poffeffed themselves of Heffe without oppofition; they met as little in making their way through the bishopric of Paderborn; and whilst their grand army, under Marthal de Contades, pushed the allies in that quarter and on the fide of Heffe, M. d'Armentieres was posted by We

co.

fel, to advance on that fide as occafon fhould require. The condition of the allied army was extremely dubious; whilst the French increafed in their numbers and fpirit. Their new fuccefs gave them reafon to hope for a campaign as fortunate as that of 1757.

G

REAT Britain was not content with the efforts which fhe had made in Germany: America, the interefts of which had given rife to the war, was the object which principally engaged her attention. This was indeed the proper object of her natural ftrength, and by her fuccefs in this quarter, the most effectually laid the ax to the root of the enemy's naval power, and cut away one great part of the refources which fed the war. A fquadron of nine fhips of the line with fixty tranfports, con taining fix regiments of foot, 1758. in the end of the last year failed for the West Indies, in order to attack and reduce the French Caribbee islands. General Hopfon commanded the land forces: the fleet in the expedition was to be under the Crders of Commodore Moore, - then in the West Indies.

Nov.

Their first object was Martinico, the first in reputation of the French Caribbees, the feat of government, the center of all the trade which France carries on with thofe islands: ftrong both by nature and art. This iland lies in the 15th degree N. lat. The shore is on every fide indented

with very deep bays, which they call Cul de facs, and the fands, only difcoverable at low water, form in many places a hidden, and almost infurmountable barrier. A lofty ridge of almoft impaffable mountains. runs north-weft and fouth-eaft quite through the island; all the space on both fides is interfected at inconfiderable distances with deep gullies, through which the water pours down in the rainy feafons with great impetuofity. In other respects the island is pleafant and fruitful: well watered, and well cultivated, abounding with plantations and villages all along the fea coaft. The two principal places are St. Pierre, and Port Royal; both towns confiderable in this part of the world, for their magnitude, trade, and strength.

By this fhort defcription may be difcerned how defirable fuch a conqueft was, and the difficulties which naturally oppofed themfelves to it. They were the greater, because at this time there was in the island a confiderable number of regular troops. They have at all times a numerous and well armed militia, not contemptible for their difcipline, and well fuited to the fer

vice of the country; add to this, that they can bring into the field, a large body of negroes, habituated to arms, and in general well affected to the intereft of their mafters.

The English forces landed with out oppofition, on the weft Jan. 6. fide of Port Royal harbour, after the men of war had driven the enemy from their batteries and intrenchments. But on their landing, they found that the nature of the country proved a greater obftruction to their progrels, than the ftrength of the enemy. Thefe profound gullies, inclosed by steep, and almoft perpendicular precipices, proved an infurmountable obftacle to the regular march of the troops, or the conveyance of cannon. The enemy had broken up the roads; and five miles of fuch roads, and through fuch an impracticable country, were to be paffed before Port Royal could be attacked by land. The commander therefore of the forces, judged the difficulties on the land fide infurmountable; the naval commander held it impoffible to put the cannon afhore nearer to the fort. Some jealousy seems to have arisen. The refult of the whole was, that the forces were reimbarked on the day of their landing.

Very little was done at Port Royal; but it was hoped that more would be done at St. Pierre. They accordingly fet fail for that place; but when they had arrived before it, and examined the coaft, 19. new difficulties arofe, which produced a new deliberation. They determined that the fort could not be reduced, without fuch detriment to the troops and the fhipping, that they could afterwards make little

5

ufe of their fuccefs; and in this they had probably good reason. The conduct of the officers afterwards plainly demonftrated, that no mean views had any influence on their councils; they agreed to abandon their enterprize against Martinico. But having been foiled in this their first attempt, they resolved not to return with the difgrace of having done nothing worthy of the greatnefs of the armament, and the expectation of their country. They confidered that the ifland of Guadaloupe was an object, though not of fuch an eclat, of full as much real confequence as Martinico; and they knew that it was neither fo ftrong in troops or fortifications. Their firft failure might lead to an advantage, as confiderable as that which they had missed. In purfu ance of these refolutions, they fet fail for Guadaloupe.

