CHAPTER XII.

North America and West Indies.-Capture of the Furieuse by the Bonne Citoyenne-British seamen desert from the Africaine-Are demanded by the British consul, and refused to be given up-Observations thereon-Attack of the British land and sea forces on the island of Martinique-Landing of the troops-Forces employed, and description of the siege The island surrenders-Horrible instance of cruelty in the French soldiers-Observations on the distributing of medals to the army on this occasion and withholding them from the navy-Capture of La Topaze-Action between the Horatio and La Junon-Capture of the latter by the Latona-The Belleisle sails for Europe with the garrison of Martinique-Arrival of the convoy in Quiberon BayInfamous conduct of the French Government-Captain James Lucas Yeo takes the settlement of Cayenne from the French-British forces take the Saintes-Capture of Le D'Hautepoule-St. Domingo held by blacks and creole Spaniards-The French finally expelled from that island-Small sea-fights in the West Indies-Capture of La Junon and death of Captain Shatland-Destruction of the two French frigates which captured her-Death of Captain Cameron.

THE coast of North America, where Vice-admiral Sir J. B. Warren held the command, offers some incidents of naval interest. The feeling of the public mind in the United States was rapidly heating to the war pitch against Great Britain. The American Government, notoriously courting popularity with its democratic supporters, fanned the flame against us, and succeeded in convincing the most ignorant, and consequently the larger portion of the people, that we were tyrants and oppressors. If, however, the most unexampled and powerful efforts of our enemy to destroy us, compelled us to use the means in our power for our defence, none had therefore a right to accuse us of tyranny and oppression; and, should the trident of the ocean ever be wrested from our hands, I only pray that it may be wielded by a nation equally generous, and equally disposed to protect the weak and unoffending against the powerful and guilty.

Captain William Mounsey, who commanded the Bonne Citoyenne, a corvette-built ship, with a flush deck, carrying eighteen 32-pound carronades and two long nine-pounders, with a complement of 121 men, sailed for Quebec with the Inflexible, of 64 guns, and a convoy, from which he accidentally parted company in chase. On the 5th of August, at three in the afternoon, he saw a French frigate boarding an English

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merchant-ship, which she relinquished the moment the Bonne Citoyenne stood towards her, and ran to the northward under a press of sail. Captain Mounsey made all sail in pursuit, and, after a chase of 18 hours, at half-past nine in the morning, he laid his sloop alongside of the enemy, and engaged her within pistol-shot. The action lasted, with inimitable gallantry on the part of the British vessel, till 16 minutes past 4 P. M., when, his powder being nearly expended, Captain Mounsey determined to carry his adversary by boarding with all hands; and, at the instant of laying her alongside for that purpose, the enemy called out that they had surrendered, and struck their colours. This action stands nearly unrivalled (in its class) in the annals of our navy-a large frigate chased and captured by a sloop of war!-that of the Speedy and Gamo is alone superior to it. The French frigate, it is true, had not her complement of guns, having only twelve 42-pound carronades, and two long 24-pounders on her main-deck, with six guns of a smaller calibre; these were, however, more than equal to the metal of the Bonne Citoyenne, which had three of her guns dismounted early in the action. The frigate had her full complement of officers, and 200 seamen, together with a colonel, two lieutenants, and a detachment of the 66th regiment of the line. She was called La Furieuse, was a frigate of the largest class, pierced for 48 guns, and was one of those which had escaped from the Saintes, when Captain Fahie chased and captured the D'Hautepoule, as will be hereafter related: she was laden with sugar and coffee. The battle was one of peculiar obstinacy; it lasted 6 hours and 50 minutes. The enemy fired 70 broadsides; and the British sloop 129 alternately from her starboard and larboard guns. This was a very able and judicious manœuvre of Captain Mounsey, relieving his guns from over-heat, and availing himself of the superior skill of his men, and the fast sailing of his ship, to distract and annoy his enemy; nor is it possible to conceive how much this small vessel had damaged a ship nearly three times her size. She had 14 shot-holes between wind and water, and five feet water in her hold when taken possession of; her topmasts and all her topsail-yards were shot away, and her lower masts were so badly wounded that they fell the next day. She had 35 men killed, and 36 wounded, among whom were her captain and two lieutenants. Nor was the Bonne Citoyenne in a much better condition; she was literally cut to pieces in hull, masts, and rigging; but she had only one man killed, and five wounded. The prize arrived at Halifax.

In September the Africaine, of 38 guns, having been in one of the ports of North America, 13 of her men deserted, and

DESERTERS FROM THE AFRICAINE.

went to Baltimore; they were claimed by Mr. Wood, the British consul. Mr. Hunter, the mayor of Baltimore, on the application of Mr. Wood, caused seven of them to be arrested; but, on the consul appearing in court to claim them as British subjects, it was decided that no cause was assigned for their detention, and they were released. The decision was received were borne away in with three loud cheers, and the men triumph by the mob of the most democratic city of the Union. I care little about British seamen who desert their covery lours; but I doubt the expediency as well as the legality of Mr. Wood's demand. Let us suppose a parallel case. England and France are at peace; but France and America are at war. An American ship puts into Portsmouth; her men desert. The captain, or, in his name, the American minister, demands them to be given up. Should we restore them? or should we not exclaim, "The demand is a violation of our rights!?" We cannot compel any foreigner to return to his colours as long as he conforms to our laws. The day may not be distant when America may practically experience the truth of this proposition. The question assumes a very different shape when our men are discovered on board a ship of war, as in the case of the Chesapeake. I have no hesitation in saying, that I should most certainly take a deserter, knowing him to be one, whenever I had the power, without violation of territory; but I apprehend that neither the law of England nor of America could have compelled men to re-embark under the circumstances here described. The fact is mentioned to show the spirit of America towards Great Britain in 1809.

In the month of January the British land and sea forces began to assemble at Barbadoes, and soon after took their positions round the island of Martinique; the fleet under the command of Rear-admiral the Honourable Sir A. Cochrane, the army under Lieutenant-general Beckwith. The debarkation of the troops to windward was intrusted to Captain Philip Beaver, of the Acasta; and the transports, having the principal part of them on board, anchored in Bay Robert, on the windward side of the island. Major-general Sir George Prevost, who commanded that division, was on board the Penelope, of 36 guns; and the landing was effected on the 30th and 31st of January, with very little opposition. The second division, under Major-general Maitland, landed at St. Luce, under the superintendence of Captain Fahie, of the Belleisle. Major Henderson, of the Royal York Rangers, was detached in the York, of 74 guns, to take possession of the battery of Point Solomon, on the south side of the bay of Fort Royal. This being done, a safe anchorage was secured for the fleet, and the

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