Some Account of the Public Life of the Late Lieutenant-General Sir George Prevost, Bart Part 7

[96] The motives by which Sir George Prevost was actuated, upon this occasion, are forcibly expressed in his private despatch to Lord Bathurst, given in the Appendix, No. x.x.xV.

[97] Lady Prevost was the eldest daughter of Major-General Phipps, of the Royal Engineers.

[98] A few copies of the statements above referred to, which first appeared in the Courier of 13th Nov. 1822, were printed and distributed, under the t.i.tle of "A brief Reply to the Calumnies of the last Quarterly Review, against the military character and reputation of the late Lieutenant-General Sir George Prevost, Bart."

POSTSCRIPT.

Since the foregoing sheets were sent to press, some observations have appeared in the British Critic, for May, 1823, upon the Civil Administration of Sir George Prevost, in Canada, which may perhaps be thought to require a brief notice. The writer of the remarks in question, after premising that the military conduct of the late Commander of the forces in the Canadas has been _sufficiently exposed_ in another Journal, (the Quarterly Review) proceeds to a.s.sert, "that his domestic management of the Colony was no less censurable. That finding that the Canadian party gave him most trouble, his object was to obtain a temporary popularity for his own administration, and a peaceable residence for himself, by every possible species and degree of weak concession, which he dignified with the name of conciliation. That the Catholic Bishop being at the head of the party, was honoured with a seat in the Legislative Council, received a pension of 1,500_l_. per annum, which he still enjoys, and was either overtly or tacitly confirmed in all the usurpations of power and of Government property, (about 40,000_l._ per annum,) upon which he had ventured, whilst discouragement and _insult_ (a term of which the Critic informs his readers he does not repent) were heaped upon the Protestant Bishop and his Clergy, and upon the Loyal Members of both houses, and that the just remonstrances of his Lords.h.i.+p in defence of the rights of his Church, and which it was his first duty to protect, were represented at home as the dictates of party spirit and political feeling."

Although the generality of most of these remarks might seem to preclude the necessity of any reply to them, yet, as the writer, in descending to particular statements, displays a gross want of information, it becomes necessary to expose his misrepresentations, in order that his censures may be rightly appreciated.

The policy of Sir George Prevost towards the Canadians, was, as the foregoing pages will shew, adopted immediately upon his a.s.suming his government, and could not therefore be the consequence of any trouble given him by the Canadian party, from whom, on the contrary, he invariably received the most cordial support. His object in that policy was to strengthen the hands of Government, and to avail himself, as he afterwards did, of the whole resources of the country, in case it should be attacked.

But that any concession whatever was made by Sir George Prevost to effect that object is altogether untrue.

The Catholic Bishop, though his character and influence well ent.i.tled him to that distinction, was _not_ honoured with a seat in the Legislative Council during the government of Sir George Prevost, nor did he receive during that period a pension of 1,500_l._ per annum. In 1775, the British Government granted to the then Catholic Bishop a pension of 200_l._ per annum. In the year 1778, a further sum of 150_l._ per annum, was given to the same Bishop for the hire of the Episcopal Palace at Quebec, for public offices. These two sums were continued to the subsequent Bishops, and const.i.tuted the only income received by them from Government, until the arrival of Sir George Prevost in Canada. During his administration, His Majesty's Government was pleased to _increase_ that salary to the sum of 1,000_l._ per annum, in favour of M. de Plessis, the present Catholic Bishop, "as a testimony," to use the words of Lord Bathurst, in his despatch upon the subject, "of the sense which His Royal Highness the Prince Regent entertained of the loyalty, and good conduct of M. de Plessis, and of the other Catholic clergy of the Province."

