MEMOIR OF JOHN HUNTER. 35 



which had been some time in preparation, set sail 

 from Spithead, and shaping its course for the coast 

 of Brittany, reached Belleisle on the 6th of April. 

 The land forces under Major -General Hodgson 

 amounted to about 10,000 men, and the squadron 

 under the command of Commodore Keppel, consist- 

 ed of ten sail of the line, and sixteen frigates, and 

 smaller vessels. An unsuccessful attempt to effect a 

 landing was made on the 8th, when the troops were 

 repulsed with the loss of 500 men, killed, wounded, 

 and prisoners ; but another and more fortunate at- 

 tempt was made on the 2*2d. As no pains had been 

 spared to put the island into the best state of de- 

 fence, under the command of the Chevalier St Croix, 

 one of the best officers of the French army, it was 

 not till after much skirmishing, and the capture of 

 several forts, that it finally surrendered on the 8th 

 of June. In the interval between the landing and 

 the capitulation, a reinforcement of 3000 troops, and 

 five ships of the line arrived, raising the military force 

 to 13,000 men. It was to this large force that Mr 

 Hunter wa* attached in the important rank of Sur- 

 geon on the Staff. At the termination of hostilities, 

 it was found that the British loss amounted to more 

 than 300 men killed, and upwards of 500 wounded. 

 Of the French garrison, a still greater number were 

 left behind in the hospitals ; and by a distinct article 

 of the capitulation, these were to remain on the 

 island during the treatment of their wounds. We 

 have still to add, that the loss sustained from the ene- 



