to make any provision whatever
for the subsistence of the 6th West India Regiment, which was commanded
by Lieutenant-Colonel Whitelocke. In this decision it was sanctioned by
the general voice of the white population. Meetings were held in almost
every parish of the island, in all of which the scheme of raising black
corps was heavily censured, as being, in the first place, unnecessary,
the negroes being already compellable to serve in case of emergency;
and, in the second place, as being of a nature to produce ultimately,
and perhaps at no distant period, the most destructive effects to the
persons and the property of the colonial proprietors."[27]

The British ministers were reluctant to abandon that which appeared to
be a cheap and ready mode of recruiting in the western hemisphere, and
consequently persevered in their project, even increasing the number of
West India regiments in 1799 to twelve. That the fears of the colonists
were groundless time soon showed. In 1801, at St. Martin's, the 8th West
India Regiment, "composed of new negroes, who had never before faced a
foe, behaved with the utmost gallantry." In 1803, the 3rd West India
Regiment did good service at the capture of St. Lucia, as did the 6th at
the reduction of Surinam in 1804. In 1809, at the Saintes, where the 3rd
and 8th West India Regiments were engaged, "the black troops
distinguished themselves by their discipline and valour." How the 1st
West India Regiment remained true to its colours the succeeding chapters
will show.[28]

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 26: Bryan Edwards.]

[Footnote 27: Bryan Edwards.]

[Footnote 28: It is true that the 8th West India Regiment mutinied at
Dominica, in 1802, but it was under conditions which, to a certain
extent, extenuated it. For more than six months the men had been
defrauded of their pay. Being utterly uneducated and all new negroes,
they were ignorant of the proper methods of obtaining redress, and
consequently showed their resentment by violence.]

CHAPTER X.

THE DEFENCE OF DOMINICA, 1805.

The 1st West India Regiment remained stationed at Fort Edward,
Martinique, during the whole of 1797, and up to the month of December,
1798; its strength at no time during this period being above 350 men. In
December, 1798, it was removed to St. Lucia, six companies being
quartered at Vieux Fort and two at Maboya, in the same island. The
strength then was 343, and the "state" shows 157 as wanting to complete