T. Smollett

“ No Man, who saw the Position of the Battery, could have the least Room to doubt of its bearing upon the Castle, as soon as a narrow Screen of Wood, which cover'd it, should be cut away. What is alledged, that no Guns could be brought to bear upon the Enemies Shipping, is absolutely false; there were no less than seven, of which two were thought sufficient for that Purpose, which fir'd red hot Balls, and did good Execution. It is most certain, that if no Epaulment had been thrown up, the Battery might have been rak'd, which was easily foreseen, and timely prevented. ”

“ But no mention was at that time made of bringing in Ships to cannonade the Town; as the Manner, in which a former Proposal of that Nature had been answered, gave little Room to hope for Success in repeating of it: Tho' perhaps it may not be difficult to make appear, that our [Pg 42] great Ships lying unactive at a time when they might have been usefully employ'd, [29] was the principal Occasion of our not possessing ourselves of the City of Carthagena, and not the Miscarriage of the Attack of St. Lazar. ”

“ But I am well assured, that experienced Pilots, who have sounded the whole Harbour of Carthagena in open Day-Light, do affirm, that large Ships can approach so near to the Walls, as easily to batter the Town; of which the Spaniards seem very sensible, from their having lately erected a Battery of forty Pieces of large Cannon, which commands the Bason, where the Galleons usually lie at Anchor. ”

“ At Seven in the Evening, the Tents were struck, at Eight the Troops march'd from their Ground, and embarked in three Divisions on the Boats prepared to receive them. The Sickness amongst the Troops increased to so great a Degree, that any longer Continuance in that unhealthy Situation, seemed to threaten no less than their total Ruin; the General therefore, and the principal Land Officers, agreed to the Admiral's Proposal, for demolishing the Forts, &c. which commanded the Harbour; that being done, and Water taken in for the Voyage, the whole Fleet set sail for Jamaica. ”

“ Laws was dispatched to England in the Spence Sloop, with an Account of the taking of Boca-Chica Castle; notwithstanding the Instances used by both the General, and Sir Chaloner Ogle, to postpone sending, till it should be known, what would be the Success against the City; which, considering the Strength of the Enemy, that our Troops began to sicken, and that the rainy Season was then begun; could by no thinking Man be look'd upon to be otherwise, than doubtful. ”

“ That so formidable a Fleet was employ'd to little other Purpose, but to attend upon the Army, and to convoy their Transports, was with Regret observed, both by the Officers of the Army, and of the Navy; but surely so ridiculous a Thought could never enter into any Man's Imagination, as that the Soldiers should march along the Shore, the Fleet within Call, crying out to them for Help, or that they could not find their Way into the Castle without a Sea Pilot to conduct them: A Story, which has not the least Foundation ”

“ As soon as we had possessed ourselves of the Gate of the Castle, and that the Guards were [Pg 22] posted, the General ordered out a Party of Harrison's Grenadiers, with the proper Tools, under the Command of Mr. Blane the Engineer, and of Mr. Bennett (who first enter'd the Breach) to cut the End of the Boom adjoining to the Castle, which they did effectually about nine; and it was the Want of a Boat only that prevented the Landmen's seizing the Galicia, on board of which Capt. Knowles rowed about twelve, and afterwards order'd a Party of Sailors to cut the other End of the Boom. ”

“ His Successor, a brave blunt Soldier (who can never be pardoned for boldly speaking the Truth) was so far from being rendered unfit for his Duty, that no Man attended it with more Diligence; from the first Opening the Battery before Boca-Chica, he scarcely ever left it, even for necessary Refreshment, till the Castle was taken. ”

“ Upon the whole, nothing could more demonstrate the Goodness of this Army, than the Service they performed, not only amidst the almost insuperable Difficulties, which arose from the Climate, but labouring under the utmost Distresses and Discouragements from a Quarter, whence the Reverse ought justly to have been expected. Were the Instruments imploy'd on the late Expedition such as the Author of the Pamphlet is pleased to describe, there would be no great Difficulty in accounting for its Miscarriage ”

