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WAR: BOOK V.
The Argument.
Britannia represented clad in terrors! and leaning on Pitt; (like Achilles, reclin'd on his speur, after the carnage he had made among the Trojams, in revenge for the death of Patroclus.) A recapitulation of Great-Britain's victories, both by sea and land, and the French terror! Thurot rushing forth to war against the English, (like a tyger, to hunt his prey, without his teeth and claws.) His landing on the Irish coast. Taking Carrickfergus, and laying Belfast under contribution. The Hibernian zeal and bravery of the few troops there; rending the battlements of the castle of Carrickfergus, and flinging the stones on the enemy for some time, after all their ammunition was spent! the consternation of the French at their intrebidity! their sullen submission; (like our gallant troops at Cas.) The French retreat, and reimbarkation. Their joy damp'd, (like the Amalekites, who spoil'd Ziklag,) when the Captains, Elliot, Clements, and Logie, in the Æolus, Brilliant, and Pallas, bore down to engage. The fight, and Thurot's death; with the French submission. An address to Lewis, with a recital of the gallantry of our matchless tars, and intrepid troops! a few similies on George the Second; like eagle mounted Jove, directing the thunder against Gaul, &c. &c. &c.
In terrors clad! with num'rous vict'ries crown'd;
Leaning on Pitt, as if to breathe awhile;
She stood, and cast a fierce indignant smile;
Like great Achilles, on his spear reclin'd,
The war revolving, in his martial mind;
Most greatly pleas'd; 'twixt rage, and stern disdain;
He smiling, frown'd, across the Phrygian plain;
O'er slaughter'd heaps of Trojans by him slain;
So stood Britannia, pleas'd, serene, sedate;
Compleatly arm'd; victoriously elate;
Her dreadful shores, appear'd one hallow'd bound;
Her horse, and foot, rang'd on her frontier ground,
Her navy girded her with terrors round;
At distance stood, (as thunderstruck;) the Gaul;
Amidst Quebec's, and Louisbourg's downfall;
And Senegal, had felt the like dismay;
Their fleets cou'd not our fleets attack sustain;
Some at Lagos, some founder'd at Villaine;
Some burnt, some sunk, amid the swelling main;
A pannic dread, prevail'd at land, and sea;
They struck, or fled, in swift affright away;
As doves from Jove's imperial bird of prey;
They turn'd their backs, (us wonted to the chace.
All fear'd, at least few dar'd, to show their face;
Till Thurot rose, (to hide the Gallic shame;)
And rashly fir'd, sail'd forth to gain a name;
And like a tyger, from his lurking den,
Rush'd on, supported by a thousand men;
But in such plight, to back his daring cause,
He seem'd to hunt his prey, without his teeth, and claws!
He landed on Hibernia's naked coast;
So cowards, may the lion's den assail,
And boast from thence, the new whelp'd cubs, they steal;
Whilst bold old lions, thro' the forest roam,
And search for prey far distant from their home:
But shou'd loud roar, bespeak the lions near,
As if their final knell, had pierc'd their ear,
They steal, (nay fly) away, (absorpt) in speechless fear;
This place, Thurot, almost defenceless found,
And boldly dar'd to tread Hibernian ground:
At Carrickfergus, he a plunder made,
And Belfast, under contribution laid.
Not till th' Hibernians had their powder spent,
And from the base their mural hopes had rent;
With native zeal! and patriotic glow!
They flung the ramparts on the charging foe;
Forgetting they expos'd themselves unarm'd;
So much the battle had their bosoms warm'd.
Seiz'd on his spear, and full of martial wrath,
He plung'd amidst the thickest ranks of foes;
Who thought some God had dealt destructive blown!
They stood amaz'd! or join'd the tim'rous rout;
Whilst he spread death, and terrors round about!
As stood at gaze, the halting half scar'd Gauls!
Midst dashing show'rs, of Carrickfergus walls!
From engines, mortars, slings, nor cannon flung!
But from Hibernian nerves, for warlike action strong.
Thus in a thick descending stony show'r;
They fought 'gainst numbers, and superior pow'r;
The charging shocks, themselves, like ramparts bore;
Till they cou'd rend the stubborn walls no more,
Then like the troops at Cas , they sullen frown'd!
And flung their useless muskets in the ground;
Not till like them, they'd well the fight sustain'd;
And from the victors, almost vict'ry gain'd.
The news no sooner, reached our half starv'd foes;
Our freeborn troops, and brave militia rose,
Than like a herd of deers, with timid mind,
And hungry wolves, in close pursuit behind;
From Ireland's shores, they fled in haste away,
Quick reimbark'd, and weigh'd and put to sea;
And thought (o'erjoy'd!) to make their native shore;
With conquest flesh'd, and fed with English store;
But Thurot first must fall, and hundreds more!
So once, Amalekites, weak Ziklag spoil'd;
But David's breast with manly ardour boil'd;
He chac'd, and fought, and kill'd, retook the prey;
Their triumph damp'd, in death, and cold dismay.
