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The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. / From the Accession of George III. to the Twenty-Third Year of the Reign of Queen Victoria cover

The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. / From the Accession of George III. to the Twenty-Third Year of the Reign of Queen Victoria

Chapter 246: AFFAIRS IN THE WEST INDIES.
By Edward Farr
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About This Book

The volume traces British political, parliamentary, and military developments from the accession of George III through the early nineteenth century, chronicling changes of ministry and cabinet, debates over colonial taxation and the American conflict, parliamentary controversies involving figures such as Wilkes and Warren Hastings, questions of Catholic relief and slave-trade abolition, and responses to the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars, including major naval and continental campaigns, the union with Ireland, and domestic legislation on finance, civil liberties, and parliamentary reform.

AFFAIRS IN THE WEST INDIES.

During the year the transatlantic war was carried on with various success. In the month of January, Vice-admiral Byron arrived at St. Lucie with nine sail of the line, and there joined Rear-admiral Barrington. This compelled the Count d’Estaing to act on the defensive. He took refuge in Martinique, where he remained five months, and nothing could induce him to issue from his safe retreat. While here he was joined by some ships under Count de Grasse, and fresh land-troops also arrived from France. On the other hand, Byron’s fleet was also reinforced by some ships under Admiral Rowley. Both fleets, however, remained inactive till Byron sailed away to escort our homeward-bound West India fleet to a certain latitude. The French admiral now detached a small force to St. Vincent, where the Caribs joined the French, and where the English garrison thus assailed capitulated. After this d’Estaing proceeded with his whole fleet and 9000 land-troops to Grenada. Lord Macartney, the governor, had only one hundred and fifty regulars, and about three hundred militia to oppose to him; but he made a brave resistance with this little force, and even repulsed the first assault of nearly 3000 French troops. His lines, however, were stormed, and after Macartney had retired into the fort he was compelled to surrender at discretion. Before he surrendered, however, Admiral Byron, who had returned from escorting the trade, appeared off the island, and attempted its relief. An engagement took place between the British and French fleets, in which some of the English ships were disabled, and the French lost 1200 men killed, and 2000 wounded. Night put an end to the action, and although in the course of the day the white flag was seen waving over the capital of Grenada, which was a proof that Lord Macartney had been compelled to surrender, Byron remained on the scene of action, hoping that the enemy would engage him again on the morrow. In the morning, however, he discovered that d’Estaing had gone back to Grenada and Byron bore away to St. Christopher. Great alarm prevailed among our remaining West India Islands, for d’Estaing had boasted that he would capture the whole during the summer; but he soon sailed away to Hispaniola, and then to the coasts of Georgia and Carolina to aid the Americans.