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The admiral, upon my application to him for that purpose, immediately ordered the Malabar, La Picque, and Babet, on board of which, and the Grenada tranfport, with fome fmall veffels, Major-General Whyte, with the 39th, 93d, and 99th regiments, and a detachment of the royal artillery, embarked and failed on the 15th ult.

On the 21ft, this fquadron arrived upon the coaft of Demerary, and on the 22d, the governor and council were fummoned to furrender the colony to his Britannic Majefty, upon the conditions which I have the honour to inclofe. The next day the terms were agreed to, the capitulation figned, and the British troops took poffeflion of the fort and colony. Lieutenant-Colonel Hiflop, of the 39th regiment, is left commandant of Demerary and Iffequibo.

Major-General Whyte was to proceed to take poffeffion of the neighbouring colony of Berbice; and, after making the neceffary arrangements, he is ordered to repair to his ftation at St. Domingo.

From the accounts received, there is produce to an immenfe value at Demerary, which will be immediately fhipped for Great Britain. I have the honour to be, &c.

(Signed)

: Right Hon. Henry Dundas, &c.

R. ABERCROMBY.

SIR,

Head-Quarters, St. Lucia, May 2, 1796.

I HAVE the honour to inform you, that on the 22d of April, the fleet, with the troops destined for the attack of St. Lucia, failed from Carlisle Bay, and anchored on the evening of the 23d in Martin Bay, Martinique, Admiral Sir John Laforey ftill retaining the command. On the 24th, Sir John refigned the command to Rear-Admiral Sir Hugh Chriftian, K. B. and on the evening of the 26th we failed for St. Lucia. The difpofition for landing was arranged in the following manner: Major-General Campbell was ordered to difembark with 1700 men at Longueville's Bay, which he accordingly effected without oppotition, except fome fhots fired from Pidgeon Iiland.

In the morning of the 27th, he advanced to Choc Bay. As foon as the head of the column began to appear, the center divifion of the army difembarked near the village of Choc, upon which about 500 men, who had faintly oppofed Major-General Campbell on his march, retired from Angier's plantation to Morne Chabot. This Morne is one of the ftrongest and moft commanding pofts in the neighbourhood of Morne Fortune, and as it was abfolutely neceffary to occupy it to be able to inveft Morne Fortune on the north fide, two detachments from the army, under the command of Brigadier-General Moore, and BrigadierGeneral Hope, were ordered to march that evening, to attack it on two different fides. Brigadier General Moore marched at twelve that night, by the most circuitous road, with feven companies of the 53d regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-colonel Abercromby, and 100 of Malcolm's ngers, with 50 of Lewenftein's. Brigadier-general Hope, with 350

men of the 57th, 150 of Malcolm's, and 50 of Lewenstein's, took the fhorter road.

From a mifcalculation of time, arifing from the information of guides, Brigadier-general Moore's divition fell in with the advanced picquet of the enemy an hour and a half earlier than was expected. Finding that his march was discovered, and that it was impoffible to halt the troops, who, from the narrowness of the path, were obliged to march in fingle files, the brigadier inftantly decided to rifk the attack with his own divifion, in which he was well feconded by the fpirit of the troops, who formed with all the expedition which the ground would admit of, and after a confiderable refiftance carried the poft. Brigadier-general Hope's divifion marched with fo much precision, that they arrived exactly at the hour appointed; and if fortunately the attack could have been executed as was directed, the whole force of the enemy would Have fallen. Brigadier-general Moore fpeaks handfomely of the behaviour of the troops under his command.

A return of the lofs is herewith inclofed. From 40 to 50 of the enemy were found killed, and 200 ftands of arms, with fome ammunition, taken. The next day Brigadier-general Moore occupied Morne Duchaffaux, in the rear of Morne Fortune.

The divifion under the command of Major-General Morfhead, which was deftined to land at Ance la Ray, did not complete their difembarkation for fome days, owing to their fhips falling to leeward. They are now in poffeffion of the bar of the Grand Cul de Sac, and inveft Morne Fortune on the fouth fide.

It is impoffible to defcribe the difficulty of communication in this country, and as Morne Fortune is now in a refpectable state of defence, it will require time and much labour to erect the neceffary batteries to reduce it.

