THE SIEGE OF BELLEISLE.
ALTHOUGH the History of the Royal Artillery is the history of England's
campaigns since the existence of the Regiment, there are occasional
chapters in these wars more interesting to the Artilleryman, than to the
ordinary military student, or the general reader. There have been events
which have had no perceptible effect on the progress of the campaigns,
and yet are indissolubly woven in our Regimental annals. Of such events
the siege of Belleisle is a type.
During the Seven Years' War, England made various diversions—in addition
to those in America and the East Indies—to distract the French in their
operations against the Allied Army in Germany. One of these was the
attack on the Island of Belleisle on the west coast of France, between
Port Louis and the mouth of the Loire. It was devised in the hope of
inducing the French to detach some of their forces from Germany, for the
defence of their own coasts; but in this respect it failed. Another
motive, which inspired the English Government, was that they might
gratify the lust for conquest, which at that time animated the people,
whetted instead of satiated by their successes in the East and in the
West.
To a certain extent, it succeeded in this; but after counting the cost
of the victory, it required the most exaggerated statements on the part
of the Ministry to reconcile the nation to the expenditure of life and
money caused by the Siege of Belleisle, if indeed it can be said ever to
have been reconciled.
The English nation has characteristics, which are displayed at every
stage of its history. Lavish during war in order to gain its ends, it is
disposed to be penurious during peace; and the favourite stalking-horse
to power then is a profession of economy. The whole of Europe stood
amazed at the readiness with which the English nation granted enormous
supplies for the carrying on of the war ending in 1762; and this had
perhaps as much effect as military success in persuading the French to
consent to the disastrous conditions of the Peace of Paris. It may be
said that, as a nation, the English sink political differences during
war, and show a union almost peculiar to themselves. The only case in
which war and political differences existed simultaneously to any great
extent was during the American War of Independence; the reasons then
were exceptional, and the result fatal.
As a consequence of political union, comes a demand for vigorous
administration; and the success of Mr. Pitt's ministry was due to his
knowledge of this. The Siege of Belleisle was an illustration of this
knowledge. It cannot be said that in time of peace the English insist on
such administrative vigour; in fact, vigorous action in the head of a
department is viewed with distrust and suspicion more frequently than
with admiration. It is by remembering considerations such as these that
a military operation such as is now to be described can be understood,
almost valueless in its political results, expensive in its conduct,
and—in a military point of view—worthless, save in so far as it
strengthened (as only success can do) the _esprit_ and courage of the
Army.
But to the Artilleryman this siege has an interest far above political
considerations; it was one of the earliest schools for developing that
which is the most scientific, albeit less brilliant branch of the
Regiment,—Siege Artillery. And it was suitable that the man who
commanded the siege-train on this occasion should be one eminent
afterwards in the scientific as well as the military world: a Fellow of
the Royal Society as well as a practical soldier: a fit predecessor to
the many who have since distinguished the Regiment by their learning—
Brigadier Desaguliers.
The Artillery present at the siege consisted of two companies from
Portsmouth, Captain Tovey's and Captain Hind's, with about seventy
miners; besides eleven detachments for battalion guns, and others for
service on board the bomb-vessels.
There were no less than thirty-seven Artillery officers employed in the
expedition. Of these, Captain-Lieutenant Muckell was killed, and the
following were wounded: Brigadier Desaguliers, Lieutenant N.
Kindersley,—the Acting Adjutant, Lieutenant E. Williams, and Lieutenant-
Fireworker A. McKenzie. The following is a list of the officers who did
duty in the trenches, in addition to those named above:—
Captain A. TOVEY.
Captain R. HIND.
Captain-Lieutenant WILLIAMS.
Captain-Lieutenant STEHELIN.
Captain-Lieutenant JONES.
Captain-Lieutenant GROVE.
Captain-Lieutenant MARTIN.
Lieutenant WILSON.
Lieutenant WALKER.
Lieutenant ROGERS.
Lieutenant SCOTT.
Lieutenant WALKER.
Lieutenant PEARSE.
Lieutenant BRIETZCHE.
Lieutenant GOWEN.
Lieutenant TURNER.
Lieutenant SCHALCH.
Lieutenant LAWSON.
Lieutenant PARRY.
Lieutenant-Fireworker ROSAT.
Lieutenant-Fireworker SKOTTOWE.
Lieutenant-Fireworker MAYNE.
There were also two medical officers attached to the Artillery.
