The Golden Rock: An Episode of the American War of Independence, 1775-1783Naval Institute Press, 1996 - 254 σελίδες The story of the tiny Dutch island of St Eustatius - the Golden Rock - in the Lesser Antilles, once the richest trading centre in the Caribbean and a major source of supply for arms and necessaries for the American rebels in the War of Independence, will be known to few, other than students of that war or British naval history. The events which followed Britain's declaration of war on the Dutch in December 1870, to pre-empt a threatened alliance with Britain's enemies, France and Spain, and the consequent seizure of the island in February 1781, by Admiral Sir George Brydges Rodney and Major-General Sir John Vaughan, reflect little credit upon those joint-Commanders-in Chief or, indeed, upon the government of King George III. After some years of extensive and penetrating research, Ronald Hurst has pieced together the whole story and given us a fascinating and wholly authentic account of the rape of St Eustatius and its aftermath. He has laid bare the shameful conduct of those who busied themselves with the stripping of the assets of the island and its people: not least we are given an intriguing view of the activities of Lieutenant-Colonel James Cockburn of the 35th Regiment of Foot, Vaughan's Quartermaster-General and, later Governor of the island. For the highly controversial surrender to the French over which he presided, he would ultimately be court-martialled and cashiered. With what can only be described as poetic justice, the British spoils of the operation were brilliantly snatched by the French Admiral La Motte Picquet even as the Prize Convoy approached home waters, leaving Rodney and Vaughan with nothing but a public tongue-lashing from Burke in the Commons and a mountain oflaw suits to combat. It is one of the quirks of history that both should survive this episode to have honours conferred upon them for later deeds - Rodney, who became a peer in 1782, for his crushing victory over the French in the Battle of the Saints in April of that year and Vaughan to be promoted to Lieutenant General and appointed Governor of the Leeward Islands, where he died in 1795. |
Περιεχόμενα
The Golden Rock I | 1 |
Rodney Vaughan and Cockburn | 9 |
Casus Belli | 49 |
Πνευματικά δικαιώματα | |
8 άλλες ενότητες δεν εμφανίζονται
Άλλες εκδόσεις - Προβολή όλων
The Golden Rock: An Episode of the American War of Independence, 1775-1783 Ronald Hurst Προβολή αποσπασμάτων - 1996 |
Συχνά εμφανιζόμενοι όροι και φράσεις
13th Regiment aboard Admiral admiral's Admiralty Akers American Amsterdam Antigua appointed Army arrived Arthur Savage Barbados battery Bouillé Brigadier Britain British brought Captain Garstin capture cargo Caribbean Christie Colonel command Commanders-in-Chief convoy Court Curaçao Curson and Gouverneur Dutch Edhouse enemy England English February flag fleet force Forster Fort Oranje France French frigate garrison George Brydges Rodney Germain Gibraltar Governor Graaff guns Holland honour Hood Hood's Hotham island of St James Cockburn Jong La Motte Picquet landing Leeward letter Lieutenant Lieutenant-Colonel Cockburn Lord Mackenzie Majesty's Major-General Mars Martinique matter merchant merchantmen military naval Navy Neagle officers Ogilvie prisoners prize Richard Downing Jennings Rodney and Vaughan Rodney's Rogerson Royal sail Sales Sandwich sent ships Signal Sir George's soldiers squadron St Eustatius St Kitts St Lucia St Martin St Vincent Staphorsts Statia surrender taken trade troops Tumble Down Dick vessels West Indies William
Αναφορές για αυτό το βιβλίο
English/British Naval History to 1815: A Guide to the Literature Eugene L. Rasor Δεν υπάρχει διαθέσιμη προεπισκόπηση - 2004 |