THE CHARGES OF EXTORTED CONTRIBUTIONS AND OPPRESSIONS, ALLEDGED
AGAINST THE COMMANDERS IN CHIEF BY CERTAIN INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS,
REFUTED ... THE REAL CAUSES OF THE LOSS OF GUADALOUPE.
After having given an account of the glorious success which had crowned
the exertions of our gallant commanders and their forces, I now enter
upon a less pleasant task, the loss of Guadaloupe, since followed by the
capture of some other islands: but I do it the more willingly, because
in the simple facts it will be my duty to detail, the real cause of
those misfortunes will appear, and a clear refutation ensue of those
gross calumnies, originally propagated by avarice, fraud, and falsehood,
and repeated by ignorance and malice, which have endeavoured to fix a
stigma on two commanders, whose integrity of heart and openness of
conduct are as demonstrable, as their bravery is acknowledged.
The accusation of plunder, confiscation, and _extorted contribution_, is
founded on a tale, of which half only has been told, and that half with
intentional inaccuracy.
It has always been understood that property found in any place taken by
storm or assault became the legal prize or booty of the captors;
consequently the Commanders in Chief found no hesitation or difficulty
in considering the produce, merchandise, &c. afloat and on shore at St.
Pierre and Fort Royal (both which were literally so taken) as justly
liable to forfeit and confiscation. The estates of the emigrant
royalists had been sequestered, and the produce of them sold by the
agents of the republic; consequently all manufactured or collected
produce on them became in like manner, by his majesty's gracious bounty,
the right of the captors.
If what is found in places or vessels taken by assault be not considered
as legal prize, what is? Is no booty, no prize money, to be the reward
of successful heroism, after the dreadful fatigues, diseases, and
dangers of war? Where then will be the spur to noble actions? Where the
spirit that impels the soldier and the sailor to brave the horrors of
arms and elements, of raging sickness, of excruciating death?
All the produce and merchandise found in the town of Fort Royal and on
board the vessels in the Carenage, and the same in the town and bay of
St. Pierre and in Trinite in the island of Martinique, and at Basse
Terre and Point a Pitre in Guadaloupe, were disposed of by public
auction for the benefit of the captors: but those on the estates,
manufactured and packed ready to be brought down to the ports for
embarkation, were not sold at this time, because persons came forward on
the part of the inhabitants themselves, and proposed a contribution, in
lieu of that part of the property, as falling more easy on them, and
consequently being preferable to confiscation; though they did not at
that time pretend to dispute the legality of the forfeiture. The
Commanders in Chief acceded to this _their own proposal_, through a pure
wish of accommodation. The exorbitant and unprecedented contribution,
therefore, levied on an unwilling people, turns out to be an _offered
compromise for an undisputed prize, received by a merciful and tender
conqueror out of kindness to the conquered_.
How well bestowed this kindness was, how deserved the confidence placed
in the honour of these people, will appear by the sequel! They received
back the forfeitures, and then endeavoured to get rid of paying the
compromise (themselves had offered) by infamous misrepresentations of
the conduct of those Commanders, of whose generosity they made use, to
defame, and then to rob them! For no sooner had they shipped off the
property, and got it safe away from the power of the Commanders, than
they began to demur at paying the stipulated sum, particularly at St.
Lucia, which island had agreed to pay one hundred and fifty thousand
pounds.
Situated as I was, and having an opportunity of drawing my conclusions
on the spot, I venture, with a very strong confidence of its truth, to
relate the following as the secret history of this business. An agent
for the prizes at St. Lucia, joining one of the agents who had already
been employed in the sale of the vendible property at Martinique
(possibly piqued by some diminution of confidence which the Commanders
in Chief from good reason had betrayed towards them), no sooner met the
inhabitants of St. Lucia, whom he had convened on the subject of raising
the stipulated compromise for the plunder, than he offered, with an
unparalleled duplicity, while confessing himself sent on the part of the
captors, to suggest a mode by which the payment of this debt of honour
might be evaded. "Send," said he, "an immediate deputation to the
English government, anticipate the story of the Commanders, and a
prohibition will instantly issue." The deputation was sent without loss
of time: they relied on securing a large body of English merchants,
particularly those in the West Indies, on their side; and their reliance
was well placed, for they relied on that which they could easily prove
to be their interest. The truth is, that many of these West India
traders[40] had carried on an illicit traffic to the French islands
before they were captured; and in consequence of it had at the time of
the capture immense sums still due to them. Apprehending, therefore,
that the payment of this contribution might retard, or even endanger,
the discharge of their own debts, they joined heartily in every scheme
for defeating this just and prior claim. They encouraged the French in
their opposition; they misrepresented the facts to England; they
attempted to blast the laurels of the Commanders; and became clamorous
against the cruelty of plunder, and illegality and impolicy of
confiscation, that they might enjoy the rewards of their own treason.
While this plot was secretly carrying on, and a heavy storm brooding
over their heads, the General and Admiral were proceeding in their
expedition against Guadaloupe, little suspicious, till the dispatches
from England discovered the success with which the artful stories of
this party had been attended.
