whose accounts in every particular coincided with those which had been before received from Mr. Molony, and in other respects represented the general situation of the patriot armies in terms so unfavourable and disheartening, as not only to confirm Mr. R. in his determination against proceeding with the stores to the main; but likewise placed Colonel Gilmore in a situation so irrecoverably desperate, as to leave him (as he considered) no other resource than that of altogether disbanding the brigade; which measure, so distressing and ruinous to our hopes, he put in execution on the following day. Our condition now may be readily conceived: deprived of the support of our Colonel; destitute of resources or friends; and unable to devise any means of extrication from our difficulties, we saw ourselves threatened with all the horrors of privation and want. Of the men' composing our late brigade, some joined the other ships; others enlisted in the Queen's regiment (at this time garrisoned in Grenada); whilst a few determined on endeavouring to work their passage to the United States.

E

The various artificers were put ashore at the same period. The printer, having been permitted to carry with him a portion of the types and printing apparatus, fortunately procured a situation in the newspaper-office. The armourer afterwards returned to Saint Bartholomew's, with the intention of proceeding to New Orleans. The fate of the remainder I never learned, but fear their distresses must have been great, as they appeared totally destitute of money, and were consequently dependent for subsistence on the manual exercise of their respective arts.

Some of the officers succeeded in providing for themselves, either through their own resources or pecuniary aid from friends; the remainder, including Captain and myself, were still permitted to continue on board the Britannia.

At this eventful period, Colonel Gilmore intimated his determination of returning to England, first pledging himself to render the remaining officers, in their now distressing situation, whatever temporary as→ sistance his influence or interest could

pro

cure for them in Grenada; which promise, however, from inability or some other cause, he altogether failed of performing.

It was now absolutely necessary we should adopt some decisive course of proceeding; and Captain coincided with me in opinion (notwithstanding the desperate nature of the service), that there remained no alternative but that of attaching ourselves to some of the other corps, which, although daily declining in strength, and much disorganized, had not as yet been actually disembodied. This resolution we had scarcely formed, when the arrival of several officers, recently in the patriot service, and who had just then succeeded in effecting their return, gave us such information of the state of affairs on the Spanish main, as clearly proved the madness of our previous decision, and convinced us that it would be preferable to risk every vicissitude of fortune, rather than personally engage in a contest, not only far more hazardous, and accompanied by infinitely greater hardships and privations, than an ordinary state of hostilities, but

1

likewise conducted by both parties, on principles at variance with every feeling of honour and humanity; whilst the extreme difficulty attendant on a departure from the patriot service of those who once actually join their standard, renders every attempt at return so nearly impracticable as to place foreigners, thus circumstanced, almost in a state of slavery. Exclusive, however, of the obstructions to return, originating in the peculiar local circumstances of the country, and the hazard which must unavoidably be encountered in traversing the interior, the Independents, for reasons sufficiently obvious, are particularly cautious of permitting individuals to withdraw from their armies.

The information received from the officers to whom I have just referred, was to the following purport: They assured us, that in consequence of the extended duration of the war, and exterminating principle upon which it had been conducted, the country in general displayed one uniform scene of devastation and wretchedness. That the patriot forces were reduced to a state of

the greatest poverty, totally devoid of discipline, and not one-fourth provided with proper military arms, the remainder being compelled to resort to bludgeons, knives, and such other weapons as they found most readily procurable.

In clothing they were still more destitute and deficient, in most instances merely consisting of fragments of coarse cloth wrapt round their bodies, and pieces of the raw buffalo hide laced over their feet as a substitute for shoes, which when hardened by the sun's heat, they again render pliant by immersion in the first stream at which they chance to arrive.

A blanket, with a hole cut in the middle, let over the head, and tightened round the body by a buffalo thong, has been frequently the dress of the officers; and one of them who witnessed the fact, assured me, that suchwas actually the uniform of a British colonel (R) who was at that time in the Independent service. Whilst these gentlemen thus described the patriot habiliments, they commented in the strongest language on the impolicy and imprudence