THE CAPTURE OF MARTINIQUE, 1809[35]--THE CAPTURE OF GUADALOUPE, 1810.
The 1st West India Regiment continued doing duty at Barbados until
January 27th, 1809, when eight companies joined the expedition against
the Island of Martinique.
The interception, in the summer of 1808, of some despatches from the
Governor of Martinique to the French Ministry asking for supplies and
additional troops, and describing the condition of the island as almost
defenceless, first directed the attention of the British Government to
the reduction of this French colony. Preparations for the attack began
at Barbados in November, 1808, the expedition assembled at Carlisle Bay,
Barbados, in January, 1809, and on the 28th of that month the force
sailed for Martinique.
The expeditionary force was under the command of Lieutenant-General
Beckwith, and consisted of two divisions, each of two brigades, the 1st
Division being commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir George Prevost, and
the 2nd Division by Major-General Maitland. The 1st West India Regiment
was included in the 1st Division. Six battalion companies, with the 13th
and 8th Regiments, formed the 2nd Brigade under Brigadier-General
Colville; while the grenadier company (Captain Winkler), with the 7th,
23rd, and a light battalion, in which latter was the light company, 1st
West India Regiment, formed the 1st Brigade, under Brigadier-General
Hoghton.
On the 30th of January the expedition arrived off the Island of
Martinique, and on the evening of the 31st the troops disembarked, the
1st Division landing at Malgre Tout, Bay Robert, and the 2nd near St.
Luce and Point Solomon on the opposite side of the island.
The 1st Division marched the same night to De Manceaux Estate. The roads
were in a wretched condition from the rains, and the horses being done
up from the length of time which they had been on board ship, the troops
were obliged to drag the guns themselves. After a short rest the force
continued its march to Papin's, which it reached at midnight. Here the
main body of the 1st Division halted for the night, while the grenadier
company of the 1st West India Regiment, with the 7th Regiment, pushed on
to the heights on De Bork's Estate.
On the day following they were joined by the 23rd and the light
infantry battalion, and advanced to the heights of Morne Bruno, the
French skirmishers falling back slowly before them, while keeping up a
smart fire. From this point the grenadier company, 1st West India
Regiment, advanced with the 7th, the 23rd being in support, against the
French position on the heights of Desfourneaux.
The enemy, under General De Hondelot, were well placed on the crest of
the ridge, with a mountain torrent in their front, and a strong force of
artillery drawn up on their left flank. The flank companies of the 7th
were ordered to turn the French right, while the light battalion, with
which was the light company, 1st West India Regiment, moved against his
left, and the grenadiers of the 1st West India Regiment, with the
remainder of the 7th, advanced against the centre. The troops rushed
forward, fording the stream under a heavy fire, and attacking the enemy,
who was greatly superior in numbers, with the bayonet, drove him from
his position.
From this point, with the co-operation of the 2nd Brigade, the French
were beaten back to the heights of Surirey, where they made a determined
stand, but by a brilliant charge, the British carried the hill, and
forced them to take shelter under the guns of their redoubts.[36]
The troops encamped for the night on the position which they had won,
while the enemy took up a second position, strengthened by two redoubts
connected by an entrenchment.
Next morning, February 2nd, the British made a movement to turn the
French right, and, being much annoyed by the enemy's advanced redoubt,
the light battalion and the 7th Regiment were ordered to take it. They
were repulsed with considerable loss, but, on the following night, the
2nd division of the British having come up, the enemy abandoned the work
and spiked the guns, retiring with all his force to Fort Bourbon, or
Desaix.
While the 1st Division had thus been engaged at Morne Bruno and Surirey,
the 2nd had been equally successful. Upon landing at St. Luce, a
detachment of the Royal York Rangers took possession of the battery at
Point Solomon, on the south side of Fort Royal Bay, thus securing a safe
anchorage for the fleet. The same corps then pushed on and invested
Pigeon Island, a small fortified island which commanded the anchorage in
the upper part of the bay, and which had to be captured before any
attempt could be made against the formidable fortresses of Bourbon and
Fort Republique. Batteries were erected on Morne Vanier, from which
Pigeon Island was shelled with such success that the garrison
surrendered.
The way being now open for the fleet, preparations were commenced for
the capture of Fort Bourbon. It was decided to attempt to take the place
by storm, and on February 4th, the 1st Division, which, under Sir
George Prevost, had marched over from Surirey, advanced to the assault,
the grenadier companies forming the "forlorn hope." The fire from the
enemy's guns was, however, so heavy and well-directed that the attempt
failed, notwithstanding the most conspicuous gallantry on the part of
the British, and the troops retired with a loss of 330 killed and
wounded, the grenadier company of the 1st West India Regiment having
suffered heavily.
