and though when the army landed, the works CHAP. round fort Lazar were very infignificant, except VI. a fafcine battery of five guns on the north fide of the hill, which was built the year before when 1740. Admiral Vernon bombarded the town, and was of no fervice but in cafe of approaches at fea; yet the Spaniards in three days time completed a four gun battery, and entrenched themselves in lines round about the foot of the castle, which were stronger and of much more importance than the caftle itself; they alfo drew the guns off the fafcine battery on the north point, and mounting them in this new battery, frequently fired in the camp, whilft the army were working on the bomb battery and lodgments for the advanced guards.

SICKNESS increafing in the camp, and the rainy feafon approaching, Admiral Vernon, from the flowness of the army, was in great defpondency of feeing the fuccefs of the fleet continued by the army; he knew the Spaniards could not stand a vigorous affault, but being convinced they were infinitely better provided with engineers than the army, he in conjunction with Sir Chaloner Ogle, ftrongly recommended to the general to make a vigorous pufh, as he would thereby intimidate the Spaniards, obtain a great prefervation to his decaying men, and bring matters to a speedy iffue: and to give the general all affiftance in his power, the vice admiral fupplied his deficiency of men, with a detachment of Lord James Cavendish and Colonel Bland's regiments, that had remained aboard the fhips as part of their complement, and a body of fuch Americans as were fit for fervice, which, together with the negroes, augmented the army to about 5,000 men. Care was taken

by

PART by the fleet effectually to prevent any fupplies, ·I. and deprive the Spaniards from any communica

tion at fea; and the Weymouth continuing pofted 1741. within piftol fhot of the fhore, kept fcouring the country to fecure the camp from any attack; and the mortars from the ketches played both on the fort and the town: but the general could not be prevailed on to cut off the communication between the town and country, by which negligence the Spaniards had uninterrupted opportunities of bringing whole herds of cattle into the town, and, at their leisure, to reinforce and supply the garrifon of Lazar.

UPON receiving the reinforcement from the fhips, on the 8th in the afternoon, a council of war was held by the general and field officers, wherein it was refolved by the majority of the council," To attack the caftle and trenches of St. "Lazar, without waiting for the raifing of a

..

battery to make a breach;" which the chief engineer had reported, required fo large a number of men, and fo much time to cut through the woods, as in their circumstances rendered it impracticable; and efpecially as the Spaniards were daily throwing up new works, the council thought there was no other choice left, but either to make a bold pufh for the furprizing fort Lazar, or to return on board; and therefore determined, but too late, on the affault, though two of the general officers diffented from this refolution, as judging it too rash an undertaking without firft making a proper breach, or at least before the place had been well reconnoitred. The neceffary things for the attack could not be got in readinefs till night, and the next morning 1,200 men, under the command of Brigadier-General Guife, paraded on the ftrand,

ftrand, where having formed, they advanced CHAP. towards the fort, conducted by three deferters; VI, and a little before day began to mount the hill, ~ They begun the attack in two places, but the 1741, divifion which was to have gone up an open acceffible road which lay upon the right of the fort, was in the dark by a fatal mistake led up the center, where the ascent was very steep and the ground broken: fome of the most forward gained the top and pushed on to the entrenchments, but not being immediately fuftained, by reason, of the great difficulty found in mounting the hill, they were most of them killed or wounded, Colonel Grant very gallantly afcended the hill on the left, but having immediately received a mortal wound, and the guide with feveral others. being killed, Lieutenant-Colonel Hamon, the next in command, advanced no further, but continued on the fide of the hill till they were ordered to retire.

THIS detachment being the flower of the army, were almoft all cut off, and their colonel fhot through the body; the reft of the troops perceiving the difmal flaughter of their braveft men, and their officers feeing they had formed their difpofition on an inacceffible part of the hill, halted at the foot of it, and remained in a great deal of irregularity; for instead of rushing sword in hand among the Spaniards in the trenches, a full ftop was made, the men ftood firing in platoons, and not one of the officers attempted to lead them on; thofe that had room and could wheel off for others, did, but the greateft part ftood and fired all their ammunition away; while the Spaniards pouring in from the town, it being open day-light, played fo exceedingly brifk upon them with grape fhot from their cannon, mufVOL. I.

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ketry

I.

PART ketry and grenadoes, that they made a most lamentable havoc amongst the befiegers; who notwithstanding faced them like lions, and had 1741, they been led on, or told what they were to have done, the place in all probability must have furrendered to their bravery: but after pitching upon a wrong place, and fruitlefsly expofing the men for a facrifice to the Spaniards, between fix and seven the British troops were ordered to retreat; and to cover them, a referve of 500 men was directed to advance, by which means they retired without any further lofs, and carried off great part of the wounded men; having upwards of 600 men killed or wounded in this unfortunate and fatal attack, and amongst the flain were Colonel Grant, Lieutenant-Colonel Thompfon, three captains and four lieutenants.

AFTER the miscarriage of this attack, all hopes of poffeffing the town were entirely vanished; the troops fickened fo furprizingly faft, that near 500 were either dead or in a very feeble condition by the 13th, and amongst the fick were almoft all the principal officers: upon which the general called a council of war, to whom it ap. peared, that the troops were fo far from being in a condition to offend the Spaniards, that they had fcarcely duty-men fufficient for the ordinary guards of the camp, and many of them in a very languishing condition; befides which they were threatned with the want of water, all the cifterns from whence the camp had been fupplied, being near exhausted in confequence of which, it was refolved on the 15th, in a general council of war, compofed of fea and land officers, To have "the cannon and forces re-imbarked with all convenient speed." Every thing being got ready on the 16th, the boats were ordered a

thore

fhore about nine o'clock at night, and effected CHAP. the re-imbarkation under cover of the fhips, with VI. the fame difpofition that gave fecurity to their landing, without having a mufket fhot fired at 1741. them. The number of troops on their landing amounted to about 5,000, and were fo, far reduced by the Spaniards and fickness, that no more than 3,200 returned to the fhips; and 1,200 of those were Americans, not esteemed fit for service; and great numbers of the others feeble, and scarcely fit for the ordinary duty.

THE Spanish admiral's fhip the Gallicia, was got up to Caftillo Grande on the 8th, and Vice Admiral Vernon, intending her for a battery against the town, fent fixty carpenters on board to fit her up, for fecuring the men as well as he could from the general fire fhe must neceffarily be exposed to. On the 15th at night he was completed, and posted, under the command of Capt. Hore, as near the walls of the town as poffible, anchors having been dropped for that purpofe in as fhoal water as the boats could float them; but the fhoalings from the town ran too far off for any effectual fervice: no fhip could be nearer placed, nor could any are be more regularly and clofely plied from a fhip, than was performed by the officers and failors on board of her, who ftood the fire from three baftions, a half moon and a ravelin, from five in the morning till near twelve at noon, and never flagged in their fire: but as the vice admiral faw the could do no material fervice againft ftone walls at that distance, he fent orders to Capt. Hore, to cut and drive before the fea breeze broad fide to the Spaniards, as foon as the breeze was ftrong enough; which was not till near twelve, when they kept driving broadfide, and continued their fire

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