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Les diagrammes suivants lllustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 THE REPORT O F T H E i H-»*%-: GENERAL OFFICERS, APPOINTED By his M A J E S T Y 's Warrant of the Firft of No- vember 1757, to inquire into the Caufes of the Failure of the late Expedition to the Goafts of JFr A N CE. ■ ■ ■ ■ . * To which IS prefixed, A Copy of his M ^ J E S T Y's Warrant dircaing the faid Inquiry. • WITH An A P P E N I^ X, containing the Papers referred td in the fa id Report. ■ft*' ■■«y».. Pubiiii^ed fip 3(utf|ont!i. LONDON: l^rinted for A. Muiar irt the Strand. MDCCLVIII. [Price I §. 6di *»;■'. -•>>«( i 4(* ■^ 1 >^''*s .■/■•■-»' *""*■. IT r*-^ .--1 ,i->^ ^. _ ■4^ >■ ■ *v...* " „ ,.: y • ' < • : '■ - ;' :h-r{|y .r > ■:f^nK'^ V /-•T'^-'; i'v'-':, ;f/':a"vv:::i^A K>, ^■y5l.-\>; ii'iv 'I -•'w^'v- «'■■"— -^-j-v^ »••« ■■.■ * » .^. > ^U C' .^^ •, -- •-—,-- -^■'--■■--1^^ .„., ,., • ' ---^-^f?- *' 3J- J *«*■ 3*' ' '^ •■'» ■'' ' t f^ ' d rj '.-1 u <■, ■/ .:,! ■' 'if- to ■'-.vJe/.-t • -1 .- ! 'J . 1 \^ George R. WHEREAS we were pleafed, in Augull laft, to fend a Number of our Troops on an Expedition againft France^ with Qrders and Inftru6lions to attempt, as far as fhould be found pra6licable, a Defccnt on the French CoafV at or near Rochefort^ in order to attack, if pradicable, and by a vigorous Impreflioh force that Place 5 and to burn and deftroy, to the utmoft of their Power, all Docks, Maga- zints, Arfenals, and Shipping, that fliould be found there; 9nd to exert fuch other Efforts, as ftiould be judged moft proper for annoying the Enemy, as by our feveral Inftrucbions to the Commander of our faid Forces does more fully appear : And whereas the Troops fent for thefe Purpofes are returned to Great Britain^ no Attempt having been made to land on the Coaft of France ; concerning the Caufes of which Fai- lure we thmk it necefTary that Enquiry fliould be made by the General Officers herein after named, in order that they may report thofe Caufes to us, for our better Information : Our Will and Pleafure therefore is, and we do hereby nominate and appoint our right Trufty and jight entirely beloved Coufin and Counfellor Charles Duke of Marlborough Lieutenant Gene- ral, our Trufty and well beloved George Sackville, commonly called Lord George Sackvllle, and John ^aldegrave, Major Generals, of our Forces, to A 2 6;^amine \ ; [ 4 ] cyamine and enquire touching the Matters aforefaid. And you are^ to give Notice to the faid General Officers, when and where they are to meet for the faid Examii)ation. And the f^Jd General Officers are hereby dire6led to caufe you to fummon fuch Perfons (whether the Ge- nerals or other Officers employed in the Expe- dition, or others) as are neceflary to give Infor- ination touching the faid Matters, oy as fhall be defired by thofe, who were employed in thp Ex- pedition : And the faid General Officers are here- by farther directed to hear fuch Perfons as. Ihall offer to give them Information touching the fame ; and they are authorized, empowered, and required, ftridly to examine into the Matters before mentioned, and tp report a State there- of, as it fhall appear to them, together witli their Opinion thereon. All which you are to tranfmit to pur Secretary at War, to be by him .laid before us for our Confideration. And for fo doing this Ihall be, as well to you, as to our iaid General Officers and all others concerned, a fufficient Warrant. Given at our Court at Kaifingfon this Fir ft Day of November ^JSl^ V^ the Thirty Firft Yesir of pur Reign. '7 , JRHr By his M A J E s T Y 's Command, ^^ '^^^"B ARRINGTON- To our Trufty and well beloved Thcnias Jk/orga??, Efcj; Judge Advocate General of our For- ces, or his Deputy. '*^\ * ■• MINUTES ■ ft' ' " ■ ■ •Vlisl. r^^O F T H E r • V : 1ft DC EE DINGS GENERAL OFFICERS, ^r." As annexed to their REPORT. ,1 ..- T a Meetihg of the General Oi^cers appointed to inquire into the Caufes of the Failure of the late Expedition to the Coaft of France^ at the judge Advocate General*s Office in P) ivy Garden^ pn Saturday the i2th oi November ^ 1757, iJiz, '.., '':;"•'* y Lieutenant General, His Grace the Duke of , v, Marlborough. Major General, Right Honourable Lord George . Sackville- Major General, Honourable John tValdegrave, The General Officers employed in the Expedition,' viz. Sir John Mordaunt^ Lieutenant General (who had the principal Command) and Majors GeneraF Conway dLti^Cornwallishoxxi^ called in, and all Perfons who were defirous being admitted, his Majefty's Warrant diredling this Inquiry was publickly read. Read alfo the feveral Papers tranfmitted to the Judge Advocate from Mr. Secretary P/V/, and two Orders tranfmitted from the Admiralty in confe- quence of an Application from the General Officers appointed to make this Inquiry, viz. I. Cupy of a Letter, dated London 15th July^ 1757, fron^ Captain (now Lieutenant Cofonel) t^^ryfr; A3 tA 5-V'-^ "l"* f « ] a ^,,/r to Sir 7d?^'« Ligonier, and tranfmittcd to Mr. Secre- tary Pitt^ with regard to Rocbefort. 2. Minute, dated /Irlington Street, Augufi lysy^ containing an Examination of a French Pilot. 3. Memoirefur la Forct a£iueUe de la France, et les Services auxquels elle eft employee dans T Annie 1757— received July 28, 1757, and communicated, at a Meeting at Lord Holderne]fe\ ^oiife, to the Generals appointed on an Expedition to the Coafts oi France. 4. Copy of his Majcfty's fccret Inftrudtions to Sir Edward Hawke, dated /luguft 5, 1757. v'S » > 5. Copy of his Majcfty's fecret Inftrudions to Sir John Mordaunt, dated Augnft 5, 1 757. 6. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Secretary Pitt to 5ir Edward Hawkey dated Auguft 5, 1757. 7. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Secretary ?/// to Major General Conway ^ Major General Cornwallis^ Vice Admiral Knowles^ and Rear Admiral Brodricky dated /iuguft 5, 1 757. 8. Copy of a Letter from Sir Edward Hawke to Mr. Secretary P/V/, dated SpitJbead, Augufi 7, 1757. 9. Copy of a Letter frdm Major General Corn- wallis to Mr. Secretary Pitty daited Newport, l/le of mgbt, Auguft 6y i^jsi' •-'"^" •/ -'t-^-* 10. Copy of a Letter from Vice Admiral Kncwlej to Mr. Secretary Pitty dated Pcrtfmoutby Auguft 6, 11. Copy of a Letter from Rear Admiral Brodrkk to Mr. Secretary Pitty dated Port/mouth, Auguft 6, '757- 12. Copy of 4in Order from the Lords of the Ad- miralty to Sir Edward Hawkey dated Auguft 5, 1757. i'^. Copy of an Order from the Lords of the Ad- fiiiralty to Sir Edward Hawke, dated Auguft 6, 1757. 14. Copy of a Letter from Sir John Mor daunt to Mr. Secretary Pilty dated JJle of Height y Auguft 1 1, 1757, Ten at Night. 15. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Secretary Pitt, to ^ir^ohnlilirdaHnff^mdAuguft i^^ ij§y» ,_^^^.^ . , . • : [ 7 ] " 1 J 6. Copy of a Letter from Sir John Mordaunt xo Mr. Secretary Pitt^ dated Head Qiiarters, Newport^ /f»^«/ 20, 1757. Inclofing, .J ' 17. Copy of a Letter trom Sir John Mordaunt to [Thomas Orby Hunter^ and Gilbert Lliotl^ l:;^iqrs. dated [,Juguft 17, 1757. 18. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Secretary Pitt to Sir Edijvard Haiioke., dated Juguji 23, *757- 19. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Secretary Pitt to Sir John Mordaunt^ dated Auguft 23, 1 757. Inclofing, 20. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Hcvland to Sir ' Edward Hawke, diitcd Juguji >9» i7:7j >. - •.• 21. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Clcvland to Sir Edward Baivhy dated Augiijl 20, • 75/ *, 22. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Clevland to Mr. . Cockburne, dated Auguft 2 1 , 1 757^ 23. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Cofkh.urne to Mr. Clevland, dated Auguji 231 1757^ 24. Copy of a Letter from Sir Edzvard ^Hazvke tQ .Mr. Secretary /*///, dated Portfmcuth^ Juguji 25, 25. Copy of a letter from Mr. Secretary Pitt to .Sir Edward Uawke and Sir John Mordaunt y dated September 5, 1757, Four o*Clock in the Aft'rnoon. 26. Copy of a Letter from Sir Edward Haivke to Mr. Secretary F/V/, dated Ramilies at Spithead^ Sept" JemberS, 1757. 27. Copy of a Letter from Sir John Mordaunt to Mr. Secetary Pitt, dated Port/mouthy Sepember 6, Nine at Night. 28. Copy of a Letter from Sir Edward Hawke to ..Mr. Secretary Pitt, dated Ramilies at St. Helens, Sep- tember 8, 1757. ^ 29. Copy of a Letter from Sir Edward Hawke to , Mr. Secretary Pittp dated Ramilies at Sea, September 10, 1757. "^'^"^ .■■■ ■ ■-- - . ^;^ -- J,. .30. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Secretary Pitt to Sir Edward Hawke and Sir John Mordaunt, dated September 15, 1757. by the T/piT Sloog. ■ 'v,,mi\' . A 4 ;, r.^ The [81 The above Papers containing nil tlie Orders ancJ Inftrudtions which appear to have been fignifieid to the Commanders of the late Expedition, it was pub- lickly afked. Whether any Perlon had any Informa- tion to ofter, tending to (hew the Caufcs, why the Taid Orders were not carried into execution, or why the Expedition has failed ? — And any fuch Perfon, being prelent, was dcfircd then to declare '" : fame, in or- der to his withdrawing for the prefvnt, with Aflli- < rahce, that he fhould, in convenient Time, be fully heard : And no Perfon offering himfelf, Ordered^ That all Perfons fummoned as WitnefTes, do withdraw into a Room appointed for that Purpolb, until called for, in order to their being examined le- parately. ^T^r^.' '■ *-.,v^^^"> -'-'^ «^«-'^' -•";•• '--- Then proceeded to read other of the Papers receiv- ed from Mr. Secretary P///'s Office, viz. .31. Copy of a Letter from Sir Edward Hau^he to Mr. Secretary Pitt^ dated Ramilies in Bajque Road, ' September 0^0 y 1757. Inclofing, 32. Copy of a Report made to Sk Edzoard Hawke on board the Ramilies^ September 24, 1757, by Rear < Admiral Bfodrick and others ; 33. Copy of a Council of War held on board the Nep/une, iieptemher 25, 1757 ; tlie fame as the Origi- • nal delivered by Sir John Mordauni^ foon after his Ar- rival, to Mr. Secretary Pitt-, ' »'^^ ^ \^ -.... *. ..i^^ 34. Copy of a Council of War held on board tht ■ Ramilies^ September 2^, 1757 i the fame as the Origi- . nal delivered by Sir John Mordaunt, foon after his Ar- rival, to Mr. Secretary Pitt ; 35. Copy of a Letter from Rear Admiral Brod- rick to Sir Edward Hawke ^ dated AcbJles^ 'Tuefday Morning, One in the Morning-, 36. Copy of a Letter from Sir John Mcrdaunt to Sir Edward Hawke, dated RaniilieSy'-lhHrfday Evea- ingy September 2g, I y^y, ' ' 37. Copy of a Letter from Sir John Alordaunt to « Mr. Secretary P/7/, dated Ramilies ^ Radi de Bafque^ September 30,, 1 y^ 7. *^* v^ « .^ . V *---*—-•_ v * • . '- ., r ■■■■* , ' v8. A ■ 3 cil Viilie and livei objc< leav( - T ■^*13fctfJ f 9 -I ■ 38. A Paper purporting to be Minutes of a Coun- cil of War affemblcd on board his MajeflyVs Ship ka- vjiliesin Bafque Roa^y the iSth ot vVp/twM*, 1757, and appearing by the Indorlcmcnc to have been de- livered by Sir Jci^n JVIdrdiuifU, foun after his Arrival;, to Mr. Secretary Pttt. being abovit to be read> Sir John Mordaunt faid^ That he did ncjt mean to objed; to the re:iding of the faid Paper, but begged leave to obfcrve, that the Minutes now produced, were taken down, without tne Knowledgxtyti\x.' S!'\i,Ei'j:iard Hawke'^ ifendinw them n^^to Zofidon i biiVhis'Application \vas too late. Sir Jchn Mordaunt added» 'l',hat fpaxe little Time after his Arrival in X('«i^^«,, uhdefftanding that he ought;, as Commander in ,Cii,i^f(Or U)e Land Forces, to dchVer Copies of'tlie Councljs of War, and 'any Other material Papers, to Mr. P///, his. Majclly's Se- cretary' of State, ih'lik'e Manner as §ir E4'Z^r,rd Ha'wh ■ had done, as Commander, of the Fleet, he did fo, and delivered the faid' C!bpy of Minutes received from Sir Edward //^W/^^'s Secretary an;6ng the rt-fl. .' Sir John Mordakp he'yng ailve!,/ Whether a-, tli^ Time of his delivering a Copy of tliele Minutes t^^ Mr. Pillthc obfcrveditb him, that^.tliey wetp (iK^t authentfck ? ■ " ' " , "' . ' ' - Anfwered, He:does,notrecolle6t» that'hedid/^ Then the Jaid_MiniUes were read, in Prefcno;.,f)P the feveral PerfonV hereafter- mentioned. Members qf the faid Council of War, v/ho were Ic; vera! ly called upon for their Information,' Whether "the faid Mi- nutes are auchentick, and taken down with their Pri- vity i* ViZ. -fn>*«vn *\n J.< I. Vice Admiral Charles Knoivles^ who" difaVoWed thefe Minutes intirely, liiying that he, never faw thVm, » ■ until , §ii ^ until they were llicwn to him after his Arrival id London. r " ,, : v . j; \ 2. Rear Admiral 7hontas Brodn'ck, who faid, that he did obferve Minutes taken* and remembers he Ob* jefted to it, but never faw thefe Minutes j and men- tion being therein made of Sir John Mordaunt\ re- tiring with him (Rear Admiral Brodrick) and ethers, obferves that he remembers Sir Edward Hawke^ Vice Admiral Knowles, and himfeif retiring, but docs not lecollecl Sir John Mordaunt's going out with them. He further fays, that he, at the Defire of Sir John Mordaunt, went oflf to Admiral Sir Edward Hawke at Spithead, in Hopes of preventing thefe Minutes being fent up to London^ but th.tt unluckily they were fent away before he reached the Admiral. 3. Major General Conway^ who fays, that to the belt of his Memory, thefe Minutes were never com* municated to him, and knjws it was agreed upon not to have any Minutes taken. 4. Major General Edward CornwalUsy who fays he never faw the Minutes in qucftion, until (hewn to him at Portfmouth to his very great Surprize. 5. Colonel George Howard^ who fays, he never faw thefe Minutes till Six John Mordauni (hewed them to him after their A rri vai at Portfmouth. '\ ' ;' - ' Vic€ Admiral Knowles being, at his own Defire, again called in, defired to fupply an OmifHon in his former Evidence, viz. Thit he recolledls there was a po(itive Determination, that no Minutes (hould be taken, but that the Informations only of the Perfons examined, (hould be noted down. Major General Conway obferved. That, as he un- derdood it, not even what the WitneflTes faid was in- tended to be made publick, or to (land Part of the Minutes of the Council ol War, fo as to be tranf- initted to any Pcrfon. Vice Admiral Knowles confirmed the fame 5 add- ing, that he never heard their Examination read. "^ Rcbd the Remainder of the Papers received fiumj Mn Secretary /^//^i Office, -y/s;, 39. Copy] Maj( Viz. •' Ih " the T ival io * 3, that he ob" i men- «/'s re- others, Ci Vice IOCS not 1 them. z of Sir Edward ,g thefe [iluckily imiral. to the rer com* ipon not ho fays hewn to le never ed them Defire, }n in his here was lould be Perfons IS he un- i was in- rt of the 3e tranf- -lej add- ead. ved fiutnl [ ■> ] 39. Copy of a Letter from Sir Johft Mordaunt to Mr. Secretary P///, ^2Xtd RamilieSy O^ober /\^ ^757' 40. Copy of a Letter frocn Sir John Mordmnt to Mr. Secretary Pitty dated Portfinouth^ O^ober 6, 1757. '.,.. • ' . . ." V'-' '■' " - '•' 41. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Secretary Pin to Sir Edward Hawke, dated OMer 7, 1757. 42. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Secretary Pilt to Sir John MordaunU dated OSfober 7, 1 757. 43. Copy of a Letter from Sir Edward Hawke to Mr. Secretary P///, dated Ramilies at Spithady O^o- kerSy 1757. One P. M. 44. Copy of a Letter from Sir John Mor daunt to Mr. Secretary Pitt^ dated Portfmouth, 05fober 8, 1757. Thcfeveral Papers tranfmitted to the Judge- Ad- vocate, and by him laid before the Board, being read, and no Perfon offering to give them any Information touching the Caufes of the Failure of the E^pedi- Sir John Mordaunt, as Commander in Chief of the Land Forres employed therein, was a(ked, What have been the Reafons, if he has no Objedion to laying them before the Board, which have prevented h's Majefty's Inftru6lions and Orders from being carried into Execution ? Who replied, that to prevent Trouble, and that the Matter may be the better underftood, as his fpeaking is attended with Difficulty, he had committed the whole to writing, from Beginning to End, and de- livered to the Board a Paper, as containing the fame, which was, at his Defirca read in Words following, viz. . ,. . " In order to give all the Satisfadtion in my Power, *' I have reduced into Writing the fulled Account of " the whole Matter I am abi^ to give. " When I firft received his Majefty*s Commands in regard to this Expedition, I was told, that the Objed of it was to make a Divcrfion on the Coaft '• q{ France, \^ ' J " That C( C( Ill (C <( C( 4( «l CC cc (( c< cc c< *< r as refpcded Rochefori in partlcularf it was on the footing of a Coup de Main^ or Sur- prizf, and that confcquently, if. the Defign was difcovered, or the Alarm taken, it would be^nexc to impoflible to execute it. .., *' 1 alfo underftood, that unU fs a proper Place, for the Landing, and fafc Retreat of the Troops was- difcovered, pafticularly where the 3I^ips could pro- teift them, and a fafe Communication with the- Fleet, and Conveyance of Supplies from it was fecured, the Attempt could not be made. •• '* In Confirmation of which . I beg leave to take Notice of two Paragraphs in a Paper g^ven me .upon this Occafion by Sir 'John Ligoniery Cdixi" mander in Chief of his M^je(ty*s Land Forces, whofe long Experience, and great Abilities in the, Arc of War, will furely vindicate any Office, r who is guided by fo good an Authority ; containing his Obfervations on the intended Expedition i. which Paper,, as 1 remember, was read before the Council. :. , *' The Paragraphs I mean, are as follows:'* ' If an Attempt is to be made on Rochefort^ it will be the Part of the Admiral, to know the Coafts i to bring the Troops to the nearcft Place ; to co- ver their Landing by the Difpofition of his Ships -, and to deftroy any Barbct Batteries which the Ene- my may have on the Shore j ftill remembring, that if the Troops are landed at too great a Diftance from the Place, the Defign will become dangerous, and probably impra^licabK .' .^j ? ;i yy ..* -ivi,- *' The fecond Paragraph," * A fafe and well fecured Communication between the Camp and the Sej, from whence you are to re- ceive your Supplies cf all Kinds, is abfolutely ne- ceflary ; the whole depends upon it j but this being done, I fliould not be much in Pain for the Safety of the Troops *, an inferior Number dares not ap- proach you, and gne fuperior will not be cafily af-r • fembleji ^ fe ' E " b n w *' fe ** dc « fo " al. ^* 1; *' fo: " re< *' th< mi " eal ** it '* Ke « tak " Fo *' ob( ^' me " Ju( 'f Til *' of " the " to d 1 '' welj " trad *' Freh '^ dovj " A "* the "* ErnH '*' tain ■" had "..Tr I '' ing Sur- [ was -next ce, for )s was d pro- :h the- it was o take ^en me Cotii-' Forces, i in the. WY who itaining edition •». ore the -:r r.. ( efort^ it Coaftsi to co- Ships i be Ene- )g, that iftance igerous. Ibetwecn Ire to re- litely ne- lis being [t Safety not ap- ;afily af-T femblefi t( (C 5l given in by the Generals*, but the Admiral not appioving of the Feint to be made, and declaring, that Fouras could not be battered from the Sea, without hazard of lo(ing the Ship, the Admiral and Captains who returned, and made the Report on the landing about One o'Clock alfo declaring. That between the Fort of Fouras and Rochelle they had found only two Landing-places, which were both near the Point of Cbatelaillon on the open Bay, and where the Water was fo Ihoal, that no Ships could lye up to cover the Landing, or fe- cure the Retreat of the Troops : Upon thefe Con- fiderations, as well as upon other intelligence I had received in 'relation to the Place itfelf, I did, ac- cording to the Latitude I underftood to be in his Majefty's Inftrudtions, and agreeably to the Powers therein given me, think it my Duty, in fo import- ant and critical a Cafe, to defirc a General Council of War, to take into Confideration what was pro- per to be done in Execution of his Majefty's Secret inftrudions. That Council, compofed equally of Land and Sea Officers, having confidered the Nature of the Landing on the one Hand, and of tie Attack to be made on Rochefort on the other, the Oificcrs. were unanimoufly of opinion, That an Attempt upon Rochefort was neither ad- vifeable nor pradicable. I concurred in that Opi- and thought that neither my Duty, nor Re- nion, K gard for his Majefty's Service, permitted me to dep.