CHAPTER XI.

THE CHARGES OF EXTORTED CONTRIBUTIONS AND OPPRESSIONS, ALLEDGED AGAINST THE COMMANDERS IN CHIEF BY CERTAIN INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS, REFUTED ... THE REAL CAUSES OF THE LOSS OF GUADALOUPE.

After having given an account of the glorious success which had crowned the exertions of our gallant commanders and their forces, I now enter upon a less pleasant task, the loss of Guadaloupe, since followed by the capture of some other islands: but I do it the more willingly, because in the simple facts it will be my duty to detail, the real cause of those misfortunes will appear, and a clear refutation ensue of those gross calumnies, originally propagated by avarice, fraud, and falsehood, and repeated by ignorance and malice, which have endeavoured to fix a stigma on two commanders, whose integrity of heart and openness of conduct are as demonstrable, as their bravery is acknowledged.

The accusation of plunder, confiscation, and _extorted contribution_, is founded on a tale, of which half only has been told, and that half with intentional inaccuracy.

It has always been understood that property found in any place taken by storm or assault became the legal prize or booty of the captors; consequently the Commanders in Chief found no hesitation or difficulty in considering the produce, merchandise, &c. afloat and on shore at St. Pierre and Fort Royal (both which were literally so taken) as justly liable to forfeit and confiscation. The estates of the emigrant royalists had been sequestered, and the produce of them sold by the agents of the republic; consequently all manufactured or collected produce on them became in like manner, by his majesty's gracious bounty, the right of the captors.

If what is found in places or vessels taken by assault be not considered as legal prize, what is? Is no booty, no prize money, to be the reward of successful heroism, after the dreadful fatigues, diseases, and dangers of war? Where then will be the spur to noble actions? Where the spirit that impels the soldier and the sailor to brave the horrors of arms and elements, of raging sickness, of excruciating death?

All the produce and merchandise found in the town of Fort Royal and on board the vessels in the Carénage, and the same in the town and bay of St. Pierre and in Trinité in the island of Martinique, and at Basse Terre and Point à Pitre in Guadaloupe, were disposed of by public auction for the benefit of the captors: but those on the estates, manufactured and packed ready to be brought down to the ports for embarkation, were not sold at this time, because persons came forward on the part of the inhabitants themselves, and proposed a contribution, in lieu of that part of the property, as falling more easy on them, and consequently being preferable to confiscation; though they did not at that time pretend to dispute the legality of the forfeiture. The Commanders in Chief acceded to this _their own proposal_, through a pure wish of accommodation. The exorbitant and unprecedented contribution, therefore, levied on an unwilling people, turns out to be an _offered compromise for an undisputed prize, received by a merciful and tender conqueror out of kindness to the conquered_.

How well bestowed this kindness was, how deserved the confidence placed in the honour of these people, will appear by the sequel! They received back the forfeitures, and then endeavoured to get rid of paying the compromise (themselves had offered) by infamous misrepresentations of the conduct of those Commanders, of whose generosity they made use, to defame, and then to rob them! For no sooner had they shipped off the property, and got it safe away from the power of the Commanders, than they began to demur at paying the stipulated sum, particularly at St. Lucia, which island had agreed to pay one hundred and fifty thousand pounds.

Situated as I was, and having an opportunity of drawing my conclusions on the spot, I venture, with a very strong confidence of its truth, to relate the following as the secret history of this business. An agent for the prizes at St. Lucia, joining one of the agents who had already been employed in the sale of the vendible property at Martinique (possibly piqued by some diminution of confidence which the Commanders in Chief from good reason had betrayed towards them), no sooner met the inhabitants of St. Lucia, whom he had convened on the subject of raising the stipulated compromise for the plunder, than he offered, with an unparalleled duplicity, while confessing himself sent on the part of the captors, to suggest a mode by which the payment of this debt of honour might be evaded. "Send," said he, "an immediate deputation to the English government, anticipate the story of the Commanders, and a prohibition will instantly issue." The deputation was sent without loss of time: they relied on securing a large body of English merchants, particularly those in the West Indies, on their side; and their reliance was well placed, for they relied on that which they could easily prove to be their interest. The truth is, that many of these West India traders[40] had carried on an illicit traffic to the French islands before they were captured; and in consequence of it had at the time of the capture immense sums still due to them. Apprehending, therefore, that the payment of this contribution might retard, or even endanger, the discharge of their own debts, they joined heartily in every scheme for defeating this just and prior claim. They encouraged the French in their opposition; they misrepresented the facts to England; they attempted to blast the laurels of the Commanders; and became clamorous against the cruelty of plunder, and illegality and impolicy of confiscation, that they might enjoy the rewards of their own treason. While this plot was secretly carrying on, and a heavy storm brooding over their heads, the General and Admiral were proceeding in their expedition against Guadaloupe, little suspicious, till the dispatches from England discovered the success with which the artful stories of this party had been attended.

