Oct.1762. Journal of the fiege of the Havannah. fame time. There were two guns remounted in the night upon the battery near the ftone redoubt; but there were two more difmounted immediately afterwards. 14. The four guns in the stone redoubt bat tery were last night mounted on fea-carriages: we had now twenty guns against five or fix, which the enemy began with in the morning. They were reduced to two before dark. The whole front attacked, appeared in a moft Preparations for carrying on approaches had 15th. We played with the fame number of 16th. Our fire as yesterday. The enemy fired in the morning with two guns, and only twice with each. They fired the reft of the day with musketry and wall-pieces, but not much with either. This evening the materials for the approaches began to be advanced. The guns and ammunition are carrying up for the new battery, which is to open to-mor row morning. The enemy feemed to be em ployed in making up frem merions upon the face of the right baltion. 17th. The Valiant's battery opened this morning between ten and eleven. The enemy had no fire on the front attacked, but fired two guns from the left face of the left baftion upon William's battery, and up along the Cavannos. This afternoon we began to ftuff gabions with fafcines for advancing our fap. In the evening our fap was begun, but there being a thick thorny wood to cut through, was advanced but a hitle way. 18th. The enemy's fire this morning was the fame as yesterday. We had two howitzers put in Dixon's battery to fire into the breaches; the fap was carried on this night about two thirds of the way to the small battery at the foot of the forties before the right bastion. There was likewife a small lodgment made at the edge of the wood, before the point of the west bastion. 19th. The enemy fired this morning with three guns from the front attacked; but they were foon filenced. About noon we took poffeffion of the covered way before the point of the right baftion, and the former fap carried on ar pight, and another begun along the covered 559 way before the right face, where we made 20th. This morning the miners were entered : We 21ft. Our fappers and miners continued to carry on their work in this they were much retarded, by meeting often with very large ftones, which coft them much labour to remove. In the night, there being a fufpicion that the ewere very few men in the fort, there was a ferjeant and 12 men that fealed the fea-line a little to the right of the mine, and found only about nine or ten men afleep in that part of the work. They The ferjeant wakened before our men got to them, and ran off immediately to alarm the rest. and his party then came down; and being order ed up a fecond time, found they had taken the Had it been alarm, and a confiderable number affembled, and ready to make an opposition. practicable to fuccour them brifkly, the fort might have been carried at that time; but the attempt was not to be repeated. 228. About four this morning there was a fally made by the enemy from the town, which, by the information of prisoners, amounted to 1500 men, divided into three different parties. One pushed up the bank behind the Shepherd's battery. They were flopped for near an hour, by the guard pofled there, confifting only of about 30 men, commanded by Lt-C. Stuart, of the 90th regiment, until he was joined by a The fire continued hot all bout 100 fappers, and the third battalion of Royal Americans. that time. The enemy were then driven down the bank with great flaughter; as many as could, got into their boats, and many leaped into the Water came. would have been of confiderable use all along, if it could have been ferved without erecting other batteries to check the fire of the Moro it felf, upon that fide: but that could not be undertaken, as our troops were already fufficiently employed in the works of the real attack. Brig. Burton arrived with the first of the troops from North America, and was ordered to the west fide. water, where there were 150 drowned. Another party endeavoured to push up by the faliant angle of the Moro, to attack our fappers upon the glacis, and their covering party; but they were beat off, in a very short time. The third party went up the bank of the Spanish redoubt; but finding our people ready to receive them, they returned very peaceably from whence they The alarm was entirely over, and our people returned to their work, by eight o'clock. The enemy's lofs was faid to be near 400 men, killed, drowned, and taken; befides the wound ed that got off. We had about 50 men killed and wounded. The enemy cannonaded us moft violently, when their troops were beat down the bank, from the Punta, west bastion, and from the lines and flanks of the entrance, and from their fhipping. They even killed fome of their own men, fo eager they were to kill us. At the fame time that their troops, were attacking, we faw they had great numbers paraded in the town, and fome of them going into boats to fuftain the attack; but when they perceived the rough treatment their comrades had met with, they prudently dropped the attempt 23d. The former works continue in hand, viz. fapping, mining, and making fafcines. This day a sketch of the batteries against the town, and defences of the harbour, to be erected along the Cavannos, after the Moro fhould be taken, were laid before the Earl of Albemarle, and approved of by his Lordship. 