When, in the early part of 1761, preparations for an expedition on a
large scale were commenced at Portsmouth, it was imagined that the
destination of the fleet was either the East or West Indies. The vessels
were provisioned for twelve months; there were no less than 35
transports; and the only difficulty that spectators and gossips had to
overcome was the fact that an immense number of flat-bottomed boats,
capable each of carrying 60 men, was to form part of the fleet. Those
were days when newspaper reporters and interviewers were not licensed as
now; and when inquisitive members of Parliament had to content
themselves with very evasive replies.
In addition to a powerful fleet and Artillery, no less than fifteen
battalions of infantry and three troops of Burgoyne's horse accompanied
the expedition. The command of the troops was given to Major-General
Studholm Hodgson, with several Brigadiers to assist him, some of whom
bore names which we shall meet again during the War of Independence,
Howe, Burgoyne, and Carleton. The fleet was under the command of
Commodore Keppel; and it was intended that much of the work should be
done by it, as the nation had of late been somewhat outspoken as to the
inaction of the navy, nor were Admiral Byng and Minorca forgotten.
When the fleet first sailed from Portsmouth on the 29th March, 1761,
Captain Tovey commanded the Artillery; but on the 5th April Colonel
Desaguliers was ordered by the King to proceed (with the rank of
Brigadier) to Portsmouth: the miners were ordered to the same place to
join Captain Hind's company; the whole to proceed without delay to
Belleisle, whither it was now known the expedition had gone. The gallant
Brigadier was no sluggard; at midnight on the 6th April—those were not
the days of railways—he reached Portsmouth, sent word to Captain Hind to
have his company ready at a moment's notice, went himself on board the
'Blast' transport on the afternoon of the 7th, and sailed at daybreak
the following morning.
The same energy displayed itself on his reaching Belleisle. The
expedition had already met with misfortune. An attempt had been made on
the 8th April to land 300 men on the south-east of the island, after a
heavy and apparently successful bombardment from the fleet; but the
enemy charged them with superior numbers before they could form, and
took them all prisoners, besides inflicting a loss on some detachments
which landed to assist them, of 37 killed and 76 wounded.
A heavy gale followed, in which 20 boats were lost and many vessels
driven to sea; the introduction to a continuation of frightful weather
which lasted during the whole siege. On the 12th April, Brigadier
Desaguliers arrived; learnt what had taken place; immediately ordered
the battalion guns to be placed in the Ordnance boats,—ready to
accompany the troops on the next attempt at a landing, coming into
action so as to enable the infantry to form up on the shore; got his
warrant as commanding the Royal Artillery published in orders; appointed
Captain-Lieutenant Stehelin his Brigade Major; and volunteered to
reconnoitre the island for a landing-place.
On the 22nd, Captain Hind's company, with the miners, some other troops,
and an immense quantity of Artillery stores, reached Belleisle. It had
by this time been resolved to attempt a landing near the place, where
the first had failed; but with a view to deceiving the enemy, the newly-
arrived troops were ordered to get into the ship's boats, and make a
feint of landing at the Point of Sauzon. The feint succeeded; the fear
of their landing detained a large body of the enemy whose presence would
have been invaluable in checking the real landing, which was now
effected, under cover of the fire from the fleet, and assisted by the
panic which was created among the enemy by the appearance on their flank
of a number of men who had climbed up some difficult precipices, at a
little distance from the spot where the main body landed.
In addition to a body of 900 marines, which landed with the other
troops, the Commodore collected 500 from the ships, and landed them; and
as the Colonel of the Marines, McKenzie, had been wounded, the command
of this large body devolved upon a Captain named Collins, who on account
of the responsibility of his position received the rank of Major.
For some days the weather was so tempestuous that it was impossible to
land the heavy guns, or Artillery stores; and the enemy was enabled to
strengthen his position unmolested. The bomb-vessels stood close in to
the shore, and plied the Citadel, but without much effect. Picquets of
500 men were on duty every night in the English camp; the inhabitants of
Palais, the capital of the Island, were strictly watched; and a village
in a good position was taken and set fire to, from which circumstance it
was always after this time called "the Burnt Village." The Artillerymen
were hard at work making their batteries and parallels, assisted by
large working parties from the Line; and every officer in the Army who
knew anything of engineering was invited to submit his name with a view
to employment at an increased rate of pay. The trench work was not a
favourite duty with the infantry, even after working-pay was allowed for
it; and Brigadier Desaguliers had to make the strongest representations
on the subject to General Hodgson. The men did not dislike idling and
loafing about the trenches; it was the spade-work which was unpopular;
and this led to an amusing order being issued, that any Artillery
officer who found a man near his post, idling or curious, was to "lay
hold of him, and make him work for 12 hours."
