Читать книгу The Life of Sir Henry Morgan. With an account of the English settlement of the island of Jamaica онлайн

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Some men were then living in Jamaica, who had been expelled from Providence, when that island had been taken by the Spaniards a quarter of a century before, and its recovery was warmly applauded.

As Modyford had no regular soldiers at his disposal he was obliged to call for volunteers to form a garrison for his new possession. The "able person" chosen to command them was Major Samuel Smith, of whom little else is known. With him went the adventurous Sir Thomas Whetstone, late Speaker of the Assembly, Captain Stanley, and, according to Beeston's journal, about thirty-two men. Modyford reported officially that he had sent Major Samuel Smith "with a small supply of men to govern the Isle of Providence for his Majesty." He added cheerfully that "in sum those fortunate instructions which your Grace gave me of last June [1665] being put into execution but since March last, have restored to us all our English and abundance of Dutch and some French [privateers]."[112]

Yet on the same day he thought it necessary to write another confidential letter to Albemarle to justify his conduct in issuing letters-of-marque against Spain and relate its success.