“ Lazar appears to be no such trifling Redoubt, as he would insinuate; had he approached near enough to take an exact View of it (which probably he did not) he must have observed that the Hill is near double the Height he mentions, and that the Eminence opposite to it (which, if Cannon could have been convey'd thither, was certainly a very proper Place for the erecting a Battery) is pretty much upon a Level with the Ground upon which the Castle stands. ”

“ The Galicia's being sent in had a quite contrary Effect from what the Author suggests; for not only the General, but every unprejudiced Man, both in the Army, and in the Fleet, was thereby convinced, that our large Ships could have got in near enough to batter the Town. ”

“ If there were any such, possibly they did not loose in the Report; but if what the Enemy might throw out deserves repeating, it is well known that they frequently expressed their Astonishment, that so fine a Fleet should lie unactive within their very Harbour; and it was affirmed by Persons of Credit, that a Spanish Officer of Rank, who served in Carthagena, declared that they only waited for the coming in of our great Ships, to have surrendered. ”

“ The Reason given for their not breaking is no great Proof of the Author's Skill, as an Engineer; for it is well known, that one single Ounce of Gunpowder is sufficient (if pro [Pg 58] perly confined) to rend in Pieces a Stone weighting several Tuns.
The eight twenty-four Pounders, put on board for the Use of the Expedition, were all landed at Boca-Chica fit for Service, and were there actually made use of upon the Battery, where two of them were rendered unserviceable. ”

“ All the Negroes, and as many Soldiers as could be spared, from their other Duty, were employed in cutting Fascines and Pickets. A Traverse was raised in the Coupure leading to Boca-Chica, and an Epaulement was thrown up for the covering the Workmen, which were to be employed in raising the great Gun-Battery. ”

“ As many of the American Soldiers were suspected to be Irish Papists (vide Note in the Pamphlet Letter (d) page 39) it was though adviseable both by the General and the Admiral, to employ them principally on Board the Fleet; but the Regiments which came from Europe, being now reduced low in their Numbers, made it absolutely necessary, that the Americans should be included in the Corps design'd for the Attempt on Carthagena. ”

“ I must own I cannot but admire at the Author's Conclusion, that the Success was owing to Chance, because, if the Enemy had cleared more Ground round the Castle, the Undertaking would have been more difficult. I readily join with him, that it would have been so; tho' in the Beginning of this Note, the Engineers are condemn'd for making the best Advantage of the Wood, which the Enemy had so imprudently left standing. "The Engineers could by no Means out-do themselves; the Battery was constructed in a Wood." ”

“ Two or three Boats were observed to pass between the Castle and the Barradera Battery (not hundreds of Men as the Author alledges in Note l) who carry'd People sufficient so far to repair the Damage, which had been done, as in a short time to renew the Fire; an evident Proof both to the Army, and to the Navy, that the Battery had not been effectually demolish'd. ”

“ Nothing can be more false than what the Author of the Pamphlet asserts in his Note (e) of no Application having been made, nor any particular Scheme form'd for landing the Cannon and Stores. March the 10th, the Day after the Grenadiers had taken Possession of the two Forts, the General went in Person on board the Admiral to concert Measures with him for putting on Shore the Cannon, Ammunition, &c. and was by him, the Admiral, informed, that a Captain of a Man of War appointed for that Service, was gone on board the Ordnance Ships to give the proper Directions ”

“ Sir Chaloner Ogle order'd Captain Knowles, in the Weymouth, to stand in within Gun-shot, and to fire upon it; which being done for some time, without any Return, Boats were sent ashore, and the Castle was enter'd without Opposition; of which the Admiral having Notice, he order'd one hundred of the Soldiers, who were on board the King's Ships to remain there in Garrison. ”

“ April the 8th, the Council of War being reassembled, it appear'd from the Report of the principal Engineer [26] that so large a Number of Men, and so much time would be wanting to cut thro' the Wood, and to raise a Battery, as in our Circumstances rendered it impracticable; the sickly Season was now come in, and the Water in the Cisterns began to grow low: There seeming therefore to be no Choice left, but either to make a bold Push for the surprising Fort St. Lazar, or to return on Board ”

