MS. I. 15. 211 . V SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. The Frontispiece to this volume represents the principal Officers of the Garrison of Gibraltar assembled on the ramparts, to view the dreadful scene which ensued from the Spanish battering-ships being set on fire. General Elliot on horseback in conversation with Gene- rals Boyd, De La Motte, and Green, points to Sir Roger Curtis, and a detachment of British seamen, who, at thehazard of their ownlives, are rescuing their vanquished enemies from destruction. At a distance, on the left, is a view of the camp of the Allied Army, and the head quarters of the Duke de Crillon ; on the right is seen the Rock of Gib- raltar.—See page 306. PITBI.ISHK» BY THOMAS ^TEI..SOJr. Lizars A HISTORY OF THE SIEGE OF GIBRALTAR. WITH A DESCRIPTION AND ACCOUNT OF THAT GARRISON, FROM THE EARLIEST PERIODS. BY JOHN DRINKWATER, CAPTAIN IN THE SEVENTY-SECOND REGIMENT, OR ROYAL MANCHESTER VOLUNTEERS, AND MEMBER OF THE LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF MANCHESTER. • volatile ferrum Spargitur, arva nova Neptunia csede rubescunt.—Virg. EDINBURGH: PUBLISHED BY THOMAS NELSON. MDCCCXXXIX. V? C‘S V V/ B -9 ^ AU 7 <? 197V’' v>tw O'* J. THOMSON, POINTER, MILNE SQUARE. TO THE KING. SIR, When I solicited the honour of being permit- ted to place under Your Majesty’s protection the following Work, I was not impressed with the idea, that the excellence of the composition, but that the importance of the subject, might in some degree entitle it to that distinction. The History of an Event which reflects so much lustre on Your Majesty’s Arms, could not, I apprehended, however feeble the execution, so properly appear under any other auspices. That Your Majesty may never be less faithfully served, nor less successful against the enemies of Your Crown and People, is the sincere and fer- vent wish of Your Majesty’s much obliged and most devoted Subject and Servant, John Drinkwater. PREFACE. The following History (as I have presumed to call it) is compiled from observations daily noted down upon the spot; for my own satisfaction and improvement; assisted by the information and remarks of several re- spectable characters, who also were eye-witnesses of the transactions therein recorded. Disappointed in my expectations of seeing this sub- ject undertaken by an abler pen, nothing less than a conviction that an accurate detail of this extraordinary Siege might be useful, both in a military and historical view, could have induced me, at this late period, to publish. In the prosecution of this design, one principal diffi- culty has occurred. The work is addressed to two classes of readers : those whose principal object in the perusal of it was entertainment, I apprehended, might find the relation too minute and circumstantial; and that, from the insertion of many particulars, which those of the military profession would greatly blame an author for presuming to curtail, or omit. With the former, it is hoped that the necessary con- nexion of some events (which at first may appear trivial) with the great business of the History, will be vlii PREFACE some apology ; and I have endeavoured to diversify the narrative., by such anecdotes and observations as will occasionally relieve or awaken the attention. To the latter I shall not attempt any apology. The Siege of Gibraltar afforded many instances of very singular exertions in the art of Attack and Defence, the minutias of which cannot he without their utility to those offi- cers who make a science of their profession ; and they must be sensible that without pointed exactness this design could not have been accomplished. In short, it must be remembered, that the History of this Siege is not that of a Month, or of a Year, but that it embraces a period of near four years, exhibiting a series of opera- tions perhaps unparalleled. To Major Vallotton, the Governor’s First Aide-de- Camp, and Lieut. Holloway, Aide-de-Camp to the Chief engineer, I have particular pleasure in this op- portunity of returning thanks for the favour of many kind communications ; also to other officers of rank, whose names I have not their permission to insert. I must also acknowledge having derived considerable assistance, in the two introductory Chapters, from the History of the Herculean Straits.—Great additions have however been introduced; and I flatter myself upon the whole, that those Chapters will not prove an unacceptable part of the work, since they will render it as complete a General History of Gibraltar as most readers will require. CONTENTS CHAP. I. Historical Account of Gibraltar. , . Page 1 CHAP. II. Description of the Garrison. 26 CHAP. III. Communication between Gibraltar and Spain interrupted.—Strength of the Garrison at that period.—A Spanish squadron appears off the Garrison.—Intelligence first received by the Garrison of hostilities having commenced between Great Britain and Spain.—The British Admiral miscarries in an attempt to intercept a Spanish convoy laden with provisions.