The town of Palais was soon occupied by the English troops, and being
near the Citadel, to which the enemy had withdrawn, it afforded
excellent cover for the English marksmen, whom the reluctance of the
enemy to fire on the town left quite unmolested.
The armament for the batteries had at length been landed and mounted,
although not without the greatest difficulty. The Brigadier had at this
time, and later on, repeatedly to acknowledge the assistance he received
from the Navy, between which and the Artillery there was then, as now, a
strong _entente cordiale_.
And now commenced the regular siege:—Sebastopol in miniature; daily and
nightly bombardments; the trenches flooded with rain; and Artillerymen
so reduced in numbers as to be without the requisite rest or relief.
Three important batteries were opened against the Citadel, known
respectively as the 16-Gun, the 10-Gun, and the 4-Gun Batteries. Mortar
batteries were made, as the siege progressed, containing two 13-inch,
three 10-inch, and six 8-inch land-service mortars; two 13-inch, and two
10-inch sea-service mortars; besides fifteen Royal mortars, and ten Coe-
horn's. The guns in the batteries were heavy 24-pounders, medium 12-
pounders, and 8-inch and 4½-inch howitzers. There were a few 3-pounder
guns, and the Battalion guns, which were 6-pounders. Although it is
somewhat anticipating matters, it may here be mentioned that the
expenditure of ammunition by the Artillery during the siege amounted to
1500 barrels of powder, 17,000 shot, and 12,000 shell.
The infantry had been divided into three brigades, with a total of all
ranks of 6254, exclusive of Artillery, Marines, and Burgoyne's horse,
the last-named being chiefly employed in duties of transport and
foraging. The duties, which were very heavy, were taken alternately by
brigades. The marines did duty _in corps_, and had to find 378 men for
various guards every day.
When Palais was taken, the bells of the churches became, according to
custom, the property of the commanding officer of Artillery. A piteous
letter, however, was written to him by the priests, pleading the poverty
of their parishes, the destitution of many members of their
congregations, and the precarious livelihood earned by the most
fortunate, concluding by offering 300 livres in ransom for their bells.
"So miserable and wretched," wrote the Rector of Palais, was his parish
since the bombardment—more so even than before, when no repairs could be
executed without the assistance of private charity, that the Church
would be unable to exist, did the Commandant of Artillery act on his
rights with rigour." They therefore prayed him to leave the bells
untouched, that the services might be notified to the people; and to
suffer them to be redeemed by the sum above mentioned: with which
request Brigadier Desaguliers complied.
Various interesting occurrences took place early in the siege. On the
2nd May, some guns under cavalry escort were ordered to occupy a village
on the left of the English camp, which had given considerable annoyance.
So warm, however, was their reception, that the cavalry withdrew, with
some precipitation. The guns pressed on, nevertheless, unsupported, for
about 700 yards, cannonaded the village, and dislodged the enemy.
Artillery in a village, without escort, was a strong temptation; and
towards night, 300 men made an attempt to cut them off from the main
body. The gunners were awake, withdrew their guns behind some rising
ground about 1450 yards from the Citadel, and kept their assailants at
bay. Next morning, General Hodgson visited the spot, and was so charmed
with its natural advantages that he ordered it to be entrenched, and
strong batteries mounted. The same was done at this time in front of the
Burnt Village, about 900 yards from the Citadel.
The enemy did not content himself with answering the English cannonade.
Sorties were frequent; and on one dark night, Major-General Crawford and
his staff, taken unawares, were made prisoners in the trenches. Many
more would have met the same fate, but for the presence of mind of the
gunners in charge of two light field-pieces which happened to be in the
trenches that evening. They were charged by several hundred men,
including a spiking party, but with well-aimed and frequent volleys of
grape, the gunners utterly routed them.
The fire of the enemy was by no means contemptible; in fact, until a
number of their guns were dismounted, it was both admirable and
effective. On one occasion, a sergeant and thirteen men in the trenches
were killed by the explosion of one of the enemy's shells; and so
numerous at last were the casualties among the Artillery, that the
Brigadier had to apply for 200 men from the infantry to assist in
working the guns. There was great difficulty in obtaining even that
number: the duties of the camp were hard; and the importance of keeping
the Artillery ranks at a siege well filled was not yet fully understood.
But with the progress of the siege, came an increase of wisdom; and,
before long, not a requisition from the Brigadier was unattended to.
