HMS Tilbury
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| counterscarp: | the side of the ditch nearest to the besiegers, and opposite the scarp (escarp). |
| fascine: | brushwood, faggot, used to fill ditches, protect a shore, etc. (Fr.; L. fascina-fascis, a bundle. |
| glacis: | a gentle slope, especially in fortification (Fr., originally a slippery place; L. glacies: ice) |
| rampart: | a flat-topped defensive mound. |
| raveline: | detached work with two embankments raised before the counterscarp (Fr.) |
| scarp: | a steep slope; the side of the ditch next the rampart. |
| (Definitions from "Chamber's Twentieth Century Dictionary") | |
The Harbour before Carthagena, 18th century |
Excerpts from the book by Josiah Burchett, published 1720
"A Complete History of the Most Remarkable Transactions at Sea, 1698-1712"
SEPTEMBER 1740
page 112
ON the 5th of September, the storeships from England, under convoy of the Defiance and Tilbury men of war, arrived at Jamaica; and the admiral [Vernon] impatiently expecting the arrival of the fleet under Sir Chaloner Ogle, with the land forces, commanded by Lord Cathcart, and a body of troops from North America, in hopes of meeting them, on the 3d of October he sailed from Port Royal in the Burford, attended by the Worcester, Tilbury, Windsor, Defiance, Princess Louisa, andHampton-Court; Eleanor and Success fire-ships, and Alderney bomb, on a cruize off the coast of Hispaniola: but on the 17th he received advice by a sloop from Falmouth, bound to the bay of Honduras, that the westerly winds had detained the fleet and transports with the soldiers at Spithead.
From the book by William Frederick Vernon, published 1861
"Memorial of Admiral Vernon"
OCTOBER
page 45
. . . on the 3rd October, the Vice-Admiral sailed from Port Royal with part of his squadron, on a cruise off the coast of Hispaniola.
On the 19th October he was joined by eight sail of transport ships, under the convoy of his Majesty's ship Wolf, with land forces from North America, whence more transports, with the rest of the land forces raised there, were daily expected. On the 20th October, the Admiral prepared to return to Jamaica; in this cruise Capt. Long of the Tilbury took a Spanish brigantine.
Excerpts continued from Josiah Burchett's "A Complete History . . ."
DECEMBER
page 115
AFTER an increase of impatience, Admiral Vernon at last received advice, that the fleet and forces under the command of Sir Chalonger Ogle and Lord Cathcart, arrived at Dominica on the 19th of December; where, on the next Day, a great loss happened to the service in the death of Lord Cathcart, occasioned by a bloody flux: he was taken ill on the 8th of December, and bore it, though very painful, with the greatest patience and resignation, seeming only to regret that he was deprived of an opportunity of exerting his zeal and abilites for the service of his king and country.
page 116
UPON the death of Lord Cathcart, the military command devolved upon Brigadier-General Wentworth. Sir Chaloner Ogle pursued his voyage to Jamaica, and on th 27th of December arrived at St Christopher's, the place of general rendezvous; where he was joined by the rest of the fleet, and all the transports and store-ships that had been separated from him: ...
JANUARY 1741
page 117
... On the 9th of January Sir Chaloner Ogle arrived in Port Royal harbour with the whole fleet, and all the transports and store-ships. This re-animated Admiral Vernon; he now found himself in a capacity of exerting his martial genius, he resolved to remain no longer in a state of inactivity, and soon after the bulwarks of Carthagena were doomed to feel the fury of the British thunder.
beginning: page 123
FEBRUARY
... the principal council of war assembled on the 16th, when it was unanimously resolved,
"That the fleet, after having taken in wood and water at Iros, Tiberon, and Donna Maria bays, should thence proceed directly to Carthagena."
ON the 17th the fleet sailed from the isle of Vache, and the day following came to anchor in the abovementioned bays; where the seven following days they were employed in watering the ships: and detachments from the American regiments, and from the negroes, were daily sent on shore to cut fascines and picquets, which they could not so conveniently get where they were going, and might want on their arrival.
On the 23rd Capt. Warren joined the fleet, and on the receipt of his intelligence, a general council of war was held the 24th, by the four principal military and naval officers, when it was resolved,
"Vigorously to attack Carthagena both by land and sea".
ON the 25th the vice admiral weighed with the whole fleet from Iros bay, being in all 124 sail; when the Weymouth, Experiment, and Spence sloop; were dispatched ahead over to Carthagena, to sound Punto Canoa bay, for the safer anchoring the fleet.
MARCH
ON the 4th of March, in the evening, Admiral Vernon anchored with the whole fleet in Playa Grande, to windward of the town of Carthagena, lying between that and point Canoa; and to harrass the Spaniards, the vice admiral ordered his small frigates and fire-ships to get in shore and lie in a line, as if he intended a descent to windward of the town, which had its effect, in drawing forces that way, and setting them at work to intrench themselves.
THE city of Carthagena is situate in the latitude of 10 deg. 26 m. North, and was begun to be built in the year 1532 by Peter de Herediz; but was finished by Georgio Robledo about eight years after the foundation was laid. It stands on the Spanish continent, to the east of the gulph of Darien, almost directly south of Jamaica, and 110 leagues N. E. of Panama. It gives title to a considerable government of the same name, and is reckoned a province of New Granada, or according to some writers, of New Andulasia, but by others is annexed to the Golden Castile. The situation of its port was found so convenient for the Spanish fleets, and such quantities of rich merchandize were brought down near to it, by the confluence of the great rivers of Santa Martha and the Magdalena, that the town encreased in wealth, number of people, stately edifices, and in a jurisdiction. over five or six petty cities; till in the year 1585, it was sacked by the valour of a few English, under the command of Sir Francis Drake. But before it was perfectly repaired, the city received a greater blow from five privateers, led on by a disgusted Spaniard; who surprized the governor asleep, seized a prodigious treasure, and burnt the place to ashes. Yet for all this the city raised its head again, numbered above 20,000 inhabitants, whereof 4,000 were Spaniards, the rest Mesticoes and slaves; and improved daily in riches and magnificence, till taken by the French under Monsieur de Pointi in 1697, who got a booty of nine millions of money. The city soon after recovered itself by its flourishing trade, being the first place the galleons touch at outwardbound, and of late the general station of the Spanish men of war in these parts; and when Admiral Vernon appeared before it, was the principal, best fortified, and mos populous city in America.
