The next morning about five o’clock
we discovered our own fleet bearing down very much increased, and soon
after we had the happiness of being informed of the capture of the enemy’s
whole fleet, consisting of one sixty-four ship, five frigates, and
twenty-three sail of merchantmen, called the Carraca fleet, all belonging
to Spain, not one of them being able to escape the vigilance of our brave
British tars. The sixty-four is now in our service and is known by the
name of the "Prince William," that young prince [Afterwards known as King
William the Fourth.] being then on board the "Prince George" as
midshipman, and an eye-witness of the first grand stroke given to the
united forces of France and Spain, then joined against us. On the 10th
January 1780 the 73rd Regiment was ordered to serve on board
the men-of-war on account of the vast number of prisoners taken in the
above fleet.
The troops being shifted, the
prisoners properly secured, and everything being got in readiness to
pursue our voyage, we proceeded for Gibraltar. But our enemies, being
fully resolved to intercept us, again made their appearance in a more
formidable manner with twelve sail [This Spanish war fleet was cruising to
the south-east of Cape St Vincent for the express purpose of intercepting
British supplies intended for Gibraltar (Mahan’s "Sea Power").] of the
line on the 16th January 1780. About twelve o’clock they were
observed, and at four in the afternoon the two headmost of our ships,
viz., the "Edgar" and the "Bedford," engaged them and resisted their fire
for a considerable time until some more of our ships came to their
assistance, and then the engagement became general. Just about this time
the "St Domingo," a Spanish ship of eighty guns, was blown up and every
soul on board perished, to the number of six hundred, among whom were many
of the flower of Spain. In the morning of the 17th victory
declared herself on our side by adding to our fleet five sail of the line,
driving two on shore, and blowing up one, the rest remaining shocking
examples of British bravery. After the ships we had taken were manned and
the prisoners properly secured, we set sail and arrived in the Bay of
Gibraltar on the 23rd of January 1780, having been for some
days driven by contrary winds behind the Rock, as far as Tetuan.
![Gibraltar](Gibraltar.gif)
On the 29th January 1780
the 73rd Regiment landed at the New Mole and were marched to
Irishtown, a part of the town of Gibraltar so called. The inhabitants for
the most part having never seen a Highland regiment were very much
surprised at our dress, and more so at the bagpipes. At this time all the
necessaries of life were sold at an exorbitant price, and several poor
families were upon the brink of perishing before we came, but were soon
relieved by the supplies brought by the fleet. Soon after our arrival at
Gibraltar Colonel Mackenzie thought proper to send me to the hospital to
take care of the sick, under the direction of Mr Andrew Cairncross, head
surgeon of the regiment, an able surgeon and a humane gentleman, with whom
I continued during the time the regiment stayed at Gibraltar.
The change of climate and likewise
of diet had such an effect upon our men that a great many of them fell
sick of the flux, of which numbers died. From the beginning of the month
of March to the end of June, we never had fewer than one hundred or
hundred and twenty or thirty men sick in the regimental hospital. Nothing
material happened in the garrison till the 7th of June 1780,
when the enemy sent nine fire-ships under full sail from Algeziras, about
one o’clock in the morning, with the intent of burning our shipping and
navy stores, there being in the New Mole at that time over twenty vessels.
But by the vigilance of the "Enterprize" frigate and a few more armed
vessels lying in the New Mole, they were all towed round and no harm
sustained. The wood of the remaining parts of these nine ships proved a
good supply, as we were scarce of fuel at the time. We expected a
bombardment by land at the same time if their scheme had taken effect, for
Barcello, the Spanish admiral, had his squadron under sail to intercept
our shipping in case any of them should be under the necessity of quitting
their anchors and going to sea; but contrary to his expectations all the
attempts proved fruitless, which he had the mortification to behold next
morning upon his return to Algeziras.
In the beginning of October 1780,
the enemy began to break new ground in front of their new lines, and
carried on a line of communication between the old lines and their
intended new trenches, which line and trenches they completed in spite of
all the annoyance we gave them, although with considerable loss. The enemy
continued to work on the isthmus erecting batteries, notwithstanding our
fire on their working parties, who were often dispersed by our shells from
Willis’ and other batteries up the heights. At that time the garrison was
very much distressed for want of provisions; the troops were all put on
short allowance, and were paid the deficiency in money. The poor
inhabitants [The civil inhabitants of Gibraltar were a mixed lot of
foreigners.] were in a much worse situation, having no other prospect than
starvation before them unless the place should be speedily relieved.
