68 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



mander-in-Chief in the West Indies. Several officers of distinguished 

 abilities were also appointed to act under him." One of these officers 

 was Lieutenant-Colonel Fisher, Secretary to the Commander-in- 

 Chief. The Commander's staff consisted of Major-General Thomas 

 Dundas, Lieutenant-Colonel Symes, Q.M.G., Major Henry Grey, 

 Deputy Q.M.G., Lieutenant-Colonel Fisher, Major Lyon, A.G., and 

 four Aides-de-Camp. The Fleet consisted of 25 men-of-war, with 

 between 6,000 and 7,000 picked troops. One of the vessels was 

 named the Quebec and one of the military leaders was H.R.H. Prince 

 Edward "on his arrival from Canada." Colonel Elias Durnford of 

 the Engineers and Lieutenant Charles Walker Durnford are also 

 names familiar to Canadians. Arriving at Barbadoes early in January 

 they found signs of an epidemic of yellow fever. They first attacked 

 the Island of Martinique. After very strenuous fighting from 

 February 5th to March 22nd, Martinique was subdued and St. 

 Lucia followed in like manner. In the capture of St. Lucia, Major 

 Visscher, a relative of Colonel Fisher, was mentioned for spiking the 

 enemy guns. These Islands were then considered most important 

 conquests; the army received the thanks of Parliament, and the 

 captured colours were placed in St. Paul's Cathedral with appropriate 

 ceremony. On the 17th February Fisher was made Lieutenant- 

 Colonel of the 9th regiment. Guadaloupe was next attacked and 

 surrendered on the 22nd of April. Many were the gallant deeds 

 recorded by the good Cooper Willyams, but the work of Colonel 

 Fisher is at first concealed behind the active and successful planning 

 of his superior, the Commander-in-Chief. And, doubtless, as Secre- 

 tary he had a principal hand in the drafting of the Answers to the 

 Articles of Capitulation of Fort Bourbon and other places. At 

 length, however, events in Guadaloupe necessitated his active personal 

 intervention. A very small garrison had had to be left on the Island. 

 Yellow fever broke out and caused immense losses, including General 

 Dundas, the deaths from this cause being thrice those from war. 

 A large expedition from France was organized by the Revolutionary 

 Government there to take advantage of the situation, and it was 

 suddenly concentrated against the British in Guadaloupe, where it 

 landed at Grande Terre. Sir Charles Grey immediately returned to 

 the Island. A General Order dated Boyne, off Pointe a Pître, Guada- 

 loupe, June 15, 1794, orders "the Grenadier companies of the 6th, 

 9th, 15th, 21st, 56th, 58th, 60th, 4th battalion of the 64th, 65th, and 

 three companies from the Irish Regiments, to be formed into a 

 battalion under the Command of Lieutenant-Colonel Fisher of the 

 60th regiment. ..." On June 24th, by another General Order, 



