AN

ACCOUNT

OF THE

EXPEDITION

TO

CARTHAGENA, &c.

[Price One Shilling.]

See the Plan of the City and Harbour of Carthagena, published in the LONDON MAGAZINE for April 1740; which will serve to give the Readers of this Pamphlet a clearer Idea of its Contents.

AN

ACCOUNT

OF THE

EXPEDITION

TO

CARTHAGENA,

WITH

Explanatory Notes

AND

OBSERVATIONS.

The Third Edition.

Ubi per socordiam vires, tempus, ingenium defluxere, naturæ infirmitas accusatur: suam quique culpam actores ad negotia transferunt.

Sallust.

LONDON:
Printed for M. Cooper, at the Globe in
Pater-noster-Row.

Mdccxliii.

AN

ACCOUNT

OF THE

EXPEDITION

TO

CARTHAGENA, &c.

It having been resolved in a general Council of War, held at Spanish Town, to prevent, if possible, the French Fleet joining the Enemy before any Expedition should be undertaken by Land: the Wolf Sloop, Captain Dandridge, was dispatched up to Port Louis, to observe if the Fleet was in that Port: And on the 22d of January, which was the soonest the Fleet could be got ready for the Sea, Sir Chaloner Ogle and his Division sailed out of Port Royal Harbour; and two Days after Mr. Lestock and his Division; and on the Monday following the Admiral with the rest of the Squadron (leaving behind him the Falmouth and Litchfield to bring up the Transports;) but the Land Breeze failing, and a great Swell rolling down, obliged them to anchor at the Keys (where the Augusta drove ashore, and beat off her Rudder, and great part of her Keel.) On the 28th the Admiral weighed Anchor, and plied up to Windward, and the 31st joined Sir Chaloner Ogle and Mr. Lestock with their Divisions off Port Morant, and the Day following was joined by the Falmouth, Litchfield, and Transports. February the 7th the Fleet made Cape Tiberoon on the Island Hispaniola, and off there was joined by the Cumberland, Captain Stewart, from Lisbon, (who had been separated from the Fleet in the Storm the 1st of November) and the next Day the Wolf Sloop came into the Fleet ^[A] and brought with her a French Sloop. The 13th the Fleet anchored at the Isle of Vache, about two Leagues to the Westward of Port Louis, where they stayed but four Days, having gained Intelligence the French Fleet was divided, and sailed (the Marquis D'Antin and twelve Sail being gone for Old France, and Mr. Rochefieulle and six Sail for Petit Guavas) upon which the Fleet went and anchored in Tiberoon, Donna Maria, and Irish Bays, to Wood and Water; and on the 25th sailed from thence, when the Weymouth, Experiment, and Spence Sloop, were dispatched ahead over to Carthagena, to sound Punta Canoa Bay, for the safer anchoring the Fleet, which arrived there the 5th of March in the Evening; and three Days after the same Ships, together with the Dunkirk, were ordered by the Admiral down off Boccachica, to sound and see if the Fleet might safely anchor there, and how near Ships might come to batter the Forts of St. Philip and St. Jago; and so soon as the Admiral had received the Reports from the Commanders of these Ships, a Council of War was held, wherein it was resolved to send three eighty Gun Ships, the Norfolk, Captain Graves, the Shrewsbury, Captain Townsend, and the Russell, Captain Norris, to batter the Forts abovementioned; the Princess Amelia, Captain Hemmington, to fire against the Fascine Battery, and the Litchfield, Captain Cleveland, against the little Battery of Chamba; (but these two last the Enemy had abandoned) and accordingly the 9th in the Morning they weighed Anchor from Punta Canoa Bay, together with Sir Chaloner Ogle, and the rest of his Division, (he being to command the Attack) and about two Hours afterwards, the Admiral and the rest of the Fleet got under sail: At Noon the Norfolk, Russell, and Shrewsbury began to cannonade the Forts, and in about three Hours time drove the Enemy from their Guns, and obliged them to abandon their Forts^[B]: Immediately on this Sir Chaloner Ogle made the Signal for landing the Troops, which was repeated by the Admiral, who was just come to an Anchor, (a little to the Eastward) and about five o'clock in the Evening, a Body of Troops were landed without Opposition; but the General not thinking the Body sufficient, (he landing with them) embarked again in the Boats, and sent for more^[C]. About eight o'Clock they landed again, and went and took Possession of the Forts of St. Philip and St. Jago, and about nine the Bomb-ketches were carried in Shore, and began to play on the Castle of Boccachica. The three next Days were spent in landing the remainder of the Forces, the Baggage, &c.^[D] and by the 16th all the Cannon, Mortars, and Ordnance Stores were landed^[E]. But the principal Engineer not arriving till the 15th, no Spot was pitched upon for raising a Battery^[F] against the Enemy, so that the clearing a few Bushes away down by the Water Side, for to pitch their Tents, was all the material Work the Army did for near a Week; and the Enemy was contented to let them be pretty quiet, only now and then firing a Shot, until they opened a Bomb-Battery of four Mortars and some Royals on the 17th^[G], and then the Fascine Battery on the Barradera Side annoyed them greatly, and particularly the Camp, so that they were obliged to remove it several Paces off.

