Part 2 (1/2)
The Troops were under great Difficulties, not only from the Sickness, which hourly encreased, but from their Provisions not being regularly landed.
_April_ the 11th, the two Mortars began to fire from the advanced Guard upon the Castle of St. _Lazar_, and with very good Effect.
A Council of War was a.s.sembled, composed of Land Officers, who having carefully inquired into the State of the Forces on Sh.o.r.e, found them to be so much diminished by Sickness, and by the late Loss; and those, who were return'd, as fit for Duty, so much exhausted by the excessive Heat, and by Fatigue, that without a considerable Reinforcement from the Fleet, it would not be possible to go on with the Enterprize: This their Resolution was immediately communicated to the Admiral.
_April_ the 12th, the Sickness amongst the Troops still encreasing, several of the princ.i.p.al Officers were seized with it, and the Water in the Cisterns began to be very low. The Admiral return'd an Answer to the Resolution of the Council of War of yesterday; which having been taken into Consideration by the princ.i.p.al Land Officers, a.s.sembled for that Purpose, they observed with great Surprize, that no mention was made of any Reinforcement to be sent from the Fleet; of which, having taken the proper Notice in their Answer, they desired, that the Admiral would issue out his Directions for imbarking the Cannon, _&c._ concluding from his Silence in so material a Point, that no Reinforcement was to be expected. But no mention was at that time made of bringing in s.h.i.+ps to cannonade the Town; as the Manner, in which a former Proposal of that Nature had been answered, gave little Room to hope for Success in repeating of it: Tho' perhaps it may not be difficult to make appear, that our great s.h.i.+ps lying unactive at a time when they might have been usefully employ'd,[29] was the princ.i.p.al Occasion of our not possessing ourselves of the City of _Carthagena_, and not the Miscarriage of the Attack of St. _Lazar_. For had we got Possession of it (as would probably have been the Case, if the Scheme for the Attack had been punctually executed) it does not follow, that the Town would have on Course surrender'd, or that they could have been compelled to it, without the Admirals a.s.sisting us with his whole Force; except we are to suppose, that the _Spaniards_, with a Garrison not inferior in Numbers to the Besiegers, would have tamely given it up into our Hands: for it is morally certain, that the Corps of Troops, which were then on Sh.o.r.e, must, by Sickness only, in a few Days have been reduced so low, as not to be able to bring off their Cannon.
_April_ the 13th, great Numbers of Sick, both Officers and Soldiers, were sent on board the Transports.
A Council of War was a.s.sembled on Sh.o.r.e, who took into Consideration a Letter from the Admiral, in Answer to their late Representation, and resolved, to desire without Delay to meet the Sea Officers in a general Council of War; which being signified to the Admiral, it was agreed to a.s.semble the Day following on board the Admiral's s.h.i.+p.
_April_ the 14th, the Council of War being a.s.sembled, the General laid before the Members the real State of the Troops,[30] and declared, that he deemed it to be impracticable to go on with the Enterprize, without a.s.sistance from the Fleet. The princ.i.p.al Engineer being called in, and examined, signify'd to the Council of War, the Places which he thought would be the most proper for erecting Batteries; to which he added, that no less than a Fortnight would be required for raising them, considering the many interruptions which must be expected from the Enemy, and the Sickness hourly increasing amongst the Troops; and that 1500 Men would be wanting for the proper Reliefs for that Service only; he further declared it to be his Opinion, that with the Troops now on Sh.o.r.e, the Siege could not be undertaken with any Probability of Success.
The Admiral, without further Deliberation, going to put the Question, whether the Troops should be reimbark'd or not, Mr. _Wentworth_ declared, that he could not give his Vote, till he should be informed what a.s.sistance they were to expect from the Fleet; who, being interrupted by the Admiral with great Heat and Pa.s.sion, and not with the most polite Language, made a proper Reply; to which the Admiral not being pleased to return any Answer, immediately left the Cabbin.
The Debate was afterwards decently carry'd on, and the General having repeated his Question, Sir _Chaloner Ogle_, and the other Sea Officers, who were Members of the Council of War, unanimously declared, that it would by no means, be adviseable to trust the Sailors on Sh.o.r.e, as they could be kept under no Command, and would soon disperse themselves in the Woods; to which Mr. _Vernon_ (who sat in the Gallery within hearing) added aloud, that some of them would soon ramble into _Carthagena_.
The Admiral being returned to his Place at the Board, it was unanimously resolved to reimbark the Cannon and Land Forces with all possible Expedition.
The Admiral, as President, drew up the Resolution of the Council of War, when it was observable, that he carefully avoided making the least mention of a.s.sistance having been demanded from the Fleet.
The Battery[31] of two ten inch Mortars, which was raised by Captain _Knowles_ on the Sh.o.r.e near to his s.h.i.+p, began this Morning to Fire upon Fort St. _Lazar_, but was placed at so great a Distance as to have little or no Effect.
