The Capitulation to the French in 1782. 29 
At half-past 5 o'clock the Oroonoko repeated the alarm 
signal. Daylight broke about the same time, when the 
Stortnont, having floated and cut her cable, was observed 
coming in, firing guns, and making signal that the enemy 
were in sight. Soon afterwards they were seen from the 
Oroonoko, apparently two or three miles astern of the 
Storrnont. Between 6 and 7 o'clock, the Stormont 
anchored near the other ships, and Captains PAUL and 
Brisbane joined those on board the Oroonoko, whither 
Captain GRAEME had been re-called. At about 8 o'clock 
the invading squadron reached the river's mouth, when 
they hoisted French colours and anchored in a line across 
the channel. The lookout men from the mastheads of 
the British ships presently reported that they could see, 
over the neck of land, some fourteen boats, passing and 
re-passing between the enemy's ships and the shore to 
Windward, where they were landing their troops. Mr. 
MATTHEWS, the King's Pilot, came on board and reported 
that his house, which was about three miles from the 
Battery, had been taken possession of by the enemy, of 
whom about 300 had landed when he left. Some of the 
inhabitants on the Windward Coast were said to have 
gone on board the French Commodore's ship. Presently 
a Mr. BUTLER arrived, and told how the enemy's troops 
had taken possession of his estate and appeared to be on 
the move. 
The result of the consultation among the Officers 
assembled on board the Oroonoko, was a decision that the 
Battery, in the state it then was, could not be of any 
service to the shipping. It was totally defenceless on 
the land side. At the back of it were a number of dwel- 
ling houses and other buildings, which entirely com- 