^[H]This being represented to the Admiral, Orders were given for all Boats of the Squadron to be ready at Midnight (manned and armed) to go to surprize the Barradera Battery, and the Command given to Captain Boscawen^[I], in which they happily succeeded, spiked up all the Guns; burnt the Carriages, Platforms, and Guard-house; destroyed the Magazine, and took several Prisoners^[K]. The next Morning, as soon as it was Day, the Enemy from Boccachica began to fire warmly at the Bomb-Battery, (as if they were angry at what happened the Night before) though without doing them any particular Damage; and as they were sensible of the Usefulness and advantageous Situation of this Battery, they set busily about repairing some Part of it, and on the 20th had built up some Embrazures and mounted two Guns, and fired them on the Bomb-Battery again, which the Admiral observing, ordered the Rippon, a sixty Gun ship, to go and anchor as near it, as possible, and keep firing on it to prevent the Enemy's working on it any farther^[L], so that all the next Day the Army was in a State of Tranquillity, and on Sunday the 22d their grand Battery of twenty Guns being finished, about eight o'Clock in the Morning began to play very briskly on the Castle, as did the Bomb-Battery, and thirty or forty Cohorns and Royals planted on the Platform behind the Cannon^[M], which the Enemy returned as briskly from the Castle, the four Ships^[N] (Don Blass's in particular) St. Joseph's, and some few Guns from the Barradera, so that the Work was warm on both Sides. On the 23d the Boyne, Suffolk, Tilbury, Prince Frederick, and Hampton Court, were ordered in against Boccachica to cannonade^[O]; but the Boyne having anchored so far to Leeward, as to lie exposed to the whole Fire of the Enemy's Ships, and St. Joseph's Battery, was much shattered, and ordered off again that Night. The Prince Frederick and Hampton Court, sharing the Fire of the Enemy, that had been employed against the Boyne, were also much shattered by Morning, when they were likewise ordered to come off; the former having lost her Captain, and both many Men killed and wounded. The Suffolk and Tilbury happening to anchor well to the Northward, lay battering till the next Evening (and with some Success, particularly against the Breach) when the Admiral sent Orders for them to draw off. The Army now began to look on the Breach as accessible, but the Guns in the Barradera Battery, being able to annoy them in their Attack, a Representation thereof was made to the Admiral, who immediately directed the Princess Amelia, Litchfield, and Shoreham, to go in, and anchor as nigh it as possible, and sent the Boats of the Squadron again mann'd and arm'd, under the Command of Captain Watson to destroy it^[P], which they did effectually, and with scarce any Opposition; the greatest part of the Guns in Boccachica Castle being now dismounted, the Army thought proper to entertain the Enemy's Ships, by widening five or six Embrazures of their Battery, and playing some Guns on them, which the Ships as civilly returned, 'till Night closed in, and firing ceased on both Sides]^[Q. The 25th in the Morning it was discovered, the Enemy had been throwing up some Fascine Works on the Ramparts; however as they had not moved away any Rubbish from the Breach, it was resolved this Evening to attack it by Storm^[R], and accordingly soon after Sun-set a Body of Troops marched up and mounted the Breach undiscovered, and quietly took Possession of the Castle, the Enemy flying out at the Gate so soon as they saw the Troops on the Ramparts, and heard their Huzza's. Those aboard their Ships were in the utmost Consternation at such a sudden and successful Event, and with all precipitate Surprize betook themselves to their Boats, setting Fire to one of their Ships, and sinking two others. At the same time the Attack was to be made on the Castle, (in order to divide the Enemy's Forces) the Admiral had given Orders for the Attack of the Castle of St. Joseph by Boats, and sent them away under the Command of Captain Knowles, who took Possession of it about ten a Clock at Night, the Enemy abandoning it after firing some Guns: The Boats afterwards went and took Possession of the Galicia, the Spanish Admiral's Ship, and then went to Work on cutting the Boom^[S], and moving the Galicia out of the Channel; and next Morning the Admiral in the Princess Caroline, the Worcester, and some other Ships sailed into the Harbour of Carthagena, and the whole Fleet and Transports continued to sail and warp in as fast as conveniently they could. The Enemy seeing the Admiral and several Ships got into the Harbour, began to expect a Visit at Castillo Grande soon, and as Mancinilla Fort lay opposite to it within Gun-shot, and was not capable of making any great Defence, they thought proper to destroy it, lest we should take Possession of it, and so batter the Castle. On the 28th the Admiral being informed of two small Batteries that guarded the Passa Cavallos^[T], sent the Weymouth and Cruiser Sloop to demolish them, and take all the Imbarkations and Canoes that were there; and disposed the Fire-ships and small Frigates round the Harbour, to guard every Pass and Creek, in order to cut off any Supplies going to the Town. On the 30th the Rear-Admiral and several Ships turned up the Harbour, and anchored a small Distance from Castillo Grande, where the Enemy made a Shew of preparing to receive them;^[V] and in order to stop the Fleet here, had sunk seven Ships across the Channel, and moored two of their Men of War, the Conquestodore of