while the veterans under elliot were thus nobly maintaining the honour of the english flag on the beleaguered rock, it must not be supposed that england was unmindful of them, or ignorant of the danger in which they were involved. the british government hastened their preparations for the relief of the garrison, and assembled as speedily as possible a powerful fleet, under admiral lord howe,—afterwards the hero of the 1st of june,—to escort a large convoy containing fresh troops and provisions. when off the portuguese coast, lord howe received information of elliot’s gallant repulse of the combined french and spanish attack, and proceeded at once to enter the gibraltar strait. the enemy, whose only hope of success lay in reducing the place by famine,{100} endeavoured to prevent this relief from reaching the garrison; and, for this purpose, assembled a powerful fleet in the bay. on the night of the 10th of october, however, a violent storm arose, which greatly distressed the french and spanish vessels. at daybreak, the garrison discovered that a spanish two-decker had been driven close in-shore. she made every effort to stand out into the bay, but in vain: grounding under the guns of the garrison, she was compelled to strike her flag. the british immediately took possession of her, and she proved to be the san miguel, of 72 guns, commanded by don juan moreno.
this was not the only disaster experienced by the hostile fleet. another ship had gone ashore near the great magazine. a french ship of the line had lost foremast and bowsprit; and three or four others had driven nearly within range of the guns of the rock. while thus disordered, lord howe’s fleet could be seen approaching in order of battle, together with the convoy under its protection; but this, with the exception of three or four transports, was swept by the current to the east. the spanish admiral, however, offered no opposition to their passage, though he had still forty-two sail of{101} the line, and lord howe had only thirty-four; but he seemed to pluck up resolution when they began to work their way back to gibraltar with an easterly wind, and endeavoured to intercept them. lord howe’s object was not to fight a greatly superior force, but to get his transports into gibraltar. by a series of skilful man?uvres, this he accomplished, while engaging the attention of the combined fleet for a couple of days; after which he set sail, and stood away to the westward. drinkwater remarks that it was no very pleasing prospect for a british garrison to behold a british fleet retiring before the enemy. but lord howe’s strategy had been perfectly successful; and it would have been exceedingly imprudent for him in the circumstances to have risked a decisive action. in every respect the enemy had the advantage; and though we may feel persuaded that the result would have been creditable to the british arms, yet the loss of life would have been disproportionate to any advantage that could be gained.
the blockade, after this event, was virtually at an end. not one cruiser, says drinkwater, was now to be seen in the strait or to the eastward, and{102} few vessels of force were stationed at cabrita point. the enemy seemed to have abandoned all idea of recovering the rock, either by force or stratagem. it is true that they maintained a desultory cannonade, but it gradually diminished, and did no execution. on the 23rd a couple of boats arrived from portugal, bringing intelligence of an action between the british and combined fleets, which had ended to the advantage of the former.
“though every appearance in their camp indicated that they had given up all hopes of subduing the garrison by force, their parties on the isthmus continued to be very busy, and some evenings they made additions of traverses to their works. heavy timber was also brought forward to the parallel, but for what purpose we could not then imagine. their advance parties had likewise the audacity frequently to approach half-way upon the causeway from bay-side; but the artillery having orders to scour the gardens and the neighbourhood of bay-side with grape from the old mole, their curiosity in a short time was pretty well cooled. toward the close of this month the enemy’s fire became more faint and ill-directed, whilst ours was more animated and effectual. our engineers continued to be constantly{103} engaged. the rebuilding of the whole flank of the prince of orange’s bastion, one hundred and twenty feet in length, with solid masonry (which was now nearly finished), in the face of such powerful artillery, can scarcely be paralleled in any siege.”