—Spaniards blockade Gibraltar by sea.— Mr. Logie, the British Consul in Barbary, narrowly escapes being taken in his return to Tangier.—General Eliott orders the Garrison to mount guard with their hair unpowdered.—Spaniards encamp before Gibraltar.—Spirited conduct of the Captain of a Swedish frigate.—General Eliott appoints his staff-officers.—Inhabitants be- gin to leave the Garrison.—Governor permits those inhabitants who remain, to erect sheds at the southward.—Spaniards reinforce their camp, and are very active in their lines.—General Eliott opens his batteries on their workmen.—Small shells recommended to be fired out of guns.—Engineers complete a battery on the summit of the Northern front.—Spaniards open embrasures in their lines for thir- ty-five guns.—The Peace and Plenty, British privateer, run ashore, and burnt.—Anecdote of the Governor.—Blockade of the Port sus- pended, by the noble behaviour of Captain Fagg, in the Buck cutter privateer.—Description of the Straits of Gibraltar, with the opinions of different writers on the phenomenon of the current.—Anecdote of a Moor.—Blockade renewed.—Seasonable supply of fire-wood.—In- habitants greatly distressed.—Price of Provisions.—Curious mode of rearing chickens.—Spaniards fire upon a funeral-party of the Garrison.—Spaniards fire upon the town, and wound a woman.— Troops curtailed in their allowance of provisions.—Garrison receive X CONTENTS information of a relief.—Admiral Sir George Rodney, with the Bri- tish fleet arrives, after defeating a Spanish squadron, and captur- ing the Admiral Don Juan de Langara, with four sail of the line. —Description of Tetuan, in Barbary.—Anecdote of His Royal High- ness Prince William Henry.—Garrison reinforced by the 2d battalion of the 73d regiment.—Spaniards much distressed by the presence of the British fleet.—Description of Ceuta in Barbary.— Don Langara returns on his parole into Spain, and Admiral Rodney quits the Mediterannean . ... 50 CHAP. IV. Spaniards renew the blockade of Gibraltar.—General Eliott propor- tions the provisions to the Garrison.—Dishonourable conduct of the Spaniards in detaining the British prisoners.—Mode adopted by the Spaniards for recruiting their army.—Spaniards fail in an attempt to destroy the British men of war and transports, by nine fire- ships.—-Spaniards first fire upon the Garrison from their gun-boats. Description of a gun-boat.—Provisions again extremely scarce in the Garrison.—Spaniards break ground in advance from their lines.— Scurvy prevalent.—Troops relieved by the fortunate arrival of a ship laden with lemons, &c.—Mode of using the vegetable acid.—Par- lies by land between the Garrison and the Enemy suspended.—Sup- plies from Barbary effectually cut off.— Garrison send boats to Ma- hon for provisions.—Spirited action between the Young Sabine, an English privateer, and the Enemy’s cruisers.—Spaniards begin a communication from their lines to their advanced battery.—Span- iards oblige the Garrison to quit the Gardens on the Neutral ground. —Description of Tangier in Barbary.—The Speedwell, King’s cut- ter, Lieut. Gibson, arrives, after a warm engagement with the ene- my.—A Spanish deserter discovered to be a Spy.—Mr. Logie, the British Consul, with all the British subjects resident in Barbary, con- ducted by a flag of truce to the Garrison.—Cause of this event, with the cruel treatment they experienced previous to their dismission. —Officers of the Garrison present a memorial to the Governor, re- questing him to represent their situation to the King.—Garrison have intelligence that a fleet had sailed to their relief.—Garrison fail in an attempt to cut out three of the Enemy’s fire-ships, 105 CHAP. V. Admiral Darby, with the British Grand Fleet, relieves Gibraltar.— Spanish gun boats in danger of being totally destroyed.—Spaniards bombard Gibraltar.—Singular cessation in their firing; with a cor- responding anecdote.—Soldiers very irregular, with a remarkable CONTENTS. xi instance of their wanton extravance.—Town evacuated.—Troops en- camp to the southward.—Town frequently on fire.—Stores in dan- ger.—Enemy’s gun-boats very troublesome to the fleet.—British Ad- miral, anxious to quit the Mediterannean, orders the colliers to be run ashore, that they might be unloaded at leisure ; and returns to the Westward.—Unfortunate circumstances attending the death of Lieut. Cunningham, of the 39th regiment.—Garrison further re- lieved by the arrival of a Convoy of victuallers, under charge of Captain Curtis, from the Eastward.—Lieut. Lowe, of the 12th re- giment, wounded :—singular circumstance attending this casualty. —Anecdote of Lieut. Whetham, of the 58th regiment.—Uncommon long range and effect of a splinter of shell.—Melancholy conse- quences of an attack from the gun-boats.—The Flora and Crescent British frigates pass the Garrison in chase of two Dutch frigates.— Anecdote of a soldier.—Inhabitants much alarmed by the frequent attacks of the gun-boats.—One of the enemy’s magazines blown up.