sixty six Guns, and the Dragon of sixty. The 31st early in the Morning, Captain Knowles observed the enemy's two Men of War sunk, and not perceiving any Men in the Castle went and acquainted Sir Chaloner Ogle, that it was his Opinion the Enemy had abandoned Castillo Grande, who immediately ordered him to weigh Anchor, and run in with his Ship, and fire on it, which he did; and the Castle making no return, he sent his Boats ashore, and took Possession of it, and hoisted the English Flag: And on the Admiral's receiving Intelligence, he ordered a proper Number of Forces to garison it^[W]. The next Day Captain Griffin, and Captain Rentone, were sent to see if it was possible to get past the Enemy's Ships they had sunk, and finding the Conquestodore's Stern afloat, the Burford warped up, and cut the Stern Moorings, and hove her round, which opened a fair Channel, and the Bomb-Ketches, and two twenty Gun Ships went through. By this Time the Admiral, and greatest Part of the Squadron, were come up the Harbour. Mr. Lestock and his Division was left at Boccachica, with Orders to reimbark the Forces, and Cannon as fast as possible. The second in the Morning the Bomb-Ketches began to play on the Town, and some of the Guns of Castillo Grande, that were cleared, fired on a French Ship that lay up at the Head of the Harbour^[X], upon which the Enemy set fire to her, and she burned the greatest Part of the Day. Next Day the Weymouth getting through the Channel, the Town began to fire on her, but without doing any material Damage. Great Part of the Transports with the Troops being now come up the Harbour, this Night the Weymouth, the three Fire-ships, and the Cruiser Sloop, being designed by the Admiral to cover the landing of the Forces, warped over on the other Side the Harbour undiscovered by the Enemy, who in the Morning, to shew their Resentment, gave them a Salvo of what Cannon fronted that Way; (but firing through the Bushes did no Execution) the Cruiser Sloop drawing but little Water, warped up a Creek, and a Party of the Enemy from a Breast-work they had thrown up, fired smartly on her with their Musketry, but were quickly dislodged, a brisk fire, chiefly with Grape Shot, having been kept all Night to scour the Woods. About 5 o'Clock next Morning, being the 5th, the Forces were landed^[Y], and in their marching up from the Waterside had a small Skirmish with some of the Enemy's Troops that had made a Lodgment in the Woods, whom they soon put to Flight; and about a Mile further were attacked a second Time, but the Enemy as soon shewed their Backs again. Finding the Country open hereabouts, the Army did not chuse to make any further Advances, so they pitched on a Place for encamping, and the Evening sent a Party up to La Papa to take Possession of that, if the Enemy had abandoned it^[Z]. In the mean while all possible Dispatch was made in landing the Baggage, Provision, Cannon, Ammunition, &c.^[A] which the Enemy surprisingly suffered, notwithstanding the landing Place was within reach of the Guns of St. Lazare; yet they fired but seldom, for it appeared afterwards their Attention was more towards their own Safety, (or 'tis certain they might have done a great deal of Mischief;) for whilst the Army were employed, and getting their things ashore, the Enemy were as busy in making a Fascine Battery of four Pieces of Cannon on the Brow of the Hill, and carrying on a Trench (or Line) round the Foot of the Castle, which they completed in a very short Time^[B], quicker than the Army could make a Battery only for three Mortars, and throw up a small Breast-work for their Advance Guards. But no Care was yet taken to cut off the Communication between Town and Country^[C]. Complaints now began to be made, that the Number of Sick was greatly increased in the Camp; upon which the Admiral immediately supplied them with a Detachment of Lord James Cavendish and Colonel Bland's Regiments, that had remained aboard the Ships as part of their Compliments, and a Body of such Americans as were fit for Duty^[D]. Upon this Reinforcement, and the Apprehensions of the rainy Seasons, which were daily expected, on the eighth in the Afternoon a Land Council of War was held ^[E], wherein it was resolved to attack the Castle and Trenches of St. Lazare, (without first raising a Battery to make a Breach) and to this Resolution the Engineer joined in Opinion^[F]. Accordingly on the ninth in the Morning between three and four o'Clock the Attack was made, and maintained very resolutely on both Sides till between six and seven, when the Enemy obliged the Forces to retreat after a considerable Loss of Officers and Men^[G]. After the Miscarriage of this Scheme (which was the occasion of the Town's not being taken) the Army sickened surprisingly fast, and those that were killed being esteemed the Flower of the Flock, the General declared he was no longer in a Condition to defend himself, much more to carry on a Siege against the Place, and hoped, if the Admiral (who had ordered the Weymouth to erect a Bomb-Battery, which was finished and played in two Days) expected any Thing to be done, he would order some Ships in to cannonade the Town^[H], otherwise desired these Things might be considered in a general Council of War, of Sea and Land Officers, and accordingly on the 15th a Council of War was held, who came to a Resolution (upon the General's Representation of the bad State of the Army)^[I], to have the Cannon and Forces reimbarked with all convenient Speed, and the 17th in the Night the Troops were accordingly^[K] taken off the Shore.

