pital on fire, in cafe of its loss, had been once a matter in contemplation with the enemy, took effectual measures to guard against that defign, if still intended. No place in fimilar circumstances, ever fuffered fo little by depredation, as the town of Savannah did upon this occafion; even taking into the account, that committed by their own negroes during the darknefs of the approaching night. A ftrong circumftantial teflimony, that thofe enormities, fo frequently attributed to the licence of the foldiers, fhould with much more juftice be charged to the indefenfible conduct of their fuperiors; whether by a previous relaxation of difcipline, an immediate participation in the guilt, or a no lefs culpable fufferance of the enormity.

Through the activity and prompt union of the commanders in chief by land and fea, and the fpirit and diligence of their officers, General Howe, with the broken remains of his army, was not only compelled to retreat into South-Carolina, but notwithstanding many impediments in their way, and fome wants not eafily remedied, particularly horfes for their artillery, they, within lefs than a fortnight, had recovered the whole province of Georgia (except ing only the town of Sunbury) to the British government. In that time they had reftored tranquillity every where, afforded protection to all who remained in or returned to their houfes, established fuch pofts as fecured the whole line of frontier on the fide of South-Carolina, and formed the well-affected, who came in with their rifles and horfes, into a corps of light dragoons.

The

In the mean time, Major-General Prevoft found no fmall difficulty in bringing together, from their scattered and remote cantonments, the fmall parties with which he was to make an impreffion on the fide of Florida. The getting forward his artillery, ftores, and provifions, as the enemy were mafters of the navigation in general, both along the coafts, and on the greater waters inland, was no lefs difficult. In these operations, the troops underwent unufual hardships and diftreffes, which they bore with the most exemplary fortitude and temper; both officers and foldiers having been reduced to live for feveral days folely upon oysters, and enduring at the fame time the greatest heat and fatigue, without complaint, defpondency, or murmur. major-general having at length brought forward a few pieces of artillery, fuddenly furrounded the town and fort of Sunbury, on the frontiers of Georgia. The garrifon, confifting of about 200 men, made fome fhew of defence, and gave the commander the trouble of opening trenches. But although they were fupported by fome armed veffels and gallies, yet all hope of relief being now totally cut off by the reduction of the reft of the province, they found it neceffary to furrender at difcretion. This happened juft at the time, when Colonel Campbell, after the fettlement of the interior country, had returned to Savannah, and was preparing to fet out on an expedition for the reduction of Sunbury. The command devolved of course to General. Prevoft on his arrival at Savannah.

They were generally answered in this inftance, as in fome others, by a repetition of the well founded confidence repofed in the pacific difpofition and good intentions of our neighbours. But the fimple matter of fact, undoubtedly was, that our military force and provi. fion by fea and land, were fo compl ely wallowed up in the vortex of the American war, and the demands were til fo inceffant and urgent, that the fources of fupply were constantly drained and exhaufted, fo that other objects, how ever important, were of neceffity obliged to be committed, in a great meafure, to the blind difpofition of chance and fortune.

The island of Dominica was a part of thofe compentations, acquired by the treaty of Paris, for the expences of a war, very glorious indeed, but very burthenfome. To thefe expences and glories, the whole of the ceffions was not adequate. Confidered independently of this comparative eftimate, Dominica was an acquifition of no inconfiderable importance; and its fituation, lying between Martinico and Guadaloupe, and within view of each, would have rendered it of the utmost imporance in time of war. This circumftance feems to have been fo well understood by government, that it went to a great and unufual expence in fortifying the land, and the works had been lately covered with a numerous artillery, fent for the purpose from England; but the garriton, if it could deferve to be called by that name, was totally incompetent to the defence of the one, or to the use of the other.

Neither the importance nor the

Sept. 7th.

weakness of the island, efcaped the attention of the Marquis de Bouille, Governor-general of Martinico. He accordingly landed with about 2000 men, 1778. under the cover of fome frigates and privateers, about daybreak at Dominica, and proceeded to attack the different batteries and forts by land, as his marine force did by fea. The handful of regular troops, amounting only to about a hundred men, together with the militia and inhabitants in general, did all that could be expected against fuch a fuperiority of force, and under fuch circumstances of furprize. But the French having taken thofe detached and halfmanned batteries which lay first in their way, and advanced by noon to attack the little capital of Roseau, by fea and land, which likewife comprehended the principal fortifications of the island, LieutenantGovernor Stuart, with the military officers and council, feeing all defence fruitlefs, thought it neceffary to fave the inhabitants from plunder and ruin, by entering into a capitulation.