on the 2nd of february 1783, the governor received formal despatches from the duke of crillon that the preliminaries of a general peace had been signed between great britain, france, and spain. when the boats bearing the intelligence met the british, the spaniards rose up with “transports of joy,” exclaiming, “we are all friends!” the garrison were scarcely less delighted at the prospect of rest after so long and arduous a struggle, though they felt some anxiety as to the fate of the fortress which they had defended with such pertinacity. on the 5th the port was declared open. thenceforth provisions every day became more abundant, and the soldiers were able to regale themselves with their accustomed fare. towards the end of the month the governor and the duke exchanged visits. when the latter appeared within the walls of the fortress, the british soldiery saluted him with a general cheer, whereat his grace was exceedingly confused,{104} until it was explained to him that such was the british method of honouring a gallant opponent.
the garrison officers were duly introduced to the duke, who received them with characteristic courtesy. to the artillery he said: “gentlemen, i would rather see you here as friends than on your batteries as enemies; where,” he added, “you never spared me.” proceeding to inspect the batteries on the heights, he remarked on the formidable nature of the lower defences, and in reference to the old mole battery observed, “that had not his judgment been overruled, he should have directed all his efforts against that part of the garrison.” entering the faringdon, now called the windsor battery, he was surprised at its extent, which at that time was between 500 and 600 feet. “such works,” he exclaimed, “are worthy of the romans!” after dinner, at which the generals and brigadiers in the garrison, with their suites, were present, he passed through the camp to europa, each regiment turning out and giving three cheers. “the youth and good appearance of the troops,” we are told, “much engaged his attention.” at his departure in the evening he was saluted with seventeen cannon. his horse started at the flash, and almost threw him{105} from his saddle; but he escaped without injury. in the course of the conversation at dinner, he warmly complimented the governor and garrison on their brilliant defence; adding that he had exerted himself to the utmost of his abilities, and though he had not been successful, yet he was happy in having his sovereign’s approval of his conduct.
on the 23rd of april, st. george’s day, the king’s bastion, of which our readers have heard so much, became the scene of an unusual and a striking ceremony. the king having conferred upon general elliot the well-deserved order of the bath, and having intimated his pleasure that lieutenant-general boyd should act as his representative in investing him with the insignia, it was resolved that the occasion should be celebrated with as much pomp as could be commanded. the troops being previously assembled on the red sands, sir george officially communicated to them the unanimous approval of their heroic services expressed by both houses of parliament, and then proceeded:—
“no army has ever been rewarded by higher national honours; and it is well known how great, universal, and spontaneous were the rejoicings{106} throughout the kingdom upon the news of your success. these must not only give you inexpressible pleasure, but afford matter of triumph to your dearest friends and latest posterity. as a further proof how just your title is to such flattering distinctions at home, rest assured, from undoubted authority, that the nations in europe and other parts are struck with admiration of your gallant behaviour; even our late resolute and determined antagonists do not scruple to bestow the commendations due to such valour and perseverance.
“i now most warmly congratulate you on these merited and brilliant testimonies of approbation, amidst such numerous, such exalted tokens of applause; and forgive me, faithful companions, if i humbly crave your acceptance of my grateful acknowledgments. i only presume to ask this favour, as having been a constant witness of your cheerful submission to the greatest hardships, your matchless spirit and exertions, and on all occasions your heroic contempt of every danger.”
the soldiers then fired a grand feu de joie, each discharge being heralded by a volley of twenty-one guns, and the ceremony concluded with three such cheers as only british troops can give. afterwards the{107} governor and his staff and the field-officers withdrew, and the detachments marched into town, lining the streets from the convent to the king’s bastion.
at about half-past eleven the procession began to move in the following order:—
marshal.
band of the 12th regiment, playing “see the
conquering hero comes.”
artillery.
quarter-master-general, and adjutant-general, town-major and
deputy, with other staff of the garrison.
first division of field-officers, youngest first.
band of the 58th regiment.
the commissioner’s secretary, bearing on a crimson velvet cushion
the commission.
the commissioner’s aides-de-camp.
lieutenant-general boyd, the king’s commissioner.
the governor’s secretary, bearing on a crimson velvet cushion the
insignia of the order of the bath.
the governor’s aides-de-camp as esquires.
general elliot, the knight elect, supported by generals de la motte
and green.
aides-de-camp to the major-generals.
major-general picton.