Nothing remained now but to get the Fleet and Transports ready for Sea, and to demolish the Castles and Fortifications already taken, which last was effectually done by blowing them up, and by the 12th of May the whole Fleet and Forces had taken leave of Carthagena.

APPENDIX.

In order more fully and clearly to form a Judgment of the foregoing Expedition, it may not be improper to subjoin this Narrative of the Enemy's Situation, Strength, and Disposition at Carthagena, as the Fleet and Forces found them on their Arrival there: And in order to carry it on agreeable to the Advances that were made, begin with a Disposition of Punta Canoa Bay, where the Fleet first anchored. This Bay is about five Miles to the North West of the City of Carthagena, but not an extraordinary good anchoring Place, as the Water is shoal a great Way off the Shore, and the Coast pretty strait, that Ships are not much sheltered with the Point of Land, from the Violence of the Breezes that generally blow. In the Bottom of this Bay is an Entrance into the great Lake of Jesea, (called the Boquilla) where the Enemy had a small Fascine Battery of four Pieces of Cannon, and kept a Guard; but upon the Fleet's Arrival, (and during the Time they continued to lie there) a considerable Number of the Enemy's Forces, both Horse and Foot, kept constantly there, expecting a Descent. The next Place of Note was the Cruizes, where the Enemy kept a Guard ordinarily of a hundred Men: This Place is about half Way from the Boquilla to the Town, and guards a narrow Creek or Pass from the Town to the Lake, called Passa de Juan D'Ingola, through which Supplies come in Canoes from the other Side of the Lake to the Town: As for the City itself, Nature has fortified that against any Attempt by Sea, the Water shoaling near a League off, and the Shore being plentifully bounded with Rocks; besides, the Sea is very seldom smooth, so that it is difficult at all Times landing. However, as the Enemy knew the Bravery of those they had to deal with, they began to wall this Side of the Town, and make a Ravelin in the Middle, there being already a strong Bastion at each End. Bocca Grande being the next Place the Enemy suspected an Attempt might be designed, had posted two of their Men of War, the Conquestodore of sixty six Guns, and the Dragon of sixty to guard it, and began two Fascine Batteries, one on each Point of the Entrance. This Passage, called Bocca Grande, was formerly the principal Entrance into the Harbour, but by Storms, and the Force of the Sea, a Bank was thrown up, which quite closed the Entrance, and then it was called Bocca Serrada; but as strange Revolutions are frequent in these Countries, within these few Years this Passage has broke out again, and there is now nine or ten Foot Water in it. About three Miles below this, on the Island of Terra Bomba, was a small Fort of four Guns, called Battery de Chamba; and half a Mile further, a Fascine Battery of twelve Guns, (both of these the Enemy had abandoned.) The next Places of Defence were the Forts of St. Philip and St. Jago, one of seven Guns, the other of fifteen, which served as Redoubts to the Castle of Boccachica. One of these Forts was built on the Rock Ponti landed on, and probably to prevent any one's landing there again, (especially so easily as he did.) The Castle of Boccachica was the Enemy's chief Dependance, as it guarded the Entrance into the Harbour. It is a regular Square, with four Bastions well built, and was capable of making a stout