THE governor of Carthagena was thoroughly sensible of the activity of the British admiral, and expecting nothing less than a siege, in conjunction with Don Blas de Lezo, who commanded the Spanish squadron then lying in the harbour of Carthagena, made all necessary preparations for the reception of the British fleet; omitting nothing to put the place in a good posture of defence; which had a garrison of 4,000 men, besides negroes and Indians.
THOUGH the sea washes the walls of Carthagena, the town is inaccessible on that side on account of the surff; and De Pointi was convinced that the sea upon all this coast is a natural invincible rampart, and that Carthagena is approachable only by the lake which makes the harbour. An eminent naval officer, who served in the expedition as engineer to Admiral Vernon, has also reported, that nature has fortified the city against any attempt by sea, the water shoaling near a league off, and the harbour being plentifully bounded with rocks; besides the sea is very seldom smooth, so that to land is at all times very difficult.
 |
THE same day as the British fleet arrived before Carthagena, Vice Admiral Vernon received intelligence, from his engineer Capt. Knowles, of the observations he had made pursuant to his directions, and also of what new works the Spaniards had been erecting near the entrance of the harbour: from this advice the vice admiral collected, that the most probable, as well as the most proper place to secure a descent in, was, in the little bay under the command of the two forts St Philip and St Jago, where ships could come safely to an anchor in good ground, within less than a musket shot of the shore, and might lie to.batter and command those two forts, without having occasion to open the castle of Boca Chica; in which case, the fire of three eighty gun ships would be sufficient for demolishing the forts commanding the bay, and securing a safe landing for the troops under the fire of their guns, being a point of the utmost importance for promoting the success of the expedition, as it was the very fspot on which Monsieur de Pointi made his descent when he reduced Carthagena, and begun with taking Boca Chica: and as to the northward of the said two forts on Terra Bomba, where the Spaniards had lately erected a fascine battery of fifteen guns, there was found to be deep water enough to approach within musket shot of the battery, but that the anchoring ground so near in was foul and stoney, and would cut the cables; and to anchor in clean ground would be hardly within point-blank cannon shot:. and it was also represented, that there was likewifse a good little bay for a descent under Chamba battery. After procuring this information, designed for the better regulating his dispositions of attack, the vice admiral immediately dispatched Capt. Knowles away again to leeward with Capt. Laws, Capt. Cooper, and Capt. Rentone, to sound all without Terra Bomba and the entrance of the harbour, to know certainly how near the ships could be brought to the shore, and if they could find anchorage for their large fleet. General Wentworth in the mean time, accompanied by some of the principal land officers, went on board the Lyon to reconnoitre the Town, the coast adjoining, and the several forts.
THE vice admiral having informed and instructed Sir Chaloner Ogle, according to the intelligence he had received trom Capt. Knowles, and having furnished him with pilots of the best abilities and experience he could procure, and relying on the judgment and resolution of the rear admiral for the execution of his orders, directed him
"To proceed with his whole division of ships of the line of battle for demolishing the said forts and batteries, and scouring all the country between them, so as to secure a descent for the forces in the most convenient parts of it between fort St Philip and Chamba battery, which might divide the Spaniards, the better to make a descent at both places at once, and expose them the more to the fire of the ships; he was also particularly directed, not to suffer any imprudent or hasty firing from the ships, and to endeavour to convince the men that such folly only serves to embolden an enemy instead.of discouraging them. And the rear admiral was likewise, in his orders in writing, to assign to each particular captain the post he was to take, and the orders he was to execute; and also to order his respective captains, to acquaint their respective ships companies, that the whole of all booty to be made by land, was graciously granted by his Britannic majesty to be distributed among his sea and land forces, as should be agreed on by a council of war of sea and land officers, which had accordingly met and regulated the distribution thereof, and had allotted a double share to any non-commission or warrant officer or private man that might happen to be wounded in the service; and the rear admiral was fruther directed to assure of a further reward from the vice admiral, out of his share, all who should eminently distinguish themselves by any extraordinary actions of prudence and bravery, besides a secured advancement proportionable to their zeal and resolution exerted on so signal an occasion, for the honour of the crown and future prosperity of their country"AFTER issuing these orders to Sir Chaloner Ogle, and also that part of them as related to the division of the booty to Commodore Lestock; the vice admiral assembled a general council of war, composed of the four principal officers of the army, and of the four principal officers of the navy, who having received and carefully weighed the reports of the general officers who had been reconnoitring the town, and the Captains Knowles and Cooper, unanimously resolved,
"That Sir Chaloner Ogle should the next raorning fall down with his division to the mouth of the harbour, and send three eighty gun ships, the Norfolk, Shrewsbury, and Russcl, to batter the forts of St Philip and St Jago, while the Princess Amelia fired against the Fascine battery, and the Litchfield against the little battery of Chamba."The general afterwards assembled a council of war of land officers, when a disposition was made for landing the troops, which was, the grenadiers to be first landed, and to be sustained by a brigade, commanded by Brigadier Guile and Colonel Wolfe.
