: ships, were driven on shore in the like manner, and recovered by the army. At eight, the tide falling and leaving us in little more water than we could draw, we were reluctantly obliged to haul off into deeper water to keep afloat, and the enemy's vessels that were not on shore, or too much shattered, were thus able to reach Ostend,-these and the Ostend division have hauled into the bason. I have anchored in such a position as to keep an eye on them; and I shall endeavour to close with them again if they move into deeper water. I have to regret that, from the depth of water in which these vessels move, gun-boats only can act against them with effect four have joined me, and I have sent them in to see what they can do with the praam that is on shore. I have great satisfaction in bearing testimony to your lordship of the gallant and steady conduct of the captains, commanders, officers, seamen, and marines, under my orders. Captains Hancock and Mason bore the brunt of the attack, and continued it for six hours against a great superiority of fire, particularly from the army on shore, the howitzer shells annoying them much. These officers deserve the highest praise I can give them. They speak of the conduct of their lieutenants, officers, and crews, in terms of warm panegyric. Messrs. Budd and Dalyell, from the AnteJope, acted in the absence of two lieutenants of those ships. Lieutenants Garrety and Patful, commanding the Favourite and Stag cutters, did their best with their small guns against greater numbers of greater calibre. Lieut. Hillier, of the Antelope, gave me all the assistance and support on her quar ter-deck his ill-state of health would permit. Lieut. Stokes and Mr. Slesser, acting lieutenants, directed the fire on the lower and maindecks with coolness and precision. It would be the highest injustice if I omitted to mention the intrepid conduct of Mr. Lewis, the master, Mr. Nunn and Mr. Webb, pilots, to whose steadiness, skill, and attention, particularly the former, I shall ever feel myself indebted, for having brought the Antelope into action within the sands, where certainly the enemy could not expect to be met by a ship of her size; and for having allowed her to continue engaged with commodore Verheuil, to the last minute it was possible to remain in such shoal-water, with a falling tide. It is but justice to say, the enemy's commodore pursued a steady course notwithstanding our fire, and returned it with spirit to the last. I could not detach open boats in the enemy's line, to pick up those vessels which had struck, and were deserted, 'mixed as they were with those still firing. Capt. Hancock sent me one schuyt that had hauled out of the line and surrendered. She had a lieutenant and 23 soldiers of the 48th regiment, with five Dutch seamen on board. She is so useful here, I cannot part with her yet. Inclosed is a list of our loss, which, though great, is less than might have been expected, owing to the enemy's directing their fire at our masts. The Rattler and the Cruizer have of course suffered most in the latter respect, but are nearly ready for service again. The smoke would not allow us to see the effect of our shot on the enemy; but their loss, considering the num ber of them under our guns for so long, must be great in proportion. We Lord Keith, K. B., &c. &c. &c. Return of Killed and Wounded on board his Majesty's Ships and Vessels in Action with the Enemy's Flotilla, May 16, 1804. Antelope 2 seamen and 1 private marine, wounded. Penelope: 3 seamen, killed; and 4 seamen, wounded. Amiable: Mr. Christie, master's-mate, Mr. Johnson, midshipman, four seamen, and 1 boy, killed; lieut. W. Mather, Mr. Shawell, purser, Mr. Connor, midshipman, and 11 seamen, wounded. Cruizer: 1 seaman killed; Mr. George Ellis, clerk, and 3 seamen, wounded. Total: 2 petty officers, 10 scamen, and 1 boy, killed; 1 lieut. 1 purser, 4 petty officers, 25 seamen, and one private marine, wounded. W. Sidney Smith. Account of the success of the British arms at Surinam, from the dispatches of M. G. Sir Charles Green, and received by Earl Camden, June 22d, 1804. Dated Paramaribo, May 13, My Lord, It is highly gratifying to me to have the honour of informing your fordship that the colony of Surinam has surrendered to his majesty's arms; and have the further satisfaction to acquaint your lordship, that this valuable acquisition to the British dominions, has been made with very little loss on the part of his majesty's troops. In my dis patches from Barbadoes of the 2d of April, I had the honour to repeat to your lordship that the arrangements for proceeding on the expedition against Surinam being nearly completed, I had reason to expect we should be enabled to sail from Barbadoes in the course of three or four days; and commodore Hood having previously signified to me that every thing in the naval department was ready, I directed the final embarkation of the troops, stores, &c. on the 6th of the same month. The following day the whole fleet weighed anchor and sailed. On the 25th, his majesty's ship Centaur, having the commodore's broad pendant, and on board of which I was embarked, came to anchor about 10 miles off the mouth of the river Surinam, and during that and the next day the greater part of the fleet also anchored. On