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THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

SPENCER LORD COMPTON,

BARON OF WILMINGTON,

KNIGHT OF THE BATH, AND ONE OF HIS MAJESTY'S MOST HONOUR

ABLE PRIVY COUNCIL.

Ir was my fortune, my Lord, in my juvenile years, Musas cum marte commutare; and truly I have reason to blush, when I consider the small advantage I have reaped from that change. But lest it should be imputed to my want of merit, I have wrote these Memoirs, and leave the world to judge of my deserts. They are not set forth by any fictitious stories, nor embellished with rhetorical flourishes; plain truth is certainly most becoming the character of an old soldier. Yet let them be never so meritorious, if not protected by some noble patron, some persons may think them to be of no value.

To you, therefore, my Lord, I present them; to you, who have so eminently distinguished yourself, and whose wisdom has been so conspicuous to the late representatives of Great Britain, that each revolving age will speak in your praise; and if you vouchsafe to be the Mecenas of these Memoirs, your name will give them sufficient sanction.

An old soldier I may truly call myself, and my family allows me the title of a gentleman; yet I have seen many favourites of fortuue, without being able to discern why they

should be so happy, and myself so unfortunate. But let not that discourage your Lordship from receiving these my Memoirs into your patronage; for the unhappy cannot expect favour, but from those who are endued with generous souls.

Give me leave, my Lord, to congratulate this good fortune, that neither Whig nor Tory (in this complaining age) have found fault with your conduct. Your family has produced heroes, in defence of injured kings; and you, when it was necessary, have as nobly adhered to the cause of liberty. My LORD,

Your Lordship's most obedient,

And most devoted humble Servant,

G. CARLETON.

TO THE READER.

THE author of these Memoirs began early to distinguish himself in martial affairs, otherwise he could not have seen such variety of actions, both by sea and land. After the last Dutch war he went into Flanders, where he not only served under the command of his Highness the Prince of Orange, whilst he was generalissimo of the Dutch forces, but likewise all the time he reigned King of Great Britain. Most of the considerable passages and events, which happened during that time, are contained in the former part of this book.

In the year 1705, the regiment, in which he served as captain, was ordered to embark for the West Indies; and he, having no inclination to go thither, changed with an halfpay captain; and being recommended to the Earl of Peterborough by the late Lord Cutts, went with him upon that noble expedition into Spain.

When the forces under his Lordship's command were landed near Barcelona, the siege of that place was thought by several impracticable, not only for want of experienced engineers, but that the besieged were as numerous as the besiegers; yet the courage of that brave earl surmounted those difficulties, and the siege was resolved upon.

Our author having obtained, by his long service, some knowledge of the practic part of an engineer, and seeing at that critical time the great want of such, readily acted as one, which gave him the greater opportunity of being an eye

witness of his Lordship's actions; and consequently made him capable of setting them forth in these his Memoirs.

It may not be, perhaps, improper to mention, that the author of these Memoirs was born at Ewelme in Oxfordshire, descended from an ancient and an honourable family. The Lord Dudley Carleton, who died secretary of state to King Charles I., was his great uncle; and in the same reign his father was envoy at the Court of Madrid, whilst his uncle, Sir Dudley Carleton, was ambassador to the states of Holland; men in those days respected both for their abilities and loyalty.

MEMOIRS

OF

CAPTAIN CARLETON.

CHAPTER I.

I VOLUNTEER ON BOARD THE LONDON, AND GO OUT WITH THE DUKE OF YORK'S EXPEDITION TO HOLLAND-JOIN THE FRENCH FLEET-GENERAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE AMSTERDAM SQUADRON SINGULAR ACCOUNT OF OUR PIGEONS ABOARD THE LONDON PRINCE OF CONDE ROUTES OUR . FORCES MARCH ΤΟ QUARIGNAN AND VALENCIENNES-THE PRINCE OF ORANGE LEAVES THE ARMY IN DISGUST, BUT RECEDES FROM THAT RESOLUTION -THE SIEGE OF MAESTRICH-FALSE ATTACK ON WYCK -SIEGE OF CAMBRAY AND ST. OMARS.

In the year one thousand six hundred and seventy two, war being proclaimed with Holland, it was looked upon, among nobility and gentry, as a blemish not to attend the Duke of York* aboard the fleet, who was then declared admiral. With many others, I, at that time about twenty years of age, entered myself a volunteer on board the London, commanded by Sir Edward Sprage, vice-admiral of the red.

The fleet set sail from the buoy of the Nore about the beginning of May, in order to join the French fleet, then at

Afterwards James II. By the treaty betwixt England and France, six thousand of the British troops were to assist the French army against the Dutch. The two fleets of France and England joined the 2nd May. The English consisting of a hundred,, and the French of forty sail. The States had seventy-two large ships and forty frigates.

VOL. II.

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