ON the 9th Sir Chaloner Ogle, having shifted his flag on board the Jersey, accompanied with General Wentworth, moved forward with his division for executing the attack against the forts and batteries on Terra Bomba; the vice admiral weighed and moved after him with his division and all the transports, leaving Commodore Leftock with his division at anchor behind. The vice admiral embarked all the grenadiers in the fireships in shore, as if he proposed landing there that morning, but ordered them to follow him in time, to be ready for landing that evening to leeward. The small fort of Chamba fired a few guns, but was deserted as soon as the ship posted there could take her station and begin to fire. At the Fascine battery the Spaniards had not yet had time for getting any guns mounted, so there was no fire from thence; and at noon the Norfolk, Russel and Shrewsbury, being judiciously anchored very close under the forts of St Jago and St Philip, made so warm a fire, that in less than an hour they shattered them sufficiently, and drove every Spaniard out of them, so as to enable the ships to make good a descent with 500 grenadiers, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Cochrane, under the walls of those forts, who about eight o'clock took possession of both of them, without having so much as a single musket shot fired at his men. General Wentwortb, with Brigadier Guise and Colonel Wolfe, attended the landing of the grenadiers, but the brigade did not come down till the day following, being prevented by the strong breezes. This success was obtained by the loss only of six men killed and wounded aboard the Norfolk and Ruffel, but the Shrewfbury, lying southermost, had her cable cut by the Spanish shot, and before she could let down another anchor, falling to leeward, drove towards the mouth of the harbour, where she lay expofed to the whole fire of the Spaniards, having two fascine batteries on the Barradera side, the forts of Boca Chica and St Joseph, with four men of war of sixty and seventy guns that were moored athwart the mouth of the harbour, all firing at her together with about 160 guns, which the Shrewsbury could return only with twenty-six; in this situation Capt. Townsend, who commanded her, chose to maintain his post, like a brave gallant officer, rather than retire in view of the enemy, where he lay engaged seven hours, maintaining a very good fire from his ship, till night coming on put a stop to the Spanish fire, when the Shrewsbury had orders to retire, after having twenty men killed and forty wounded, sixteen shot between wind and water, 250 shot in her hull, and her masts yards and rigging shot all to pieces. About nine the same evening the bomb ketches were carried in shore, and began to play upon Boca Chica caftle. The10th by noon the two regiments of Harrison and Wentworth, and the six regiments of marines landed without opposition, and then all the boats and great numbers of seamen were kept constantly employed in landing the artillery, ordnance stores, tents and baggage. After such a favourable descent, this success should have been pushed forward by the land forces with all possible vigour, as nothing could more intimidate the Spaniards, than for part of the troops immediately to have advanced and took post upon the upper grounds, to cover their motions and lay those of the Spaniards open to them; and for the whole body to be advancing after them, as fast as they could cut their way through the woods, to go across to the inside of the harbour, as the Spaniards fear of having their troops made prisoners in Boca Chica, would have greatly lessened their numbers in the opposition; and of this General Wentworth, on the 11th, was apprized jointly by the vice admiral and Sir Chaloner Ogle, on their perceiving the slow progress of the engineers and laziness of the soldiers, which could not fail of giving them uneasiness, as they dreaded many fatal consequences from delays. On the 12th the Ludlow-Castle got in to play on the castle ot Boca Chica from a mortar she had on board; on the 13th they began to play on the castle from a bomb battery on shore, erected between the forts St Philip and Jago; and on the 15th at noon they completed the landing of all the artillery and ordnance stores, and twelve twenty-four pounders sent out of the ships at the general's request.
THE troops, during the first three days they were ashore, remained very inactive in forming their encampments, standing exposed to the violent heat of the sun on a white burning sand, and catching cold by the inclemency of the night dews, many of them fell sick; whereas, had they been instantly employed to have opened ground in the woods for an encampment, they would hive been shaded by the trees, freed from the burning heat of the sand, and many of them preserved from the shot of the Spaniards. The camp was pitched on a low sand, and being sheltered from the Barradera battery by the rock that fort St Pnilip slood on, could not be seen, but lying in the line of direction of the shot fired from thence by the Spaniards at the bomb battery, was often flanked by shot that missed the bomb battery. Sickness was encreased among the forces on shore, the engineers were both ignorant and dilatory, and nothing material was executed: this occasioned complaints from the vice admiral, especially as he had dispositions to make to forward the success of the expedition, that were to be regulated by the operations of the army, such measures requiring positive information to found them upon; and Brigadier Wentworth returned him the melancholly account of being little assisted by his general officers. On such emergencies, whoever was guilty of delay was guilty of treachery; they ought to have considered the Spaniards had kingdoms behind them to draw succours from, and that the British troops had not yet so much as advanced to cut off the communication of the common road from Carthagena, a thing absolutely necessary; and as they could expect no further succours, all delays were very fatal, as sloth and idleness are the breeders of complaints and mutinous dispositions, and in a climate of such inclemency, the certain root of contagious disorders; while briskness and activity in carrying on a service, produce chearfulness and vivacity, the attendants of harmony and health.
THE vice admiral, perceiving the camp to be greatly annoyed by the fascine battery on the Barradera side of the harbour, employed officers to reconnoitre it, and was forming a scheme to attack it, which was the more immediately put in execution on receiving a complaint from the brigadier general, of the army being much galled by the fire from that battery; for the vice admiral held a council of war on the 17th, when it was resolved
"To attack it with 300 sailors, and 200 soldiers detached from those remaining on board the fleet."
