commanders.
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when compared with that milder and more certain mode of securing his person – confiding in his honor.”
Owing to the calmness of the night of Nov. 15th, and the stars shining very bright, Mr. Boys was persuaded by Messrs. Cadell and Ricketts to defer his departure until the 16th.
“In the afternoon,” says he, “we amused ourselves with writing a letter to the commandant, in which we thanked him for his civilities, and assured him, that it was the rigid and disgraceful measures of the French Government which obliged us to prove the inefficacy of locks, bolts, and fortresses; and that, if he wished to detain British officers, the most effectual method was to put them upon their honor, for that alone was the bond which had enchained us for more than five years. This letter was left with Ricketts, to be dropped on the following day, near the ‘corps de garde.’ At half-past seven, p.m. we assembled, armed with clasped knives, and each provided with a paper of fine pepper, upon which we placed our chief dependence; for in case of being closely attacked, we intended throwing a handful into the eyes of the assailants, and running away. The plan was, that Hunter and myself were to depart first, fix the rope, and open the opposing doors; a quarter of an hour afterwards, Whitehurst and Mansell were to follow: by these means we diminished the risk attendant on so large a body as four moving together, and secured the advantage of each depending more upon his own care; for if Hunter and myself were shot in the advance, the other two would remain in safety; and if, on the contrary, they were discovered, we hoped to have time, during the alarm, to gain the country. Our intentions were, to march to the sea side, and range the coast to Breskins, in the island of Cadsand, opposite Flushing; and, if means of getting afloat were not found before arriving at that place, we proposed to embark in the passage-boat for Flushing, and about midchannel, rise and seize the vessel. It was now blowing very fresh, and was so dark and cloudy, that not a star could be seen; the leaves were fulling in abundance, and as they were blown over the stones, kept up a constant rustling noise, which was particularly favorable to the enterprise: indeed, things wore so promising an appearance, that we resolved to take leave of a few other of our brother officers: eight of them were accordingly sent for: to these I detailed our exact situation, the difficulties we had to contend with, and the means of surmounting them, reminded them of our letter to the commandant, of last month, and the glory of putting our threats into execution, in spite of his increased vigilance; read the one we had that afternoon written, and proposed that any of them should follow that chose, – but with this stipulation, that they allowed four hours to elapse before they made the attempt. Upon which, it being a quarter past eight, Hunter and myself,
