +to be fetched. Accompanied by Sergeant Belizario, Lieutenant Smith ran +over to his house, seized the key, and ran back. Most marvellously both +escaped injury, though the ground all around them was cut up by bullets. +The portable magazine was kept in the partitioned end that served as a +guard-room, and there was no door of communication between the central +portion, where the men lived, and this room. Sergeant Belizario +therefore ran out of the barrack-room, along the side of the building, +into the guard-room, and endeavoured to drag the portable magazine back +with him. He succeeded in moving it outside the guard-room and a little +way along the wall, but further he could not drag it. All this time he +was exposed to a heavy fire, and every musket-barrel from the stone +building on the eastern side of the barrack was pointed at his body. +Finding that all his efforts to move the magazine were fruitless, +Sergeant Belizario unlocked it, and, taking out the ammunition, passed +packet after packet to the men inside, through the opening under the +eaves left for ventilation, between the thatched roof and the top of the +pimento wall, till the magazine was emptied. This done, he returned to +the barrack-room. He seemed to have borne a charmed life, for he was +untouched, while the portable magazine was starred with the white +splashes of leaden bullets. + +A hot fire was now opened by the soldiers, and Lieutenant Graham Smith, +taking a rifle, placed himself at the west door of the barracks to try +and pick off some of the most daring of the Indians. Whilst there he was +struck in the left side, and, at the same instant, Private Robert Lynch, +who was standing next him, fell dead, pierced by two shots. + +Notwithstanding his wound, which was very severe, the ball penetrating +the left breast a little above the heart, and passing nearly through +him, finally lodging under the left shoulder-blade, Lieutenant Smith +continued directing and encouraging his men; and finding that the whole +interior was swept by the missiles of the enemy, against which the frail +pimento-sticks were no protection, he ordered the men to turn down their +cots, and, lying on their beds, to fire over the iron heads of the cots. +In this position they were tolerably well sheltered, though the Indians +were so close that several of the iron heads were shot through. + +In this place it will be proper to refer to a soldier who, all this +time, was outside the barrack. This was Private Bidwell, who, when the +Indians arrived, had just been posted sentry on a commissariat store +close to the officers' quarters. The occupation of one of this group of +buildings cut him off from the barrack-room; so, after bayoneting one +Indian, he ran over to an enclosure belonging to Don Escalente, situated +to the north of the store. From the shelter of the fence of this +enclosure he fired into the Indians in the stone building till his ten +rounds of ammunition were exhausted. He then said to Don Escalente, "I +am going over to the barracks for more cartridges," and, before he could +be dissuaded, ran out from the shelter and endeavoured to cross the open +space to the barrack. On the way he received a mortal wound, but +succeeded in joining his comrades. + +The Indians, impatient at the delay caused by the obstinate resistance +of the soldiers, now vacated the houses on the further side of the road, +opposite the southern end of the barracks, and set fire to the thatched +roofs, hoping to involve the barracks in a general conflagration. The +houses burned fiercely, and the flames spreading across the road, caught +a small kitchen situated not ten yards from the barracks. The Indians +raised yells of triumph, for they considered it certain that their foes +would now be driven from their shelter and then easily overpowered by +force of numbers. Indeed, it is difficult to understand how the dry +palm-thatch of the barracks did fail to ignite, but it did so fail, and +the kitchen, after blazing up violently for a few minutes, fell in and +burned itself out harmlessly. + +By the destruction of these buildings the position of the soldiers was +improved, the Indians now having no cover immediately opposite the south +end of the barrack, and being compelled consequently to concentrate +behind the stacks of logwood. A party, however, of them made a circuit +and appeared on the north-west corner of the barrack, from whence they +commanded the road bounding the north side of the building. + +After the firing had continued for an hour and a half, Mr. Price, and +another American gentleman from Tower Hill Rancho, about four miles from +the barracks, having heard what was taking place, mounted and rode +towards the scene of the conflict. Creeping up the river bank +unperceived through the thick woods, they suddenly rode into and fired +upon the Indians who were in rear of the stacks of logwood. The latter, +taken by surprise, and not knowing by what unexpected force they were +attacked, left their cover for a moment and appeared on the side nearest +to the barracks. The soldiers perceiving this movement, and thinking +that the Indians were going to attempt to rush the building, fixed +bayonets, and some ran to the doors to defend the entrances. Mr. Price +and his companion, taking advantage of this and the momentary surprise +of the Indians, rushed forward and threw themselves into the barracks. + +The enemy's fire redoubled after this, and it was hotly kept up until +about half-past 1 o'clock; it then began to slacken, and by 2 o'clock +had ceased altogether. For some time no one stirred, it being suspected +that the cessation of the attack was only an Indian ruse; but after a +quarter of an hour had elapsed, Sergeant Belizario was sent out with a +party to reconnoitre. He reported that the enemy was in full retreat, +and was sent to follow them up and watch their movements. No pursuit +could be attempted. Lieutenant Graham Smith was, by this time, incapable +of further action, and out of the detachment of thirty-eight men, two +had been killed and fourteen severely wounded. + +The attack lasted altogether six hours. The Indian loss was about fifty +killed; the number of their wounded could not, of course, be +ascertained, but amongst them was Marcus Canul himself, who was +mortally wounded, and died before recrossing the Hondo. Of the +civilians, the son of Don Escalente, a boy fourteen years of age, was +killed, and seventeen were wounded. While the Indians had been occupied +in their attack on the barracks, the European women and children had +escaped from the scene of the outrage and crossed the river in boats. +Thence they had made their way through the dense forest to the village +of San Estevan, about seven miles below Orange Walk. Over 300 +bullet-holes were counted in the walls of the barrack-room, and in many +places the palmettos were shot away in patches. + +On the morning following the attack, a rumour reached the barracks that +the Indians were again in force near the town, and preparing to renew +the attack. Every preparation for giving them a warm reception was made; +but Sergeant Belizario and a small party, who went out to reconnoitre, +found that the rumour was false, although several Indians were seen in +the bush and fired upon. + +In the meantime the news of the invasion had reached Corosal and Belize, +and Captain F.B.P. White, with Lieutenant Bulger and twenty men, arrived +at Orange Walk at midnight on the 4th, being followed next day by a +further reinforcement of fifty-three officers and men, under Major +W.W.W. Johnston, but the Indians had already retired beyond the +frontier. + +A colonist, in a letter to _The Times_ on this affair, says: + +"Concerning the conduct and proceedings of the military during and +subsequent to the late invasion and attack, I have nothing to say but +what redounds to their credit and high character as British soldiers; +and if medals and crosses were distributed among the dusky warriors of +Her Majesty's land forces in this part of her dominions as freely as +among other branches of the service, all I can say is that every one of +the brave fellows, who held with such determined valour and tenacity the +barracks at Orange Walk on that memorable Sunday morning against such +fearful odds, would be entitled to a medal at least." + +The following general order was issued: "The Colonel commanding the +forces in the West Indies has received with much satisfaction an account +of the successful defence of the post of Orange Walk, British Honduras, +by a detachment of the 1st West India Regiment, under the command of +Lieutenant J. Graham Smith, against an assault of a large force of +Indians. + +"He has much pleasure in recording his high approbation of the gallant +conduct of Lieutenant Smith, who, severely wounded at the outset of the +attack, maintained the defence of his post, and retained command as long +as his strength enabled him to do so; it was then successfully +maintained under the direction of Staff-Assistant-Surgeon Edge, and +Sergeant Belizario, 1st West India Regiment, to whom also great praise +is due for their conduct and exertions; the gallant conduct of +Lance-Corporals