“ As the Levy was made in Haste, there was neither Time for strictly examining into their respective Circumstances, nor for their being well-disciplin'd before they joined the Army; whence it became in a great Measure, necessary to employ them chiefly on board the Fleet.
Tho' this infamous Libel appears to be levell'd against that Corps of Land Forces in general, yet the Author is pleased more eminently to distinguish the Engineers, &c. belonging to the Train; he very roundly affirms, that worse never bore the Name, nor could be pick'd out of all Europe. ”

“ That the Army had work'd to some purpose (tho' the Author insinuates the contrary) plainly appears from their having made two Coupures thro' the Woods, cut the Fascines and Pickets, raised the Battery, and conveyed thither the Stores and Ammunition; in which last they had some Assistance from the Sailors, and not a great deal from the Negroes. Had the Army the least Room for Resentment before, the sixty Gun Ship was sent in to interrupt the Enemy's repairing the Fascine Battery, any Thing she perform'd, could by no Means cool it ”

“ Several Facts will be here found to be placed in a very different Light from the same Facts, as they are described in the Pamphlet, and others to be rejected, as absolutely false and groundless; but the Author flatters himself, that he has advanced nothing which is not founded upon Truth, and such as can be supported by living Evidences, or by authentick Records, whenever his Antagonist shall be pleased to lay aside his Mask ”

“ That many of the Bomb-Shells broke in the Air, from some Defect in their Fusees, or never broke at all, is undoubtedly Fact; which probably was occasioned by Damage they had received at Sea, and which could not be repaired, as we had neither Time nor Convenience for it, before their being wanted for Service. The Grenado-Shells were of the same Sort, of the very same Dimensions with those usually issued out from the Office of Ordnance; nor was there ever before the least mention made of their having been deficient. ”

“ If the Enemy's Numbers (as the Author alledges, page 54.) amounted to 4000 Men, the Troops which were landed, and never exceeded 4350 Rank and File, could but have little Prospect of forcing them amidst their strong Fortifications; nor did the General and Principal Officers ever propose it to themselves, otherwise than by the help of the whole Force on board the Fleet, which was actually promised, as soon as a Passage should be opened for the Ships into the Harbour ”

“ But if, instead of Galicia, some of his Majesty's eighty Gun Ships had been ordered in; there are (and those very good Judges) who affirm, that they could have approach'd near enough to have done effectual Service.
[30] The Author of the Pamphlet (in his Note i, page 45.) affirms, that from Thursday Morning to Friday Night, by the Accounts delivered in, and by the General's Report, the Troops on Shore had dwindled from 6645, to 3200. A base and palpable Falsehood! ”

“ That most of the Officers, who had served long and well, got themselves knock'd on the Head by teaching a young and raw Army, is in Fact false; for both old and young equally shared the Hazard and Fatigue ”

“ The Author of the Pamphlet, in his extraordinary Note, Letter (m) mentions, five hundred Sailors to have been employed in erecting the Battery, tho' in Fact the Navy contributed to it, only 18 Carpenters. He adds, that, "as more Time and Men were employed in it than were necessary, much Execution may be expected therefrom." What more could be expected from it, than forcing the Enemy to abandon the Castle? "but the Engineers could not out-do themselves; they erected the Battery in a Wood." They might not out-do themselves, but they certainly did perfectly well ”

“ The principal Engineer having proposed the raising a Breast-work at the advanced Guard, it was without Delay begun upon, and was in so great Forwardness by the next Morning, as to put the Men under Cover. ”

“ Fascines and Pickets (vide the beginning of the Note f) had not only been cut during the Fleet's watering at Hispaniola, but after our landing on Tierra Bomba, all possible Diligence was daily used, to compleat the Number required for erecting the Batteries. Nothing can be more absurd than to imagine that so skilful an Engineer, as was Mr. ”