^rt from it. - . ' " And that our Reafous for fo doing may more fully appear to this Court, 1 will ftate, as clearly as I can, the Grounds upon which we proceeded, Firfi, In Confirmation of what has been already mentioned in regard to the Landing, the Opinion of fo many Sea Officers of the greatcft Judgment and Experience feemed abfolutcly conclufive. To this was added the Declaration of the moft knowing and able Pilot in the Fleet, who faid, that with wc'fterly Wiads, which ict in from the B?^y oi Bif- C( t fixty Yards in Length; but as this laid by ** the River, whdre the Ground was in general low, marfliy, and cut v/ith Diches, int) which the Tide flowed, and alio by thierri the Pilot's Evidence, f was cjofed with a Palliftade, it is plain, a few Days, nay, a few plours Work muft make it defenfib'c againft a Coup 'deMain\ as it is known, a good '* IntrerKhnient may be thrown up, in foft yielding *' Ground like that, in twelve Hours Time, and by *^ lying on the Water Level, the Ships in the Rivtr would intirely command it, as the Pilot declared, they did command iill the Ground by the Water edge; and that, in the pre fcnt Cafe, within lefs] than half Mufket-ftior, which was a better Defenc tlwu the Flanks of any Baftions. ex cc " A fafe and well fecured Communication between the Camp and the Sea, from whence you are to receive your Supplies of all Kinds, is abfqluiely ncceffary 5 the whole depends upon it. B 3 <' But t t ' . ' [ 12 ] •* But this being done, I (hoiild not be much in Pain for the Safety of the Troops •, an inferior Number dares not approach you, and oncfuperior will not be cafily afTembled, without your knowing of it; and at all Events you 1 ave fecured a Retreat to the Ships. *' 1 v/ould advife to procure Guides upon the Spot, and payinr^ them greatly, when faithful; there arc ** Numbers of Proteftants in that Province, that ^' with you well, and would be glad to go on board " with you. • ' -^ • " ' "^ *' As for a Coup de M^/«, it may perhaps fuccccd ^* bed at your coming up, as the Enemy may be in great Hurry, Surprize, and Confternation, at fuch an unexpeded Vifit, and not have had Timp to make his Difpofitions. But if that is not *' thought proper, it may fuccecd as well after the " Place has been thoroughly reconnoitred, and you ^' have fixt the Spots where you defign to dired your greateft Efforts i and if the Enemy fee any Prepa- rations for a regular Attack, they will lefs fufped a Coup de Main. ' ' • * «, ' " Bergen-o^- zoom wiLB taken by a Coup de Main^ ?' after a long Siege. " St, Philip's was taken by fcaling Ladders and a Coup de Mai?!, though the Garrifon was gooq ftrong, after a Siege of 56 Days. " The Neceffity of dividing a imall Garrifon in a Place of fuch Circumference as Rnchefort^ may fa- cilitate the Succefs of a bold Attempt." Upon reading t[»at Part of Sir John Mordaunt*5 Narrative, which relates to the Night of the 28th of September, in which Night it was propofed to have landed, where one Reafon afligned, why the Troops were not accordingly landed, is *' that it would be Day ?' before the firft Embarkation could get on Shore," a Kind of Contradidion wis obferved between that and Rear- Admiral Brodrickh Letter to Sir Edward Jiawke on that Subjed, who writes, that *' the Ge- ^' nerals are come; to a Refolution not to land To- night, i( <( C( «c (( C( C( (( " land." And Rear- Admiral Brodrkk was there- upon defired to inform the Board, whether that was the Fad: he meant to write, or whether he had, through Hurry, exprefled himfelf otherwifc than he intended ? Who faid, that what was contained in the Letter he muft abide by •, that he gave it to Sir John Mor- daunt to read before he lent it, to fee if what he had wrote was agreeable to his Intention •, at the fame Time defiring Sir John would explain the Kcafons fully, as the Blame would lye upon him. Rear- Ad- miral Brodrick ; and that Sir John returned him the Letter, without making any Objedion thereto ; and anfwered him, that the Blame would not lye upon him, but that they (the General Officers of the Land Forces) would be anfwerable. Rear-Admiral Brodrick added, that he believes ^ajor General Conway likewife read the Letter. Major General Conway faid, that he did not read the Letter; and particularly remembers, that from the Letter being fo fhort, he advifed Sir John Mor^ daunts that it Ihould in his Opinion have been much fuller, fetting forth the Reafons particularly of not landing the Forces that Night. Sir John Mordaunt admitted, that the Letter was fhewn to him ; but in the Hurry he did not fuffi* ciently attend to the Contents j and at the fame Time did Rear- Admiral Brodrick the Juftice to fay, all was ready on his Part, and that he Oiewed the greateft Headin^fs to aflift and co-operate for the Good of the Service -, but that he was certainly millaken in the Reafon afiigned for the not landing ; and in order now to convince the Rear-Admiral thereof, defined him to recoiled, whether ali the Arguments ufed did not turn upon its being neceffary, or at leaft advifab'e, to jand before Day-light ; which was thought (carcely pqfTible, as the Wind then was. ^ >^! -1-r ■'4.- ', 84 Rear- ;' l:i' [ H ] ReAT'Adrr\\r&\ Brodrick reply'dj that the landing^ would have been attended with great Difficulty, but is pretty well afTured, they would have been on Shore before Day-light, or near the Time of Day ^ but that both Wind and Tide would have been agaiaft them tor the fecond Embarkation, which would havd occafioned at lead fix Hours Diftance between the firft and fccond Landing ; he is nevt-rthelefs iatisfied there is no Miftake in his Letter, and nriuft beg Leave tq repeat the Words Sir John himfelt made ule of, that they muft fee the Ground they were to land C4 a on. »» Major General Conway, in order to explain this, obferved, that Rear-Admiral Brodrick muft, as he imagines, have miftaken the Senfe, in which thofc Words were ufed, as wnat he conceives tO havfe been meant by them is. Sir John Mordmnt'*% Intentipn of having the Ground viewed in the Morning, in order ^o embark the Night following. . The following Queftions were then p. »: pofcd by hi^ Grace the Duke of Marlborough to Sir John Mor- daunts dcfiring he would ufe his Difcretion in anfwcr- ing them, and received the fcveral Anfwers fubfcribed X,o each Queftion, viz. ^ Was the Atf ark of the Fort on the Ifte of Jiic with a view tp facilitate the Landing on the Contj- pcnt ? A. When hs firft attended the Cotmcil in London^ he underftood it was-, and is of Opinion, the Fort alone was of i^o Confequence, had it not been witt^ that View. ^ Was that Attack nepeflary to engage the At- tention of the whole Fleet and Army ? J, In his Opinion it was, becaufe he underftood the taking that Fort, and Fort Fouras^ was to be done by the Shipping, and then they might have gone on to Rqchef^rt. ^ Did he fee any Number of Forces or Batterleis on "the Shore, lb as to make the Afliftance of the [ 25 1 Ships fteccffary to cover the landing on the Contir ' nent r A» There were Forces and Cannon, but the Num- ber he can't anfwer for, and they were at a Diftance from the Shore at the 1 imc the Ifle of Aix was taken, and did not know, where there was a Place to land. The Captain of the Viper Sloop faid, the Sand Hills where they were to land would have concealed any T^ umber of Forces, and it was not natural to exped the Troops would (hew themfelves, till they knew where the Landing was intended. §. Did he fend the Quartermafter General or any- Land OfBcers, with Rear Admiral Brodrick, to recon- noitre the Landing Places ? A He thought that a Matter relating to the Sea, and he did not : And befides, they could only make the Soundings in the Night, and confequently his fending a Land Officer with them could have been of no Ufe. ^ When tl^e Admiral returned with his Report, if a Council of War was thought neceflary, why was it delayed till next Day ? j. It was propofed by Major General Conway to go tbat Afternoon to the Ille of Aix to reconnoitre from thence, whether they could find out any Place near or toward Fouras, and alfo to examine the Prifon- ers ; and the Men of War laid at fuch a Diftance from each other at that Time, that the Members of the Council could not, without fome Difficulty, be convened. ^ Did he go that Afternoon to the Ifle of Aix ? A. Yes. ^ Does he think, that a Detachment! of four or five hundred Men could have taken Fort Fouras by Land, whilft the reft were marching to Rochefort ? A. Ht knew riothing, at that Time, of the Strength of Fort Fouras on the Land-fide. ^ Had he been in Pofleffion of Fort F<7«r^j, could they not have fecured a Retreat by that very narrow JJeck of Land, which runs cut into the Sea, againft a much I .-1 \ '■! .1 [16] a much greater Number of Forces, that might have oppoled them ? vf . For an Anfwer to this Queftion, he begs Leave to refer to Major -General Conway, who laid that Way, with Vice Admiral Knowks's Divifion. — — Major General Conwafs Anfwer is. That the Part referred to, is not properly a Neck of Land, but a Sand, which is covered at High Water. x:.'a ^ (To Sir John Mordaunt.) Does he not think he could have fecured a Retreat (independent of that fuppofed Neck of Land) if in Pdfleffion of Fort Fou- tas? A, Doubtlefs it would have been of great Ufe for fecuring a Rstreat. .^ Were not the Accounts of Rocbefort [contradic- tory ? A. It is difficult to recoiled all that might be faid on the Subjeft ; the Council of War ihews there was a Contradi&ion. , ^ Did the Evidence of the French Prifoners taken at the Ifle of Aix contradift, or confirm the Report of Lieut. Colonel Clerk F A. Some contradifted, and fome confirmed it •, but he gave little or no Weight to what the French Prifoners faid. ^, Did the Evidence, that faid there was a wet Ditch round the Town, affirm, that that Ditch re- mained wet at Low Water ? A. He refers to the Council of War, and thinks from the Sluices at both Ends, it is natural to fuppofe itmuftbefo. ^ Does he think it poffible to judge of the Prac- ticability of taking a Place by Aflault without recon- noitring, fince the Evidence was contradictory ? A, His Narrative, as he conceives, explains that very fully ; and he begs leave to remark that two Witnefles faw the Place wet, and the other only fays, that when he faw the Ditch, it did not appear to him capable of being flowed. It have Leave d that I. — — le Part , but a t think of that >rt Fou- Ufe for ntradic- be faid lere was rs taken eport of i it 5 but Frmcb IS a wet litch re- thinks I fuppofc [273 ^. Did he communicate his Inftrudions to thd Council of War ? ♦ A, He laid them upon the Table. ^ What was done on the 26th and 27th of Sep- tember ? A. He refers to the Narrative. ^ What Reafons induced him to confent to landing on the 28th, fince it appeared fo difficult on the 25th ? A. The Difficulty was the Retreat, and if they took Fouras^ which if was in View to have done on the 28th, they had a Ketreat. ^ Why would he rifque the Troops on an in- confiderable Obje<5t, when he did not think it advif- able to rifque them on that of fo much more Import- ance, and particularly pointed out by his Inftrudlions, mz, the Attack upon Rochefoti, ? A. He looked upon it, the great Rifque was avoided by fecuring a Retreat in the taking of Fouras, and in the other Cafe (that of attempting Rochefort with- out fuch Retreat) he refers to the Quotation from Sir John Ligonier's Paper ufed in his Narrative. ^. How came he to refolve on returning to Etig- land without holding another Council of War, feeing it had been unanimoufly agreed in a former Council to land ? A. He refers himfelf to his Narrative, and to Sir Edward Hawke's Letter to him, which was produced, iViz. he Prac- it recon- ry ? lins that that twp ler only It appear ^. Did cc Ramilies^ Bafque Roady 29th Sept. 1757. ^« S I R, *' Should the General Officers of the Troops have ** no farther Military Operation to propofe, con- ^* fiderable enough to authorize my detaining the i^ Squadron under my Command longer here, I 4 ' . . ** beg 1. c; I' • ** beg Leare to acquaint you, that I intend to pro* ** ceed with ij tor England mthout Lofs of Time, ^* I am, Sir, your moll Obedient ** To " Moft Humble Servant, **^ Sir Johi Mordautiit, •' ED. HAWKE.*' Sir John Mordatint bavi«g anfwered to the feveral Queftions propofed to him, defired to obferve in Addition to his Narrative, that the firft Delign was to have taken V IJled'Aix and Von Four as hy Sea, and then there would have been great Eafe in the reft of the Enterprize; that he imagined from the firft fetting out /' IJle d'Aix and Fort Fouras could be taken by Sea ; and in the Evening of taking Vyie d'AiXf Admiral Sir Edward Hawke mentioned,, that he would take Fouras the next Morning, by laying a Ship to it : And the next Morning Sir Edward called for the Pilot of the Magnamme, and examined him, whether he could lay his Ship fo, as to difmantle Fort Fouras ? to which the Pilot anfwered, he could. The fame Morning Major General Conway came to the F-umiiieSy and produced the Plan referred to in the Narrative. Colonel James Wolf e^QusLxt'^v-Mii&.tr General upon the Expedition, being called, at the Defire of Sir John Mordaunty and defired to inform the Board what paf- fed the Evening after taking the 1/le d*Jix, in regard to the Attack of Fouras, — faid, that he had been at the Ifle of JiXi and returned about 8 o'Clock, and took the Liberty of fuggefting his Opinion to Sir Edward Hawke and Sir John Mordaunt, that he did not doubt but a Ship of War might batter Fort Fou- ras, and that a Body of Troops might be landed at the fame time, and attack it with Succefs : He took the Liberty alfo to mention, (as he only hadfeen the JFort) that if Sir Edward Hawke thought proper to make a Divcrfion near Rochelk at the fame time, it might :o pro- 'imc. nt ,nt, ' 17 *' ; fevcral erve in }gn was ay Sea, i in the rom the ^ s could :d,. that f laying Edward camined fmantle t could. :ame tp :d to in •al upon Sir Jokn hat paf- regard been at ck, and to Sir t he did ort Fou- mded at ^e took feen the roper to time, it might 1 [29 1 might engage the Attention of the French^ and give an Opportunity of making a Defeent between : He difo hinted his Opinion, as to fending the Bomb Ketches out, not knowing, but Bombs might be thrown into Rochelle^and Sir Edward fent for them up accor- dingly. He likewife nltntiontd another Circum- ftance, in regard to fending for the Pilot of the MagnaninUjt who would inform Sir Edward, if there was Depth of Water fufficient to cany a Ship up to Fouras\ adding, from the indifferent Opinion he had of the Fort, a Forty or Fift)' Gun Ship might at lead annoy the Fort, fo as to give an Opportunity of Landing. Sir Edward then fecmed to inciine to the Attack of Fouras^ and mentioned the Barfieur as a Ship he intended to employ ; talked of doing it the next Morning, and appeared very keen and warm about it i that Sir Edward did fend for the Pilot of tht Magnamme^ and examined him the next Day, but Uc, Colonel tyolfe^ was not prefent ; that he fpoke to the Pilot of the Magnanime himfelf the next Morning, (but whether before or after his being examined by Sir Edward, is not certain) and aiked him, whether he could carry a Ship up to Fouras? The Pilot's An- fwer was, either he could (or he believed he could) take the Magnanime within half a Mile, as he under- ftood, of Fouras; and if he rccoUeds, faid, he would beat it down in lefs Time, than he had done the other Fort. He alked the Pilot further, W hether between Fort Fouras and Fort la Point any Perlons could be landed during the Attack to mvc^ Fouras, and de-' fired the Pilot to find a Guide amongft the Prifoners, to ftiew a proper Place for landing, venturing to tell him, they fhould be handlbmely rewarded, if they performed the Service well. He alfo afked the Pilot, why he chofe the Magnanime^ rather than the Barfleur^ or any other Ship? he anfwered, or account of the Captain, of whom his Expreflion was, *' // ^ jeune " ^ brave, Servez vous en." Being alked by Sir John Mor daunt ^ whether he ever . . heard 1 f (' ! ■ [ 30 ] heard any Sea Captain fay, he would undertake the taking of the Fort ? Anfwered, Captain Cdby of the Princefs Amelia^ in Converfation on that Head, told him, he had made Offers to attack it ; is not certain he faid, he had made thofe Offers to Sir Edward Haix)key but frequently to Mr. Brodrick. He, Colonel Wolfe, likewife obferved to Captain Colby, as it was then late^ being the 28th September, if the Troops were pulhed, there might poflibly be a Neceffity of attacking it, in order to Dring off the Troops j and faid, in that Cafe he fup- pofed, as an Englifhman who wifhed well to his Coun- try, he would urge the Admiral to do it ; and, he be- lieves, he fpoke to the fame Purpofc afterwards to Mr. Brodrick in the America. Being alked, of what Strength did Fouras appear to him, when he firft reconnoitred it ? Anfwered, he faw it immediately after the Attack of thelfle ofJix, and it appeared to him to be a weak Fortrefs : The Front and Parapets were of Mafonry, which, he conceives, muft have been of Advantage, and confided of aftreight Line of a Wall, and another within that higlier up, and no Outworks, (he fpeaks of the Side towards the Sea.) — He could not from his Eye difcover the Land- fide, nor get one Word of Intelligence concerning it at that Time. There were 24 Embrazures to the Sea fide, and a Battery be- yond, which Battery he did not fee the firft Day. Being aflced, (by Sir John Mordaunt*% Defire) what Number of good Troops would, in his Opi- nion, have enabled a Commander to prevent their landing at the propofed Landing-place at QhatC' laillon ? Anfwered, Any Opinion he can form upon that Point muft be very indeterminate ; but, from what he could obfervf, the Sand Hills were pretty near to the Water-fide, and his Notion is, all Circumftances confidcred, a Thoufand good Foor, and 200 or 300 Horfe, might have prevented about 2000 Men land- ing from Boats. Being or n that inter whic fomt Sane they Col< hi jrtake lia^ in made made itly to ferved : 28th might ier to le fup- Coun- hebe- irds to appear Attack a weak afonry, intage, mother fpeaks from /"ord of re were ry be- )ay. Defire) s Opi- nt their Qhate- lon that m what near to nftances or 300 ea land- Being t t3"] Being alked by the Board, How many could have embarked in the Boats ? Anfwered, He believes there was never an exa6l Calculation made of that; he Ihould think about thirty- fix Companies, which confided of about fixty private Men each, befides Officers. " ' ^ Did he fee any Troops, where it was propofed to land? •' V >^- ' • • ' ji.'