Accordingly orders were given for all the boats of the squadron manned and armed to be ready at midnight, with all the barges and pinnaces of the fleet, to surprize the Barradera battery. The boats of each division were put under the command of Capt. Watson, with the captains Norris and Colby under him, and the sailors when landed were to be commanded by Capt. Boscawen, having under him captains Laws and Coates, and the soldiers were under the direction of Capt. Washington and Capt. Murray; but the wind blowing too hard at the time appointed, and all the succeeding day, the execution of the design was retarded till the 19th at night, when it was executed with wonderful resolution and success. About midnight the boats went away from their ships, and rowed pretty far to leeward to avoid being seen or discovered by the noise of their oars;. they rowed about a mile to leeward of the Barradera battery, which consisted of fifteen twenty-four pounders, and landed in a small sandy bay, into which was a narrow channel between two reefs of rocks, and a battery of five guns on the strand facing the channel, unknown to every person in the boats. At their landing they fortunately pitched ashore under the muzzles of these guns, which immediately began to fire on them; the failors were surprized at so unexpected a reception, but recollecting that their security was in their resolution, they intrepidly rushed in at the embrazures, took possession of the battery before the Spaniards could renew their fire, and secured the cannon with very inconsiderable damage to themsclves. This firing alarming the Spaniards at the larger battery, they turned three pieces of cannon on the platform, fired with grape shot so soon as the seamen advanced, which went over their heads and did them little prejudice; the sailors instantly rushed on with great boldness and spirit, and after a smart, though short resistance, carried the battery, spiked up all the guns, tore up the platforms and burned them, together with the carriages, guard-houses, and magazines, returning to their ships with six wounded prisoners, after sustaining but a very inconsiderable loss in the whole action; and for this gallant behaviour the vice admiral rewarded every common man with a dollar a-piece. This success was a great relief to the troops, as it freed them from the greatest annoyance of their camp, and gave them an opportunity of working quietly on their grand battery, which the engineers had been very slowly erecting against the castle of Boca Chica. This battery was constructed in a wood, to prevent the garrison in the castle from discovering it before it was completed; and though the engineers were assisted with 500 seamen, 250 blacks, besides as many pioneers as could be spared out of the army, they had been now upwards of a week in so negligent and tardy a difpofition, that the battery was far from being in a condition to incommode the castle: this concerned the vice admiral, who expected the engineers would have seconded the success on the Barradera side, by opening their battery against Boca Chica, which was punctually promised him, and he had reason to expect, this being the latest day appointed for it.
ON the 20th, as soon as it was day, the garrison of Boca Chica began to fire warmly at the bomb battery, though without doing any particular damage; but, being sensible of the utility and advantageous situation of the Barradera battery, the Spaniards had been diligently repairing it, and on the 21st had built up some embrazures and mounted two-guns, with which they again played on the bomb battery; but were soon silenced by the Ripon, ordered by the vice admiral to anchor as near as possible to it, and keep firing, to prevent any further working on the levelled battery.
THE vice admiral grew very uneasy, both from the apprehensions of the openness of the road the fleet lay exposed to, and the foul ground that was daily cutting their cables; this, augmented by the slow proceedings of the engineers, and together with intercepted intelligence that Admiral de Torres was arrived at the Havanna, where the French squadron under Monfieur Rochefieulle was expected to join him, induced the vice admiral on the 21st to hold another council of war with the commanders of the fleet, when they came to a resolution
"To make a general attack upon all the forts and batteries, to be'put in execution as soon as the wind would permit the ships to move to their proper stations."
Commodore Lestock was appointed to begin the attack with three eighty and three seventy gun ships, being the most that coul be brought conveniently to batter clear of each other; and the commodore was to be supported by Sir Chaloner Ogle, with the additional fire of other ships, where-ever he could find there was'room for it; for which purpose the vice admiral issued the necessary inslructions.
THE grand battery of twenty guns being finished, after clearing the wood from before it, on the 22d, about seven ln the morning, began to play very briskly on Boca Chica Castle, as did the bomb battery and thirty mortars and co- horns planted on the platform behind the cannon; which the Spaniards returned as briskly from the castle, the four ships in the mouth of the harbour, fort St Joseph, and some few guns from the Barradera; so that the work was warm on both sides.
ON the 23d, pursuant to the disposition of attack, Commodore Lestock in the Boyne, with the Prince Frederick, Hampton-Court, Suffolk and Tilbury, went in to batter Boca Chica castle, and the ships posted there; which were, the Galicia, the admiral's ship [70 guns], San Carlos [53 guns], Africa, and St Philip [each 60 guns], all mounting upwards of sixty guns; their position being as advantageous as the most prudent commander could have formed, both for opposing any attempt that might be made by shipping on the entrance into the harbour, or to annoy any battery that could be raised ashore; and as they found no battery against them from shore, which was highly requisite, the Spanish ships failed not to play as briskly, and did much greater damage than the castle; but the Boyne, falling so far to leeward as to lie exposed to the whole fire of the Spanish ships and fort St Joseph, was much shattered and ordered off again that night; the rest continued there: and the Princess Amelia, belonging to Sir Chaloner Ogle's division, having fallen farther to leeward than was intended, lay fair to silence the new mounted guns on the fascine battery, and did so accordingly; which was a great preservative to the men. playing the battery against the castle, and those in the camp, as the shot from the fascine battery went over the hill into the camp. The Prince Frederick and Hampton-Court, sharing the fire that had been employed against the Boyne, were also much shattered by morning, when the vice admiral was obliged to call them off, after many men killed and wounded, and the former having lost her commander, Lord Aubrey Beauclerc, a brave and gallant officer, who would have been an honour to his noble family and his country, being of a sedate as well as of a resolute temper. The Suffolk and Tilbury, happening to anchor well to the northward, lay successfully battering against the breach till evening, when every thing appearing fit for an assault, they were ordered to draw off. The army in the mean time began to look on the breach as accessible, but the genera1 complaining they were galled by the Barradera battery, where the Spaniards had again mounted six guns, which would be able to annoy them in their attack; the vice admiral directed the Princess Amelia, Litchfield and Shoreham, to go in and anchor as nigh it as possible; and about noon sent the boats of the fleet again, manned and armed, to demolish the fascine battery; the men when landed were commanded by Capt. Watson, having under him the Captains Cotes and Dennis, and those remaining in the boats commanded by Capr. Cleland and Capt. Broderick, who, having time and day-light for it, effectually performed their business, without any opposition: for so soon as the Spaniards saw the boats coming to land, and the sfhips anchoring close to the battery, they deserted it: but the Captains Watson and Cotes marched into it, spiked up the guns, and entirely destroyed the battery. The seamen afterwards drew some of their boats over a neck of land, and boarded and burnt a sloop that lay there to supply the battery with ammunition.