To meet Thurot, with formidable frown;
With wonted rage, like England's naval Sons,
They fought, huzza'd, and ply'd Britannia's guns;
Stern Æolus , began the rough attack;
And flung (untrim'd) their bloated sails aback.
Onward he came, in a most direful form;
And roar'd tremendous; in a sulph'rous storm;
Thro' ev'ry ship a pannic fright prevails:
The tacks grew useless, as the flutt'ring sails.
In Brilliant trim, war's mighty goddess frown'd!
She roar'd in flame! and death was in the sound!
And near Thurot, they roll'd the loud alarm;
(Thurot, whom (tho' a foe,) we scarcely blame,
Who bears a gen'rous, manlike warrior's name;)
To closer fight, they eagerly advance,
Rive the French ships, and check the pride of France!
The fight grew hot, thick flew the English balls;
And death flew fore and aft, among the Gauls:
The brave, the rash Thurot, became his prey!
And terror fill'd the French, with dread dismay!
As twice of late, when Boscawen, and Hawke,
Midst fulminating tars! and clouds of sulph'rous smoke!
To Constans, and De Clue, in British thunder spoke;
Their guns grew mute, they all for quarter call'd,
And down (in fear) the Gallic ensign haul'd.
Again they come, and tread our fatal coast,
Dejected, maim'd, and all their plunder lost.
To tread Hibernia's, or Britannia's shore.
Whilst Hawke, Boscawen, Homes, & Saunders roam,
Abroad for fame; and Pitt commands at home!
Whilst England owns so many gallant tars!
And brave commanders, for the naval wars!
Whilst Scotchmen, can their dreaded broad Swords wield!
With English, and Hibernians, take the field,
Who with their leaders brave, at danger smile;
Firm leagu'd, like troops of death, to guard our isle;
Whilst Britons serve great George, with filial fear,
Who with his Son, and brave old Ligonier,
At Dettingen, like lions, fierce in fight!
Routed main corps, and put gens d'armes to flight!
Whilst King and Peers, and Council, hand in hand,
Back'd by the body of the nation stand;
Resolv'd to save wifes, children, lands, and laws!
And Heav'n Propitious, smiles upon the cause;
Thy men as well, may safely think to tread,
Nightly unarm'd, thro' Africa's dread shade;
Where lions, tygers, pards, (fierce beasts of prey,)
Roar in the pass, and dam the dang'rous way,
As e'er expect, in France, to make their boast,
We victors came, from Britain's dreaded coast.
By Jupiter, to scourge the rebel world;
From strong Olympus' height, the thunder growls!
And wrapp'd in flame æthereal, onward rolls!
Like eagle mounted Jove, in awful form!
George, against Gaul, directs the thund'ring storm!
His Son, and Grandsons, Blessings to this land!
Are like the Bolts, uplifted in His Hand;
East, west, north, south, with rapid speed He flies,
The Lords and Commons, venerable wise!
May well be call'd, His eagle's watchful eyes.
His body, neck, and mighty sweeping tail,
The triple union, Britain's common weal.
To His strong pinions, we may well compare,
The Honest Pitt! and Brave old Ligonier!
The Tars, and Troops, His talons may be call'd,
By whose strong gripe, proud Gallia's sides are gaul'd!
As with his bill, he seizes tim'rous hares,
Crushing their bones, and them in pieces tears,
Brave Hawke, and Boscawen, in pieces break
The Gallic fleets, and may be call'd His beak!
When those who landed from Thurot's squadron, attack'd Carrickfergus, the few soldiers we had there with an heroic zeal, and in a most brave manner, [illeg.] almost every inch of ground; and with a bloody toil, made them dearly buy their Victory! for when all their ammunition was spent, they flung the stones off the ramparts on the advancing enemies! and held them in play for some time, as if they had forgotten the rapid execution of powder and ball; and that whilst they demolish'd the battlements, they left themselves more expos'd to the enemy s fire.
This was a Spartan warrior; who one day happen'd to be bathing, in a city besieg'd; when the enemy rushing suddenly and furiously on, had like to have enter'd triumphantly: and on hearing the alarm of war, and that the city was like to be carried by a general assault, he leapt from the bath, laid hold of his spear, and plung'd among the charging enemy, and deals his vengeance amongst the thickest ranks; who seeing him take such deathful strides! naked and unarm'd! inclosed in a brazen, iron, and steely war! superstitiously thought some deity had assum'd a human shape, to fling destruction through their cohorts! and turn the sway of battle! they stood transfix'd, with a religious awe! fell unresisting, beneath his oft transpiercing spear! or join'd the general rout, as he strode to different parts of the field, and chang'd the scene of action.
When the French found themselves so resolutely oppos'd, by our handful of men at Carrickfergus, after all their ammunition was spent: they halted in a sort of a half fear'd gaze, as if in suspence, whether they shou'd advance, stand the charge, of those few brave men, or make a shameful retreat: and doubtless, one or two rounds more of Hibernian rhetorick, wou'd have rais'd the panic to such a height, as to have confirm'd them in an instant resolve, and have made them retire in confusion.
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