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INTRODUCTION.

The very curious incident related in the following narrative took place nearly a hundred years ago, and, as men’s memories are short, and the whole affair reads like fiction—and very improbable and imaginative fiction—it may be as well to write a few lines of introduction, and to give my authorities for the facts mentioned in the story.

In the first place, the evidence of persons who had witnessed the landing, and who recollected it perfectly, and who have told the story to me—I have met many such in the course of my life, as my home was within sight of Fishguard Head.  Probably the last of these eye-witnesses was the old woman who died a short time ago—on February 8, 1891.  Her demise was announced by the Pembrokeshire papers as “The Death of a Pembrokeshire Centenarian.”

The death occurred on Sunday morning at the Dyffryn Cottages, near Fishguard, of Eleanor (Nelly) Phillips at the age of 103.  Her age is pretty accurately fixed by a statement she was wont to make, that she was nine years old when the French landed at Fishguard.  She was a spinster, and had been bedridden for eight years.  When a mere girl she was in service at Kilshawe, near Fishguard, and was driving cows from a field when the French frigates appeared off the coast in 1797.

In the second place, the following books and pamphlets:—

Fenton’s “Pembrokeshire,” pp. 10, 11, and 12.

“The Book of South Wales,” by C. F. Cliffe, p. 251.

A curious and scarce pamphlet, written by Williams of Crachenllwyd, a place near St. David’s; he was the farmer who sent his servant to give the alarm.  The pamphlet was called “The Landing of the French,” and was, I believe, printed at Haverfordwest.

“The Red Dragon,” 1885.  Western Mail Office, Cardiff.

“An Authentic Account of the Invasion of the French Troops (under the command of General Tate) on Carrig Gwasted Point, near Fishguard, Wednesday, the 22nd day of February, 1797, and their Surrender to the Forces of His Britannic Majesty on Goodwick Sands, on Friday, the 24th of February; likewise some occurrences connected therewith: never before published.  Haverfordwest: Joseph Potter, printer, High Street, 1842.”  This pamphlet was written by H. L. ap Gwilym—and was signed as correct by two eye-witnesses, Fishguard Fencible men, Peter Davies and Owen Griffith.

Laws, “Little England beyond Wales,” p. 367.

I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. Leach, the editor of the Tenby Observer, for many particulars, and especially for information as to how the news was conveyed to England.  He found the following entry in the overseer’s accounts for the borough of Tenby:—

“Thursday, Feb. 23, 1797.  Cash paid by Mr. Mayor’s order to John Upcoat, for going out to the Road for a skiff to go over to the English side to give information concerning the landing of about 1,400 French Troops at Fishguard in the County, who on the next day surrendered themselves up to the Welsh etc., that went to oppose them as prisoners of war, and were marched accordingly by Saturday 25th to Haverfordwest. . . 1s.”

This entry could not have been entirely made on Feb. 23rd, unless the worthy overseer had the gift of prophecy.

The messenger probably came on to Tenby from Stackpole, where he aroused Lord Cawdor with the tidings in the middle of Wednesday night.  The news conveyed by John Upcoat must have been taken across the Channel to Somersetshire and thence to London; the manner of proceeding at the fin de siècle of the eighteenth century contrasts amusingly with the rapidity of the nineteenth, but possibly our time will be scoffed at and considered slow by the twentieth.

The European Magazine of the period gives the names of the vessels: La Résistance, commanded by Monsieur Montague, 40 guns, eighteen pounders on her main deck, 345 men.  The other frigate La Constance, commanded by Monsieur Desauny, mounted 24 nine-pounders on her main deck, with 189 men. [14]

One of the frigates and the corvette were eventually captured off Brest by the St. Fiorenzo frigate (Captain Sir H. B. Neale, Bart.) and the La Nymphe (Captain J. Cooke), who took them both into Portsmouth, where the frigate was repaired and rechristened the Fisgard, presumably the French pronunciation of Fishguard, and was until quite lately the receiving ship at Sheerness.  The other frigate and the lugger managed to get safely into Brest.

The officers present at the council of war held at the “Royal Oak,” Fishguard, were the Lord-Lieutenant of the county, Lord Milford (who from age and infirmity had given up the command of the troops to Lord Cawdor), Lord Cawdor, Colonel Knox, Colonel Colby, Major Ackland, Colonel Dan. Vaughan, Colonel James, Colonel George Vaughan, the governor of Fishguard Fort, and other gentlemen.  The troops consisted of the Castle Martin Yeomanry Cavalry, the Cardiganshire Militia, the Cardiff Militia (which was then stationed in Pembrokeshire), some Fencible infantry, and a few sailors under Lieutenants Mears and Perkins, in all 750 men.

The letters that passed between General Tate and Lord Cawdor are given in the narrative, but the following letters from Lord Milford and Lord Cawdor to the Duke of Portland, Secretary of State for the Home Department, may be found interesting:—

From Lord Milford.

“Haverfordwest,

“February 26, 1797, Six o’clock A.M.

“Since I had the honour of writing last to your Grace by express I received information of the French ships having sailed and left 300 men behind, who have surrendered themselves prisoners.  The great spirit and loyalty that the gentlemen and peasantry has shown on this occasion exceeds description.  Many thousands of the latter assembled, armed with pikes and scythes, and attacked the enemy previous to the arrival of troops that were sent against them.”

 

“Haverfordwest,

“February 24, Nine o’clock P.M.

“I have the honour and pleasure to inform your Grace that the whole of the French troops, amounting to near fourteen hundred men, have surrendered, and are now on their march to Haverfordwest.  I have taken the first opportunity of announcing the good news to your Grace, and shall have the honour of writing again to your Grace by tomorrow’s post.”

The following letter was written by Lord Cawdor to the Duke of Portland:—

“Fishguard,

“Friday, February 24, 1797.

“My