Spencer and Stirling, Privates Hoffer, Maxwell, +Osborne, Murray, and W. Morris, has also been favourably mentioned. + +"The Colonel commanding will have great pleasure in bringing the conduct +of these officers and soldiers to the favourable notice of His Royal +Highness the Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief, and also the judicious +and energetic measures taken by Major W.W.W. Johnston, 1st West India +Regiment, commanding the troops in British Honduras, who proceeded in +person to the post which had been assailed, and followed up the +retreating enemy." + +In reply to the report made by Colonel Cox, C.B., commanding the troops, +the following letter was received, and ordered to be embodied in the +records of the regiment: + + "HORSE GUARDS, WAR OFFICE, S.W., + "_15th November, 1872_. + + "SIR, + + "Having had the honour to receive and submit to the Field-Marshal + Commanding-in-Chief, your letter of the 23rd September last, with + its several enclosures, containing a detailed account of the + exemplary and gallant conduct of a detachment of the 1st West India + Regiment, in repelling an attack of Indians on the Orange Walk + outpost of the Colony of British Honduras, together with a letter on + the same subject addressed to this department by the officer + commanding the 1st West India Regiment: + + "I have it in command to acquaint you that His Royal Highness, after + consultation with the Secretary of State for War on the subject, + has decided that the following recognition shall be at once made of + the services of the officers and men employed on that occasion, + viz.: + + "That Lieutenant Smith, late 1st West India Regiment, who was + gazetted to the 57th Regiment in August last, shall be immediately + promoted to a Company in the 97th Foot. + + "That Staff-Assistant-Surgeon Edge shall be promoted to the rank of + Surgeon, as soon as he has qualified for the higher position, and a + notification to this effect will be published in the London Gazette, + hereafter. + + "That Sergeant Edward Belizario shall receive the distinguished + conduct medal, with an annuity of L10, to be given at once, in + excess of the vote, until absorbed on the occurrence of a vacancy. + + "That Lance-Corporals Spencer and Stirling shall be granted the + distinguished conduct medal without annuity, and promoted to the + rank of Corporal, to be borne supernumerary till absorbed. + + "I am also to request that the men of the detachment specially named + in the margin[62] may be commended for their good conduct, and the + commanding officer of the regiment requested to record their claims, + and give such recognition of them regimentally as may be possible + from time to time. + + "That you will publish these, His Royal Highness's decisions, in + your general orders. + + "And that a copy of this letter may be furnished to the officer + commanding the 1st West India Regiment, for the purpose of being + entered in the Regimental Records. + + "I have, etc., + (Signed) J.W. ARMSTRONG, D.A.G." + +In consequence of the attack on Orange Walk, and on the application of +the Governor of Honduras, Captain Gardner, Lieutenant Bale, and fifty +men of the regiment, embarked at Jamaica, on the 25th of September, in +H.M.S. _Fly_, as a reinforcement for Honduras. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 61: See Map.] + +[Footnote 62: Privates Hoffer, Maxwell, S. Osborne, Murray, R.A. Morris, +and W. Tell.] + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +THE ASHANTI WAR, 1873-4. + + +On the 9th of December, 1872, the King of Ashanti despatched from +Coomassie an army of 40,000 men to invade the British Protectorate on +the Gold Coast. This army crossed the Prah in three divisions on January +29th, 1873, and spread itself slowly over the country, ravaging as it +advanced. In August, 1870, the garrisons on the West Coast of Africa had +been reduced to four companies, two at Sierra Leone, and two at Cape +Coast. This reduction, no doubt, was one of the principal causes which +led to the invasion, for at that time there were only 160 soldiers of +the 2nd West India Regiment to defend 160 miles of territory. + +In June, 1873, the head-quarters of the 2nd West India Regiment being +ordered from Demerara to Cape Coast Castle, A Company of the 1st West +India Regiment embarked at Kingston, Jamaica, on the 10th of that month, +and proceeded to Demerara to garrison that place. In September, the +native levies that had been raised on the Gold Coast to resist the +Ashantis being found utterly worthless, it was decided to send three +battalions from England and the 1st West India Regiment from Jamaica, to +invade in turn the Ashanti territory and dictate terms of peace at +Coomassie. + +On the 15th of November, the two companies (C and H) from Nassau, under +the command of Major Strachan, arrived at Jamaica, and, on the 3rd of +December, the head-quarters and five companies (B, C, E, G and H), under +the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Maxwell, embarked at Kingston on board +the hired transport _Manitoban_. Proceeding to Barbados, A Company, which +had been moved from Demerara, was embarked on the 9th of December, and the +same evening the regiment sailed for the Gold Coast, arriving at Cape Coast +Castle on the 27th, and disembarking on the 29th, 575 strong. The officers +serving with the expeditionary force were Lieutenant-Colonel Maxwell, Major +W.W.W. Johnston, Captains Sampson, Butler, Niven, J.A. Smith, Steward, +and Shearman, Lieutenants Allinson, C.J.L. Hill, Bale, Molony, Cole, +Bell, Clough, Elderton, Beale-Browne, and Barne, and Sub-Lieutenants +Harward, Spitta, Hughes, Burke, Edwardes, Tinkler, and Ellis. + +The regiment on landing was encamped on Prospect and Connor's Hills, two +heights overlooking the town of Cape Coast, and Colonel Maxwell assumed +command of the garrison in the Castle. + +Sir Garnet Wolseley having already driven the Ashantis out of the +Protectorate after the actions at Dunquah and Abracampa in November, and +having garrisoned the various stations between Cape Coast and the Prah, +had, a few days before the regiment landed, gone on to Prahsu with his +head-quarter staff. The _Himalaya_ and _Tamar_, with the 23rd Royal +Welsh Fusiliers and the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade, which had been +cruising about outside for sanitary reasons, now came into the +roadstead, where the _Sarmatian_, with the 42nd Highlanders, was already +lying, and everything was ready for the advance on Coomassie. + +Accordingly, before daybreak on the 1st of January, the right +half-battalion of the Rifle Brigade landed and commenced its march to +the front, followed the next morning by the other half-battalion. On the +mornings of the 3rd and 4th the two half-battalions of the 42nd landed, +and passed to the front in a similar manner. + +The Fantis had shown so much disinclination to act as carriers, and so +few had been obtained, that the advance of these two battalions had +exhausted all the available carriers, and there were none for the 23rd +Fusiliers. It was necessary to adopt stronger measures, unless the +expedition was to fall through, and on the 4th of January the 1st West +India Regiment was posted in a cordon of sentries around the town of +Cape Coast, while the armed police seized all the able-bodied men in the +town, except those employed as canoe-men. This step was entirely +successful, and on the morning of the 5th the right half-battalion of +the 23rd landed and marched to the front, being followed next morning by +C Company of the 1st West India Regiment. + +The difficulty with the carriers had in the meantime increased instead +of diminishing. Numbers had deserted, abandoning their loads, and the +transport was almost in a moribund condition, the 23rd Regiment being +even re-embarked for want of carriers. Sir Garnet Wolseley in this +emergency called upon the West India regiments for assistance, saying +that the fate of the expedition was hanging in the balance; and in +response to his appeal, they both volunteered to carry supplies, in +addition to their arms, accoutrements, and ammunition. + +Accordingly, on the 7th of January, the head-quarters of the regiment, +under Colonel Maxwell, with A and E Companies, marched to Inquabim, the +first stage; being followed the next morning by G and H Companies, under +Captain Butler; while B Company remained at Prospect Hill to furnish the +necessary garrison guards at Cape Coast Castle. + +The head-quarters arrived at Dunquah on the 8th, where C Company had +been halted by Colonel Colley, who was in charge of the transport and +communications, and had already been actively engaged driving in +carriers and furnishing escorts for the convoys of provisions. + +On the 9th, at 1.30 a.m., A Company, under Captain Shearman, paraded +and marched into the Ecumfie district for the purpose of driving in +carriers from that neighbourhood, and, at the same hour, the +head-quarters and E Company continued their march to Mansu, where they +arrived the same evening. + +Provisions being now urgently required at the stations immediately in +front of Mansu, 78 men of E Company, being all that