Defence if well garisoned, and would have been much stronger had the Glacis and Counterscarp been finished. There was mounted in it eighty two Guns, and three Mortars, and the Enemy had cleared three or four hundred Yards of the Woods round it, to prevent Approaches being made undiscovered, (as Ponti did in 1697.) On the other Side the Harbour's Mouth was a Fascine Battery of fifteen Guns, called the Barradera; and in a small Bay a back of that, another Battery of four Guns; and facing the Entrance of the Harbour, on a small flat Island, stood St. Joseph's Fort of twenty one Guns: From this Fort to Boccachica Castle a Boom and Cables were fixed across, fastened with three large Anchors at each End; and just within the Boom was moored in a Line four Men of War, the Galicia of sixty six Guns, (aboard which was the Admiral Don Blass D'Leso,) the Africa and St. Carlos, each of sixty six Guns, and the St. Philip of seventy Guns, which spread the Width of the Harbour's Mouth, that there was not room for a Ship either to pass a head or a stern of them, so that it was impossible for shipping to force an Entrance into the Harbour; and had the Enemy here made a Defence equal to the admirable Disposition they had formed, it must have been a difficult Task for the Fleet to have got in, even after Boccachica Castle was taken. About four or five Miles from hence is a Creek, or Passage, that parts the Grand Baru from the Main called Passa Cavallos, through which there is Water enough for small Vessels: This Pass the Enemy had defended with two Fascine Batteries, one of eight Guns, the other of four, as well to protect their own Imbarkations that come this Way with Provisions from Tolu, and the River Sina, as to prevent any Attempts being made this Way. The next place of Defence was Castillo Grande, which is about eight Miles up the Harbour. This Castle is a regular Square with four Bastions, strong and well built, and defended to the Land by a wet Ditch and Glacis proper, and one Face towards the Sea has a Raveline, and a double Line of Guns. This Castle can mount sixty one Guns, though there was but fifty seven in it. Opposite to this was a Horse-shoe Battery of twelve Guns, called Mancinilla; and in the Middle between these two Forts is a large Shoal with not above two or three Foot Water on it, which divides the Channel into two: In each of these Passages were Ships sunk across, to prevent, if possible, the Fleet's getting by; for that Part of the Harbour above these Castles is a perfect Bason, and seems rather like one Harbour within another, so that if some of the Ships could not have got past to have covered the Troops landing (where they did) they must have marched several Miles, and been greatly exposed; besides, it would have been excessively difficult transporting the Cannon, neither could the Bomb-Ketches have got near enough this Way to have diverted the Town; so that the Intent of this Disposition was exceeding good, had it been effectually executed, (but Fear made the Enemy work in too much Hurry.) Near three Miles further up the Harbour, on two flat sandy Islands, or Keys, stands the famous City of Carthagena, and Himani, called its Suburbs, which are both irregular Figures, but well fortified to the Land with strong Bastions at proper Distances, and Lakes and Morasses running round them; and the Water at the Head of the Harbour shoal so far off, that Ships cannot come near enough to do any material Execution with their Guns, which adds much to its Strength.