THE greatest part of the guns in Boca Chica castle being now dismounted, General Wentworth went in the night of the 24th to reconnoitre the breach; and judging it surmountable, resolved to assault it by storm the next evening, an hour before night: he came off in the morning and acquainted the vice admiral of his design, who immediately made the signal for his boats again, and sent them in to make a favourable diversion, under the chief command of his engineer Capt. Knowles; who landed at the fascine battery, and drew up his men before the time of the forces marching to attack the castle, which contributed to throw the Spaniards into some confusion. General Wentworth, having made the necessary dispositions, about half an hour after five, ordered the troops to move forward to assault the breach. The forlorn-hope consisted of a serjeant followed by thirty volunteers; next marched 260 grenadiers, the whole then remaining, under the command of Lieutenant- Colonel M'Loud, and afterwards Colonel Daniel at the head of a detachment of 500 men, who had under his direction some small parties, carrying scaling-ladders, pick-axes and spades, to be in readiness in case of necessity: the whole was sustained by 500 men, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Cochrane; and Brigadier Blakeney, the brigadier of the day, had the direcHon of the attack. Upon a signal, which was, the firing of three bombs from the mortar battery, a volley of round shot was poured in upon the breach from the great gun battery, and was immediately followed by a second of grape shot; which obliging the centinels upon the walls to put themsfelves under cover, probably occasioned their not having perceived the troops, when they first began to move to the attack: but some time before they reached the foot of the walls, the drums in the fort beat to arms, the top of the breach was manned, the ships began to fire with grape shot, and several shots were made from fort St Jofeph, though without doing any other execution, than the killing of one man. The commandant of the fort being at that time on board one of the ships, the garrison fell into confusion, and fled with precipitation out of the gates as soon as the grenadiers began to mount the breach. Don Blas, the Spanish admiral, was at this time on board the Gallicia, and together with the officers and crews of all his ships, were in the utmost consternation at such a sudden and unexpected successful event. Each ship was scuttled ready for sinking, and had a large square plug in the hole; the Africa and St Carlos were sunk, but the plug being not readily got out of the St Philip she was set on fire, while the Spaniards in the greatest hurry betook themselves to their boats, and that with so much confusion, that the crew of the Galicia, having left their captain and sixty men aboard, were afraid to return and carry them off, so that they were prevented from their intention of sinking her, as there was no possibility of escaping. Capt. Knowles ' finding what consternation the Spaniards were in, refsolved to row the boats close under the lee shore, and storm St Jofeph's fort from the boats; which he did accordingly, and took possession of it about ten o'clock at night, with little resistance; the Spaniards, after firing a few guns, having abandoned it, leaving only one drunken man behind, who was to have blown it up. Capt. Cotes was left to command the fort, while Capt. Knowles and Capt. Watson, being within the boom, rowed with the boats up to the Gallicia, boarded her, and took the captain, a captain of marines, an ensign, and sixty men prisoners, and secured the Spanish admiral's flag and colours, both of which they found flying. After leaving some officers and men on board the Gallicia, .the boats went to work on cutting the boom, and moving the Gallicia out of the channel, to make all clear for entering the harbour on the next day.
THE British forces were now entire masters of Boca Chica, which had it been'defended equal to its strength, and excellent disposition both of the ships and batteries, it would have been a much harder task, for the fleet and army both, to have got the possession of so strong a fortress: for the channel was as narrow and difficult of access as can be well apprehended, defended with above 200 pieces of cannon from forts, batteries and ships, that lay all to play upon any ship coming within the compass of a mile round; which was a convincing proof, that though the Spanish admiral knew very well how to make a good disposition, he was incapable of knowing how to make the bcst defence with it afterwards.
THE British troops, from the time of their encampment to the taking of Boca Chica castle, lost about 400 men by sickness and the fire from the Spaniards; and amongst those that were killed in the camp were Colonel Douglas, Colonel Watson of the train, Lieutenant-Colonel Sandford, and Capt. Moor, the chief engineer.
THE next day after taking the castle, being the i6th, the vice admiral hastened into the harbour, to make proper dispositions and give all necessary orders; but he had great difficulty to get in, as the San Carlos and Africa were sunk in the channel, and the St Philip continued burning on the lee shore; so that the vice admiral was above three hours warping through, after anchoring in the narrows, before he could get to sail up the harbour, which he did about two leagues the same evening; as also did the Burford and Orford, who the next day were ordered to advance for posting themselves across the harbour as near as they could, just without gunshot of Castillo Grande, for cutting the Spaniards off from all communication by water. On the same day the Worcester got up to the vice admiral, who sent her to anchor close to a wharf where there was a good crane and a spring of water, which he thought necessary to secure for the service of the fleet; the Weymouth and Cruizer sloop getting in the same afternoon, were ordered to destroy the batteries at Passo Cavallos, a creek that parts the Grand Baru from the main, through which the supplies of provisions from Tolu and Sina were to pass, and where the Spaniards had erected two small batteries, one of eight the other of four guns, which were demolished by the Weymouth and Cruizer; on which the latter went up the creek, and brought away four large Sina hulks, being vessels dugout of a solid tree big enough to carry twenty ton, which were very serviceable in watering the fleet. In the mean time the vice and rear admirals two divisions, and part of the transports, continued to sail and warp in as fast as conveniently they could, but were greatly retarded by blowing weather, which having forced all the small ships to take shelter in the mouth of the harbour, they fso choaked it up as to prevent the men of war making the desired dispatch, having anchored foul of one another; but being all got in on the 30th, the fire-ships and frigates were disposed round the harbour to guard every pass and creek, in order to cut off any supplies going to the town; while Commodore Lestock with his divisison was left at Boca Chica, with orders to re-imbark the forces and cannon as soon as possible.
