division of the army, commanded by Brigadier-General Maitland, was sent under convoy of the Hippomenes corvette, to effect a landing at Warappa creek, about thirty miles to the eastward. The object of this operation was to obtain a communication by water with the Commewyne, and to procure a sufficient number of plantation boats to transport the troops down that stream, towards its junction with the Surinam, and thereby facilitate their approach to a position in the rear of Fort New Amsterdam, situated on the confluence of those rivers, and mounting upwards of 80 guns.
In order that no time should be lost, preparations were also made for landing a body of troops to take possession of Braam’s Point, on which was a battery of seven 18 pounders, completely commanding the entrance of the Surinam. Brigadier-General Hughes undertook to superintend this service; and the wind proving favorable, Captain Edward O’Brien, of the Emerald frigate, pushed over the bar with the rising tide, and anchored close to the fort, followed by the Pandour troop-ship, and Drake sloop of war. The enemy kept up a brisk fire as the Emerald approached, but it was soon silenced by a few broadsides from that ship and her consorts. A party of the 64th regiment then landed, and secured forty-five prisoners, three of whom were wounded. In the course of the following day most of the ships were got into the river, but the Centaur was obliged to remain outside, on account of her great draught of water.
At this period Captain Maxwell and the Major-General’s Aid-de-Camp were sent with a summons to the Dutch Governor, whose answer, conveying a refusal to capitulate, was not received until the morning of the 28th. Commodore Hood, and his military colleague, having previously removed to the Emerald, now used every effort to get up the river before dark; but owing to the shallowness of the water, that ship was obliged to force her way through the mud, in three feet less water than she drew, and it was not till late at night that she arrived near the lower redoubt, named Frederici, on which were mounted twelve heavy pieces of cannon.
We should here observe, that the Surinam coast is very difficult of approach, being shallow and full of banks: a landing is only to be attempted at the top of high water, and at
