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charmey. This heroine, instead of taking shelter in the inaccessible parts of the woods, as the governor and many of the principal inhabitants had done, armed her negroes, and kept our outposts in constant alarm; and, notwithstanding Major Melville's characteristic vigilance and activity, she so frequently annoyed him, that it was at last determined to attack her entrenchments in due form. These were defended with a spirit that did great honour to this Amazon and her garrison, several ladies of which were taken prisoners. The commandress, however, made her escape, ten of her garrison having been killed and many wounded. Of the assailants twelve were slain and thirty wounded; among the latter were "Lieutenants Farrel of Armiger's or the 40th, and M'Lean of the Highlanders, both of whom distinguished themselves on this occasion. Mr M'Lean lost an arm." * In this manner each party continued skirmishing and harassing the other;-certainly the best manner of defence that could have been adopted by an inferior force in such a climate, and in so difficult a country.

On the 13th of February, a detachment of Highlanders and marines was landed in Grandeterre, in the neighbourhood of Fort Louis, the ships clearing the beach with their guns, as the boats approached the shore; after which, "a party of marines and Highlanders drove the enemy from his entrenchments, and taking possession of the fort, hoisted the English colours."

General Hopson having died on the 27th, the command of the troops devolved on General Barrington. But disease had made such ravages, that 1800 men were either dead or in hospital. The new commander, anxious to

• It would appear that this very noisy and unpolite intrusion on a lady's quarters did not injure Lieutenant M'Lean in the esteem of the ladies of Guadaloupe; for we find, that, although he got leave from General Barrington to return home for the cure of his arm, he refused to leave his regiment, and remained at his duty. "He was particularly noticed by the French ladies for his gallantry and spirit, and the manner he wore his plaid and regimental garb."

complete, with all possible dispatch, the reduction of the colony, and to meet the enemy in their own manner of fighting, embarked his troops with an intention of removing the war to Grandeterre and Capesterre, leaving Colonel Debrisay with one regiment, in the citadel of Basseterre. Owing to currents and contrary winds the transports were some days in reaching Grandeterre. Here the commodore being informed of the arrival of a French fleet with troops at Martinique, sailed to Prince Rupert's Bay in Dominique, to be ready to oppose them if they attempted to succour Guadaloupe. General Barrington having established himself in Grandeterre, ordered Colonel Crump, with 600 men, to attack the towns of St Anne's and St Francis. This was executed next morning at sunrise, with great spirit. Notwithstanding the fire of the enemy from their entrenchments and batteries, both towns were carried with little loss, Ensign M'Lean of the Highlanders being the only officer who fell in this assault. On the following day, Colonel Crump pushing forward, drove the enemy from another position, where they had erected three twenty-four pounders. The general then formed a design to surprise Petit Bourg, St Mary's, and Gouyave, on the Capesterre side, and committed the execution of this duty to the Brigadiers Clavering and Crump. But, owing to the darkness of a tempestuous night, and the terror and ignorance of the negro guides, the attempt failed. The general was now obliged to do that by force, which he could not accomplish by easier means, and directed the same commanders to land near the town of Arnonville. The enemy, without opposing the landing, retreated to a strong position on the banks of the Licorn. This river, rendered inaccessible, except at two narrow passes, by a morass covered with mangroves, was fortified by a redoubt and entrenchment, well palisaded and mounted with cannon, the narrow paths being intersected with wide and deep traverses. Notwithstanding these disadvantages, the commanders determined to hazard an assault, and began the attack with a fire from their field

pieces and howitzers on the entrenchments, under cover of which the regiment of Duroure (the 38th) and the Royal Highlanders pushed forward. The enemy beginning to waver as they advanced, the "Highlanders drew their swords, and, supported by a part of the other regiment, rushed forward with their characteristic impetuosity, and followed the enemy into the redoubt, of which they took possession."

