Sidebilder
PDF
ePub

1778.

General Meadows with the referve, was nearly fhut.. up in the peninfula of the Viergie; for by his diftance and situation, as well as the decided fuperiority of the enemy, he was totally cut off from the fupport of the main body, any further than what might be derived from those batteries commanding the land approaches to the Viergie, which that poffeffed. The good effect of those pofitions, which had been taken by the British on their firft landing, became now apparent to both armies. The chagrin and disappointment of the French was great, when after landing they discovered that Sir H. Calder's brigade was in poffeffion of the mountains on the fouth fide of the grand Cul de Sac : for the bombarding of the British fleet from thofe heights was one great object they had in view; which, from the strong positions taken by that brigade, was unattainable without a general engagement by fea and land, the iffue of which the French were not as yet for trying. They determined upon directing their first effort feparately against Meadows. For Dec. 18. this purpose, about 5000 of their best troops were drawn out, and advanced in three columns to attack the Britifh lines, reaching across the Ifthmus, which joins the Peninsula to the Continent. The right was led by count d'Estaing, the centre by Mr. Lovendahl, and the left by the marquis d'Bouille. The remainder of their troops were kept difengaged to watch the motions of Prefcot's brigade, and to check any attempt to fuccour Meadows. On the near approach of the columns, they were enfiladed with great effect by the aforementioned batteries; however, they rushed on to the charge with great impetuofity, fupported the conflict with much refolution, and fuffered confiderably before they were en

tirely repulfed. As foon as they had recovered their 1778. breath and order, they renewed the attack with the fame eagerness as before; and were encountered with the fame determined refolution. Though they fuffered feverely in these two attacks, they again rallied, and returned to the charge the third time. The affair was now foon decided. They were totally broken, and obliged to retire in the utmost confufion, leaving their dead and wounded in the power of the victors. Gen. Meadows was wounded in the beginning of the action, but would not quit the field, nor have the affiftance of the furgeons, till the matter was decided. The French while employing their troops by land, attempted a diverfion by sea, which had fo little effect as to deferve no further notice. Their lofs was 400 killed upon the fpot, 500 defperately wounded fo as to be incapable of fervice, and 600 more fiightly wounded; the whole amounting to a number confiderably fuperior to those whom they had encountered.

Count d'Estaing continued ten days longer on the island without making further attempts, and then relinquifhed a conteft which had only manifested the courage of the French, without yielding any profit. He embarked his troops on the night of the 28th, and on the following day abandoned the island to its deftiny. He was not out of fight, when the chevalier de Micoud, with the principal inhabitants, offered to capitulate, and had favorable conditions granted them, which were figned on the 30th. Admiral Byron arrived off St. Lucie the 6th of January.

When the late law in favor of the English Roman 1779. Catholics was paffed, a defign was formed of extending

1779. it to Scotland, which was violently oppofed. The oppo

Feb.

3.

fition originated in Gafgow, the inhabitants of which are almost all on the fide of administration in the American conteft*. The general indignation against the defign fhowed itself in the different riots that happened at Edinburgh and Glasgow in February. In the metropolis, an attack was made upon a new house, in which the principal popifh clergyman or bifhop, with four other families of the fame perfuafion dwelt, and in which a room was laid out for a chapel, about 34 feet long. The house was fet on fire, and the flames continued until noon of the following day. The inhabitants with difficulty escaped alive. During the demolition of this "main pillar of popery," as it was called, a detachment from the main body of the people reforted to the old chapel. The houfe containing it was inhabited by feveral families (agreeable to cuftom, and the nature of many buildings in that city) whofe property and effects, as well as the infide of the house and chapel, were totally destroyed, together with a confiderable library belonging to the popifh bifhop. The rioters afterward directed their violence against the papifts in other parts of the town, and totally deftroyed the ftock in trade and effects of two or three tradefmen of that profeffion. One or two ladies of fashion of that communion were obliged to take refuge in the caftle. They at length concluded upon the punishment or deftruction of those gentlemen, of whatever rank or religion, who had been fuppofed to favor the late defign of obtaining a relaxation of the laws against papifts. Their first fury was pointed against Dr. Robertfon the celebrated hiftorian, * Dr. John Erskine's Confiderations on the Spirit of Popery, p. 31.

The 1779.

and to that of Mr. Crofbie an eminent advocate.
mob found the houfes of thefe gentlemen fo well armed,
and guarded with fo determined a refolution by their
numerous friends, that they proceeded not to extremi-
ties, but retired without any further outrage than the
breaking of fome windows. The magiftrates did not
exert themselves for the fuppreffion of the riots, till the
laft day of the week. The conduct of the magiftrates
in Glasgow was widely different. The populace made
their first and principal attack upon Mr. Bagnal, an
English papift from Staffordshire, who had for several
years established and conducted a confiderable manufac-
tory of stone ware. They burnt his house, totally de-
stroyed all the works for carrying on his business, and
obliged him and his family to fly to the fields for their
lives. But the measures purfued by the magiftrates and
principal inhabitants foon restored order and fecurity.
Mr. Bagnal was also speedily acquainted, that he should
be reimbursed for every part of his loffes to the utmost
farthing. Toward the end of March, the citizens of
Edinburgh agreed to make full reftitution to the fufferers
in that city. Through this religious combustion, and
the circumftances attending it, administration have loft
that firm hold of the temper and difpofition of the peo-
ple in Scotland, which perhaps nothing elfe could have
loofened.

The British cruisers seized and carried into port the Dutch veffels bound for France, when laden with either naval ftores or fuppofed French property. The merchants, owners and infurers, complained to their high mightineffes, by whose order a memorial was prefented to the British court, which was far from having the de

9.

1778.

fired effect. The anfwer propofed the purchafing of the naval ftores, the paying of the freight, and the indemnifying the proprietors; but expreffed a determination to prevent, as much as poffible, all naval and military ftores being transported into the French ports, accompanied however with an affurance, that all poffible regard for the rights of their high mightineffes fhould be exercifed, and that the ftipulations and fpirit of the treaties between the king and their high mightineffes would be adhered to in the strongest manner as far as it should be practicable-of which the British court would be judges. The merchants of Dort, Rotterdam and Amsterdam, not being fatisfied with the answer, petitioned their high mightineffes for redress against the British treatment of their flag, and the violences committed against their property. The States General concluded upon fuch meafures as should meet the wishes of the petitioners, and determined upon an augmentation of the fleet for their protection. Sir Jofeph Yorke after that, on the 22d of laft November, propofed in a memorial by his fovereign's order, a conference with their high mightinesses upon what was most proper to be done refpecting the articles of complaint. The States General declined the offer, and infifted upon the literal and ftrict obfervance of the treaty between them and Great Britain. The French king had in a regulation of the preceding July, concerning the navigation of neutral veffels, referved to himself the power of revoking the advantages granted by the first article, in cafe the belligerent powers should not grant the like within the space of fix months. The like not being granted on the part of Britain, the king ordered fuch revocation, with respect to the subjects of

« ForrigeFortsett »