upon the rocks on the west side of the harbour. Captain Brisbane had by this time landed with his boat’s crew; but learning from Captain Wood of the Latona, that the Hatslar had called for quarter, he pushed off from the shore with 4 or 5 men, and got on board in time to haul down the enemy’s colours with his own hands[1]. The boats of the squadron were now ordered to land, and Fort Amsterdam was instantly taken possession of without resistance, although the garrison consisted of 275 regular troops. The Commodore was the first person who scaled the walls, and on this occasion also struck the Dutch flag. About this period the Governor of Curaçoa arrived in a boat from his country house, accompanied by a lady; and stopping under the Latona’s stern, was desired by her commander to proceed to the fort, where he would find Captain Brisbane, and receive no molestation. He accordingly went thither, and after half an hour’s deliberation, during which preparations were made for warping the frigates up against Fort Republique, agreed to surrender the island and its dependencies to the crown of Great Britain.
By ten o’clock the British flag was hoisted on Fort Republique; the whole of the island, defended by 1200 militia, besides a considerable number of regular troops, having been reduced, and brought into the quiet possesion of the English, by a force not exceeding 800 effective men, in less than four hours.
The splendour of this achievement might well excite the astonishment of the Commander-in-Chief; who, it is said, had calculated that no less a force than ten sail of the line, and 10,000 land forces, would be necessary for the capture of the island, which had been thus subdued by a mere handful of men. The entire loss of the British was only 4 seamen killed, and 14 wounded. Two of the former, and 5 of the latter, belonged to the Arethusa.
Vice-Admiral Dacres, in his official despatches announcing the event to government, thus handsomely expressed his approbation of the gallant conduct of the captors:
“Whilst I contemplate the immense strength of the har-
- ↑ The Dutch frigate had previously been boarded by Mr. Grint, Master’s Mate of the Latona; but her colours being foul, afforded Captain Brisbane the opportunity of striking them.