[40] Admiral Rodney used to say of these people, that "they were smugglers in peace, and traitors in war;" an opinion, I believe, confirmed by repeated experience.

Thus was the unparalleled good order and discipline with which the army and navy had abstained from plundering the towns of St. Pierre, Fort Royal, and Trinité, &c. rewarded! This was the recompence of the ruinous and expensive service in which the officers had engaged; of the unexampled sufferings and dangers which they and their brave men had undergone. Is not contribution in lieu of booty, the custom of war? Was it not the case with Prince Ferdinand in a former war, through every town and village of Germany[41]? Did not the Marquis de Bouillé levy a heavy contribution on the island of St. Christopher's, when taken by the French in 1782? Where then could contribution ever be proper if not here? Here was no capitulation; but, though the islands fell by storm, the Commanders, acting on the purest principles, to save the persons and property of the inhabitants from the plunder[42] of an enraged soldiery, agreed to accept as a recompence due to the forbearance and good conduct of that body, a composition the most easy to the conquered; and yet their fame has been vilified, and the hard-earned pittance of booty snatched away! for none of the contributions were ever paid, except a part at St. Lucia, _which was afterwards refunded_. Surely this is small encouragement for such a desperate service! If such be the future prospects of our army and navy, their spirits will droop, and half that ardour that generates success subside!

[41] Of this General Sir Charles Grey himself shared.

[42] During the time that Fort Bourbon was besieging we sent a summons to the town of St. Pierre, which was rejected with an uncommon degree of insolence, and Captain Mason (the General's aid de camp, who went with the flag of truce) was insulted. About a fortnight afterwards the place was taken by storm, without any capitulation, consequently subject to plunder by the custom of war; but so far from any irregularity being suffered, a drummer was hanged by order of General Dundas for attempting it; and such exact discipline and quiet behaviour was maintained among the troops, that the shops were opened the day after the capture. From the time of the refusal of the summons to the final capture, the republicans continued to load all the property and produce on board vessels under American colours, which they did constantly, in order to deprive the captors of their just rights, in case the place should be taken.--Interested American merchants were continually endeavouring to wrest the hard-earned prize money from the army and navy, while they were supplying the enemy with provisions and other necessaries.

I shall now mention the real cause of the loss of Guadaloupe, which, with that of some other islands that have since fallen, has been maliciously attributed to the oppression and peculations of Sir Charles Grey and Sir John Jervis; for this purpose I must refer back to the time when the expedition was first planned by our government, and the command given to those officers. As the capture of the French possessions in the West Indies was rightly judged to be of the greatest consequence both in a political and mercantile view, a very formidable armament was prepared, and Martinique was pitched on as the first object for attack; and, since the capture of that island had been attempted the year preceding, and failed, it was of course expected to be put on its guard, and rendered thereby more difficult. But at this period (unfortunately for this expedition) another object diverted the attention of government, and eight regiments[43], with a great part of the artillery, which were embarked and ready to sail, were taken from that force, which combined would in all probability have secured to us our conquests in the West Indies, and enabled us to extend them to St. Domingo, and all the other French islands in that quarter. Government was well aware, and acknowledged, that this diminution of force must so cripple the expedition, that it would render the prospect of any success doubtful; and no idea was entertained that the conquest of Martinique would even have been attempted, Fort Bourbon alone seeming too formidable for an attack by such an inconsiderable body: however, when Sir Charles Grey and Sir John Jervis arrived at Barbadoes, and had arranged every thing for an active campaign, they determined to begin with the strongest island, being confident that, when that was gained, the smaller places would soon fall; whereas, by attacking the lesser islands first, they must necessarily diminish their small armament, and render the capture of so well defended and strong a place as Martinique, with the formidable fortress of Fort Bourbon, totally impossible. The event justified their determination. But when this great object was gained, and St. Lucia and Guadaloupe taken, the army (originally too small) was divided into three parts to garrison the conquered places; and by that dreadful scourge, the yellow fever, which now began its ravages, together with the loss sustained in the several actions of the campaign, not one of the islands, nor indeed a single post on each, could be called properly defended, in case the French should send out an armament to the West Indies. If, as soon as the news of the capture of the first island had reached England, a strong reinforcement could have been sent out, and repeated on the conquest of each succeeding place, the small body of the enemy (who made their attack on Guadaloupe, and stole in at a moment when the gallant governor, General Dundas, was breathing his last, and when every post was reduced to extremity by sickness) would with ease have been repelled, or perhaps their whole party taken.--In the succeeding part of this work it will be my business to detail the events that gradually led to the evacuation of this island, and gave the enemy such advantage as enabled them since to extend their conquests to some other inferior places.

[43] Consisting of four thousand six hundred and forty-two men.