24th. The former works in hand, and the materials collecting for a four-gun battery, to the left of the Spanish redoubt, to be called This battery to be opened against La Fuerza, and to enfilade the two next flanks, facing the entrance of the harbour. There was a party of 600 negroes ordered this day, for fafcine-making, and to be continued upon that fervice: but they feldom amounted to above a half, or even a third of that number, occafioned by sickness, and other preffing duties. 25th. The fame works in hand as yesterday. There was a road made from the rear of William's battery, up to the Spanish redoubt, co vered from the town, to ferve as a communication to the new defigned batteries upon the Cavannos. This afternoon there was a battery for five guns begun, to the right of the rear of Dixon's battery, to open against the Punta This battery is called 26. The former works in hand, and the battery begun, to the left of the Spanish redoubt, This morning a two-decked merchant's frigate across the entrance before the weft baftion, within the boom, and near the funk fhips, was funk, by a howitzer, near Dixon's battery. This ship had annoyed as very much. 27th. The former works in hand, and a mortar-battery begun' at the Spanish redoubt. There was likewife a battery begun for three guns, to re upon boats landing at the Moro, which 28th. The former works in band. This afternoon a large merchant ship of the enemy's caught fire by lightning within the harbour, and blew up in ten minutes. At night there was a battery for two mortars begun to the right of the Spanish redoubt: and one for five guns againft Fort La Punta upon the left of our fap, near the point of the Moro. 29th. The former works in hand. The mines were this day preparing for being sprung tomorrow morning. 30th. About two this morning the enemy fent two boats and a floating battery out of the harbour, to fire into the ditch where our miners were at work. They fired grape and small arms, but without any other effect, than a short ins terruption of the work. The covering party fired to fmartly upon them, that they were foon obliged to retire. About two o'clock in the afternoon the mines were fprung. That in the counterfcarp had not a very confiderable effect; but that in the bastion having thrown down a part of both faces, made a breach, which the general and chief engineer thought practicable; upon which the troops under orders for the af fault, were ordered to mount; which they did with the greatest refolution; and forming very expeditiously upon the top of the breach, foon drove the enemy from every part of the ramparts. The Spaniards had about 130 men, with feveral officers, killed; about 400 threw down their arms, and were made prifoners; the rest were either killed in boats, or drowned in attempting to escape to the Havannah. Our lofs in this glorious affair, amounted to two officers killed, and about thirty men killed and wounded. 31. Our preparations were carried on with all poffible diligence, for erecting the intended batteries upon the Cavannos. The enemy's fire continued very hot against the Moro: they pointed chiefly at that part of the work where the cistern was, in hopes, no doubt, of letting out the water. Lord Albemarle went this evening to the weft fide of the town, to reconnoitre the ground there, and fee in what manner attacks might be carried on with the most advan tage on that fide, in cafe of occafion. Auguft ft. The enemy's fire ftill continued a gainst the Moro. This evening Gen. Keppel determined to erect the remainder of the batte ries to be erected upon the Cavannos; some by the ift and 3d brigades, and fome by the fai lors; and to begin them to-morrow nights ad. This morning, before day, the enemy fent Oct. 1762. Journal of the fiege of the Havannah. fent down a 74 gun fhip into the entrance, and moored her oppofite to the Fuerza; fhe directed her fire likewise against the Moro. There were two howitzers run into the battery to fire at her, which incommoded her a good deal. The bateries mentioned yesterday were begun this night, y the two brigades and failors; they confifted f 35 pieces of cannon. 34. The former works in hand, and carried n with diligence. This morning the chief en ineer was ordered to the weftward of the town, o reconnoitre the ground, for attacking that fide a cafe of occasion. This evening the enemy's hip oppofite to the Fuerza, mentioned yesterday, was removed by our howitzers, with a good deal f confusion. 