 The Raid on Saint Paul was an important demonstration of Rowley 's ability to strike at the French anchorages directly . Landing men at unwatched beaches , the British soldiers , sailors and Royal Marines of the landing party were able to storm the defences from the landward side and rout the defenders . This allowed Rowley 's squadron to enter the harbour and capture Caroline and a number of smaller ships that were docked there . The attack caused consternation on the island and its commander , Nicolas Des Bruslys , committed suicide rather than order his troops to attack the British positions . Unopposed , Rowley was able to destroy the defences and public works in the town before leaving with large quantities of captured supplies and ships . Colonel Chrysostome Sainte @-@ Suzanne replaced Des Bruslys but was unable to effectively defend the island with the remaining garrison in the event of a concerted invasion . 