_April_ the 15th, the Cannon, Stores and heavy Baggage, were put on Board.
A Council of War of Land Officers being a.s.sembled, a Disposition was laid before them, for the Retreat,[32] which was approved of.
_April_ the 16th, About Five in the Morning, the _Galicia_, commanded by Captain _h.o.a.re_, began to canonade the Town with tolerable good Success; but he being exposed to a superior Fire, was obliged to cut her Cable; after having received several Shots in her Hull, had six Men killed, and 56 wounded, she drove upon a Shoal, and was there burnt by the Admiral's Order.
At Seven in the Evening, the Tents were struck, at Eight the Troops march'd from their Ground, and embarked in three Divisions on the Boats prepared to receive them. The Sickness amongst the Troops increased to so great a Degree, that any longer Continuance in that unhealthy Situation, seemed to threaten no less than their total Ruin; the General therefore, and the princ.i.p.al Land Officers, agreed to the Admiral's Proposal, for demolis.h.i.+ng the Forts, _&c._ which commanded the Harbour; that being done, and Water taken in for the Voyage, the whole Fleet set sail for _Jamaica_.
THE APPENDIX.
I Shall only here remark some Mistakes, which the Author of the Pamphlet has been guilty of in his Appendix, both with regard to the Circ.u.mstances of the City of _Carthagena_, and to the Conduct of the Officers of the Army, whom he has been pleased basely to asperse, without any Grounds whatsoever. And I do appeal to the Gentlemen of the Navy, for the Truth of what I have advanced; which must be so evident to every impartial Person, who was there present, and gave the least Attention to what pa.s.sed, that I should not have employed one Moment's Time, in replying to a Pamphlet, made up of glaring Falsehoods, Facts misrepresented, and mean personal Reflections, to which the Author does not put his Name; was I not in Hopes, that by laying before the Publick an exact Account of the Transactions before _Carthagena_, in some Measure to remove (from those who cannot otherwise be informed of the Truth) the Prejudices which are so industriously propagated in that scurrilous Libel; not solely with a View to calumniate a few brave Men, who after many Hazards are return'd home to their native Country; but by invidious Distinctions, to set at variance the Army and the Navy, which can have no other End but to obstruct his Majesty's Service, whenever the Fleet and Land Forces shall act in Conjunction.
As for the City itself (says the Author) Nature has fortified it against any Attempt by Sea, the Water shoaling near a League off, and being plentifully bounded with Rocks; besides the Sea is very seldom smooth, so that it is difficult at all times landing.
There are Pilots, who have been long accustomed to that Coast, who affirm that there is depth of Water sufficient for large s.h.i.+ps to anchor (even on that Side) near enough to batter the Town: The only Difficulty arises from the Swell of the Sea; but that much abates, whenever the Wind blows for any Time off Sh.o.r.e.
The Ravelin here mention'd can only subsist in the Author's Imagination; there is no other Defence between the two Bastions, (which are very distant from each other,) excepting a low Wall not flank'd; a Circ.u.mstance of which very good Use might be made, if upon the Swell's being abated, Boats could be sent in there to put Troops on Sh.o.r.e.
There were two large Men of War moored to defend the Entrance of _Boca-grande_, but that there was a Fascine Battery begun upon each Point, seems to be a Secret only known to the Author; for no Mention was made of any such during our Stay upon that Coast, nor upon reconnoitring that Entrance into the Harbour, could the least Traces of them be perceiv'd.
The little _Fort de Chamba_ was not finish'd, nor had upon it one Gun; nor was there the least Appearance of one, on what the Author is pleased (Page 49.) to call a Fascine Battery of twelve Guns: From same Fascines being placed in order upon the Sh.o.r.e, it was believed that the Enemy had Thoughts of erecting a Battery on that Place.
The Author's Description of _Boca-Chica_ Castle, _&c._ seems to be tolerably exact, and I cannot omit to remark the justness of his Expression, when he mentions the Bomb Vessels being got near enough to divert the Town; for in Truth they were posted at so great a Distance, that they seem'd to be sent in with no other Intention.
That the City of _Carthagena_ is to the Land-side, fortify'd by double Walls, and double Ditches, flank'd by strong Bastions, is an undoubted Truth; but I must dissent from what the Author alledges, of the Water at the Head of the Harbour, being shoal so far off, that s.h.i.+ps cannot come near enough to do Execution with their Guns. Experienced Pilots, and Masters of trading Vessels, who have been much conversant in that Harbour, do (and will when Occasion requires it) testify the contrary; but nothing can be a stronger Proof of there being sufficient depth of Water for our largest s.h.i.+ps, than that the Station of the _Spanish_ Galleons, is very near the Walls, for the Convenience of taking in their Lading. It is well known, that Monsieur _Ponti_ sent in his Men of War (amongst which was the _Sceptre_ of eighty-four Guns) to batter the City, and with so good an Effect, as in a short Time to oblige them to surrender.