The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1781-05-22 00:00:00, page 1

The following extract from the MARTINICO
GAZETTE, giving an account of the very
disinterested and magnanimous behaviour
of the Britifli Commander towards the inha
bitants of St. Euftatia, we, doubt not will be
acceptable to their good friends in this State
who echo British clemency!
St. PIERES, (Martinico) March I.
From the particular persons that obtained per
' million to pafs.from St. Euftatia to Guadeloupe,
on the 23d ultimo, and arrived here last Mon
day, we have the following detail, which we
give as the most interesting that has appeared
refpe&ing the capture of that island.
r F' H E last accounts received from Europe
I had quitted every mind. The inhabitants
of St. Euftatia no long^ thought the accession of
Holland to the armed neutrality would be the
cause of a speedy rupture, especially, as the let
ters from Amsterdam had advifed„an accomidati
on ; in a word, every thing appeared to be in the
moll perfect security : When, on the 3d, at 10 in
the morning, the British fleet, under Admiral
Rodney, appeared in the bay : At this moment
the fate of the Americans, only, was apprehend
ed ; as there was not the least suspicion they
would molest any other flag, and that they only
intended a second St. Martin's manouvre. The
prime sailors among the Americans, cut their
' cables and attempted to escape, but found them
selves enveloped by the British fleet, which had
extended its line across the bay, one only suc
ceeded by prefling fail through a shower of shot,
and as she was seen handing to the northward, it
is presumed made the bell of her way for North-
America,to inform of the-capture of St. Euflatia ;
it may not be amiss to mention, she had the value
of two thousand half-joes on board. The British
fleet came to anchor in the bay about noon.
When General Cockburn immediately landed
with a flag, and summoned the Governor to sur
render the island in one hour, threatening dif
tru&ion if, after this delay, grantedririm by the
generosity of Sir George Bridges Rodney, he re
fufed to submit. It was not before known that
the Court of London had, on the 3d or 4th of
December, published a brilliant Manifefto, be
ginning with a long enumeration of greivances,
and pretended attempts on the part of Holland,
and terminating in a formal declaration of war.
As soon as the British squadron had entered the
bay, Sir George Bridges Rodney ordered aDutch
frigate, then at anchor, to strike her colours,
which the Captain ref Ato do, nor did he sur
render until he had received several broadsides
from the Sandwich, and several other fhjps of
the line. The Governor of St. Euftatia frill de
manded a capitulation : General Cockburn re
plied, that the besiegers were so far luperior to
any force the island could bring to oppose them,
that it was presumption to propose a capitulation,
and that the island must submit to the discretion
of the conqueror, adding that the inhabitants
might hope every indulgence from the Known
humanity and benevolence of Sir George Bridges
Rodney, and General Vaughn, Commander in
Chief of the land forces. Such precious promises,
made in the name of an incendiary, were, by no
means fatisfactory to the befieged,but a superior
force claimed submission. Still it was expended
' the enemy would observe some kind of refpe&
for property. The British troops, s the number
of aoout three thousand, landed at three o'clock
in the afternoon, and took pofleffion of every
port; and as the Dutch flag was hoisted in the
WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER.
HARTFORD :
Printed by H UDSON and GOODWI N, near the Great Bridge.
TUESDA Y, May 22, 1781.
fort, the British Commander publiflied a procla
mation, ordering all the inhabitants to give in an
exa& account of their property to the Commifla
ry appointed for that purpose. Captain Gideon
of the ship Resolution, was ordered to seize, and
convey on boards ,all the tobacco, &gar, coffee,
and other produce that might be found in the bay
0. in the stores; Captain Saxon of the Invincible,
went in perfon.to the fort, chose two hundred
negroes, and ordered them on board his ship.
The Dutch convoy, in pursuit of which Sir
George had dispatched two fail of the line and
three frigates, returned the 6th inflant, confining
of twenty-four fail from St Euftatia and three or
four from Demarara and Currafo, and was over
taken by the British ships about a day's fail from
St. Euftatia. When the British fleet came up
with Vice-Admiral Krull, who convoyed the
Dutch fleet, they informed him that war was
declared against Holland, and that he mull sur
render ; to which Admiral Krull replied, he was
armed, and would never surrender while he
could fight a single gun ; this answer cost him
his life ; as the Captain of one the feventy-four's
who was in the Admiral's wake, ordered a dif
char'ge of musketry from his fhip's tops,by which
the brave Admiral fell a vi&im to his intrepidity,
but his firft Lieutenant gallantly revenged his
death, and with great bravery supported the ho
nour of the Dutch flag, until his ship was entire
ly disabled: Admiral Krull's ship, the Mars, had
nine men killed and twelve wounded in the
action: The Monarch, a British seventy-sour,
being the closest engaged, loft one Lieutenant
and five seamen. On the Bth when the whole
convoy had come to anchor, Admiral Krull was
interred with the honours of war ; he very de
servedly possessed the esteem of his friends and
admiration of his enemies. On the fame day
the intendant of police was ordered on board;
and on the second day following all the Ameri
cans that were bound on the island were also or
dered to embark ; on the 1 ith the Jews were or
dered to hold themselves in readiness to embark;
on the 12th nearly all the negroes were seized
and divided amongst the Captains of the fleet ;
the fame day was exhibited a fccne, as revolting
on the one part as it was compaflionating on the
other; the British Chief ordered, with the greatest
inhumanity, the Jews to be embarked separated
from their wives and children; they were search
ed at the sea-side with the moflmercenary avidi
vity, and again with great carefulnefs on board
the vessel, in which tney were heaped together.
