234 
force under sir David Baird a- 
mounted toabout 4000 men. The 
necessary dispositions having been 
made for the attack, the action 
was begun by brigadier general 
Ferguson’s brigade, which advanc. 
ed against the enemy’s left, under 
a heavy, but ill directed fire of mus. 
ketry and grape-shot. The Dutch 
received the British fire without 
quitting their ground, but, at the 
moment of charging, they gave way 
and fled from the field with preci- 
pitation. In this action the loss of 
the enemy exceeded 709 killed and 
wounded, while that of the British 
army amounted only to 15 killed 
and 197 wounded, and missing. 
After this engagement there were 
no obstacles to impede the progress 
of the army under sir David Baird, 
except such as arose from the 
searcity of water and want of pro- 
visions, or from the natural diffi- 
culties of the country through 
which they had to pass. They 
reached the Salt river on the 9th, 
where they proposed to encamp, 
but atlag of truce having arrived 
from the town with offers to capi- 
tulate, the articles were soon set- 
tled, and the troops put in posses- 
sion of Fort Knocke that same 
evening. Nextday the capitulation 
was signed, and the town surren- 
dered. 
After the battle of the 8th, general 
Janssens: retired with a body of 
forces to MHottentot Holland’s 
Kloof, a pass leading to the district 
of Zwellendam, and seemed dispos- 
ed to maintain himself in the inte- 
rior against the English. But ge- 
neral Beresford having been sent 
against him, he was prevailed upon 
* January 18th. 
ANNUAL REGIST BR, 1806. 
to surrender upon terms, by whiclt 
the conquest of the colony was com- 
pleted, and its internal tranquillity 
secured. By the articles of capitula- 
tion signed with general Beresford,* 
it was settled that general Janssens 
and his army should be sent back 
to Holland and not considered as 
prisoners of war, in return for the 
complete surrender of the colony 
and its dependencies, 
Sir Home Popham, the navak 
commander employed against the 
Cape, had contributed materially 
to the expedition being undertaken, 
by the intelligence he had com- 
municated to his majesty’s govern- 
ment+ of the defenceless state of 
that important settlement, and of 
the probability that it would be 
soon reinforced from Europe. He 
had also, in common with other 
naval officers, been occasionally 
consulted by Mr. Pitt and lord 
Melville about their designs on 
South America, and at their desire 
he had conferred with general Mi- 
randa on that officer’s views and 
projects in that quarter. The re- 
sult of these communications had 
been his appointment to the com- 
mand of the Diadem of 64 guns, 
in December 1804, for the pur- 
pose ‘‘ of co-operating with gene- 
ral Miranda, to the extent of tak- 
ing advantage of any of his pro- 
ceedings, which might tend to our 
attaining a position on the continent 
of South America, favourable to the 
trade of this country.’”’{ But he 
had been afterwards given distinctly 
to understand, that from deference 
to Russia, all projects of that na- 
ture had been for the present aban- 
doned ; and when sent to reduce 
t In July, 1805. 
t Lord Melville’s evidence in sir II, Popliam’s trial, March 9th, 1807, - 
the 
