ページの画像
PDF
ePub

The other division was commanded by General Keppell, and was intended for the reduction of the Moro, which commanded the town and the harbour. A detachment, under Colonel William Howe, was encamped to the westward, to cut off the communication between the town and the country. In this disposition the troops remained, occasionally relieving each other in the hardest duties, during the whole of the siege. The soil was every where so thin and hard, that the greatest difficulty the besiegers encountered was to cover themselves in their approaches, and to raise the necessary batteries. But, in spite of all obstacles, batteries were raised against the Moro, and some others pushed forward to drive the enemy's ships still farther into the harbour, and prevent them from molesting our troops in their approaches. The Spaniards did not continue entirely on the defensive. On the 29th June, they made a sally with considerable spirit and resolution, but were forced to retire, leaving nearly 300 men behind them.

In the meantime, the three largest of the British ships stationed themselves alongside the fort, and commenced a furious and unequal contest, which continued for nearly seven hours. But the Moro, from its superior height, and aided by the fire from the opposite fort of the Puntal, had greatly the advantage of the ships, which, after displaying the greatest intrepidity, were obliged to withdraw, after losing Captain Goostrey of the Marlborough, and 150 men killed and wounded.

Sickness had now spread among the besiegers, and, to complete their difficulties, the principal battery opposed to the Moro caught fire on the 3d of July, and blazed with such fury, that the whole was in twenty minutes consumed. Thus the labour of 600 men for sixteen days was destroyed in a few minutes, and all was to be begun anew. This disaster was the more severely felt, as the increasing sickness made the duty more arduous, and the approaching hurricane season threatened additional hardships. But the spirit of the troops supported them against every disadvantage,

and, while they had so much cause to complain of their rancid and damaged provisions, and of the want of fresh water, though in the very neighbourhood of a river from which the small transports might have supplied them in abundance, yet the shame of defeat, the prospect of the rich prize before them, and the honour that would result from taking a place so strong in itself and so bravely defended, were motives which excited them to unwearied exertions.

A part of the reinforcement from North America having arrived, new batteries were quickly raised, and the Jamaica fleet touching at Havannah, on the passage home, left such supplies as they could spare of necessaries for the siege. Fresh vigour was thus infused.

After various operations on both sides, the enemy, on the 22d of July, made a sortie, with 1500 men, divided into three parties. Each attacked a separate post, while a fire was kept up in their favour from every point, the Puntal, the west bastion, the lines, and the ships in the harbour. After a short resistance, they were all forced back with the loss of 400 men, besides many who, in the hurry of retreat, precipitated one another into the ditches, and were drowned. The loss of the besiegers in killed and wounded amounted to fifty men.

In the afternoon of the 30th two mines were sprung with such effect, that a practicable breach was made in the bastion, and orders were immediately given for the assault. The troops mounted the breach, entered the fort, and formed themselves with such celerity, that the enemy were confounded, and fled on all sides, leaving 350 men killed or drowned by leaping into the ditches, while 500 threw down their arms. Don Lewis de Velasco, the governor of the fort, and the Marquis Gonzales, the second in command, disdaining to surrender, fell while making the most gallant efforts to rally their men, and bring them back to their posts. Lieutenant-Colonel James Stuart, who commanded the

This officer served afterwards in India, and commanded against Cuddalore in 1782.

assault, had only 2 lieutenants and 12 men killed, with 4 serjeants and 24 men wounded.