The charge that Sir George Prevost either tacitly or overtly confirmed the Catholic bishop in all the usurpations of power and of government property, upon which he had ventured, is so obscurely worded, that it is difficult to give it a distinct answer. The privileges and possessions of the Catholic clergy were a.s.sured to them at the period when Canada became a British province, and the present Catholic bishop is not in possession of any property, nor does he exercise any power which his predecessors have not enjoyed since that period with the knowledge and concurrence of all former governors of the Province, and of His Majesty's Government. The "accustomed dues and rights" of the Catholic clergy of Canada, are formally secured to them by the act of 14 Geo. 3. c. 83, --. 5.

To the a.s.sertion, positive in proportion to its want of proof, that the Protestant Bishop and his clergy, and the loyal members of both Houses, were treated with insult, it will be merely necessary to answer, that Sir George Prevost was incapable of treating any person, much less those of a sacred character and profession, with indignity or insult--and a confident appeal is made to the Protestant clergy of Canada, and to the loyal members of both Houses, against an insinuation as base as it is groundless.

To the critic's charge of general mismanagement in the affairs of the Colony, a reply, if any were wanting, will, it is trusted, be found, in the foregoing pages; in the approbation of His Majesty's Government of the very policy which this writer so acrimoniously condemns, and in the highly flattering testimonials to the merits of Sir George Prevost's civil administration, which he received not only from the Canadians, but from the most respectable of the English inhabitants.

It is evident that the writer of the article in the British Critic has blindly adopted the prejudices and feelings of the Quarterly Reviewer towards Sir George Prevost, and as he appears to dwell with particular complacency upon the exposure which he imagines to have been made of that officer's military character, he is justly ent.i.tled to share in the disgrace which must attend his coadjutor's failure, and in the odium which will always attach to the anonymous traducer of departed merit.

APPENDIX.

No. I.

_Extract from Beatson's Naval and Military Memoirs of Great Britain, vol._ iv. _p._ 518-529.

Upon the first alarm of the enemy being on the coast, General Prevost exerted himself to the utmost, to increase and strengthen the fortifications of the town of Savannah; and was most ably seconded in his operations, by Captain James Moncrieffe of the engineers, and Captain Henry of the navy. Orders were sent to the Hon. Lieutenant-Colonel Maitland, who was posted with a considerable detachment of troops at Beaufort, and to Captain Christian, of his Majesty's s.h.i.+p Vigilant, to repair as soon as possible to Savannah, with the troops, s.h.i.+ps, and galleys, then at Port Royal island. Unfortunately, the express with these orders was intercepted by some of the rebel patrols; and, previous to the arrival of a second messenger, the enemy had time to seize on the princ.i.p.al communications between the two places. This rendered the junction of that detachment with the garrison, upon which alone any hope of defending Savannah could be reasonably founded, a matter extremely precarious, difficult, and dangerous. Happily, however, the abilities of Colonel Maitland, and the zeal of the troops under his command, powerfully aided by the professional skill of Lieutenant Goldesborough, of the navy, who was thoroughly acquainted with the various creeks, inlets, and cuts, with which the interior navigation of this country abounds, overcame every obstacle in their way. The battery at Tybee was destroyed; the leading marks for the bar were cut down; and the little naval force there was held in readiness to run up the river Savannah, as soon as the French fleet were seen making for the mouth of it.

On the 9th, the whole of the French fleet anch.o.r.ed off the bar: and on the 10th, four frigates weighed and came to Tybee anchorage. M. d'Estaing had got from Charlestown, a large supply of small craft, into which he put his troops; and they proceeded into Ossabaw inlet, and made good the debarkation of their forces at Bowley, 13 miles from Savannah, under cover of four galleys. The French frigates prepared, at the same time, to advance up the river.

Captain Henry and the naval department were employed, from the 10th to the 13th, in conveying to Savannah part of the guns and ammunition of the Rose and Fowey, in vessels which General Prevost had sent down for that purpose.

