Siege of Gibraltar (1727) - Conditions Within Gibraltar

Conditions Within Gibraltar

In his journal of the siege, the anonymous ‘S.H.’ painted an interesting portrait of life during the siege. Although life in the garrison was often dangerous and brutish, ‘S.H.’ nevertheless noted how civilised, in some aspects, eighteenth century warfare could be:

4 days agoe, the Conde de la Torres sent a present of some choice Fish to Admiral Wager, who gave them to the Governor and came to dine.... Lt. Clarke of the Tiger, having been with a message to the Spanish General and had the honour to to dine with the Duke of Wharton and Lady Mrs., brought a present of a whole wild boar and a large basket of fish from an officer to Colonel Anstruther. The fish proved to be bad, but the boar was dressed the next day.

However, he also chronicled (if sometimes rather flippantly) the great dangers facing the defenders during the incessant Spanish bombardment.

A Soldier, not three minutes on his Post, must be peeping over the Wall at the Prince’s Line, his curiosity cost him his Head, which a Cannon Ball made bold to carry away without leave. Another, just come on Duty, lost his fire lock off his shoulder in the same Manner.

Discipline amongst the troops was harsh, and infractions such as drunkenness common. ‘Our Men were put to allowance of a pint of Wine per Day, to prevent their frequent drunkenness.’ ‘S.H.’ also blamed the failure of the sortie on 28 April (NS) on the drunkenness of the gunners. Although deserters from the Spanish force were welcomed warmly, attempts at desertion by British soldiers were dealt with harshly. After the siege a Cameronian was caught trying to escape to the Spanish lines:

There was found on him a Plan or description of the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Garrison ... He was condemned to have a halter put about his neck, to be whipped under the gallows at the new mole, Southport and Market Place and Water Port – in all 500 lashes by the common hangman. After which he was drummed out of town with the Rouge’s march, a rope about his neck, then naked as he was, put on board a ship designed for the West Indies, there to be put on shore as a slave on the plantations never to be redeemed.

Life was also hard for the civilian population. The 400 Spaniards in Gibraltar had been expelled at the beginning of the siege, leaving around 200 adult male Genoese and 100 adult male Jews to help with the defence. ‘S.H.’ recorded that ‘A body of the Jews desire leave to retire to Barbary, because commanded to work for the common Preservation, but answer’d by the Governor that as they had enjoy’d safe and plenty during Peace, if they will not assist for their own safety, they shall be turned over to the Spaniard.’ However, another diarist of the siege indicated that the Gibraltarian Jews earned their salt as much as anyone else:

...the Jews were not a little serviceable, they wrought in the most indefatigable manner and spared no pains where they could be of any advantage either in the siege or after it.

Punishments for non-combatants could also be harsh. Female transgressors of the correct codes were forced to endure the ‘whirligig’.

A poor Lady, by name Chidley, confin’d to the Black Hole, or Dungeon, for the space of a Night, but next day, to make her some amends for her want of company, she was most formally conducted to a pretty Whim or Whirligig, in form of a Bird Cage, for the greater benefit of air. It contains Room enough for one person, and tho’ in length it be ten foot, yet, by the narrowness, I find it does not answer our old saying of “it’s as broad as it’s long.” It is fixed between two swivels, so is turn’d round till it makes the person, if not us’d very gently, a little giddy and Land Sick. This Office was performed by two of the private Gentlemen of the Garrison, for the space of an hour in the Market Place, being well attended. All this was to oblige her for the following good qualities, which she had the goodness to make frequent use of such as giving soft words in smooth language, beating better manners into several men and a too frequent bestowing of her other favours.

This is far more gruesome than ‘S.H.’ makes clear, for whilst he tactfully wrote that it made the victim a little ‘giddy’ and ‘land sick’, George Hills has bluntly noted that ‘In fact the centrifugal action caused the victim to empty through every orifice.’ Another contemporary source recounted the barbaric way in which two Moorish spies were punished:

Two Moors, the chief agents of the Spaniards, were found guilty, and were put to death and afterwards flayed; their skins were nailed to the gates of the town, where they appeared in the same proportion as when alive, and being large, gigantic fellows, as the Moors in general are, they were horrid ghastly spectacles.