This ifland is called Guadaloupe, from a refemblance which it bears to a chain of mountains of the fame name in Old Spain. Το fpeak with exactness, Guadaloupe is rather to be confidered as two islands, divided from each other by a fmall arm of the fea, or falt water river, not above three hundred feet over where it is wideft. One of these islands is called the Grand Terre; the other more particularly and by diftinction, Guadaloupe : they are together in circuit about ninety leagues. The first is nearly deftitute of fresh water, and not perfectly cultivated; but it is otherwife with Guadaloupe. No part of the world is furnished with more or better. No less than fifty rivers in that fmall circuit, throw themselves into the fea; many navigable by boats, for two. fome even for three leagues into the country. Nor to

mention,

mention the numberlefs fprings which rife among the rocks, and after a thousand beautiful meanders, lose themselves in the larger ftreams. The first accounts which we have of that country, are lavish in the defcription of its beauties; and the lateft agree with them, that no part of the Weft Indies, perhaps of the world, affords more agreeable and romantic scenes. It is full of high mountains; once of which towers far above the reft, and is a volcano, continually emitting fmoke and fire. From hence they have confiderable quantities of fulphur. They have alfo hot baths, fit for all the medicinal purposes in which fuch waters are used. The land in the valleys is extremely fertile; it produces the ufual West India commodities, fugar, indigo, coffee, cotton and ginger: the mountains abound with game: fo that there is nothing in the island wanting, for the convenience and delight of life, in an air more temperate and falubrious than is commonly breathed between the tropics.

The French began to plant colonies in this ifland as early as the year 1632. But for a long time this, together with all their other colonies, continued in a languishing condition. It was in the beginning of the prefent century, that they began to emerge. After the peace of Utrecht had given France time to breathe, fhe turned her attention ftrongly to thefe iflands; Guadaloupe partook however lefs of this care than Martinico; and yet by its natural advantages, it does not fall short of that ifland, either in the quantity, or the goodness of its produce; if it does not greatly exceed it in both; as it certainly does in its capacity to receive all forts of improvement. The importance of this ifland, until its late conqueft,

was very little known in England. The reafon was this. By an old regulation, the people of Guadaloupe were forbid to trade directly with Europe, but were obliged to fend all their produce to Martinico, from whence alfo they had all their European commodities. A strange regulation, to be continued in an age fo enlightened as this, by a nation fo enlightened as France.

The English made attempts upon this ifland in 1691, and 1703; but they were neither powerful enough, nor conducted with fufficient ability to produce any permanent effect; the troops wafted the country, and retired with their booty. But on the occafion, of which we are going to fpeak, they were more able, ftrong and fortunate.

On the 23d of January the fleet came before the town of Baffe Terre, the capital of the island; a place of confiderable extent, large trade, and defended by a strong fortrefs. This fortrefs, in the opinion of the chief engineer, was not to be reduced by the fhipping. But Commodore Moore, notwithstanding this opinion, brought four men of war to bear upon the citadel; the reft were difpofed against the town, and the batteries which obftructed the landing. About nine in the morning a fire from all fides began, which continued with the utmoft fury until night, when the citadel, and all the batteries, were effectually filenced. During this cannonade the bombs, that were continually fhowered upon the town, fet it on fire in feveral places. It burned without interruption the whole of this and the following day; when it was almoit totally reduced to athes. The lofs was prodigious from the number of warehoufes in the town, full of rich, but combuflible materials. Nothing could be more friking,

than

than the horror of the fpectacle, from the mutual and unremitted fire of fo many great fhips and batteries, heightened with a long line of flames, which extended along the fhore, and formed the back ground of this terrible picture.

In this lively engagement, our lofs was very inconfiderable. The next day the forces landJan. 24 ed without oppofition, and took poffeffion of the town and citadel. Notwithstanding this fuccefs, the island was far from being reduced. The country is rugged and mountainous, and abounded with paffes and defiles, of a difficult and dangerous nature. The inhabitants had retired with their armed negroes into the mountains; and all feemed prepared to defend their poffeffions bravely, and to the laft extremities.

General Hopfon died on the 27th of February, and General Barrington fucceeded him. He embarked part of his forces for the Grand Terre, where Colonel Crump attacked and reduced the towns of St. Anne, and St. Francois; whilst this attack diverted the enemy's attention, the general fell upon the ftrong poft of Gofier, and poffeffed himfelf of it; and thus the Grand Terre was in a manner reduced, and difabled from fending any relief to the other part.