were available, and +140 of the 42nd Highlanders, started at three o'clock in the morning of +the 12th, as carriers, each man with a load of 50 lb. weight, besides +his arms and accoutrements. On the evening of the same day Captain +Butler, with H Company, arrived at Mansu. + +The carriers continued deserting by whole tribes, and the need of them +had become so urgent, that orders were issued to shoot any attempting to +desert, while parties of the regiment were continually passing backwards +and forwards between Dunquah and Mansu as guards over the convoys. To +relieve the pressure, 94 men of G and C Companies left Dunquah on the +13th with ninety-four 50-lb. loads, and, reaching Mansu the same day, +started next morning at daybreak for the Prah. + +On the 17th, Captain Butler marched with H Company to Essecooma, a place +about twenty miles due east from Mansu, to drive in carriers, and a +similar party was sent out next day from Dunquah, under Lieutenant +Roper, to Adjumaco and Essiaman. + +During all these arduous duties, and since the 8th of January, so great +was the scarcity of provisions at the front, that the non-commissioned +officers and men of the regiment were placed upon half rations of salt +meat and biscuit, without the grocery ration. + +On Sunday, the 18th of January, the transport being now in sufficient +order, owing to the number of carriers driven in from the surrounding +districts by the regiment, the advance of the army commenced, and the +head-quarters of the 42nd Regiment marched from Mansu; their left wing, +and 100 men of the 23rd Fusiliers, moving up from Yancoomassie Fanti, +and occupying their lines for the night. The Rifle Brigade moved +simultaneously to the front from the stations ahead. + +Next morning, E Company, under Captain J.A. Smith, marched with the left +wing of the 42nd for the Prah, and G Company, under Captain Steward, +came up to Mansu from Dunquah, leaving A and C Companies, under Captains +Niven and Shearman, at Dunquah and the Adjumaco district. + +On the 23rd, orders were received from the front by telegram, that the +head-quarters and 200 men were to march for the Prah at once, there to +receive further orders. Captain Butler, who had been ordered in with H +Company from Essecooma, two days before, arrived at Mansu the same +evening, and the next morning, the head-quarters and G Company marched +for the Prah, H Company following on the 25th. Halting at Sutah and +Yancoomassie Assin, the head-quarters arrived at Prahsu on the 27th, +and on the morning of the 28th, the 200 men required crossed the Prah +and marched to Essiaman. During this march the men had been obliged to +carry their _tentes d'abri_, blankets and waterproof sheets, and seventy +rounds of ball ammunition, in addition to their field kits and arms and +accoutrements. On arriving at Essiaman, E Company, which, under Captain +J.A. Smith, had crossed the Prah a day or two before, was found +occupying an important post at the cross roads. + +A few minutes after reaching this village, urgent orders were received +to push on as quickly as possible to the summit of the Adansi Hills, and +again proceed to the front with all speed, leaving fifty men at +Fommanah, the capital of Adansi. On the 29th, the head-quarters were at +Accrofumu; on the 30th, they crossed the Adansi Hills, and halted at +Fommanah for the night, leaving E Company, under Captain Smith, at the +cross-roads at the foot of the hills, in accordance with later orders +that had been received, and Lieutenant Spitta with twenty-five men at +the summit. The men were now becoming much exhausted from their long +marches, marching, as they did, double stages every day. Their burdens +were unusually heavy for troops, and they were still kept on half +rations. + +At Fommanah a very pressing letter was received from the chief of the +staff, asking at what hour next day the regiment might be expected to +join the head-quarters of the army at Insarfu, what numbers it could +put into the field, and whether the boxes of small-arm ammunition +ordered up from Prahsu had arrived with it. A considerable action was +considered imminent on the morrow. + +At daylight on the morning of the 31st, the head-quarters marched to +Ahkankuassie, leaving Captain Steward and Lieutenant Hughes with fifty +men at Fommanah. At about eight o'clock the sound of heavy and sustained +musketry was heard, and the men, eager to join in the first battle +fought on Ashanti soil, pushed on. At Adadwasi a large number of +carriers, with reserve ammunition, who had halted there, frightened at +the sound of the firing, were found, and were at once taken on, arriving +at Insarfu about 1.30 p.m. + +The firing, which had ceased for a short time, now recommenced, the +Ashantis making one of their favourite flank attacks on Quarman, the +next village in front. The situation appeared grave, the town being +crowded with terrified carriers and wounded men, and Lieutenant Hill +with a half-company was sent out to act with the 2nd West India Regiment +and skirmish. + +After a time, however, the musketry ceased, and the carriers, with the +reserve ammunition, were pushed on hurriedly under the escort of a +company of the Rifle Brigade, the 1st and 2nd West India Regiments being +directed to hold Insarfu. Scarcely had the carriers started than the +firing again commenced, the ambushed Ashantis having attacked the +convoy, which fell back upon Insarfu. After a short delay, a second +attempt was made to get the ammunition through to the front, and this +time it proved successful. It was now dark, and Captain Buckle, R.E., +who had been killed that morning, was buried outside the town, the +firing party of the 1st West India Regiment being employed as +skirmishers to protect the funeral party, instead of in the usual +manner. + +The next morning, orders were received for the 2nd West India Regiment +to proceed to Amoaful, and hold it until the return of the army from +Coomassie; while the 1st West India Regiment was directed to hold +Insarfu, in which was the 2nd field hospital with 120 wounded officers +and men. The work was arduous in the extreme, the men, when not on +sentry or patrol, being employed in clearing the thick bush round the +town, and endeavouring to strengthen the post. While the engagement at +Amoaful, Quarman, and Insarfu was going on, a party of the 1st West +India Regiment, which was escorting treasure from Fommanah to Dompoassi, +was fired upon by some ambushed Ashantis about one hundred yards from +the latter village. The escort promptly returned the fire, but the +carriers all dropped their loads and ran away. After firing a few +desultory shots the Ashantis retired, and the escort remained with the +scattered boxes of specie, which were too numerous for them to carry on +themselves. Fortunately the fugitive carriers, running headlong into +Fommanah, spread the alarm, and Captain North, of the 47th Regiment, +immediately marched with a party of the 1st West India Regiment, under +Lieutenant E. Hughes, and a few men of Russell's Regiment, to Dompoassi, +near which he found the treasure quite safe, it having, with the +exception of one box, which had been dropped by its bearer some three +hundred yards down the road, away from the rest, and where a turn in the +path hid it from sight, been collected together by the escort. No trace +was found of the enemy, and the party of the 1st West India Regiment +returned to Fommanah. + +On the morning of the 2nd of February, the head-quarters of the army +advanced from Amoaful to march on Coomassie. There were, notwithstanding +the defeat on January 31st, still large numbers of Ashantis on the +flanks of the road, in the neighbourhood of Quarman and Insarfu. During +the day succeeding the battle, they concentrated lower down the road, +and, on the morning of the 2nd of February, made a desperate attempt to +sever our line of communications by attacking the post of Fommanah. + +"The post was in command of Captain Steward, 1st West India Regiment, +who had a garrison of 1 officer and 38 non-commissioned officers and +men, 1st West India Regiment; and Lieutenant Grant, 6th Regiment, with +102 of the Mumford Company of Russell's Regiment. There were also +present two transport officers--Captain North, of the 47th Regiment, and +Captain Duncan, R.A.--three surgeons, and two control officers; and in +the palace, which was situated in the main street of the long straggling +town, and used as a hospital, were 24 European soldiers and sailors, +convalescents. The pickets had reported Ashantis in the neighbourhood +early in the morning, and had been reinforced; but the village was far +too large to be capable of defence by this small garrison; and when, +about 8.30 a.m., the place was attacked from all directions by the +enemy, they were able to penetrate into it. Captain North, in virtue of +his seniority, assumed the command, but while at the head of his men was +shot down in the street of the village, and was obliged by severe loss +of blood to hand over the command to Captain Duncan, R.A. + +"The enemy, as has been said, penetrated into all the southern side of +the village, which they set on fire; meanwhile the sick from the +hospital were removed to the stockade at the north end of the village, +which was cleared as rapidly as possible, the houses being pulled down +by the troops and labourers acting under Colonel Colley's order.