^o. He iaiv fix Pieces of Cannon on the Point, but which he thinks could not reach the Beach. ^ If a fufficient Number of Men had been con- cealed behind the Sand Hills, could Ships in that Cafe be of any Ufe to cover the Landing ? A. No : Such Troops muft have been fafe from the Ships while concealed. Colonel George Howard.^ being called at Sir John Mordaunt's Defire, and afked, what Account the Captain of the Viper Sloop gave him ? faid, that he received Sir John Mordauni*s Orders to go reconnoi- tring with Colonel PFoife on Tburfday, which he be- lieves was the 29th of September -, and when they came to the Fiper Sloop, which was ftationed neareft ♦ the Coaft, as they were taking their View of the Land, he allced Captain Skynner, the Commander, fome Queftions relative to Obfervations he might have made. The Captain faid, he came there on the Sund&y before, and that on the Sunday Afternoon, or Monday Morning, he faw a confiderable Number of Troops marching down, and that he reckoned eight or nine Pair of Colours ; that he faw them in Camp -, that the next Morning the View of the Camp was intercepted, fo that he could not fee them again, which he attributed to the Enemy having flung up fome Ground on the Beach ; and that he law the Sand Hills on the Beach confiderably higher than ' they were on Sunday when he came there •, which he. Colonel Howard^ reported to Sir John Mordaimt. Being qucftioned by the Board, whether he aflced the I . [ 30 the Captain of what particular Numbers he thought the Troops might cOiifift ? Said, he did aik him that Queftion, and th;u the Captain anfwered him, he aould not ileterminc ^ but that he. Colonel Howard^ might better judge ftom the Number of Colours. Being queltioned farther, he laid, the Captain could give no Defcription of the Quantity of Ground they covered in their Camp, nor did he fpecify, whether they were regular Forces> or the Troops Qf the Country. Captain Thomas OJbert Morddunt being examined, at the Defire of Sir John MerJaunty faid» that he re- ceived a MefTage from Sir Edward fiawke the Mom-* ing after the Attack upon the Ifle of /iix, idedring him to come down to the Cabbin ; wliere he found the Admiral, y'lce- Admiral JOtAwleSt and the Pilot of the Magnanime, The Admiral d^fired him, Cap- tain Mor daunt y as he did, not underftand French him- felf, to alk the Pilot fome Queftions'for him. After afking fome. about the Approach xoRo^hlk, he aiked particularly, how near a Ship could be .brought to FouraS', the Pilot faid, he could bring the Magna- vime, as his Expreffion was •' dans un demy Mile,, ** meme dam un quart de Mile\* but hemuft then run the Ship upon the foft Mud^ in which (he would Hand fecure till the next Tide, which would bring her off. And left there Ihould have been any Mif- underftanding, as to the.Dillancc intended by a .Mile, the Pilot was defired to explain himfelf, and. laid he meant " Miles oi England,** The Admiral replied, that would do. The Admiral then aflccd, if, by lightening the Barfleur, he could bring her as near ) the Pilot faid he could, but he had* rather go with the Magnanime, becaufe Captain H^w was young and brave ; and that he could not be better employed than in the Service of his Country. The Admiral mentioned, he did not care that Ship (bould go, as . having been upon feverc Service before. ■ _^ Major f. thought th;it the nci but 5c fcom Captain Ground rfpecify, i roopspf lamined, at he re- e Morn- 4cCring lie found he Pilot m, Cap- ffci him- . .After heafked ought to Magna- my Mile, luit then le would lid bring any Mif- ^ a. Mile, id. (aid he 1 replied, 3, if, by as near ^ go with ouDg and ;mployed Admiral Id go, as Major t33] Major General Conway being defired by Sir John Mordaunt to give an Account, as to the Time pro- pofed for landing, whether it was intended to have been by Night, or by Day-light, and the Reafons of its being put off, faid, that he underftood it to have been the Intention of al! (he knows it was his own) to have landed in the Night, and the Difpofition was made to land accordingly. Captain How firft came on Board the RamillieSt where they all were before they went to their Rendezvous j and faid, he was forry to obferve to them, the Wind was fprung up from the Shore, and feared it wou'd be a great Ob- ftrudlion to landing that Night. — Sir John iV'ordaunt faid, he would go to the Rendezvous on board the America, where they (hould be better Judges, and that he would make the Landing, if poflible. When they came on board the America, Rear- Admiral Brcdrick and feveral of the Captains faid (believes Mr. Brodrick fpoke firft, but is not certain) they hoped it would not be imputed to any Backwardnefs in them, but it was their Opinion, the Wind fat fo ftrong again ft them, it would be about Day-light before the Boats could get to Shore, and fix Hours more, before a fecond Embarkation could be landed. Sir John Mordaunt faid, as he remembers, the Difpofition was made for landing in the Night, and that he thought it muft be put off to another Night ; and took the Opinion of the Officers prefent upon that Subjed. Major General CornwalUs confirmed the fame in general ; adding, that he rather underftood from his Converfation with Captain How, that his Opinion was againft landing in general, as he confefTes his own was -, but it was moft indifputably the Intention, that the Troops fliould land in the Night. He remembers Captain Dennis particularly thought the landing, as the Wind then was, an impradicable, or at leaft, a very dangerous Enterprize. Colonel George Howard confirmed the fame, as to the Difpofition being made for landing in the Night, and the Reafon of its being deferred. C ' Colonel icihcr any Batteries or Troops apjxared to him ^. /L Very few : 7here was a fmall Battery, but he iiTLigiiitd the Tioops would naturally conceal them- lel.- .s rill thf AtLciiipc to land. \\ : lH- n jbferved, that no Officer, as he conceives, calicd ::j a Council of War, is criminally accountable for his Opinion given in that Council; but if called upon he is very ready to give the Reafons that guided his Opinion. Being defired to mention thofe Reafons, he faid, as well from general Reafoning as Intelligence, tho* he knew of no confiderable Army in the Field, he was perfuaded there muft be a confiderable Number of Men in Rochefori — They had been feen five Days on 'he Coaft, and two Days more mull have been taken up in landing with the Stores. — They had no particular Intelligence of many necefliary Circumflan- ces relative to the State of the Place : They could not furprize it, and had not Artillery to attack it in form, and no fecure Retreat for the Troops — That he did, imagine there would be an Oppofition upon landing, but the Want of a Retreat was the principal Objec- tion 'vith him. — He further faid, they had not at firft fufficient Intelligence to depend on taking Fort Four as by an Attack on the Land Side ; when he thought the Intelligence fufficient, he did propofe landing in order to attack it. He then, to fave the Trouble of aiiy further Queftions, faid, that he had prepared a Ihort State of the whole Proceedings, beginning from the firft Attack upon Aix^ fo far as his own Condudt is any way concerned, which was laid before the Board, and read as follows, viz, " On Friday the 23d of September^ I went up with " three Battalions to fuftain the Attack on the Fore *' QiAix. '* On <( cc cc (C t 37 ] On Saturday Morning I went on board the Ra- •* milies (Sir Eaward Ha'wh*s I h\p) ami there gave *' in a Plan for landing as near Fouras as pofTi- " ble, and attacking the Fort de PEqwlle near it with " a Detachment of Grenadiers, while a Sliip lay up ** to batter the Fort of iouras by Sea ; and for m k- •* ing a Feint on the Side of Rochdie and the IHc of ** Rhi^ to facilitate that Attempt. This Plan was accepted by Sir John Mordaunt^ but not ap- proved of by the Admiral. " Soon after the Rear Admiral and Captains, fent to reconnoitre and found the Coaft, reporting, that •' there was no landing Place near touraSy and that ** the only landing Places they had difcoverer" be- '* twecn that Fort and La Rochdie^ were near the *' Point of Chatdaillon \ and it being alfo now de- •' clared, that the Fort of Fouras could not be at- " tacked by Sea, that Scheme was laid afide, and a *' general Council of War called, which met next Morning, the 25th •, wherein it was unanimoufly refolved, by both Sea and Land Officers prefent, that the landing ncsir Chatdaillon, in order to march up and Sittick Rochefort d'lrMy , as the Queftion was there dated, was neither advifable nor prac- *' ticable. ** But a Queftion being then propofed for deter- mining to come back to England, I oppofed it, as it was not in that View I gave my AfTent to-the former Queftion ; and thought we fhould by all Means fee, what farther could be done to annoy the Enemy. - " We met next Day to fign the Council ; and Sir John Mordaunt then propofed landing on the Ifland " of Oleron, and faid, he had mentioned it to Sir •* Edward Hawke, who approved it. To this I add- ** ed, that if that Place was fixt upon for a Land- ** ing, I fhould then propofe attacking rhe Caftle of •* Oleron on the South End of the Ifland, and paffing " over from thence to the Continent, between Brou- ** age and the Charente, which is about a League, <( (C C( C( cc cc cc cc cc (C «( C 3 (C and \y-' ft , where I gave my Opinion for the Landing and Attack of that Fort, and the Fort de rEquil'e\ but that At- tempt being in general judged too difficult, it was dropt. *' The fame Afternoon I went on board the Ra- milies, and propofed to Sir Edward Hawke and Sir John Mordatint the landing at Chatelnllon, and marching from thence to attack Fouras and the other Forts on the Back -, of which I thought we had now fufficien*" Knowledge to depend upon the taking Fouras^ as a fecure Retreat for the Troops, and that we might then fee, what farther could be dene. This Propofition was next Morning referred to a Council of War, where it was agrted up-n, and ordered to be put in execution that Night. " But was put off, on a Reprefentation of the Sea Officers, upon account of the ftrong Wind then blowing from the Shore. " It was alfo at the fime Time reported, that fome Cam^s and Entrenchments had been '^ttn on the Shore, particularly near the Place where the Landing was to have been mae'e. *' I therefore afked Sir John Alcrdauni^s, Leave to go, and accordingly went next Morning to recon- noitre the Coaft irom Fouras to Chatelaillon. "On my Report, Sir JoIm Mcr daunt called the Land Officers of the Council of War together, to know their Opinions, whecherit was now proper to rc^ew the Attempt for the Landing. — I did de- *^ dare cc I [ 39 ] *'^ clarc it to be mine, but ihc other Gentlemen being *' all ot a contrary Opinion, 1 acqiiielced.'* Major General Conway being aiked, by ckfire of Sir "John M<>rdaunt^ Whether he. Sir John^ did fhcw him Sir Edijoard Ilawke\ Letter of the 29th oi Scp- temher^ with regard to the Return to England? Anfwercd, I'hat Sir John did (liew him that Let- ter, and at the fame Time offered Major General Con- •way (il it was his Opinion) Hill to go on ; but he re- plied, it was too delicate a Matter for him to take upon himfelf, unlefs it was alfo Sir 'jjohn''s> own Opi- nion ; that whatever might be his private Sentiments, 'he fhould acquiefcc in the general Opinion, which he did ac- ordingly. Major General CornwaUis being called upon \?i\t\ As he did not imagine his Condud was under inquiry, he is not prepared with a Narrative. 1 hat he was a Major General, and the Third in Command in the Expedition, and, as he conceives, not refponfible for the Failure or Succefs. 1'hat he was never wanting in any Part of his Duty, was always at his Po{f, and ready to obey any Order from his fr.perior Officers : That he attended Councils of War when fummoned, as was his Duty ; and wnen there, gave his Opinion according to the beft of his Judgment, and does not ■ conceive himfelf to be accountable for the Opinion 16 given : But to any CHieftions the Board fliould think lit to propofe, he would very readily give an Anf^/e^ to the beft of his Judgment. Being afl^ed, Whetiier he did at any Time, in his Opinion, fee it practicable or advifiblc to land ? Anfwered, At no Time, as there appeared to him no Security for landing the Troopi, nor any Retreat fccured ; and lailly, he had heard an able JPiJot fay, he had been iitvti^ Weeks there, without a PofiUiility of a Boat paffing or repaffing Tue Retreat and •Communication between the Troops and Shipping, appeared to him abfolutely ncceii'ary •, ai^i th' ir hav- ing been there (o long, was a llronger Argument vvidi him againft landing. And inlormid, as lie now is. C 4 under 1- [ 40 1 under all the Difadvantagc of popular Opinion, were the Cafe again to happen under the fame Circumftan- ces, he fliould now perfift in the fame Opinion. He would as readily, as any Officer in the Service, have hazarded his own Perfon, if ordered to land with an Hundred Men only ; but when called upon for his Opinion in fo momentous an Affair, he could not an- fwer to himfelf rifquing the Whole. He added, he was againft the Meafure of landing in tJ' Second Council of War, but acquiefced in the Opinion of the Majority of the Council, and v/as ready at his i'oft, to put the Refolution in Execution. Being afked, whether any Thing appeared to him to prevent the Communication between the Ships and the Troops ? . ^ Anfwered, no Men of War could get nearer *h4n two Miles, which made the whole of the C r. nication precarious, as it depended only on the Wind's ihifting into a particular Corner at the critical Jun<5ture of the Equinox. Colonel George Howard^ as having been called to the Councils of War, by the Commanders of the Expedition, was then defired to lay, before the Board, if he thought proper, the Motives which had the principal Weight v;ith him, together with any other Matters, that he might judge material for the Infor- mation of the Board j who faid, he was very little prepared, not knowing he Hiould be called upon, but neverthelefs readily mentioned to the Board the principal Matters, which had determined his Judge- ment, being to the fame EiTe6l, as contained in the Paper by him prefented the Day following. Jdjctirned iill the Morrow at ii o^Clock in the r Forenoon. I ' At a meeting of the faid General Officers, ap- pointed to inquire into the Caufes cf the Failure of the late Expedition, Sec, purfuant to Adjournment on Tuefday the 15th of November i757' ... ' • Major !»I [4« ] Major General Cornwallis^ defired to add, in Ex- planation of what he mentioned Yefterday, with re- gard to the Pilot's Evidence upon the ImpofTibiiity of pafling, and rcpafsing, that he does not thereby mean any particular Storm or Tempeft -, but that the ordinary Wind fitting in from the Bay, would make fuch a Surf on the Shore, that Boats could not go there. Colonel Howard acquainted the Board, that he had now committed to writing the Motives of his Opinion, differing in little more from the Account he gave them Yefterday, than that they are more methodically digefted, and defired they might be ac- cepted inftead of his verbal Narration •, and the fame were accepted accordingly, and read, as follows, viz, " Unaccufed and unconfcious, as I am, of the *' leaft mihtary Mifcondudt, I fhall however, for the ** Satisfadion of this Honourable Board, relate the Motives, which induced the Opinions I have given, not as a Matter of Self defence, but of Evidence only, agreeable to the Summons I re- •' ceived to attend at this Place. ** As it is well known I went upon the Expc- *' dition, only as a Regimental Officer, and that my " Situation could neither intitle me to know the Motives upon which it was undertaken, nor the Springs which were to condudt the Execution of it, I flatter myfelf I cannot be in the Icaft accounta- ble for the Failure of the Enterprize. " As the Execution of this Afl^air was intruded *'' to three General Officers of fuch eftablifhed Cha- " rasters, I little thought T (hould be concerned, " but in a chearful Obedience of the Orders I mi^ht " receive from them. " When I was fummoned as eldeft Colonel to the Council of War on the 25th of September^ I was totally uninformed, as my Situation could not admit of my being preient at any previous Confulta- tion. *' When cc cc (6 (C (C (( (( CC t( I 1 <( 5 r 1 i «* li 1 cc (■,:| - - ! '1 :.■'■ <<, \:^ . 1 1 j' ' «< ij ' ' '< li- ^ i' <( C( (C (C 1- ■ «« cc !;. ' ; ■ cc c; ec C( C( 1 1 \ C( • ( ftt i l.i. ICC [ 40 ** When the Objefl of the Council was propofed, and the Rear Admiral's Report of the 24th rela- tive to the Soundings and two landing Places, which he had difcovered, was read, the great Diffi- culties, which attended the landing of the Troops, Artillery, Ammunition, Provifions, and Camp Equipage at either < f thofe Places, as well as the great Uncertainty of fecuring a Retreat from thence in cafe of any Emergency, and of preferving a Communication with our Shipping, were fo fully demonftrated, (as no Ship, not even a Frigate of the Fleet, could afford the lead Protedion, either in the landing or reimbarking of the Troops) that ^ thought the Attempt uncommonly hazardous, and ■t they were by no Means the proper Places of iaiiding, to facilitate the Defigns upon Rochefort. *' In Confequence of which Opinion, I afked at the Council of War, If it was not poflible for a Ship or two to favour a Defcent of the Troops near Fouras^ by attacking that Fort by Sea ; which I thought fhould have been the immediate Opera- tion, after taking the Fort of Aix ; as by that Means we fhould have been three Miles at leall nearer to Rochefort^ the Troops, ^c. could have been landed in a very fhort Space of Time, and nothing could have interrupted our Communica- tion with the Ships : But the Admiral declared it was impradicable, and that no Ship could go up higher than the Ille of Aix without being on Ground. " The other Part of my Opinion was founded upon the Evidence mentioned in the Council of War, being (as I have obferved. before) quite uninformed, and not knowing any thing about Rochefort^ but from the Evidence which appeared at the Counci'. ** As to the fccond Council of War on the 28th, tho' I do not think any great publick Utility would have been anfwered in landing the Troops for the Purpofes therein mentioned j and tho' the Pro- pofal was made h$c in point of Time, yet I was *"* detcr- (C( cc cc had The cc pofed, h rcla- ^laccs, cDifii- roops. Camp I as the thence ving a fo fully gate of , either )s) that )us, and laces of •hefort. ifked at le for a Troops •, which Oper^- by that at lead Id have ne, and munica- clared it d go up jeing on 1 ed upon of War, formed, '<7r/, but ;:ounci'. he 28th, ;y would s for the he PrO- et 1 was deter- i( (C (C [ 43 J ** determined no Negative of mine fliould appear to ^* any Operation it was thought proper to undertake by fo many better Judges than myfelf. '* I have ever been mod ready to exert myfelf in all Points of my Duty, Ihall conftantly perfevere in fo doing, and defy the World to lay a contrary Behaviour to my Charge.