the 26th, a corps, consisting of the flank companies of the 16th and 64th regiments, the rifle company of the 2d battalion 60th regiment, made up by detachments from the battalion companies of the 16th, 64th, and 6th West-India regiments, to about 600 men, and the first brigade of royal artillery, besides armed seamen, was detached in different vessels under convoy of his majesty's ship Hippomenes, captain Shipley. This corps was commanded by brigadier-gen. Maitland, who was directed to effect a landing at the Warappa Creek, about ten leagues to the eastward of the Surinam river, where the enemy occupied a post. The object of.this operation was to obtain a water communication with the Commewyne river, to procure plantation boats in suflicient number to transport the troops down that river to wards wards its junction with the Surinam, and thereby facilitate our approach to take a position in the rear of Fort New Amsterdam; and also with a view to cut off a considerable detachment of the enemy stationed at Fort Brandwacht, on the mud creek.On the same day preparations were made for landing a body of troops to take possession of Braam's Point, where there is a battery, of seven 18-pounders, which defends the entrance of the river Surinam. Brigadier-general Hughes undertook to superintend this service; the wind proving favourable, his majesty's ships Emerald, Pandour, (having the 64th regiment on board), and Drake brig of war, got under weigh to attack the battery; when a fire was opened on the ships, which, however, was soon silenced by a few broadsides, and the enemy struck their colours. A detachment of troops, under brigadiergen. Hughes, immediately landed, and took possession of Bram's Point, making prisoners a captain and 44 men. The entrance being thus se cured, the commodore made signal for the ships to go into the river as soon as possible; in the course of that and the following day, the most considerable part of the fleet anchored in the river. At this period the commodore shifted his pendant to the Emerald, and I accompanied him on board that ship. We then judged it expedient to send a summons to the governor of Surinam, with proposals for the surrender of the colony. Captain Maxwell of the royal navy, and capt. Deum mond, of the 6th regiment (acting as my aid-de-camp) proceeded up the river with a flag of trace, and having delivered our summons to the governor, returned in the night with information that an answer would be sent next morning. On the 28th, we received the governor's answer, refusing to capitulate. It was then determined that we should lose no time in endeavouring to make sóme impression on the enemy's posts, but I must here beg leave to observe to your lordship, that the coast of Surinam is of very difficult approach, shallow and full of banks; that a landing is only to be attempted at the top of the tide, and at particular points; the coast is uncleared; and from wood, and the marshy nature of the soll, it is impossible to penetrate into the interior, except by the rivers and creeks. The shores on both sides of the river Surinam, are equally difficult of access, for the same causes, until you reach the battery Frederici, with the exception of one spot on the eastern shore, where a plantation, called Resolution, has been lately established. Our points of attack were therefore confined; and the enemy, by means of their forts, ships of war, and other armed vessels, were completely masters of the navigation of the river Surinam above Fort Amsterdam. The defences of the river, after passing Braam's Point, are Fort Amsterdam, situated on the confluence of the rivers Surinam and Commewynne ; upwards of 80 pieces of ordnance are mounted in this fortress. Fort Leyden is armed with twelve heavy guns, and situated on the right bank of the Surinam, where it meets the Commewynne, is opposite to, and commanded by Fort Amsterdam, at the distance of about two thousand yards. The battery Frederici is about 200 yards lower down, and armed with twelve heavy guns. On the left bank of the river, uear arms, having felling-axes; twenty of the artificers' corps provided in the same manner; and about thirty armed seamen, commanded by captains Maxwell, Ferris, and Richardson, of the royal navy, the whole under the command of brigadier-general Hughes, accompanied by lieut.-col. Shipley, lieut. Arnold, of the royal engineers, and Mr. Hobbs, acting engineer, whose local knowledge proved extremely useful on this occasion, landed between the hours of ten and eleven at night, at Resolution Plantation, and proceeded through the woods with negro guides. A great quantity of rain having recently fallen, it was found that the path, at all times difficult, had become almost impassable; but no obstacle could damp the enterprising spirit of our seamen and soldiers, who, with persevering cou. rage, after a laborious march of five hours, arrived near the rear of Frederici battery. The alarm having been given, a considerable fire of grape shot was made upon the troops before they quitted the wood, whilst forming for the attack, and of musketry as they approached the battery. The assault of our intrepid seamen and troops with fixed bayonets was so animated and vi gorous as to prevent any further resistance. The enemy fled to Fort Leyden, having set fire to the pow der magazine; by the explosion of which a few British officers and men were severely wounded.