General Villaret, the French commander, supposing Fort Bourbon to be
impregnable, abandoned Fort Republique, leaving in it 4 mortars and 38
heavy guns, and collected his entire force, some 3000 in number, in Fort
Bourbon. Being well supplied with food and ammunition, he resolved
quietly to wait in the citadel; confident that the British army would
gradually melt away from the sickness caused by the heavy rains, which
had now set in and fell incessantly. On the 7th February a British force
entered by night the abandoned Fort Republique; and, though the work was
furiously bombarded from Fort Bourbon, in two days the guns which had
been left in the fort were unspiked and the fire returned. In the
meantime other batteries had been in course of construction, and by
February 18th Fort Bourbon was completely invested.
The enemy were then summoned to surrender, but General Villaret
declaring that he would rather bury himself under the ruins of the
citadel, the bombardment commenced. The British batteries, six in
number, opened fire simultaneously at 3.30 p.m. on Sunday, February
19th, and the fire was hotly returned. At Colville's battery, where were
four companies of the 1st West India Regiment, the brushwood in front of
the guns was set on fire, and was only extinguished with much
difficulty, and a terrific fire was kept up on both sides. On February
20th the enemy ceased firing during the whole day, recommencing again on
February 21st; but on the 22nd a shell from our batteries having blown
up the magazine, the enemy sent out terms of capitulation. These were
rejected, but on the 24th the place surrendered; the garrison, 2700 in
number, became prisoners of war, and three eagles remained as trophies
in the British hands.
The following general orders were issued during this brilliant campaign:
1. Morne Bruno, February 3rd, 1809.--"The benefit the advanced corps,
under Lieutenant-General Sir George Prevost, have produced to His
Majesty's service, from the gallant and successful attack made upon
Morne Bruno and the heights of Surirey, on the 1st instant, by the 1st
Brigade of the army and the light battalion, under Brigadier-General
Hoghton, demands from the Commander of the Forces a reiteration of his
acknowledgments, and his assurance to the brigadier-general, and to the
commanding officer of the Royal Fusiliers, of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers,
and of the light battalion, also to the officers, non-commissioned
officers, and soldiers of those regiments, that he will not fail to lay
their meritorious exertions before the King. The exertions of all the
corps engaged yesterday were conspicuous; and, although the state of the
works possessed by the enemy did not admit of their being carried by the
bayonet, which rendered it the general's duty to direct the corps
employed to retire, they manifested a spirit and determination which,
when tempered by less impetuosity, will lead to the happiest results."
2. February 27th, 1809.--"The grenadier company, with a detachment of
the battalion of the 1st West India Regiment, who were engaged with the
enemy both on the 1st and 2nd of February, 1809, having been omitted to
be mentioned in the general orders of February 3rd, referring to those
operations, the Commander of the Forces takes the present occasion to
acknowledge their services. From the day of the regiment landing, to
that of the enemy's surrender, it served with the greatest credit under
all the disadvantages to which a West India regiment is exposed. The
hard and severe work is generally performed by them, which the European
soldiers could not undergo from the climate."
During this campaign the 1st West India Regiment was commanded by
Lieutenant-Colonel Tolley; and, in token of its services, it was
permitted to retain two brass side-drums and five battle-axes, which it
had captured from the enemy.
The 1st West India Regiment continued to serve in Martinique till the
17th of May, 1809, when the head-quarters and six companies were removed
to the Island of Trinidad. There they remained until the month of
December following, when an expedition was formed for the reduction of
Guadaloupe.
Since the expulsion of the British in 1794, that island had enjoyed a
period of tranquility; its armament had been considerably increased
under successive governors, slavery had been re-established, and its
harbours swarmed with privateers, which preyed upon British commerce.
The incessant annoyance and loss to our trade caused by these vessels,
was a strong incentive for a descent upon the island. Added to this, it
was a colony of considerable importance to France; the mother country
depending, in a great measure, upon it for colonial produce.
The British army was assembled at Prince Rupert's Bay, Dominica, where,
on the 22nd of January, 1810, the flank companies of the 1st West India
Regiment joined. The force was under the command of Lieutenant-General
Sir George Beckwith, and was thus composed:
1ST DIVISION--MAJOR-GENERAL HISLOP.
{Light Companies of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th,
3rd Brigade--Brig.-General { 6th, and 8th West India Regiments 500
Maclean {90th Foot 500
{8th West India Regiment 400
{Battalion made up of 13th and 63rd
4th Brigade--Brig.-General { Regiments 600
Skinner {York Light Infantry Volunteers 200
{4th West India Regiment 400
2ND DIVISION--BRIGADIER-GENERAL HARCOURT.
