The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-10-29

night o<tweea the gath and 25th, Vcntoie, ST.
mon Maille- light dragon of the 2sth regi-
ment, atked pernifiion to attempt this hazar-
dous enterprfe. TWAS granted him and un-
der the eyes of his commander and comrades,
in fpte Of the imminent rifk he ran of being ia
ken or killed, with no other arms than knife
and provided with rope, he fwam acrofs the
river, iet the brig float, and brought her under
the walls Oft the place. The enemy fired on,
but mit him. This trait, which announces
both coolncfs and courage, l have thought
worthy to inform you of, in order that Y. Z.
may obtain for this brave fellow, that recon-
pence already atjudged him by general admi-
! ration.
On the 9TH Germinal, a brig arrived from st.
Thomas, commanded by the brave captain Cot.
TIN an old French privstcer captain, who by
ms conduct in the war againft the Englilh, me-
r'ted hive and twenty years iince, fword and
a peDhon from the government. He brought
the confirmation of a French fquadron being at
the Windward Hands, and added that another
fquadron under the orders of admiral Can
theaume had let fail from Bref in order to take.
! Jamaica. In confsqucnce of this good inte,li-
| gence, order faiute of thirteen guns to be
Hred from the Bastion Of la Conception, which
was antHered i'll the road from the Ameiie
tchooner firing a l6 FOUNDER. This fign of re-
Jo'cing appeared to diRurb the enemy for fhort
| time.
On the 9Th, at half pad three in the after
noon, the warning bell from the Tower of Ia
Force announced ten fail i'll fight. I had then
no doubt of their being the French fquadron ::
ourjoy became general. An hour afterwards,
the tquadron aoproachedfo nearthat we could
not be deceived it made TAIL towards the port.
In order OF battle. 1t was detcribcd from the
different potts of the brigands.
| There appeared to be comfortable move
| \
doubt but that the iudden fight of the fquadron
nun have .caufed them much trouble and ire
iolution, reiJ.ved 10 take advantage of il, in
order TO obge them to fall back and thereby
raiie the tege, by making a vigorous attack on
them. In confequence of this determination.
gave orders to the Chief Of Brigade Baron TO
hold hintelf in rcadiuefs tn march at five in the
afternoon, at the head of.45o men, and pene-
trate to the left of the enemy's entrenchments.
AT hive O'Clock, the Comet and Savannah gates
were thrown open. The Chief of Brigade IA.
ron, having under him the Chief of Battalion
Col'!ot, of the ssth, marched ont the 6rA. the
Chief OF Squadron Aufenack, followed by the
Chief OF battalion RueZ marched next, the
troops OF the lire headed the two columns.
The Commandanl Baron direeled his march to
the petition of SAINT Carlos, to the aGifance of
which the enemy fent coniiderabIe bodv of
troops.-ht the hme time the Chief of the
Squadron Auienatk, marching along the nlore,
made brik attack ON the right flank of the line
OF the Gabons, Imported on the road lid, nv
tort st. Jerome, Penetrated it in fpite of the OBJ
Innate remittance of the brigands who defended
1t, and after very bloody contelt in which he
charged them fevefal times with the bayonet.
they were forced toabandon that part of their
entrenchments and 20 take refuge in the woods.
In the mean time, ihe chief Of brigade Baron.
| continued to make firm Rand under a terrible
ihower OF muiquc,V; he was fupported by the
artillery of the place wherever it could plav
without injurng our own troops. In the midft
OF this Formidable noifc, it was one of the fineR
| lights ever behcd, to fee at hundred totes diff
tant from the fort Of Saint Giles, in front Of the
points where the troops were fighting, the whole
tquadron of rear-admiral Miiiieffi witncHes of
! this glorious fortie.
| at eight in the evening, 7 received packets
from rear-admiral MifiieiIi and the general in
chief Lagrange, which informed me of their in
tention the following day to land a body OF
troops and fupply of ammunition.
The night paft over TRANQUILITY; the fquadrop
beating up and down the road.
On the 9TH, in the morning, the fire of the
brlgands had flackened confderably.
AZ 8, gen. Lagrange, gen. CIaparede and their
iti'f came on hore. took pleafure in walk
ing with them round the place, pointing out TO
|
Ing the reimbursement Of troops, &c. they re-
embarked on board the fquadron which fet fail
the fame evening.
Not the leaf noife was heard in the enemy's
entertainments during the night, and this led
me to fuipeSt be had begun retreat.
On the 9th, at fix in the morning, we found
that our fufpicions on the preceding evening
were well founded. a young man of colour, of
the name of Sterling, an infcriour officer in the
COLONIAL legion who was thought to have been
killed on the 9Th Ventoie, at the affair of Puer-
to, appeared at the gate de Comte, and de-
manded admittance he informed us of the de-
Parture of the brigands. ordered him to be
| let in and brought before me from him learn
ed that the brigands had fpared his life, and
made him enter their guides and having under
this title always remained at the headquarters,
he knew every thing that paned in their army
during the iege. He related that the brigaDd
forces encamped before Santo Domingo, beth
in infantry and cavalry, amounted to / 5000
men, including the 5000 nationed on the other
hide the Ozama that their chief had all his fol-
lowers with him, which was in my opinion very
probable, the barbarian being too mihruRful
and jealous TO have commanders and forces be-
hind him, who at great dfance might proba-
bly, have cauled him much apprehension. This
Officer likewiie Gated, that the brigands had
| me- lsI III