Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

nate was affembled, to whom I exposed my intentions, to which they expreffed the most ready compliance. Waggons were every where demanded by them, and furnished with cheerfulness. Cavalry was neceffary, but the appointments of the 28th were on board a fhip which had failed in queft of the admiral. Those of the 25th were also on board fhip in Simon's Bay, and we had not above fifty horses. The appointments were brought up, and I did not fcruple, on fuch an occafion, to require all faddle horses, without exception, to be brought in, which were valued by two members of the court of juftice, and two officers of the 28th dragoons, and paid for on the spot, to the entire fatisfaction of the owners.

By these means, fir, leaving major-general Doyle in the command of the troops at, and about Cape Town, amounting to near 4000 men, and brigadier-general Campbell in the immediate command of the town, I, on the morning of the 16th inftant, reached Saldanha Bay, at the head of the advanced guard, confifting of the light infantry, a body of Hottentots, and fifty of the 25th light dragoons, affifted by brigadier-general M'Kenzie, the remainder of whofe corps, confifting of the grenadiers, the 78th and 80th battalions, fifty more of the 25th, and one hundred of the 28th light dragoons, in all about 2500 men, with two howitzers and nine field pieces, arrived there alfo in an hour after.

In the mean time the admiral had returned to False Bay, and on there receiving the first accounts of the enemy being in Saldanha Bay, had put to fea again with the

utmost expedition; and we had the fatisfaction, from the heights from whence we defcended to the fhores of the Bay, to fee him, with all his fails crowded, advancing with a fair wind directly to the mouth of the harbour, though ftill at fome diftance. One of the enemy's frigates, which lay near the thore to cover their watering, cannonaded us very brifkly as we defcended the heights, though without effect, and we returned their fire with as little, having at that time only three-pounders with us; but a howitzer being brought up, a few fhells were thrown with great precifion by captain Robertfon, who probably would have deftroyed her; but perceiving that our fleet was then entering the Bay, and that there was no poffibility of her efcaping, I defifted from firing, thinking it more for his majefty's intereft that the fhould fhare the fate of the remainder of the fquadron, the capture of which appeared to me to be inevitable, than that we should risk the defiroying her, from a vain punctilio of obliging her to ftrike to us. We then employed ourselves in making the neceffary difpofitions for affording fuch affiftance as might be in our power, in the event of the obftinacy of the enemy obliging the admiral to attack them, as well as fuch as would be expedient in cafe they fhould run their fhips on fhore, neither of which, however, I thought probable. I was accordingly informed, by a letter from fir George the following morning, that the whole had furrendered themselves to him.

The means by which this event has been accomplished, fir, has not afforded any opportunity to his G 2 majefty's

1

majefty's troops of displaying that bravery in his fervice, which I am confident they would have fhewn, had the occafion prefented itself; but if the utmost alacrity and chearfulness, under almost every privation, except that of meat, during a march of ninety miles, through fo barren a country that there exift but five houses in the whole line, **have any merit, I can with truth prefent them to his majefty's troops.

This march, fir, has never yet, I believe, been attempted by any body of troops, however fmall, and, permit me to affure you, has been attended with fuch uncommon difficulties, that it never could have been accomplished but by the difplay of the qualities I have mentioned in the troops, and a union of extraordinary exertions in all the departments concerned. In thefe all have equal claim to my acknowledgements; but I cannot difpenfe without particularizing the intelligence and activity with which, regardless of the uncommon fatigue which attended it, Lieutenant M'Nab, of the 98th regiment, with about twenty of his mounted men, performed the fervice allotted to him of watching the enemy, and preventing any communication with them, from the first moment of their coming into the Bay, till our arrival.

It is, fir, with very particular fatisfaction that I have further to report that I have received, on this occafion, every poffible affiftance from his majesty's fubjects of the colony.

The burgher fenate have difcharged the duty impofed upon them with the greateft readiness, impartiality, and activity, whilst their

requifitions and orders on the inhabitants for their waggons, cattle, and horfes, having been complied with with a chearfulness which could, I am fatisfied, only proceed from a conviction of the preference to be given to his majefty's mild and paternal government over the wild fyftem of anarchy and confufion from which they were furnithing the means of being effectually defended.

