by John Marshall

“ At day-light the next morning Sir Charles Hamilton had the satisfaction to perceive the brig had sunk up to her gunwales in a quicksand. She was called the Senegal, had been fitted out there at the expense of the French republic, and mounted 18 12-pounders. When attacked she had nearly 60 men on board, some of whom escaped in a boat; the rest were killed in boarding, excepting 18, who were taken prisoners. The loss sustained by the British in this spirited affair amounted to 11, including Lieutenant Palmer, a marine officer, and a Midshipman, slain j Lieutenant Christie and 17 others wounded. ”

“ On the 12th Aug. the first division of troops, consisting of about 10,000 men, in about 200 transports, sailed for the enemy’s coast, escorted by a squadron of men of war, commanded by Vice-Admiral Mitchell. Contrary winds and very tempestuous weather prevented the fleet from reaching the point of debarkation until the 26th, on which day the whole of the vessels were anchored in safety; and on the following morning the troops were landed near the Helder, under cover of a warm and well-directed fire from the bombs, gun-brigs, and other small vessels. ”

“ On the 21st September, Vice-Admiral Mitchell shifted his flag into the Babet, of 20 guns, and proceeded with a flotilla into the Zuyder Zee, where his appearance changed the politics, for a while, of several of the bordering towns and villages, which submitted, and hoisted the Orange flag. Such a loss as the Dutch had sustained by sea could scarcely be compensated by any success on land ”

“ A large fleet of ships of war, with a sufficient number of transports, were collected at those ports for the purpose of receiving the troops, and an embargo was laid on all shipping throughout the kingdom. Such formidable preparations made in this quarter, soon discovered that Holland was the place of destination of this armament, which was rendered still more powerful by the addition of a strong squadron, and upwards of 17,000 troops hired from Russia to assist in the enterprise. ”

“ This message, together with the deception practised of dressing the crews of the merchant vessels in red shirts, had the desired effect; at midnight Lieutenant Tidy made the signal agreed on, that Sir Charles’s terms were complied with; the marines of the squadron were instantly landed, and the island taken possession of without damage to the ships, or any other loss than 1 officer wounded before the flag of truce was observed from the forts. ”

“ The naval force thus taken from the Batavian republic, including those found in the Nieuve Diep, consisted of ten sail of the line, fourteen frigates, one sloop, a sheer-hulk, and three East India men, together with about five hundred doggers and schuyts. ”