British officers (men of the nicest honour and de
licacy, were seen plundering in detail, shaking
and Searching the mcanefl article. Not fatisfied
with pilfering every thing of the most trifling
valour ; but to add, if poflible, to the deftrefs of
the unfortunate fufferers, they wantonly deffroy
ed every article they did not think worth taking
away. On the 16th they were sent with the
Dutch and Americans to St. Chriftophers, where
they were destitute of every fuccour their distres
sed situation claimed, and reduced to one quarter
ration ; the prisoners, to the number of three or
four thousand men, were perishing with hunger;
when the Governor wrote Sir George Bridges
Rodney, that he would not receive any more, as
it was'impoffible to subsist them. On the 17th
seven fail of Americans appeared in the bay, and
came to anchor amidst the British fleet, about
the fame numberoffmall vessels, from our islands,
made the fame miflake a few days before. r l he
19th was remarkable for a general seizure, of all
St. E UST ATI A. ..
To their Excellencies the Commanders in Chief
of his Britannic Majesty's Navy any Army in
the Weft-Indies.
May it p leaf eyour Excellencies,
O permit us in the name, and on the behalf
I of ourselves and others of the people of the
Hebrew nation, residents in the island of St. Eu
ftatia; humbly to approach your Excellencies,
and with heart-felt anguish, to lay our grievances
before you and fay, That it is with the utmost
concern and aflonifhment, we have not only al
ready received your Excellencies affirming Order
and Sentence, to give up the keys of our stores,
with aninventory thereof, and of our houfhold
plate and furniture, and tc hold ourselves iq rea
diness to depart this island : Ignorant of ovrdef
tination, leaving our Beloved Wives and Help
less Families behind us, a^d our properly and
the remaining property on the island ; as also for
a formal protest, by the English merchants a
gainst the proceedure. On the 20th an order
was issued, directing all foreigners to present
themselves the next day, to embark for their fe,
veral countries ; they accordingly assembled at
the sea-side, when they were examined and
searched (this was a necessary foimality, and
the only one the British efie&ed to observe)
When the search was over, and they had gratified
their thirst for plunder, the embarkation was
dropped. On the 22d a thundering order ap
peared, to all the inhabitants of St. Euftatia, to
deliver, without hesitation, to the General's Se
cretary, all their books of commerce, copies of
letters, &c. The 23d the pafftngers (from whom,
we have these particulars) at length obtained li
berty to embark, with pernriffon only, signed by
the British General, to take them from St. Eufta
tia to Gaudaloupe. They add to these several
particulars, by which the character of the British
nation is presented to us under two very different
points of view : The inhabitants of the island
were obliged to subsist all the British soldiers dur
ing the four firft days after their descent ; nei
ther must it be forgot, that the piodu& of the
sales by au&ion, which, agreeable to the Dutch
custom, was deposited with the Secretary, was
also seized ; and all those who flood indebted to
the books were compelled to make immediate
payment; every house was plundered, with the
mcanefl avarice, to the very foundation. The
British officers in general paid very little regard
to the weakness and distress of their enemies, but
displayed, upon this occafon, the most ardent
passion for pillage.
Since the commencement of her quarrel with
America, Great-Britain has furnifhed examples,
as astonishing to an enlightened age as revolting
to humanity ; she had, indeed, accustomed us to
such a variety of depredations, cruelties and a^ls
oftyranny, as not to leave a doubt of her being
capable of the most atrocious attempts; but to
open with so much violence, against a nation that
had exhausted itfelf in fvppert of her credit,
merely because that nation had determined to
protest its flag. Sparing neither liberty, proper
ty, or the lives of the wretched inhabitants, who
did not hesitate to superior force. Commencing
at once the quarrel and attack, by the most li
centious brigundage ; fending against the posses
sions of her enemies, privateerfmen inftcad of
Generals, are causes, we confefs to be quite
novel, and which, we think, will serve to enrich
the annals of Great-Britain.
(No. 852.)