[63] + +"At half-past two, Colonel Colley reported as follows: 'We have now +cleared the greater part of the village, preserving the hospital and +store enclosure. Difficult to judge of numbers of the Ashantis; they +attack on all sides, and occasional ones creep boldly into the village, +but generally keep under cover of the thick bush, which in places comes +close to the houses.' The firing ceased about 1 p.m.; but on a party +going down for water an hour later, they were hotly fired upon. No +further attack was made upon the post. + +"This attack on Fommanah seriously interfered with the transport +arrangements. Hitherto, though a few shots had been fired at different +convoys, the panics and difficulties had always been overcome by the +energy of the transport officers; but the vigour and strength of this +attack frightened the carriers so thoroughly that it was impossible to +move them for some days." In this affair the 1st West India Regiment +lost one sergeant and five privates wounded, and Russell's irregulars +three men wounded. + +The Ashantis, although repulsed, still remained in the neighbourhood of +Fommanah, and on February 3rd, an escort over a convoy of carriers, +consisting of a sergeant and three men of the 1st West India Regiment, +was fired upon between Dompoassi and Fommanah, the sergeant and one +private being wounded. + +The European Brigade pushed on to Coomassie, after several days' hard +fighting, entered the Ashanti capital on the evening of the 4th of +February, burned it and marched out on the 6th, and arrived at Insarfu +on the downward journey on the 9th. Lieutenant-Colonel Johnston, +commanding the head-quarters of the 1st West India Regiment at Insarfu, +was directed to break up his post, burn the town as soon as all the +troops had passed through, and then to follow to Fommanah, where Sir +Garnet Wolseley intended remaining a few days, in order to endeavour to +arrange a treaty with the Ashantis. + +The head-quarter staff left Fommanah on February 14th for Cape Coast, +and the European troops being ordered to push on, on account of the +commencement of the rains, the 1st West India Regiment was detailed to +relieve the 42nd as the rear-guard of the army. On it fell the duty of +destroying the fortified posts to the north of the Prah, and the removal +of the sick and wounded and stores. Carriers were still so scarce that +it was not until the 20th that Essiaman was cleared out and the stockade +destroyed, and the three rear companies of the regiment marched into the +bridge-head at Prahsu--which, during the advance to Coomassie, had been +held by C Company, under Captain Niven--on the 21st. On the 23rd they +crossed the Prah, and the bridge was then destroyed. + +By the 27th of February all the European regiments had embarked for +England, the 2nd West India Regiment was under orders for the West +Indies, and upon the 1st West India Regiment fell the duty of +garrisoning the colony. Two hundred men were left at Prahsu, where a +strong redoubt had been constructed, fifty at Mansu, and the remainder +at Cape Coast. On the departure of Sir Garnet Wolseley, on the 4th of +March, Colonel Maxwell, of the 1st West India Regiment, administered the +government of the Gold Coast. + +Previous to the departure of the General the following general order was +published: + + "(General Order No. 43.) + + "HEAD-QUARTERS, CAPE COAST CASTLE, + "_3rd March, 1874_. + + "Before leaving for England the Major-General commanding wishes to + convey to the soldiers of the 1st and 2nd West India Regiments his + appreciation of their soldierlike qualities, and of the manner in + which they have performed their duties during the recent campaign. + Portions of the 2nd West India Regiment have been in every affair in + the war, and the regiment generally has undergone fatigue and + exposure in a most creditable manner. + + "When, owing to the desertion of carriers, the transport + difficulties became serious, the men of both these regiments + responded most cheerfully to the call made upon them, and, by daily + carrying loads, helped to relieve the force from its most pressing + difficulties. + + "In saying 'good-bye,' the Major-General assures them he will always + remember with pride and pleasure that he had the honour of + commanding men whose loyalty to their Queen, and whose soldierlike + qualities, have been so well proved in the war now happily at an + end." + +The rains having set in at the Prah, and much sickness prevailing, it +was decided to relieve the posts between that river and the coast. In +fact, the mortality that had occurred at Prahsu in 1864 showed that +West India troops should not be encamped there without urgent necessity; +and no such necessity now existed, as the King of Ashanti had agreed to +the treaty, which had been left unsettled up to Sir Garnet Wolseley's +departure. Captain J.A. Smith, with fifty men of the regiment, escorted +the Ashanti chiefs sent down by the king, and arrived at Cape Coast on +the 12th of March. On the 18th, H Company marched in from Prahsu, and +embarked on the 20th for Sierra Leone in the transport _Nebraska_, which +vessel also conveyed the 2nd West India Regiment to the West Indies. C +Company was the last withdrawn from the Prah, arriving at Cape Coast on +April 2nd. + +It had been most disappointing to the two West India regiments to have +been prevented from entering Coomassie, within some twenty-five miles +from which their head-quarters were halted. West India regiments rarely +have opportunities of seeing active service elsewhere than on the West +Coast of Africa; and, although the duties assigned to them in the second +phase of the war were most important, holding, as they did, the detached +posts from the Prah up to the front, keeping open the communications, +protecting the convoys, sick and wounded, and constantly furnishing +patrols and escorts, yet they felt it rather hard to have been deprived, +in their solitary field for distinguishing themselves, of the honours of +fighting beside their European comrades at Amoaful and Ordahsu. + +On the return of the regiment from the bush, the fatigues and exposures +of the campaign began to have their effect upon both officers and men. +In ordinary years, in times of peace, Europeans who are seasoned to +tropical service, can serve for twelve months in the deadly climate of +West Africa without suffering much loss; but any unusual exposure or +hardship is at once followed by an alarming increase of sickness. The +1st West India Regiment was the only corps which, after enduring all the +fatigues of a campaign in the most deadly climate in the world, did not +enjoy the advantage of a change to a healthier station. Added to this, +the season proved to be unusually unhealthy, and that variety of African +fever known as "bilious remittent," which can only be distinguished from +yellow fever by the fact of its not being contagious, broke out. +Sub-Lieutenant L. Burke succumbed to this scourge on March 1st, +Lieutenant T. Williams on April 9th, Lieutenant W.S. Elderton on May +10th, and Sub-Lieutenant E.W. Huntingford on June 12th, while +Lieutenant-Colonel Maxwell, Lieutenant Clough and Lieutenant Roper, +being invalided, died on passage to England, and Captain Butler after +arriving in England. In addition to these deaths, eight other officers +were invalided, and out of twenty-six officers who were serving with the +regiment on the 28th of February, only ten were left in West Africa on +the 30th of June. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 63: Colonel Colley had arrived at the northern side of the +village, from Ahkankuassie, soon after the command had devolved upon +Captain Duncan.] + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +AFFAIRS IN HONDURAS, 1874--THE SHERBRO EXPEDITION 1875--THE ASHANTI +EXPEDITION, 1881. + + +While the regiment had thus been engaged on the Gold Coast, the +detachment left at Orange Walk had, in January 1874, had a narrow escape +of a brush with the Santa Cruz Indians. On the 2nd of that month, in +accordance with a requisition from the magistrate at Orange Walk, +Captain F.B.P. White and Lieutenant J.R.H. Wilton, with forty men of the +1st West India Regiment, left that station about noon for Albion Island, +in the River Hondo, distant about twelve miles, to demand the +restitution of a woman who had been abducted by an armed party of Santa +Cruz Indians from a place called Douglas, in British territory. The +Hondo was reached about 4.30 p.m., and Captain White, finding a number +of Santa Cruz Indians cutting bush, as if for an encampment, on the +British side of the river, directed them to accompany him; and crossing +to the island in their boats, sent them to tell the chief that he had a +message to deliver to him. + +On landing on Albion Island it was found that the public ball-room of +San Antonio, a large, open, shed-like building peculiar to these +Spanish-Indian towns, which was situated on a small hill, was