A Journal of the Expedition to Carthagena Part 1

A Journal of the Expedition to Carthagena.

by Anonymous.

THE INTRODUCTION.

_The following Sheets contain an Answer to a Pamphlet, which appeared on the Close of the last Session of Parliament, and is ent.i.tled,_ An Account of the Expedition to _Carthagena._

_To set that whole Transaction in the most clear Light, the Author has laid before the Publick an exact and faithful _Journal_ of the most material Occurrences, not only during the Troops being on Sh.o.r.e in the Neighbourhood of _Carthagena_, but from the Time of the Fleet's sailing from _Jamaica_; the Period from which the Author of the Pamphlet begins his Relation._

_The Notes are (as far as it was practicable) placed in the same Order with those in the Pamphlet; to which References are made, that the Reader may (if he pleases to take that Trouble) compare each Note with the Answer to it._

_Several Facts will be here found to be placed in a very different Light from the same Facts, as they are described in the Pamphlet, and others to be rejected, as absolutely false and groundless; but the Author flatters himself, that he has advanced nothing which is not founded upon Truth, and such as can be supported by living Evidences, or by authentick Records, whenever his Antagonist shall be pleased to lay aside his Mask; otherwise, no Notice will be taken of any Reply, which may hereafter be published._

January _the 10th, 1740_.

It was resolved in the princ.i.p.al Council of War[1] held at _Spanish Town_ in _Jamaica_, that the whole Fleet should proceed to Windward, to observe the Motions of the Squadron under the Command of the Marquis _d'Antin_; and that Capt. _Dandridge_ should be sent before in the _Wolf_ Sloop to get Intelligence.

No Time having been lost in preparing to put to Sea; _January_ the 22d, Sir _Chaloner Ogle_ sailed with his Division out of _Port-Royal_ Harbour; Commodore _Lestock_ the 26th, and Vice-Admiral _Vernon_ the 28th: The three Squadrons, having join'd _January_ the 31st, made Cape _Tiberon_, on the Coast of _Hispaniola_, _February_ the 7th; the same Day Captain _Dandridge_ came into the Fleet. _February_ the 8th, the Admiral made a Signal for General and Flag Officers, and communicated to them the Report he had received from Captain _Dandridge_,[2] _viz._ "_That he had_, January _the 30th, look'd into_ Port-Lewis, _where he had seen nineteen s.h.i.+ps of War; that one of them carried a Flag at the Main-top-mast Head, and another a broad Pendant_;" which Report being taken into Consideration, it was resolved to steer directly to the Isle of _Vache_; where the Fleet arrived _February_ the 12th, and cast Anchor at about two Leagues to the Westward of _Port-Lewis_.

The same Day Captain _Laws_ was sent in the _Spence_ Sloop a-fresh to reconnoitre the Harbour of _Port-Lewis_, who return'd in a few Hours with a Report, "_That he had there counted sixteen s.h.i.+ps of War, and that one of them carried a broad Pendant_."

_February_ the 13th, the Admiral, accompany'd by the General, went in his Barge into the Bay between the Isle of _Vache_ and _Hispaniola_, where there was found sufficient Depth of Water for the large s.h.i.+ps, and good Anchorage for the Transports. _February_ the 14th, a _French_ Officer came off with a Message; but the Admiral declining to see him 'till late in the Evening, he return'd without having deliver'd it.

The Admiral went further up the Bay to a small _Kay_ (Island) with an Intention to reconnoitre the _French_ Fleet, and was there join'd by the General, who perceiving it to be impossible thence to look into the Harbour, desired, that he might in Person go in with the _Spence_ Sloop, and that Captain _Knowles_, being a good Draughts-Man, might accompany him; to which the Admiral consented.

As soon as the Sloop open'd the Harbour, Capt. _Laws_ declared, that the s.h.i.+ps there lying at Anchor were _French_ Men of War, and pointed to one, as having a white Flag at the Main-top-mast-Head; but the General, not being fully satisfied, order'd the Sloop to stand within Gun-shot, when it appeared, that the s.h.i.+ps in View were Merchant-men, most of them unrig'd; excepting one Frigate of forty Guns, whose Main-top-mast-Head lying in a Line with the white Gable-End of an House, occasioned the Mistake about the Flag.

