Gazette Of The United States And Daily Evening Advertiser

KINGSTON, (Jam.) April 11.

An account of the action between the Whites and the Brigands, on the 26th of March, 1795; given in a letter from a general officer.

"Gen. Horneck having judged it necessary to take or destroy a battery established a league distance from Bizoton, with a view of rendering abortive an attack upon that fort; the army began to march at 3 o'clock in the morning, and went to Bizoton, the cavalry by land and the infantry by sea; all the army was in motion; the artillery of the British legion, with two 2 pounders, was placed at the head of the column. The infantry advanced by a road bordered by a very thick hedge, and was harassed the whole length of the way by shots fired at them by men in ambuscade; the two 2 pounders were employed in clearing the march, and dislodging the men that were hidden. Two 6 pounders, worked by English artillery-men were placed at half way, to be pointed against a narrow pass, where they supposed the enemy might have raised a battery. Fifty regulars and the grenadiers of the militia of Port au-Prince, remained with these pieces to defend them. When the enemy's battery appeared in sight, the cavalry commanded by Major Beaujeu, received orders to charge; which he did at the head of the lancers and light horse of the British legion, the dragoons of Cul de Sac, and the Maréchaussée; but the lancers having made great havoc they joined those on the right. The infantry fell upon the battery with much intrepidity and order, notwithstanding the violent fire; but many being killed, the rest began firing, which retarded the march of the column. General Horneck ordered them to hasten their march. Col. Montalambert, then at the head of the column, ordered the British legion, then at the left, to gain the head of the column by the shortest way. Lieut. Col. de Bruges reached the first British division, with which he rushed in upon the battery. Col. Markham being about fifteen paces from the battery received three balls in the breast, which deprived his king of an officer of merit, his soldiers of a father, and good men of a protector and friend. All that were about him were either killed or wounded. Col. Montalambert alone escaped the havoc made by their langrage, poured out of a 24 pounder; this gentleman therefore, upon whom the command of the head of the column now devolved, carried the battery instantaneously, after the destruction of those who were obstinate enough to resist. The battery consisted of one brass 24 and one 18 pounder, three cast iron, 4, 6, and 8 pounders, one howitzer and a mortar. The enemy, under cover of a hedge which reached from the battery to the sea, kept up an incessant and heavy fire of musketry all the time, which was returned with great effect by the English troops, who were exasperated beyond measure at the loss of their Colonel. The General, however, sensible that the ammunition was nearly exhausted, ordered a retreat, and gave the command of the rear guard to Col. de Montalambert, who, finding it necessary to keep his station 'till the enemy's post was either carried or destroyed, turned the 24 pounder on them, but having few artillery men the firing was very slow; convinced, therefore, that something effectual should be immediately determined on, he ordered Lieut. Col. de Bruges, with forty men of the British legion, to dislodge them; this was soon done, and in pursuit of the fugitives great carnage was made. Col. Montalambert was obliged to abandon the pursuit, from the blowing up of a magazine in which were four boxes of cartridges for small arms, and five hundred for great guns; by this event being out of ammunition he resolved to spike as well as he could the artillery of the battery, two pieces had been carried away at the beginning. In his retreat he was lucky enough to have only one private wounded, altho' much annoyed by the enemy, who was kept off only by the fire of the two 2 pounders, and the steady behaviour of the troops.

"The main object of the General on this day was carried, the enemy's cannon being all either removed or rendered useless; and altho' we have to lament the loss of a brave officer, and several soldiers, their death has been amply revenged by the blood of a great number of Brigands, among whom are many of their leaders.

"I cannot here avoid saying, that the English troops, both officers and privates, behaved during this action with their usual spirit.

"In the course of the action Col. Montalambert had a very signal escape. A mulatto deserter, from La Croix des Bouquets, knowing the Col. approached and singled him out: he fired three rounds of musket ball at him at the distance of 25 paces, and was preparing for a fourth, when the Col. perceived and was too quick for him, laying him dead on the spot.

"Young Longpré, the only French officer wounded, received a langrage in his foot, but, being on horseback, still continued fighting, and was the last off the field. In the affair of the 20th, he had his sabre shot out of his hand by one ball, and another went through his hat and grazed the crown of his head."