Antigua and the Antiguans (Vol. 1&2). Mrs. Lanaghan
passed for the settling of general councils and assemblies.
The next year (1693) was celebrated for the endeavours of the Antiguans to destroy the remaining Caribs; and for this reason, great encouragement was given to those persons who fitted out privateers to destroy them and take their canoes. In the early part of the year, Sir Francis Wheeler arrived at Barbados, with an expected squadron of English men-of-war, intended for an attack upon the island of Martinique, when intelligence was immediately despatched to Antigua, in order that General Codrington might join him with the Antigua and other Leeward Island troops. In this expedition, Sir Francis Wheeler commanded the men-of-war, (on board of which were Colonel Foulks and Colonel Godwin’s regiments of foot, and 200 recruits, under command of Colonel Lloyd,) and Colonel Foulks the land forces. On the 30th of March, the fleet left Barbados, having on board two Barbados’ regiments, which, including the gentlemen-volunteers, consisted of about 1500 men, and arrived at Martinique on the 1st of April.
The fleet anchored in the Cul de Sac Marine, on the south side of the island; and Sir Francis Wheeler, attended by Colonel Foulks and Colonel Lloyd, went in a boat to search for a good landing-place for the troops. Their movements were, however, watched by a party of French guards, one of whom fired a musket, the shot of which striking Sir Francis upon the breast, occasioned a severe contusion. The next morning, Colonel Foulks landed 1500 men without opposition; and during the day, the whole of the forces were gathered together on shore, where they commenced the work of destruction by burning the houses and sugar-works, the inhabitants fleeing for safety into the woods.
In the course of the few following days, General Codrington joined the expedition with the Antigua and other Leeward Island forces, and Colonel Lloyd’s regiment, when it was determined, in a council of war, to sail and attack St. Pierre, the principal town upon the island. Here, however, the English appear to have acted a very indifferent part; for, after destroying a few plantations, and standing some slight skirmishing with the French, they abandoned their plans of endeavouring to take the town; and, upon the plea of the troops being sickly, re-embarked their men, and left the island. Colonel Foulks, Colonel Godwin, Major Abrahall, with some of the other officers, died of their wounds on board the vessels; and the Antigua and other island troops returned to their respective colonies.
Thus ended an expedition, from which had been expected great results. According to an early historian, if the regulars had done their duty, as the Antiguan and the other island troops did, the whole of the French sugar islands might have been dispossessed, for the English forces amounted to between 3000 and 4000 men. The French were, however, very much alarmed, and many of “the richest inhabitants shipped themselves and their valuable effects for France, some of whom were intercepted by the English.” Sir Francis Wheeler then steered for Boston, in America, intending to have proceeded against Quebec; but finding his arguments overruled by the Bostonians, he returned in disgust to England, with his vessels in a very shattered condition, and having lost half of his men.
This officer was noted for his misfortunes, which could neither be attributed to want of courage nor want of judgment, but to circumstances over which he had no control. We have seen how unfortunate was his expedition to the West Indies; and although not altogether connected with this work, we may just glance at his after-fate. About 1694, he was appointed commander-in-chief of the Mediterranean squadron, with orders to take under his convoy the merchant ships trading to Turkey, Italy, and Spain; there to join the Spanish fleet in cruising about until the return of the Turkish ships, when he was to accompany them home. After receiving these orders, he sailed from the roads of St. Helens, off the Isle of Wight, and arrived in safety at Cadiz, where, leaving Rear-Admiral Hopson, he proceeded for the Mediterranean. In passing through the Bay of Gibraltar, he met with very bad weather under a lee-shore. The ground was so foul that there was no hold for an anchor; but as there was no other plan they could follow, they were obliged to drop them. Several of the ships were driven on shore, of which many were entirely lost. The Admiral’s ship foundered at sea, and with the exception of two Moors, all perished in those tideless waters.
In 1694, a general council and assembly was held at Antigua, when, among other business, it was deemed necessary to place a certain value upon all foreign coins in circulation throughout the Leeward Caribbee Islands. To avoid disputes in electing members to serve in these general councils and assemblies, it was proposed that in future the secretary should take the votes of the freeholders upon oath in their presence, and admit no vote but from a known freeholder of the respective island in person. But if, after these precautions, disputes should still occur, the legislature was to determine the cause.
The year 1695 will be long remembered in English history as that of the siege of Namur; which action, glorious as it was, would not have been mentioned here, did not two gentlemen, well known in Antigua, make themselves conspicuous by their courage and noble bearing on that occasion. One of these distinguished characters was Christopher Codrington, Esq., son of General Codrington, the commander-in-chief, and afterwards governor himself; a gentleman not only celebrated for his bravery, where all were brave, but also as being the most accomplished person of his day. The other individual was Sir William Mathew, afterwards Captain-General of the Leeward Islands.
While these warlike deeds were going on in Europe, a squadron had been sent to the West Indies to protect the trade and harass the enemy. This squadron was placed under the joint command of Captain Robert Wilmot and Colonel Lillingston, and consisted of about 1200 land forces, augmented by troops from Antigua, and some other of the West Indian islands. This expedition, like that of Sir Francis Wheeler’s, proved unfortunate; the sea and land officers disagreed, and instead of acting with each other, they pursued opposite courses. Their first attempt was against St. Domingo; but instead of proceeding to take the capital, Captain Wilmot plundered the surrounding country for his own good; and although Colonel Lillingston remonstrated with him, he would not listen to reason. Finding the ill success of their endeavours, the West Indian troops determined to return to their respective homes: the Spaniards, who had joined them against their common enemy, the French, became disgusted, and withdrew; and the commanders themselves, disappointed of their expected captures, set sail for England. They lost one of their ships in the Gulf of Florida, and Captain Wilmot died on his passage. This year the Antiguans lost some of their merchant-ships, as did many of the other West India Islands, by their falling into the hands of the French privateers, who swarmed about the entrance of the English Channel.
The following year passed in quietness in Antigua. The secretary’s office was appointed as the place where all the island laws were to be lodged. Before this period, it appears that there was no particular place appointed to keep the public records; and consequently many valuable papers became mislaid or lost. This year, (1696,) the Hastings frigate was at Antigua, and sailed for London as convoy to a fleet of eleven ships, which were eleven weeks upon their voyage.
In 1697, public pounds were erected in the several towns of Antigua, and imposts laid upon all liquors imported into the island. This had been hitherto a custom, but had expired some short time before.
The year 1698 was a year of mourning to the Antiguans; their friend and patron, as well as governor, breathed his last sigh, and exchanged an earthly for a heavenly home. General Codrington was, as before remarked, the first person who planted the sugar-cane in Antigua: its chief productions before were indigo, ginger, and tobacco. He removed from Barbados (of which island he was a native) in 1674; and some authors make that year his appointment to the governor-generalship of the Leeward Islands, and that of Colonel Rowland Williams, deputy-governor of Antigua. This assertion is, however, evidently incorrect; for we have already seen, that Sir William Stapleton was acting as such at that period. The mistake must have arisen from General Codrington having removed to Antigua in that year.
After the demise of General Codrington, the captain-general of the Leeward Islands, Colonel John Yeamans, a resident proprietor of Antigua, exercised the office of governor of the island.
The Antiguans came to the resolution this year (1698) of appointing an agent for the island, who was to reside in London, and solicit the confirmation of such laws as should from time to time be made in Antigua, as well as to transact any other island business. The salary then given was 100l. sterling per annum, to commence from 1st January, 1689; but since the year 1800, it has been augmented. About this period, the notorious Captain