n, 1st West India
Regiment. This was effected by Captain O'Connell, although wounded, in
four days, by the mountain paths, while Brigadier-General Prevost
arrived at the same place by the Carib Trail.[30]

In the meantime the town of Roseau had been set on fire, and the whole
of it destroyed, except a few small houses belonging to free negroes.
The French, after blowing up the fortifications, embarking some guns and
spiking others, re-embarked; taking with them such of their prisoners as
were regulars, and levying a contribution of L5500 upon the inhabitants,
and on February 27th the force set sail for Guadaloupe.

The French in their attack on Point Michell had lost over 300 men, and
in selecting that spot for landing they had displayed a most astonishing
ignorance of the locality, for, if a force had at once been put ashore
between Point Michell and Fort Young at Roseau, the British could hardly
have ventured upon a serious defence. The loss sustained by the British
regulars was 21 killed, 21 wounded, and 8 prisoners. The loss of the
militia is not stated, but was considerable, the French accounts fixing
it at 200.

The following despatch addressed to Earl Camden, K.G., one of His
Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, by Lieutenant-General Sir
William Myers, Bart., commanding the troops in the Windward and Leeward
Islands, gives the official account of this affair:

"BARBADOES, _March 9th, 1805_.

"MY LORD,

"I have the honour to enclose to your Lordship a copy of a despatch
from Brigadier-General Prevost, dated Dominica, 1st of March, 1805.
The details contained therein are so highly reputable to the
Brigadier-General and the small portion of troops employed against
so numerous an enemy, that I have great satisfaction in recommending
that their gallant exertions may be laid before His Majesty.

"The zeal and talent manifested by the Brigadier-General upon this
occasion, it is my duty to present for the Royal consideration, and
at the same time I beg to be permitted to express the high sense I
entertain of the distinguished bravery of His Majesty's troops and
the militia of the colony employed on that service.

"The vigorous resistance which the enemy have experienced, and the
loss which they have sustained in this attack, must evince to him,
that however inferior our numbers were on this occasion, British