strong intrenchment thrown up
behind the river Licorne, a post of the utmost importance, as it covered
the whole country as far as the bay of Ma-haut, where provisions and
supplies of all sorts were landed from St. Eustatia. The river was
rendered inaccessible by a morass covered with mangroves, except at
two narrow passes, which they had fortified with a redoubt, and
intrenchments well pallisadoed, mounted with cannon, and defended by
a numerous militia: besides, the narrow roads, through which only
they could be attacked, were intersected with deep and wide ditches.
Notwithstanding these disadvantages, the English commanders determined
to hazard an assault. While four field-pieces and two howitzers
maintained a constant fire upon the top of the intrenchments, the
regiment of Duroure and the Highlanders advanced under this cover,
firing by platoons with the utmost regularity. The enemy, intimidated
by their cool and resolute behaviour, began to abandon the first
intrenchment on the left. Then the Highlanders, drawing their swords,
and sustained by part of the regiment, threw themselves in with their
usual impetuosity, and followed the fugitives pell-mell into the
redoubt, of which they took possession: but they still maintained their
ground within the intrenchments on the right, from whence they annoyed
the assailants both with musquetry and cannon. In half an hour, an
occasional bridge being made, the English troops passed the river in
order to attack this post, which the enemy abandoned with precipitation;
notwithstanding all their haste, however, about seventy were taken
prisoners, and among those some of the most considerable inhabitants of
the island. This advantage cost the English two officers and thirteen
men killed, and above fifty wounded.

The roads being mended for the passage of the artillery, the troops
advanced towards Petitbourg, harassed in their march by flying bodies of
the enemy, and arrived late at night on the banks of the river
Lizarde, the only ford of which the French had fortified with strong
intrenchments, protected by a battery of four cannon erected on a rising
ground in the rear. Colonel Clavering, while he amused them all night
at this place by a constant fire into their lines, transported in two
canoes, which he launched about a mile and a half farther down the
river, a sufficient number of troops, by day-break, to attack them on
the other side in flank, while he advanced in front at th