Part 2 (2/2)
But a still more recent Proof of there being sufficient depth of Water, is the celebrated Admiral _Vernon_'s having ordered in the _Galicia_, a _Spanish_ Man of War of sixty-six Guns: This Vessel was fitted up for battering in a very extraordinary Manner: _Merlons, or Cases, six Feet thick, rammed with Earth, or Sand, were formed between the Port-holes_, which occasioned her drawing more Water, than any of our eighty Gun s.h.i.+ps; notwithstanding, with her sixteen Guns mounted, _only_, she did considerable damage to the City, before she could be demolished.
That the _Spaniards_ have no great Dependance upon this supposed Shoalness of the Water, is very evident from their having lately erected a Battery of forty large Pieces of Cannon, for the defence of the Town on the Side towards the Harbour; a very unnecessary Expence, if the Water is there so shoal as to prevent the near Approach of our large Men of War.
From the Author's own Description, the Fort of St. _Lazar_ appears to be no such trifling Redoubt, as he would insinuate; had he approached near enough to take an exact View of it (which probably he did not) he must have observed that the Hill is near double the Height he mentions, and that the Eminence opposite to it (which, if Cannon could have been convey'd thither, was certainly a very proper Place for the erecting a Battery) is pretty much upon a Level with the Ground upon which the Castle stands.
That the Enemy began their Works upon the Hill, immediately after we were in Possession of _Boca-Chica_ (if not upon the first Appearance of the Fleet,) is a Fact well known, both to the Army and to the Navy; nor was it in the power of the Former to interrupt their Progress till the proper Materials were landed; but how far that might have been done, by sending in two or three of his Majesty's large s.h.i.+ps, the Gentlemen of the Sea are the most proper Judges.
That the Side of the Castle of _St. Lazar_, which is next the Town, could not be defenceless, must be evident to every Reader, from the Circ.u.mstance of its being next the Town, and consequently defended by all the Works on that Quarter, particularly by an Half-moon, which is erected about half Musket-Shot from it.
If the Enemy's Numbers (as the Author alledges, page 54.) amounted to 4000 Men, the Troops which were landed, and never exceeded 4350 Rank and File, could but have little Prospect of forcing them amidst their strong Fortifications; nor did the General and Princ.i.p.al Officers ever propose it to themselves, otherwise than by the help of the whole Force on board the Fleet, which was actually promised, as soon as a Pa.s.sage should be opened for the s.h.i.+ps into the Harbour; how performed, the unhappy Issue but too plainly makes appear.
The Enemy's Engineers, Cannoniers, _&c._ acquitted themselves very well, and ours did the same, nor was there amongst them one single instance of Cowardice or Desertion; would the Author be pleased to put his Name to so base an Aspersion cast upon them, there are of the few surviving, who are well able to convince him of his Mistake.
It is roundly alledged, that excepting two Regiments, the whole body of Troops which came from _England_, were quite raw and undisciplined; how far this is a Fact known to every one, will appear, by minutely entering into their Circ.u.mstances.
As a Foundation for forming a Corps of Troops fit for immediate Service, his Majesty was pleased to direct a Draught to be made from the Foot Guards, of the best disciplined Corporals and private Men, to be appointed Marine Serjeants, as likewise 300 private Centinels well instructed in the Use of their Arms, to be placed to every Marine Regiment, who were for that Purpose draughted from all the old Corps in _Britain_; by which Means each of the Marine Regiments was actually supply'd with a Number of well-disciplin'd Men, not much short of the _Irish_ Corps before the Augmentation.
The Colonels of the six Regiments of Marines were old Officers, who had all (excepting one) served abroad in the last War.
Such were the greatest Part of the Lieutenant Colonels and Majors. The Captains were either Gentlemen of Service taken from the Half-Pay, or from the Independent Companies at _Jamaica_; such as had been long inured to the Climate of the _West-Indies_, or Subaltern Officers of long standing in the old Corps, whom his Majesty honour'd with the Command of Marine Companies. The first and second Lieutenants were either Ensigns taken out of the old Corps, Cadets, who had for some time carry'd Arms, or young Gentlemen, whose Quality and Interest very justly ent.i.tuled them to Preferment. To these the Author has added a third imaginary Cla.s.s, of _abandoned Wretches of the Town, whose Prost.i.tution had made them useful on some dirty Occasion, and by Way of Reward were provided for in the Army_. I call upon the _Author_ to point out one single Man, who was sent out in those Corps, deserving of that Character; if he does not (as I am well a.s.sured he cannot) what Character he himself richly deserves, will easily occur to the Reader.
That few of the Inferior Officers had ever before served against an Enemy, is undoubtedly Fact, nor after thirty Years Peace, could it possibly be otherwise; but their Behaviour during the Incampment in the Isle of _Wight_, evidently made it appear that they were not deficient in Discipline; nor when they came to face the Enemy, could the oldest, and most experienced Officers expose their Persons with greater Gallantry and Chearfulness.