THE Spaniards seeing the vice admiral and several ships had got into the harbour, began to expect a visit at Castillo Grande; and as Mancinilla fort lay opposite to it, within gun shot, and was incapable of making any great defence, they thought proper to destroy it, lest the British forces should take possession of it, and so batter the castle.
BETWEEN This fort and Castillo Grande, is a large channel that goes up into the Surgidero, another harbour or large bason before the town; in the middle of the channel is a shoal that divides it into two channels, and in order to stop the fleet, the Spaniards had moored and sunk seven of their galleons and other shims ln each side the shoal, across the mouth of the upper harbour above Castillo Grande; and in the channel next the castle had moored their two remaining men of war, the Conquistador of sixty-six guns, and the Dragon of sixty, and untiled their houses in the castle as if intending to defend it.
ON the 30th Vice Admiral Vernon held a general council of war, of naval officers, when it was resolved,
"To use all possible expedition to cut off the communication of the town on the land side, and to make a descent at the most convenient place nearest the town."
Immediately after Sir Chaloner Ogle, and several ships, turned up the harbour, and anchored at a small distance from Castillo Grande, where the Spaniards made a shew of preparing to receive them; but Capt. Knowles, being sent in the evening to reconnoitre them, observed they were busy in moving about with thirteen launches, and the next morning discovered that they had sunk the Conquistador and Dragon, and were removing things out of Castillo Grande: Capt. Knowles immediately acquainted Sir Chaloner Ogle of it, who instantly ordered him to weigh anchor, and run in with his ship and fire on the castle, to see if they would return it; which he did, and the castle making no return, he sent his boats ashore, who rowed directly up to the castle and took possession of it without opposition. Though this castle mounted fifty-nine guns, and was capable of making a good defence; yet the Spaniards, the day before, perceiving the rear admiral's boats were sounding, and well knowing his ships could lay their broadsides within pistol shot of the castle, they thought proper to abandon it, having slightly spiked up the guns without dismounting them or knocking off the trunions, and thrown their powder into a cistern of water; but most of the guns were got clear again, and Capt. Knowles appointed governor of the castle, with a garrison of 100 regular troops and fifty seamen. This was a most advantageous acquisition to shorten the proceedings of the army, on their re-imbarking to re-land nearer the town, which they could now do within a league of it, but without being masters of Castillo Grande, they must have landed at the distance of three leagues from the town; so that St Lazar was the only remaining fort, the reduction of which was to be next undertaken, as it covers the south side of Carthagena and commands all the avenues, and was absolutely necessary to be in the possession of the British troops before they could advance a step to lay siege to the town.
APRIL
THE vice admiral, intending to get the bomb-ketches in to play upon the town, on the 1st of April in the morning got to an anchor with his own ship close to Castillo Grande, and set some of his ships at work to try to heave the masts out of the Spanish ships, to make a channel over those sunk in deepest water, as he might get the squadron in and secure a safe descent to the army under the fire of their guns as near the town as possible; and in the evening, by the industry of the gallant sailors, a channel was made through the sunk wrecks, and two bomb-ketches got in, with two frigates to cover them, commanded by Capt. Rentone and Capt. Broderick. In the mean while Commodore Lestock had completed the re-imbarkation of the land forces, artillery and baggage, who soon after got up the harbour. By ten the next morning the bomb-ketches began to play upon the town, and some of the guns that were cleared at Castillo Grande fired on a French ship that lay up at the head of tyhe harbour, and had been used as an hospital ship for the Spaniards, who set fire to her, and she burned the greatest part of the day; and the same evening another channel having been made through the wrecks to the eastward of the shoal, in the mouth of the harbour, three fire-ships got through that channel, and were posted to cover the descent of the land forces at Texar de Gracias; who kept firing on the Spaniards where-ever they saw them endeavouring to intrench themselves. On the 3d the Weymouth got through the western channel, when the town began to fire on her without doing any material damage; and the next night she passed round the shoal to the eastern part of the harbour. The Cruizer got in at the other channel the 4th in the evening; and great part of the transports with the troops, being now come up the harbour, the Weymouth, the three fireships and the Cruizer sloop, being ordered to cover the landing of the forces, warped over the other side of the harbour undiscovered by the Spaniards, and were so prudently posted, by the vice admiral, round the eastern part of the harbour, that their fire scoured the country all round, and drove about a hundred of the Spaniards from a breast-work at the upper end of the harbour; and the Weymouth's guns, firing briskly all night with grape shot, scoured the country between that and St Lazar, by which means a secure descent was procured for the army; whose officers had resolved, in a council of war,
"To land the troops next morning at break of day, and to possess the port of La Quinta, for cutting off the communication of the city with the country, for covering the landing of the artillery, and to clear ground for the encampment."