On the 13th, both frigates being much lightened, sailed over the Mud-flat to Five Fathom Hole, from which the remainder of their guns and ammunition were conveyed up to the town, which is only three miles distant. The Comet galley, Keppel brig, and some armed vessels, were so placed as to cover the pa.s.sage of Colonel Maitland, with the forces under his command, from Port Royal, through Wallscut. On the 14th and 15th, the seamen completed the important business of landing the cannon and ammunition from the s.h.i.+ps and small vessels: and they were appointed to the different batteries, under the command of Captains Henry, Brown, and Fisher, of the navy. Some masters of transports, and the master of a privateer, with their men,[99] made voluntary offers of their service; as did Mr. Manley; merchant of Jamaica.

Their offers were accepted; and they had their posts a.s.signed them. The marines were incorporated with the grenadiers of the 60th regiment.

On the 16th, the Compte d'Estaing sent a haughty letter to General Prevost, summoning him to surrender the place to his Most Christian Majesty: informing him, at the same time, that among the troops which he had the honour to command, was the detachment which had stormed the Hospital Hill at the Grenades. He begged leave to recal this to his memory; and a.s.sured him, that he gave him this notice from motives of humanity, in order to spare the shedding of human blood. General Prevost, on receiving this message, called a meeting of the Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, and Field-Officers in the garrison, who authorised him to say, that he declined surrendering on a general summons, without specific terms; but that, if such were proposed as he could with honour accept, he would then give his answer. This drew a reply from M. d'Estaing, in which he affirmed, that it was customary, not for besiegers, but for those who were besieged, to propose terms of capitulation; stated, that he had no objections to allow the General every indulgence consistent with his duty; and informed him that, as it was his intention next day to form a junction with the army of the United States of America, if his answer was not immediately ready, he must in future treat with General Lincoln and him. General Prevost, in return, demanded a cessation of hostilities for 24 hours; as a time absolutely necessary for deliberation, and for the discussion of various interests. Towards the evening of the 16th, the Compte d'Estaing returned an answer, in which he consented to this demand. The two armies joined on the 17th, and formed separate but contiguous encampments.

It was during this parley, that the detachment under Lieutenant-Colonel Maitland, consisting of upwards of 1,000 men, arrived from Beaufort. The enemy well knew, how important it would be to their interests to prevent this junction; and for that purpose, had attempted an enterprise, which proved unsuccessful, by their pilots refusing to undertake to place the French frigates in the necessary stations, for enabling them to cut off Colonel Maitland's communication with Savannah. Of this circ.u.mstance the Colonel availed himself: and after undergoing immense fatigues, joined General Prevost in the evening of the 16th, with 500 men; and the remainder of his detachment arrived about noon the next day. As he found the enemy in possession of the s.h.i.+p-channel, the Colonel had been obliged to come round Dawfaskie, and land on the marshes; and after dragging his boats (empty) through a cut, got into the Savannah river above the French frigates, and from that came down to the town. A Council of War was held, in which it was determined to defend the place to the last extremity: and notice of this resolution was sent to the besieging Generals. To this M. d'Estaing returned an answer. Hostilities immediately recommenced: and the British tars could not refrain from giving three huzzas from their batteries. Both sides now exerted themselves with the utmost a.s.siduity. When the town was first summoned, there were not above eight or ten guns mounted; but so indefatigable were the exertions of Captain Moncrieffe, the senior engineer in the place, in putting it in a proper state of defence, that, by adding the guns landed from the s.h.i.+ps to those which were in store, he had, in the course of a few days, nearly 90 pieces of cannon ready to oppose to the enemy, as soon as their batteries should open. He had likewise erected many redoubts, batteries, and other works, to r.e.t.a.r.d their progress. In all these operations, the soldiers and sailors, with the utmost cheerfulness, worked day and night in the face of hostile troops flushed with conquest: the enemy were greatly astonished at the activity of the garrison.

From the accounts given to M. d'Estaing, of the situation of things at Savannah, he considered his success against it as certain. He had made repeated declarations to the Americans, that, as the season of the year was so far advanced, he could not remain more than ten or fifteen days on sh.o.r.e, lest his fleet should be injured on such a dangerous coast. The reinforcement which the garrison had received, reduced the besiegers to the alternative of either storming or besieging the town of Savannah. The latter plan was adopted, and they took their measures accordingly.

