92} 
tempt. The loss of men upon this 
ovcision, notwithstanding the supe- 
miority of the enemy, was small, and 
the troops reimbarked without any 
moresiation. 
. The Freweh were, in ther-aean 
: tine, making preparations; in their 
islands, to attack some of those 
belomgmg to the English, which. 
these had'taken from? them. | As the’ 
forces, which they intended to em- 
ploy, consisted of a numerous ‘pro- 
portion of blacks, it wds proposed 
by the British commander-in-chiefof 
the land ‘forces, general Abercrom-' i 
by, conformally to his instruct! ions, 
that a large body af negroes should 
‘be? taises, sh ‘forded Tuto regi- 
ments, for’ the’ protection of ‘the 
British islands.’ "But ‘this proposal 
was ‘highly disapproved by the ré=" 
presemtative bodics of the inhabit- * 
ants, who unanimously concurred 
in condensing the measure, as fall 
of danger, The emancipationvof tie 
negroes, in the krencly islands, had 
filled those in the English’ with san- 
guike expectation that! they-woctd 
beplaced on the same footings ‘They 
were greatly dissatisfied at their dis- 
appomtment, and their dissatis- 
faction was daily heightened, through 
the communication they maintained, 
by various means, with the French 
negroes, who warmly solicited them 
to procure their freedom through 
force, as they would net obtain - at 
otherwise, While such apprehens 
sions linng over the planters; they 
could by no arguments be prevailed 
uponieput arms into the hands of the 
negroes, whom they ‘considered as 
much readier to attack their. masters, 
than to protect them. 
The preparotions made by the 
French, against the English, were of 
little effect: 11 ey landed a body of 
picked men at Anguilla, a small 
ANNUAL CREGIS TER, 
“retake some places in the hands’of 
1797. 
island, wheré meeting with no re 
sistance, from its defenceless situa- 
tion, they committed great ravages. . j 
dappily for the inhabitants, captain 
Barton, of. the’ Lapwing frigate, 
being apprized of their danger, 
sailed immediately’ to their relief. 
On his’ approach, the French re- 
embarked':, but their, shipping, was 
attacked, and totally destroyed, and 
the’ whole of their land and © sea 
force either killed -or taken.” (This 
happened in the latter part ‘of 1706. 
I hn’ the commencement of the follow- 
ing year, they. preparcd’ for’ other at- 
tempts! but whether from the dis- 
couragement, ” ‘occasioned by ‘this 
check, ot that, they were not ih suf 
fipient réadiness, they remained in- 
active. till ‘the ensuing June, when; 
instead of making any . of ‘their 
threatened attacks upon ‘the islands 
in possession of the English, 2 § 
confined their exertions toOSt! 
mingo, «where they ace eres 3 
oo 
those French’ planters that Had put 
themselves under the protection of 
Great Britain, or were possessed: by 
the British troops. They laid siege, 
in the menth of Aprilyto Trois, a 
strong post recently taken fromthem, 
Captain Rickets, of the Magicienne, 
came fortunately: to its assistance, 
and attacked the ships and transports, 
Jaden with ammunition and*neces- 
saries for carrying onthe siege: they 
were all taken, and the besiegers on 
shore, thus deprived of the supplies 
they wanted, were, by the united 
fre fromthe garrison and/the British 
frigate, driven from their position, 
and compelled to abandon the at- 
tempt: 
Some. days before this repulse, 
general. Rigaud, commander of the 
republican forces, resolved’ ta’ make ~ i 
au attempt upen the furt of oe a 
he 
