with Major-General Bruce, being encouraged by the disputes which existed between the royalists and republicans at Martinique, and invited by the former to make a descent on that island, proceeded thither, and landed a body of 3000 British troops, under cover of the ships of war.
On the 15th June, the Hector and Monmouth[errata 1] were ordered to cannonade a fort on Mount Cerbette, which they began to do about 11 A.M., and continued firing till half-past three in the afternoon.
The following day, Captain Montagu was sent to co-operate in an attack upon the batteries to the N.E. of St. Pierre, as a diversion in favour of the troops. The Duke, of 98 guns, leading, followed by the Hector, began to engage Forts Bime and la Preche, which were totally silenced. A violent thunder-storm coming on, the Duke’s main-mast was shivered by lightning; next morning, Captain Montagu landed a party, who spiked the guns of the forts, and destroyed their carriages. The expedition, however, having failed of effect, in consequence of the republican party proving much stronger than was represented, the troops were re-embarked, together with as many of the royalists as could be taken on board the ships; the remainder were unavoidably left to perish by the hands of their implacable enemy. The rage and unrelenting fury of civil war were now clearly perceived by the flames that covered the island night and day.
The Ferme, a French ship of 74 guns, and the Calypso frigate, put themselves under the orders of the British commander, and saved a number of their unfortunate countrymen from destruction.
The enemy having several ships of war at St Domingo, Rear-Admiral Gardner despatched the Hector, in company with the Hannibal, of 74 guns, to reinforce the squadron on the Jamaica station, and returned to England with the remainder of his ships.
After a short interval Captain Montagu was directed to convoy home a large fleet of West Indiamen; and on his arrival at Spithead, was placed under the orders of Commodore Pasley, with whom, and Rear-Admiral M‘Bride, he cruised in the channel till his promotion to a flag, which took
- ↑ Correction: Monmouth should be amended to Monarch
