Author: Joanne Evans
Last saved by: Andy Holt
Company: Staffordshire County Council

Marlborough in Fort Royal Bay
February 10th 1762

My Lord

Since I had the Honour to acquaint your Lordship with my landing the Army at Case Navire on the 16th of January which I sent express by Captain Walsingham on the 21st of January, I beg leave to lay before you, the progress of the fleet and Army to this day, which I flatter myself will meet with your Lordships approbation.

The Army till the 24th of January were employed taking posts on the Neighbouring Mountains, and Erecting Batterys against Morne Tortoson, the Seamen, in Landing, drawing up, and mounting Cannon on those Batterys.  The Bombs were continually throwing Shells with great effect into the Enemys works, and the Ships were stationed in such a manner as to prevent them from Erecting any new works towards the Sea, which they frequently attempted, but were allways obliged to desist.

On the 24th at day break the attack began with a very severe Cannonade, from the Battery's on shore, from the Ships and the Bombs, which ceased as our Troops Advanced, which was with such Rapidity and Resolution that the Enemy abandoned Reduit, after Reduit, Intrenchment, after Intrenchment, and by eight a clock in the morning left our Troops in possession of all the Forts, and Reduits, on Morne Tortoson, a port of prodigious strength, and which, if properly defended, must have cost many men.  The Army was divided into three Divisions, the Right Commanded by Brigadier Haviland, the Center General Monkton, and the left by Brigadier Rufane.   But the Right and Left Wing had not the Honour to Pertake of the Glory of the day, both of them mistaking their Rout and not joyning the Center till after they had totally routed the Enemy and had been a very considerable time in possession of all the Enemys Works.  Brigadier Rufanes was owing to his Guide, but the Left Wing under Brigadier Havyland, could not find a place to pass the Gully till the next day.  Seven hundred armed Seamen were likewise landed at point Negro, to assist in the attack if necessary and greatly alarmed the Enemy as they were in their Flanks.

Morne Tortoson gave us the command of the town of Fort Royal, but was itself much annoyed from Morne Garnie and the Citadel, which obliged the General to throw up works, and erect Battery's against both places.  He applyed to me for assistance which was immediately granted, and Captain O Brien was appointed to Command the Seamen employed on the severe service of drawing Cannon, whose number seldom consisted of less than 1000 men, employed night and day.  He was assisted by the Captains of the Bombs, who were so very assiduous, that notwithstanding a hot fire from the Enemy, and the excessive steep hills the Cannon were drawn up, and the distance near two Mile, they got up twenty 24 pounders, three 13 Inch Mortars, and twenty Howitzers, with a proper proportion of Amunition, before the Enginiers had finished one Battery, which when finished and the Cannon mounted was found to be at too great a Distance to beat down the Enemys Defences, which obliged them to apply to me for Ship Guns, 32 pounders, which I at first had proposed to them, and such was the alacrity of the Seamen, that in one Night they landed and got up the Cannon to the Battery which would be incredble to most people if they saw the Country and Roads through which they were drawn.   On the 27th of January Monsieur La Touch, thought proper to attack our Posts to the Left, and thereby gave our Troops an opportunity (after defeating) to follow his Troops and possess themselves of Morne Garnie, which the Enemy quitted with such precipitation that they left behind them very large Magazines and their Mortars and Cannon unspiked, which were immediately turned against the Citadel and with the 32 pounders from the Ships greatly contributed towards the Reduction of that Important place, which nevertheless might have held out a very considerable time longer, as no Breach was made neither could it have been possible to have taken it by Storm, and their Casmates are capable to contain two thousand men, tis the strongest place (Gibraltar excepted) I ever saw, and impossible to be attacked by Sea, with the least probability of success, it stands upon a Rock.  Elevated at least forty feet above the Sea, and has 125 Cannon, most of forty two pounders, the Carenage is likewise remarkably good has contained two hundred sail of ships, and has seven fathom close to the Citadel, and screened from all Winds, the Isle Ramie, on the Bombs approach thought proper to submit to the same terms as the Citadel without firing a Gun.

Since the Surrender of the Citadel most of the Inhabitants have submitted and I have the real pleasure to assure your Lordship that his Majestys Ships are in possession of Trinity, and every Harbour in the Island.

Mr Swanton Blocks up the Town of Saint Piers, and as the Army March in a very few days to attack the Reduit St. Piers I shall likewise proceed with the Fleet and attack the Battery's near Carbett Point from which place I propose to Bombard and Destroy the Town if they do not submit in time.

If the Conditions we have granted to the Troops and Inhabitants meets with your Lordships approbation I shall be very happy making them subject to be Governed by whatever Laws his Majesty pleased to Dictate, I apprehend to be the same thing as if they had submitted at Discretion.

We propose after compleating this Conquest to carry his Majesty's Arms to the Grenades, whose Port may be of the utmost consequence to his Majesty during a Spanish War.

I must nowe beg leave to lay before your Lordship and Humbly to propose that strict Orders may be given, to whatever Officer his Majesty may please to appoint Governour of this Citadel, not to Interfere with the Carenage, Road or Port, while his Majestys Ships are there, or to permit the store Houses in which the French Kings Naval Stores were deposited, to be Converted to other uses than his Majesty's at present. General Monkton has done every thing Right, but your Lordship from your long experience must know that other land Officers are too apt to Interfere with our profession, which at this Distance from England may prove very detrimental to his Majestys Service, and I can with the Strictest Justice take the Liberty to say to your Lordship, that the Sea service on this expedition have more than half contributed to the Conquest, and if a little slackness appeared at first on the side of the Army and an unwillingness to Land, it was owing to the pernicious advice of one man who had nigh frustrated the whole expedition, if I had not persisted and inforced my Resolution.  The Person I mean is Brother to him who has the Honour to give your Lordship this letter, and whose Bad state of Health makes it absolutely necessary he should go to England.  This annnecdote I thought it my duty to make your Lordship acquainted with and have not mentioned it to any other person, and gave Captain Walsingham the strictest charge never to speak of it.

The Instructions I received from your Lordship shall be most strictly complyed with, nor will I presume to appoint any Captain in lieu of those sent to England till your Lordship’s pleasure be known.

If your Lordship approves of my Conduct on this expedition I shall look upon it as the Happyest Incident of my life and beg leave most sincerely to congratulate you on the success of his Majestys Arms, and to assure you that I shall ever retain the most gratefull sense of all your favours and am with the utmost Respect

Yours Lordships
Most Obedient
Humble servant
GB Rodney