The National Register.
London, England, 1811-02-17 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER,

sktialletitOpttettfroliti4he enemy having retired from Fort Mar-
lestri, situated at the head of Grande Bay, andithe neareinport to
dshiah 'they occupied. •
• ea,-s gaillialiaosnffivient part of the European force had been
formed, t became necessary to move forward, as the first five
tittled.Of The toad lay through a very thick wood, which made it
en object ofithe utmost importance, net to give the enemy tii.e
to ocean, It:
lieutenant-Colonel Smyth Laving been left with his brigade
to cover the lauding-plate, with orders to follow next morn-
ing, the coluMn matched about tour o'clock, and suc-
ceeded in gaining the indre open country, without any efforts
having been made by the enemy to retard our progress,
is few shot, only. having been fired by a small picoutt,
by which peutepont-Colonel Keating, Lieutenant. A.,!., of
his Majesty s' tegiment, and a few men of the advanced
gdard, were wounded. Having halted for a few hours during
the night, the army again anoved forward before day-light, with
the intention of not hiking till arrived before 'Port Lotie; but
the troops havlopiectlitue extremely exhausted, not only from
the exertion which they had already made, but from having
been almost total* deprived of water, of which this part of the
country is destitute, I vas compelled to take up a position at
Moulin a l'oudre, about five miles short of the town.
Early the next morning Lieut.-Colonel M'Leode with his
brigade, was detached to seize the batteries at Tombeau and
Tortue, and open a cemMunicatien with the fleet, as i: had been
previous!), arranged that we were to draw our suppliee fzoln
those two points.
• The main body of the army, soon after it had moved off its
ground, was attacked by a corps of the enemy, who, with several
field-pieces, had taken a strong position, were favourable for at-
tempting to make an impression on the head of the coiner, as
it showed itself at the end of a narrow road, with a thick wood
tin each flank. The European flank battalions, which formed
the advanced guard, under the command of LieutaColonel
Campbell. of Cie ;tad Regiment, and under the general direction
of Gen. Wartle,formed with as much regularity as the bad and
broker ground would admit of, charged the enemy with the
greatest spirit, and compelled him to retire with the loss of his
guns, and many killed and wounded. 'llll3 advantage was gained
by the tell of Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell, a most eeeellent
and valuable Officer, as well as Major O'Keefe of the I 2th regi-
ment, whom I have also every reason sincerely to regret.
In the course of the forenoon the army occupied a position in
fro'ut of the enemy's lines just beyond the range of cannon shut ;
on the following morning, while I was employed in making ar-
rangement's for detaching a corps to the southern side of the
town, and placing myself in a situation to make a general attack,
General de Caen proposed to capitulate. Many of the articles
-appeared to Vice. Admiral Bertie and.myself to be perfectly in-
admissible; but the French Governor having, in the course of
the :lame day, acceded to our terMs, a Capitulation for the see-
render of this colony and its dependencies was finally conclu-
ded.
Your Lordship w ill perceive that the capitulation is in strict
conformity with the spirit of your instructions, 'with the single
exception, that the garrison is nut to be made priSoners of
. .
ear.
Although the determined courage and high state of discipline
of the army, which your Lordship has done me the honour to
))lace' tinder my command, could leave not the smallest doubt in
my mind in respect to the issue of an attack upon the town, 1
wasalevertheless prevailed upon to acquiesce in this indulgence
being granted to the enemy, front the desire of sparing the lives
of many brave efficers and soldiers, out of regard to the inte-
stns of the inhabitants of thii" island having long laboured tin-
. det the moaa deoreding misery and oppression (and knowing
confidentially. your Lordship's (Maher views in regard to this
. army) added t6the late period of the season, when every hour
became valuable; I considered these to be motives of much
trihre national' ithportance, thin any injury that could arise from
. Z stnall,bOdy of eroops,- at So reMote a distance trom Lurope,
lacing vernildad Co return to their own country, free from any
engnseinarft; In every • other particular, ave have gained ail
' nehiels could-letare been acquired, if the town had been eartied
ahe
,o t•
tiring the course of this short service, the enemy has not
ariorded.anognortutii:y to the army iii general for displaying the
«Merit zeal unit animated courage, with which every individual
is inspired.; but it ii nevertheless my duty to represent to your
I .oreiship ip the strortgt staorms the merits of every corps under
torconnuand. The Ofece.rs and men (European as well as na-
tive) have Cheerfully and, petiently submitted to the greatest fa-
tigues and privations. During the advance of the army, the
• ercteps were unable, gor the space of fi hours, to procure a suffi-
• clot iurply of water, but &is trying circumstance did nut pro-
duct- a -ingk Inurhito, cr the stiliAlleat maskoi&staxlteta at dis-
t • SP;Sitbmgion.

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