{Light infantry 500
1st Brigade--Brig.-General {15th Foot 300
Harcourt {3rd West India Regiment 400
{Grenadiers of the 1st, 4th, and 8th
2nd Brigade--Brig.-General { West India Regiments 300
Barrow {25th Foot 600
{6th West India Regiment 350
RESERVE.
{Grenadiers 300
5th Brigade--Brig.-General {Royal York Rangers 900
Wale {Royal Artillery 300
{Military Artificers 100
On the 23rd of January the fleet sailed from Dominica, the 2nd Division
being ordered to proceed to the Saintes, to prepare for disembarking
near Basseterre, while the 1st Division and the Reserve made for the
north-eastern quarter of that part of Guadaloupe which is called
Cabesterre.
The light infantry battalion of the 3rd Brigade effected its landing at
9 a.m. on the 28th of January, without opposition, at the Bay of St.
Marie; and immediately possessed itself of the heights, so as to cover
the disembarkation of the remainder of the 1st Division and the Reserve.
The whole of the troops were landed about half-an-hour after noon, and
the light infantry battalion was ordered forward as the advance guard of
the division. It reached the village of Marigot about sunset, and
crossing the river (called Riviere des Peres Blancs), halted in the
mountains in the most advantageous position for maintaining itself
during the night. The remainder of the division encamped at Marigot.
The troops had marched this day with three days' cooked provisions in
their havresacks. The Reserve remained at St. Marie to cover the landing
of munitions and supplies.
On the 29th of January, the troops were under arms an hour before
daylight, and the light battalion, being again pushed to the front,
reached Bannaniers by sunset. There the division encamped for the night,
while the light companies of the 1st and 3rd West India Regiments were
ordered to possess themselves of the strong pass of Lacasse, above the
British position.
On the same day, the 29th, the 2nd Division, after making a feint of
disembarking at Trois Rivieres to draw off the attention of the enemy,
proceeded in the ships to the western side of the island.
On the 30th of January, at daybreak, the 1st Division again advanced.
Between 9 and 10 a.m. the light battalion, which was still leading,
descended the heights on the side of Trois Rivieres, and coming up with
the rear of a detachment of the enemy, dispersed it after a short
conflict. Pursuing its march it reached the open ground, or savannah, at
Loriols Trois Rivieres about 11 a.m., and there halted to allow the
column to come up.
The enemy's position was now in front, and consisted of a line of
redoubts and entrenchments on the commanding heights of Petrizel.
Major-General Hislop at once made his dispositions for an attack on the
following morning; the light battalion moving to the left, and the 4th
Brigade, with the remainder of the 3rd, extending along the heights to
the right. In the execution of this order, the light battalion,
advancing along the high road towards the enemy's position, alarmed him
to such a degree as to induce him to open fire from all his batteries
and entrenched lines, not only from Petrizel, but also from his post at
Dole; from which he kept up for some time an incessant fire, without
doing any other injury than killing one man, and wounding another. The
troops took up their positions in the meantime without further
inconvenience. Towards the close of the evening numbers of the enemy
were seen ascending the mountains above their works at Petrizel. The
heat this day had been excessive, and the country through which the
troops marched exceedingly difficult, the strong pass of Trou au Chien
lying in their way. The night closed in with heavy rain.
On the 31st, at daylight, not a soul was to be seen near the enemy's
works; and, it having been ascertained that they were evacuated, the
light company of the 1st West India Regiment was ordered to march at
noon and take possession.
The 1st Division remained halted during the 1st of February, and on the
2nd, the light battalion, as advanced guard of the 4th Brigade, was
ordered to march, by a very difficult ascent, to the centre of the
Palmiste heights; while the remainder of the 3rd Brigade moved to the
right of the same heights, by an easier route. The troops bivouacked on
the heights for the night.
While these operations had been going on, the 2nd Division had, at 10
a.m. on the 30th of January, disembarked at a bay to the northward of
the village of Les Vieux Habitans and about three leagues to the north
of the town of Basseterre. The troops gained the heights above the
village after a slight skirmish, and encamped on the ground for the
night. During the two succeeding days the 2nd Division was employed in
bringing up guns to a height near Post Bellair.
By the combined movements of the two divisions, General Ernouf, the
French commander, was now, by the night of the 2nd of February, hemmed
in at the extremity of the island between the sea and the British army.