There is a confiderable mountain, not far from the town of Baffe Terre, called Dos d' Afne, or the Affes's Back; thither a great part of the enemy had retired. It is a pot of great ftrength, and great importance, as it keeps a watch upon the town, and at the fame time forms the only communication there is between that town, and the Capes Terre, the plaineft, pleafanteft, and moft fruitful part of the whole ifland.

It was not judged practicable to break into it by this way; and all the reft of Guadaloupe was in the enemy's poffeffion. Therefore a plan was formed for another operation, by which it was propofed to furprize Petit Bourg, Goyave, and St. Mary's, and by that way to march into Capes Terre, which might be eafily reduced. But this defign failing, it was neceffary to attempt those places by plain force. Col. Clavering and Col. Crump landed near Arnonville, and attacked the enemy, ftrongly intrenched at a post strong by nature, called Le Corne. This was forced; another intrenchment at Petit Bourg had the fame fate; a third near St. Mary's yielded in the fame manner. An opening being at laft made into the Capes Terre, the inhabitants faw that the best part of the country was on the point of being given up to fire and fword; they came in and capitulated; their poffeflions, and their civil and religious liber-. ties were granted to them. May 1.

There fmall islands, near Guadaloupe, Defeada, Santos 9th. and Petite Terre, furrendered a few days after, and on the fame terms.

This capitulation was hardly figned, when the French fquadron under M. Bompart appeared before the island, and landed at St. Anne's, in the Grand Terre, the general of the French Caribbees, with fix hundred regular troops, two thoufand buccaneers, and a large quantily of arms and ammunition. The capitulation was made at the moft critical time; for had this reinforcement arrived but a day fooner, the whole expedition had probably been loft.

Thus came into the poffeffion of Great Britain, this valuable ifland, after a campaign of near three

months,

months, in which the English troops behaved with a firmness, courage, and perfeverance, that ought never to be forgotten. Intolerable heat, ́continual fatigue, the air of an unaccustomed climate, a country fell of lofty mountains and fteep precipices, pofts ftrong by nature and by art, defended by men who fought for every thing that was dear to them; all thefe difficulties only increased the ardour of our forces, who thought nothing impoffible under commanders, who were not more diftinguished for their intrepidity and fkill, than their zeal for the fervice of their country, and the perfect harmony and good understanding that fubfifted between them. There is nothing, perhaps, fo neceffary to infpire confidence into the foldier, as to obferve that the officers have a perfect confidence in one another.

It must not be omitted, that many of the inhabitants exerted them felves very gallantly in the defence of their country. A woman, a confiderable planter in the island, particularly diftinguished herself; he was called Madame Ducharmey: this amazon put herself at the head of her fervants and flaves, and ac

quitted herself in a manner not inferior to the bravest men.

May

26.

Soon after the reduction of. Guadaloupe, the island of Marigalante furrendered itself upon terms fimilar to those which were granted to the former, iflands. This is a fmall ifland, but the conqueft is of confequence, as the French by this are left no footing in the Leeward iflands: Martinico is one of thofe to the windward. Thefe beginnings were happy omens to the fuccefs of the more important undertaking, which was to be carried on in another part of America, the reputation of our arms there, ex in the reduction of Louisbourg, hitherto not been very great. But other commanders were now ap pointed, and other maxims prevail ed. However, we poftpone the nar rative of thefe very interefting events, to confider thofe which intervened on the continent of Europe, in which too we fee our arms no lefs diftinguished; and to behold England emerging from the rubbifh of low principles and timid conduft, once more become the pride and terror of Europe, and acting in a manner not unworthy the most illuftrious periods of her hiitory.

WE

7E left the army of Prince Ferdinand upon the retreat, ever fince the battle of Bergen. The French advanced with great vivacity; their light troops made in curfions almoft to the gates of Ha

nover.

The Prince ftill continued to retire; but he left garrifons in Lipftadt, Ritberg, Munfter, and Minden, in order to retard the enemies progrefs: their principal defign feemed to be to cut off his

retreat