- Brigadiergen. Hughes used no delay in moving on to the attack of Fort Leyden, but being under the necessity of marching by a narrow road, which was enfiladed by four or five guns, received a considerable fire of grape shot on his march, and of musketry on his nearer approach ly opposite to Fort Amsterdam is Fort Purmurent, having ten guns mounted, its rear and flanks protected by impracticable marshes and woods. The fire of all these works and batteries intersect in the channel for ships going up the river. The town of Paramaribo is defended towards the water by a battery of about ten guns, mounted in Fort Zelandia, a place otherwise of no defence. The 28th, the ships of war and other vessels proceeded up the river as fast as the tides would admit of. A plan was formed for making an attempt on Fort Purmurent; a detachment of the 64th regiment, under captain Burton, accompanied by captain Drummond, my aid-de-camp, with a body of armed seamen, commanded by capt. Jervis, embarked at eight o'clock at night for that purpose, but on approaching the fort they found the tide was unfavourable for the undertaking, and returned. On the 29th, lieut.-col. Shipley, commanding engineer, went on shore at the plantation before stated, below the enemy's batteries, to endeavour to procure intelligence; and on returning, reported, that he had every reason to believe that there was a practicable way through the woods, by which a body of men might be conducted to the rear of the Forts Leyden and Frederici, Lieutenant colonel Shipley was indefatigable in ascertaining the accuracy of this information, in which he was ably assisted by lieutenant Arnold, of the royal engineers, and Mr. Hobbs, acting engineer, and the result was such, that a detachment of 140 men of the 64th regt. under the command of the hon. licut.-col. Cranstoun, with major Stirke, of the 6th W. I. regt. 10 men of the 6th W. 1.reg. with side VOL. XLVI. which however was soon put a stop to by a repetition of the same impetuous attack on our part; and the enemy, after some firing, called for quarter, which was generously granted by the conquerors, although in the moment they were highly exasperated at the conduct of the Batavian troops in blowing up the powder magazine at Fort Frederici, after it had been in our possession. A captain with some other officers and 120 men were taken at this post, about 30 having made their escape across the river Commewyne to Fort New Amsterdam. By this brilliant affair a position was secured, by which a heavy fire could be brought on Fort New Amsterdam, a communication with the river Commewyne opened, the means of forming a junction with brigadiergen. Maitland's corps established, and the command of the finest part of the colony, abounding with resources of all kinds, obtained.Brigadier-general Hughes's exertions upon this occasion were highly meritorious, and by his animating example contributed much to the success of the day. On the 30th in the morning, the commodore and myself went on shore at the captured forts, and directions were given for covering the troops and guns from the fire of Fort New Amsterdam, to which they were greatly exposed, and for pointing the fire of the forts towards the enemy. The troops underwent great fatigue in executing these works, which, however, they cheerfully submitted to, under the direction of lieut.-col. Shipley, who as usual was unceasing in his exertions. Brigadier-general Hughes remained in the command there, giving every necessary support and countenance. The enemy fired from time to time from Fort New Amsterdam, by which three men at Fort Leyden were wounded, but some shells being throw in return from two mortars, which we had got on shore at Fort Leyden, the firing on the part of the enemy ceased. On the same day I received a report from brigadier-general Maitland, that a landing had been effected at the Warappa Creek by the first division of his corps, under the command of major Hardyman, of the 1st battalion of the royals, who took possession of the enemy's posts, where there were two guns, after a short resistance; and the brigadier-gen. further stated, that he was proceeding to land with the whole of his corps. Under these circumstances, no time was lost in disembarking at Fort Leyden the rest of the troops, and pushing them on by the north bank of the Commewyne to nearly opposite Zooland's plantation, where it was intended to cross the river to form a junction with brigadier-general Maitland's corps on its expected arrival there. The artillery, stores, and provisions were also conveyed in boats by the indefatigable exertions of the navy into the Commewyne river, and an armed naval force established therein. On the 3rd May, brigadier-gen. Maitland having with great diligence procured a number of plantation boats to convey his corps, appeared coming down the Commewyne in very good order, and landed at a plantation on the south side of that river. the same evening part of the 16th regiment crossed the Commewyne to join brigadier-general Maitland, and were followed the next day by the remainder of that regiment : orders were also given for all the On troops |