 The raid had an unforeseen consequence , when the commander of Île Bonaparte General Nicolas Des Bruslys , committed suicide rather than lead the garrison against the British landing parties . This encouraged Rowley to consider a larger operation to seize the whole island . Using the small British @-@ held island of Rodriguez as a base , Rowley and his British Army counterpart Lieutenant @-@ Colonel Henry Keating planned to land two forces either side of the island 's capital Saint Denis and force the governor to capitulate before the island 's militia could be mobilised against them . 
