163 | To Lord Barrington

    Castle William Oct. 20th 1762

    My Lord

    By a Letter dated Augst. 30628 & a postscript added to the duplicate thereof I informed your Lordship of the measures which were taking for the recovery of St. Johns by an immediate armament from the continent: and happily it has the success which I then flattered myself with. When the French arrived here, this Coast was Very defenceless: & yet it could not be regretted, Since it was occasioned by the Assistance which North America gave to the Expedition against the Havannah without which it could not have succeded. & therefore if the taking St Johns had been more detrimental than it was; it would be but fair to ballance it with the Havannah. The French Commander, upon his arrival at Newfoundland, declared that he knew there was no Man of War upon the Coast but the Northumberland: in which, if he meant to confine himself to Halifax, he was not mistaken. He therefore thought himself safe in determining to hold the place thro’ the winter concluding that no Armament could arrive from England or the West Indies time enought before the Winter was set in; and that North America was unable to fit out one: but in the latter he was disappointed. The Sirene of 20 guns arrived upon the coast of Newfoundland about the same time with the french fleet, & soon after the Antelope of ^50 guns^ arrived & escaped the Enemy. These rendevoused at Placentia. Soon after, The Gosport arrived at NYork with a Convoy & immediately after, sailed for Halifax. I had kept our Province Ship the King George (a complete 20 gun frigate & then in Very good order)629 in readiness to join Lord Colville, & upon hearing the Gosport was Sail’d from NYork I ordered the King George to Halifax; which arriving a few days after the Gosport Lord Colville immediately sail’d to join the Antelope & Sirene & face the Enemy The Naval Force stood thus

    guns

    guns

    French

    Robuste.

    74

    English.

    Northumberland

    64

    Eveille.

    64

    Antelope.

    50

    Licorne

    36

    Gosport.

    40

    Garonne

    26

    Sirenne.

    20

    Grammont

    16

    King George.

    20

    216

    194

    In the mean time a land Armament was preparing, tho’ with so much secrecy that Lord Colville was not acquainted with it when he sail’d. This was under the command of Col. Amherst, & formes another ballance of Land Forces

    French.

    Grenadiers of France

    900

    English.

    Regulars

    900

    Marines.

    300

    Provincials

    500

    of Massachusetts Bay.

    1200

    1400

    Irish recruits uncertain

    chiefly on board the Ships

    Artillery not reckoned:

    With this force, in which the besiegers very little exceeded in number the beseiged, has this place strong by nature, made stronger than ever by additional fortifications, & defended by, what the Enemy called, the best troops of France, been taken. The sum of the french prisoners with that of the killed added thereto is very near equal to the whole Number of the English Regulars. But We must make due allowance for the provincials; one company of which being light Infantry & joined to the same corps of regulars was no ways inferior to them in driving the french from the severall out posts which they endeavoured to maintain. Two days after the Place was taken arrived 4 Men of War from England: So that this Expedition was favoured to the last by the whole honor of it being preserved entire to the first adventurers.

    As I had before informed your Lordship of this Expedition, I have thought proper to conclude the History of it.

    I am &c

    The Right Honble The Lord Viscount Barrington

    L, LbC BP, 2: 219-221.