The enemy, in the meantime, taking advantage of the removal of the troops from the quarters of Basseterre, made several attempts on the small garrison left there under Colonel Debrisay. In these attacks they were uniformly repulsed. Colonel Debrisay was unfortunately killed by the explosion of a powder magazine, and was succeeded in the command of Basseterre by Major Melville, who afterwards rendered so much service to the West Indies, as governor-general of the ceded islands. On the other side of the island, Colonels Clavering and Crump did not relax their exertions. In a succession of skirmishes they forced the enemy from their strong holds, took upwards of fifty pieces of cannon, and obtained possession of all the batteries and towns on the sea-coast. At length the enemy were compelled to surrender, after a gallant defence, which was maintained from the 24th of January to the 1st of May, when the capitulation was signed.

On the evening of the same day, intelligence was received that the Governor of Martinique had landed on the opposite side of the island with a considerable force, for the relief of the colony; but on hearing of the surrender, he reembarked and returned to Martinique. The loss of the British on this expedition was severe; but, in consequence of their continued fatigues and exposure, they suffered more by the climate than by the enemy. Of the officers 10 were killed, 21 wounded, and 20 died by the fever. Of the Royal Highlanders, Ensign M'Lean was killed, and Lieutenants M'Lean, Leslie, St Clair, and Robertson, were

⚫ Letters from Guadaloupc.

wounded; Major Anstruther and Captain Arbuthnot died of the fever; and 106 privates were killed, wounded, or died of disease. This expedition was a tolerably smart training for a young corps, who, nine months before, had been herding cattle and sheep on their native hills. *

SECTION IV.

SECOND CAMPAIGN IN NORTH AMERICA.

Ticonderoga and Crown Point, 1759—Niagara, 1759—Battle of the Heights of Abraham, and death of Wolfe, 1759—Battle of Quebec, 1760.-Surrender of Montreal-Completion of the conquest of Canada, 1760.

THE Highlanders were embarked from Guadaloupe for North America, where they arrived early in July, and about

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"By private accounts, it appears that the French had formed the most frightful and absurd motions of the Savages d'Ecosse;" they believed that they would neither take nor give quarter, and that they were so nimble, that, as no man could catch them, so nobody could escape them; that no man had a chance against their broad-swords; and that, with a ferocity natural to savages, they made no prisoners, and spared neither man, woman, nor child: and as they were always in the front of every action in which they were engaged, it is probable that these notions had no small influence on the nerves of the militia, and perhaps regulars of Guadaloupe." It was always believed by the enemy, that the Highlanders amounted to several thousands. This erroneous enumeration of a corps only 800 strong, was said to proceed from the frequency of their attacks and annoyance of the outposts of the enemy, who "saw men in the same garb who attacked them yesterday from one direction, and again appear to-day to advance from another, and in this manner ever harassing their advanced position, so as to allow them no rest.”

⚫ Letters from Guadaloupe.

the end of the same month, Major Gordon Graham was ordered by General Amherst, then at Crown Point, to take the command of the 2d battalion, and to march them up to Oswego, and afterwards to join either General Prideaux's expedition, or his own army, as circumstances might render necessary. After reaching head-quarters, the two battalions were combined, and served in conjunction during the latter period of this campaign, which comprehended three very important enterprises. Major-General Wolfe, who had given such promise of great military talents at Louisburg, was to attack Quebec from Lower Canada, while General Amherst, now Commander-in-chief, and successor of General Abercromby, should endeavour to form a communication, and co-operate with him through Upper Canada. General Prideaux was to proceed against Niagara, in order to prevent the enemy from giving any interruption to General Amherst's operations on that side, and endeavour to get possession of the strong and important post near the falls. This great and comprehensive combination, had it been successful, would, in that campaign, have driven the enemy out of all their territories in North America. The army under the Commander-in-chief was first put in motion, and consisted of the Royals, 17th, 27th, Royal Highlanders, 2 battalions 55th, Montgomery's Highlanders, nine battalions of Provincials, a battalion of light infantry, and a body of Rangers and Indians, with a detachment of artillery. When joined by the 2d battalion of the Royal Highlanders from the West Indies, this army amounted to 14,500 men. At Fort Edward, the point of rendezvous, the whole were assembled, on the 19th of June; and the 1st battalion of Royal Highlanders and light infantry of the army who, a few days before, had been detached in front under the command of Colonel Grant of the 42d regiment, were ordered to strike their tents and move forward next day. The main body followed on the 21st, and encamped on Lake George, on the spot where General Abercromby had encamped the preceding year, previously to the attack of Ticonderoga. Con

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