Some Account of the Public Life of the Late Lieutenant-General Sir George Prevost, Bart Part 11

_London, May 15, 1805._

"Sir,

"I have the honor to inclose you the resolutions of the Committee of the Patriotic Fund, on their taking into consideration the official account of the gallant and successful defence, made by you, and the brave men under your command, against the very superior force with which the enemy invested Dominica, on the 22d February last. That the sovereignty of the Island was preserved to the British Crown, must be in a great degree ascribed, under Divine Providence, to the talents with which you conducted the military operations; to the confidence which those who served under you had in those talents; and the animation with which they were inspired by your example.

"The primary object of this Fund being the relief of the wounded, and the families of those killed in the service of their country, the Committee, on every occasion, restrict their votes of honorary marks of distinction for gallant conduct, to the commanding officers. This, they trust, will satisfactorily explain to those brave officers, to whose merit you bear such honorable testimony, the reason of their not being noticed in these resolutions.

"The Committee, cannot but remark the very distinguished manner in which the inhabitants of Dominica have displayed those gallant exertions against the enemy, to which they so readily came forward to animate others, by contributing to this fund. The Committee trust, that in attending to the other objects of the inclosed resolutions, you will be particularly careful to recommend to their consideration, the distressed relatives which any of the Militia of the Colony may have left unprovided for. Your bills, at three days sight, on Sir Francis Baring, Bart., Chairman of the Patriotic Fund, at Lloyds, for the amount of the sums voted to the wounded men, will be immediately honored. As those who are disabled, will be invalided and sent home, the Committee submit it to your discretion, whether the gratuities to them had not better be paid them on their arrival here, under your certificate of their claims.

"You will be pleased to accompany your draft, with a letter, giving the names of the parties wounded, and the sums respectively paid to each; which the Committee leave to your judgment, according to the nature and extent of the injuries they have received, instead of waiting for further information to act upon themselves.

"I have the honor to be, Sir,

"Your most obedient humble servant,

"JOSEPH MARRYAT, Chairman."

"_Brigadier-General Prevost._"

No. XV.

_At a General Meeting of West India Planters and Merchants, held at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate Street, May 22, 1805, p. 10._

Resolved unanimously,

That the thanks of this Meeting be given to his Excellency Brigadier-General Prevost, Governor of the Island of Dominica, for the distinguished gallantry and high military talents he displayed on the 22d of February, 1805, in the defence and effectual protection of that Colony against a numerous, powerful, and unexpected force from France.

And that this resolution be communicated to General Prevost, in a letter from the Right Honorable Lord Penrhyn, the Chairman of this Meeting.

Resolved unanimously,

That this Meeting, impressed with the highest sense of the important service rendered to all the West India Colonies, by the able resistance made by General Prevost to the landing of the enemy on the 22d of February, 1805, do request that he will accept from the general body of West India Planters and Merchants, a Piece of Plate, of the value of 300 guineas, with an inscription expressive of the sense of this resolution.

Resolved unanimously,

That the thanks of this Meeting be given to the Field-Officers, Captains, and other Commissioned Officers of the Royal Artillery, the 46th regiment, the 1st West India regiment, and also to the officers of the Colonial Militia, for the gallant conduct they respectively exemplified, and the zealous co-operation they afforded on the same occasion, and that his Excellency the Governor be requested to communicate the same.

Resolved unanimously,

That his Excellency General Prevost be requested, in a letter from the Chairman, to signify to the Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates of his Majesty's Regular and Militia forces at Dominica, the high sense this Meeting entertains of their services in resisting the French force on the 22d of February, 1805.

No. XVI.

_Extract from the Dominica Journal, of Sat.u.r.day, July 6th, 1805, p. 10._

_Roseau, July 6th, 1805._

Yesterday afternoon, embarked from Roseau, in the Garrison-boat, (under a salute from Fort Young and Scot's Head) for Prince Ruperts, to join his amiable family, who left town the day preceding, his Excellency Major-General George Prevost, our worthy and highly respected Governor, a gentleman who retires from his government with the pleasing gratification of the consciousness of having faithfully discharged his duty to his Sovereign, at the same time that he has, as conscientiously, studied the interests of the people, over whom he has for nearly three years most uprightly and honorably presided.

We presume not to arrogate to ourselves talents capable of becoming the panegyrists of a Prevost--we shall confine ourselves to observing that his remembrance will be ever held dear in the breast of every worthy inhabitant of this Colony; and by declaring that it is our sincere prayer that his merit may meet its due reward from our most Gracious Sovereign, and that himself and family may pa.s.s their future days in the enjoyment of every earthly felicity.

No. XVII.

_Dispatches from Sir George Beckwith, and Letter from Lord Castlereagh, p.

11._

_Downing-street, March 27._

The following despatches have this day been received from Lieut.-General Beckwith, Commander of His Majesty's Forces in the Leeward Islands, addressed to Lord Viscount Castlereagh.

"_Martinique, Feb. 1._

"My Lord,

"In my last, No. 42, I had the honour to report to your Lords.h.i.+p the sailing of the army from Carlisle Bay upon the 28th ult. I have now the satisfaction to acquaint your Lords.h.i.+p that we landed in two divisions upon the 30th; the first division, under the orders of Lieutenant-General Sir G.