4th. The chief engincer reported to Lord Albemarle, That as the Moro was now in our offeffion, there was, to the weftward of the own, a very advantageous attack to be formed gainst the polygons next the Punta, by the coer of a bank running along fhore from the Laaro to Fort la Punta, fuppofing that fort filened: That there was a road upon the bank shich was, for a confiderable way, covered both rom Fort la Punta and every part of the town; hat the road was at prefent flopped up by trees elled on each fide, but might be eafily cleared; ut as attacks upon that ground would in fome legrée ftand in the line of fire of our batteries pon the oppofite fide, it would be most advife. ble to delay them until thefe batteries had in ome measure effected their defign; and efpeially as they might of themselves, perhaps, anwer the end without farther, trouble. 5th. The works and batteries on the Moro ide in hand as before, and fome of the platorms begun to be laid. It was now difficult to et materials for this purpose, thofe from Engand and Martinico being expended; but by the Admiral's affiftance, the materials were got. Lord Albemarle took up his head quarters this evenng on the weft fide. 6th. The works in hand as yesterday; and eing confiderably advanced, and the men much atigued, there was none allowed for this night. -There were thirty carpenters from the promcial troops, lately arrived, now employed to flat in making platforms. There was a comnand of engineers, and a proportion of intrenchng tools, ordered to the well road, the former o go as foon as the batteries and works on the aft fide fhould be ready, and the tools to be hip. ed immediately. The chief engineer was ordered o repair to that fide, and there remain. 7th. The former works upon the eaft fide were going on, and fafcine-parties ordered to work on the weft fide. 8th. The former works in hand on the caft fide, but fafcine making was retarded confiderably on the weft fide for want of tools. This afternoon the ship arrived on the weft fide with the intrenching tools; but the fhip being very ickly, there were none landed, In the even .. VOL. XXIV. 561 ing Lord Albemarle went himself to reconnoitre the road and ground between the Lazaro and the Punta, and ordered fome posts to be taken up farther advanced. 9th. The intrenching tools were landed this day, by the affistance of the men of war, in the afternoon. The enemy having discovered our reconnoitring towards the Punta for fome days past, set fome houfes near the road on fire, to prevent their being a shelter for us. In the e. vening there was a party of 200 men ordered to make a redoubt upon the road to the Punta, with a covering party of the fame number: the place intended for the redoubt, which was partly upon the road, being much incumbered, as mentioned before, all they could do was, to clear off the trees, and form an abbates in the front and flanks for prefent defence. 10th. At day-break this morning the enemy having difcovered the covering party, and fuf pecting our having been at work, began to cannonade along the road pretty warmly, but with little execution. About ten in the morning, our batteries being ready to open on the call fide. and we to open ground on the weft fide, Lord Albemarle fent a flag of truce by an aid-decamp to acquaint the Governor with the ruin that threatened the place, and fummoned him to capitulate. The Governor, after keeping the flag from that time till between three and four in the afternoon, in the open fields, at fome hundred yards diftance from the works, fent him back, and before he had got two thirds of the way, began to fire. We at the fame time faw many people leaving the town with loads. In the evening there was a party fent to carry on the works as before. 11th. At day-break this morning, all our batteries opened, confitting of 43 pieces of cannon, and 8 mortars. The advantage of pofi tion, as well as fuperior five, became visible very foon. Fort la Punta was flenced between nine and ten. The north bastion, almost in about an hour afterwards, but now and then fired a fhot. Between one and two we discovered a great number of the enemy running off from the Punta, as if they had abandoned it. About two o'clock there were flags of truce hung out all around the garrison, and on board the admiral's fhip. Soon after, there arrived a flag of truce at our head quarters by Don fort-major, his fon, and an interpreter, which proved to be with propofals for a capitulation. Sir George Pocock was then fent for, and the business entered upon as foon as he came. The works were flopt for this night, and the flag re turned about dusk. 12th. The trace continued. This day the flag was fent in, and returned; and fent in a gain in the evening. The works were ordered to be carried on as before, which gave room to expect the hostilities were to be renewed in the morning; but the capitulation was fiuled before that time. 4 E 13h. Say LA pulation was figned and fealed; the long time it took to be fettled, is faid to be owing to an unreafonable carneftnefs in the enemy to fave their fhipping, which they at length gave up. 14th. About ten this morning, Gen. Keppel, with men, took poffeffion of Fort la Punta, and, about noon, of the Punta gate and baftion, at both which places there were British colours hoifted having been evacuated by the enemy. Brig Howe took poffeffion of the Land gate, with two battalions of grenadiers, much about the fame time. [The articles of capitulation, and the Returns of killed, wounded, c. are inferted in our laft [500 503.]