his aide-de-camp.
the brigadier-generals, eldest first.
band—de la motte’s.
second division of field-officers, eldest first.
band of the 56th regiment.
the grenadiers of the garrison.
such was the procession; and interesting it must have been to see those bronzed and battle-worn heroes, who had but just been released from the toils{108} and anxieties of a protracted siege, assembled in recognition of the honour paid by their sovereign to the commander whose resolution, devotion, and military capacity had so largely conduced to bring about a successful result.
the following particulars are borrowed from drinkwater, whose minute history of the siege is necessarily the authority to which all later writers resort:—
no compliment was paid to the knight elect, but as the commissioner passed, each regiment, with the officers, saluted. when the procession arrived at the bastion, the general and field-officers placed themselves on each side of a throne that had been erected for the purpose, the artillery formed around, and the grenadiers fronting the bastion, along the line-wall. the proper reverences being made to the vacant throne, the commissioner desired his secretary to read the commission; which being done, he addressed the knight elect in a short complimentary speech, taking the ribbon at the conclusion and placing it over the governor’s shoulder, who inclined a little for that purpose. three reverences were then a second time made, and each took his seat on a crimson velvet chair on each side of the throne, the{109} commissioner sitting on the right hand. the governor was no sooner invested than the band struck up “god save the king.” the grenadiers fired a volley, and a grand discharge of one hundred and sixty pieces of cannon was fired from the sea-line. the detachments were afterwards dismissed, and each non-commissioned officer and private received a pound of fresh beef and a quart of wine. the generals, with their suites, and the field-officers, dined at the convent. in the evening the bastion was illuminated with coloured lamps and transparencies; and at nine o’clock a display of fireworks took place from the north and south bastions, in the presence of sir george augustus elliot and his principal officers.
thus, in rejoicings and ceremonial display, terminated the labours of the veterans of gibraltar.
calculating from the commencement of the blockade to the cessation of hostilities, the siege lasted three years, seven months, and twelve days; and throughout that long period the garrison had been kept continually on the watch, enjoying no interval of repose, exposed to the attacks of a powerful enemy, worn with fatigue, and harassed by all the incidents of a protracted blockade. they had some{110}times failed in the strict requirements of discipline, and acts of plunder and violence had occasionally tarnished the lustre of their laurels; but in courage and patience and intrepidity they had never been wanting, and their morale improved as the siege advanced. the stir and tumult of the battle-field, with its brilliant episodes of valour, its charges of cavalry, its encounter of bayonets, its individual deeds of heroism, and its exhibition of strategical genius, necessarily lend themselves more readily to the description of the chronicler, and exercise a more powerful influence on the imagination of the reader, than the monotonous incidents of a siege. it is difficult to invest with any attraction the daily record of garrison work; and the reader has no means of forming an idea of its arduous character. he wearies of bastions and batteries; of rounds of shot and shell expended; of labours the issue of which is not apparent; of demonstrations which are seemingly all in vain. yet it is certain that a campaign in the open field, or a great battle like that of waterloo, makes less demand on the best qualities of a soldier than a protracted siege. the long roll of victories of the british army is emblazoned with names which will never be forgotten{111} so long as england retains her imperial spirit or her pride in the past, and among those names, if loyalty and true bravery and heroic endurance are to receive their just recompense, conspicuous and thrice-honoured will always shine that of gibraltar! and the true englishman, remembering how steadfastly elliot and his veterans maintained their hold upon the rock, will sympathize with the generous sentiment of the poet, when he says,—
“nobly, nobly cape st. vincent to the north-west died away;
sunset ran, one glorious blood-red, reeking into cadiz bay,
bluish ’mid the burning water, full in face trafalgar lay;
in the dimmest north-east distance dawned gibraltar grand and gray;
‘here, and here, did england help me; how can i help england?’—say;
whoso turns as i, this evening, turn to god to praise and pray,
while jove’s planet rises yonder, silent over africa.”