occupied +by an armed force of the Indians, about seventy strong. Opposite to +them, on the nearest rising ground, the detachment was at once formed +up, partly covered by a chapel. + +After some time the chief of the Santa Cruz came over to Captain White's +party, and inquired what was wanted of him; when he was told that no +message could be delivered to him as long as he had an armed party on +British soil, and that he must surrender his arms. After some little +discussion the chief agreed to do so, provided that they were returned +when his men left the island; and, on these terms, ten or eleven rifles +were brought in; but while this was being done, a trumpet sounded in the +public ball-room, and the Santa Cruz, quickly gathering together, began +to load their rifles. The chief, being asked for an explanation of this +sudden change, replied that his braves were only cleaning their guns, +but at the same moment a sub-chief came up, and loudly declared that the +Santa Cruz would not give up their arms. + +The troops were rapidly posted in advantageous positions, and Captain +White then informed the chiefs that if their men would not lay down +their arms they must leave San Antonio at once, first handing over the +woman who had been abducted. Some discussion ensued, but Captain White +remaining firm, the chiefs agreed to go, and moved their men down to the +boats. At the last moment, however, it was discovered that the woman, +who was the cause of the expedition, was in one of the boats, and their +departure was stopped until she was landed, and given in charge of the +troops. + +The Santa Cruz now refused to stir, but remained in their boats, which +were moored to the bank. It being feared that the Indians were only +delaying for reinforcements, thinking to overpower the British in the +darkness, Captain White sent Lieutenant Wilton with ten men to give them +a peremptory order to push off within a quarter of an hour. The Indians +received the message with laughter, asking, "What will you do, if we do +not go?" It was now rapidly becoming dark, and the country, wild and +savage in itself, was entirely strange to both officers and men. After +ten minutes had elapsed, without the Indians giving any sign of +departure, Captain White had the "close" sounded, drew in his sentries, +and descended towards the boats with fixed bayonets. Upon this the +Indians pushed off, and were soon lost to sight in the darkness. The +detachment remained under arms all night at San Antonio, and next +morning, it having been ascertained that the Indians had retired across +the frontier, the troops returned to Orange Walk. + +The following letter was forwarded upon this subject: + + "HORSE GUARDS, WAR OFFICE, + "_17th March, 1874._ + + "SIR, + + "The Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief has perused the report which + you forwarded to the Adjutant-General on the 29th of January, of the + proceedings of the troops at Orange Walk, in British Honduras, who + were called out in aid of the civil power against a band of Santa + Cruz Indians in January last, and I am to request that you will + cause Captain White, 1st West India Regiment, by whom they were + commanded, to be informed that His Royal Highness considers that the + discretion and firmness displayed by him in the performance of this + difficult duty is very commendable to that officer. + + "I have, etc., + (Signed) "R.B. HAWLEY, + "Asst. Mil. Sec." + +In July, 1874, the head-quarters of the regiment were moved from the +Gold Coast to Sierra Leone, one company being left in garrison at Cape +Coast Castle, and one at Elmina. As in June the two companies stationed +in Honduras had, with the one left in Jamaica, been removed to Demerara, +the distribution of the regiment in July, 1874, was: Head-quarters and +four companies (A, B, C, and H) at Sierra Leone, two (E and G) on the +Gold Coast, and three (D, F, and I) in Demerara. + +In July, 1875, disturbances once more broke out in British Sherbro. The +inhabitants of the town of Mongray, on the river of the same name, in +that month made a raid upon Mamaiah, a town on the British frontier, +plundered several factories there, and carried off thirty-three British +subjects as slaves. Fresh outrages were committed later on, and, on the +8th of October, 1875, Lieutenant-Governor Rowe, C.M.G., with forty men +of the 1st West India Regiment, under Sub-Lieutenant G.V. Harrison, and +sixty armed police, left Sierra Leone in the colonial steamer _Lady of +the Lake_. The detachment was landed at Bendoo in Sherbro next day. +Negotiations were at once opened with the Mongray chiefs, resulting in +the surrender of the captives on the 15th, and on the 25th the party +returned to Sierra Leone. + +Almost immediately after, fresh disturbances broke out in another +portion of Sherbro, on the Bargroo River, and, on the 15th of November, +Lieutenant-Governor Rowe left Freetown in the colonial steamer _Sir A. +Kennedy_, with Captain A.C. Allinson, Lieutenants J.H. Jones, and A.S. +Roberts, and ninety men of the 1st West India Regiment, fifty armed +police, a 4-2/5-inch howitzer, and a rocket-trough. The disturbance +arose from a raid of Mendis upon villages in British territory, thirteen +of which they plundered and destroyed, afterwards erecting a "war-fence" +at a place called Paytaycoomar, in British Sherbro. Here the Commandant +of Sherbro, Mr. Darnell Davis, attacked them with a few policemen, and +was repulsed with a loss of three killed and several wounded, himself +severely. + +The expedition, on arriving at Sherbro, established a camp at Tyama +Woroo in Bargroo, and all preparations for an advance being completed by +the 27th of November, the troops marched on that day, occupying +Mosangrah on the 30th. On the 3rd of December, Lowarnar, a town to the +eastward, was entered, and on the 5th a move was made on the stockaded +town of Gundomar, which was abandoned by the enemy on the approach of +the force. The dead body of one of the captives taken from British +Sherbro, recently strangled, was found in the stockade, and the town was +accordingly burned. + +On the 6th the force advanced on Moyamba, which was also found to be +evacuated by the enemy, and was burned. On the 9th the troops left +Moyamba and marched to Yahwi-yamah, which was also destroyed, with the +outlying stockaded villages of Mocorreh, Bettimah and Mangaymihoon. On +the 10th Modena was destroyed, and the force marched through Mowato and +Geeavar to Sennehoo, arriving there on the 16th. To this latter town +several of the chiefs came in to treat, bringing 212 of the captives +with them, and on the 18th a treaty of peace was arranged, the Mendis +promising to pay a fine of 10,000 bushels of rice. The troops returned +to Sierra Leone on the 24th of December. + +The country through which the detachment of the 1st West India Regiment +had marched was most difficult. It consisted of dense forest, through +which the only advance could be made along narrow paths, wide enough +only for the passage of men in single file, and obstructed by fallen +trees, swamps, and unbridged streams. Numerous swamps, black and full of +malaria, had to be crossed, and, though the noon-day sun was excessively +hot, the nights, owing to excessive damp, were very cold. Heavy showers +of rain fell almost daily, and from sunset till an hour after sunrise +the whole country was buried in an impenetrable fog. + +The stockades were of the same character as those found at Mongray, but +were here in some instances further fortified by mud walls, fifteen feet +high, and about twelve feet thick at the base. Inside the walls were +ditches about six feet wide and eight feet deep. In some of the towns, +machicoulis galleries had been constructed over the gates, and the +entrances further protected by semicircular mud bastions. + +In March, 1877, the 1st West India Regiment was relieved on the West +Coast of Africa by the 2nd West India Regiment, E and G Companies +embarking in H.M.S. _Simoom_, at Cape Coast Castle, on the 24th of +February, and the head-quarters, with A, B, C, and H Companies, at +Sierra Leone on the 3rd of March. On arriving at the West Indies the +regiment was thus distributed: Head-quarters, with A, D, E, and I +Companies, at Jamaica, C and F at Honduras, G and H at Barbados, and B +at Nassau. + +During its three years' tour of West African service the regiment had +suffered very heavy loss amongst the officers. In addition to the eight +deaths that occurred in 1874, directly after the Ashanti war, Captain W. +Cole died in Ireland of fever contracted on the Gold Coast; +Lieutenant-Colonel Strachan and Sub-Lieutenant Turner in England; and +Sub-Lieutenants S.B. Orr and G.V. Harrison at Sierra Leone in 1876. + +The regiment remained without change in the West Indies until December, +1879, when the head-quarters and six companies embarked in H.M.S. +_Tamar_ for West Africa, leaving D, E, and I Companies at the depot at +Demerara. The head-quarters and four companies disembarked at Sierra +Leone on the 17th of January, 1880, and the two remaining companies +proceeded to Cape Coast Castle. + +In February, 1880, there being some slight disturbance in the +neighbourhood of the Ribbie River, a small party of the 1st West India +Regiment proceeded thither as an escort to the Governor, with +Lieutenants Madden and Tipping. The whole returned to Sierra Leone +without any casualty, after an absence of a few weeks. + +On the 28th of January, 1881, news was received at Sierra Leone that the +Ashanti king, Mensah, had threatened an invasion of the Gold Coast +Colony, and a reinforcement was urgently demanded. In consequence, +Captain H.W. Pollard, 1st West India Regiment, commanding the troops on +the West Coast of Africa, despatched to Cape Coast Castle next day in +the mail steamer _Cameroon_ letter B Company, under Captain Ellis, and +letter H Company, under Lieutenant Garland. These two companies arrived +at their destination on the 2nd of February, and on the 9th the former +proceeded to Anamaboe. This rapid arrival of reinforcements induced the +king to repudiate the action of his envoys, but affairs were still in a +very critical situation, and much alarm prevailed in the colony. Early +in March, Lieutenant-Colonels Niven and Smith and Major White arrived +from England, bringing with them letter A Company from Sierra Leone. On +the 18th of March, five companies of the 2nd West India Regiment arrived +in the hired transport _Humber_. Negotiations were protracted till +April, when an embassy arrived from Coomassie, and the difficulty was +finally settled. On the 2nd of May, the head-quarters, with A, F, and G +Companies, returned to Sierra Leone, leaving B, C, and H at Cape Coast +Castle and Anamaboe. In February, 1882, C Company also proceeded to +Sierra Leone. + +It was intended at the termination of the African tour of the regiment, +in January, 1883, to reduce the garrisons in West Africa from six to +three companies, and the steamship _Bolivar_ was chartered to carry out +the relief in two trips. That vessel, however, was wrecked off the +Cobbler's Reef, at Barbados, and H.M.S. _Tyne_ was sent in her place. +The latter embarked H Company at Cape Coast Castle on the 6th of +February, 1883, and F and G Companies at Sierra Leone on the 14th, all +three proceeding to Jamaica under the command of Major C.J.L. Hill. On +the return of the _Tyne_ to West Africa with three companies of the 2nd +West India Regiment, the head-quarters and remaining three companies of +the 1st West India Regiment, at Cape Coast Castle and Sierra Leone, were +embarked on the 1st and 11th of April respectively, and sailed for +Jamaica under the command of Captain Ellis, arriving at their +destination on the 28th of April. On the 5th of May, B, G, and F +Companies embarked in the _Tyne_, the first two for Honduras and the +third for Nassau. On the conclusion of the inter-island trooping, the +_Tyne_ proceeded with the head-quarters and three companies of the 2nd +West India Regiment to West Africa, the Government having, in +consequence of threatened complications with Ashanti, abandoned their +scheme of reducing the African garrisons. + +The distribution of the 1st West India Regiment is now (May, 1883): +Head-quarters and three companies (A, C, and H) at Jamaica, two (B and +G) in Honduras, one (F) in Nassau, and three (D, E, and I) in Demerara. + + + + +APPENDIX. + +SUCCESSION OF HONORARY COLONELS. + + Major-General John Whyte 24th April, 1795. + Lord Charles Henry Somerset 5th January, 1804. + Sir Peregrine Maitland, K.C.B 22nd February, 1830. + Major-General the Hon. Sir Henry King, K.C.B. 19th July, 1834. + Lieutenant-General Sir William Nicolay, K.C.H. 30th November, 1839. + Lieutenant-General Sir Henry F. Bouverie, + K.C.B., G.C.M.G 13th May, 1842. + Lieutenant-General Sir G.H. Bromley Way 21st November, 1843. + General Sir George Thomas Napier, K.C.B. 29th February, 1844. + Lieutenant-General Sir George Bowles, K.C.B. 9th September, 1855. + General Sir Arthur Borton, K.C.B 2nd May, 1876. + +SUCCESSION OF LIEUTENANT-COLONELS. + + 1. Leeds Booth 23rd May, 1795 { From Brevet-Major, + { 32nd Foot. + + 2. George Rutherford 30th Dec., 1797 { From Major, 27th Foot, + { _vice_ Booth to 87th + { Regiment. + + 3. James Maitland 22nd April, 1803 { From 60th by purchase, + { _vice_ Rutherford, who + { retires. + + 4. Alexander Cumine 20th March, 1804 { From 75th Foot, _vice_ + { Maitland, who exchanges. + + 5. C.D. Broughton 21st April, 1804 { By purchase, _vice_ + { Cumine, who retires. + + 6. Samuel Huskisson 2nd June, 1807 { From Major, 8th Foot, + { without purchase, on + { establishment of a second + { Lieutenant-Colonelcy. + + 7. Benjamin D'Urban 29th Sept., 1807 { From 9th Garrison + { Battalion, _vice_ + { Huskisson, who exchanges. + + 8. John Irving 9th Jan., 1808 { From 2nd West India + { Regiment, _vice_ D'Urban, + { who exchanges. + + 9. George H. Duckworth 16th Jan., 1808 { From Major, 67th + { Foot, by purchase, _vice_ + { Irving, who retires. + + 10. Henry Tolley 27th Feb., 1808 { From Major, 71st + { Foot, without purchase, + { _vice_ Broughton, + { cashiered. + + 11. W.S. Wemyss 18th June, 1808 { From 48th Foot, _vice_ + { Duckworth, who exchanges. + + 12. Joseph Morrison 2nd Dec., 1809 { From Major, 89th + { Foot, with purchase + { _vice_ Tolley, appointed + { to 16th Foot. + + 13. Jonathan Yates 21st July, 1810 { From Major, 47th + { Foot, by purchase, _vice_ + { Wemyss, who retires. + + 14. Clement Whitby 16 July, 1811 { From Major, 17th + { Foot, with purchase, + { _vice_ Morrison, + { appointed to 89th Foot. + + 15. J.M. Clifton 10th Sept., 1814 { Without purchase, _vice_ + { Yates, appointed to + { 49th Foot. + +(Lieutenant-Colonel Clifton retired, Jan. 23rd 1819, and the second +Lieutenant-Colonelcy was abolished.) + + 16. James Cassidy 12th Dec., 1822 { By purchase, _vice_ + { Whitby, who retires. + + 17. Francis Frye Brown 12th Jan., 1824 { From half-pay, 6th + { West India Regiment, + { _vice_ Cassidy, who + { exchanges. + + 18. Richard Doherty 6th Dec., 1827 { From half-pay, _vice_ + { Brown, who retires. + + 19. William Bush 4th Sept., 1835 { From half-pay, _vice_ + { Doherty, appointed to + { 89th Foot. + + 20. Henry Capadose 22nd April, 1836 { Without purchase, on + { re-establishment of a + { second + { Lieutenant-Colonelcy. + + 21. Edward Rowley Hill 1st Jan., 1847 { Without purchase, _vice_ + { Bush, appointed + { Inspecting Field Officer + { of a recruiting district. + + 22. Robert Hughes 14th April, 1848 { _Vice_ Capadose, + { deceased. + + 23. Fred. Aug. Wetherall 1st May, 1855 { From Major, 3rd West + { India Regiment, by + { purchase, _vice_ Hughes, + { who retires. + + 24. Luke Smyth O'Connor 21st Sept., 1855 { Without purchase, _vice_ + { Hill, appointed to a + { Provisional Depot + { Battalion. + + 25. Edward Last 24th Nov., 1857 { From Brevet + { Lieutenant-Colonel, 99th + { Foot, _vice_ Wetherall, + { deceased. + + 26. Henry Dunn O'Halloran 23rd March, 1858 { From Brevet + { Lieutenant-Colonel, + { Depot Battalion, _vice_ + { Last, appointed to 21st + { Foot. + + 27. Augustus William Murray 16th March, 1860{ Without purchase, _vice_ + { O'Halloran, retired + { upon full pay. + + 28. Bowland Moffatt 4th March, 1862 { From half-pay, _vice_ + { O'Connor, who retires + { upon half-pay. + + 29. James Travers 4th March, 1862 { Without purchase, _vice_ + { Murray, who retires + { upon half-pay on being + { appointed + { Deputy-Adjutant-General, + { Windward and Leeward + { Islands. + + 30. James Shortall Macauley 29th July, 1862 { Without purchase, _vice_ + { Travers, retired on full + { pay. + + 31. William M'Bean 18th Dec., 1866 { By purchase, _vice_ + { Moffatt, who retires. + + 32. G. Nigel K.A. Yonge 3rd April, 1867 { From half-pay, late + { 67th Foot, _vice_ + { Macauley, who retires on + { half-pay. + + 33. Henry Anton 8th June, 1867 { Without purchase, _vice_ + { M'Bean, who retires. + + 34. James Maxwell 17th Aug., 1870 { From half-pay, late + { 34th Foot, _vice_ Yonge, + { who retires on half-pay. + + 35. J.M. M'Auley 4th Oct., 1871 _Vice_ Anton, deceased. + + 36. W.W.W. Johnston 24th Dec., 1873 { _Vice_ M'Auley, who + { retires. + + 37. W.H.P.F. Strachan 15th April, 1874 { _Vice_ Maxwell, deceased. + + 38. Knox Rowan Niven 24th March, 1877 { _Vice_ Strachan, + { deceased. + + 39. Joseph Alexander Smith 29th Jan., 1879 _Vice_ Johnston, retired. + + 40. F.B.P. White 4th March, 1882 _Vice_ Niven, retired. + + +STATIONS OF THE 1ST WEST INDIA REGIMENT FROM JUNE, 1795, TO JUNE, 1883. + + 1795 (June). + Head-quarters and 8 companies at Martinique. + + 1798 (December). + Head-quarters and 6 companies at Morne Fortune, St. Lucia. + 2 companies at Maboya, St. Lucia. + + 1801 (July). + Head-quarters and 8 companies at Martinique. + + 1802 (January). + Head-quarters and 6 companies at Martinique. + 2 companies at St. Vincent. + + 1802 (July). + Head-quarters and 6 companies at St. Vincent. + 1 company at Martinique. + 1 company at Antigua. + + 1802 (October). + Head-quarters and 8 companies at St. Vincent. + + 1803 (April). + Head-quarters and 6 companies at St. Vincent. + 2 companies at Grenada. + + 1804 (May). + Head-quarters and 6 companies at Dominica. + 1 company at St. Vincent. + 1 company at Grenada. + + 1807 (January). + Head-quarters and 6 companies at Barbados. + 3 companies at Grenada. + 1 company at Tobago. + + 1807 (November). + Head-quarters and 10 companies at Barbados. + + 1808 (January). + Head-quarters and 6 companies at Barbados. + 3 companies at Antigua. + 1 company at Tobago. + + 1808 (October). + Head-quarters and 9 companies at Barbados. + 1 company at Tobago. + + 1809 (February). + Head-quarters and 8 companies at Martinique. + 2 companies at Barbados. + + 1809 (June). + Head-quarters and 6 companies at Trinidad. + 2 companies at Martinique. + 2 companies at Barbados. + + 1809 (August). + Head-quarters and 10 companies at Trinidad. + + 1814 (March). + Head-quarters and 4 companies at Martinique. + 4 companies at St. Lucia. + 2 companies at Dominica. + + 1814 (July). + Head-quarters and 8 companies at Guadaloupe. + 1 company at Marie-Galante. + 1 company at St. Martin's. + + 1814 (December). + Head-quarters and 10 companies at New Orleans. + + 1815 (February). + Head-quarters and 10 companies at Barbados. + + 1815 (August). + Head-quarters and 6 companies at Barbados. + 4 companies at Guadaloupe. + + 1815 (December). + Bermuda. + + 1816 (March). + Head-quarters and 10 companies at Barbados. + + 1816 (November). + Head-quarters and 3 companies at Antigua. + 1 company at Montserrat. + 2 companies at St. Christopher's. + 2 companies at St. Lucia. + 2 companies at Dominica. + -- + 10 + == + + 1819 (January). + Head-quarters and 3 companies at Barbados. + 2 companies at Antigua. + 2 companies at St. Lucia. + 2 companies at Dominica. + 1 company at Tobago. + -- + 10 + == + + 1821 (October). + Head-quarters and 3 companies at Barbados. + 1 company at Demerara. + 1 company at Tobago. + 1 company at St. Lucia. + 1 company at Dominica. + 1 company at Antigua. + -- + 8 + == + + 1823 (May). + Head-quarters and 4 companies at Barbados. + 1 company at Demerara. + 1 company at St. Lucia. + 1 company at Dominica. + 1 company at Antigua. + -- + 8 + == + + 1823 (September). + Head-quarters and 2 companies at Barbados. + 3 companies at Demerara. + 1 company at St. Lucia. + 1 company at Dominica. + 1 company at Antigua. + -- + 8 + == + + 1824 (October). + Head-quarters and 5 companies at Barbados. + 1 company at St. Lucia. + 1 company at Dominica. + 1 company at Antigua. + -- + 8 + == + + 1825 (February). + Head-quarters and 4 companies at Trinidad. + 1 company at Barbados. + 1 company at St. Lucia. + 1 company at Dominica. + 1 company at Antigua. + -- + 8 + == + + 1826 (February). + Same as in 1825, with the addition of a recruiting company at Sierra + Leone. + + 1827 (January). + Head-quarters and 3 companies at Trinidad. + 1 company at Barbados. + 1 company at St. Lucia. + 1 company at Dominica. + 1 company at Antigua. + 1 company at Grenada. + 1 company at Sierra Leone. + -- + 9 + == + + 1834 (May). + Head-quarters and 2 companies at Trinidad. + 1 company at Barbados. + 1 company at St. Lucia. + 1 company at Dominica. + 1 company at Antigua. + 1 company at Grenada. + 1 company at Tortola. + 1 company at Sierra Leone. + -- + 9 + == + + 1837 (December). + Head-quarters and 5 companies at St. Lucia. + 1 company at Trinidad. + 1 company at Tobago. + 1 company at Demerara. + 1 company at St. Vincent. + 1 company at Sierra Leone. + -- + 10 + == + + 1839 (December). + Head-quarters and 2 companies at Demerara. + 3 companies at Barbados. + 1 company at Trinidad. + 1 company at Tobago. + 1 company at St. Lucia. + 1 company at St. Vincent. + 1 company at Grenada. + 1 company at Dominica. + 1 company at Antigua. + 1 company at Sierra Leone. + -- + 13 + == + + 1840 (September). + Head-quarters and 2 companies at Demerara. + 2 companies at Barbados. + 1 company at Trinidad. + 1 company at Tobago. + 1 company at St. Vincent. + 1 company at Grenada. + 1 company at Dominica. + 1 company at Sierra Leone. + -- + 10 + == + + 1843 (November). + Head-quarters and 5 companies at Demerara. + 2 companies at Sierra Leone. + 1 company at Grenada. + 1 company at Tobago. + 1 company at St. Vincent. + -- + 10 + == + + 1844 (June). + (Head-quarters) Grenadier, No. 8 and No. 5 at Demerara = 3 companies. + Light and No. 1 at Jamaica = 2 + No. 2 at Trinidad = 1 + No. 3 at Dominica = 1 + No. 4 at Sierra Leone = 1 + No. 6 at Grenada = 1 + No. 7 at Cape Coast = 1 + -- + 10 + == + + 1845 (March). + (Head-quarters) Grenadier, Light, No. 1 and No. 8 at + Jamaica = 4 companies. + No. 5 at Demerara = 1 + No. 2 at Trinidad = 1 + No. 3 at Dominica = 1 + No. 4 at Sierra Leone = 1 + No. 6 at Grenada = 1 + No. 7 at Cape Coast = 1 + -- + 10 + == + + 1846 (June). + (Head-quarters) Grenadier, Light, Nos. 1, 3, 6, and 8 at + Jamaica = 6 companies. + No. 2 at Trinidad = 1 + No. 4 at Sierra Leone = 1 + No. 5 at Tobago = 1 + No. 7 at Cape Coast = 1 + -- + 10 + == + + 1847 (December). + (Head-quarters) Grenadier, Light, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and + 8 at Jamaica = 8 companies. + No. 4 at Sierra Leone = 1 + No. 7 at Cape Coast = 1 + -- + 10 + == + + 1848 (August). + (Head-quarters) Grenadier, Nos. 3, 4, 6, and 7 at + Jamaica = 5 companies. + Light and No. 8 at Nassau = 2 + No. 1 at Honduras = 1 + No. 5 at Sierra Leone = 1 + No. 2 at Cape Coast = 1 + -- + 10 + == + + 1849 (March). + (Head-quarters) Grenadier, No. 3 and No. 6 at + Jamaica = 3 companies. + Light, No. 7, and No. 8 at Nassau = 3 + No. 1 and No. 4 at Honduras = 2 + No. 5 at Sierra Leone = 1 + No. 2 at Cape Coast = 1 + -- + 10 + == + + 1852 (September). + (Head-quarters) Grenadier, No. 3, and No. 6 at + Jamaica = 3 companies. + Light, No. 7, and No. 8 at Nassau = 3 + No. 1 at St. Christopher's = 1 + No. 4 at Barbados = 1 + No. 5 at Sierra Leone = 1 + No. 2 at Cape Coast = 1 + -- + 10 + == + + 1853 (December). + (Head-quarters) Grenadier, Light, No. 2, and No. 5 at + Jamaica = 4 companies. + No. 4 and No. 7 at Barbados = 2 + No. 1 at St. Christopher's = 1 + No. 8 at Dominica = 1 + No. 3 at Sierra Leone = 1 + No. 6 at the Gambia = 1 + -- + 10 + == + + 1855 (December). + (Head-quarters) Grenadier, Light, Nos. 2, 5, and 8 at + Jamaica = 5 companies. + No. 4 and No. 7 at Barbados = 2 + No. 1 at Demerara = 1 + No. 3 at Sierra Leone = 1 + No. 6 at the Gambia = 1 + -- + 10 + == + + 1856 (December). + (Head-quarters) Grenadier, Light, and No. 8 at + Jamaica = 3 companies. + Nos. 4, 5, and 7 at Barbados = 3 + No. 1 at Demerara = 1 + No. 3 at Sierra Leone = 1 + No. 2 and No. 6 at the Gambia = 2 + -- + 10 + == + + 1857 (June). + (Head-quarters) Grenadier, Light, No. 5 and No. 8 at + Nassau = 4 companies. + Nos. 1, 3, and 7 at Sierra Leone = 3 + Nos. 2, 4, and 6 at the Gambia = 3 + -- + 10 + == + + 1861 (April). + (Head-quarters) Grenadier, Light, Nos. 5, 7, and 8 at + Barbados = 5 companies. + No. 4 and No. 6 at Demerara = 2 + No. 1 and No. 2 at St. Lucia = 2 + No. 3 at Trinidad = 1 + -- + 10 + == + + 1862 (December). + (Head-quarters) Grenadier, Light, and No. 1 at + Barbados = 3 companies. + Nos. 5, 7, and 8 at Honduras = 3 + No. 4 and No. 6 at Demerara = 2 + No. 2 at St. Lucia = 1 + No. 3 at Trinidad = 1 + -- + 10 + == + + 1863 (July). + (Head-quarters) A at Barbados = 1 company. + B at St. Lucia = 1 + C at Trinidad = 1 + D and F at Demerara = 2 companies. + E, G, and H at Honduras = 3 + -- + 8 + == + + 1863 (November). + (Head-quarters) A, B, D, and F at Nassau = 4 companies. + E, G, and H at Honduras = 3 + C at Trinidad = 1 + -- + 8 + == + + 1864 (April). + (Head-quarters) A, D, and F at Nassau = 3 companies. + B, E, and G on the Gold Coast = 3 + C at Trinidad = 1 + H in Honduras = 1 + -- + 8 + == + + 1864 (October). + (Head-quarters) A, D, and F at Nassau = 3 companies. + B, C, E, G, and H in Jamaica = 5 + -- + 8 + == + + 1865 (November). + (Head-quarters) A at Nassau = 1 company. + B, C, D, E, F, G, and H in Jamaica = 7 companies. + -- + 8 + == + + 1866 (August). + (Head-quarters) A, D, and F at Nassau = 3 companies. + B, C, E, G, and H in Jamaica = 5 + -- + 8 + == + + 1867 (January). + (Head-quarters) A, B, E, F, D, and G at Sierra Leone = 6 companies. + H and C at the Gambia = 2 + -- + 8 + == + 1868 (August). + (Head-quarters) A, B, D, F, and G at Sierra Leone = 5 companies. + C and H at the Gambia = 2 + E at Cape Coast = 1 + -- + 8 + == + + 1870 (November). + (Head-quarters) A, B, D, E, and G in Jamaica = 5 companies. + C and H at Nassau = 2 + F and I in Honduras = 2 + -- + 9 + == + + 1874 (January). + (Head-quarters) A, B, C, E, G, and H on the Gold Coast = 6 companies. + F and I in Honduras = 2 + D in Jamaica = 1 + -- + 9 + == + + 1874 (July). + (Head-quarters) A, B, C, and H at Sierra Leone = 4 companies. + E and G at Cape Coast = 2 + D, F, and I at Demerara = 3 + -- + 9 + == + + 1877 (April). + (Head-quarters) A, D, E, and I at Jamaica = 4 companies. + C and F in Honduras = 2 + G and H in Barbados = 2 + B at Nassau = 1 + -- + 9 + == + + 1880 (February). + (Head-quarters) A, B, H, and F at Sierra Leone = 4 companies. + C and G at Cape Coast = 2 + D, E, and I in Demerara = 3 + -- + 9 + == + + 1881 (March). + (Head-quarters) A, C, G, and H at Cape Coast = 4 companies. + B at Anamaboe = 1 + F at Sierra Leone = 1 + D, E, and I in Demerara = 3 + -- + 9 + == + + 1881 (June). + (Head-quarters) A, F, and G at Sierra Leone = 3 companies. + B, C, and H at Cape Coast = 3 + D, E, and I in Demerara = 3 + -- + 9 + == + + 1882 (March). + (Head-quarters) A, C, F, and G at Sierra Leone = 