THE SEE VICES OP LIEUT.-COLOHEL FEANCIS DOWNMAH, E.A. 
B 
employed in the redaction of Guadeloupe, particularly with that part of 
the army under the command of two excellent officers, Brigadiers 
Clavering and Crump. General Hobson died, but three weeks after¬ 
wards the island struck its white rag to Clavering and Crump in the 
Capes Terre, Lieutenant Downman was ordered to remain in the 
island and did so till the peace of 1763, when he was at the occupation 
of Dominique and returned home in the December of that year. As 
soon as he shewed himself at Woolwich, he was ordered to prepare for 
service in America, but obtained leave of absence. In June, 1764, he 
tvent to Hew York and remained till November, when he was sent to 
the Gulf of Mexico to receive over that miserable place Pensacola, 1 
from a few half starved Spaniards. He had the misfortune to be 
ordered to remain in this province, and did so until 1771. He was 
then ordered to St. Augustine in Florida and remained until January, 
1772. In February, he went to’New York and arrived after a dreadful 
passage. He returned to England in December. 
After some service in Scotland, he was again ordered to America, 
reached New York in June, 1777, and joined the army under General 
Sir W m . Howe. He was constantly employed from the landing at the 
head of the Elk river in August until the entrance into Philadelphia. 
He was engaged with and took the rebel frigate Delaware. He was 
the only English officer with the Hessian troops under Colonel Donop 
in the attack on the works at Bed Bank in October. He was present 
at the taking and destruction of the works on Mud Island in November, 
for which he had the public thanks of the Commander-in-Chief. About 
this time he was taken very ill from excessive hard service in the 
Delaware and was obliged to go to New York in a hospital ship. 
He remained in New York till October, 1778, then sailed with the 
army under General Grant for the West Indies, was much employed in 
the taking of St. Lucia and had thanks for his conduct. He remained 
at St. Lucia, except when visiting the other islands, until the peace of 
1784. 
Lieut. Downman has left no detailed account of his experiences in 
the expedition against the coast of France in 1758, beyond the 
reference to them in the general statement of his services. In further 
explanation we may, however, briefly state that owing to the French 
encroachments upon our possessions in North America, war broke out 
between the two nations in March, 1757, which, by the following year, 
had expanded to all parts of the world. In 1758, Mr. Pitt projected 
a series of descents upon the coast of France, the object of this one, as 
we learn from the articles of instruction being, “ To carry a warm 
alarm along the coast of France and to make descents on any part or 
parts thereof, and attack anyplace that maybe found practicable from 
the easternmost point of Normandy as far as Morlaix inclusive. And 
that the utmost endeavours be made to land at or near Cherbourg on 
1 Florida was ceded to G-reat Britain at the peace in 17G3, in exchange for Havana. Pensacola 
■was head-quarters, 