He had judiciously chosen his position, which was naturally strong, and
which he had strengthened by all the artificial means in his power. He
was posted on heights, his left supported by the mountains of Matouba,
and every accessible point of his line covered by abattis and stockaded
redoubts. In his front was a river, the passage of which, exceedingly
difficult in itself, was rendered much more so by a detachment of troops
stationed behind abattis. The ground also, between the river and the
heights, was bushy and full of rugged rocks, and of course highly
unfavourable to the march of the assailants.
It was on the 3rd of February that the British troops were put in motion
to dislodge him from his advantageous position. The 1st Division, soon
after dawn, descended the north side of Palmiste, passed the river
Gallion, and under a heavy fire from a battery at the bridge of Voziere,
formed on the opposite heights, taking up a position so as to intercept
the communication between the town of Basseterre and the enemy's camp.
The 2nd Division had, during the night of the 2nd, pushed forward the
grenadiers of the 2nd Brigade and a detachment of the 6th West India
Regiment to occupy the ridge Beaupere St. Louis, on the upper part of
which the strong post of Bellair was situated. On the morning of the 3rd
the enemy perceived what had been done, and moved out in force to
dislodge the British. The 1st Brigade was immediately ordered up in
support; but, before it could gain the heights, a smart action had taken
place, and it only arrived in time to complete the defeat of the enemy.
In this engagement the grenadier company of the 1st West India Regiment
lost 2 rank and file killed, Captain Cassidy and 9 rank and file
wounded. During the remainder of the day the troops of the 2nd Division
were moved up to Bellair, and the whole army remained on the ground
during the night.
Next morning, the 4th, the British advanced to the final assault of the
position. The 1st Division was charged with the operations on the right,
while the task of turning the left was entrusted to Brigadier-General
Wale with the Reserve. At dawn of day the light company of the 1st West
India Regiment and the York Light Infantry were ordered to advance to
the enemy's post at the bridge of Voziere. For some time they were
unseen, but a picket of the enemy, moving along the opposite side of the
ravine, discovered them; and, opening fire, a general discharge soon
followed, in the face of which the British rushed forward and carried
the work. Almost at the same moment, Brigadier-General Wale, who, with
the Reserve, had forded the Gallion River, and under a heavy fire
ascended the heights, carried the enemy's works on the left; and General
Ernouf's situation had become so critical, that he at once hoisted flags
of truce in the works which he still retained at Matouba.
On the 5th of February, the terms of capitulation were signed, the
French marching out with military honours, and becoming prisoners of
war. The British loss was 52 officers and men killed, 250 wounded, and 7
missing. The French lost 600 killed, and 2000 prisoners. Captain H.
Downie, of the 1st West India Regiment, was mentioned in despatches for
gallantry at the storming of the work at the bridge of Voziere.
The following general order was published, dated Beau Vallon,
Guadaloupe, 6th Feb., 1810: "The enemy are now prisoners of war, to be
sent to England, and not to serve until duly exchanged. Thus through the
exertions and general co-operation of the fleet and the army, has been
effected the important conquest of this colony in nine days from the
landing of the 1st Division. The Commander of the Forces returns his
public thanks to the officers of all ranks for their meritorious
exertions, and to the non-commissioned officers and soldiers for the
cheerfulness with which they have undergone the fatigues of a march,
difficult in its nature, through the strongest country in the world, and
the spirit which they have manifested upon all occasions to close with
the enemy."
In this campaign, it may be observed, all the hard work had fallen to
the lot of the 1st Division, and especially to that of the light
infantry battalion of the 3rd Brigade, which had, by forced marches,
moved across the whole breadth of the island, from St. Marie to the
neighbourhood of Basseterre, over a wild and broken country, in six
days.
For their services at the capture of Guadaloupe, Captains Cassidy and
Winkler were appointed brigade-majors at Trinidad and Grenada
respectively; and the words "Martinique" and "Guadaloupe" were inscribed
on the colours of the regiment, "as a mark of royal favour and
approbation of its gallant conduct at the capture of those islands in
1809 and 1810."
On the completion of this service the flank companies rejoined
head-quarters at Trinidad, as did the two companies detached at
Martinique and the two at Barbados. The whole regiment was then
stationed in Trinidad, seven companies being at St. Joseph's and three
at Orange Grove. This arrangement lasted until March, 1814, when the
head-quarters and four companies were moved to Martinique, four
companies to St. Lucia, and two to Dominica.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 35: This island had been restored to France by the Treaty of
Amiens.]
[Footnote 36: The grenadier company of the 1st West India Regiment lost
1 rank and file, killed; 1 drummer, 18 rank and file, wounded; 1
subaltern, missing.]