The town and Moro or castle of Porto Rico stand on a point, separated from the main-land by a narrow arm of the sea, over which was thrown a bridge of eleven arches, forming the only communication with the island. The Moro is strongly fortified with the best materials, and almost inaccessible. The bridge being destroyed, the lagoon could not be crossed in boats, in the face of three tiers of batteries, which the Moro presented. From the outside of the lagoon the distance was too great for the batteries of the invaders to produce any effect, either on the town or castle; and, whatever the disposition of the people had been, no symptom was now shown of any inclination to surrender. A number of French privateers had taken shelter in the harbour, when they heard of the approach of the fleet. The crews landed, and manned the batteries, determined to hold out to the last in defence of their vessels and prizes. In these circumstances, and as our force was insufficient to blockade more than one side of the garrison, or prevent a free communication with the country, the Commander-in-Chief determined to give up the attempt and reembark. This was accomplished on the 30th of April, the enemy still keeping within their defences. The loss sustained on this occasion was 1 captain killed, 1 lieutenantcolonel and 1 captain wounded, and 98 rank and file killed and wounded; and a lieutenant and 121 rank and file missing, supposed to have deserted to the enemy. The troops returned to their different stations, and the Highlanders to Martinique. This was the last attempt against the enemy in that country during the continuance of the war.

The 79th Highlanders having been now two years in Martinique, orders were sent out, as I have already noticed, to allow them to volunteer into the Royal Highlanders, then ready to embark for England, with permission to all who chose to remain to join other corps in the country. The number thus received by the 42d exceeded the casual

This officer, and the 121 soldiers, were foreigners in our service.

ties of the two preceding years, making the detachment stronger than when they embarked at Portsmouth in October 1795. The order to send the 42d home complete was the first interruption of the system of drafting, which, as I have already mentioned, has since been abolished. The regiment embarked free of sickness, and landing at Portsmouth on the 30th July, in equally good health, marched to Hillsea Barracks. A body of 500 men landing from the West Indies, and marching, without leaving a man behind, was no common spectacle.

After remaining a few weeks in Hillsea, the five companies were again embarked for Gibraltar, where they joined the five companies which had been ordered thither when driven back by the gales of 1795 and 1796.

The regiment was now 1100 strong; but the moral feelings of the troops were sensibly deteriorated. In addition to the number of indifferent characters introduced into the regiment in 1795, the cheap and free indulgence in wine permitted in the garrison affected the conduct of a considerable proportion of the men. However, it had no influence on their health; for, during a stay of one year in Gibraltar, from October 1797 to October 1798, only 11 died out of 1187 men, including all ranks. But, as I have observed, the moral habits of many evinced a melancholy change. An instance of murder occurred. One of the soldiers, in a fit of rage and intoxication, quarrelled with an inhabitant, and stabbed him to the heart with his bayonet. He was tried and executed. Two men deserted to the Spaniards. One of them had for some years possessed a good character, but latterly had contracted habits of drinking; the only reason that could be assigned for his conduct. He was soon cured of those habits which had led to his defection, and heartily repented his breach of allegiance. He entered the Spanish service, in which the soldier's pay affords nothing to expend

• A state of the troops on board was sent to Portsmouth, after the ships came to anchor. When it was received, directions were given to correct the mistake of omitting the number of sick arrived from the West Indies.

on liquor, -nay, sometimes not a sufficiency to procure necessaries, and in which, even if the pay had been more liberal, the example of sobriety which the Spanish soldiers alexcess. any ways exhibit would have discountenanced To his former comrades within the garrison he found means to send communications, in which he deplored his folly, and called upon them to be faithful to their King, and not to make themselves miserable, like him, by joining the enemies of their country. Fortunately, however, for the regiment, they were soon removed to Minorca, where their old habits and conduct were in a great measure restored by the excellent discipline of Brigadier-General Oakes, under whose immediate command they were for several months placed.