4 companies. + B and H at Cape Coast = 2 + D, E, and I in Demerara = 3 + -- + 9 + == + + 1883 (March). + (Head-quarters) A and C at Sierra Leone = 2 companies. + B at Cape Coast = 1 company. + F, G, and H in Jamaica = 3 companies. + D, E, and I in Demerara = 3 + -- + 9 + == + + 1883 (June). + (Head-quarters) A, C, and H in Jamaica = 3 companies. + B and G in Honduras = 2 + D, E, and I in Demerara = 3 + F at Nassau = 1 + -- + 9 + == + + + +INDEX + +TO THE + +NAMES OF OFFICERS, NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS, AND PRIVATES + +OF THE + +FIRST WEST INDIA REGIMENT, + +MENTIONED IN THE FOREGOING PAGES. + + + A + + Abercrombie, J., 79, 82 + + Allinson, A.C., 279, 290, 318, 337 + + Alt, _Ensign_, 279 + + Anderson, _Capt._, 52 + + ----, _Ensign_, 234, 237 + + Anton, H., 275, 278, 282, 284, 289, 298, 299, 346 + + Archdale, _Lieut._, 210 + + Atkins, R.W., 80 + + + B + + Bale, J.E., 293, 316, 318 + + Balmer, J., 50 + + Barlow, E.H., 279 + + Barne, W.C., 318 + + Beale-Browne, G.E., 318 + + Belizario, E. _Sergt._, 307, 308, 312, 313, 315 + + Bell, _Ensign_, 51 + + ----, T., 318 + + Bentley, _Lieut._, 197 + + Bidwell, _Pte._, 309 + + Bingham, E.H., 210, 213, 217 + + Bishop, _Surg._, 80 + + Blackwell, N., 119, 120, 121, 123, 124 + + Bolton, H.F.S., 299, 300 + + Booth, Leeds, 79, 83, 99, 343 + + Borton, _Sir_ A., 343 + + Bourke, J., 263 + + Bouverie, _Sir_ H.F., 343 + + Bowles, _Sir_ G., 343 + + Bravo, A., 278, 279, 284 + + Brennan, _Ensign_, 173, 178 + + Brew, R., 275 + + Brocklass, H., 183 + + Broome, W.A., 301 + + Broughton, C.D., 107, 113, 344 + + Brown, F.F., 345 + + ----, R., 99 + + Bulger, C.O., 312 + + Burdett, G.S., 169 + + Burke, L., 318, 332 + + Bush, _Lieut._, 211 + + ----, W., 194, 196, 197, 198, 199, 202, 203, 207, 345 + + Butler, D., 79, 82 + + ----, F. le B., 303, 318, 320, 321, 322, 332 + + Byrne, T., 80, 99 + + + C + + Calder, J., 79 + + Campbell, N., 100 + + ----, W., 32 + + Cantrell, D. _Sergt. Major_, 197 + + Capadose, H., 176, 177, 209, 345 + + Carden, J., 50 + + Cassidy, J., 80, 99, 124, 137, 139, 158, 161, 164, 165, 166, 167, 345 + + Cave, _Ensign_, 226 + + Chads, _Major_, 173, 200 + + Chadwick, B., 79, 82 + + Chamberlayne, W.J., 258, 259 + + Clarke, _Bt. Lieut.-Col._, 258 + + Clerk, A., 50 + + Clifton, J.M., 344 + + Clough, H.T., 318, 332 + + Coffin, E. _Pte._, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207 + + Coghlan, A., 80, 89 + + Cole, W., 293, 318, 340 + + Collins, F., 148 + + ----, J.P., 50 + + Connell, F.J., 237 + + Connor, W., 80, 81, 99 + + Costello, F., 79, 99 + + Cotter, E., 79, 83, 99 + + Craddock, H., 50 + + Craven, _Corporal_, 199 + + Crump, _Corporal_, 80 + + Cullen, _Ensign_, 290, 296 + + Cumine, A., 343 + + Cunninghame, T., 79 + + + D + + Dalomel, _Lieut._, 148, 157 + + Dalton, _Lieut._, 80, 100 + + Darley, C.B., 80, 100 + + Deane, T., 79 + + De Winton, _Lieut._, 210 + + Dixon, C. _Pte._, 195, 202 + + Doherty, R., 345 + + Downie, H., 138 + + Duckworth, G.H., 344 + + D'Urban, B., 344 + + Duyer, G.H., 275 + + + E + + Edmunds, T., 275 + + Edwardes, C.G.W.E., 318 + + Egan, J., 80, 99 + + Elderton, W.S., 318, 332 + + Ellis, A.B., 318, 341, 342 + + Evans, _Capt._, 179 + + + F + + Fanning, J., 275 + + Farquhar, _Ensign_, 51 + + Fitzgerald, C.L., 261 + + Fletcher, R. D'O., 237, 239, 240, 242, 244, 246, 263 + + Fraser, J.A., 275 + + French, _Capt._, 210 + + Froggart, _Lieut._, 80, 99 + + + G + + Gardner, D., 316 + + Garland, V.J., 341 + + Garsia, M.C., 274, 275 + + Gavin, _Lieut._, 279, 303 + + Gillard, _Bt. Major_, 177 + + Gillespie, R., 79 + + Goodinge, H., 80 + + Graham, W., 80, 99 + + Grange, _Capt._, 224 + + + H + + Harris, W.W., 233 + + Harrison, G.V., 337, 340 + + Harward, _Sub. Lieut._, 318 + + Hemsworth, G., 177 + + Henderson, _Lieut._, 250 + + Henry, _Capt._, 37 + + Hill, C.J.L., 293, 301, 318, 324, 342 + + ----, E.R., 345 + + Hoffer, _Pte._, 314, 315 + + Holbrook, T., 83, 100 + + Horsford, T., 100 + + Hughes, E., 318, 324, 326 + + ----, R. _Lieut.-Col._, 187, 345 + + ----, R., 223, 258, 259 + + Huntingford, E.W., 332 + + Huskisson, S., 118, 344 + + + I + + Innes, _Colonel_, 37, 39 + + Irving, J., 344 + + Isles, E. Ellis, 148, 157 + + + J + + Johnston, W.W.W., 302, 312, 318, 328, 346 + + Jones, J.H., 337 + + ----, _Lieut._, 224 + + + K + + Kenrick, _Lieut._, 276 + + Kent, J., 51 + + King, _Sir_ H., 343 + + + L + + Lafontaine, J. _Corporal_, 84 + + Last, E., 345 + + Leggatt, _Lieut._, 276 + + Lightfoot, _Lieut._, 80, 99 + + Lindsay, J., 100 + + Lowe, W., 50 + + Lowry, A.G., 279, 293 + + Luke, E.F., 250, 260, 289, 292 + + Lynch, _Lieut._, 173 + + ----, R. _Pte._, 308 + + + M + + Macauley, _Capt._, 258 + + ----, J.S., 277, 346 + + McAuley, J.M., 302, 346 + + McBean, W., 293, 346 + + M'Callum, _Ensign_, 80, 99 + + M'Connell, D., 50 + + McDonald, A., 148, 157 + + Macdonald, E.G., 301 + + M'Grace, D., 80, 100 + + M'Kay, J.C., 99 + + Mackay, _Lieut._, 261 + + McKenzie, _Lieut._, 148, 157 + + Mackrill, _Capt._, 52 + + McLean, _Lieut._, 80, 99 + + McShee, _Lieut._, 80, 99 + + McWilliam, D., 100 + + ----, _Lieut._, 80, 100 + + Madden, G.C., 340 + + Magee, _Lieut._, 148, 151 + + Maitland, J., 99, 343 + + ----, Sir P., 343 + + Malcolm, R., 63, 64, 66, 79, 90 + + Marraud, C., 100 + + Marshall, R., 50 + + Mason, _Sergt.-Major_, 263 + + Maturin, _Lieut._, 303 + + Mawe, T.G., 261 + + Maxwell, H., 79 + + ----, J., 318, 320, 329, 332, 346 + + ----, _Pte._, 314, 315 + + Meehan, _Capt._, 220 + + Meighan, B., 51 + + Merry, _Sergt._, 198, 207 + + Miles, _Ensign_, 174 + + Millar, _Capt._, 52 + + Miller, C., 99 + + ----, _Lieut._, 148, 157 + + Moffatt, B., 346 + + Moffitt, J., 275 + + Molony, C.A., 318 + + Montagu, C., 50 + + ----, G.C., 50 + + Montgomery, W., 179, 186, 187 + + Morgan, _Lieut._, 148, 157 + + Morris, W. or R.A. _Pte._, 314, 315 + + Morrison, John, 80 + + ----, Joseph, 344 + + Murray, A.W., 228, 229, 232, 261, 266, 267, 271, 272, 273, 275, 346 + + ----, _Pte._, 314, 315 + + Myers, _Capt._, 178 + + + N + + Napier, _Sir_ G. T, 343 + + Nicholson, T., 275 + + Nicolay, _Sir_ W., 343 + + Niven, K.R., 293, 301, 318, 322, 329, 341, 346 + + Nixon, L., 124 + + Nunn, A.A., 99, 106, 109, 110, 111, 115 + + + O + + O'Connell, _Capt._ 105, 106, 107, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116 + + O'Connor, L.S., 211, 219, 220, 226, 227, 228, 230, 232, 249, 250, + 251, 256, 288, 289, 290, 294, 345 + + Odonnell, _Lieut._, 50 + + Ogston, M. _Pte._, 195 et seq. + + O'Halloran, H.D., 345 + + Oliphant, W., 50 + + O'Meara, M., 100 + + Ormsby, W., 261, 293, 297 + + Orr, S.B., 340 + + Osborne, S. _Pte._, 314, 315 + + Owens, _Capt._, 276 + + + P + + Page, T., 80 + + Palmer, R., 50 + + Petrie, J., 50 + + Pilkington, _Lieut._, 148, 157 + + Plague, _Corporal_, 198, 207 + + Pogson, _Ensign_, 199 + + Pollard, H.W., 340 + + Powell, _Capt._, 221 + + ----, W., 79, 81, 99 + + Pratt, _Bt. Major_, 261, 262, 276 + + Prendergast, _Capt._, 225 + + Pye, A.H., 79 + + + R + + Rainford, M., 50 + + Reed, J., 80, 99 + + Reid, J., 79 + + ----, W., 80, 99 + + Roberts, A.S., 337 + + ----, C.T., 80 + + ----, J.C., 99 + + ----, _Lieut._, 279 + + Robeson, _Capt._, 212 + + Roper, J., 321, 332 + + Ross, W.J., 289 + + Rudgley, H., 50 + + Russell, _Ensign_, 178 + + Rutherford, G., 343 + + + S + + Samson, A.M.W., 303, 318 + + Satchell, W. _Pte._, 202, 203, 204 + + Scott, D., 83 + + Shearman, F., 318, 321, 322 + + Smith, E., 276 + + ----, Hopewell, 279, 281 + + ----, J.A., 279, 303, 318, 322, 323, 331, 341, 346 + + ----, J.G., 304, 306, 307, 308, 309, 311, 313, 315 + + ----, _Lieut._, 50 + + ----, _Ensign_, 51 + + Smithwick, W. FitzW., 279, 293, 297 + + Somerset, _Lord_ C.H., 343 + + Speed, W.J., 99 + + Spencer, _Lce. Corpl._, 313, 315 + + Spitta, H.H., 318, 323 + + Splain, W., 51 + + Steward, C.B., 318, 322, 324, 326 + + Stewart, _Capt._, 171, 174, 175, 176, 178, 179 + + ----, _Ensign_, 211 + + ----, J., 79, 99 + + Stirling, _Lce. Corpl._, 314, 315 + + Strachan, W.H.P.F., 234, 237, 240, 246, 290, 318, 340, 346 + + Strong, _Lieut._, 173, 177 + + Sutherland, J., 79, 82 + + + T + + Tell, W. _Pte._, 315 + + Temple, A., 261, 275 + + Thomas, _Ensign_, 51 + + Tinkler, J., 318 + + Tipping, C.W.G., 340 + + Tolley, H., 131, 344 + + Torrens, _Pte._, 202, 203 + + Travers, J., 346 + + Tunstall, _Lieut._, 224 + + Turner, J.M.S., 340 + + + U + + Upton, _Lieut._, 228 + + + W + + Way, _Sir_ G.H.B., 343 + + Wemyss, W.S., 344 + + Weston, R., 148, 151 + + Wetherall, F.A., 259 + + Whitby, C., 141, 168, 344 + + White, F.B.P., 312, 333, 334, 335, 336, 341, 346 + + Whyte, J., 77, 99, 343 + + Wieburg, _Lieut._, 210 + + Williams, T., 332 + + Wilson, R., 79 + + Wilton, J.R.H., 333, 335 + + Winkler, J., 116, 124, 126, 139, 158, 160, 164 + + Wylie, _Lieut._, 240, 246, 247 + + + Y + + Yates, J., 344 + + Yonge, G.N.K.A., 299, 346 + + + + +THE END. + + +CHARLES DICKENS AND EVANS, CRYSTAL PALACE PRESS. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The History of the First West India +Regiment, by A. B. Ellis + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIRST WEST INDIA REGIMENT *** + +***** This file should be named 29984.txt or 29984.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/9/8/29984/ + +Produced by Steven Gibbs, Jane Hyland and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |