The distresses of France had now reached their height in the
destruction of her navy, and the annihilation of her commerce.
Spain also, cut off from her resources by the vigilance of our
fleets, was equally poor, and her subjects still more wretched;
while Britain, now directed by unanimity and wisdom, seemed as if
invigorated by the struggle.
Great must have been the sufferings of his people, when Louis XV.
condescended to express his ardent wish for the return of peace to
an individual who was then his prisoner. That Sovereign ingenuously
avowed to Sir John Ligonier the pressures which had induced him
to urge the topic; and it was a hint too interesting for humanity
to pass unnoticed. Accordingly, a Congress was soon after held at
Aix-la-Chapelle, in order to arrange the terms of negociation.
The prospect however, did not relax our efforts, which were still
greater than ever.
Eleven thousand five hundred and fifty Marines were the
establishment of 1748.
Admiral Boscawen, who had sailed from England in November of the
last year, got sight of the Mauritius upon the 23d day of June.
His orders were to make an attack upon it, but this object was
subordinate to the conquest of Pondicherry, which was the chief
view of the expedition. The enemy had long been aware of his
destination, and were well prepared to receive him. After having
reconnoitred the coast, and sounded where a probability appeared
of effecting a disembarkation, it was at last ascertained, that
the powerful means of defence which presented every where,
and the dangers of approaching the land in many places, must
necessarily involve a great sacrifice of men, and render success
even ultimately doubtful. The coming on of the autumnal monsoons
had also an influence in the decision of a Council, which was to
relinquish this attempt, and to proceed without delay for the Coast
of Coromandel, the enjoined scene of operations.
Upon the 27th of June, the Admiral bid adieu to the island, and
arrived at Fort St. David on the 29th of July. Here the troops
were landed and encamped, with all the necessary stores. At no
period could the Nation ever boast of a more zealous or faithful
servant than Admiral Boscawen. It was now but a short interval ere
he proceeded to carry his instructions into effect, under his own
auspices; having entrusted the Fleet to Captain Lisle, the next in
command, who had orders to co-operate to the utmost.
Previous to the departure of Vice Admiral Griffin, with four
ships intended for Europe, the Marines were drafted from them,
and added to the battalion, which upon this service consisted of
eight hundred and eighty rank and file. The whole amounting to
four thousand one hundred and twenty British and Country troops to
be afterwards reinforced by two thousand native auxiliaries, and
one thousand one hundred sailors, trained to small arms, were to
form the besieging army. The battering cannon, mortars, and every
implement were conveyed by the squadron within two miles of the
town, while the land forces began their march towards Pondicherry,
on the 8th of August, about thirty miles distant. They were
uninterrupted till the 11th, when a shew of opposition was made by
an intrenched force of the enemy on the banks of a river. These
gave way, however, upon the advance of a detachment to attack
them. On the other side stood the fort of Arian-Coupan, which it
was essential to carry previous to opening the siege. A force of
seven hundred men, composed of grenadiers, and the piquets of the
Army were deemed adequate to this attempt by the Engineers who
reconnoitred the works. In this service they had been unhappily
deceived, from the peculiarity of the ground in front of the fort,
the real strength of which was hid from their view.
Unprepared for the assault, our brave men, when too late, found
its formidable state, but with a persevering though an unfortunate
spirit, they continued an attack which afforded no hope of success.
The enemy now galling them extremely by flanking fires from two
batteries on the opposite side of the river, a retreat was made
after the loss of 150 men killed and wounded, and amongst them some
of our best officers. The fall of Major Goodere of the Artillery,
upon this occasion, was peculiarly lamented, and from his high
professional talents, was considered as an event inauspicious to
the future operations of the army.
The detachment being repulsed, retired towards the sea, in order to
preserve a communication with the ships, and thus to disembark the
cannon and stores. Here they slept all night upon their arms, and
on the following day, the 13th of August, were joined by the army.
In the afternoon the 1100 Seamen were landed under Captain Lloyd.
It was now determined to carry on approaches in regular form.
Upon the 17th a battery of four guns was opened, but being
injudiciously placed it produced no effect. The Artillery Officers
having volunteered to construct another, it began on the following
morning with such success, that a desperate attempt was made by
the enemy to destroy it. This at first succeeded, but our men soon
rallying from a temporary panic, the French were beat back and
their Commanding Officer taken prisoner. Major Lawrence, however,
and some officers scorning to participate in the early terror which
seized the troops, became captives.
Upon the 20th some gunpowder taking fire within the Fort, the
principal Battery blew up, by which explosion upwards of 100 of
the enemy perished. They then, by putting matches to the different
mines, demolished all the fortifications, and the remains retreated
to Pondicherry.
The ruins were soon occupied by our troops, who were employed,
until the 25th in rendering this post tenable. They afterwards
crossed the river of Arian-Coupan, and got possession of a strong
situation within a mile of the place, without a shew of contest.
This being to the north west of the town, a communication was from
thence maintained with the ships to the northward of it, and all
the implements necessary for the siege were now landed.
Early in the morning of the 1st of September the Advanced Guard of
100 men, consisting principally of Marines, was attacked by very
superior forces, which were headed by Mons. Portalis, the principal
Engineer of the enemy; who was mortally wounded, besides four other
Officers, and the whole were repulsed with a loss of upwards of 120
soldiers.
Upon this occasion a woman fought in the Marine Ranks of the name
of Hannah Snell, a native of Worcester, who, after many chequered
destinies, inlisted at Portsmouth in Colonel Frazer's regiment,
from whence she was embarked with a detachment on board the Swallow
sloop, one of Admiral Boscawen's squadron. In this affair she
behaved with distinguished courage, having fired 37 rounds, and
received a ball in the groin, which, two days afterwards, she
herself extracted, and likewise dressed the wound. Eleven others in
both legs, but of inferior consequence also, rendered her removal
to the Hospital, at Cuddalore, absolutely necessary, where she
continued three months.
When recovered she was ordered on board the Eltham frigate, in
which she continued till that ship returned home and was paid
off. After receiving her discharge from the Marine Service, in
company with many of her companions, she set out for London. The
time arrived when they were to bid each other a long adieu; this
moment she chose to discover her sex, in order to attest the truth
of her adventures. One of her friends tendered his hand, which
was declined. She afterwards wore the Marine Dress, and having
presented a petition to his Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland,
he, with a princely spirit, attended to her prayer, and placed
her on the King's list for a pension of thirty pounds a year for
life. This she enjoyed until a few years ago, when, after a long
residence at Walsall, in Staffordshire, her days were closed.
It was not until the 25th of September that the batteries were
completed, when they began to play. Owing to a general ignorance
of the plan of Pondicherry, our first attack was directed against
its strongest quarter, and after different approaches, it was
discovered that a deep and intervening morass prevented their
being carried within a distance near enough to produce effect.
Notwithstanding a combined cannonade on the part of the squadron,
against the town, it was found that the enemy's fire rather gained
an ascendency. Sickness becoming prevalent, from the fatigues
endured by the troops, often up to the middle in water; the rainy
season being daily expected, which would inundate the country
and cut off their retreat to Fort St. David's, and the army
rapidly diminishing in its numbers, afforded strong grounds for
immediately abandoning the siege. A Council of War, held on the
30th of September, determined upon this measure, after which period
the only objects to be accomplished were reimbarking the men and
stores, and setting fire to the batteries, all which were effected
upon the 5th of October, and the whole were in motion upon the
morning of the 6th.
They had happily chosen the critical moment for retreat, as the
rains which fell upon the same evening, had nearly rendered the
rivers impassible; however they reached Fort St. David's upon
the evening of the 7th, after having demolished the Fort of
Arian-Coupan on their way.
The want of Engineers was bitterly felt throughout the whole, and
though it was in many instances amply compensated by the handsome
and voluntary tenders of service, from the Officers of the Corps of
Royal Artillery, still these were of too subordinate a nature to
remedy the errors committed in the leading plan of operations.
We had also to combat a garrison nearly equal to our own army,
which was but little aided by the Native Auxiliaries, whose chief
use lay in guarding the skirts of our Camp from surprize, or
harassing parties; for they would never defend any post without
being supported by European troops.
This disaster involved a loss of 1065 Whites of every description,
while that of the enemy did not exceed 500.
In the West Indies an attack was again intended against St. Jago,
in Cuba, by some land forces embarked at Jamaica and the Marines of
the squadron, with which design the whole put to sea, but after a
long perseverance against strong northerly winds, which prevented
their approaching that coast, it was given up, and diverted to an
enterprize against Port Louis on the south side of Hispaniola. This
service was performed by the ships in line of battle, which, after
three hours heavy cannonade, compelled its Governor to surrender
upon terms, when Major Scott, with a detachment of Governor
Trelawney's regiment, and the Marines, were landed, and took
possession of the Fort in the name of his Majesty.
After having shipped or destroyed upwards of 80 heavy cannon, and
blown up the works, the whole were re-embarked.
Towards the close of the present year a very serious mutiny
occurred on board his Majesty's ship Chesterfield, upon the coast
of Africa, but like all attempts of so diabolical a nature, it was
suppressed by the spirited efforts of a few well disposed of her
crew. This leads me to the reflection, that, however brave and
intrepid the character of a British Seaman is, still his valour
becomes palsied the moment it is exerted in a wrong cause. Such
indeed must ever be the consequence of such ill aimed combinations.
The wretch who is capable of subverting his country's interests
cares but little for those of his friends. In principle a villain,
he never fails being the first to desert and betray the unfortunate
men, who are the dupes of his counsels, particularly when his own
life appears in danger.
In order to exhibit how dangerous it is even to _conceal_ the
existence of a mutiny, I will state an instance which arose out of
the above occasion:--After the Chesterfield was recovered from
those daring insurgents, she was carried into Barbadoes, when all
the culprits were put on board the Richmond, excepting two. Some of
them were indulged with their liberty and to mess with that ship's
company; so liberal are our laws even to the criminal, before trial
and condemnation.
Having, by their protestations of innocence, interested some of the
people in their favour, T. Ferriman, the ship's Steward, I believe
from pure motives, and wishing to discover those who had united
in planning their escape, drew out a paper for the signature of
all who wished well to the scheme. Within two hours he was himself
informed against, by one who had subscribed to it, and being found
in his pocket, it was too powerful an evidence to resist that
article of War which holds him equally guilty with the perpetrator,
who _knowingly conceals_ any gathering mutiny even for a moment.
Every detail of active operation closes with the peace of
Aix-la-Chapelle, now a second time rendered memorable by the growth
of the Olive.
After more than nine years hostility, all the powers agreed to
a general restitution of conquests. France and Spain were left
to lament a ruined Navy, and an impoverished people, while Great
Britain felt an accession of more than four millions of circulating
specie, which concealed from the public view a large addition to
her national debt.
At this time the respective rank between the sea and land Officers
was decreed by his Majesty, and an order issued for an exact
uniformity of dress throughout the naval service.
Amongst the many reductions which now progressively took place,
during 1748, and the early part of the ensuing year, may be
remarked the total extinction of the Marine establishment, the
Officers of which, at these successive periods, were placed on half
pay.