This will be delivered to you, fir, by my aide de camp, captain Baynes, who has been in this country fince the first arrival of his majesty's troops under my command, and to whole intelligence and active affistance I have been, on every occafion, highly indebted. I beg leave, fir, moft humbly to recommend him to his majesty's notice.

I have the honour to be,
With the greatest respect,
Sir, &c. &c. -

J. H. CRAIG.

Admiralty Cffice, Nov. 3, 1796. Difpatches, of which the following are copies, (brought by captain John Aylmer, of his majefty's fhip Tremendous) were this day received from the hon. vice admiral fir George Keith Elphinftone, K. B.

Sir,

Monarch, Saldanha Bay,
Aug. 19,1796.

I have the honour to inclose a list of a Dutch fquadron under the command of rear-admiral Engelbertus Lucas, fent hither for the reduction of this colony, but which were compelled to furrender by capitulation, on the 17th inftant, to the detachment of his majefty's hips under my command, named

in No. VII. on the terms alfo inclofed. For further particulars I beg leave to refer you to the accompanying detail of the proceedings of the fquadron from the 4th to the 18th inftant, and I hope the lords commiffioners of the admiralty will approve the measures I have taken, fo effential to the British commercial interests in the Eaft.

The fhips are all coppered, and in good condition, excepting the Caftor, whofe rudder is defective.

In justice to the officers and men I have the honour to command, it is my duty to obferve, that, in confequence of the most violent tempeftuous weather I ever beheld, and the very unpleasant fituations in which the fquadron was at times placed, they cheerfully, and much to their credit, underwent a degree of fatigue hardly credible.

Captain Aylmer will have the honour of presenting thefe difpatches. I beg leave to mention him to their lordships, as a refpe&able gentleman and an active officer.

I have the honour to be,
With great efteem, fir,
Your moft obedient,
humble fervant,
G. K. ELPHINSTONE.

Evan Nepean, Efq.

Monarch, Saldanha Bay,

Sir, Aug. 19, 1796. I have the honour to inform you, that intelligence was received at Cape Town, on the 3d inftant, of a number of fhips having been feen in the offing, at Saldanha Bay, which was confirmed on the 5th. In confequence of this every preparation was made for putting to

fea immediately, with the fquadron under my command; but from the Monarch's main-maft being out, and the tempeftuous weather, I was not able to quit the anchorage in Simon's Bay until the 6th, when we proceeded to fea.

On getting under weigh an officer from the fhore came on board to inform me, that a number of fails had been feen the preceding night in the offing, near Falfe Bay; I then refolved to fteer to the fouthward and weft, in expectation of their having taken that courfe.

The fquadron continued cruizing in the moft tempeftuous weather I have ever experienced, which damaged many of the fhips, and at one time the Ruby had five feet water in her hold: we were joined at fea by his majefiy's fhip Stately, Rattlefnake, and Echo floops. On' the 12th I returned, with a fresh breeze blowing from the fouth east, and, upon anchoring in Simon's Bay, the mafter attendant came off with information that the hips feen, confifting of nine fail, had put into Saldanha Bay on the 6th, the fame day on which I had proceeded to fea; that they remained there by the laft advice, and that four hips had been dispatched in queft of me to communicate this welcome intelligence.

I immediately made the fignal ́ to fail, but the Crefcent, had got afhore; the wind blew ftrong, and increafed on the following day to

a

perfect tempeft, in which the Tremendous parted two cables, drove, and was in great danger of being loft, fo that, notwithstanding every exertion, and the most anxious moments of my life, we could not get out until the 15th. On the 16th the fquadron arrived G 3 off

off Saldanha Bay at fun-fet, and the Crefcent, which had been or dered a-head to difcover information and to report, made the fignal for the enemy, confifting of three fhips of the line, three frigates, and other hips, being moored in the Bay.

The fquadron stood on into the Bay in the order of failing, but the night coming on, and the rear being too far extended for action, I judged it expedient to come to an anchor within fhot of the enemy's hips, and, perceiving their numbers yery inconfiderable in comparifon with the force under my command, I confidered it my duty, and an incumbent act of humanity, to addrefs the Dutch officer in command, and confequently forwarded the letter to him, of which the inclofure No. III. is a copy, by Lieutenant Coffin, of the Monarch, with a flag of truce; to this I received a verbal return, that a pofitive reply thould be fent in the morning at day-break. I was fearful the enemy might attempt to injure the hips, and therefore ordered Lieutenant Coffin, to return immediately with my letter No. IV. to which he brought back the reply No. V.