*' Captain William Phillips delivered to the Board a Paper from Sir John Ligonier, which he was direcled to inform them is the Original, of which Sir John Mor daunt produced a Copy, and refered to in his Narrative ; and which Sir John Ligofiier is defirous the Board fliould underftand, was by no Means in- tended as Inftrudtions, but only Hints, which he had put upon Paper and read to Sir John Mordaunty who thereupon defired a Copy. Captain Phillips likewife obfervcd. That there is a Paragraph added at the Foot of this Paper, which is not contained in Sir John Mordauni*s Copy, and which Sir John Ligonier had direfted him likewife to mention to the Board : The faid Paragraph is, as follows, viz. *' When Sir John Ligonier wrote this Paper, of which Sir John Mordaunt defired a Copy, he knew nothing of the Difpofition of the French Troops. — The fmall Number of thofe Troops that ccild be upon that Coaft, by the Difpofition produced at the Cabinet Council, leflened very much the Necefiity of the Precautions to be taken for a Com- cc (( n the Fleet, manned and armed, to go to the Ketch's Afliftance •, and went himfelf on board the Coventry i Frigate to drive away the Row-Boats, which Frigate ran a-ground five Times confiderably within the Space i of an Hour, and at greater Diftance from the Shore than the Bomb-ketch. He then fent his Mafter on founding j and by the Bearings of the fevcral Places at at any is Me- ■e aficed of the p with- Edward rder di- he Bar- Barfteur I Mag- he fent fleur^ to wke had rhat the e might r a Foot and five Sir Ed- Order ; ches in. It eleven ice froni le Shells ; Flight five De- le Bom- lb-ketch ?ieces of Ketch, ; Admi- Boats in Ketch's Coventry Frigate he Spac€ le Shore after on al Places at [ 45 ] at which he took his Soundinp;s^ it appeared ihtrt were but fix Fee: Water at high Water, tv/o Miles off the Fore. — tie added, that he will venture to fay, f.ven if Frigates could have got to it, the Fort v/ould have been attacked by Sea. Being afl<:ed, Wiiat kind of Landing there was at Chateiaillon Bay for Boats ? ■ Anfwered, He was not there, but refers to Rear Admiral Brodrick. Afked, at the Defire of Sir John Mordaunt^ What Day the Experiment was made againft Fcuras ? Anfwered, He is not certain of the particular Day ; it was two or three Days after taking the Ifle of Aixj if not four. Rear Admiral Brodrick, being queftioned by the Board, Whether he knows of any Propofal being made for attacking Fort Fouras by Sea ? Anfwered, He never heard it propofed ; he was on a different Service. ^ Whether he heard any Captain offer to under- take it ? J, He thinks he did in private Converfation hear a Captain fay, he wou!d undertake it, but no fuch Propofal was ever made to him, as Admiral. ^5 What kind of landing there was for Boats at Chatelaillon Bay ? A. It is a very fair, firm, fandy Bay •, a Bay where, in his Opinion, he could get out of the Boat without wetting his Shoes. ^ How near to the Shore could [the Men of War come ? A, By the Soundings he had, not nearer than two Miles. ^ Did he obferve either Troops, or Batteries, to obftru6l the landing, had it been attempted foon after his Return from the Soundings ? A. He faw Ibme Troops, when founding, about 400 or 500 Foot, and 1 50 Horfe, to the bell of his Judgment. — As to Batteries, he had feveral Shot fired at him whiift he was founding •, but at the Place where ll i f\- m [46] where the Troops were to land, no Shot could have rcdched the Boats. §j. What did he bbferve as to the Nature of the Country near the Shore ? ^. There were Sand-Hills the greateft Extent of the Bay, about forty Yards from the high Water Mark. ^ (At Sir John Mordamth Defire) Could not Bombs have reached the Troops behind the Sand- Hills ? . A. He believes the Bomb-Ketches could have been of Service to annoy the Troops, if they could have come near. ^ Might not feveral Winds have detained the Fleet in Bafque Road ? A. He refers to the Council of War, ( in like Manner with Vice Admiral Kno'tvles) faying. That the fame Wind, which would have prevented the Troops from reimbarking, would have detained the Squadron there. ^. As the Works of Aiic were demoliflied, the Wind was then fair, and the Fleet wanted at Home, was it not, in his Opinion, advifable to fail on the Return to England ? A. His Opinion was never afked •, but had he been called upon, he fhould certainly have been of Opi- nion for the Fleet to have failed, upon a Suppofiiiori of no Land Operation being to be undertaken. Sir John Mordaunt was here refered to, at the De- fire of Major General Conway^ left any Doubt fhould be entertained of his Propofal having been given in, who faid, the Propofal was delivered in, as mentioned in Major General Conway^ Narrative. Colonel James Wolfe was queftioned by the Board* What is his Opinion of the Pradicability of landing Troops between Rochelle and Fort Fouras F A. He faw the Bays upon t\\Q 2gth Septemipcr, tt\d has a Minute of the Report he made, which he laid before the Board. — His Opinion is. It was very prac- ticable in the great Bay of Chatdaillon ; the icfier Bay •A-f ' he he vc| c ' ai (( (C (C (c *' n (( jld feave ; of the xtent of 1 Water >uld not le Sand- ave been iild have ined the ( in like ig. That :nted the ained the \i led, the ,t Home, I on the I he been of Opi- ppofiiiori the De-^ It fhould [iven in, lentioned Boards landing '^er, and he laid Iry prac- ]irer Bay he (C (( (( (( (C (C C( [ 47 ] he did not fee much of. — The Minute by him deli- vered being read, was to the following EfFed -, That ' he was lent with Colonel Howard and Lieutenant * Colonel Murray by Sir John Mordaunt, the 29th, ' to view the Bay of Chatelailkn^ and thtir Reporc, ' as far as he can recoiled, was to this Purpofe, That they did not fee any Batteries, Redoubts, En- trenchments, or Troops, to prevent their landing in the great Bay j but that the Sand-Hills were high enough to conceal the Motions of an Enemy. They were informed by the Captain of the Viper^ whole Ship anchored neareft the Shore, that a Number of Men had been feen working in the Sand-Hills for fome Days. There were fix Pieces o\ r^innon upon the Point of Chatelaillon^ and fmall Guards and Pofts along the Shore of the leffer Bay." ^ Could the Boats have gone out of the Reach of the fix Pieces of Cannon ? J, Yes. ^ ^ Had he been ordered to Attempt landing at any Time with all the Men the Boats would have con- tained, did any fuch Difficulties appear to him, as would have juftified him in reprefenting againit it as ralh, or impradicable ? A. Had he been ordered to do it, he fhould not have reprefented againft it. He obferves, he did not fee the Bay till the 2yth. ^ Did he ever propofe to go out reconnoitring before that Time ? A. He can't particularly recoiled : He looked up^ on it to be more immediately the Duty of his Office, as Quarter- Mafter-General, and was ready to go, whenever ordered. ^ Does he know any Thing relative to Fort Foil- ras on the Land- fide ? /I. Only from viewing it through Glafles from the Ifle of Jix. ^ How far is if, as he apprehends, from the great Bay of Chadelaillon by Land to Fort Fouras ? A. He |i«Lj|l [ 48 J A, He can't well fay, he never was within the Bay ; it may poflib'y be leven or eight Miles, but the guefs is quite vague. ^ How far from the Landing-place to Rochefort ? A. He knows nothing of it, but has been told it is about twelve Miles from the great Bay 5 about four Leagues. ^ During the march from the Landing-place to Rochefort^ might a Detachment fent to Fouras of 400 or 500 Men in his Opinion have taken it ? A. He don't know the Strength of Fouras fuffi- ciently to anfwer that Queftion. ^ If the Troops had been in PoflelTion of Fort Fouras^ would not a Retreat have been fecured ? A. He fuppofes it might, but can't fpeak with any Certainty, or Precifion. ^ What does he take to have been the Strength of Rochefort from the beft Intelligence he could get? A. He knows nothing of Rochefort ; nor did he get any Intelligence concerning it. ^ (At Sir John Mordaunt*s Defire) Whether he heard Major Dejhrifay fpeak of any Troops marching down, which he imagined were coming trom the Ifle of Rhe? A. Yes, on the 24th In the Morning Major Def- hrijay came on board the Ramilies, and addrefling himfclf to him, (Colonel PFolfe) ^fkcd him, whether he (hould make a Report of what he had feen, viz. a Body of Troops marching towards the Shore from that Part of the Continent oppofite to the Ifle of Rhe ; he faid, he had alfo feen a Veflel go backwards and forwards, which he fuppofed had carried the Troops over, but did not mention the Numbers. He thereupon advifed Major Bejbrifay to go down and make his Report to Sir John^ in the hearing of the Admiral. Colonel Howard was afked, by deP.ie of Sir John Mordaunt^ whether he (Sir John) uid not defire him, as foon as ever the Ifle ol Aix was taken, to pick or a Bay; : guefs ^efort ? toid it about lace to of 400 IS fuffi- 3f Fort i? ik. with Strength e could did he :ther he larching the lae Ijor DeJ- Idrefling Iwhether |en, 'viz. )re from IQe of :kwards ried the lumbers. lo down :lng of )ir John Tire him, to pick up [ 49 ] up all the Intelligence he could from the Pri- foners ? J. Yes, in Confequence of which he fpoke to fe- reral, particularly to fome of the French Officers; but no latisfaclory Anfvver was got from them. He knows likewife fome were fpoke to by Major-General Conway, and fome were fent tor on the Saturday to be examined on board the Fleet. Major- General Cotiwny faid, he did fpeak to fe- verai. Captain Patrick Tcnyn being afl«d, at Sir John Mor- daunt^s Defire, what Orders Sir John gave him the Morning before the Council of War ot the 25th on board the Neptune ? Anfwered, That Sir John came to him on the Quarter- Deck, and told him, fome Prifoners were to come on board, and if there were any Soldiers, Ser- jeants, or Corporals, among them, direded him to colleft what Intelligence he could by Bribes, offering them forty, fifty, or Sixty Guineas. The Prifoners came on board, but were moft of them Labourers and Mafons. — He queftioned feveral of them, but they could give him no Intelligence, as they were prefled from a diftant Part of the Country. There was a Soldier, or two, of the Regiment of PciSJoa amongft them, Militia, but they could give him no Information. — This he reported to Sir John. Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Clerk, chief Engineer upon the Expedition, was queftioned by the Board, whether he had ever been at Rochefcrt f A. Yes, m April 1754. ■■■" = ^'>. ^- ' ^. Had he then an Opportunity of making any Remarks on the Strength and Situation of it ? A. Yes, his Letter to Sir John Ligonier particu- larly defcribes it, to which he refers, (being of the Number of Papers tranfmitted by Mr. Secretary P///, and which were read at the Outfet of the Inquiry.) ^ h Rochefort Cnuittd on a Flat, an Eminence, *^ or a Declivity ? D J. That -j( ■I'i' [5° ] ^. That Part next the River Is flat and low, but it riics on the* Side next the Lund. i^ Is the Ditch round liochefort level with rhe River at High- Water Maik, or is any of it higher than the River ? A. A great Part is higher than the Tide can flow to. ^ If any Part of the Foflc is higher than the Ri- ver, can that Part be filled with Water ? y^. It cannot. Being defircd to give a Defcription of the Strength and Situation of Rochefort •, he referred again to his faid Letter to Sir John Ligomcr, which was read to him. He de fired to make one Obfervation (in Regard to an Opinion uhich had p evailed, that his being permitted by the Governor to fee Rochefort was in fricndfliip, or particular favour to him) that he was intirely unacquainted with Mr. Macnamara, who was the Governor at that Time •, and believes, he luld have fhewn the fame Indulgence and Civility i Ty Refpcdt to any Officer in Regimentals. §^ Whether he has received any Information fince to induce him to believe Rochefort was flronger at the Time of this Expedition, than when he was there ? A. No, he has feveral Reafons, wh'ch induce him to believe, it was in the fame Condition when they came into the Bay. Being defired to mention thofe Reafons, he faid, that the Day after the Council of War of the 25th, hearing there had been fome Difficulties, he went to pafs a Day with fome of the principal French Offi- cers in the Fort in the IQe of Aix. There were prc- fent the Engineer, the commanding Officer of the Marines, and the Commander of the Troops, with two or three other Officers of the Regiments. At firft he examined two or three of them in regard to the Condition of fome of the Places upon the Coaft, and ^2iviic\xhx\y Rochefort. He got at firft no fatis- fadtory Anfwers 5 upon which he reiblved to pafs the whole fince at the there ? him they faid, 25th, lent to Offi- pre- )f the with At trd to ^oaft, fatis- Ifs the hole [5' 1 whole Diy with them. After Dinner he mentioned to the Company, that two or tlirec of them had been very cautious of giving any Account of their Places, which he believed he knew as well as themfclves : Upon which he took out his Pencil, and drew a Sketch of Rocfjelle, dcfcribing particularly its weak Sides, and then entered upon a particular Defcrip- tion of Rochefort. He then took the Engineer along with him to walk round the Fort, and delired him to tell him, if the Place (meaning Rochefort) was not as he defcribed it, telling him befKles, that there had been a Difpute between him and one of his Friends, who had it, by hearfay only, (that the Water could be thrown round the Town ; he faid, that it was impolTible upon account of the Inequality of the Ground, and that he (Lieut. Col. Clerk) gave a more particular Defcription of Rochefort , than he could do himfelf, though he had been often there -, but he had not examined it with great Attention, having al- ways looked upon it as an ojien Place.-— On the 30th at Night he went to the Ifle of Aix with Colonel Wolfe on purpofe to endeavour to make the Engi- neer fay the fame thing before him, as he had only mentioned it afore in private ; he brought him to Colonel fVolfe, and afked, whether, or nor, the Ditch could be made wet and Water thrown round the Town ? his Anfwer was, that it could not be upon Account of the Uncvennefs of the Ground ;-— his precife Words in French were, " Ce ne fcatiroit etre^ a caufe de I'inegalite du 'terrain.^* Another Circumitance is, that on the 28th of Sep- tember^ lySl-* ^^^^^ ^^^ Council of War had come to a Refolution to land, he was on board the Ramil- liest when Captain Hamilton^ Aid de Camp to Major- GtntvdX Conway-, told him, there was a Fifherman, a very fenfible Man in his Opinion for a common Man, who had been at Rochefort the 21ft, and had been fince taken Prifoner, and examined by Major-General Conway. He got Captain Hamilton to fhew the Filherman to him immediately, and aiked him a great D '■il,,- ( I'. r 52 ] many Queftions in regard to the Place ; who feemed to be very diftind in regard to many particular Cir- cumftances ; for fo common a Man, much more than he could have imagined ; he mentioned parti- cularly that he went by Rochejort on the 21ft ot" the Month, and that the Place which he Lieutenant-Col. Clerk had defcribed to him as open and unlortifiedj was in the fame Condition that Day. He afkcd him the Queftion feveral Times before many People, and particularly before Colonel fFoife :--Ht had never leen the Man before. A third Circimllance is, that upon the Voyage home on board the .Royal George^ where wete fome French Prifoners, he lound among them a Mafon, who had been employed at Rochefort about two Years, and enquired of l^m, if any of the Gates were upon a Level with the Ground, without any Bridge : He faid, there was one, but that it had a very good flrong Gate. The Reafon of his afking that Queftion, was, that if Water could be thrown round the Town, there muft have been a Bridge in his Opinion. This pafled before Captain Budle of the Royal George. Since his Return to London- he has feen feveral People, who have been M Rochefort, and particularly Mr. Plendcrleiih, a Merchant, who was at Rochefort about >4 Months ago ; and he confirmed i.lm in this Particular of the Inequality of the Ground, and in every other Refpeft regarding the Place. This Mr. Plenderleith lived, for many Years, a Merchant at Rochelle, and he, Lieutenant-Colonel Clerky knew him when he was there. - . ' Major-Geneial Conway faid, that he examined fe- veral Perfons, twenty at leaft, and therefore cannot particularly recoiled, whether the Fifh^rman raen- tionei in Lieutenant -Colonel Clerk* s Evidence was one; but if the Name was mentioned, he fhould per- haps rememLcr,— and Lieutenant-Colonel Clerk there- upon mentioning, that he believes Boneau was the Name, Majpr- General Conway roferrcd to a Minute, • which .; ,.•• .f;i>o'..i A. Though this dtpends very niuch upon the . Nature of the Ground, fo that lometimes a particu- i Jar Spot tal^es double the Time of what a moil able j Engineer could determine at firft (the particular Cafe v of the Lines thrown up at the ifland.at the Entrance \ q{ Port [mouthy by Captain D^w^^r^ having taken him . five Times more Time than he < le lafe ice iim Ihe je- |or ps C 57 1 perhaps even in a Day, with as many Hands as* could be employed upon it. i^ Does he not think th^n Ditches and the morafs Ground would be an additional Strength at the Open- ing ot /i06v&(?/or/ .? A. To be fure they would. ' ■:■ \ • ■■ ^ Were there not Ditches already cut, that would be an Impediment ? ^. Yes. u- M.^^^f' ; 1 l.