1779. vereignty. The smallest disorder or pillage was not permitted; and the marquis, in lieu of plunder, rewarded the foldiers and volunteers with a confiderable gratuity in ready money. His stay was short: he left a garrifon of 1500 men behind him, who with the strength of the works, and the powerful artillery in their hands, will be able to defend Dominica effectually. We are in expectation of hearing foon of count d'Estaing's operationss. April 12 An embargo having been laid in the fouthern ftates on the exportation of grain and flour to these eaftern ones, occafioned a scarcity of bread at Bofton. What from drought the last summer, a blight on the rye, the neglect of tillage by the husbandman's being called off to the army, and divers other causes, the inhabitants of the farming towns could not afford a fufficient fupply to the fea-ports. These have fitted out a number of cruisers, which in some instances have procured a temporary relief; but "the trade and harbours upon the Massachusetts fea coafts have been left in fuch an unguarded and defenceless situation, that where the Bay-men have taken one vessel from the enemy, their small privateers out of New York have taken ten from them *." The last month the Bostonians were in great distress for want of flour: but the other day a cargo of it happily arrived from Baltimore. The Massachusett's house of assembly, judging it absolutely necessary that so the army might be kept together, have engaged to make good the wages of the officers and foldiers raised in this state, at the close of the contest, provided it is not done by congrefs. : * The Maffachusetts council. T LE ETTER VII. FRIEND G. 1 Rotterdam, May 14, 1779. HE present letter shall begin with what was a chief 1778. fubject in the former-our British admiral Keppel. When he returned to Plymouth, he experienced the benefit arifing from temperate conduct. Unanimity prevailed among the officers, and every exertion was made in refitting the ships: fo that he failed on his second cruise the 24th of August, and kept the fea as long as the approaching winter could admit. The French fleet left Brest a week before; but steered to the fouthward, and amused themselves about Cape Finisterre; thus their own coasts and the bay were abandoned to the British, who were in vain endeavouring to obtain intelligence of them. The French commerce now became a prey to the British cruifers, in a degree which few former wars had equalled for the time, while the trade of Britain arrived in a state of security, scarcely exceeded by that of peace. The reception which adm. Keppel met with on his return from sea, both at court and at the admiralty, equalled his most sanguine expectations. An attempt however was made on his character from an unexpected quarter. Sir Hugh Palliser, on the 9th of December, preferred to the lords of the admiralty articles of accusation against him, for offences supposed to have been 779 force admiral Byron. On the 8th of March, admiral Hughes, with fix ships of the line under his command, having the East and West India fleets under convoy, failed from St. Helens for the East Indies, accompanied by several other men of war, some in different services, and others to return after attending the merchantmen to a certain latitude. The following accounts have been received from the West Indies. 1778. While the marquis de Bouille was engaged in reducing Dominica, admiral Barrington, with two ships of the line and fome frigates, lay at Barbadoes, waiting merely for inftructions which he had been ordered to expect at that place, and which were not yet arrived. It was the French declaration of war, published at Martinico, that first informed him of hostilities. The lofs of two of Sir Peter Parker's frigates, taken by the French on the coast of Hispaniola, proved also the earliest mean of conveying intelligence to that admiral, as well as to the government of Jamaica, where he was stationed, that a war had actually commenced. No fooner did adm. Barrington receive information of the invasion of Dominica, than he dispensed with the violation of his orders, and proceeded to its intended relief. He was too late, as the conquest was but the work of a day: his small squadron however, removed the panic which had fpread through the neighbouring islands, and effectually curbed the further enterprises of the enemy. Count d'Estaing failed from Boston, and commodore Hotham with the troops under gen. Grant from Sandy Hook, each on the fame day for the West Indies. Both fleets were equally involved in a gale of wind while 1778 on their passage. The French were greatly dispersed, which probably saved the British convoy from the danger of encountering an unequal force, steering unknown to the commodore the like course with himself. The relative situation of the fleets was a secret to both commanders: but they were so near on the 28th of November, that a British brigantine with four horses, fell into the hands of d'Estaing. The commodore's fleet was the most numerous; but he had the skill and happiness of keeping them together during the gale, and of getting the start of the count, so as to arrive without any other lofs than of the brig at Barbadoes, where he joined adm. Barrington on the 10th of December. Dec. 100 An expedition for the reduction of St. Lucie, was immediately undertaken without fuffering the troops to land. Within two days they failed for the island; and the referve of the army, confifting of the 5th regiment, with the grenadiers and light infantry of the whole, under general Meadows, landed at the grand Cul de Sac on the 13th in the evening. That officer immediately 13. pushed forward with his detachment, to the heights on the north fide of the bay, which were occupied by the French commandant with the regular forces and militia. These posts he foon forced. While this was doing, gen. Prescot landed with five regiments, with which he guarded the environs of the bay, and pushed on advanced posts, so as to preserve a communication during the night with the reserve. When morning appeared, the reserve, supported by Prescot, advanced and took possession of the small capital of Morne Fortune. The chevalier de Micoud made what defence he was able, : 1778. but was compelled, by the fuperiority of force, to retire from one poft to another, as the British pressed forward. Prescot took poffeffion of the batteries and posts in the rear of the reserve as they advanced. Meadows pushed forward under the heat of a burning fun, and poffefsed himself of the Viergie, which commanded the north fide of the Careenage harbour; and Sir Henry Calder, with the four remaining battalions, guarded the landingplace, kept up the communication with the fleet, and fent detachments to occupy several posts on the mountains, which looked down upon and commanded the fouth side of the grand Cul de Sac. The laft French flag on those posts, which were in fight among the neighbouring hills, was scarcely struck, when count d'Estaing appeared in view of the fleet and army with a prodigious force. Beside his original squadron of twelve ships of the line, he was accompanied by a numerous fleet of frigates, privateers, and tranfports, with a land force estimated at 9000 men. The count intended the reduction of Barbadoes, the Grenades, and St. Vincents. In his way to the first, where he expected to have found Barrington with only two line of battle ships and a few frigates, he received intelligence of the attack on St. Lucie, which he might confider as a circumstance that seemed to throw the whole British force by fea and land, an easy prey into his hands. In all human probability, this must have been the inevitable event, had he arrived twenty-four hours fooner: but the day being far advanced, he deferred his operations till the ensuing morning. During the night, adm. Barrington exerted all his powers in getting the tranf ports warped into the bottom of the bay, to be as re |