As it was apprehended, that the enemy's s.h.i.+ps might come too near the town, and annoy the rear of the British lines, Captain Moncrieffe had some fire-rafts prepared, and in readiness to act against them, if they should make the attempt. It was also judged expedient, in order effectually to prevent it, to sink a number of vessels to stop up the pa.s.sage. As his Majesty's s.h.i.+p the Rose was in so very bad a condition, that, by the report of s.h.i.+pwrights lately employed to survey her, she could not swim above two months; as her guns, ammunition, and stores, had been landed; and as her weight would keep her across the channel, when lighter vessels might s.h.i.+ft, owing to the rapidity of the current, and to the hardness of its sandy bottom, in which they could have little hold, Captain Henry selected her as a vessel proper to be sunk. The Savannah armed s.h.i.+p, and four transports, were also scuttled and sunk, and by these the channel was blocked up. Above the town several smaller vessels were sunk, and a boom was laid across the river, to prevent the enemy from sending down fire-rafts among the s.h.i.+pping, or landing troops in the British rear. Previous to the vessels being sunk, the Fowey, Keppel brig, Comet galley, and Germain provincial armed s.h.i.+p, were got up to the town: and the latter having guns, was placed off Yamairaw, to flank the lines. While the enemy's batteries were getting ready to play against the town, three French frigates advanced up the river to Mud-flat. One of them, having twelve-pounders, and two rebel galleys, carrying each two eighteen-pounders in their prows, anch.o.r.ed in Five Fathom Hole; from which one of the frigates sailed into the back river, with a design to cannonade the rear of the British lines. She fired a great number of shot; which, being at their utmost range, did no execution. The galleys advancing nearer, did some damage to the houses; but a few shot now and then from the river battery, made them keep a respectable distance.

Two sallies, one of them on the 24th; commanded by Major Graham, of the 16th regiment; and another on the 27th, commanded by Major M'Arthur, of the 71st regiment; were admirably well conducted, did the enemy considerable mischief, and killed and wounded a great many of their best troops, while the loss on our side was very inconsiderable; In the first sally, Major Graham artfully drew the enemy into a snare, by which the French and the rebels fired on each other, and had near 50 men killed before the mistake was discovered.

The batteries played on every place where the enemy were perceived to be at work; and more than once obliged them to discontinue their labour. It was the 3rd of October, before they opened any of their batteries: and then, about midnight they began to bombard from nine mortars of eight and ten inches, and continued the bombardment about two hours. At day-light, their fire commenced again from the nine mortars, and also from 37 pieces of cannon from the land side, and 16 from their s.h.i.+pping: and in this they persisted with little variation during several days. The execution done by this heavy fire, was much less than could have been imagined. It consisted in killing a few helpless women and children, and some few negroes and horses in the town, and on the common. On the 6th, the enemy threw some carca.s.ses into the town, which burnt one wooden house: and about 11 o'clock, the General sent a letter, by a flag of truce, to M. d'Estaing, requesting permission to send the women and children out of the place, on board of s.h.i.+ps and down the river, under the protection of a French s.h.i.+p of war, until the siege should be ended. After three hours, and a deal of intermediate cannon shot and sh.e.l.ls, an insulting answer was returned by Messrs. Lincoln and d'Estaing, in which they refused to comply with this reasonable and humane demand.

The garrison, undismayed by this brutal conduct on the part of their opponents, kept up a smart fire against them; and during the night were extremely busy in adding to their works, and in repairing such of them as had sustained damage. Thus things went on until the morning of the 9th; when, a little before day-break, after a heavy, and as usual, incessant cannonade and bombardment, the enemy attacked General Prevost's lines.