^• mi ^ Does he not think Moon-light Nights would" be agreat Impediment to an Aflault ? " . -* A. Believes the Moonlight could be no Ibch' Itn- pediment, as to hinder the Place from being carried in a couple of Hours. ^ {From the Board) If, contt-dffy tb his Expefta- tions, Rochefort had been too ftrong to have been taken by a Coup de Main, could not the Store -houfes and Magazines have been burnt by throwing of Car- ' kaflls and red hot Balls ? A. Undoubtedly, by CarkalTes and Shells one might defiroy a great many of the Stores •, but to do it in any tolerable degree, would require five times the Number of what they had with them ; and that fuch a Method would both take up Time, and there would likewife be great difficulty in bringing up fufficient Stores for that Purpofe to the Place. Major General Conway defired leave to produce a Minute of an Examination of a French PHfoner taken before Sir John Mordatint, which was read, viz, " Pierre Girard de Rochefort, Sailor, who faiys, they have worked zt Rochefort this Fortnight paft ; that he has fcen new Works ; that they had work- ed at the Ditch and at Souterrains." At Sir 'John Mordaunt*s Defire, who faid he had lately received Information of a Letter found ih the IQe of Aixy the Poftcripr whereof he conceived matt- rial, as it fhews Precautions were taken at Rochefort^ Mr. John Eifer, EHginew, produced a Letter as found by bim in a Room belonging to a Prieft in the Ifle of Aixy without Cover or Superfcription, the Day after the <( (( C( i\ ,'.1 fi If' «c «c tc [ 58] the Fort was taken, dated, '* A Rochefort ce 18," (tlie Month and Year not fpecified) the Pofiicript where- of is as follows. — " Je vous prie d'ajfurer Monfteur *' £s? Madame le Comte de mon rejpetl ; il conjeciure que la Saifon efi trap avance pour que les ennemies en- treprennent Hen fur nos Cojles, mais la precaution ck Monjieur le Gouverneur n'en efi pas mains bonne. ^* Lieutenant Colonel Clerk faid. That befides the Par- ticulars he has before-mentioned, he met with another Gircumftance that confirmed him in his Opinion about Rochefort^ and that before he left England, — which is a Relation of the Port of Rochefort, printed in 1732. That Book gives a very clear Account how it comes to be in the Condition he has reprefent- £u» — Colherty who was Prime Minifter .of the Fin- nances, intended, that there (hould be nothing but a fimple Wall round Rochefort, that no Garrifon of re- gular Troops might be put in it, on purpofe to pre- vent Difputes between Land and Sea Officers. The Gove -nor built a Rampart in the fame Form as he fuppofes the fimple Wall was intended j that is to fay, with Redans, than which nothing can be more ab- furd. Signellai difgraced the Governor upon that Ac- count i tho' the Author takes his Part, and fays, he followed the Plan of an Engineer. Sir John Mor daunt begged leave to refer to an Ex- amination taken by his Secretary Captain Richard Davenport, of Pierre Girard, Mariner, one of the French Prifoners, which being produced by the faid Captain Davenport, was read as follows. — *' Pierre " Girard, Mariner, fays, That he is well acquainted •^ with Rochefort, and was there on the 20th-, that ** there is a Ditch round the Place, of which two Thirds are full of Water, and the other Third may be filled at pleafure ; that the Avant Guard is for- tified and defended by a fafcine Battery of feveral Pieces of Cannon juft finiflied." Robert Boyd, Efq; Comptroller of the Train, by direction of the Board, laid before them an exadt Ac- (( i( count ' (tlic 'here- mfieur 'eclure ies en- lion ik er ePar- nother pinion and^ — • printed ccount refent- »e Fin- r but a of re- to pre- . The n as he J to fay, Dre ab- at Ac- .ays, he an Ex- Uchard of the the faid Pierre luainted Pi that Ich two |rd may is for- feveral f rain, by ladt Ac- count u it (( iC tc (( ic I 59] count of the Proportion of Brafs Ordnance, Howit- zers, Mortars, and Stores fumilLed from the Ordnance for this Expedition. Sir John Mordaunt then addrelTed himfelf to the Board as follows, " I am confcious of having done my utmoft to the bcft of my Judgment for his Majefty's Service ia the Condudt of this Expedition -, and I have fub- mitted myfclf voluntarily and readily to this Ex- amination. I defire no Favour or Partiality, and I know I (hall have the njoft exa6t Juftice in the Report this honourable Board will make. " I apprehend, that an Inquiry into the whole Condudt of an Expedition, without any Accufation formed, or any Charge laid, is a Proceeding not quite common •, and however free from Guilt a Man may feel himfelf, there are few who can ftand fo ftrid an Examination. /" ?'■ = - • < > > •' There is nothing but the high Opinion I have both of the Juftice and Candour of this Board, could make me eafy in fuch a Situation. ... *' I therefore hope you will be indulgent to my Errors ; but I defire no Mercy for Guilt or known Dii obedience, and with thefe Sentiments I fubmit mylelf to the Court.'* No Perfon having any thing farther to offer, all Parties were diredled to withdraw, — when the Board proceeded to take the whole Matter before them into Conlideration ; and after fome Time, Adjourned /i .m-v-> APPENDIX. • »-l f < 65 ) t> m*. J^- -.,ri Ships of fhe Line new built : and, an Engineer at- tentled me in going round the Place. I was furpriled to find, ihat though t4iefe was a good Rampart with a Rcvetement, the greatcft Part v£ it was not flanked but with Redans •, that there were no Outworks, no Covert-way, and in many Places no Ditch ; fo that the Bottom of the Wall was feen at a Diftance : That in other Places where the Earth had been taken out to form the Rampart, there was left about them a good Height of Ground, which was a Difad vantage to the Place : That for above the Length of a Front there was n« Rempart,* or even Intrenchment ; but as the Ground was low and marfhy at that Place, being next the River, there were fome fmall Ditches, which were dry, however, at J^ow-water; yet the Bottom remained muddy and . Towards the River there was no Rampart, no Pa- rapet, no Batteries on either Side. Towards the Land-fide there was fome high Ground very nigh the Place, perhaps at the Diftance of about 150 or 200 Yards. The Engineer told me, tliat the Place had remained in that Condition for above 70 or 80 Years. I got no Plan of the Place, and put nothing down in Writing ; for I found that the whole Town had been talking of me, and thought it very extraordinary that I ihould be allowed to go about and fee every Thing. .^,. ,. r ,.r-- ■■ , • ,,1 J'r.-',^.- ... - . I burnt even fome Sketclies and Remarks I had by me upon other Places, that they might have no Hold of me, in cafe they fear<:hed my Baggage, and there- ibre could only expofe themfelves, as I had done no- ticing but what was open, above board, and with Per- mifilon. However, as to Utility, I was as much fatisfied as if I had got a Plan. In regard of the Profil indeed, I have thought fince, that it would not have been pmifs if I had known for certain the exadl Height of the Rampart. I think that it could not well exceed dby Hold here- no- Per- td as leed, I been It of xeed 25 ( 67 i «5 Feet. In Martiulcre's Gcograpliical Didlionary, it is called only 20 Feet high ; perhaps the t'arapet is not included. I told your Excellency, that I had never feen any Plan of the Place; but as there had been no Altera- tion in the Works for fo many Years, I made no quef- tion but that fome old Plan of it might be found which would correfpond exadtly with what I faid. In the Forces de V Europe^ which I have, there is no Plan of Rochefort, but I found one in the Duke oi ArgyW'i Edition, which I borrowed, and (hewed to your Ex- cellency. It agrees exadly with what I faid, and v/ith the Sketch I drew of it before you from my Memory, except that a regular Ditch is reprefcnted every .where, which is not the Cafe. The River may be about 130 Yards broad. The Entrance is defended by two or three fmali Redoubts, which I did not lee, nor could I venture even to go down and examine the Coaft. .%t . > r What I mintioned to your Excellency of the Me- thod of iriuking the Place, confidering it upon the Footing of an immediate AfTault, I have not put down; for, though it may be reafoned upon in a ge- neral View, yet many Things can only be fixed and determined immediately upon the Spot. I was told, that there are never any Troops at Rocbefort^ but the Marines. There might be about looo at that Time. By the Expedition to Port U Orient in 1746, it appeared to me, that the Country -people in Arms are very little better than. our own -, and that an Officer ivho poflHTes himfelf, might march fafely from one End of a Province to another, with, only five Com- panies of Grenadiers, where there are no regular Troops. They imagine at firft, that they can fight, and their Intentions are good rill it comas to the Point, when every Body gives Way almoft before the Firing of a Platoon. .--,• ^'. E2 >.'l 4h( -J i-*^'' ' f f 68 ) In writing th'i I have obeyed with Pleafure, as I have always done, your Excellency's Commands. ; lam, ^c, '■''-*'-'^ '" --^^ ■ • ' \ ' •• ' >- " ';-•• Robert Clerk. A true Copy. Robert Wood. '^•,» ;' j; - ■ ^' J Kumb. II. Minute, dated Arlington-Street, Auguft, 1757, containing an Examination of a French Pilot. PRESENT. Mr. Secretary Pitt \'^-|y General IJgonier --oij.tiri Admiral Knowles r->'';''o,) Captain Clarke. 'i\ ilA Lord An/on SirEd.Hawke • ' > Lt.-Genl. Sir J. Mordaunt Major-Genl. Conway Lold Holdernejfe Le nomme, Jofeph Tierry, Pilote Francois, Natif de = ' ,; -f ' ' * i ■. proteftant de Religion, aiant ete exa- mine, dit, :.^- - ■■^;'- ' • •" V- '-'• '^ : ' ;••"'•:> OU'IL a exercele metier de pilote fur les cotes de France au dela de vingt ans, qu*il a fervi comme premier pilote, a-bord de divers vaifleaux du roi de France, & nommement du Magnanime, fur lequel 11 a fervi pendant I'efpace de vingt d: deux mois; qu'il a con- duit le dit vaifleau le Magnanime plufieurs fois a la rade de I'ifle D'Aix, & qu'il connoit bien Tentree, & la fortie de ladite rade ; que le chennel entre'ks iQes d'Oleron & de Rhe a trois lieues de large, qu'il y a ' louvoie fur le Magnanime, que les hancs qu'il faut eviter foni pres de la tcrre, qu'on en peut diftinguer les brifans a une diftanr.e confiderable ; qu'il y un banc nomme le Boiard, dont on ne courre pas grand rifque moiennant les brifans qui annoncent fa lituation ; que pour entrer a la rade d'Aix il n'y a pas de telles dif- ficultes, qu'il foit nsceffaire d'avoir un pilote pour y conduire des grands vaiflfeaux j qu'l y a bon moulliage tant en dediins la rade, qu'en dehors en mer a 12 & I .j. bralTes d'eau jufqu' a Bayoiine. Que rifle d*Aix a environ fept miles d'Angleterre de circuit, & un quarantaine de cabanes ou maifons rafremblces dans une efpece de village, qu'il y a une batterie ( ^9 ) battene de vingt quatre, a vingt fix canons, de 24 livres de bale, mais qu'il n'y a point de fortification, que les plus gros vaifleaux peuvent en approcher de bien pres^ & que le vaifleau le Magnanimey^«/pourroit en peu de temps detruire la dite batterie. Qiie les plus gros vaifTeaux peuvent monter jufqu'a Vergerot a deux miles Angloifes de rembouchure de la riviere avec leurs canons & equipage, que la riviere eft fort etroite. Que Ton peut mettre du monde a terre au nord d'une batterie nomme de Fourras^ fans etre ou du fort dans une praierie ou le terrain, eft ferme & uni a la grande poriee de canons des vaifleaux. Que de Tendroit ou Ton met pied a terre jufqu'a Rochefort^ il y a cinq miles Angloifes, le chemin fee, & n'eft point coupe par des fofles ny des marais. 'Que La ville eft prefque entouree par un rampart, maifque Tendroit qui aboutit a la riviere des deux cotes il n*y a point de mur Tefpace de foixante pas, qui n'eft fermee fimplement que par une barriere ou pallifade, & que le terrain pour aborder les dites pali- fades n'eft. coupe d'aucun fofle. A true Copy. Robert Wood. Numb. III. Memoir e fur la Force a^uelle de la France ^ ■ (sf les Seroices auxquels elk eft employee dans VAnnec ly^y 9 received July 28/^, 1757 -, — and communicated at a Meeting at Lord HoldQrnQffk* s Houfe ta the Ge- nerals appointed on an Expedition to the Coafts of France. ^ .■ .. < Translation. , ^ MEMORIAL, Of the adlual Force of France by Land, and the Services 011 which it is employed in the Year 1757. '^ H E French Army at the Beginning of the prefent Trou bies , confifted M E M O I R E, Sur la Force aduelle de la • France par terre, & les Services auxquels elle eft employee dans I'Annee, T^'Armee Franfoife, au commencement des troubles prefents, ne con- fiftoit only ( 10 ) fiftoit qu*cn 1 57^347 hommes, non compris la milice & les invalides. Elle etoit compofee de la maniere ibivante. Infanterie Fran9oife 98»330 Artiileri'? — -— i 4,100 Infartrrie Etrann;ere — 25*589 iVIaiion duRoi, Cavalerie 3,210 Cavaleric r'ran^oifc — 14,520 Cavalerie Etrangere — ^ 960 Dragons .— - 7,680 Hufi'ars — — 800 Troupes Legeres — 2,158 only of 1 5 7,347 Men, not including the Militia and the Invalids. It was com- pofed in the following Manner. 157*347 French Foot — Artillery — — Foreign Foot — King's Houftiold,Horfe French Horfe — Foreign Horfe — Dragoons ■ ' " Kuffars ' Light Troops — — Anmois d'Aout, 1755, on fit line augmentation de quatre compagnies de 45 hommes chacune, dans chaque bataillon du regi- ment du roy, & de quatre compagnies de40 hommes thacune, dans chaque ba- taiiion ordinaire de I'infan terieFranfoifej ce qui faifoit en tout 29,620 hommes. Environ le meme tems, une augmentation fe fit dans les dragons^qui porta chaque regiment a quatre efcadrons de 640 hommes, monrant en tout a 2,560 hommes. Au mois de Decembre de la meme annee 1755, ime augmentation fe fit pareillement dans la ca- valerie, de dix hommes par compagnie, en tout 5560 hommes. • ■■ ■ '* . '■ Les 98'33» 4,100 25,589 3,210 14,520 960 7,680 800 - 2,158 I57'347 In the Month oiAuguft 1755, an Augmentation was made of four Com- panies of 45 Men each, in everyBattalionoftheKing's regiment,and of four Com- panies of 40 Men each, in every common Battalion of French Foot-, which made in all 29,620 Men. About the fame Time an Augmentation wasmade in the Dragoons, which made up every Regiment j four Squadrons of 640 I Men •, making in all 2560 Men. In the Month of De- cember of the fame Year '^755^ ^^ Augmentation was alfo made in the Horfe, of ten Men a Company ; in all 5560 Men. .-, -It ' The *■. *~ C 7 Les volontalres royaiix, & le corps de Fifchet\ fii- rentaufil augmentes ; nous ne favons pas an jufte de combien ; mais, felon nos avis, cette augmentation alloit a 680 hommes, ou environ. Toutes ces difFerentes augmentations montent a 38,420 hommes ; & par confequent Tarmee Fran- ^oife (fans compter la mi- lice &les invalides, queje mets au dela de 67,000) eft compofee de 196,000 hommes. lis ont, a la ve- rite, leve deux nouveaux Regiments dans Ic pa'is de Liege ; mais, malgre tout cela, leurs troupes reglees font au deflbus de deux cent mille hommes. Les ides deMstiorque & de Corfet avec les colonies en Amerique, occupent au moins 25000 hommes ; ils ont fait embarquer, au printems, 3 a 4000 hommes difFerents fervices aux deux Indiesi Tarmeede M. le ma- rechal d'Eftrees, fi les re- gimens etoient complets, iroit a 92,000 hommes; celle du marechal de Ri- chelieu eft de 32, 665. II faut,.aufli compter un corps de 6 ou 7000 hommes, qu'ils The royal Volunteers, and Fifcher's Corps weie alfo augmented i we do not exaS:ly know to what Number-, but, according to our Advices, this Aug- mentation came to 680 Men. or thereabouts. Thefe feveral Augmen- tations amount to 38,420 Men ; and confequently the French Army (with- out reckoning the Militia and the Invalids, which I put at above 67,000) is compofedof 1 96,oooMen. They have, it is true, raifed two new Regiments in the Country of Liege \ but, not withftanding that, their regular Troops are under 200,000 Men. The Iflands of Minorca and Cerfica, with the Co- lonies in America^ take up 25,000 Men at leaft ; they embarked in the Spring 3 or 4000 Men for diffe- rent Services in the two Indies ; Marlhal UEJlrees* Army, if the Regiments were complete, would a- mount to 92,000 Men ; Marlhal Ricbe/ieu*s is 22,66^. A Body of 6 or 7000 Men muft alfo IE4 be -vr ( qu'ils font obliges dc tenir en garnifon a Toulon, Mar- feilles, Ceite, Antibes, ^c. a porte de cette partie de leur Cote. '' -. Selon ce calcul, done, voila 1 60,000 homines de troupes reglees em- ployees •, il reftera envi- ron 40,000 hommes pour toutes les garnifon depuis Sedan julbu'aux frontiers de la Suijfe, de meme que pour celles du Roujftllon et de Guienne, fans parler de la Flandres et de la cote. Nous comptons envi- ron 2 0000 hommes places depuis St. Valery jufqu' a jBergue, d*? fa9on que nous avons tout lieu de croire, qu*il ne peut pas y avoir 10,000 hommes de plus, depuis Si. Valery juiqu* a JBourdeaux, 1^ ) be reckoned, which they are obliged to keep in Gar- rifon at Toulon, Marfeilles^ Cette, Antibes, &c. at hand for that Part of the Coaft. According to this Cal- culation then, there are 160,000 regular Troops employed; there will re- main about 40,000 Men for all the Garrifons from Sedan to the Frontiers of Swijferland, as alfo for thofe of Roufillon and Gui- enne, without fpeaking of Flanders and the Coaft. We reckon about 20,000 Men placed from St. Va- lery to Bergue ; fo that we have all the Reafon to be- lieve, that there cannot be 10,000 Men more from St. Valery to Bourdeaux. A true Copy. Robert Wood, ■ • " 1 1"; I •. ' ;.'li::: ^^ 1 \t- ', A true Tranflation. Robert Woo4. .^4., ;c; • f - -< « ! ^ / ■ I - ■ , V - ^ .'♦ *■. ■• !• 1. • / ; -^ [,v.'/nr-^;::f Numb. IV. i 73 ) Numb. IV. Copy of his Majejifs fecret Infiru^ions to Sir Edward Hawke, dated Aug. 5. 1757. GEORGE R. Secret InJiruSiions for our trujiy and ivell-bchved ' .. jirJ '..V. ■i..''.|,W).r v»-4Af I Numb. 'i-:'..M:: . -,( 77 ) to •V mb. Numb. V. Copy of his Majejlfs fecret TnJirnSllom /« ^ 6'/> John Mordaunt, Jtf/^i Aug. 5/*^, 1757. ' '^ GEORGE R.* ' " ' , Secr et' InftTu^iions for our trujfy and well- beloved Sir John Mor- daunt, Knight of the Bath, Lieutinant-general of our Force Sy •whom we have appointed General and Cotnmander m Chief of all andftngular our Troops atid Land-force:^ appointed^ or to be appointed for a fecret Expedition^ Jor our Service ; or for fuch other Officer^ on whom the command in Chief of our fatd Troops and Land-forces may devolve. Given at our Court at Ken- lington, the ^th Day of Auguft 1757, '« ^^J* thirty-firj} Tear of cUr Reign. -^i)'' HAVING by our Cojpminion, bearing Date the third Day of this Inftant, appointed you to be General and Commander in Chief of ail and fingu- Jar our Forces, appointed, or to be appointed, for a fecret Expedition ; for your better Difcharge of th& great and iinportant Truft thereby repoled in you, we have judged it proper to give you the following Inftrudlions. -, • ,, I ft, You fhaJl immediately, upon the Receipt 0^ thefe our Inftirudlions, repair to the Ifle of JVigbt^ v^^here we have appointed Ships to convey you, and the Forces under your Command, to the Coails of France y and fo foon as the faid Forces ihall be em- barked, you Ihall accordingly proceed, without Lofs of Time, under Convoy of a Squadron of our Ships of War, commanded by our trufty and well-beloved Sir Edward Hawke^ Knight of the Bath, Admiral of the blue Squadron of our Fleet, whom we have ap • pointed Commander in Chief of our Ships to be em- ployed in this Expedition ; the faid Admiral, or the Commandisr in Chief of our faid Ships for the Time being, being inftrufted to co-operate with you, and to be aiding and affifting in all fuch Enterprizes, as, by thefe our Inftruftions, you fhall be diredled to undertake for our Service. 2d, Whereas we have determined, with the Bleff- ing of God, to profecute the juft War, in which we ( /S ) ^re engaged againfl: the French King, with the utmoR Vigour J and it being highly expedient, and of ur- gent NecefTity, to make lome Expedition, that may caiife a- Diverfion, and engage ^the Enemy to em- f)loy in their own Defence, aconfidenible Part of their .Forces, deftined to invade and opprefs the Liberties of the Empire, and to fubvert the Independency of Europe ; and, if poflible, to make fome effe<;^ual Im- prertion on the Enemy, which, by difturbing and fhak- ing the Credit of their piibHc Loans*, impairing the Strength and Refourccs of their Navy, as well as difconcerting, and, in Part, fruftrating their dange- lous and extenfive Operations of War, may fefle(5t Luitrconour Arms,.and add Life and Strength to the common Caufe •, and whereas we are perfuaded, that nothing in the prefent Situation of Affairs can fo fpeedily and cflentially annoy and diftrefs France^ as a fuccelslui Enterprize againft Rocbefort j our Will and Plcafure is, That you do attempt, as far as Ihall be found pradicable, a D nt, with the Forces under your Command, on the French Coaft at or near ■Rocbefort y in order to attack, if pradicable, and by a vigorous Imprefllon, force that Place; and to burn und deftroy, to the utmolt of your Power, all Docks, Magazines, Arfenals, and Shipping, that fhall be found there, and exert fuch other Efforts as you fhall judge moil proper for annoying the Enemy. 