· In the gazette-extraordina ry the following State and Return are inferted be. fore the Return of the killed, wounded, missing, and dead.] State of all kind of officers, ferjeants, drummers, and flaiers, belonging to the garrison of the Havannah, and which are to be imbarked on board bis Britannic Majefty's veffels, Second regiment of Spain. Field and staff-offieers: 1 aid-de-camp. 1 chaplain, 1 furgeon.Officers: 5 captains, 15 fubalterns. war, and the fick and wounded left in the town, are not included in this return. Return of guns, mortars, and principal ftores, found in the Moro castle, city of Havannah, and Punta, the 14th of August 1762. Brafs ordnance. One 42 pounder, four 36 pounders, three 32 pounders, eleven 26 pounders, one 24 pounder, three 20 pounders, eight 18 pounders, fourteen 16 pounders, five 15 pounders, thirty-one twelve pounders, fix 10 pounders, three & pounders, one 7 pounder, four 6 pounders, three 5 pounders, one four and a half pounders, three 4 pounders. Total brass ordnance, 102. Iron ordnance. Two 36 pounders, twenty-five 26 pounders, fixty-eight 24 pounders, fixty-feven 18 pounders, forty-feven 16 pounders, fixteen 12 pounders, fix 11 pounders, eighteen 8 pounders. Total iron ordnance, 249. Brafs mortars. One 9 inch, one 8 inch, three 5 inch, four four and a half inch. 537 Iron Mortars. One 13 inch, one 12 inch. Troop: Hand granadoes fixed, To 16 ferjeants, 11 drummers, 317 foldiers. tal 367. Families: 4 officers wives, 3 chil dren; 6 foldiers wives, 3 children. Total 21. Field and flaff Second regiment of Arragon. officers: aid-de-camp, I chaplain, 1 furgeon. Officers: 2 captains, 8 fubalterns -Troop: 9 ferjeants, 9 drummers, 137 foldiers. Total 168. The Havannah regiment. Field and staff of ficers: 1 colonel, I ferjeant-major, 1 aid-decamp, I chaplain.- Officers: 3 captains, 21 fubalterns. Troop: 2 ferjeants, 2 drummers, 131 foldiers. Total 163.- Families: 8 offi cers wives, 17 children. Total 25. Companies of the Artillery. Officers: 1 captain, 3 fubalterns. Troop: 1 ferjeant, 1 drummer, 10 foldiers. Total 16.-Families: 2 of. ficers wives, 2 children, Total 4. Edinburgh dragoons. Field and ftaff officers: I colonel, lieutenant-colonel, 1 ferjeant major, aid-de camp, I chaplain, 1 furgeon.Officers: 6 captains, 9 fubalterns.-Troop: 8 ferjeants, 6 drummers, 130 foldiers. Total 165. Families: 2 offers wives, 3 children, I foldier's wife. Total 6. Hrvannah dragoons. Field and ftaff officers: Y colonel, I lieutenant-colonel.- Troop: 2 ferjeants, 53 foldiers. Total 57. Family: 1 officer's wife. Total: Field and staff officers: 3 colonels, 2 lieutenant-colonels, 2 ferjeant-majors, 4 aid-decamps, 4 chaplains, 3 furgeons. Officers: 17 captains, 56 fubalterns. Troop: 38 ferjeants, 29 drummers, 778 foldiers. Total 936. Families: 7 officers wives, 30 children; 7 foldiers wives, 3 children. Total 57. N. B. The prisoners on board our men of Mufket-ball. Quintals, Empty bells, of all forts, Round fhot, 24 pounders, 18 ditto 16 ditto 12 ditto 8 ditto 4157 125000 500 39 460 7603 1613 5650 1458 80 Extracts from a journal of the fiege, down to July 14. by a land-officer, who ferved in the camp before the Moro caftle. May 27th. The feet under the command of Sir George Pococke, confifting of 19 fail of the line, about 18 frigates, floops, and bombs, and about 150 tranfports, having on board near 10,000 troops under the command of the Earl of Albemarle, left Cape Nicholas on the NW. part of Hifpaniola. The plan being fettled, orders were distributed for the failing of this great flect, in feven diviñons, through the old freights of the Bahama; an undertaking far fuperior to any thing we know of in our times, or read of in the past, as few fhips care to go through this dangerous paffage at any time, much lefs fuch a fleet, and deffitute of pilots that profeffed any knowledge of it, and almoft of any information of the paffage that could be relied on: yet the Admiral, feeling the importance of the time this paffage would fave, and animated by a zeal for the fervice of his king and country, purfued his plan with that chearfulness, coolnets, and intre pidity, Oct. 1762. Operations at the Havannah. pidity, which is peculiar to himself, and with which he has ever fuccefsfully executed every commiffion committed to his truft. Frigates, finaller veffels, and even the great fhips boats were fent ahead of the flet, and fo diftributed on both shores, with fuch proper and well-adapted fignals for the day and night, that not only reconciled every one to the dangers and rifk of fo hazardous an undertaking, but almost infured our fuccefs. We were often in fight of the low quays of each fide. June 14th. Col. Carleton, with Capt. Elphin fton of the Richmond, was fent with a flag of truce, and a letter for the Governor of the Havannah, to remonstrate on the cruelties the Spaniards committed on our people; but as the Governor would not receive their perfons, they returned without delivering it. 