left in Basse Terre, until the evacuation of fort Matilda, the last post held by the British, Dec. 10th, 1794[1].
The Inspector being paid off about Aug. 1795, Lieutenant James was then appointed to the Alfred 74; in which ship he served under Captains Drury and Totty, until she also was put out of commission, on her return from the West Indies, in the autumn of 1798. Whilst in her, he assisted at the capture of la Favorite, French national ship mounting 22 guns; la Renommée frigate of 44 guns and 320 men; and le Scipio corvette, of 20 guns; also at the recapture of two British transports; and at the reduction of St. Lucia and Trinidad. He likewise bore apart in the unsuccessful attack upon Porto Rico; all which will be seen by reference to our memoir of Captain John Richards, at p. 11 et seq. of this volume.
Lieutenant James’s next appointment was (immediately after leaving the Alfred), to command the Attack gun-brig;
- ↑ After Sir Charles Grey’s final departure from Guadaloupe, the republican troops remained quiet in Grande Terre until they received a considerable reinforcement from Europe; when they proceeded to Basse Terre, landed at Goyave and Lamentin, on the 27th Sept., and immediately marched to attack the camp at Berville, commanded by Brigadier-General Graham, who defended that position with the utmost gallantry and spirit, until the 6th of Oct., when, finding his provisions nearly exhausted, ami that he was cut off from all communication with the shipping, and without hopes of relief, he was obliged to surrender; his force being reduced to 125 rank and file fit for duty. By this unfortunate event the whole of Guadaloupe, except fort Matilda, fell into the hands of the enemy.
The siege of that fort commenced on the 11th Oct., and early in Dec. the enemy’s batteries were increased so as greatly to exceed the artillery of the garrison. Their fire on the 6th, dismounted all the guns upon the most commanding part of the fort; the curtain from thence to the next bastion near the town, and the facet and flanks of that bastion in many places threatened to fall into the ditch; the number of killed and wounded was proportional to the effect made upon the work, and the place became no longer tenable. At 10 P.M., (Dec. 10th), the remains of the garrison, amounting to 621 officers and men, were safely embarked, without even the knowledge of the French, who continued firing as usual until 2 or 3 A.M. on the 11th.
The services rendered by the navy, during this long and painful siege, were very handsomely acknowledged in the military despatches. See London Gazette, Feb. 14, 1795.