_February_ the 15th, Captain _Boscawen_ and Captain _Knowles_ were sent with a Message to the _French_ Governor; the Purport of which was, that the Admiral not being on board his s.h.i.+p, when an Officer came off to speak to him, he had not seen him, but now sends to know what he had to offer; that the Fleet was forced by strong Breezes into the Bay; that he desires Leave to Wood and Water: They return'd with a very polite Answer, and brought an Account of the Marquiss _d'Antin_'s being sail'd for _Europe_.

Capt. _Renton_ came into the Fleet, and confirm'd the Report, "_That the Marquis_ d'Antin _sail'd with his Squadron for_ Europe, _January_ the 26th."

_February_ the 16th, the princ.i.p.al Council of War being a.s.sembled, it was resolved, that the Fleet, after having taken in Wood and Water at _Iros_, _Tiberon_ and _Donna-Maria_ Bays, should thence proceed directly to _Carthagena_.

_February_ the 17th, the Fleet sailed from the Isle of _Vache_, and the Day following came to an Anchor in _Iros_, _Tiberon_ and _Donna-Maria_ Bays.

Seven Days having been employ'd in taking in Wood and Water; Detachments from the _American_ Regiment, and from the Negroes, were daily sent on Sh.o.r.e to cut Fascines and Pickets.

_February_ the 25th, the _Weymouth_, the _Experiment_, and the _Spence_ Sloop, were order'd a-head, under the Command of Capt. _Knowles_, to sound _Punto-Canoa_ Bay, which lies about two Leagues to the Windward of _Carthagena_.

_February_ the 26th, the whole Fleet got under Sail, and came to an Anchor in _Punto-Canoa_ Bay, _March_ the 4th.

_March_ the 5th, a general Council of War composed of the four princ.i.p.al Officers of the Army, and of the four princ.i.p.al Officers of the Navy, was held for settling the Shares of Plunder; but no Scheme could be then formed for attacking the Town, "from the Want of proper Intelligence."[3]

_March_ the 6th, the General, accompany'd by some of the princ.i.p.al Land Officers, went on Board the _Lyon_ Man of War to reconnoitre the Town, the Coast adjoining, the Forts on _Tierra Bomba_, &c. but did not return to the Fleet before the 8th in the Morning: The _Lyon_ having lost her Main-Mast by the great Swell of the Sea. The _Weymouth_, the _Dunkirk_, the _Experiment_, and the _Spence_ Sloop, were order'd to the Mouth of the Harbour, for taking the Soundings, and for getting Information how near the large s.h.i.+ps could approach for battering the Forts on _Tierra Bomba_.

_March_ the 8th, a general Council of War being a.s.sembled, and having received, and carefully weighed, the Reports of the General Officers, and of the Captains of the _Dunkirk_ and _Weymouth_, it was unanimously resolved, that Sir _Chaloner Ogle_ should the next Morning fall down with his Division to the Mouth of the Harbour, and batter the Forts, St.

_Philip_, St. _Jago_, &c.

The General afterwards a.s.sembled a Council of War, composed of Land Officers; when a Disposition was made for landing the Troops.

_March_ the 9th, in the Morning, Sir _Chaloner Ogle_, accompany'd by the General, proceeded, with his Division, to the Attack of the Forts: Three eighty Gun s.h.i.+ps; the _Norfolk_, Capt. _Graves_; the _Shrewsbury_, Capt.

_Townshend_; and the _Russel_, Capt. _Norris_, were order'd to batter those of St. _Philip_ and St. _Jago_: Which Service they perform'd very gallantly, having, before the Evening, drove the Enemy from their Guns, and forced there, to retire out of the Forts.

About Two, the General and Sir _Chaloner Ogle_ went on board the _Norfolk_, and afterwards the _Russel_, for the better reconnoitring the Enemy, and viewing the Ground where the Troops were proposed to be landed.

The Loss on board the _Norfolk_ and the _Russel_ was not very considerable, but the _Shrewsbury_ suffered much more; for having received a Shot in her Cable, she drove so far, as to open the whole Fire of the Castle of _Boca-Chica_, &c. to which she lay exposed till the Night gave her an Opportunity of removing to a safer Birth. As there were no Guns either in _Fort Chambra_, or on what was called the Fascine Battery, the _Princess-Amelia_, and the _Litchfield_ met with no Opposition.

About Five, Sir _Chaloner Ogle_ made a Signal for landing the Troops, which was repeated by the Admiral, who lay then with his Squadron at about a League's Distance.