3d, After the Attempt on Rochefort fhall either have fucceedal or failed ; and in cafe the Circum- llances of our Forces and Fleet Ihall, with Profpeft ofSuccels, ftill admit of further Operations ; you are next to confider Port V Orient and Bourdeaux^ as the moft important Obje6ls of our Arms, on the Coail of FvLince \ and our Will and Pleafure accordingly is. That you do proceed, fucceffively, to an Attempt on both, or either of thofe Places, as (hall be judged pradicable ; or on any other Place that fhall be thc»us:ht moft advifeablc,. from Bourdeaux homewards to Havre^ in order to carry and fpread, with as much near (; 79 )■ llapiclity as may be, a warm Alarm along the lum- iimt Vrov'mce^ oi' France. //. •• . . "' ' 4th, In cafe, by the Blcfting of God upon our Arms, you fhall make yourfelf Mailer of any Place on the Coaft of France, our Will and Pleafure is. That you do «ot keep Poflefllon thereof ; but that, after clcmolidiing and deflroying, as far as may be, all Works, Defences, Magazines, Arfenals, Shipping, and naval Stores, you do proceed, fuccefTively, on the ulterior Operations of this Expedition, according as any of them fhall be judged advifeable, and may be performed within fuch lime as Ihall be confiilenc with your Return, with the Troops under your Com- mand, fo as to be in England at, or about, as near as may be, the End of September, unlefs the Cir- cumftances of our Forces and Fleet fhall neceflarily require their Return fooner -, and you are to land the Troops at Portfmouthy or fuch other of our Ports as the Exigency of the Cafe may fuggeft. 5th, Whereas it is necelTary, that upon certain Oc~ cafions, you fhould have the Afliftance of a Council of War, we have thought fit to appoint fuch a Coun- cil, which Ihall confift of four of our principal Land-officer^, and of an equal Number of our principal Sea-commanders, including the Comman- ders in Chief of our Land and Sea-forces, (except ^in Cafes happening at Land, relating to the carrying on any military Operations, to be performed by our Land-forces only, in which Cafes you may call a Council of War, confifting of fuch Officers of our Land-forces as you fnall think proper) and al! fuch Land and Sea-officers, in the feveral Cafes before- mentioned, are hereby refpedlively directed, from Time to Time, to be aiding and affifting with their Advice, fo often as they fhall be called together by you, or by the Commander in Chief of our Squa- dron, for that Purpofe ; and in all fuch Councils of War, when affembled, the Majority of Voices fliall determine the Refolutions thereof j and in cafe the Voices Ihall happen to be equal, the Prefidcnt lliall have the calling Vote. ^■■' .• 6th, ( 8o ) ^th, And whereas the Succefs of this Expedition will very much depend upon an intire good Under- ftanding between our Land and Sea-officers, wc do hereby rtri(^ly enjoin and require you, on your Part, to maintain and cultivate fuch good Underftanding and Agreement -, and to order, that the Soldiers under your Command (hould man the Ships where there Ihall be Occafion for them, and when they can be fpared from the Land-fervice ; as the Commander in Chief of our Squadron is inftru(5led, on his Part, to entertain and cultivate the fame good Underftanding and Agreement •, and to order the Sailors and Marines, and alfo the Soldiers, ferving as Part of the Comple- ments of our Ships, to aflift our Land-forces, if judg- ed expedient, by taking Poft on Shore, manning Bat- teries, covcrin/^ the Boats, fecuring the fafe Re- embar- kation of the Troops, and fuch other Services at Land as may be confiftent with the Safety of our Fleet : and in order to eftablifh the ftrideft Union that may be between you, and the Commander in Chief of our Ships, you are hereby required to com- municate thefe Inftru(5lions to him ; and he will be direded to communicate thofe he fhall receive to you. 7t:h, You fliall, from Time to Time, and as you fliall have Opportunity, fend conftant Accounts of your Proceedings, in the Execution of thefe our In- itruft'ons, to one of our principal Secretaries of State, from whom you will receive fuch farther Orders and Diredions as we may think proper to give you. G. R. * A true Copy. Robert Wood. '"^ ''' - ■■ Numb. VI. Coi^y of a Letter from Mr. Secretary V\tXy \' to Sir Edward Hawke, dated Whitehall, Auguft ' 5/^, 1757. IS E N D you herewith the fecret Inftruflions, the King has been pleafed to fign for your Guidance and Direclion, in the important Command with which his Majefty has honoured you : I have only to add ( 8i ) add my moft fincere Wifhes for your Succefs on this Occafion, and to aflure you, that I am, i^c, W. Pitt. A true Copy. Robert Wood. * ^ Numb. yil. Copy of a I etter from Mr. Secret aryV\tXy to Major-General Conway, Major -General Corn- wallis, Vice-Admiral Knowles, and Rear-Admiral Brodrick, dated Whitehall, Auguft 5//^, 1757. mutatis mutandis. Sir, J HAVE the King's Commands to fend you the inclofed fealed Packet, containing an attefted Copy of his Majefty's fecret Inftrudions to Sir 7o/&« Sir Edward Hawke. Mordattnt, which you are to open, in cafe the Command in Chief of Fleet. the Troops now under that of Sir Sir Edward Hawke. John Mordaunt^ fliould devolve up- on you, in order that you may thereby be fully ap- prifed of the King's Pleafure, and be enabled to carry his Majefty's Intentions into Execution, in which T am perfuaded you will exert your utmolt Endeavours. I am, ^c. W. Pitt. A true Copy. Robert Wood. ^ " '■ ' * - : Numb. VIII. Co^ of a Letter from Sir Edward Hawke, to Mr. Secretary Pitt, dated on board tbi Ramiliestf/Spithead,7//& Auguft, 1757, ■ Sir, ^ J Received your Letter of the 5th Inftant, inclofing the fecret Inttruftions his Majefty has been pleafed to fign for my Guidance and Direction in the Com- mand with which he has honoured me •, I beg you wil!i do me the Juftice to believe, that I fhall exert my ut- moft Abilities for his Honour, and the Service of my 'Country. I am, with the greateft Refped, (^c, 1-. ...^ - Ed. Hawxe. AtrUeCopy. Robert Wood, .*■> f V mj^i ¥ fifi ^u <^^'ii^ii l^umb. \mi ( 82 ) Numb. IX. Copy of a Letter from Major-General Corn- wallis. to Mr. Secretary Pitt, dated Newport, I He of W:^ht, Augv.xl 6ih, 1757. . .., . Sir, •• T A M juft now honoured with your Letter, with an inclofed fealed Packet, containing an attefted Copy of his Majefly*s fecret Inftrudions to Sir John Mor- daunt^ which I Ihall (conformable to your Inftrufti- ons) open, in cafe the Command in Chief of the Troops now under Sir "John Mor daunt ^ ihould de- volve upon me, that I may thereby be enabled to carry his Majefty's Intentions into Execution ; in which I will exert my utmofll Endeavours, with true Zeal for his Majefty's Service. I am, tSc. Ed. Cornwallis. A true Copy. Robert Wood. Numb. X. Copy of a Letter from Vice'AdmiralY^no\N\ts, to Mr, Secretary Pitt, dated Portfmouth, Auguft 6/^, i^^j. ... Sir, ( :• » I TAKE this Opportunity of acknowledging the Receipt of the Letter you honoured me with, con- raining an attefted Copy of his Majeily's fecret In- ftrudions to Sir Edward Hawke^ which liiall remain inviolable in my Hands, unlefs the Contingency you mention make it needful to open them. I am, ^c. Chas. Knowles. A true Copy. Robert Wood. *...•. Hfci r I -- ■ II I I II III ■! 11 I ■ I Numb. XI. Copy of a Letter from Rear -Admiral Bro- drick, to Mr. Secretary Pitt dated Portfmouth, Auguft 6th, ^757- Sir, -. ■ •• ' ■ '- . I AM honoured with your Letter of the 5th Inftant, with a fealed Copy ( s fecret Inftrudions for Sir Edward Ha'ix;key which Ihall remain lb, unlefs the Ne- ■ * "> "' ^ ceflity ( S3 ) ceflity of the Service fhould require their being opened. 1 am, ^c. Thos. Brodrick. A true Copy. Robert Wood. a»iMi I I I I . _ .III I I I ■imiBiim — ^1^— ^»^.— — ^^»— ^— ■! I ■ ! ■ III -II ■ ■— Numb. XII. Copy cf nn Order from the Lords of the Admiralty to Sir Edward tiawke, dated Auguft ■ Sth, iys7' By the Commijftoners for executing the Office of Lord High Aclmi-* miral of Great-Britain and Ireland, &c. HAVING ordered the Commanders of the King's Ships and Veffels named in the annexed Lift, to follow your Orders for their farther Proceedings : you are hereby required and direfted to take under your Command fuch lixtetn of thefe of the Line as can fooneft be got ready to proceed on Service, toge- ther v/ith the Frigates and fmall Veflels, and ufe the utmoft Expedition in getting them manned and ready in all Refpedls for the Sea ; in cafe you talce the Royal William^ you are to caufe Vice- Admiral Mof- tyn\ Retinue and Servants to be removed into the Royal Ann or Barfleur^ which ever of them you fhall leave behind. And having ordered Vice-Admiral Knoivles, and Rear- Admiral Brodrick, to put them- ielves under your Command -, you are hereby requir- ed to take them under your Command accordingly* Given, i^c. the 5th of /if/g-«y?, 1757. . , To Sir Edward Hawke Knight Anson. of the Bath, Admiral of the G. Hay. Blue G. Elliot. J. Forbes. By Command of their Lordfhips, y. Clevland. Llfi of Ships and Veffels, whofe Commanders are direSled y to follow Sir Edward Hawke's Orders. Guns. .100 50 Ships. Royal George Royal Sovereign Ramillies Neptune Royal Ann y Ships. Guns. 90 Namuf 84 Royal William 80 EarHeur Prin'cefs Amelia 74 Magnanime F z Tor. Guns. Ships. 74 Torbay Dublin 70 Burford 64 Alcide 60 America Achilles ' Dunkirk ' Medwav 50 Norwich 32 Southampton ) Guns. Ships. 28 Coventry 1 8 Cormorant 1 6 Efcort 16 Pellirn Firefliip Pluto Proferpine Bomb P'ircdrake Infernal Cutter Hunter Bufs Canterbury Medway Numb. XIII. Copy of an Order from the Lords of the Admiralty to Sir Edward Hawke, dakd Auguft By the Commiff oners for executing the Office of Lord High- Admiral ofGxtzt Britain and Ireland, cfr. T N purfuance of his Majefty's Pleafure, fignified to us by Mr. Pitt^ one of his Majefty's principal Se- cretaries of State, you are hereby requ'. jd anddireded, in Addition to our Order of Yefterday's Date, to pro- ceed with the Squadron put under your Command, and the Tranfport-Veflels named in the inclofed Lift (which are ordered to join you and follow your Orders) to Spitbead, where you will receive his Ma- jefty's Pleafure for your future Conduct -, and you arc ftriClly to follow fuch Orders and Inftrudions as you fliall receive from his Majefty, or one of his prin- cipal Secretaries of State. Given (^c. 6th Aug. 1757. To the Hon. Sir Edward Hawke, Anson, Ad. of the Blue, &c. at Portfmouth. G. Hay, "' J. Forbes. By Command of their Lordilups, J. Clevland, ...hi: 1 yr ►loT ^w ( 85 ) J Lift of Maria Therefa Duke of Cumberland Mill's Frigate Charles Benjamin Mathias Lark Refpeft Queen of Spain Alexander Nazareth Mary (2) Amity's Succeffion Elizabeth (i) Elizabeth (2) Neptune Good Intent (i) Providence Increafe Royal Union Reftoration Mary (i) Unity James and Henrirtta Duke of Cumberland (2) RuiTel 'Tranfports* Peggy Friend's Adventure Three Sifters Lion Patience Gowland Good Intent (2) Freedom John and Thomas Yarmouth Thomas and Mary William and Mary Violet Parnaflfus Conftantia Antelope Providence and Jane Baltimore New PhiUis James and Mary John's Adventure Samuel and Robert Prince George Profperous Amelia Numb. XIV. Copy of a Letter from 3tr John Mor- daunt to Mr. Secreiary Pitt, dated Ifle af Wigln^ Aug. II. 1757, ten at Night, Sir, BEING honoured with his Majefty's Commands to correfpond with you, I think it |my Duty to acquaint you, that on my Arnval here on Monday laft, I was difappointed in finding none of the Tranfports were come round, and the more fo in that I have not yet been able to hear any pofitive Account of them : I have, however, employed this Interval in giving fuch Orders as I thought neceffary, to have the F 3 Troops Troops here in Readinefs for their Embarkation a:- a Moment's Warning.' Having, on Perufal of my CommiflTion, fome Doubt how far I am empowered to carry the Sentences of Courts -Martial in capital Cafes into Excution, during my Abode within his Majefty's Dominions, I fhould be glad, as foon as may be, to know what is his Majefty's Intention on that Head, as there are now many Deferters with us ordered for immediate Trial. I muft alfo beg Leave to trouble you farther, on a Matter which occurs to me relative to the Service I am going upon, which is, that having, fince my Ar- rival here, converfed vith Sir Edward Hawke^ and Vice- Admiral Knoivks^ who both feem of Opinion, that it is pofTiblc, ft'oni the Nature of the Navigation to Rochefort^ the Fleet may be detained even in Sight of the Coaft of France^ for a Week or ten Days, without being able to get into the Road, or off the Ille d'Ai^c; during which time an Alarm will ne- cefllirily be given in thofe Parts. This Conjuncture and Situation, if it lliould happen, appears to me fo very delicate, and ecjually to the other General Offi- cers on the Expedition, who may by Accident to the firft in Command, come to be under the fame Diffi- culty (the Succefs of our Undertaking depending, as I apprehend, on the Suddennefs of its Execution) that I fhould be glad, if it is thought proper, to have a Diredion j how I am to a6t in that Cafe. I fend tiiis by an Officer, who will take Care to dtliverit fafcly. lam, &c. J. MORDAUN'T- A true Copy. Robert Wood. ^^—>—t—^M»««^i ■■■■■■ ■ 111 I 11 ■ »■! » ■ ■■ — ^— ^■^■^1^— ■^■^i— ^^1— ^ Numb. XV. Copy of a Lettr- frwm Mr. Secretary Pitt to Sir John Mordaunt, demid Whitehall Aug. ' *3- ^757' '"' -'' ■ ' , /■ ' -•• ■ > V Sir, ■' "^ ""' '■ - '' ' '••' '^ I Immediately laid you^ Letter of ite iitfi m^wm.^ at Night, before the King, and jm cnmTr.artdetl by his Majcfty to let you know, Th^ his Royal In- tentions ( 87 ) tentions are, that you fhould, by virtue of your Commiffion, carry the Sentences of Courts -Martial, in capital Cafes, into Execution, during your Abode within his Majcfly's Dominions, fo long as the Troops under your Command fhall continue under their pre- fent Deftination, according to the King's Orders and Inftrudlions. With regard to the fuppofed Cafe, as ftated in your Letter, and arifing from Converfation had with Sir Edward Hawke and Vice ■ Admiral Knowles, namely, that it is pofTible the Fleet may be detained in Sight of the Coaft of France^ for a Week or ten Days, with- out being able to get into the Road oi Rochefort, or off the Ifle d'Aix^ daring which Time an Alarm will neceffarily be given in thofe Parts -, in which Cafe you exprefs a Defire, if thought proper, to have a particular Diredion, how to a6t •, I am commanded thereupon by the King, to fignify to you his Ma- jefty's Pleafure, That you, or fuch other Officer, on .whom the Command may devolve, do, in Conformity to the Latitude given by his Majefty*s Inftrudions, judge of the Pradicability of the Service, on the Spot, according as contingent Events, and particular Cir- cuinftances, may require ♦, the King judging it highly prejudicial to the Good of his Service to give parti- cular Orders and Diredions, with regard tg poITible contingent Cafes that may arife. 1 am, yc. , W. Pitt. A true Copy. Robert Wood. Numb. XVI. Copy of a Letter from Sir John Mor- daunt to Mr. Secretary Pitt, dated He ad- Quarters, Newport, Aug. 20. 1757. Sir, IHave the Honour of your Commands, dated Au- gufi i 3th, and you may depend upon it, that his Majefty's Orders IhaK be moft punctually obferved. iVlr. Thames, who has long been, and now is. Agent for the Tranfports, came here the 1 7th from Portf- mouth ; He faid, he came over on Purpofe, fron* F 4 think- ( 88 ) thinking it his Duty to inform mc, the Tranfports were not fufficient for the Number of Troops. I own his Converfation much puzzled me, as I know our Expedition fhould meet with no Delay on one Hand, and that the Prefervation of the Soldier's Healths ought on the other to be thought on. At length I recoUedled two of the Commiflioners of the Admiralty were at Portfmouth, to whom I fent a Letter, a Copy of which I now enclofe to you. Though I have fince heard nothing from the Com- miflioners or Mr. Tbafnes, I thought it my Duty to mention this Circumftance to you, being informed lall Night, by a Letter from Sir Edward Hawke, that an Exprefs is fcnt to the Navy-Board upon this Oc* cafion. " •-' v--^'-'- The Troops are in great Spirits, and wait impa- tiently for the Tranfports. - - ■ . I am, (j^c. J. MoRDAUNT. y A true Copy. Robert Wood. Numb. XVII. Copy of a Letter from Sir John Mor- daunt, to Thomas Orby Hunter ^»^ Gilbert Eliott, Efquires, dated Head-^iarters Newport, Aug. 1 7. 1757, enclofed *« Sir John Mordaunt'j Letter to Mr* Secretary Pitt, of the 20th Aug. 1757. ^? >' Ji ; • Gentlemen, ' , :(i:^::m^i.t.. MR. 'Thames^ Agent for the Tranfports, has juft been with us, and fays, he thinks it his Duty to mention, that the Tranfports are not fufficient to carry the Number of Troops. We fend him with this Letter, that he may explain his Reafons for the Opinion he gives, and if you find them fatisfaftory, we flatter ourfelves fome Method may be found, without occafioning Delay, to redrefs the Grievance, lam, Gentlemen, ^c, 'I (Signed) J. Mordaunt. ^ A true Copy, Robert Wood. ',: . f Numb. h- 'J-J '»-. %ll ( 89 ) Numb. XVIII. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Secretary Pitt, /o6';> Edward Hawke, dated Aug. 23. 1757. - Sir, •-'^:'^^^ • ' ■' ■-' •^.■••■' .' -v- A Doubt having been ftarted by Mr. Thames^ Agent forthe Tranfports at Portfmouthy whether the Vefiels ordered there will be fufficient for the Number of Troops •, I am commanded to fignify to you the King's Pleafure, that in cafe of any Exi- gency, you do receive on board the Men of War, fuch Part of the Troops as may be neceflary, and can be accommodated therein without Prejudice to his Majefty*s Ships. r 1 I am, (^c, W. Pitt. A true Copy. Robert Wood. Numb. XIX. Copy of a Letter from Mr, Secretary Pitt to Sir John Mordaunt, dated Aug. 23. 1757. Sir, I Have received the Favour of your Letter of the 20th Inftant, and have, in confequence thereof, made the neceflary Enquiries, with regard to the Doubt ftarted by Mr. Thames, that the Tranfports ordered to Portfmoutb would not be fufficient for the Number of Troops. The inclofed Papers, containing the Orders given by the Adnr»'ralty on this Subjeft, will, I am per- fuaded, give you full Satisfadion, and remove any Doubts of this Sort ; and, tho' there is the greateft Reafon to imagine that a (iifficient Qiiantity ofTranf- port-Ve^ls has been provided for this Service, I have, however, fignihed the King's Pleafure to Sir Edward Hawke by this Night's Poll:, that he fhould, in cafe of any Exigency, receive on board the Men of War, fuch a Number of the Troops as may be ne- ceflary, and can be accommodateci therein, without Prejudice to his Majefty Scr ice. i^n, 6ff. W. PiTT# .A. . A true Copy. Robert Wwod. !'