l Thomas Dundas, the latter being
appointed to command-in-chief at Guernsey, earnestly solicited him to
accompany the Major General to the island, on account of his knowledge
of the language, the laws, and customs of the island, and of its
inhabitants; and being informed that the enemy meditated to attack it,
he was induced to accept the appointment of Major of Brigade to 2000
militia of the island: he besides voluntarily did the duty of the
quarter-master-general's department to the troops. He also had the
superintendence and examination of all strangers as they landed, which
enabled him to cause many disaffected persons and rebels from Ireland to
be apprehended: he had the selection and appointment of pilots to the
ships of war requiring them, and otherwise rendered himself as useful as
possible to the public service, without additional pay or emolument
whatever, for the space of five years, and until the arrival of 7000
Russian troops, when he was appointed assistant quarter-master-general,
and, upon four French corps arriving in the island, he was appointed
their inspector.

Mr. Secretary Dundas, and Mr. Windham, secretary at war, were pleased to
confide to him the secret correspondence with the enemy's coast, from
Havre to Brest, when he obtained intelligence of the utmost importance,
for which he repeatedly received the thanks of His Majesty's ministers.
In 1794, he was deputed to carry an address from the States of the
island, on the marriage of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent; and on
this occasion Major General Small, who was the Lieutenant-Governor and
Commander-in-chief, was pleased to recommend his services in so strong a
manner to the King's ministers, that he had the honour of being
knighted. In 1799 he was promoted to be inspector of the militia of the
island, in which situation he continued to serve until June, 1811, when
he obtained the rank of major general.[17]

[17] In the year 1800, when the author was acting Lieutenant of
H.M.S. Weasle, he had the misfortune to be taken prisoner in
one of the boats, and was on the point of falling a sacrifice
to the injustice of those in power at St. Malo, when Sir
Thomas, who had the care of the French prisoners at Guernsey,
being aware of his situation, sent in conjunction with the
Governor, the late Sir Hew Dalrymple, an offer to the Prefect
at St. Malo of forty men for his exchange, which, although it
had not t