Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v2p1.djvu/121

On the 22d June 1794, whilst the main body of the troops were employed in erecting batteries against Fort Fleur d’Epée, the Hon. Captain Stewart commanding the 9th grenadiers, and Lieutenant Wolley with a party of sailors, marched from Grozier to attack St Ann’s fort, a strong post about twelve or fourteen miles to windward. After a most fatiguing march, during which some heavy showers of rain rendered the roads almost impassable, they reached the foot of the hill on which the fort was situated; up which they scrambled so leisurely, and such a profound silence reigned among their people, that they approached within fifteen or twenty paces of the centinel before he perceived them, though he was apparently alert on his post. The French guide was now so terrified that he fired his pistol at the centinel, which gave the alarm; when the British party instantly rushed forward, and with three cheers began to storm the works. The enemy were completely surprised, and not more than two of them escaped. During this the French royalists who had accompanied Captain Stewart and Lieutenant Wolley, marched into the town, where they began the most brutal excesses; but the humane exertions of those officers soon put a stop to their mischievous proceedings. In this attack Hear 400 republican soldiers were killed, and one prisoner taken: on the side of the British only one man was wounded, but Lieutenant Wolley and his followers had some narrow escapes. The commanding officer of the fort rushed out of the guard-room on the alarm being given, with a lighted match in his hand. He first fired a gun which was luckily pointed in an opposite direction; he then three times attempted to fire a 24-pounder as Lieutenant Wolley and his men were advancing to the muzzle of it; but fortunately, either from the dampness of the priming, or trepidation of the man, it missed taking effect; on which he flung down his match, and retreated to the further end of the fort, pursued by Lieutenant Wolley, who, owing to the darkness of the night, soon lost sight of him, and as he returned was met by some of his own party, who, taking him for an enemy, were about to put him to death, when his voice discovered to them their mistake. Had the gun in the first instance gone off, it must have made considerable havock among the assailants,