On the 12th of April 1781
the long expected English fleet made its appearance in the Gutt very early
in the morning, and as they came round Cabrita point the enemy’s gunboats
attacked some of the ships that sailed close to the Spanish shores, but
were soon obliged to retreat under shelter of their batteries. But no
sooner had the first ship cast anchor in the bay than the Spanish opened
all their batteries, firing with all the fury imaginable both on the fleet
and on the town – the latter they soon set on fire with their bombshells,
some of which fell into the inhabitants’ houses killing and wounding
diverse, others they threw as far as south shed-guard, and a great many
fell harmless among the shipping. The inhabitants fled from the town to
the south in the utmost confusion, exhibiting a most shocking scene of
misery, while the soldiery were for the most part plunged in the deepest
excess of riot, drunkenness, and plunder, notwithstanding the utmost
exertions of the officers.
The inhabitants were furnished with
tents and formed a sort of camp near Blacktown, where they afterwards
built themselves huts with the wood the ruins of the houses in town
afforded. The troops then in town, viz., the 12th, 39th,
56th, and 72nd, together with three Hanoverian
regiments, viz., Hardenburgh’s, Reden’s, and La Motte’s, were ordered to
the south, except the 72nd, which was quartered in the King’s
Bastion bomb-proofs. All the rest were encamped on the face of the hill,
all along from the end of the south barracks to Europa Gate.
In the month of September 1781 the
enemy began to fire from a battery advanced a great way in front of their
old lines, which annoyed us very much, for they threw some of their shells
as far as the Navy hospital and our camp. This battery was named the Mill
[In the "Siege of Gibraltar" it is called the Windmill battery, as an old
windmill stood in the neighbourhood.] battery. The governor, having
received some intelligence of the number of troops kept in this battery by
some deserters, thought a sally was practicable. Accordingly, on the
evening of the 26th November, an order was issued for all the
wine-houses to be shut up, and all the troops to repair to their different
quarters, where they were to remain till further orders. The 12th
regiment and Hardenburgh’s, with all the flank companies of the other
regiments, were ordered to parade on the Red Sands together with a
detachment of the artillery, another of the artificers, and about one
hundred and fifty seamen. At twelve o’clock at night they all sallied out
through Landport, under the command of Brigadier-General Ross; [Ross
commanded the 72nd regiment, otherwise the Manchester
Volunteers. The regiment was afterwards disbanded.] and no sooner had they
passed Lower Forbes than the Spanish patrols fired on them, but not
minding them they advanced very quietly. The patrols, however, alarmed the
Mill battery; and they, thinking that the whole troops of the garrison had
sallied out, left their posts in great confusion, while those that
remained were all killed or taken prisoner.
The artificers, being provided with
materials and combustibles for setting the battery on fire, soon had it in
flames while the artillery were busied spiking up ten mortars and eighteen
pieces of cannon. The officer who had the keys of the magazines was taken
prisoner and obliged to deliver them, and then the magazines were
instantly blown up. Thus the great works which cost the Spaniards so much
labour and expense, taking eighteen months to complete, were all totally
destroyed in about an hour. This being done, the troops returned to
garrison in perfect order and without interruption, with the loss of only
four men killed, and one officer, two sergeants, and twenty-two rank and
file wounded, and one missing.
Two officers and ten men were taken
prisoner, but one of the officers having lost a leg died of his wounds on
the 29th December following. It was computed that the Mill
battery stood the enemy upwards of twelve million dollars. The detachment
that stormed and burned the above battery consisted of 1 colonel, 3
lieutenant-colonels, 3 majors, 26 captains, 65 lieutenants, 14 ensigns, 2
surgeon’s mates, 144 sergeants, 3 drummers, and upwards of 2,000 rank and
file.
On the 11th June 1782, a
shell from the enemy fell into St Ann’s battery, broke through a
splinter-proof that covered a magazine door, burst open and blew up the
magazine, killing fourteen and wounding seventeen men.
We had different accounts by
deserters that the enemy were preparing ten large battering ships that
were to be proof against shot and shell; these battering ships were
intended to make a breach in the wall and then the enemy were to storm us.
Accordingly, on the 13th September 1782, they brought these
ships to their moorings about half-past nine o’clock in the morning, when
a dreadful cannonading commenced from the land battering ships, which they
kept up very briskly till four in the afternoon when we could observe them
in confusion, on account of their ships taking fire from our red-hot
balls. When first we began to fire at them our shot and shell rebounded
from their sides and had not the least effect, but having heated our shot
in large stoves prepared for that purpose, and taking a good aim, our
artillery sent their red-hot balls into their port holes, which having
lodged in the opposite side by degrees set them on fire.