• 'I i' Numb. ( 90 ) Kumb XX. Copy of a Letter from M*. Clevland /r';ii{ •tj ) I i it, MY Lords Commiflloners of the Admiralty having been informed, that one Mr. Thames^ a Perfon fent to Portfmouth by the Navy- Board to affift the Agent for Tranfports in the Embark- ation of the Troops, has repreftnted to Sir John Mordaunt^ and yourfelf, that the Tonnage for th? Troops is not fufficient, thofe that ^vent to VOrient in 1 746 being allowed one Ton and half to each Man, their Lordfhips command me to acquaint you, that they are extremely furprifed and difpleafed at the faid . ^hafnes*^ Behaviour, in raifing unneceiTary Difficul- ties and Uneafinefles ; and, that they may not have any ill Effe<51:, their Lordlhips direct me to acqu^iiat ' you, that the Rate of one Ton a Man is as much as has been allowed on the like Services in former Times ; that with regard to the Trobps fent to Port VOrient^ they had a greater Allowance, on account of their being originally defigned for Louisbourg-, but that you may be fatisfied of the whole Tonnage, I beg Leave ro refer you to the Lift of all the Tranfports fent to you in the Lords' Order of the 6th Inftanr, (to which the profperous Amelia of 400 Tons is to be added) amounting to about 12400 Tons, 9500 of which are fitted for the Reception of the Troops, which will probably be far Ihortof 8000 j wherefore their Lordfliips recommend it to you to endeavour to remove any Uneafmels tliat Mr. "Thames*^ Reprefen- tation may have created, they being thoroughly fa- cisfied that no Inconveniencies whatever will attend the prefent Allowance ; but, on the contrary, the Service will be attended with Icfs Accidents and De- lays, by having fewer Ships. I am, i^c, -f J. Clevland. A true Copy. Robert Wcod. ' '' Numb. I /iof \ ( 9^ ; Numb. XXI. Copy of a Letter from Mr, Clevland /^ .S/r Edward Haw ke, dated Augwi): loth^ i757> endofed in Mr. Secretary PittV Letter to Sir John Mordaunt of the 23^^/Augutl, 1757. Sir, ■ IHave communicated to my Lords Commiffioners of the Admiralty your Letter of Yefterday, in- forming their Lordlhips, that upon a Confultation with Vice- Admiral Knowles^ and the Director of the Embarkation, you were unanimoufly of Opinion, that at leaft four thoui'and Ton of Tranfports are ftill wanting ; and am commanded by their Lordfliips to accjuaint you, that they have Reafon to believe this Perfon, who the Navy-Board have fent to Portfmoutb^ is ignorant in what Manner the Tranfports are fitted, otherwife he could not miftake fo much in his Calcu- lation J for thefe Ships have all of them two flulh Platforms between Decks for the Men to lay their Bedding upon, by which Means many more can be conveniently flowed than in Cabbins, the ufual Me- thod of fitting Tranfports •, wherefore the Lords are of Opinion there will be fufficient Room, agreeable to what I writ you in my Letter Yefterday ; however, to remove the Difficulties and Uneafmefs which Mr. Thames has raifed, Mr. Cockburne, the Comptroller of the Navy, is fent to Portfrnouthmth Directions to do every Thing pofTible, and to furnifh fuch other Ships as fhall be ready, if necefTary. ., .1 am, &c. A true Copy. Robert Wood. — -■ - — — . I - ' 1 Numb. XXII. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Clevland ' /o Mr. Cockburne, dated Auguft aifl, 1757, en- dofed in Mr. Secretary Pitt*j Letter to ^ r John Mor- ' daunt (?/ />&^ 2 3^ to be employed as you propofe : Alio the Jafon*% b-ing properly fitted to carry 500 Men, by leaving behind her lower Tier of Guns, which their Lord- fhips hope will quiet the Minds of every one, without the Addition of the Chejierfield^ a Ship wanted on very material Service ; however, Ihe will be getting ready ; but their Lord (hips diredl me to obferve to you, that nothing herein-mentioned is intended, if it ftiall be found to delay the Tranfports a Moment after they arrive at Spiihead^ as the Succefs of the v/hole depends upon their failing with the utmoft Expedition;, where- fore their Lordfhips recommend it to you to exert yourfelf in forwarding this Service, and Orders in Form will be forwarded, when they meet To-morrow, this being fent to fave Time. A true Copy. Robert Wood. I am, &c. Numb. XXIII. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Cockburne ■ /^Mr.Clevland, dated Au^^^ 23^, 1757, end' fed in . Mr. Secretary Pitt'j Letter to Sir John Mordaunt, cf the 2 sd of Au^ua, 1737, . v,\a - . ; • ' ,^:". Sir, • ^ : • YOU will pleafe to acquaint their Lordiliips that I went over this Morning to the l/le of IVight, to talk with Sir John Mordaunt about the Tonnage of the Tranfports, and found Sir John had been inform,cd that a Ton and a Half to a Man was the leafl that had ever been allowed to Troops on foreign Voyages, or v/here there was a Probability of their continuing any confiderable Time on board, which he feemed to think might be the Cafe with thefe, and apprehended they would be too much crowded, if confined to one Ton to each Man only : I explained to himtheMan- ► 1 ner ( 9i ) ncr in which tliey were fitted, and told him of th- Ad- dition propoled to be made, which feemcd t6 Huisty him entirely ; I alio propofed to Sir John to turn the profperous /imelia into a Foot-Sh p, and to ft iW the Fafcines, (^c. in the Holds of the Hofpital Ships, which he alfo approved on : I have writ to the .Vavy- Board, and defired they would fend an Exprefs tt> Deal (in cafe the Tranfports are detained by the Wind there) to order her to be fitted accordingly, which may be eafily done even on the Paflage here, by the Afliftance of the Carpenters of the Men of War that come round with them, if their Lordfhips pieafe to give the Commanding Officer Orders for that Pur- pofe. This Ship has only fourteen Days Provifions on board for four hundred Men ; I propofe putting only two hundred on board of her, that I may by that Means ftill referve fome Room in her Hold, in cafe there fhould be more Fafcines, ^c. than the Hofpital Ships will conveniently take in, and have defired that one Month's more Provifions for two hundred Men may be immediately put on board her, where fhe is ) but in cafe that is not accomplifhed before fhe ar- rives here, it (hall be ready to be fent on board from hence on their appearing. I have received vour's of the 21ft. by the Mefl[enger, with their Lord i p's Di regions. I (hall immediately fit the Jafon, whici. , with tic Tonnage I have got here and the Tenders, I think T can venture to afiTure their Lordfliips will remove all the Difficulties I found here, without i\\q Chejlerfield. Their Lordfhips may de- pend on my doing every Thing in my Power to for- ward this Service , and C m\ doubt but I (hall have all in fuch Readinefs as not to n n the leak Rifque of a Delay's when theTranfports from the Eaftv/ard come round, ^ am difappointed in the Ships I mentioned in my Le"- :^r laft Night to Lord Anfon from the Mo- ther- bj'', and alfo in one out of this Harbour ; but with the i enders that lam fitting, I (hall have enough to quiet the Minds of all. It blew fo exceffively hard Yefterday, that I did not get back from the TJle *%* ^>. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) Photcgrapbic ' Gces ^\ ^^<^' CorpcFdlion 23 WIST MAIN STRUT WHSTH.N.Y. 14S80 (716)872-4503 '^ 4 1.0 I^KSI-S = m 1^ 122 1.1 L'^™- :■ = m 1.25 1 U 1.6 .^_ 6" ^ 1 % X *'\ ( 94 ) cf Wight before Ten at Night, v/hich is the Reafon 1 could not difpatch the Meflenger till this Morning, A ; ,,; lam, i^c. . ■ ;^ .' u Geo. Cockburne. , • ' A true Copy. Robert Wodd. '? j«..;tH « .:l.'. ( J^umb. XXIV. Cc|/7 of a Letter from 5/> Edward Hawke to Mr. Secretary Pitt, ^^/^^Portfmouth, .. Auguft25th, 1757. ,, ^ , . ^ _^ Sir, I AM honoured with your Letter of the 23d Inftant. As a Number of Tranfports more have been taken up at this Port by the Comptroller of the Navy, and the Jafon Ship of War is fitted for the Reception of Soldiers -, I hope there will be no Occafion to put any on board the Ships of War, which are already fufR- ciently weakened, by having two Battalions of rawun- difciplined Men in their Complements ; but in cafe the Tranfports fliould not be lufficient Jfor the Num- ber of Troops, I (hall, in Obedience to his Majefty's Commands, accommodate the Remainder on board .* .-i " ■ * ""^'"^ ? " ;. Ed. Hawke. . A true Copy. Robert Wood. '.' - ,.' IW"*— ■ ■ !■■■■■■ ■■ ■■ ■ II, ^^— — —.l^^— — i— M— — «— MW^fc— Numb. XXV. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Secretary Pitt /(?5/r Edward Hawke, ^«s on Mo- ment a 95 ) mcnt to the Execution of yourOrders and Inftrudions, with regard to the Expedition under your Care. His Majefty being informed that ten BattaHons, under the Orders of Sir John Ligonier, were ali com- pleatly embarked 2Xl^illiamJladt within the Courfeof twenty-four Hours, in which they arrived at that Place i the King experts to hear, by the Return of this MefiTenger, that the Fleet To^v John Mordaunt, under your Command with the ;:fct^^„.^. r.<,.^.-W, have proceeded to Sea, in cafe the Wind per- mits, agreeable to your Orders and InflruAions, t, ■:'''-- ■"■ '.' • >-.-^ -^ '-•- I am, i^c. r^-':-'fci . To Sir Edward Hawh. , W. PlTT. P. S, The Meffenger that carries this has my Or- V , r .1 ii ■ ders to flay to bring an Account of the Fleet's r^.'jiJ^ Sailing. ■,.■■ y,^.,. ^ ... r , "^ A true Copy. Robert Wood. r* ka- >} */.« j Numb. XXVI. Copy of a Letter from Sir Edward Hawke to Mr. Secretary Pitt, dated Ramilies at Spithead, September 6/^, 1757. , Sir, ^ '«'-■•". ;i ai: AT half paft five this Morning I received, by Ex- prefs, yourLetterof the 5thlnftan% fignifying his Majefty's Diredions to ufc the utmoll Diligence in embarking the Troops, and getting to Sea. As I could not doubt of my Letter to the Secretary of the Admiralty, byExprefs on ^^W^jy Morning, be- ing immediately communicated to yOu, I fhould have cxpefted, that before your*s was fent, his M^efty would have been fully fatisfied that I needed no Spur in the Execution of his Orders. As the Wind was fair here on Saturday^ I ordered an Officer with fix Cutters out to cruize for the Tran- fports, with pofitive Dire(5lions not to come to Sii Spit- head, but proceed directly to Cowes. Soon after they appeared in Sight on Sunday Morning, I difpatched an Officr to acquaint Sir John Mordaunt, with their Ar- 'Jr ( 9^ ) rival, that every Thing might be ready. As there was but little Wind ail Day on Sunday^ but few of them reached Cowes that Night, and proving but little Wind on Monday Morning, I fent Boats to tow the Jafon down, with two Boats from each Ship at Spit' head, together with all the^Boats from the Dock, and the Hx Cutters to alTifl: in the Embarkation. One Brigade was embarked Yefterday, as the other will be by Noon To-day j fo that the whole Time taken up in the Embarkation, from the Arrival of the Tran- fports to this Day at Noon, will not exceed twenty-four Hours, tho* we have not the Advantage of Jetty- Heads, from whence the Troops could ftcp into the Tranlports. Befide, Sir, as they were detained fo long in their Paflage round, they were in Want of confiderablc Quantities of Provifions, which to fave Time I fent to Cowes after them, while I watered, and vidtualled the Ordnance, and Horfe-lhips here ; the Horfe arc em- barked this Morning. v - ... Give me Leave to add, that the Mortar was to be fliipped on board the /«/J?r». f Ore ter Nui Mr. • • ^V^: Ed, Hawke. A true Copy. Robert Wood, N •' &l.>n'!K\f.- ■fk»»^ ■ / ? r ,i.. ... Numb. I J bet tofd ( 97 ) Numb. XXVII. Cop:^ of a Letter from Sir John Mordaunt to Mr. Secretary Pitt, dated Portfrnouth^ September 6th, Nine at Nights Sir, I Had this Morning the Honour of your's of the 5th Inftant, and can aflure you, that not a Minute's Time has been loft in embarking the Troops. Though the firft of the Tranl'ports did not arrive at Cowes 'till Sunday Evening, we began the Embark- ation at Day-break the next Morning, and continued putting the Troops on board 'till after it was dark. We have followed the fame Method To day, and by that Means I have now the Pleafure to acquaint you, that I finiihed the Embarkation of the laft Regiment at about fix this Evening. I beg you will do me the Favour, to mention to his Majefty, that we were obliged to march the Troops and Baggage five Miles to the Place of Embarkation, and that we were then forced to put the Men in fmall Boats, in which they were rowed above a Mile be- fore they could embark in the Tranfports ; whereas at JVilliamfiadt the Troops marched directly from the Quay into the Tranlports, without the leafl Pofllbi- lity of a Delay. s -.„^ , „ .t .-^.^ ,, It is both my Duty and the Pride of my Heart, to execute with the utmoft Dilpatch and Diligence the Orders his Majefty has honoured me with, and I flat- ter myfelf a very (hort I'ime will now fticw it. — - I am, Csi'f. — — J. Mordaunt, A true Copy. Robert Wood. . r» ,/> 1.* A Numb. XXVIII. Copy of a Letter from Sir Edward Hawke to Mr. Secretary Pitt, dated Ramilies at St. Helens, September 8th, 1757. Sir, A Calm obliged me on ^uefday to moor the Squa- dron again •, Ycfterday at four in the Morning I began to unmoor again, and fent an Officer to Cowes^ to fee none of the Tranfports were left behind. About G , three three in the Afternoon I got to this f lace, and waJ obliged to come to, as they could not get out, dis- patching OfHcers, who were all Night employed in ordering them to join me without Lofs ot Time. ^. Laft Night arrived frotn the Bowns^ a Cdmpany of Lord Ej]ingbdm\ Regiment, which had been em- barked on board the Nor-*Juich at Chatham. The Tranfports are all come down, and I am now under Way, with a moderate Breeze at fe. N. E. I am, ^c. E. Hawke.. A true Copy. Robert Wood. Numb. XXIX. Copy of a Letter from Sir Edward Hawke to Mr. Secretary Pitt, dated Ramilies aP to, September I o/i', 1757. ^ ; '^ ...^«, w^-v,. - SlR,_ ,. :; '\\ ' ■.-; a r ON ihUrfdi^ lait, after I wrote ta you, the Wind died away, which obliged me to come to again, fill half an hour paft FiVc : then a moderate Breeze about W. N. W. fpringing up, I made the Signal to weigh, and at Seven made SaH with all the Tranfports. On Friday we had contrary Wirtds till Evening, and this Morning I was joined by his Ma- jefty's Ship Effex^ by whom I fend this. We have riow a frelh Gale, with the Wind at N.N.E. Tort- land htzxz^,^, II Leagues. I am, £$?<:. " • ' *,:■'- ,' • ^"' Ed. Hawke.. A true Copy. Robert Wood. v:. '; A>, M-- Numb. XXX. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Secretary - Pitt to Sir Edward Hawke and Sir John Mordaunt,. •'- dated September 15th, 1757, Ify the Yiper Sloop. Sir Edward Hnwke^ and l^e Letter, mutatis mutandis'y to Sir yohn Mordaunt.. Sir, PVhitehall, Sept. 15th, iys7' HI S Majefty, by his fecret Inllru6lions, dated the 5th Day of Au^uji laft, having direfted Troops. the Return of the Fleet under yoiir Com- ♦» mand, together with the Land Forces on boards *« fo as be in England at ar about, as ^ near V Forces and Ships, r 99 ] " near as may be, the End of September^ uil- " lei's the Circumflances of the Ships and " Forces Ihall neceflarily require their Return " fooner :" I am now to fignify to you the King's Pleafure, that you do not confider the above- mentioned Time, limited for your Return, ag in- tended, in any Manner, to afFcdfc or interfere with the full Execution of the firft and principal Objedt of the Expedition, namely, " Attempting, as far as lliall be *' found practicable, a Defcent on the French Qozk^ ** at or near Rochefort^ in order to attack, if pradi- ** cable, and, by a vigorous Impreffionj force thaC ?* Place i and to burn and deftroy, to the utnioft of ** your Power, all Shipping, Pocks, Magazines^ '* and Arfenals, that fhalj be found there, and exert " fuch other Efforts as ftiall be judged moft proper " for annoying the Enemy." And with regard to any other particular Attempt, which, agreeably ta your Orders, you fha!l have commenced, and in the Execution whereof you fhall be adlually engaged, it is alfo his Majefty's Pleafure, that you do not de- fift from, or break up the fame, merely and folely on account of the Time limited for your Return by the Inflrudions abovenlentioned« but thatj notwith- {landing the fame, you do continue with the Troops, Fleets during fuch a farther Number of Days^ ' li^ as may afford a competent Time for the Completion of any Operation under the above Cir- cumftances : After which you are to take care to return with the Fleet under youif Command, and the Forces on boards in the Manner directed by your former Inftruc** I am, i^c. ■. . J. . ,. L . vJ }■..;-} f^ W. Pitt* A true Copy.. Rqbert Wood* forces. Fleet, tions. 1 'v., ." ■i ::^f. ■ ^:'■•/•|. 'V. Hi fft •I. v' * -' # i^i^ Qt Numb; ( lOO ) Numb. XXXI. Copy of a iMter from Sir Edward Havvke lo Air. Secretary Pier, dated Ramilies, in Bafque-Road, Sept. 30/y^, 1757, ♦ Sir, • r ABOUT Seven o'CIock in the Evening of the 2 2d Inftant, as I was ilanding in between the ] Hands of Rbe and Okron for Bafque-Road^ I received his Majefly's Orders, fignified in. your Letter of the 15th Inflant by i\\t Viper. Having before made the Dilpofition for attacking the 1{[q oi Aix (a Step, in the general Opinion, neceflary tor feciiring the land- ing of the Troops), at 10 in the Morning of the 23d, the Vice- Admiral, by my Order, weighed with the Tide of Flood, and (lood towards it with his Divi- fion, compofed of the Magnanime., Barflcur., Neptune^ 'Tor bay, und Royal ff^illiam. Frigates, Bomb-veflels, Firefhips, and Cutters. Th^Magnanime led : About Twelve the Fire began from the Fort with Shells and great Guns, and continued while our Ships ap- proached, till about ten Minutes after One ; when the Magnanime brought up within lefs than forty Yards of the Forr, where fhe kept an inceflant Fire for about thirty-five Minutes ; as did the Barfieur, which brought up, about five Minutes after her, a-breaft of the Fort. About three Qiiarters after One the Firing ceafcd, the Garrifon having ftruck their Co- lours and furrendered. They had in the Fort eight Mortars of about 14 Inches Diameter, and thirty Guns, fixteen of which were eighteen, and the Re- mainder about fourteen Pounders. The Magnanime^ tho* damaged in her Rigging, Yards, and Mafts, yet had only two Soldiers killed, and eleven Men wounded. Of the Garrifon, which confifted of near fix hundred Seamen and Soldiers, only one was killed, and feven or eight wounded. On the Morning of the 23d, I obferved a French Man of War, over the Land, to the S. E. of the Iflc di Aix. Being defirous of deftroying her, I direded Gapt. Byron i of the America^ to take with him the ^. 7''"^ ' '" Achilles Achilles and Pluto Firefliips, and, as foon as tlie Red Divifion Ihould begin to batter, go and deftroy her. But the French flung their Guns overboard, cut their Cables, and otherwiie Hghtening her, run up the Charente. It is laid fhe was the Prudent ot 74 Guns, bound ioY Louishoiirg. .y- j4 It having been thought ncceflary, in order to fecufC 21 I'aie Landing tor the Troops, to found and recon- noitre the Shore of the Main, as foon as the Fort had furrendercd, I direded Rear-Admiral Brodricky with Captains Denis, Douglas, and Buckle, to perform that Service, and make their Report to me. Ic was the Afternoon or the 24th before they returned: A Copy of tliat Report accompanies this. After maturely confidcring ic, I was of Opinion they might land ; on which Sir John Mordaunt dcfired a Council of War might be affemblcd to confider of it. There it was granted by every body, that the Landing could be cfJo6led. In Confidence of their Judgment, and Kn jwledge of their own Profeffion, we affented to then Rcafons for not proceeding to attempt taking Rochefort by Efcalade. A Copy of the Refult of that Council of War is here inclofed. He defired a fecond, which was aflembled early on the Morning of the 28th : Herewith I fend you the Refult of it. Imme- diately the Difpofitioii was made for the Landing, under the Diredion of Rear-Admiral Brodricky and all the Captains of the Squadron. Part of the Troops were a<5tually in the Boats, when I received a Letier from Mr» Brodrick, a Copy whereof I herewith tranfmit. •J ,;.,'.»i Ji t ', >;i. **«*»*: %y' .»'