All the available sea-service mortars had been landed from the ships;
but a few vessels of lighter draught stood in to attack the Citadel from
the sea with their guns. The effect produced was but slight, perhaps
because—as an old diary of the siege says—"There were no Artillery
people, either officers or men, aboard."
The English works were gradually approached to within musketry range of
the Citadel; and to enable the working parties to carry on their duties
without molestation from the enemy's marksmen, a heavy and somewhat
wasteful fire was kept up from the batteries, which had at length to be
put a stop to by the Brigadier, for reasons of economy.
That the fire of the English Artillery was effective, was ascertained
from prisoners, who said, "Que c'étoit un feu infernal, et qu'on ne
voyoit ni ciel, ni terre;" and, when on parole in the town of Palais, a
favourite joke among the French prisoners, when they saw an Artillery
officer approaching, was to run behind the nearest cover, shouting "Gare
la bombe! Gare la bombe!"
When the second parallel was opened, the Navy commenced landing some 32-
pounders to arm a battery which some amateur engineers had made, and as
additional mortar batteries had also been constructed, the works were
now so extensive, that the Artillery was utterly unable to man them all.
General Hodgson, accordingly, issued a standing order that as many men
from the infantry as Brigadier Desaguliers should require were to be
given, and while employed with the Artillery, their pay and allowances
were to be made equal to those of the matrosses.
After the occupation of Palais by the British troops, much trouble was
caused by drunkenness among the men, and its concomitants, absence and
insubordination. The Provost-Marshal was at last ordered to live there,
and got very extensive powers. _Inter alia_, he was permitted "to _hang_
any soldiers committing _any_ kind of irregularities; above all to lay
hold of any soldier whom he found drunk on duty, and when he became
sober to hang him without trial."
When the civil officials of Palais had occasion to come into the
trenches on business, they were always blindfolded while there. Their
business was generally of a commercial nature: they were ready to accept
English money for their wares, but were anxious to be the appraisers of
the value of the foreign coins. At last, it was necessary to publish in
orders a standard, regulating the comparative values of French and
English specie,—the guinea being valued at 24 livres; and if any
tradesman was found cheating in this respect, he was made liable to
confiscation of his goods, and corporal punishment.
As the siege approached its end, many of the redoubts near the Citadel
fell into the hands of the British; and the duties of the officers of
Artillery became somewhat lighter. It is pleasant to find that, instead
of availing themselves of their comparative leisure, they all
immediately offered their services as engineers, an offer which was
greedily accepted.
The Ordnance stores were sadly reduced, and the Navy had not another
round to spare; so that fresh requisitions had to be sent to England
more than once. Pending a reply, a very strict economy was enjoined;
firing in volleys was forbidden, and single rounds were directed to be
fired day and night at stated intervals. Twenty-four rounds per gun was
laid down as the daily maximum; but an exception was permitted, should
the Citadel seem to be on fire, in which case even volleys were allowed.
Even to the end, when the number of available guns in the Citadel was
much reduced, the fire of the enemy was excellent; twice the English
magazines were blown up, and only five days before the capitulation a
most severe loss was inflicted on the besiegers, Brigadier Desaguliers
himself being among the wounded.
The enemy was able by means of subterranean passages and signalling to
keep up a constant communication with the mainland. Nor did he confine
himself to these. An apparently innocent and respectable old lady was
found traversing the English lines one morning under suspicious
circumstances. She was questioned without success. Her profession—she
said—was simple; she was a washerwoman, and in the exercise of her
vocation had she been seized. A stronger measure was taken: the old lady
was searched. Her countenance fell as the operation commenced; fell yet
more as dozens of letters were produced from hidden places, containing
piteous appeals for assistance from the beleaguered citizens. But even
yet she protested her innocence, her astonishment, and her trade; and,
yet protesting, with a rope round her neck, she was led away. Whether
the rope was afterwards tightened or not, the story does not tell.
Breaching batteries were opened in front of the second parallel and of
the town of Palais, the latter at a distance of 230 yards from the
Citadel. It was armed with 24-pounders by the Artillery in a single
night, although the guns had to be dragged over frightful roads from the
landing-place, and without any appliances for diminishing the labour.