Accordingly the first division, amoung to about 1,400 men, under the command of Brigadier Blakeney, about two o'clock in the morning of the 5th, were received by the boats of the fleet from on board the transports, and from thence went and rendezvoused aboard the Weymouth; at about five the general ordered Colonel Grant to move towards the shore with the grenadiers, who landed without opposition at Texar de Gracias, a country house about two miles from Lazar, formerly hired by the south sea factors; and being immediately followed by the rest of the troops, the whole was formed in order for marching against the Spaniards; who were now in the wildest confusion, the whole force of the town was drawn out to oppose the landing of the troops, and were very impoliticly divided into several bodies; and though some of their parties attempted to attack the forces on their landing, the ships perceiving their motions fired among them, swept off numbers, and entirley dispersed them. General Wentworth, at the head of the forces, advanced through a long narrow defile, where he had some few men hurt by single shot from the paths and openings into the wood, where the Spaniards had made a lodgment, but were soon put to flight. About a mile further, in coming out of the defile, about 600 of the Spaniards were perceived to be advantageously posted, and seemed determined to dispute the passage. The ground over which the troops were to march did not admit of much more than one large platoon in front, the lagoon lying upon the left, and a thick copse upon their right, into which the general ordered a party of American soldiers to fall upon the rear of any small parties which might be lodged there to flank them in their march. The grenadiers moved forward with great alacrity, and having, with very little loss, received two fires from the Spaniards, the front platoon gave their fire at about the distance of hal_-musket shot, and immediately wheeled to the right and left to make room for the next to advance; whence the Spaniards judging that the whole body gave way, expressed their joy by a loud huzza; but being soon convinced of their mistake, by the fire of the following platoons, they fell into disorder, and precipitately fled towards the city: on which the general immediately possessed himself of a convenient piece of ground for forming the camp a small mile from the castle of St Lazar; and in the evening sent a party up to take possession of La Popa, which the Spaniards had abandoned. As the hill on which this convent is situated overlooks the town and country for many leagues round about, it was a most advantageous part for observing the motions of the Spaniards, from whence the general, accompanied by Brigadier Guise and the principal engineer, reconnoitred the city; and having at his return assembled a council of war, it was debated, whether the fort of Lazar should not be attacked the following night, before the Spaniards should have finished some works from the hill which they were then carrying on with the utmost diligence; but as no stores were then landed from the ordnance ships, it was though necessary to postpone the attack. Perhaps this was both an unfortunate and imprudent resolution, for the Spaniards had but lately experienced the boldness and courage of the British troops when they confusedly fled before them at La Quinta; the generality of them were possessed with all the horrors of an approaching enemy, whom they knew undauntedly intrepid; and as they were now hurrying in fear and confusion, it was a very favourable criterion for the British troops to have assaulted them, thus, in the very heighth of their panic; and had the golden opportunity been seized, it is highly to be conjectured the Spaniards would not have dared to have defended themselves, but that Lazar would have fell like Boca Chica, and the Spaniards been obliged to seek protection within their walls, where there was the highest probability of their surrendering the town as they had formerly done under the like circumstances to De Pointi.
ON the sixth the remainder of the eight regiments came on shore, so that before noon the whole body of troops were landed with such security, as not to have one single musket-shot fired at them; while all possible dispatch was made in landing the artillery, ammunition, baggage, provisions and military stores. But the troops were obliged to lie three nights upon their arms, for the want of tents; and as they were not seasonably provided withoutools to build them, they were exposed to all the inclemency of the weather; unsheltered from the fervid heat of the scorching sun, and the intemperature of the chilling night dews, which enfeebled the men, and spread a contagious distemper throughout the whole camp.
THE same sort of indolence reigned here, with the same prevalence, as at the camp before Boca Chica; the engineers having erected a battery only for three mortars, and thrown up a small breast-work for the advanced guards. While the garrison in Lazar, perceiving how slowly they took occasion to improve their time in the camp, set to work with unwearied diligence, and though when the army landed, the works round fort Lazar were very insignificant, except a fascine battery of five guns on the north side of the hill, which was built the year before when Admiral Vernon bombarded the town, and was of no service but in case of approaches at sea; yet the Spaniards in three days time completed a four gun battery, and entrenched themselves in lines abou the foot of the castle, which were stronger and of much more importance than the castle itself; they also drew guns off the fascine battery on the north point, and mounting them in this new battery, frequently fired in the camp, whilst the army were working on the bomb battery and lodgments for the advanced guards.
SICKNESS increasing in the camp, and the rainy season approaching, Admiral Vernon, from the slowness of the army, was in great despondency of seeing the success of the fleet continued by the army; he knew the Spaniards could not stand a vigorous assault, but being convinced they were infinitely better provided with engineers than the army, he inconjuction with Sir Chaloner Ogle, strongly recommended to the general to make a vigorous push, as he would thereby intimidate the Spaniards, obtain a great preservation to his decaying men, and bring matters to a speedy issue: and to give the general all assistance in his power, the vice admiral supplied his deficiency of men, with a detachment of Lord James Cavendish and Colonel Bland's regiments, that had remained aboard the ships as part of their complement, and a body of such Americans as were fit for service, which, together with the negroes, augmented the army to about 5,000 men. Care was taken by the fleet effectually to prevent any supplies, and deprive the Spaniards from any communication at sea; and the Weymouth continuing posted within pistol shot of the shore, kept scouring the country to secure the camp from any attack; and the mortars from the ketches played both on the fort and the town: but the general could not be prevailed on to cut off the communication between the town and country, by which negligence the Spaniards had uninterrupted opportunities of bringing whole herds of cattle into the town, and, at their leisure, to reinforce and supply the garrison of Lazar.
UPON receiving the reinforcement from the ships, on the 8th in the afternoon, a council of war was held by the general and field officers, wherein it was resolved by the majority of the council,
"To attack the castle and trenches of St Lazar, without waiting for the raising of a battery to make a breach;"
which the chief engineer had reported, required so large a number of men, and so much time to cut through the woods, as in their circumstances rendered it impracticble; and especially as the Spaniards were daily throwing up new works, the council thought there was no other choice left, but either to make a bold push for the surprizing fort Lazar, or to return on board; and therefore determined, but too late, on the assault, though two of the general officers dissented from this resolution, as judging it too rash an undertaking without first making a proper breach, or at least before the place had been well reconnoitred. The necessary things for the attack could not be got in readiness till night, and the next morning 1,200 men, under the command of Brigadier-General Guise, araded on the strand, where having formed, they advanced towards the fort, conducted by three deserters [*]; and a little before day began to mount the hill. They began the attack in two places, but the division which was to have gone up an open accessible road which lay upon the right of the fort, was in the dark by a fatal mistake led up the center, where the ascent was very steep and the ground broken: some of the most forward gained the top and pushed on to the entrenchments, but not being immediately sustained, by reason of the great difficulty found in mounting the hill, they were most of them killed or wounded, Colonel Grant very gallantly ascended the hill on the left, but having immediately received a mortal wound, and the guide with several others being killed, Lieutenant-Colonel Hamon, the next in command, advanced no further, but continued on the side of the hill till they were ordered to retire.