•.' Laft Night I applied to him, to know whether the General Officers of the Land Forces had any farther military Operations to propoic, that I might not un- neceffarily detain the Squadron here. This Morning I received Sir John^s Anfwer, a Copy of which is here inclofed. It was the daily Expectation of their undertaking fomething, which induced me to (lay here fo long. As I have now got their final Refolution, I Aali lail for England To-morrow Morning. G 3 Though, / V 102 ) Though, before I came here, this Place was rcpre- fenced as very difficult of Accel's, and fo narrow that Ships could not lye in Safety from the Forts, nay, the pilots made many Baulks before we came in ; yet I find it a fafe fpacious Road, in which all the Navy of England^ Merchant-fiiips included, may ride without the leaft Annoyance ; and that a Squadron may, at any time, by laying here, prevent any Armament frolr. Rochefort^ and ruin all the French^ Trade to Rhe-^ Oleron, or the Continent, within thefe Iflands. I beg Leave to afTure you. Sir, I have difcharged my Duty to my King and Country with Fidelity, Diligence, and Integrity, and wilh more could have been done for the Good of the Service. The Pilot of the Magnanime has behaved like a Man of Bravery and Skill, and as fuch I beg Leave to recommend him to you. ^ I am, ^c, ^'^\- ■■^■' ■'"•'-' ^ ■ Ed. Hawke, li^ A true Copy. Robert Wood. Numb. XXXII. Copy of a Report made to Sir Edward Hawke oti hoard /y6^ Rami lies, Sept. 2 4//^, 1757, hy Rear 'Admiral Brodrick, and othersy inchfed in Sir Edward Hawke*; Letter to Mr. Secretary Pitt, ; of the ^Qth September, iyS7'>' ^ . -iy,' "■: - "- . '''-^.k. V. , • ■♦1'; In Purfuance of an Order from Sir Edward Hawke^ Knight of the Bath, Admiral of the Blue Squa- dron of his Majefty's Fleet, ^c. dated the 23d TTyTE the underwritten went and founded the VV French Shore from Rochelle to Fort fpuras^ ^nd find as follows : :,.h .. v- *^ - -' From the fouth Point of the Entrance of RocBelle '(on which Point there are 27 Guns mounted onBar- bett) to the Point of the Angolin, we find it a rocky Shore, ac ( 103 ) Shore, and {leep CliFts, with Shoals near two Miles off: YxomAngolin to Ch^tiliallony we find a fair hard landy Beech, with a Flat lying off near two Miles, having but three Fathom at high Water at that Dil- tance, but clear Ground •, along which Beech are Sand- hills, about fifty Yards from the Top of high Water : On the Point of Chatiliallon are two Guns on Barbett, which can no ways annoy the landing of the Troops in rheBays of cither Side of it; and off which Point runs a Riff of Rocks weft two Miles, which are dry at low Water j and round the faid Point, about half a Mile to the Eaftward, there is a fmall fandy Bay, near half a Mile long; and the Land over the faid Bay rifes with an eafy Afcent, about a Quarter of 4 Mile, to a Church or Convent, with a fe,. Houfcs near it. From the landy Bay, along to a fquare Fort on the fouth Part of the Bay, lies a long flat Mud, which is dry near two Miles at low Water. It is our general Opinion, the Tranfports cannot come nearer to either of the fore faid Bays (in order to land Troops) than a Mile and a half, as we found three Fathoms only at that Diftance at high Water. The fquare Fort on the fouth Side of the Eay, vfe could only fee two Sides of: The Face to the Northrr weft had nine Embrazures, and that to the North-eall only two. Given under our Hands on board his Majefty's Shxi^Ramilies in Bafque-Road^ this 24 Sept. i yc,j^ i ;■' Tho. Brodrick, James Douglas, Pet. Denis, ; Matt, Buckle, AirucCopy. Robert Wood. J. ■\fk, < '^:^ i' .'!/'\ •5- tf^ t ^' « »•"••- • '^'^'• Numb. * •^ ■■■% ' >•- " m ■ ( 104 ) Numb. XXXTTI. Copy of a Council of War held ou ' board tb: Neptune, Sept. i^th^ ^ISl-* i}i<-'lofid in 6'/>Edv.aid Hawke'j Letter to Mr. Scaeiary Fitt of /^i? 30/3 Septcmb. 1757; the fame as the Original • delivered by ^/r John Mordaunt, foon after his Ar- *■ r/W, to Mr. Secretary Pitt. At a Council of IVar held on hoard lis Majejl/s Ship Neptune, at Anchor off the IJle of K\x.^ Sept. 25, 1/^7. .,,, 'lt> . PRESENT, ' Sir Edzvard Hawke, Knight of the Bath, Admiral and • Commander in Chief of his lVIajelly*s Ships em- ployed in the prelcnt Expedition. Sir John Mordaunt., Knight of the Bath, Lieutenant- General of his Majefty's Forces, and General and ' Commander in Chief of the Troops on the prefenc Expedition. Charles Knowles, Efq; Vice Admiral of the Red. TheRight Kon.Major-General Henry Seymou*- Conway, S^homas Brcdrick., Elq; Rear- Admiral of the White, Hon. Major-General Edivard CornwalHs. Captain George Bridg-'s Rodney, ' ^ ' ''■*''^.^^-'- ~ Colonel G(?ar^^ /^w^r^. : ">''■'- •-^'■-n^'^> '-"" TH E Fo'-^'*ications and Ifland of Jix, .belonging to t! r x'rcnch King, having furrendered to his , Majefty'a Arms^ the Council proceeded to take into Confideration the farther Steps proper to be taken, in Execution of his Majefty's fecret Inftrudions to Sir Edward Hawke and Sir John Mordaunt^ Com- manders in Chief of his Majefty's Forces on the pre- fent Expedition j and the firft: Objedl being to deter- mine, whether a proper Place could be found for land- ing the Troops, Sir Edward Hawke produced a Re- port by Rear-Admiral Brodriek, and the Captains Douglas, Denis, and Buckle, whom he had fent to . found and reconnoitre the Coafl:, from La Rochelle to he Point of Four as, near the Embouchure of the River Charente, which Report is herevinto annexed. . .. The > -- ( 105 ) • The Council having taken the fait] Report into Confideration, and examined the Pilots, it appears that there are but two Landing-places •, and that the Troops could not be reimbarkcd from either of them in bad Weather, thrf Swell o!" the Sea making lb great a Surf on the Shore, that no Boats would be able to approach it to take the Troops off; (the ablcd Pilot havinjT informed the Council, that he had been at Anchor feven Weeks in this Road, and not a Boat been able to pafs or rcpafs.) And it likewile appears to the Council, that in ca(e the Troops Ihouid be overpowered by fuperior Numbers of the Kneniy, they could have no Protection from the Cannon i»clofed in Sir Edward HawkeV Letter to Mr. Secretary Pitt, of the ^oih Sept. 17571 the fame as the Original delivered by Sir John Mordaunt, foon after his Ar- rival, to Mr. Secretary Pitt. At a Council of War held on hoard his Majejifs Ship Ramilies, /« Bafque-Road, this i^th Sept. 1757. PRESENT, Sir Edward Hawke, Knight of the Bath, Admiral and Commander in Chiet of his Majefty's Ships er^- ployed on the prefent Expedition. Sir John Mordaunt, Knight of the Bath, Lieutenant- General of his Majefty's Forces, and Commander in Chief of the Troops employed on the preient Expedition. Charles Knowkf, Efqj Vice- Admiral of the Red. The Right Hon. Major- General Henry Seymour Conway, Thomas Brodrick, Efq; Rear- Admiral of the White. 'Hon.Md!]ox-Gtn^xi\ Edward Cornwallis, .• ,. CsLptdin George Bridges Rodney, ,; Colonel Georze Howard. ' - ' . rr^HE Council of War being aflembled, at the ' Jt ' Pefire of Sir John Mordaunt, proceeded to take under Confideration, whether it is advifable to land the Troops, to attack the Forts leading to and upon the Mouth of the River Charente', and after mature Peliberation are unanimoufly of Opinion, that it is advifable to land the Troops for that Purpofe, with all poflibie Pifpatch, ..• J , Ed. Hawke, £ ' •'■ '• ^ J. Mordaunt, Ch . Knowles, '' H. Seymour Conway, Tho. Brodrick, Ed. Cornwallis, Geo. Bridges Rodney, G. Howard* - Numb. . ■ ■^■ii'i-\*. f ^1 A true Copy. Robert Wood. :t!a'^ I ■ ;•*', A .'!iV's>0 ( io8 ) ■ Numb. XXXV. Copy of a Letter from Rear- Admiral Brodrick to Sir Kdward Hawke, dated Achilles, ' Tucfday ai One in the Mcrninj^^ indofed in Sir Ed- '*- ward Hawkc's Letter to Mr. Secretary Pitt, cf the 3 o/^ ing, Rear-Adiniril Broderick^ with moll of the Captains, and all the Sea-Officers of every Kind, with all the Boats that could be got, were ready to aifiil, and moft of the Troops for the firft Embarkation were on board j unfortunately, fuch a high Wind fprung up from the Shore, that all the Sea-Officers gave their Opinion that the Land- ing fhould not be attempted : That the Boats mufl be towed fo very flowly ; the IVanfport Boats, by Reports to me, could not fome of them make any Way at all ; That it would be Day-light before the firft Embarkation could poffibly be landed i and all agreed ( ««o ) Agreed it would be fix Hours before that Body of Troops could be fupported by the Landing of a fe» cond Embarkation : Add to this, that the Ships could not come near enough to help to cover the Landing, and the Garrifon of Rocbelle was within two Leagues. , i Under thefe Circumftances, and the ftrong Repre- fentation of the Sea-Officers, the General Officers unanimoufly agreed to fend the Troops back again to their Tranfports. The Wind being fair, and the Works near blown up, I had next Morning a Note from Sir Edward Hawke, letting me know, that if the General Officers had no further military Operations to propofe, con- fiderable enough. to authorife his detaining the Squa- dron longer here, he intended to proceed with it to England, without Lofs of Time. I communicated this Note to the Land-Officers that compofcd our Councils of War ; and, upon weighing every Cir- cumftance, we all agreed to return to England. I greatly grieve that I muft report to his Majefty^ that fo fine a Body of Troops has done nothing. But . I am not confcious that any commanding Officer (however more able than myfelf ) could have done more under our Circumftances. I am, ^c. J. MORDAUNT* i. '«'v^4^\^,.:V''';.'%V ' i':\Hh,: 'J,ii-S •■■« ■A-'- •> ^•fi T^.■f'i.■ ■H ,>;,; A trueCopy. Robert Wood. ;. „ ;, ,;, .-u »j\ *^''^5-; • . -, ' ■' ■ . . ,i'^ -j'j ' ' :n ,lj:7j. ' + • ■' ' ' _ ' ■ , » > ' ;-t» •|?Jf(,.r,< > V. /I J;;/* \ ; 3;^ V' --....,,-:; i{/\''n .^ij^ i- :' V • '" "'■■■*- '•;.« . ., ( HI ) MiNtJTES of a Council of War aflembled on board his Majefty's 5hip Ramilies^ in Bafqiie Road, this 28th of /. 1757. ^ • Numb. JCXXVIII. Copy of Minutes of a Council of War held eH hoard the Ramilies, Sept. 28, 1757, and delivered by Sir John Mordaunt, foon after his Ar- rival, to Mr. Secretary Pitt. PRESENT, * ■Sir Edward Hawke, Knight of the Bath, Prefident. Charles Know leSt EfqjVice Admiral of the Red Thomas Brodrick, Efq; Rear-Admiral of the White Capt. Geo. Bridges Rodney. .;?>■■ Sir John Mordaunt,Kn\ght of the Bath, (f^c. Right Hon* Henry Seymour Conway, Major- General Hon. Edward Cornwallis, Major- General Go! . George Howard TH£ Council, in order to determine whether the Forts, leading to and upon the Mouth of the River Charente, were open and capable of b^ing attacked by Land, proceeded to examine, 1. Lieutenant- Colonel Wolfe, who declares, that ' with regard to Fort Fouras, it is his Opinion that it is not a llrong Place, fceming to be principally for- tified towards the Sea, yet he Taw People at Work on the Land Side : That if our Troops could come at the Barbette Battery by it, it might be of great Ufe in taking the Fort, provided there was proper Am- munition tor that Purpofe. He further gives it as his Opinion, that Fort Fouras cannot be taken but by Artillery or Efcalade. 2. Lieutenant-Colonel Clarke, who fays he could make no kind of Judgment of Fort Fouras on the Land Side by the Help of a Telefcope, the only Me- thod he has ever heard of obferving it. 3. A French Prifoner, who fays, Fort Fouras is a circular Fort -, upon the J3ack of it, towards the Land, there ( 112 )' there was no Ditch, when he faw it three Years ago i 'Ihat it had twenty-four Pieces of Cannon, mounted towards the Sea, and Embrazures for Guns towards the Land : That Fort la Pointe is like Fcuras, cir- cular, and has twenty-two Pieces of Cannon ♦, on the Eaft Side, towards the Land, it has a Wall like that of Four as : That the Landing in the Bay of Chate- killon is the. beft Landing of any Place here ; and that when landed, and you get upon the Rochefort Road, it is a fine open Country : " That on Friday *' Morning of the 23d Inftant, he was in Fort Fou- •• ras\ that there was but twenty-two or twenty, four " Guns in it, and not above fifty Men of all Kinds ; " That there are much about the fame Number of " Guns ir*. Fort la Pointe \ and that both Forts are *' inclofed by a Wall, in much the fame manner to- , ** wards the Land." The Council having maturely confidered the Evi- dence, Sir John Mordaunt dechred he was of Opinion, that fomething further fhould be attempted., and that he would give his Orders accordingly that Moment, if any, meaning the General Officers of the Troops, would fay it was advifeable. — Vice- Admiral Knowles declared he had received great Light from the Perfons examined, and therefore thought fomething ought to be attempted. Major-General Conway declared for the Attempt, merely from his own Opinion, without Regard to the Evidences. Sir Edward Hawke, appealing to every Member of the Council for the Tj*uth of what he faid, declared, that he was now of the fame Opinion, which he had given both before and at the Council of War of the 25th, that the Landing could be effedled : That the ' Troops ought to be landed for fome farther Attempt, which was alone Matter of Confideration with the General Officers of the Troops, he, not taking upon him to be a Judge of Land Operations, but would, from his Confidence in their Abilities and Skill in their own Profcflion, readily affent to any Refolution . • they / . ( 113 ) they fhould come to, and aflift them to the utmofi: of his Power. This being fettled, after fome Debate, Sir John Mordaunt^ Vice-Admi".l Knowles^ Rear- Admiral Brodrick^ and Captain Rodney^ withdrew. The Council of War being re-aflembled, and the Queftion put, Whether it is advifeable to land the Troops, to ' attack the Forts leading to and upon the Mouth of the River Charente ? .i . . YES. Col. George Howard, Capt. Geo. Bridges Rodney, Rear- Admiral Brodrick, Right Hon. Hen. Seymour Conway, Vice- Admiral Knowks, Sir John Mordaunt, Sir Edward Hawke, A true Copy. Robert Wood. ' • • NO. • • ■' Hon. Major-General Ed- ward Cornwallis \ but afterwards acquiefced with the Majority. Numb. XXXIX. Copy of a Letter from Sir John Mordaunt to Mr. Secretary Pitt, dated Ramilies, Odt.4, 1757. . . - ; . : Sir, IHave the Honour to inform you, that we are now got into the Channel ; and, as it is doubtful how long we may be before we reach Portfmouth, as the Wind now ftands, I think it my Duty to trouble you with this Exprefs. I muft beg the Favour to know his Majefty's Orders in Regard to the Deftination and Quartering of the Troops. I muft alfo delire Orders, whether I am to ftay at Portfmouth till the Troops have all marched out of that Town, or, whether upon Landing, I am immediately to come to London, and make my Re- port to his Majefty, and leave the Difembarking and Marching of the Regiments to the two Major-Ge- nerals. H As ■ ( IH ) As the Refolution to fail for England, and the Dif- patch of the Exprefs to you, were of the fame Day, I flatter myfelf you will make Allowances for the Hurry I was in, and excufe the Inaccuracies in the Letter I had the Honour to fend to you, dated the 30th of September ; in looking over the Copy of it, I ice I have not ft .ed, in a clear Light, the Article relating to the Gentlemen of the Sea Service •, and I think it my Duty to explain, that after our talking over the Affair together, it was the General Officers faying it would L neceQTary to land before Day, that occafioned the Geidemen of the Sea Service to advife againft the attempting it that Morning. I cannot help repeating my Concern that the Af- fair o't Rocbefort did not fucceed, and I fliall be doubly unhappy, if, upon reading the Council of War, you do not think we aded right, I am, i^c. J. MORDAUNT. A true Copy. Robert Wood. Numb. XL. Copy of a Letter from Sir John Mor- daunt to Mr, Secretary Pitt, ^^/^^ Portfmouth, Od. Sir, T Think it my Duty to inform you, by my Aid de Camp, that the Fleet came to an Anchor this Even- ing at St. Helen* s^ and that moft of the Tranfports are already got to ^pzV^fiS^. ;, As it will be of the greateft Advantage to the Troops to difembark foon ;, and as I am doubtful whether or not the Letter I had the Honour to fend you, by a Ship ordered to Plymouth, to be forwarded by Exprefs, can have fo ibon come to your Hands, I think it my Duty to fend you a Duplicate of it. I muft keep the Troops on board, till I receive his Majefty's further Commands ; and am, ^c, J. MoRDAUNT. A true Copy. Robert Wood. ^ Numb. i J15 ) Numb. XLI. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Secretary Pitt to Sir Edward Hawke, dated 0(5t. 7, 1757. Sir, YEftcrday Morning I received the Favour of your Letter of the 30th pad, which was immediately laid before the King -, and having this Day had an Ac- count from Sir John Mordaunt, that the Troops are arrived at Portfmouth, I am commanded to fignify to you his Majefty*s Pleafure, that you do give imme- diate Orders for Difembarking at Southampton the five following Battalions, viz. the Earl of Home'sy Lord George Bentinck'St firft Battalion of Lieutenant- General Wolfe's, firft Battalion of Colonel King/Iey\ and firft Battalion of Colonel Howards -, and that the five other Battalions, viz. the Earl of Loudoun's, Colonel Jm- herft\ Colonel Hodgfon*s, Colonel 3rudenel\ and the firft Battalion of Major-General Cornwallis\ be dif- embarked at Portfmouth. With Regard to the two Battalions of Lieutenant-General Stuart*s and Earl of Effingham's, which have ferved on board the Fleet, it is the King's Pleafnre, that they be difembarked at Portfmouth or Chatham, according as the Men of War may be ordered to either of thofe Places. I am, ^c. W. Pitt. A true Copy. Robert Wood. Numb. XLIL Copy of a Letter from Mr. Secretary Pitt /tf .Siir John Mordaunt, dated Od.y, 'i^'fST* Sir, YEfterday Morning I received the Favour of your Letter of the 30th paft, and this Morning that dated the 4th Inftant, in the Channel \ and, at One o'clock this Afternoon, I was alfo favoured with one of the 6th Inftant, by your Aid de Camp, from Portf- mouth : All which were immediately laid before the King. And I am to acquaint you, that his Majefty is pleafed to permit you to return to London imme-f diately, in order to malce a Report of your Proceed- ings, leaving at Portfmouth one of the Major-Generals, to fff T .; J> • ( ii6 y |o fuperintend theDifembarkfttion of the Troops ; and the ICing is pleafed to leave it to you to appoint^^which of die two Major •Generals you fhall judge moft pro- per for that Service 5 the other being at Liberty to rc- ^rn to London with you. I am, &c, W. Pitt. P. S. I fend you inclofcd a Copy of a Letter I have wrote to Sir Edward Hawke, by which you will fee the Orders his Majefly has thought proper to give him f(fji: difembarking the Troops. You will acquillit the Major 'General, whom you fhall leave' to fli|]erintend the Difembarkation, that he may retvrn to London, as foon as that Ser- vice ihall be completed. A true Copy, Robert Wood. .. ■ 11 I ' "III Numb. XLIII. Copy of a Letter from Sir Edward Hawkc to Mr. Secretary Pitt, dated Ramilics at Spit- head. Oft. 8, 1757, I P. M. Sir, T Have the Honour of your Letter 'of Yefterdiay's Date, fignifying his Majefty's Orders for the Dif- cmbarkation of the Troops. As I have Permiflion ^p cojme to Londqn, I have dirc6ted Vicc^ Admiral knowles to put thefe Orders in Execution as foon as the Weather will permit, it blowing very hard atpre- ftnt. I am, t^c. Ed. Hawkb. A true Copy. Robert Wood. .11 II ' ' ' I ' III '■'■ ' ' ' ' . Ill Numb. 5CLIV, Copy of alMter from Sir John Mor- daunt to Mr. Secretary Pitt, dated Portfmouth, Oft. - Sir, _ T Had this Morning the Honour of your Letter ;.^ and, in confequence of it, fhall fet out for Lomhn To-morrow Morning early, and propofe myfelf. the Pleafure of paying my Refpcfts to you on A^nday Morning. lam, €*ff. J. Mordaunt. A true Copy. Rokrt Wood. . F IN I $/ '"4 A^ard ,/ , J T • ■• ■•ii^-.