The zeal and willingness of the men were unmistakable. Yet a third
breaching battery was opened to the left of St. Sebastian's Church,
about 380 yards from the Citadel; and the guns of the original 16-gun
battery were also brought into play to assist in making the breach. At
first the energies of the Artillery were confined to a breach which was
attempted in the Redan du Havre, between the Bastion du Gouvernement and
the Bastion du Cavalier ou du Roy. But a second breach was afterwards
commenced in the latter of these Bastions. Powerful enfilading batteries
of howitzers and 12-pounders were opened at the same time, whose fire
proved most efficacious, as was seen after the capitulation by the
number of damaged and dismounted guns along the faces of the works. From
the end of May to the 7th June, the day when the Citadel surrendered,
there was daily and hourly expectation of submission by the Garrison.
The prisoners who were taken at this time all agreed in saying that the
commandant merely waited for a breach being made, before he should
capitulate. Not merely was the enemy's fire becoming daily weaker, but
the ammunition was evidently falling short, _wooden_ shot being not
unfrequently fired by him.
Mining had been commenced by the English, a shaft having been sunk under
a house in Palais, and a passage commenced under the ditch—which was wet
at high water—towards the Redan du Havre. The miners also made several
attempts by night, when the tide was out, to cross the ditch and enlarge
the breaches made by the batteries, but without much success, the enemy
being alert, and throwing hand-grenades among them as they crossed.
On the 4th June, the King's birthday, a tremendous fire was kept up from
all the batteries, and additional ammunition having arrived from
England, the Brigadier gave permission for thirty rounds per gun,
instead of twenty-four, being fired from the ordinary batteries—no limit
being placed on the number to be fired from the breaching batteries. The
mortar batteries were now kept silent, the powder being more profitably
employed for the guns firing against the breaches.
On the morning of the 7th June, no less than ninety-three pieces of
ordnance were in use against the Citadel, and on this day the long-
expected white flag was seen, and an officer came out to make the best
terms he could for the garrison.
These were, briefly, that the Citadel with all its stores should be
handed over to the British troops: that the French garrison should be
provided with transport to the nearest French port; that the sick and
wounded left behind should be treated in the same manner as the British
soldiers; and that the inhabitants of the island should be allowed full
permission to worship according to the rites of the Roman Catholic
religion. Further, in consideration of the gallant defence made by the
Chevalier de St. Croix and his troops, they were permitted to march out
of the Citadel with the honours of war, drums beating, colours flying,
lighted matches, and three pieces of cannon with twelve rounds each; and
each soldier carrying fifteen rounds of ammunition in his cartouche box.
An inventory of the Ordnance and stores was at once taken by Brigadier
Desaguliers; and on a garrison for the island being decided on, the
following Artillery officers were selected to remain behind, and form
part of it:—Captain Hind, Captain-Lieutenant Martin, Lieutenant Rogers,
and Lieutenant-Fireworkers Rosat, Skottowe, and Mayne. The remainder of
the Artillery embarked on Christmas Day, 1761, for England.
Among the orders issued during the siege, which enable one to form an
idea of the weather which prevailed, is one directing the hides of all
animals killed for the troops to be taken to the trenches for the use of
the Artillery in making their expense-magazines water-tight.
From an old order-book in the Royal Artillery Library the discipline of
the troops after the siege, and the means taken to enforce it, may be
ascertained. Three men of the 75th Regiment having been found guilty of
drunkenness and absence from the King's works, received 300 lashes each,
and were debarred from employment on the works again. Two men of Colonel
Morgan's Regiment having been convicted of disorderly behaviour were
sentenced to receive 200 lashes each "on their bare backs;" and another,
in the 19th Regiment, received 100 lashes for drunkenness and
disobedience. A man in Crawford's Regiment, who had been convicted of
prevarication on a court-martial by which one of his officers was tried,
was sentenced to receive 500 lashes; but as it appeared by the evidence
that he had been under pressure and undue influence by the prisoner at
the time, the sentence was remitted.
There seems to have been a want of zeal on the part of the chaplains, if
one may judge from the following order:—"Palais, 26 November, 1761.
Whenever any patient dies in any of the Grand Hospitals, the principal
surgeon attached to the Hospital where the patient dies is immediately
to send a written report of his death, and the time he would have him
interred, to the visiting chaplain then in waiting, who is, conformable
to a former order of Major-General Hodgson, to attend the corpse at the
grave, and read the burial-service over it. General Hodgson is extremely
concerned that he has occasion to repeat the latter part of this order,
and expects for the future that he shall not hear any complaints on this
subject."
It may be mentioned, in concluding this chapter, that at the Peace of
1763 Belleisle was returned to the French in exchange for Minorca, which
England had lost at the commencement of the Seven Years' War.