The Spanish governor of Louifiana, Don Bernardo 1780. de Galvez, having fucceeded in his expedition against the British fettlements and forces on the Miffiffippi, extended his views, and concerted a plan with the governor of the Havannah, in pursuance of which he was to be reinforced early in the prefent year, by a confiderable embarkation from that place. De Galvez, concluding that the expected force was on its paffage, embarked all the force he could raife, and proceeded on his expedition under the convoy of some small frigates and other armed veffels. After a continued ftruggle with adverse and stormy weather, and other impediments for near a month, fix fhips ran upon a fand bank in the channel of the bay of Mobille, three of which were lost though the crews were faved. The commander had the further mortification, on reviewing his troops, to find, that there were about 800 who had been fhipwrecked and had faved only their perfons. The greateft part of the whole were naked, and much of the provision, ammunition and artillery, was loft. The Spaniards bore their misfortunes with patience; and instead of fhrinking under difcouragements, endeavoured to convert their lofs into. a benefit, by breaking up their wrecked veffels, and framing out of them ladders and other machines neceffary for an escalade. Those who had preferved their arms, divided them with fuch as had none, fo as to make them the most useful: and they that still remained unarmed, undertook the laborious fervice of the army. De Galvez had no reafon to repent his perfeverance. He was ftrengthened by the arrival of four armed veffels from the Havannah, with a part of the regiment of Navarre on board. This arrival, with a quantity of

1

1780. artillery, ftores, and various neceffaries, afforded a fudden renovation of vigor and life to every thing. The former troops were speedily reimbarked, and after a fresh enFeb. counter with new storms, difficulties and dangers, the 25. whole were landed within three leagues of Mobille. Mr. Durnford, a captain of engineers and lieutenant governor of West Florida, commanded the poor garri fon, amounting to 284, including regulars, royalifts, artillery men, feamen, 54 inhabitants and 51 armed negroes. On the 12th of March the Spaniards opened their battery, confifting of eight 18, and one 24 pounder. Mar. By fun fet the garrifon hung out a white flag; the capitulation however was not figned till the 14th in the morning, when they furrendered prisoners of war. The furrender appeared inevitable, but was attended with circumstances exceedingly vexatious to the British. Gen. Campbell had marched from Pensacola, (as the Spaniards fay) with 1100 regulars and fome artillery for their relief, and was accompanied by fome Indians. The van of Campbell's force was at no great diftance from the Spanish camp, when the fort was capitulating; and the Spaniards used the utmost precaution and expedition, in taking poffeffion of and covering themselves with the works, that they might be fecured against an attack, De Galvez boasted, that the British forces in the field and garrison were fuperior in number to his own; and fcrupled not to declare openly, that with the smallest activity and vigor in their works, the garrifon might have made good their defence until the arrival of the fuccour. But it feems as though the lieut. governor had not, from the beginning, the fmalleft idea of any attempt being made for the relief of the place; and accordingly,

on the appearance of the enemy, he confidered its lofs 1780. as a matter of course, and inevitable neceffity.

Aprif

Sir George Rodney arrived at Grofs Iflet bay on the 27th of March. The French admiral de Guichen, having put to fea from Martinico with a fleet of 23 fail of the line and a 50 gun fhip, Sir George speedily pursued him with 20 fhips of the line and the Centurion. The French were brought to action by fome of his headmost fhips, a little before one o'clock; and about the fame 17 hour, he himself in the Sandwich of 90 guns, commenced the action in the centre. After beating three ships out of the line, he was at length encountered alone by Mr. de Guichen in the Couronne of the fame force, fupported by his two feconds. The Sandwich fuftained the unequal combat for an hour and a half, when the French commander with his feconds bore away, whereby the French line of battle was totally broke in the centre. The great distance of the British van and rear from their own centre, and the crippled condition of feveral of their ships, and the particularly dangerous state of the Sandwich, rendered an immediate purfuit impoffible. The French took fhelter under Guadaloupe, and Sir George his station off Fort Royal. In his public letter he spoke of de Guichen as a brave and gallant officer, and as having the honor of being nobly fupported during the whole action; but commended none of the British officers, except those of the Sandwich; though it appears from his lift, that while the Sandwich had 18 killed and 51 wounded, the Cornwall, capt. Edwards, had 21 killed and 49 wounded; the Trident, capt. Molloy, had 14 killed and 26 wounded; and the Conqueror, adm. Rowley's fhip, capt. Watfon, had 13 killed and

Feb.

1780. artillery, stores, and various neceffaries, afforded a fudden renovation of vigor and life to every thing. The former troops were speedily reimbarked, and after a fresh encounter with new ftorms, difficulties and dangers, the 25. whole were landed within three leagues, of Mobille. Mr. Durnford, a captain of engineers and lieutenant governor of Weft Florida, commanded the poor garri fon, amounting to 284, including regulars, royalists, artillery men, feamen, 54 inhabitants and 51 armed negroes. On the 12th of March the Spaniards opened their battery, consisting of eight 18, and one 24 pounder. Mar. By fun fet the garrifon hung out a white flag; the capi14. tulation however was not figned till the 14th in the morning, when they furrendered prifoners of war. The furrender appeared inevitable, but was attended with circumftances exceedingly vexatious to the British. Gen. Campbell had marched from Pensacola, (as the Spaniards fay) with 1100 regulars and fome artillery for their relief, and was accompanied by fome Indians. The van of Campbell's force was at no great distance from the Spanish camp, when the fort was capitulating; and the Spaniards used the utmost precaution and expedition, in taking poffeffion of and covering themfelves with the works, that they might be fecured against an attack. De Galvez boasted, that the British forces in the field and garrison were fuperior in number to his own; and fcrupled not to declare openly, that with the fmalleft activity and vigor in their works, the garrifon might have made good their defence until the arrival of the fuccour. But it feems as though the lieut. governor. had not, from the beginning, the fmalleft idea of any attempt being made for the relief of the place; and accordingly,

on the appearance of the enemy, he confidered its lofs 1780. as a matter of course, and inevitable neceffity.

Sir George Rodney arrived at Grofs Iflet bay on the 27th of March. The French admiral de Guichen, having put to fea from Martinico with a fleet of 23 fail of the line and a 50 gun fhip, Sir George speedily pursued him with 20 fhips of the line and the Centurion. The French were brought to action by fome of his headmost April fhips, a little before one o'clock; and about the fame 17 hour, he himself in the Sandwich of 90 guns, commenced the action in the centre. After beating three ships out of the line, he was at length encountered alone by Mr. de Guichen in the Couronne of the fame force, fupported by his two feconds. The Sandwich fuftained the unequal combat for an hour and a half, when the French commander with his feconds bore away, whereby the French line of battle was totally broke in the centre. The great distance of the British van and rear from their own centre, and the crippled condition of feveral of their ships, and the particularly dangerous state of the Sandwich, rendered an immediate purfuit impoffible. The French took fhelter under Guadaloupe, and Sir George his station off Fort Royal. In his public letter he spoke of de Guichen as a brave and gallant officer, and as having the honor of being nobly fupported during the whole action; but commended none of the British officers, except those of the Sandwich; though it appears from his lift, that while the Sandwich had 18 killed and 51 wounded, the Cornwall, capt. Edwards, had 21 killed and 49 wounded; the Trident, capt. Molloy, had 14 killed and 26 wounded; and the Conqueror, adm. Rowley's fhip, capt. Watson, had 13 killed and