chinations of the blood-thirsty Victor Hugues, whose forces carried death and destruction throughout that unhappy colony. In this state of affairs, Captain Otway, by his active and zealous exertions, contributed most powerfully to the cause of suffering humanity.
It would greatly exceed our limits were we to particularize every action in which he was engaged with the enemy on shore, and with the batteries thrown up by the brigands; but we cannot refrain from noticing his gallant and firm conduct on two remarkable occasions. Being off Labaye, in Grenada, in company with the Favorite sloop of war, commanded by the present Sir James Athol Wood, and observing that some English troops were pent up in a block-house, from whence their communication with the shipping was entirely cut off by the enemy, who had erected a battery in a position that enabled them to scour the beach, and thereby prevent supplies being sent to the garrison; Captain Otway instantly landed with a party of seamen and the marines of both vessels, under the cover of whose fire he stormed the battery and levelled it with the ground. Soon after this affair, several thousand troops recently arrived from England were disembarked in the vicinity of Labaye, under the superintendance of Captain Wood, and were very shortly in action with the rear of the enemy’s army. At this critical moment two French vessels, under English colours, arrived at Labaye, with a considerable reinforcement of troops from St. Lucia. The General commanding the British forces in Grenada immediately decided upon re-embarking, and communicated his intentions to Captain Otway; who, however, seeing that the carrying of such a measure into effect would be attended with the total loss of the island, refused to comply, saying “that he had landed the troops there at a great risk[1], by the General’s desire, and that they must now fight it out, as he would not embark a man.” Having thus taken upon himself a most awful responsibility, he galloped up to a height on which were posted some field-pieces under the command of an artillery officer, ordered their fire to be opened on the enemy’s vessels, and by that means compelled them to cut
- ↑ The Pontsborn, East Indiaman, was lost that night in consequence of being detained after landing the soldiers embarked in her.