Prevost, consisting of between 6 and 7,000 men, at Bay Robert, on the windward coast, in the course of the afternoon, without opposition; and, notwithstanding the difficulties of the country, we occupied a position on the banks of the Grand Lezard River before day-break of the 31st, with a corps of nearly 4,000 men, after a night march of seven miles through a difficult country. These services were greatly facilitated by the judicious and manly conduct of Captain Beaver, of His Majesty's s.h.i.+p Acasta, who led into the Bay in a bold and officer-like manner, preceded by His Majesty's brig Forester, Captain Richards. The exertions and success of this measure were completely effective, two transports only striking in the narrow pa.s.sage at the entrance of the Bay. Hitherto we have experienced no resistance from the militia of the country; and they manifest a disposition every where to return to their homes, in conformity to a joint proclamation by the Admiral and myself, which is obtaining a very extensive circulation.

The second division of the army, consisting of upwards of 3,000 men, under the command of Major-General Maitland, landed near St. Luce and Point Solomon on the morning of the 30th; but, as our communication with that corps is not yet established, I cannot enter into any details.

Lieutenant-General Sir G. Prevost, with the advance in my front, will take possession of the heights of Bruno in the course of this day; and I am led to expect will there, for the first time, feel the pulse of the regular troops of the enemy. The port of Trinite, which lies beyond the line of our operations, will, by order of Captain Beaver, of the navy, be taken possession of this day, by a detachment of seamen and marines from the squadron to windward, under the command of Captain d.i.c.k, of the Penelope.

The Admiral, with the body of the fleet and store-s.h.i.+ps, is in the vicinity of Pigeon Island, at the entrance of Fort Royal Bay. Our operations to windward have been vigorous and effectual in point of time; and the privations of the troops have been considerable, and borne in a manner worthy of the character of British soldiers. From what has pa.s.sed, I am of opinion the inhabitants of the country manifest a friendly disposition; and after the heights of Surirey shall be carried, which I expect will be strongly contested, the campaign will be reduced to the operations of a siege, and the defence of the fortress.--The services rendered by the captains and officers of the navy to windward have been great and essential, and the exertions of Captain Withers of the navy, princ.i.p.al agent for transports, peculiarly meritorious.

"GEO. BECKWITH, Com. Forces."

"_Martinique, Heights of Surirey, Feb. 3._

"My Lord,

"In my letter of the 1st inst. I had the honour to report, for His Majesty's information, the progress then made in our operations against the enemy. My expectation that Lieutenant-General Sir G. Prevost would meet them upon Morne Bruno, and that the heights of Surirey would be warmly contested, was realized in the course of the same day; and both were carried under the direction of the Lieutenant-General, with that decision and judgment which belong to this respectable officer, and much to the honour of Brigadier-General Hoghton, the officers and men of the Fusileer brigade and light battalion, engaged on that service. On the 2nd, it appeared to me to be desirable to extend to the right of our position; which was effected in a spirited manner by the King's infantry. An exertion was then made to carry the advanced redoubt; but, having soon reason to believe that it would have been acquired with a loss beyond the value of the acquisition, the troops were withdrawn; and the enemy abandoned it during the night, with another redoubt contiguous to it, with evident marks of disorder: both will be occupied and included in our position this night.

Pigeon Island surrendered at discretion yesterday, which enables the s.h.i.+pping to enter Fort Royal Bay; all the batteries on the Case Naviere side have been destroyed and abandoned, a frigate and some other merchant-vessels burned, the lower fort abandoned, and all their troops withdrawn from Fort Royal to the princ.i.p.al fortress. I consider the invest.i.ture to be nearly completed, and we must now look for the operations of a siege. Time does not admit of details; but your Lords.h.i.+p will perceive that these operations have been effected in eight days from our quitting Barbadoes, notwithstanding heavy rains and most unfavourable weather, in which the troops have borne every species of privation in a manner worthy their character as British soldiers.

"GEO. BECKWITH, Com. Forces."

"_Camp, Heights of Surirey, Martinique, Feb. 10._

"My Lord,

"Having, in my communications of the 1st and 5th instant, submitted to your Lords.h.i.+p's consideration general reports of the operations of the army I have the honour to command, I now beg leave to inclose the special reports of the General Officers commanding divisions, and of Brigadier-General Hoghton, whose brigade was in action upon the 1st; with separate returns of our loss upon the 1st and 2nd, which, I am inclined to believe, will terminate our operations in the field.--The lower fort, formerly Fort Edward, was taken possession of before day-break in the morning of the 8th, by Major Henderson, commanding the Royal York Rangers, with that regiment, without resistance, and we now occupy that work. St. Pierre surrendered to Lieutenant-Colonel Barnes, of the 46th, the day before yesterday; and I have not yet received the details. In the course of all these services, where the co-operation of the navy was practicable, the greatest exertions have been made by the Rear-admiral; and the important advantages rendered on sh.o.r.e by that excellent officer, Commodore c.o.c.kburn, in the reduction of Pigeon Island, and the landing cannon, mortars, and ammunition at Point Negroe, and conveying them to the several batteries on that side, have been of the highest importance to the King's service.