The attack being upon the left of his centre, in front of the French; and very soon after, upon his left and right. It was yet dark, and the darkness was increased by a very thick fog, which made it impossible to determine with precision, where the real attack was to be made, or how many a.s.saults were intended. No reinforcements therefore were sent; but every thing was kept in readiness for that purpose, and the troops waited with the greatest coolness in their different posts, for the approach of the enemy. Those in the lines were prepared to charge them, wherever they should attempt to penetrate: and the General had the greatest hopes, that the fire of the field artillery, which was placed to support the advanced redoubts, would enable him, while the enemy were entangled among these, to throw them into some confusion; and, perhaps, with a good prospect of success, to order his corps de reserve to sally forth and charge them. The ground toward both his flanks, owing to its natural defects, which the utmost efforts of Captain Moncrieffe had been unable effectually to remove, was but too favourable for an enemy. On the right was a swampy hollow, by which they could approach under cover to within fifty yards of his princ.i.p.al works, and in some places still nearer; and there, he supposed, that the rebels would make their a.s.sault. On the left, the approach was neither so well covered, nor of so great an extent as that on the right; but as it was sufficiently large to admit troops to act, as the ground was firm and clear, and as it was near their encampment, he expected that the French regulars would make their attack there: but in this he was mistaken. A real attack did take place there: but the princ.i.p.al attack, composed of the flower of the French and rebel armies, and led by the Compte d'Estaing in person, a.s.sisted by all the princ.i.p.al officers of both, was made upon his right. Under cover of the hollow, they advanced in three columns; but, owing to the darkness, took a wider circuit than they needed or intended to have done, and went deeper into the bog. These circ.u.mstances prevented them from beginning the attack so soon as they had concerted; and besides occasioning a loss of critical time, produced considerable disorder in their ranks. The attack, however, was very spirited, and for some time obstinately maintained; particularly at a redoubt on the Ebenezer road, which was a scene of hot action, great loss, and consummate bravery. Two stand of colours were actually planted, and several of the a.s.sailants killed upon the parapet; but they met so determined a resistance, that they could not, with all their efforts, force an entrance. It was now, that the skill and design of the defences raised by Captain Moncrieffe, were fully displayed; for, while the conflict was still dubious and b.l.o.o.d.y, the field-pieces, from three batteries which were manned by the sailors, took them in every direction, and made such havock in their ranks, that they were thrown into confusion, and compelled to make a pause. At this critical moment, Major Glacier, of the 60th regiment, with the grenadiers of that corps and the marines, advanced rapidly from the lines; in the most impetuous manner, charged the enemy with their fixed bayonets; and plunging among them, into the ditches and works, drove them, in an instant, from the ditches of the redoubt, and from a battery a little to the right of it. Following up the blow, they forced them to fly, in great confusion, over the abatis, and into the swamp. On this occasion, Captain Wickham, of the 2d battalion of the 60th grenadiers, greatly distinguished himself. When the grenadiers advanced, three companies of the second battalion of the 71st regiment were ordered to sustain them: and although they were posted at no considerable distance, and marched forward with the usual ardour of that corps, such was the rapidity with which the grenadiers had made their attack, and so precipitate was the enemy's retreat, that they could not come in for a share of the victory. One of the enemy's columns a little more to their left, in every attempt which it made to come out of the hollow, was repulsed by the brisk and well directed fire of a redoubt, where the militia were posted, aided by Hamilton's small corps of North Carolinians, who were on the right, and moved there with a field-piece to bear obliquely against it, while one of the seamen's batteries took it directly in flank.

It was now day-light: but the fog was not sufficiently cleared off, to enable General Prevost to judge with any degree of certainty of the strength, disposition, or further intentions of the enemy on the right. On the left, and in the centre, the fog, with the addition of the smoke, was still impenetrably close: and a smart firing being still kept up there, the General thought it would be improper to draw from it a number of troops sufficient to make a respectable sortie. By these means, an opportunity was lost of taking complete advantage of the confusion of the enemy, by charging them in their retreat; but they did not get off without being severely cannonaded by the batteries and field-pieces, as long as they were in sight, or judged to be within reach. They were every where repulsed: and those on the left were only heard, being concealed from view by the thickness of the fog.

