CHAPTER IV.

MARCH OF THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF FROM TROIS RIVIERES TO SALLEE ... OCCURRENCES ON THE MARCH ... GENERAL WHYTE DETACHED ... TAKES PIGEON ISLAND ... THE ADMIRAL ANCHORS OFF PIGEON ISLAND ... DESCRIPTION OF THE BAY OF FORT ROYAL ... THE THIRD BRIGADE LANDS AT CAS DE NAVIRES.

I have already said that his Excellency Sir Charles Grey, with Lieutenant General Prescott, and that part of the army which landed at Trois Rivieres, marched from thence on Feb. 6th across the country to La Riviere Sallée, a distance of two leagues, over very mountainous roads, and that evening they reached the town of the same name, situated on its banks, where the troops were lodged. They met with no opposition on their march, and lost only one man (a sergeant), who died of fatigue and heat. On the march the Commander in Chief detached Brigadier General Whyte, with the second battalion of light infantry commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Close, with two amuzettes, to force the batteries of Cape Solomon and Point a Burgos, in order to get possession of Pigeon Island, as our shipping could not go into the bay of Fort Royal till that was accomplished; nor indeed could our boats with provisions and ammunition go with safety round to the army at Riviere Sallée. On Feb. 7th General Whyte took two small pieces of cannon loaded, at a village in the bay of d'Arlet (one hundred and fifty mulattoes having fled at his approach); and immediately marching to the attack of the two posts above mentioned of Point Solomon and Burgos, the enemy surrendered at discretion, their retreat being cut off. In the interim the Commander in Chief received intelligence of a body of the enemy having crossed the bay from Fort Royal, and landed near Morne Charlotte Pied, where they took post to intercept the communication between General Whyte and head quarters at Sallée: on which he instantly dispatched Adjutant-General Colonel Dundas, with the seventieth regiment, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Johnson, with two howitzers, to dislodge them. This was executed that night with great spirit, and the post taken possession of early the next morning, the enemy being completely defeated at the first charge. In this action Captain Nares of the seventieth regiment distinguished himself so as to gain the notice of the Commander in Chief in public orders[8].

[8] Vide Appendix, page 14.

Brigadier General Whyte (being now reinforced with a detachment of the royal artillery, some ordnance, mortars, &c.) Colonel Symes, with a detachment of the fifteenth regiment and two hundred seamen from the Admiral, armed with pikes and pistols, under the command of Lieutenants Rogers and Rutherford, ascended the heights on the 9th instant, and got possession of Mount Matharine, which commanded Pigeon Island, at the distance of not more than four hundred yards, where they erected their batteries. On this day his Excellency the Admiral sailed from Maran Bay, and anchored in Petite Ance d'Arlet, from whence he could send succours of men and ammunition to General Whyte; who accordingly instantly landed two companies of seamen, with several cannon, which they in vain attempted to drag over the hills to General Whyte's post, a distance of four or five miles; for the steepness and ruggedness of the roads, rendered every effort ineffectual. However he sent him a plentiful supply of shot and other ammunition, with one howitzer; and in the evening Lieutenant Miln was dispatched with a party, carrying provisions and spirits for the army. We found the country on the march from Ance d'Arlet to General Whyte's camp beautiful in a high degree, but the roads almost impassable: a succession of steep roads, through thick woods, at length brought us to the summit of a hill (on which our seamen were posted), commanding a fine view of the bay of Fort Royal, with Islet aux Ramieres, or Pigeon Island, in front; and on each side rose hills finely clothed with wood, on one of which our little army was posted. During the time we were there, the enemy on Pigeon Island annoyed us with their shells and shot, by which one of our seamen was killed, and another mortally wounded. The two five and a half inch howitzers, brought by the seventieth regiment from head quarters, being now placed in a battery under the direction of Captain de Rivigne of the royal artillery, so as to take the island in reverse, and Colonel Dornford having also joined with a company of artificers, the batteries were completed during the night of the 10th instant, and opened on Tuesday morning, February 11th, under the conduct of Major Manley, who kept up so incessant and well-directed a fire upon Pigeon Island, that in two hours the garrison struck their colours, and surrendered at discretion, having fifteen killed and twenty-five wounded. When our batteries opened, it consisted of two hundred and three men.