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th. The feamen were employed in landing cannon and flores, and tranf porting the latter to the battery, cutting the roads and fascines, and working so laboriously, it frequently coft us two and three men of a day, dying on the spot, through mere heat and fa. tigue. 25th, 26th, 27th. Orders were given by the Admiral to prepare the Dragon, Capt. Hervey, of 74 guns; the Cambridge, Capt. Gooftree, of So; and the Marlborough, Capt. Burnet, of 74; to go against Moro castle; and the Stirling -Cattle, Capt. Campbell, of 70, to be under fail, and cover the anchoring of those three fhips, that were put under the directions of Capt. Hervey, who had offered himself for this fervice. Major Moneypenny, with the light infantry, furprised and made prifoners of about 60 or 70 of the enemy's horfe-militia. 563 time aground; fo that they were all ordered off about two in the afternoon, after near feve hours of the hottest fire on both fides ever seen. The Cambridge was fo thattered, that had not the Dragon and the Marlborough (to the immortal honour of their captains), remained fome time longer to cover that ship's retreat, he would have been fo diftreffed as not to have got off. The 4th. The Moo was found much stronger than was imagined, and the Spaniards more refolute than was expected. This caftle is commanded by a captain of a man of war, and fought by feamen from their fhips. Our people grew fatigued by heat and hard labour. want of water near them was a distress, and the difappointment of the Moro not being reduced fo fpeedily as at firft they were made to hope, helped to weaken the spirits of low and weak minds. Sickness alfo increafed faft upon our people. Yet we faw and found every want relieved, and amply fupplied, by the Admiral's attention; not only to give us every article that could be asked, but, by his own fagacious fore feeing, and his own anxiety providing every thing that we could want. The 4000 men expected from America were much to be wished for, but even this the Admiral leffened our thoughts about, by incamping feamen with us, exclufive of thofe which were daily employed in all the hard labours which the ships undertook. 6th. The ordnance made a demand for 20,000 fand bags, feveral working-tools for the artillery park; we had therefore recourfe again to the fhips; and directions were given for them to be fupplied us from condemned fails, and all the bifcuit-bags. Several hundred mantlets, made of condemned cables and cordage, were to be made, wades to be given by the fhips, -in short, almost every article was already wanted. 11th, 12th. Our men continued very fickly, and the feamen grew very much fo. July ift. At day-light, we faw our two batteries opened on the Moro with great fuccefs. The enemy returned a very smart fire: which was taken off from us at feven, as foon as the icawind came in; for the Dragon, Cambridge, and 13th. We opened a four-gun battery, fought Marlborough ran down, and placed theinfelves by feamen under the command of Capt. Lindclofe to the Moro caftle. The Stirling Cafle fay, which annoyed the enemy very much, and kept at a distance, to the great furprise of all a more conftant and heavier fire kept on the cathe fpectators. Those three hips continued foffe this day than had ever been. We were obwarm and refolute a fire on the enemy, that they liged to reduce fome of our guards, and call in gave our batteries an opportunity of difmounting fome outposts, the men were fo fickly. moil of the enemy's cannon to the land, as their attention was wholly employed on thofe fhips, From a naval officer, Havannah harbour, Aug. 18. whom they appeared determined to treat as their great advantage permitted them; for about noon the Cambridge and Dragon feemed very much torn to pieces by the fort, which was evidently too high for them, and the Punta and Town forts on the western fide kept a very warm fire, over the Moro, upon thefe hips; and the number of thells thrown (one of which burst in the Cambridge) endangered the fhips fo much, that whatever damage they could do to the fort was not thought equal to that which they receied, and to the lofs of the hips, which they risked; for as the Dragon had anchored fo near the fort, when the tide went out the lay fome Our fea-folks began a new kind of fire, unknown, or at least unpractifed by artillery-people. The greatest fire from one piece of cannon is reckoned by them from 80 to 90 times in twenty four hours, but our people went on fea-fyftem firing, extremely quick, and with the best direction ever feen; and in fixteen hours fired their guns 145 times. The defences of the cafle, that, during the erecting the batteries, had been made immenfely ftrong, gave way to the feamens fire, and their cannon were all difmounted; but the next night they mounted freth guns, and the fucceeding day difmounted them again; and in three or four days the 4 E 2 enemy's |