Yesterday the enemy attacked the advanced poft of the grenadiers, who are commanded by Lieutenant-colonel Mae Donald, of the 55th regiment, but were repulfed with confiderable lofs, though I am forry to add, we had feveral officers and 40 or 50 men killed and wounded, a return of which I herewith inclose. The only officer killed was Captain Kerr, of the York Rangers, the reft are flightly wounded, among whom is Major Napier of the 63d.

From the beft information I can obtain, the enemy have a garrifon of about 2000 well-difciplined black troops, fome hundred whites, and a number of black people who have taken refuge in the fortress.

Sir Hugh Chriftian has, on every occafion, exerted himself to afford me every poffible affiftance from the royal navy.

I have the honour to be, &c.

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P.S. I fhould be guilty of a great omiffion, if I did not particularly mention the zeal and intelligence of Lieutenant-colonel Rofs, of the 21ft infantry, in Brigadier-general Moore's attack on the 28th of April, at Morne Chabot. To this officer I am under great obligation, The Right Hon. Henry Dundas, &c.

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Return of the killed, wounded, and missing, of his Majefty's 53d regiment of foot, on the 28th of April, 1796.

Drummer, 12 rank and file, killed; 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, 2 ferjeants, 44, rank and file wounded; i drummer, 8 rank and file, miling.

Return of the killed and wounded at the out pofts, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Mac Donald, May 1, 1796.

General Battalion.-5 rank and file, killed; 2 officers, 15 rank and file, wounded.

48th Foot.- rank and file, killed; 1 officer, 1 ferjeant, 10 rank and file, wounded.

York Rangers.-1 officer, 4 rank and file, killed, 1 officer, 8 rank and file, wounded.

Names of Officers killed and wounded.

Major Napier and Lieutenant Tonins, of the battalion of grenadiers, wounded.

Captain Coghlan, 1ft Weft India regiment, attached to the 48th regiment, wounded.

Captain Kerr, York Rangers, killed.
Captain Baker, ditto, wounded.

SIR,

(Signed)

DONALD MAC DONALD.
Lieut. Col. 55th Reg.

Head-Quarters at St. Lucia,
May 4, 1796.

IT having been part of the original plan for the investment of the Morne Fortune, to drive the enemy from the batteries they had on the bale of the mountain, on the fide of the Grand Cul de Sac, and by that means to open this bay to the fhips of war, it naturally fell to the share of Major-general Morfhead to execute this fervice.

To render the fuccefs more fecure, Brigadier-general Hope was detached from the fide of Morne Chabot, with 350 men of the 42d regiment, the light company of the 57th regiment, and part of Malcolm's corps, on the night of the 2d of May, fupported by the 55th regiment, which was posted at Ferrand's; and yesterday morning Major-general Morfhead was ordered to march in two columns, the right to crofs the river of the Grand Cul de Sac, at Cools, and the left at the mouth of the fame river, where it falls into the bay of the Grand Cul de Sac. Major-general Morfhead being taken ill, was obliged to refign the command to Brigadier-general Perryn.

Brigadier-general Hope carried the battery Seche, within a fhort diftance of the works of Morne Fortune, with an inconfiderable loss, had not the brave Lieutenant-colonel Malcolm unfortunately fallen upon this fpot. Colonel Riddle, who commanded the column on the left, got poffeffion of the lower battery, called Chapuis, and remained

poffeffed

poffeffed of it for a confiderable time; but the column under the command of Brigadier-general Perryn never having croffed the river at Cools, Lieutenant-colonel Riddle remained unfupported, and Brigadiergeneral Hope's divifion alfo became unconnected, and confequently placed in a very critical fituation. From thefe untoward circumftances, the plan failed in the execution, and the troops retired to their former pofition. The ships of war, which were deftined to enter the Cul de Sac, returned to their anchorage. Brigadier-general Hope has mentioned to me the very gallant behaviour of Captain Weft, commanding the light company of the 57th regiment.

I have the honour to inclofe herewith, a return of the killed, wounded, and miffing. From the intricate nature of this country, and the difficulty of approaching the Morne Fortune on any fide, except by Morne Duchaffaux, I have been obliged to undertake a laborious communication from Choc Bay to that of Morne, and to form a road capable of allowing the tranfportation of heavy artillery.

I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed)

Right Hon. Henry Dundas, &t.

R. ABERCROMBY.

Return of the killed, wounded, and miffing, in the attack made on the enemy's batteries, May 3, 1796.