[40] Admiral Rodney used to say of these people, that "they were
smugglers in peace, and traitors in war;" an opinion, I believe,
confirmed by repeated experience.
Thus was the unparalleled good order and discipline with which the army
and navy had abstained from plundering the towns of St. Pierre, Fort
Royal, and Trinite, &c. rewarded! This was the recompence of the ruinous
and expensive service in which the officers had engaged; of the
unexampled sufferings and dangers which they and their brave men had
undergone. Is not contribution in lieu of booty, the custom of war? Was
it not the case with Prince Ferdinand in a former war, through every
town and village of Germany[41]? Did not the Marquis de Bouille levy a
heavy contribution on the island of St. Christopher's, when taken by the
French in 1782? Where then could contribution ever be proper if not
here? Here was no capitulation; but, though the islands fell by storm,
the Commanders, acting on the purest principles, to save the persons and
property of the inhabitants from the plunder[42] of an enraged soldiery,
agreed to accept as a recompence due to the forbearance and good conduct
of that body, a composition the most easy to the conquered; and yet
their fame has been vilified, and the hard-earned pittance of booty
snatched away! for none of the contributions were ever paid, except a
part at St. Lucia, _which was afterwards refunded_. Surely this is small
encouragement for such a desperate service! If such be the future
prospects of our army and navy, their spirits will droop, and half that
ardour that generates success subside!
[41] Of this General Sir Charles Grey himself shared.
[42] During the time that Fort Bourbon was besieging we sent a
summons to the town of St. Pierre, which was rejected with an
uncommon degree of insolence, and Captain Mason (the General's aid
de camp, who went with the flag of truce) was insulted. About a
fortnight afterwards the place was taken by storm, without any
capitulation, consequently subject to plunder by the custom of war;
but so far from any irregularity being suffered, a drummer was
hanged by order of General Dundas for attempting it; and such exact
discipline and quiet behaviour was maintained among the troops,
that the shops were opened the day after the capture. From the time
of the refusal of the summons to the final capture, the republicans
continued to load all the property and produce on board vessels
under American colours, which they did constantly, in order to
deprive the captors of their just rights, in case the place should
be taken.--Interested American merchants were continually
endeavouring to wrest the hard-earned prize money from the army and
navy, while they were supplying the enemy with provisions and other
necessaries.
I shall now mention the real cause of the loss of Guadaloupe, which,
with that of some other islands that have since fallen, has been
maliciously attributed to the oppression and peculations of Sir Charles
Grey and Sir John Jervis; for this purpose I must refer back to the time
when the expedition was first planned by our government, and the command
given to those officers. As the capture of the French possessions in the
West Indies was rightly judged to be of the greatest consequence both in
a political and mercantile view, a very formidable armament was
prepared, and Martinique was pitched on as the first object for attack;
and, since the capture of that island had been attempted the year
preceding, and failed, it was of course expected to be put on its guard,
and rendered thereby more difficult. But at this period (unfortunately
for this expedition) another object diverted the attention of
government, and eight regiments[43], with a great part of the artillery,
which were embarked and ready to sail, were taken from that force, which
combined would in all probability have secured to us our conquests in
the West Indies, and enabled us to extend them to St. Domingo, and all
the other French islands in that quarter. Government was well aware, and
acknowledged, that this diminution of force must so cripple the
expedition, that it would render the prospect of any success doubtful;
and no idea was entertained that the conquest of Martinique would even
have been attempted, Fort Bourbon alone seeming too formidable for an
attack by such an inconsiderable body: however, when Sir Charles Grey
and Sir John Jervis arrived at Barbadoes, and had arranged every thing
for an active campaign, they determined to begin with the strongest
island, being confident that, when that was gained, the smaller places
would soon fall; whereas, by attacking the lesser islands first, they
must necessarily diminish their small armament, and render the capture
of so well defended and strong a place as Martinique, with the
formidable fortress of Fort Bourbon, totally impossible. The event
justified their determination. But when this great object was gained,
and St. Lucia and Guadaloupe taken, the army (originally too small) was
divided into three parts to garrison the conquered places; and by that
dreadful scourge, the yellow fever, which now began its ravages,
together with the loss sustained in the several actions of the campaign,
not one of the islands, nor indeed a single post on each, could be
called properly defended, in case the French should send out an armament
to the West Indies. If, as soon as the news of the capture of the first
island had reached England, a strong reinforcement could have been sent
out, and repeated on the conquest of each succeeding place, the small
body of the enemy (who made their attack on Guadaloupe, and stole in at
a moment when the gallant governor, General Dundas, was breathing his
last, and when every post was reduced to extremity by sickness) would
with ease have been repelled, or perhaps their whole party taken.--In
the succeeding part of this work it will be my business to detail the
events that gradually led to the evacuation of this island, and gave the
enemy such advantage as enabled them since to extend their conquests to
some other inferior places.
[43] Consisting of four thousand six hundred and forty-two men.