About a Quarter of a Mile from the Gate of Himani, on a pretty high Eminence, stands the Castle (or Redoubt) of St. Lazare, which in itself is but trifling, but its Situation very advantageous, and by some new Works lately thrown up much strengthened. This Redoubt overlooks all the Town, but has a Brow of a Hill (about four hundred Yards from it) that overlooks it as much, and entirely commands it, where would have been a proper Place to have raised a Battery, which the Enemy full well knew, for they constantly kept a Guard there, to observe the Army's Motions. As it was this famous Castle put an End to the Siege of Carthagena, a particular Description of it may not be unwelcome.

The Hill it stands on is about fifty or sixty Foot high, naturally steep, but made more so by the Earth out of the Trenches and Lines being thrown over the Brow. The Castle is a Square of about fifty Foot, with three Demi-Bastions, two Guns in each Face, one in each Flank, and three in each Curtain. When the Army first landed, there was no material Works about the Castle, but a Fascine Battery, of five Guns at the North End of the Hill, facing the Brow of the commanding Hill abovementioned; but whilst they were encamping, &c. the Enemy cut Lines round the Foot of the Castle, and erected another Fascine-Battery on the South Brow of the Hill, and brought four Guns out of the North Battery, and mounted in this, as it commanded the Ascent of the Hill best; these Lines ran in Traverses, and communicated from Battery to Battery, and were a better Defence, and much stronger, than all the other Works together. After the Attack, the Enemy being able to judge where their Foible lay, mounted two Guns in the Lines, against the angular Point of one of the Bastions (which was not defended) where the Troops ascended the Hill, and to the South Part of the Hill lengthened their Lines, and made a Stair-case up the Hill, to the Fascine-Battery, and a Breast-work cross the Road, from the Foot of the Hill down to the Water-side, which effectually blocked themselves up, and was a Security against the Army's making a second Attack, and coming at them the right Way, as they might have done at first, had they taken the Guide's Advice. The Side next the Town is quite defenceless, and the Way into the Castle up a Ladder, on that Side, which draws up, like a Bridge.

From the several Examinations of Deserters it appeared, the Number of the Enemy did not exceed four thousand, (regular Forces, Seamen, Militia, Blacks, and Indians included) and daily Experience convinced us of the Goodness of their Engineers, Bombardiers, and Gunners, as Desertion and Cowardice convinced us of the Badness of others.

Having given an Account of the Enemy's Situation and Strength, it may likewise be necessary to relate some Account of the State of the Army, and what pretty Instruments and Materials they were furnished withal. That the whole Body of the Troops, that came from England (unless two Regiments) were raw, new raised, undisciplined Men, is a Fact known to every one; and the greatest Part of the Officers commanding them, either young Gentlemen whose Quality or Interest entitled them to Preferment, or abandoned Wretches of the Town, whose Prostitution had made them useful on some dirty Occasion, and by Way of Reward were provided for in the Army; but both these Sorts of Gentlemen had never seen any Services, consequently, knew not properly how to act, or command; so that the worthy old experienced Officers, who had served long and well, underwent a continual Hardship, in teaching and disciplining a young raw Army, at a Time when they were on Service, and every one ought to have been Masters of their Trade, instead of having it to learn; and thus, by more frequently exposing themselves, most of them were knocked on the Head. As for the American Troops, they were in general many Degrees worse, but the Officers in particular, who were composed of Blacksmiths, Taylors, Shoemakers, and all the Banditti that Country affords, insomuch, that the other Parts of the Army held them in scorn. And for Engineers, Bombardiers, and Gunners, worse never bore the Name, or could be picked out of all Europe.

