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The Battle of Charles Fort
Our focus today is on the battle of Charles Fort. Charles Fort, now the leper asylum at Cleverly Hill in Sandy Point, built in commemoration of King Charles -- was once the scene of a battle between the English and the French, who at that time were living side by side on the island.
 
The conflict started when the English crossed the boundary and finding themselves the stronger of the two, seized whatever land they wanted, and in addition forbade Duroissey and D'Esnambuc from fortifying Fig Tree, Sandy Point. D'Esnambuc irritated by the violation of the early treaty, returned
to France for help from Richelieu.
 
Richelieu supported D'Esnambuc by fitting out a squadron of ten ships which attacked five English ships at anchor, sheltering under the guns of Charles Fort - and without further notice proceeded to pound the broadsides of the English ships. The English opened fire from Charles Fort in an endeavour to protect their ships and themselves from surrender.
 
The French with their superior fire power closed in on the English enemy to within a distance of some two to three hundred feet from the shore, and there they continued to blast at each other for some time, until the English fire slackened. The French closed in further until they were able to board five English ships although the shore battery of the English had not been completely silenced. They were thus able to cut out four out of the five English ships while under fire retreating with their prizes, back in the direction of Basseterre.

On the following day, Mr Payne, Governor Warner's brother-in--aw went to Basseterre in a Frigate with a flag of truce. After much negotiation, the articles of a new Treaty signed on the 7th August, 1629, allowed for the return of the four ships to the English and the restoration of the lands
encroached upon by the English. "A so ee go."
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