Lieutenant-Colonel de Porbeck, of Weissenbeck's Hessian regiment, was field-officer of the right wing: and being in the redoubt when the attack began, had an opportunity, which he well improved, of signalizing himself in a most gallant manner. It would not be doing justice to the different corps who defended the redoubt, if we neglected to mention them. They were part of the South Carolina Royalists; and the light dragoons dismounted, and commanded (by special order) by Captain Tawae, a good and gallant officer, who n.o.bly fell with his sword in the body of the third man he had killed with his own hand. The loss on the part of the British in this battle, consisted of one captain, and fifteen rank and file killed; one captain, three subalterns, and thirty-five rank and file wounded. The loss sustained by the enemy, as acknowledged by the French, was about a thousand or twelve hundred men killed and wounded; of these, they lost forty-four officers and seven hundred men: and the deserters, of whom there were a great many, all declared, that the loss on the part of the rebels was not less than four hundred men. Among the wounded was M. d'Estaing, (in two places) M. de Fontange, Major-General; and several others of distinction.

Count Polaski, (who has been mentioned in the course of these Memoirs), a Colonel of cavalry in the rebel service, in making a desperate push at the British lines, was mortally wounded.

About ten o'clock, the enemy requested a truce, and leave to bury their dead, and carry off their wounded men. This was granted for those who lay at a distance from the lines, or out of sight of them: but those within or near the abatis were interred by the British. Their numbers were on the right, two hundred and three; on the left, twenty-eight. One hundred and sixteen prisoners, most of them mortally wounded, were delivered to the enemy. To this loss, considerable of itself, must be added, the numbers buried by them, the numbers who perished in the swamp, and many who were carried off by them when they retreated.

From this time to the 18th, nothing very material happened. Several flags of truce were sent during that period by the enemy, and a great deal of civility pa.s.sed mutually between the French and British. Many apologies were made for their refusal to allow the women and children to be sent out of town: and the blame of this base conduct was laid, by a French Colonel, Compte O'Duin, entirely on the scoundrel Lincoln, and the Americans.[100]

The offer was then made with great earnestness, that the ladies and children should be received by the Chevalier du Romain, on board of the Chimere; but the answer given to it was blunt and soldierly, that what had once been refused, and that in terms of insult, was not in any circ.u.mstances deemed worth acceptance. All the French officers seemed quite ashamed of this affair. As it was with them only, that the British had any intercourse after the repulse on the 9th, the sentiments of the Americans could not be so well known. But, as the letter was signed by d'Estaing, as well as by Lincoln, their imputing this harsh, cruel, and unprecedented refusal, entirely to the brutality of the American General, may serve to shew their consciousness, that it was altogether indefensible; but is by no means sufficient to exculpate the French Commander, from his share of the blame and disgrace, inseparable from it. An author,[101] who is extremely partial to the American cause, endeavours to defend this measure from motives of policy: "The combined army (says he) was so confident of success, that it was suspected, that the request of sending away the women and children, proceeded from a desire of secreting the plunder lately taken from the South Carolinians, and artfully covered under the specious veil of humanity. That the Commanders were suspicious, considering the stratagem Prevost had practised after being summoned, is not strange. It was also presumed, that a refusal would expedite a surrender." There does not seem to have been much cordiality between the French and Americans in this enterprise. M. d'Estaing would have been well pleased to have done the business without them, by summoning the place to surrender to his Most Christian Majesty. This, the latter took much amiss, as they considered themselves as princ.i.p.als, and the French only as auxiliaries: and for this piece of presumption, some concessions were made. When the time a.s.signed by M. d'Estaing for this expedition had elapsed, and still more was required by the engineers, if it was expected that the garrison should be compelled to surrender by regular approaches, he became extremely impatient to bring matters to a quick decision, and urged giving the a.s.sault to the place.