Amongst the ten Engineers, there was but one who ever saw a Siege (and that was the simple Siege of Gibraltar) and he was killed at Boccachica, in the midst of his own defenceless Works; so that the rest may justly have been said to be left without a Head. As for the Bombardiers and Gunners, the Colonel commanding the Train was in his grand Climacterick, and consequently very unfit to be sent upon this Expedition; but he, poor Gentleman, was soon dispatched (thanks to the Ignorance of the Engineers) and his Successor took care to render himself as unfit for Duty, by Excess of Drinking, as Old Age rendered the other; and as to Inferiors of both Sorts, Bombardiers and Cannoneers, many of them were Country Fellows, who told the General they were provided for in the Train for voting for Mr. —— and Mr. such a one, &c. Out of these few that were good, by constant Attendance and Duty's falling hard few were left, and indeed they had not many Opportunities of shewing their Abilities, the Materials they were provided withal being mostly bad; for two thirds of the Bomb-Shells either broke short in the Air, or their Fusees went out, and they never broke at all; nor were there one in three of the Grenadoes would burst; the Shells were so thick, and the Cavity so small, they would not hold Powder sufficient to crack them; nay, so little Care was taken in providing and packing up proper Materials for a Train of Artillery, that out of eight Pieces of Battering-Cannon-Principals, one was found defective and unserviceable, and the Expedition had like to have set forward, without a Plank or Joist for Platforms for the Guns, or any Bill-Hooks to cut Fascines and clear the Ground, had not Lord Cathcart been informed these Things were wanting, and wrote timely to have them supplied before the Fleet sailed, which lay then at St. Hellens.

Upon the whole, the Service that has been performed best demonstrates the Goodness of this Army: How much it has suffered, as well as the Reputation of the Nation, by the Death of Lord Cathcart, the End of the Expedition must resolve.

Thus much may be said in Behalf of the common Soldiers, though they were raw and undisciplined, they wanted not for Courage and Resolution becoming Englishmen.

FINIS.

Footnotes

^[A]When Captain Dandridge, of the Wolf, came into the Fleet, he acquainted the Admiral, that the Marquis D'Antin and twelve Ships of War were then in Port Louis, which was the Reason the Admiral pursued his Course up to the Isle of Vache, where when the Fleet arrived, a French Officer coming on board the Weymouth, told, the Marquis D'Antin was gone Home: Upon the Admiral's being informed of this, he sent Captain Knowles up in the Spence Sloop to reconnoitre, who returned with Answer, that there was but one Ship of War in Port Louis, and that the rest were all light Merchant Ships; however the Admiral chose to be more certain, and having an Opportunity of sending an Answer to the French Officer's Message, the next Day sent Captain Knowles and Captain Boscawen ashore to the Governor, who being politely received, and satisfied with their Remarks, returned in the Evening to the Admiral, and confirmed the foregoing Observation, who, without loss of Time, carried the Fleet where they could best and speediest be watered.

^[B] This Success was obtained by the Loss only of six Men aboard the Norfolk and Russell, but the Shrewsbury's Cable being shot (before her other Anchor could be veered aground) she met with worse Luck: She drove so far as to open the whole Fire of the Castle of Boccachica, four of the Enemy's Ships of sixty and seventy Guns, that were moored athwart the Harbour's Mouth, the Battery of St. Joseph, and two Fascine Batteries, that were on the Barradera Side; all this Fire she lay singly exposed to till dark, when she took the Benefit of the Land-Wind, and ran off, being greatly shattered in her Hull, Masts, and Rigging, and a great many Men killed and wounded.

^[C] It was a Body of eight hundred Grenadiers that first landed, who, during the Time that more Troops were sent for (which was upwards of two Hours before they came) were kept in the Boats, within twenty Yards of the Shore, and so closely crouded, scarce one Man could have used his Arms, that had they had any Enemy to have dealt with, but dastardly Spaniards, they must and would have been cut all to pieces.

^[D] During the first three Days the Troops were ashore, they were employed in no one Thing, no not so much as to clear the Ground for their Encampment, but kept under Arms Night and Day (where, by the Heat of the Sun, on a white burning Sand, they were scorched to Death, and by the Inclemency of the Dews in the Night, they got Colds, so that many of them fell sick) whereas had they been instantly employed to have encamped and opened Ground in the Woods for that Purpose, they would have been shaded by the Trees, freed from the burning Heat of the Sand, and many of them preserved from the Enemy's Shot, that missed our Battery.