14th Regiment-1 captain, I ferjeant, wounded; 5 rank and file miffing.

27th ditto-None killed, wounded, or miffing.

28th ditto-3 rank and file killed; 3 lieutenants, 15 rank and file, wounded,

42d ditto-1 lieutenant, 4 rank and file, wounded; 2 rank and file, miffing.

44th ditto-4 rank and file killed; 2 captains, 1 lieutenant, 17 rank and file, wounded; 1 lieutenant, 16 rank and file miffing."

57th ditto-2 rank and file killed; 1 ferjeant, 8 rank and file wounded.

Malcolm's ditto-3 rank and file killed; 2 rank and file wounded; 2 captains, lieutenant, 7 rank and file, miffing.

Names of Officers killed, wounded, and miffing.

Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm, dead of his wounds.
Captain H. Coxe, of the 14th regiment, wounded.

Lieutenants Dalton and Irving, of the 48th regiment, wounded. Lieutenant Grady, of the 28th regiment, wounded, and mifling. Captains Johnstone and Tuffie, and Lieutenant Gregory, of the 44th regiment, wounded.

Lieutenant Ogilvey, of the 44th regiment, wounded, and miffing. Lieutenant Frafer, of the 42d regiment, wounded.

The names of the officers of Malcolm's returned miffing, not known. JOHN HOPE, Adj. Gen.

SIR,

IN obedience to your Excellency's commands, I left Barbadoes on the 15th instant, with a detachment of the artillery, and part of the 39th,

934, and goth regiments, amounting to 1200 men, efcorted by the Malabar, Undaunted, La Picque, and Babet frigates, with the Grenada transport, and five fchooners and floops, and on the 21ft made the land, when the Scipio joined the fleet. That evening, when the tide made, the Babet and La Picque frigates, with the Grenada transport, paffed the bar, with the fchooners and boats of the fleet, and came to anchor, within random fhot of the fort, at the entrance of the river; and having, during the night, prepared every thing for attack, at day-light appeared in force, when I fent a flag of truce by Lieutenant-colonel Hillop of the 39th regiment, fummoning the governor to furrender the colony and its dependencies to his Britannic Majefry's forces, agreeable to the terms which I have the honour to inciote, and which the governor and council accepted. The unanimity with which the fervice was carried on between the fleet and army was pleafing to all concerned, and Mr. Higgins acquitted himfelf with much propriety and utility. Captain Parr, who commanded the fleet, has affifted and fupplied us from the fleet liberally and I have the fatisfaction to inform your Excellency, that from every information I have received, and from above feventy fhips being actually loaded with the produce of the country, now in the river, (most of which will be fent to England) and from every account of the fertility of the foil, it is a moft important acquifition to Great Britain.

The colony of Bernice, adjoining to this, being a separate government, I fhall direct my attention to it without delay: and I fall leave Lieu tenant-colonel Hiflop in the command here, agreeable to your Excellency's directions.

The Thetis, a Dutch frigate of 24 guns, and a cutter of 12 guns, are added to the fleet; and Captain Parr has given directions for deftroying or bringing down the river a French brig privateer of force. I have the honour to be, &c.

(Signed)

Sir Ralph Abercromby, K. E.

&c. &c. &c.

JOHN WHYTE, Maj. Gen.

By Major-General John Whyte, Commander of his Britannic Majefty's Laud Forces, &c. &c. &c. and Captain Thomas Parr, Commander of bis Britannic Majefty's Ships, Ec. Ec. &c.

THESE are requiring you, the governor and council, military and naval forces, of the colony of Demerary and its dependencies, to furrender the faid colony to his Britannic Majefty's forces under our command, and to place the faid colony under his Majesty's protection, and quietly and peaceably to fubmit to his Majesty's government.

In which cafe the inhabitants fhall enjoy full fecurity to their perfons, and the free exercife of their religion, with the full and immediate enjoyment of all private property, whether on fhore or afloat (excepting fuch as may appear to belong to the fubjects of the French Republic) according to their ancient laws and usages, or fuch other as may be deter mined upon previous to the colony's being placed under his Majefty's government, upon the moft liberal and beneficial terms.

That in the event of the colony's remaining under the British govern ment at the conclufion of a general peace, it fhall enjoy fuch commercial

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