They still kept up incessant fire
until eight at night, when they slackened greatly, and at ten ceased
firing entirely, their ships being all on fire notwithstanding they had
engines to quench it; but all their schemes proving abortive, they made
several signals for assistance to their fleet, which lay at anchor at
Algeziras. When about midnight boats came from the fleet to carry away
these poor wretches, the garrison fired grape among them which must have
done great damage; but two large boats full of men were picked up, and
some on rafts and broken pieces of timber. Very early in the morning of
the 14th Captain Curtis went with our twelve gunboats to save
the poor wretches that were left to perish in the burning ships, and took
on shore about four hundred including officers and men. Before noon they
all blew up one after another, with such a terrible shock that several
doors and windows were forced open and the whole bay was covered with
wreckage.
On the 14th I was ordered
to go with four men to bring a wounded man to the hospital from upper
All’s Well. Soon after they took up the wounded man a shell was fired from
the enemy which seemed to be directed to the place where we were, and in
escaping from it I fell over a rock, which hurt my left side, thigh, and
knee very considerably. I made shift, however, to get the wounded man to
the hospital. He soon recovered and was discharged fit for duty, but my
hurt was such that I never will get the better of it.
On the night of the 10th
October 1782 the combined fleets of France and Spain lay at anchor at
Algeziras, consisting of fifty sail of the line. The wind blew very hard
and drove many of them from their moorings; some ran ashore on their own
coast, other lost their masts, &c. Very early in the morning of the 11th
we perceived a large ship displaying Spanish colours within a few yards of
our walls, and after we had fired a few shots at her she struck. Captain
Curtis went immediately on board of her and had her moored as well as the
weather would permit. The prisoners were instantly brought ashore,
consisting of about six hundred and fifty men besides officers. The ship
proved to be the "St Miguel" of seventy guns, and known now in the English
navy by the name of the "Gibraltar."
That very evening the English fleet
under the command of Lord Howe appeared in the mouth of the Straits, but
only a few light ships and some transports came to anchor – the rest stood
to the eastward. Next day the combined fleet got under weigh and stood to
the eastward likewise. A great concourse of people of all ranks and
denominations assembled on the different eminences expecting a general
engagement, but the combined fleet declined it. The rest of our transports
gave the enemy the slip and unloaded at the Rosia Bay; the 25th
and 59th regiments were also landed to reinforce the garrison.
As also some artificers and artillery, and drafts for the different
regiments then in the garrison.
On the 21st the British
fleet, after completing what was their main design – I mean the relief of
Gibraltar – repassed the mouth of the Straits with the combined fleet
close behind. A running flight ensued off the Straits mouth, but no ships
were taken or destroyed on either side. Nothing of note happened from that
time to the 2nd of February 1783, when the firing from the
enemy ceased, and the following day a final period was put to this long
and tedious siege by a cessation of arms on both sides. And during the
whole siege I met with no other hurt than what I have already mentioned on
the 14th September 1782.
Being intimately acquainted with the
clerks of the different regiments then in garrison, I procured from them a
complete return of their different losses during the siege, which I have
collected together as follows: -
![losses during the siege](Chart.gif)
After the conclusion of the war the
73rd regiment was ordered to hold themselves in readiness to
embark for Britain in order to be discharged, and about the beginning of
June 1783 an order was issued from the Government for all such as chose to
enlist out of the 72nd, 73rd, and 97th
(being all to be disbanded) to enter into any regiment they liked best. I
being sensible that no provision had been made for me at home, and having
then no otherwise but to continue in the army, agreed with the commanding
officer of the 25th [The 25th regiment or the
Scottish Borderers.] regiment to teach school in the regiment for three
years. This agreement took place on the 24th June 1783, but I
did not give up the charge of the hospital till the 6th of July
following, which day the 72nd and 73rd regiments,
embarked for Britain.
That evening I joined the 25th and
soon after set up school, which I continued to carry on with good success,
and was in every respect very well used by the officers and the regiment
in general. On the 24th of January 1784 I got the payment of
Major Edgar’s company (the sergeant that paid that company being
discharged), and on the 13th February following the payment of
the light infantry company, to which I myself did belong. Both these
companies I paid until the 27th of February 1785, when I
resigned the office in consequence of an order from the War Office to
discharge all three years’ men who did not choose to enlist for life, and
to reduce the regiments to two sergeants, three corporals, one drummer,
and forty-two privates to each company.
I being one of the number to be
discharged as being unfit for service and a three years’ man too, left off
keeping school in daily expectation of the governor’s order to be sent
home, but time slipped away without a word of leaving the Rock. At last,
on the 12th of June, Colonel Rigby, commanding officer of the
25th regiment, thought proper to send me to take charge of the
regimental hospital, which I continued to do till the 14th
November following, at which time the reduction of the army took place in
Gibraltar. I was then discharged, and recommended in consequence of the
hurt I received on the 14th September already described.