As soon as the Grenadiers appeared, the General joined them, with an Intention to have landed immediately; but the three princ.i.p.al Officers, and two of the Companies, being still wanting, he order'd the Boats to lie under the Cover of the _Russel_ and the _Norfolk_, there to wait their Arrival: They were in a short Time joined by the Lieutenant Colonel and Major, and one Company; but Col. _Wynyard_, "who was detain'd with his Company of Grenadiers, on board the _Strumbulo Fire-s.h.i.+p_, _from the want of Boats_," being still absent, the Landing was further post-pon'd to about Seven, when they were, without Opposition, put on Sh.o.r.e on the Strand, to the Left of Fort St.

_Philip_, under the Command of Lieutenant Col. _Cochrane_: After having seen them in Possession of the Forts, the General returned and went on board a Vessel, which lay near the Sh.o.r.e, and there pa.s.sed the rest of the Night.

In the Disposition for Landing, the Grenadiers were to have been sustained by a Brigade, commanded by Brig. _Guise_, and Col. _Wolfe_, who themselves join'd the General; but the Brigade did not come down till the Day following, being prevented by the strong Breezes.[4]

The same Evening the Bomb Ketches began to fire upon the Castle.

_March_ the 10th, as soon as the Day appeared, the General went on Sh.o.r.e, and gave Orders for forming the Grenadiers upon the Beach, for covering the landing of the rest of the Troops; which not being compleated till late in the Evening, the whole lay that Night upon their Arms.

_March_ the 11th, the Negroes, Tools, and Tents being put on Sh.o.r.e; the Ground was clear'd, the Tents pitch'd, and the Troops under cover the same Evening.[5]

Two Coupures or Lines were begun into the Woods; one for cutting off the Communication of the Castle of _Boca-Chica_ with the City, the other for opening a way to the Skirts of the Wood, for the erecting a Battery; which last was this Day advanced 500 Yards.

Mr. _Moor_, the princ.i.p.al Engineer, landed in the Night; the Ordnance s.h.i.+p, on which he was embarked, having been drove to _Leeward_.

_March_ the 12th, a Mortar Battery was begun, between the Forts St.

_Phillip_ and St. _Jago_; and the Coupure leading to the Castle, was carried on to the Skirts of the Wood, but that for cutting off the Communication, was discontinued by the Advice of the princ.i.p.al Engineer.[6]

All the Negroes, and as many Soldiers as could be spared, from their other Duty, were employed in cutting Fascines and Pickets. A Traverse was raised in the Coupure leading to _Boca-Chica_, and an Epaulement was thrown up for the covering the Workmen, which were to be employed in raising the great Gun-Battery.

_March_ the 13th, A Defence was made of Casks filled with Sand, to cover the Mortar Battery from the Enemy's Fire; this Evening, (not the 17th, as the Author is pleased to alledge, Page the 10th,) it was finished, and began to play upon the Castle.[7]

The Bomb-Ketches likewise continued to throw their Sh.e.l.ls, and it was observed that _several_ of them did not take place in the Castle. The Ground was traced out for the great Gun-Battery.[8]

The Coupure leading to the Castle of _Boca-Chica_, was enlarged. A Lieutenant Colonel's Guard was mounted to cover the Workmen to be employed on the great Gun-Battery.

The Enemy fired very smartly, both Yesterday and this Day, and killed several Men in the Camp.[9]

_March_ the 14th, the Works were carried on with all the Expedition our Circ.u.mstances would admit of; but were much r.e.t.a.r.ded, not only from the Heat of the Climate, which renders _Europeans_ almost unable to support the least Fatigue, but from the Negroes throwing down their Loads, and working Tools, whenever a Shot came near them. These Difficulties having been represented to a Council of War by the princ.i.p.al Engineer, signifying at the same time, that an Addition of 1600 Men to the Forces then on Sh.o.r.e was wanting, to enable him to push on his Works with Vigour, a Demand was made of that Number of Soldiers to be landed from the Fleet, which the Admiral was pleased to refuse, alledging, that we could have no Occasion for them.

_March_ the 15th, the General, accompany'd by Mr. _Moor_ and Capt.

_Knowles_ view'd the Works at the great Gun Battery, and pa.s.sed the Skirts of the Wood to reconnoitre the Castle, which had then received little or no visible Damage from the Sh.e.l.ls.