since the great siege no attempt has been made to wrest the rock from our firm british grasp; nor are we likely to surrender it, holding it as we do in the interests of europe. its military importance may be less than it was in the days before steam became one of the instruments of war; but still it is one of the keys of the mediterranean, which we cannot afford to see in the hands of any other power. we do not hold it selfishly, being con{112}cerned, not to shut up the mediterranean, but to keep it free for the commerce of every nation. moreover, it is a symbol of power which we cannot relinquish without disgrace.
in the later annals of gibraltar the chief event is the mutiny of the garrison, under the governorship of the duke of kent, the father of the queen.
the young prince, when he entered on a military career, was sent to hanover to learn the duties of his profession, and there he acquired that scrupulous regard for the smallest externals and that “pipe-clayed pedantry” which, before the days of moltke, were the vice of the german army. afterwards he was sent to geneva, where he soon fell into debt, owing to the meagre allowance which he received from his royal father. returning to england, in the hope that george iii. would assist, he was ordered to start in twenty-four hours for gibraltar, with the rank and position of colonel of the 7th fusiliers. his rigid disciplinarian habits here made him unpopular with the common soldiers, who, however, at that time contained a large percentage of desperate and dissolute characters; but by the officers of the garrison he was as much esteemed on{113} account of his excellent qualities as he was respected on account of his rank.
in the course of his professional career the duke of kent served in nova scotia, and in 1799 acted as commander-in-chief of the british forces in north america. afterwards he was again sent to gibraltar—this time as governor. the garrison was in a state of open insubordination, and had acquired an ill repute for its drunkenness and profligacy. to cleanse this augean stable, a kind of military hercules was required; and the duke was chosen, partly on account of his rank, partly on account of his known strictness as a disciplinarian. he went, carrying with him the most positive instructions, and relying upon promises of hearty support from the british cabinet. a more unpleasant task seldom fell to a prince of the royal blood, for it could not be efficiently discharged without loss of popularity. the duke, however, set to work most vigorously. he abolished one half the wine-shops; established a regimental canteen; ordered out the troops for proper periods of drill and exercise; and punished laxity and disobedience with an unfaltering hand. in the course of his reforms he found occasion to deal severely with some of the officers, and there is{114} reason to fear that they did their utmost to foster a spirit of revenge among the private soldiers. however this may be, a mutiny broke out, with the object, it is said, of compelling the duke to retire on board ship, and leave the garrison; though it may well be doubted whether the mutineers, in the intoxication of success, would not have gone further, and perhaps have stained their hands with blood. happily, a part of the garrison stood firm; the mutineers disagreed among themselves; the outbreak proved a failure; and the ringleaders were arrested and tried by court-martial. ten were sentenced to death, but only three were executed.
in less than three months all symptoms of disaffection subsided; the influence of a steady discipline was felt in the improved condition of the soldiers, morally and physically; and the duke was entitled to pride himself on the full success with which he had accomplished the difficult duty imposed upon him. at this moment, to his utter surprise, he was suddenly dismissed from his post, and recalled to england, to give an explanation of his conduct. the prince obeyed these ungracious orders; and on his return, finding himself unable to obtain a distinct statement of any charges made against him,{115} demanded a court-martial. this was curtly refused, and the duke involved in suspicions which he was not allowed to dissipate. that he was unfairly treated cannot be doubted; he was made the victim of personal and political intrigues. he had the satisfaction, however, of receiving from the inhabitants of gibraltar a testimonial of attachment and respect, valued at one thousand guineas; while the british adjutant-general pronounced his “military code of instruction for the garrison of gibraltar” an “enlightened and excellent system.”
of late years the command at gibraltar has usually been given to some officer of rank who has distinguished himself by his services in the field. it has been held by such men as sir william gom and sir fenwick williams of kars; and at the present time (1879) it is in the hands of one of our most distinguished soldiers, lord napier of magdala. as the first of the line of strongholds which guard our highway to india, it still possesses and must always possess a value and a significance; and it is well that such a post should be reserved for a veteran general, who, in case of need, will know how to utilise its capabilities and maintain its reputation for impregnability.