Government having determined to attack the Island of Minorca, a small armament was prepared and placed under the command of Lieutenant-General the Honourable Sir Charles Stuart, Major-General Sir James St Clair Erskine, and Brigadier-Generals John Stuart and Oakes, together with the 28th, 42d, 58th, and 90th regiments; the naval part of the expedition being under the command of Commodore Duckworth. These regiments, which had been quartered in Gibraltar, sailed from thence on the 24th of October, and reached the island of Minorca on the 6th of November. A landing in the Bay of Addaya was next morning effected without opposition. The first division, consisting of 800 men, disembarked, and repulsed 2000 of the enemy, who, after a feeble resistance, retired. The state of the roads, and the multitude of high and strong stone inclosures, rendered the progress of the army as slow as in a mountainous country. It was therefore the 14th of November before they could invest Cittadella, the principal garrison, where the Spanish Commander had concentrated his forces. Here the judicious arrangements of the General supplied the deficiency of troops, and of the artillery necessary for a siege: he formed his small army on the little eminences which surrounded the garrison, leaving only a few light infantry, who lay concealed in the intermediate hollows. By this disposition of force, large fires being kept

burning at night, and the fires in the hollow spaces being more numerous, and larger than on the ground occupied by the tooops, the Spaniards were led to believe that the space of four miles had been completely covered by an army of at least 10,000 men. So strong was their conviction that resistance would be unavailing against such a force, that the island surrendered on the following day, the prisoners considerably outnumbering the invaders.

In 1800, a large force re-assembled in Minorca, to be employed on the coast of the Mediterranean, in support of our allies. It was understood that Sir Charles Stuart was to command this army, but these expectations were disappointed by the arrival of intelligence that he had declined accepting the command. The disappointment of the troops on this occasion was considerably lessened by the happy choice, as successor to their late Commander-in-Chief, † of Sir Ralph Abercromby, who arrived on the 22d of June, accompanied by Major-Generals Hutchinson and Moore.

Orders were immediately issued for the embarkation of troops for the relief of Genoa, then closely besieged by the French; and reinforcements were also sent to Colonel Tho

• The prize-money for this capture, though not great, deserves notice, from its prompt payment, and the attention of the General to the interest of his troops. He directed every thing to be sold and converted into money as soon as possible, and the shares to be paid on the spot where the money was conquered. One of the agents, indeed, wished to send the money to England to lodge it, as he said, in security; but General Stuart believed that it could not be in better security than in the pockets of those to whom it belonged; and, with his characteristic generosity, he gave his own share to the wives and families of the soldiers, although his private fortune was very circumscribed.

+ Sir Charles Stuart died on the 28th March 1801, the very day on which his successor in the command of the army in the Mediterranean died of his wounds in Egypt. Thus Great Britain lost, in one day, two men whose great talents, chivalrous honour, and high character, were qualified to raise the fame of any country, and to add lustre to any period. Indeed, few men of modern times have exhibited a higher or more perfect picture of what may be imagined of a chivalrous knight than General Stuart, ready to sacrifice his life, and every thing but his honour, for the good of his country.

mas Graham, who blockaded the garrison of La Vallette in the Island of Malta.

The reinforcement for Genoa being too late to prevent the surrender of that place to the enemy, the troops returned to Minorca, and General Pigot was ordered to command the blockading army in Malta.

The season was now far advanced, and, to the great disappointment of the troops, it was understood that no active operations would commence till the arrival of farther instructions from home. This interval the Commander-inChief devoted to a strict examination of the internal economy and discipline of the different corps.* It was not till the month of August that dispatches were received from England, in consequence of which the army immediately embarked and sailed for Gibraltar, where it arrived on the 14th of September, when accounts were received of the surrender of Malta, after a blockade of nearly two years. It was generally regretted that Colonel Graham of Balgowan, who had conducted the siege and blockade with unwearied zeal and perseverance, had not the satisfaction of receiving the surrender of an enemy whom he had forced to submit.

• During this interval, the system was first suggested to General Moore of marching, firing, and general discipline, which he afterwards carried to such perfection in the 43d and 52d regiments, and which has since been followed by all the light infantry corps. Major Kenneth Mackenzie, of the 90th regiment, (now Major-General,) had practised this mode of discipline for several years, and while he commanded his regiment in Minorca, had brought the men to great perfection in it. One morning as he was at exercise on the Glacis of Fort St Phillips, General Moore, who was present, was so struck with its excellence and simplicity, that, with his usual openness and candour, he expressed great surprise that a thing so simple, and so admirably adapted to its purpose, had not before suggested itself to his mind. He was not a man upon whom any useful suggestion was thrown away. Major Mackenzie was next year promoted to the 44th regiment, from which he was removed, by General Moore's recommendation, to his own regiment, the 52d. The new mode of discipline was then commenced, and Lieutenant-Colonel Mackenzie, being supported by the influence, assiduity, and zeal of General Moore, it was speedily brought to a high state of perfection. While it greatly lessens the fatigue of the soldier, it is highly conducive to his success against an enemy.