This measure, says Mr. Gordon, was forced on M. d'Estaing by his naval officers, who had remonstrated against his continuing to risk so valuable a fleet in its present unrepaired condition, on such a dangerous coast in the hurricane season; and at so great a distance from the sh.o.r.e, that it might be surprised. These remonstrances were enforced, by the probability of their being attacked by the British fleet completely repaired, with their full complement of men, soldiers, and artillery on board, when the s.h.i.+ps of his Most Christian Majesty were weakened, by the absence of a considerable part of their crews, artillery, and officers, employed at the siege of Savannah. These reasons had great weight with M. d'Estaing: and he prevailed on General Lincoln to storm the place without farther loss of time. The Americans seemed to think, that by a little more patience and perseverance, the town must have submitted; as in a few days, the lines of the besiegers would have been carried quite close to the works of the besieged. Their allies, however, judged themselves to be in so critical a situation, that they acquiesced in M. d'Estaing's proposal; for, if the French had retired to their s.h.i.+ps, the siege must have been raised, so that there remained only one alternative for them to adopt. The repulse which they had received, was not followed by mutual accusations of want of courage or conduct in either party; but the French, in all their conversations, spoke of the Americans with the greatest contempt.

It was not perceived until the 18th, that the enemy had raised the siege; but, the fog clearing up in the morning of that day, it was found that they had moved off. For some days previous to this, they had been busy in drawing off their cannon and mortars, and in embarking their sick and wounded, of whom they had a great number. General Prevost immediately detached parties in pursuit of them; but they had got to such distance before it was discovered they had retreated, that they could not overtake them: the enemy in their march having broken down all the bridges. The French embarked in Augustine creek, and the rebels crossed the river Savannah, at Zubley's ferry, and got into South Carolina. The enemy's fleet quitted the coast on the 26th October, and their frigates and galleys on the 2d of November, as soon as an exchange of prisoners had taken place.

The balance of prisoners was in the enemy's favour: for while they were off this coast, on the 11th of September, his Majesty's s.h.i.+p, Ariel, of 24 guns, was taken by the French frigate, the Amazon, of 36 guns; and besides taking the Experiment, they took also the Myrtle, navy victualler; and Champion, stores.h.i.+p. The last of these was a prize of considerable importance to them, for their fleet was very badly manned, their crews sickly, their s.h.i.+ps in bad condition, short of anchors and cables, and no running rigging to reeve, but this s.h.i.+p afforded them a supply. She had been sent from New York, with naval stores for the s.h.i.+ps and vessels, under the command of Captain Henry.

No. II.

_Address from the Council and House of Representatives of St. Vincents to Lieut.-Col. Prevost, p. 7._

"SIR,

The Committee of His Majesty's Council, and of the Representatives of the Inhabitants of St. Vincents, deeply impressed with the many and eminent services you have rendered this colony, beg leave to offer their most grateful thanks to you, not only on their own account, but on that of the community at large. It might be irksome to you to minutely particularize these services: the Committee, however, cannot forbear mentioning your voluntary and unsolicited return to the defence of the Colony, and to partic.i.p.ate in a most laborious and perilous war, against an inglorious enemy. Such zeal, Sir, strongly characterizes the soldier. The happy consequences to the public cause, although unfortunate to yourself, of your late gallant attack on the enemy's advanced post, demand the warmest acknowledgments, and the universal wish that you may speedily recover from your wounds, and that our gracious Sovereign may discern, and properly reward such distinguished merit.

"_10th March, 1796._"

No. III.

_Letter from the Duke of Portland to Brigadier-General Prevost, p. 7._

"_Whitehall, 29th April, 1801._

"SIR,

"The satisfactory manner in which you have conducted the Administration of Public Affairs in St. Lucie, and the representations made to the King in your behalf by the Members of the Court of Appeal, have induced His Majesty to appoint you Lieutenant-Governor of that Island. I transmit to you inclosed His Majesty's Commission; and I have only to add, that I am persuaded that your conduct in the administration of your Government will continue to justify the very flattering and favorable intentions of the Court of Appeal, to contribute to the support of the respectability of your civil station.

"I am, Sir,