That most of the Officers, who had served long and well, got themselves knock'd on the Head by teaching a young and raw Army, is in Fact false; for both old and young equally shared the Hazard and Fatigue; nor did one single Officer or Soldier loose his Life, excepting in the Performance of his own Duty.
What an Heap of _Billingsgate_ does the Author employ (pag. 56.) to vilify the _American_ Regiment? _The Officers_ (he affirms) _were in particular composed of Blacksmiths, Taylors, and all the Banditti that the Country affords_. Had he been so candid as to have informed himself of those Gentlemens true Characters, he would have known, that the Field Officers were all Men of long Service, named by his Majesty, and sent from _Britain_: That the Companies were chiefly raised by the Interest, and at the Charge of their respective Captains; of whom some were Members of the a.s.semblies in the Provinces where they resided; others liv'd upon their own Plantations, and had Commands in the Militia; and some few of them had been concerned in Traffick. His Majesty was pleased to send to _North-America_ thirty young Gentlemen, under the Direction of Brigadier _Blakeney_, who were to serve in that Corps as Lieutenants; they had carried Arms either in the old Corps at home, or in the _Scotish_ Regiments in the _Dutch_ Service, and were most of them Cadets of good Families in _North Britain_.
The rest of the Subaltern Officers were recommended by the Governors, and by the Gentlemen of the first Rank in the Provinces where the Companies were raised; and were either younger Sons of the princ.i.p.al Families, bred to no particular Profession, or such of them as had been brought up to the Law, to Merchandize, or who had served at Sea.
It is certain, that the greatest Part of the private Soldiers, who were inlisted in _North-America_, were either _Irish_ (and many of those suspected to be Papists) or _English_, who had been under a Necessity of quitting their Native Country. As the Levy was made in Haste, there was neither Time for strictly examining into their respective Circ.u.mstances, nor for their being well-disciplin'd before they joined the Army; whence it became in a great Measure, necessary to employ them chiefly on board the Fleet.
Tho' this infamous Libel appears to be levell'd against that Corps of _Land Forces in general_, yet the Author is pleased more eminently to distinguish the Engineers, _&c._ belonging to the Train; he very roundly affirms, that _worse never bore the Name, nor could be pick'd out of all_ Europe.
The princ.i.p.al Engineer (Mr. _Moor_) was deservedly esteemed for his Bravery, his Capacity and Skill in his Profession; the Battery, on which he was killed, viewing the Effects of the Shot thro' an Embrasure, was well constructed, and fully answered the End for which it was raised: He had served with Applause in the Defence of _Gibraltar_, one of the princ.i.p.al Fortresses in _Europe_, which was attacked by an Army of 40,000 Men, composed of the best Troops in _Spain_, and batter'd by 100 Pieces of large Cannon; yet this Army was by the gallant Defence of the Garrison obliged to retire, after having been almost totally ruin'd at this _simple_ Siege, as the Author of the Pamphlet is pleased to stile it.
Mr. _Armstrong_, the Gentleman who succeeded as princ.i.p.al Engineer on the Death of Mr. _Moor_, had all the Experience, which could possibly be acquired in Time of Peace, having been continually employ'd during sixteen Years in the different Works about this Kingdom; nor could any Person whatsoever perform his Duty, with greater Attention, or more chearfully expose his Person, whenever he thought his Presence could in any wise contribute to the publick Service.
It is certain, that no more than two of the Sub-Engineers had ever served in the Face of an Enemy; which surely ought not to be imputed to them as a Fault, when, after so long a Peace, few or none so qualified were remaining: But nothing had been omitted by those Gentlemen to repair their Want of Experience both by their Application to the Study of their Profession at home, and by visiting the Fortifications in Foreign Parts; and when on real Service, it was very evident that they spared no Endeavours to make up that Deficiency by their Diligence and gallant Behaviour: Nor is there the least Room to doubt, but that the few who have returned from that fatal Expedition, will, whenever they shall be called upon, be found qualified to do effectual Service to their Country.
Colonel _Watson_'s Merit and long Services very justly ent.i.tuled him to the Command of the Train on the late Expedition; nor did his Age (as the Author insinuates) ever prevent his Attendance upon his Duty; in the Performance of which he lost his Life by a Shot which glanced from a Tree, at some Distance from the Battery.
His Successor, a brave blunt Soldier (who can never be pardoned for boldly speaking the Truth) was so far from being rendered unfit for his Duty, that no Man attended it with more Diligence; from the first Opening the Battery before _Boca-Chica_, he scarcely ever left it, even for necessary Refreshment, till the Castle was taken.
Who could be so proper to be inlisted for Cannoniers, Bombardiers, _&c._ as Country Fellows? but those Country Fellows (as the Author is pleased to call them) were disciplin'd Men, capable of doing their Duty; in which they wanted no Aid, till Death and Sickness had reduced them so low, that it was necessary they should be reinforced both from the Army and the Fleet. The extraordinary Conference mentioned by the Author (page 56.) to have been held between the General and them, I can safely affirm, has not the least Foundation.
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