Thus fell the Moro, after a vigorous struggle of forty days from the time when it was invested. Its reduction, however, was not followed by the surrender of the Havannah. On the contrary, the Governor opened a well-supported fire, which was kept up for some hours, but produced little bloodshed on either side. The besiegers continued their exertions, and erected new batteries against the town. After many difficulties and delays, in the course of which the enemy exerted themselves to intercept the progress of the batteries, the whole were finished on the morning of the 13th August, when they opened with a general discharge along the whole line. This fire was so well directed and effectual, that at two o'clock in the afternoon the guns of the garrison were silenced, and flags of truce were hung out from every quarter of the town, and from the ships in the harbour. This signal of submission was joyfully received, and on the 14th the British were put in possession of the Havannah nine weeks after having landed in Cuba. It was agreed that the garrison, now reduced to less than 800 men, should, in testimony of esteem for their brave defence, be allowed all the honours of war, and be conveyed to Spain with their private baggage. Nine sail of the line and several frigates, with two seventy-fours on the stocks, were taken; several more had been sunk and destroyed during the siege. The value of the conquest altogether was estimated at three millions. This estimate cannot be correct, as the prize-money divided between the fleet and army in equal proportions was L.736,185, 2s. 44d. The distribution to the land forces was,

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

This important conquest was effected with the loss of 11 officers, 15 serjeants, 4 drummers, 260 rank and file, killed; 4 officers, and 51 rank and file, who died of their wounds; 39 officers, 14 serjeants, 11 drummers, 576 rank and file, wounded; and 27 officers, 19 serjeants, 6 drummers, and 630 rank and file, who died by sickness. The Highland regiments suffered little. The loss sustained by the two battalions of the 42d regiment was 2 drummers, and 6 privates killed, and 4 privates wounded; the loss by sickness consisted of Major Macneil, Captains Robert Menzies, brother of the late Sir John Menzies, and A. Macdonald, Lieutenants Farquharson, Grant, Lapsley, Cunnison, Hill, Blair, 2 drummers, and 71 rank and file. Of Montgomery's, Lieutenant Macvicar and 2 privates were killed, and 6 privates wounded; and Lieutenants Grant and Macnab, and 6 privates, died of the fever. *

Immediate preparations were made for removing the disposable troops from the Island. The 1st battalion of the

The King of Spain expressed great displeasure at the conduct of the commanders who surrendered the place. Don Juan de Prado, the governor, and the Marquis del Real Transporte, the admiral, were tried by a council of war at Madrid, and punished with a sequestration of their estates, and banishment to the distance of 48 leagues from the Court; and the Viscount Superinda, late Viceroy of Peru, and Don Diego Tavanez, late governor of Carthagena, who were on their passage home, and had called in at the Havannah a short time before the siege, were also tried, on a charge of assisting at a council of war, recommending the surrender of the town, and sentenced to the same punishment. But the conduct of Don Juan de Velasco, who fell in the defence of the Moro when it was stormed, was differently appreciated. His family was ennobled, his son created Viscount Moro, and a standing order made, that ever after there should be a ship in the Spanish navy called the Velasco.

42d and Montgomery's were ordered to embark for New York, where they landed in the end of October. All the men of the 2d battalion, fit for service, were drafted into the 1st; the rest, with the officers, were ordered to Scotland, where they remained till reduced in the following year. All the junior officers of every rank were placed on half pay.

SECTION VI.

FRASER'S, MONTGOMERY'S, AND ROYAL HIGHLANDERS.

St John's, Newfoundland, 1762—Bushy Run, 1763-Fort Pitt, 1764-Ireland, 1767-Scotland, 1775.

We must now return to Fraser's Highlanders, who remained in America, and to the two companies of Montgo mery's, who did not return to New York from the expedition sent against the Indians in the autumn of 1761, in time to embark with the rest of the regiment for the West Indies.

In the summer of 1762, a French armament appeared on the coast of Newfoundland, and, landing some troops, took possession of St John's. Commodore Lord Colville having received intelligence of the event, sailed immediately to blockade the harbour of St John's, and was soon followed by Colonel William Amherst, with a small force collected from New York, Halifax, and Louisburg. This force consisted of the flank companies of the Royals, a detachment of the 45th, and two companies of Fraser's and Montgomery's Highlanders, with a small detachment of provincials. Colonel Amherst landed on the 13th of September,

« 前へ次へ »