After the strong orders the Commander in Chief issued during the time he was preparing for the commencement of the campaign at Barbadoes, in which, among other things, he declared his determination to punish with the utmost severity any one who should presume to maraud or plunder the inhabitants, it is surprising that on the first day's march any soldier should have had the temerity to offend against that order: but we had a melancholy instance of it in William Milton of the tenth light dragoons, and Samuel Price of the black dragoons, who were tried and convicted of a robbery in the house of Jacques, an inhabitant of Sallée; and the General, being determined to put an early stop to such enormities, had the sentence put in execution, and they were both hanged in view of the whole army on February 8th[9].

[9] Vide Appendix, pages 10, 11, 12.

On the capture of Islet aux Ramieres, or Pigeon Island, the Admiral sailed with the rest of his fleet from Ance d'Arlet on Wednesday, Feb. 12th, and anchored in Fort Royal Bay, off Pigeon Island, by which means he could co-operate with his colleague, and supply the army with ammunition and provisions at pleasure. As the ships worked into the bay, several shells were thrown at them from Fort Louis, but happily without doing any mischief.--It is impossible to conceive a more beautiful scene than presented itself on our entrance into this fine bay. On the north side we saw Fort Louis and the town of Fort Royal; and immediately behind it, on the top of a steep hill, was the strong fortification of Fort Bourbon, which, with the tri-coloured flag waving on its walls, formed a conspicuous object in the landscape; the parapet being built of white stone, strongly contrasted with the vivid glow of verdure on the surrounding hills. To the westward rose majestically prodigious mountains, called Les Pitons du Carbet, the hills on the side of which were cultivated, while the mountains themselves were covered with wood to their summits. Eastward the bay opens to several bays and harbours, into which some noble rivers discharge themselves, and pleasant islands of different dimensions and forms, embellish the whole. Pigeon Island, or Islet aux Ramieres, is situated on the south side of the bay of Fort Royal, about two hundred yards from the shore, and is a steep rock, inaccessible except on one side by a ladder fixed against a perpendicular wall. The summit is about thirty yards above the level of the sea, and is three hundred paces round. It contained the following ordnance, viz. Eleven forty-two pounders, six thirty-two pounders, four thirteen-inch mortars, and one howitzer, with an immense quantity of stores and ammunition, and a large stove to heat shot; it also had good barracks. It is famous for having prevented Admiral Rodney with twelve sail of the line from entering the bay in 1782.

On the 12th of February the fifteenth regiment, led by Major Lyon, and commanded by Captain Paumier, surprised several hundreds of the enemy, very strongly posted on the heights of le Grande Bouclain, killed several of them, and took all their ammunition and arms, with their cattle.[10]

[10] Vide Appendix, page 16.

Sir Charles Gordon with the third brigade had landed on the 8th instant to leeward, on the side of Cas de Navires, under cover of a division of the fleet commanded by Captain Rogers in the Quebec[11]. The enemy being masters of the grand road and the heights above it, he made a movement towards the mountains, and turning them (unperceived) with part of his force, gained the most commanding post in that part of the country. By day-break on the 9th instant Colonel Myers, descending the heights, took possession of la Chapelle, and a post established by the enemy above it; and on his return to the column, Sir Charles Gordon proceeded through most difficult ground to the heights of Berne, above Ance La Haye. The enemy, after having abandoned the battery of Cayman, and set fire to the village, still keeping a constant fire on him from the batteries of St. Catharine, he took a position which gave him an easy communication with the transports; when on the 12th he observed the battery and works at St. Catharine, and the posts which guarded the first ravine, abandoned by the enemy, on which he took possession of them, while Colonel Myers, with five companies of grenadiers and the forty-third regiment, crossed four ravines higher up, seizing all the batteries that defended them. This movement was completely successful, the enemy flying on every side, and our troops were soon in possession of the five batteries between Cas de Navires and Fort Royal. They then proceeded, and occupied the posts of Gentilly, La Coste, and La Archet, within a league of Fort Bourbon.

[11] They met with considerable opposition in this business; and the boats employed in landing the troops by some mistake got close under the enemy's batteries, before they discovered their situation. Our loss however was less than might have been expected. The Dromedary, venturing too near the battery of Point Negro, received a shot between wind and water, entering under the counter, and a second shot went through the quarter-deck barricade, killed one man, and wounded four, among whom was Captain Tatham.