1779-1782
GIBRALTAR① fell into the hands of the English in 1704, during the War of the Spanish Succession②-the war in which Marl- borough gained so much glory for the English arms. Admiral Sir George Rooke had been sent to the Mediterranean, to watch the French and Spanish fleets. For a long time he was unable to accomplish anything of importance; but, learning that Gibraltar was ver y poorly garrisoned, he suddenly attacked and captured it, and hoisted the English flag on its Signal Station.
That flag is the only one that has ever floated there since the 23rd of July 1704. Time after time have the Spaniards tried to recover this "key of the Mediterranean;" but every effort has been repulsed most gallantly, and often with tremendous loss to the enemy.
The last attempt they made was the most gigantic and determined of all; and its successful resistance by the English garrison forms one of the most heroic incidents in the annals of modern warfare. It occurred during the struggle which③severed from England her North American colonies.
France
recognized the United States as an independent power in 1778, and a war with England was the consequence. In the following year Spain joined France, and Gibraltar was immediately blockaded.
The siege which followed lasted three years. Ever y appliance which experience could suggest, or skill could devise, was brought into requisition. Never before had such tremendous armaments, by sea and by land, been broughtagainst any fortress. Yet the garrison held out bravely; and twice their friends outside-once by Admiral Darby, and once by Rodney-succeeded in sending them reinforcements and supplies.
Early in 1781, there was a terrific bombardment of the place; but so effectual was the shelter afforded by the casemates,④ or bomb-proof vaults, that the garrison lost only seventy men. In November of the same year, General Elliot, who conducted the defence, headed a midnight sortie, which annihilated the entire line of the enemy"s works. Their floating batteries were at the same time destroyed with red-hot balls. That one night cost the Spaniards two millions sterling!
But the final effort was made in 1782, when the Duke de Crillon, flushed with his success in capturing Minorca, took the command of the besiegers. He had under him upwards of 30, 000 of the best troops of France and Spain, and his heavy guns amounted to the then unprecedented number of one hundred and seventy. The combined fleets numbered forty- seven sail of the line, with ten great floating batteries-the contrivance of a French engineer, and deemed invincible, -and frigates, gun-boats, mortar-boats and small craft without number. The besieged numbered only 7000 men with eighty guns.
The siege attracted the interest of the whole civilized world. Two French princes joined the besiegers" camp, to witness the fall of the place. "Is it taken?" was the first question asked each morning by the King of Spain. "Not yet; but it will be soon," said his courtiers: and still Elliot"s guns thundered defiance from the Rock.
At length, on the morning of the 13th of September, the grand and decisive attack commenced. The ten battering-ships bore down in admirable order to their several stations. The Admiral, in a two-decker, moored about nine hundred yards⑤off the King"s Bastion.
The other vessels took their places in
a masterly manner, the most distant being eleven hundred or twelve hundred yards from the garrison. Under shelter of the walls, furnaces for heating shot had been lighted; and, from the instant the ships dropped into position, a continuous fire of red-hot balls was directed upon them by the garrison.
In little more than ten minutes, continues Drinkwater, theenemy were completely moored, and their cannonade then became tremendous. The showers of shot and shell which were directed from their land-batteries and battering-ships, on the one hand, and, on the other, the incessant fire from the various works of the garrison, exhibited a scene of which neither the pen nor the pencil can furnish a competent idea.
VIEW OF GIBRALTAR
It is sufficient to say that upwards of four hundred pieces of the heaviest artillery were playing at the same moment-a power of ordnance which up till that time had scarcely been employed in any siege since the invention of those wonderful engines of destruction.
After some hours" cannonade, the battering-ships were found to be no less formidable than they had been represented. Our heaviest shells often rebounded from their tops, whilstthe thirty-two pound shot seemed incapable of making any visible impression upon their hulls. Frequently we flattered ourselves that they were on fire; but no sooner did any smoke appear, than, with the most persevering intrepidity, men were observed applying water from their engines within, to those places whence the smoke issued.
Though vexatiously annoyed from the isthmus,⑥ ourartillery directed their sole attention to the battering-ships, the furious and spirited opposition of which served to excite our people to more animated exertions. A fire more tremendous, if possible, than ever, was therefore directed upon them from the garrison. Incessant showers of hot balls, carcasses,⑦ and shells of every species, flew from all quarters; yet, for some hours, the attack and defence were so equally maintained as scarcely to indicate any appearance of superiority on either side. The wonderful construction of the ships seemed to bid defiance to the powers of the heaviest ordnance.
In the afternoon, however, the face of things began to change considerably. The smoke which had been observed to issue from the upper part of the flag-ship appeared to prevail, notwithstanding the constant application of water; and the Admiral"s second was perceived to be in the same condition.