Nassau captured by americait loyalists. 325 



sight to receive them. He liad a lighted match in his hand, 

 ready to blow up the fortress if the exigencies of the case should 

 require it, but the intrepidity of Col. Deveaux who headed the 

 assailants, thwarted his design; sjiringing upon the bewildered 

 and astonished sentinel, Col. Deveaux made him his prisoner, 

 and immediately afterwards, without a struggle or even a parley, 

 the fort, with its garrison, armament and military stores was 

 surrendered. The Colonel, rpiickly, and witliout opposition, 

 proceeded with an attacking column to the crest of the hill and 

 to the grounds upon which the Governor's house was situated, 

 overlooking tlie town. jMcKinnen says: 



" Every artifice was used to deceive the Spaniards, both as to 

 the number and description of tlm enemy (hey had to contend 

 with. A show of boats was made, continually rowing from the 

 vessels, filled with men, Avho apparently landed, but in fact con- 

 cealed themselves by lying down as they returned to the vessels, 

 and afterwards made their appearance, as a fresh supply of trooj)s 

 proceeding to disembark. Men of straw, it is said, were dressed 

 out to increase the apparent number on the heiglits; and some 

 of the troops, to intimidate the Spaniards, were painted and dis- 

 guised as their inveterate foes, the Indians. One or two galleys 

 in the harl)or had been captured, and, trusting to the circum- 

 stances in his favor, Colonel Deveaux summoned the Governor 

 to surrender, with a pompous description of his formidable force. 

 Some hesitation being at first discovered, the Colonel seconded 

 his overtures with a well-directed shot at the Governor's house 

 from a field-piece, during his delil)eration, wliioli produced an 

 immediate capitulation. The Spanish troops, in hiying down 

 their arms, it is said, could not refrain from expressing the ut- 

 most mortification and confusion as they surveyed their con- 

 querors, not only so inferior in point of numbers, but ludicrous 

 in their dress and military appearance." 



28 