THIS detachment being the flower of the army, were almost all cut off, and their colonel shot through the body; the rest of the troops perceiving the dismal slaughter of their bravest men, and their officers seeing they had formed their disposition on an inaccessible part of the hill, halted at the foot of it, and remained in a great deal of irregularity; for instead of ruching sword in hand among the Spaniards in the trenches, a full stop was made, the men stood firing in platoons, and not one of the officers attempted to lead them on; those that had room and could wheel off for others, did, but the greatest part stood and fired all their ammunition away; while the Spaniards pouring in from the town, it being open day-light, played so exceedingly brisk upon them with grape shot from their cannon, musketry and grenades, that they made a most lamentable havoc amongst the besiegers; who notwithstanding faced them like lions, and had they been led on, or told what they were to have done, the place in all probability must have surrendered to their bravery: but after pitching upon a wrong place, and fruitlessly exposing the men for a sacrifice to the Spaniards, between six and seven the British troops were ordered to retreat; and to cover them, a reserve of 5àà men was directed to advance, by which means they retired without any further loss, and carried off great part of the wounded men; having upwards of 600 men killed or wounded in this unfortunate and fatal attack, and amongst the slain were Colonel Grant; Lieutenant-Colonel Thompson, three captains and four lieutenants.
AFTER the miscarriage of this attack, all hopes of possessing the town were entirely vanished; the troops sickened so surprizingly fast, that near 500 were either dead or in a very feeble condition by the 13th, and maongst the sick were almost all the principal officers: upon which the general called a council of war, to whom it appeared, that the troop were so far from being in a condition to offend the Spaniards, that they had scarcely duty-men sufficient for the ordinary guards of the camp, and many of them in a very languishing condition; besides which they were threatned with the want of water, all the cisterns from whence the camp had been supplied, being near exhausted: in consequence of which, it was resolved on the 15th, in a general council of war, composed of sea and land officers,
"To have the cannon and forces re-imbarked with all convenient speed."
[. . .]
The number of troops on their landing amounted to about 5,000, and were so far reduced by the Spaniards and sickness, that no more than 3,200 returned to the ships; and 1,200 of those were Americans, not esteemed fit for service; and great numbers of the others feeble, and scarcely fit for the ordinary duty.
[. . .]
On the 23d and 24th it was resolved by the general council of war,
"To return to Jamaica, on account of the general sickness in the army."
- [Castillo Grande, St Joseph and Boca Chica were demolished before the fleet departed.] -
THUS terminated this memorable expeidtion, the greatest and most expensive that ever entered the American seas; and which had attracted the attention and admiration of all Europe: in which the British army lost about 2,500 men, that were either killed or died by sickness, and amongst them two colonels, five lieutenant-colonels, four majors, the chief engineer, twenty-nine captains, fifty-one first and second lieutenants, five ensigns, and Dr Martin the first physician; and 267 men wounded. On board the fleet the loss was very inconsiderable, excepting the death of Lord Aubrey Beauclerc. The loss sustained byt eh Spaniards in the destruction of their six men of war, six galleons, and other vessels in the harbour; and the forst, castles and guns, was estimated at above 645,000l. exclusive of the damage done within the town, and the loss of great numbers of their men; besides the disadvantages ensuing from the demolition of the fortifications, whereby that intricate harbour was no longer inaccessible, and the treasures of the new world could no longer be embarked with safety from Carthagena, till the wants of Spain obliged her to comply with those conditions she had before so haughtily rejected.
AN expedition begun with such probability of a successful termination, having ended so unfortunately, occasioned a general discontent among the inhabitants of Great Britain; while the Spanish court removed from their anxiety of losing so important a place, ordered three days public rejoicings on so singular an event.
ending: page 160
[*] From George Lillie Craik & Charles MacFarlane's
"The Pictorial History of England"
page 452
... Stung by the reproaches of the admiral, Wentworth called a council of officers, and with their advice he attempted to carry Fort San Lazaro by storm. Twelve hundred men, headed by General Guise, and guided by some Spanish deserters or peasants, who were either ignorant, or, what is more likely, in the pay of the Spanish governor, whom they pretended to have left, marched boldly up to the foot of the fort; but the guides led them to the very strongest part of the fortifications; and, what was worse, when they came to try the scaling ladders with which they were provided, they found them too short. This occasioned a fatal delay, and presently the brilliant morning of the tropics broke with its glaring light upon what had been intended for a nocturnal attack. Under these circumstances the wisest thing would have been an instant retreat; but the soldiers had come to take the fort, and with a bull-dog resolution they seemed determined to take it at every disadvantage. They stood under a terrible plunging fire, adjusting their ladders and fixing upon points where they might climb; and they did not yield an inch of ground, though every Spanish cannon and musket told upon them and thinned their ranks: - one party of grenadiers even attained a footing on the top of a rampart, when their brave leader, Colonel Grant, was mortally wounded. The grenadiers were swept over the face of the wall; but still the rest sustained the enemy's fire for several hours, and did not retreat till six hundred, or one-half of their original number, lay dead or wounded at the foot of those fatal walls. It is said that Vernon stood inactive on his quarter-deck all the while, and did not send in his boats full of men till the very last moment, when Wentworth was retreating. The heavy rains now set in, and disease spread with such terrible rapidity, that in less than two days one-half of the troops on shore were dead, dying, or unfit for service. ... On board, says Smollett, one of the sufferers, 'nothing was heard but complaints and execrations, the groans of the dying, and the service for the dead ...
According to Smollett's
"History of England"
The admiral and general had contracted a hearty contempt for each other, and took all opportunities of expressing their mutual dislike: far from acting vigorously in concert, for the advantage of the community, they maintained a mutual reserve and separat cabals; and each proved more eager for the disgrace of his rival than zealous for the honour of the nation.
- [Smollett served as an assistant-surgeon] -