On the 17th, at nine in the morning, a Dutch officer came on board with a flag, and prefented proposals of terms for capitulation, which you will obferve in the correfpondence, with my remarks and definitive letter; and at five P. M. the terms contained in the inclosed copy were ultimately agreed upon, but it was impoffible to take poffeffion of the thips until the 18th, on account of the ftormy weather.

It affords me the highest fatis faction, therefore, to communicate

to my lords commiffioners of the admiralty, that a fquadron of hips belonging to the United States, under the command of his excellency rear-admiral Engelbertus Lucas, has furrendered to the Britifh force under my command, confifting of three, fhips of the line, two fine frigates, two of 28 guns, and a floop of 18 guns, all completely coppered, ftored, and victualled, together with a large ladened ftore fhip, the names of which are defcribed in the inclofure No. VI. and the British fhips, to whom they are prizes, in the inclosure No. VII.

The confequent joy of this fortunate event is much augmented from the confolatory reflection oɑ its accomplishment without effufion of human blood, or injury to either of the enemy's or British fhips, not a fingle fhot having been.

fired.

I muft, however, beg leave to obferve, that any refiftance on the part of the enemy could only have occafioned the wanton facrifice of a few lives; and I doubt not, that had their numbers been adequate to the contention, their conduct would have confirmed the acknowledged merit at all times recorded to the martial fpirit of fubjects of the United States; and I can with fimilar confidence affure you, that the officers and men under my command, would have exhibited a conduct equally creditable to themselves.

The repeated advices communicated in your letters, refpecting the enemy's forces deftined to this quarter, agreed fo correctly with the intelligence I obtained by other, means, that I have long been expecting their arrival, and was

thereby

thereby enabled to be perfectly prepared to receive them, and conftantly to keep a vigilant look

out.

I have the honour to be,
With great efteem, fir,
Your moft obedient,
Humble fervant,

G. K. ELPHINSTONE.

Evan Nepean, Sq.

No. III. To his excellency the admiral, or the officer commanding the flips of the United States now lying in Saldanha

Bay.

Sir,

It is unneceffary for me to detail the force I have the honour to command, because it is in your view, and fpeaks for itfelf; but it is for you to confider the efficacy of a refiftance with the force under your command

Humanity is an incumbent duty on all men, therefore, to spare an effufion of human blood, I request a furrender of the fhips under your command, otherwife it will be my duty to embrace the earliest moment of making a ferious attack on them, the iffue of which is not difficult for you to guess.

I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) G K. ELPHINSTONE.
His majesty's fhip Monarch, Sal-
danha Bay, Aug 16, 1796.

No. IV. To his Excellency the
Rear-admiral, commander in
chief of the Dutch fhips lying in
Saldanha Bay.

Sir,

I am this inftant honoured with your verbal anfwer to my letter of this date, and delivered to me by Lieutenant Coffin, of the Monarch,

If I understand him right, it is, that a flag of truce fubfifs between your excellency, on the part of the States General, and myfelf, on behalf of his Britannic majefty, and. as was demonftrated by my difplaying a flag of truce before I difpatched the first letter delivered to you by lieutenant Coffin, and which truce is to continue until It is, day-light in the morning. therefore, my duty to require a pofitive affurance, that no damage fhall be done to any of the ships or veffels of war, public ftores, or effects, that may be placed under your command, otherwife I thall not confider myfelf in duty bound to restrain an immediate attack, or to treat fuch prifoners as may fall into my hands in a manner fuitable to my general inclinations or his majefty's orders in fimilar cafes, I have the honour to be, &c.

(Signed) G. K. ELPHINSTONE. His majesty's fhip Monarch, Saldanha Bay, dug. 16, 1796.

No. V.-To his excellency admiral G. K. Elphinstone, commander in chief of his Britannic majefty's fquadron.

[blocks in formation]
« ZurückWeiter »