This was foon concluded. The terms were the most moderate that could be conceived; the Marquis de Bouille having nearly agreed, without difcution or referve, to every condition that was propofed in favour of the inhabitants. Be fides the honours of war, and the liberty of retaining their arms, with the fullett fecurity to their eftates, property of every fort, rights, privileges, and immunities, they were allowed to retain their civil and religious governments in all their parts, with all their laws, cuftoms, ordinances, courts, and minifters of juftice, until the con[C] 3

clufion

clufion of a peace; and at that period, if the island fhould be ceded to France, they were to have it in choice, whether to adhere to their own political form of government, or to accept that established in the French iflands. And in either event, fuch of the inhabitants as did not chufe to continue under a French government, were to be at liberty to fell all their eftates real and perfonal, and to retire with their effects wherever they pleafed. Other conditions of lefs importance, were equally favourable in their degree to the inhabitants; nor were they bound to any duty to the French king, more than what they had owed to their natural fovereign. In a word, a mere change of fovereignty was the only change in the condition of the inhabitants.

How much of the favour and lenity of these conditions may be attributed to the moderation and humanity of the Marquis de Bouille, how much to the policy of inducing the lefs refillance in other English iflands, or how much to the apprehenfion of Admiral Barrington's arrival with a fuperior naval force from Barbadoes, are queftions not to be abfolutely decided upon. It is, however, equi table, to attribute juft and humane actions to the most laudable motives, where the contrary does not appear from any strong concurrent or fubfequent circumftances. The matter of fact is certain, that the fmalleft diforder or pillage was not permitted, and that the French commander, in lieu of plunder, rewarded the foldiers and volunteers with a confiderable gratuity in ready money.

The French found 164 pieces of cannon, and 24 brafs mortars, with a confiderable quantity of military ftores and ammunition in the works. The public effects, with the British veflels in the harbour, became a prize to the conquerors. The stay of the Marquis de Bouille in the ifland was very fhort; but he left a garrison of 1500 men behind him; which, with the ftrength of the works, and the powerful artillery, in their hands, have hitherto unfortunately fuperfeded all attempts for its recovery.

Many circumftances concurred in rendering the lofs of this island grievous. The large fums expended upon its fortifications, and the numerous and weighty artillery fent out for its defence, indicated a full knowledge of its importance in cafe of a war. Its fituation, on which this importance depended, equally pointed out the danger to which it was expofed, and that it muft neceffarily be the first object of the enemy's enterprize; whilft its naked works and valuable artillery, feemed held out as a prize, to direct and quicken their operations. To increase the vexation, Rear Admiral Barrington, with two fhips of the line, and fome frigates, was lying at the fmall diftance of Barbadoes, where he had been chained down for more than two months, waiting merely for inftructions, which he had been or, dered to expect at that place, and which, from whatever caufe or misfortune, were not yet arrived. Small as this force was, it would have been fully fufficient, had time and his orders allowed it, for the prefervation of Dominica, and the protection of the other islands for

the

the prefent, as the French had not a fingle ship of the line in that quarter.

The defect of intelligence accompanied that of inftructions, or orders how to act. A French document executed at Paris on the 28th of June, and publifhed at Martinico in the middle of Auguft, amounting, in effect, to a declaration of war in the Welt-Indies, afforded the first information of hoftilities to Admiral Barrington, and to the neighbouring iflands. The lofs of two of Sir Peter Parker's frigates, which were taken by the French on the coaft of Hifpaniola, afforded alfo the first means of information to that Admiral, as well as to the government of Jamaica, where he was ftationed, of the commencement of hoftilities.

As foon as Admiral Barrington received intelligence of the invafion of Dominica, he difpenfed with the violation of his orders in that inftance, and proceeded with the utmoft difpatch to its intended relief. Although it was impoffible he could prevent a conqueft, which was only the work of a fingle day, the prefence of his fmall fquadron, however, had the happy effect, of removing the panic which had fpread through the neighbouring ilands, and of effectually curbing the further enterprizes of the enemy. The confequences of the lofs of Dominica were experienced, both by fea and land, in the courfe of the operations of the enfuing WeftIndia campaign.

As Monf. D'Eftaing was now to bear a principal part on the Weft-India theatre of action, it will be neceffary to take fome notice of his fituation and proceedings, from the time of our leaving him in the

Neither the

harbour of Boston. care of the governing powers in that town, nor the ideas of benefits received, or to be derived, from the alliance with France, were fufficient, during the ftay of the French fleet in that port, wholly to cure the ancient prejudices and hereditary animofity of the populace, with respect to a nation, which they had fo long confidered as a rival, and fo frequently encountered as an enemy. The difference of religion, language, and manners, could not fail to hold a confiderable fhare in keeping thefe animofities ftill alive; although, fo far as it can be judged from appearances at this distance, the French have studied more in their commerce with the Americans, to evade the effect of thefe peculiarities, and have fhewn a great deference to the prejudices, and conformity to the manners and opinions of the people, than they perhaps ever practifed in their connections with any other part of mankind. Indeed a mode of conduct directly contrary, has for many ages been confidered, as one of the ftriking characteristics of that nation; and has, not unfrequently been productive of the most fatal confequences to themfelves, as well as to others.

Sept. 13th.

However it was, a moft violent affray, in which numbers on both fides were engaged, and the French feem to have been very roughly treated, happened at night in Bofton. Some of the French were faid to have been killed, and feveral were certainly wounded; among whom were fome officers, and one particularly, of confiderable diftinction. As both D'Estaing and the government of Boston, were eager to [C] 4

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