were wounded, after behaving in a most
gallant manner."

On the 22nd of April, the troops reached the neighbourhood of
Souffriere, near to which, on the mountainous ground, the attack was
made. The contest continued warmly for seven hours, and though the
greatest exertions were made by the British, they were finally compelled
to retreat to Choiseul, with a loss of 30 killed, 150 wounded, and 5
missing. In the four days' fighting between the 14th and the 22nd of
April, Malcolm's corps lost 48 out of a total of 121.[15] At Choiseul
the troops embarked and returned to Vieux Fort, and thence to Morne
Fortune and the Carenage, which General Stewart considered his force
strong enough to hold until the arrival of reinforcements.

Two months passed away without the occurrence of any event worthy of
notice. Sickness, in the meantime, was making great ravages amongst the
British, one-half of whose force was generally unfit for service. The
enemy, on the other hand, were daily gaining fresh accession of
strength. From Guadaloupe arms and other supplies were frequently
transmitted; and though some of the vessels fell into the hands of the
British cruisers, many more of them reached their destination in safety.
The French now began to act decisively. They first reduced Pigeon
Island, and, on the 17th of June, made themselves masters of the Vigie.
On this last post the communication between the Carenage and Morne
Fortune depended, and the enemy now prepared for a general assault upon
the latter. As, in the weak condition of the garrison, it would have
been imprudent to await the meditated attack, Brigadier-General Stewart
determined to evacuate the position; and, on the evening of the 18th,
the whole of the troops embarked on board H.M.S. _Experiment_,
undiscovered by the enemy, and proceeded to Martinique.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 13: Bryan Edwards.]

[Footnote 14: See map.]

[Footnote 15: Return of the killed, wounded, and missing in the actions
on the following days, of the troops under the command of
Brigadier-General Stewart, in the island of St. Lucia.

* * * * *

14th of April, 1795.

Royal Rangers--1 sergeant, 5 rank and file, wounded.

15th of April.

Royal Rangers--2 rank and file, killed; 1 sergeant, 4 rank and file,
wounded.

20th of April.

Royal Rangers--6 rank and file, killed; 1 captain, 1 sergeant, and 18
rank and file, wounded.

22nd of April.

Carolina Corps--1 ra