462 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 



to inform your lordship, that I 

 sailed from Jamaica on the 7th ult. 

 with the troops as per margin, and 

 landed at Polingue, the nearest 

 landing place, thirty miles distant 

 from the city of St. Domingo, on 

 the 28th instant, when I immedi- 

 ately proceeded to reconnoitre the 

 forts and fortifications, which was 

 completely effected on the 29th, 

 and fully satisfied me that the walls 

 and bastions . were assailable by 

 coup-de-main; and considering the 

 garrison who had bravely defended 

 them for a constant siege of eight 

 months, it appeared to me that 

 prompt and decisive measures were 

 most prudent before a gallant ene- 

 my, and would obviate the evil ef- 

 fect of open trenches in the rainy 

 season, the only foe to be dreaded 

 by this corps, and which had alrea- 

 dy made a severe impression on the 

 Spanish natives of the country, 400 

 out of 600 of liieir best egiment 

 being rendered unfit for service, 

 and would probably be attended 

 with more mortality to the British 

 troops, than a conflict upon the 

 walls. 



His excellency general Sanchez, 

 from whom I met, on the 30th ult. 

 the most kind and cordial reception, 

 being very sick some time before, 

 and, I am grieved to say, still con- 

 tinuing so by fatigue and liver dis- 

 ease, ordered the Spanish troops at 

 the different posts to execute any 

 directions given by me, which they 

 cheerfully performed by a forward 

 movement immediatt;ly, and effec- 

 tually cutting offthe communication 

 between the city of St. Domingo, 

 and the strong fortress of fort Je- 

 rome, which, by covering the only 

 landing place, prevented our com- 

 municating with the squadron. 



Having the same evening refused 



the French general's application for 

 an armistice, I advanced with a de- 

 tachment of the Spaniards to the 

 church of St. Carlos, and establish- 

 ed my quarters there within mus- 

 ket shot of the city, confident that 

 the British troops would be with us 

 that night, which however was ren- 

 dered impracticable, by heavy and 

 incessant rain, until the following 

 night of the first, after suffering the 

 greatest fatigue andprivationsjdrag- 

 ging the field-pieces on bad roads, 

 and dreadful weather, and passages 

 of rivers without proper convey- 

 ance. 



The 1st of July, I received ano- 

 ther letter from general Barquier, 

 allowing him until twelve the next 

 day for an answer. 



Jn consequence of a continual 

 fire of musketry from the walls, 

 whilst the white flag was up, I mov- 

 ed forward with a party of dra- 

 goons, and sent an aid-de-camp to 

 demand the cause, who was very 

 politely received, and assured by 

 general Barquier, that the inhabi- 

 tants were firing at immense num- 

 bers of wild pigeons flying over the 

 walls, but that he would give strict 

 orders for it to ceaseduring the sus- 

 pension of hostilities. On the 2nd 

 instant, I received a letter from ge- 

 neralBarquier,respecting the move- 

 ment of the troops to Saint Carlos, 

 which had been occupied on the 

 30th ult. when his overture for ne- 

 gociation was rejected. On the 3rd 

 the commissioners for the capitula- 

 tion met; those on the part of the 

 French havingdeclared that theirin- 

 structionswerepositively not to con- 

 sent tosurrender,whichl also under- 

 stood by prisoners and intercepted 

 letters;' and asldid not conceivemy- 

 selfjustifiablein admitting any other 

 terms, the meeting adjourned until 



a com- 



