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action, on our side, was begun by the grenadiers of the 24th 
regiment, sent to dislodge a body of mounted riflemen, which 
occupied a rising ground on our right flank. This duty the 
grenadiers performed with great intrepidity, but not without 
serious loss: Capt. Foster* being killed on the spot, and 
fifteen men either killed or wounded. 
* The line, in the meantime, continued to advance over a 
tract of ground where we were buried up to the middle in 
heath and prickly shrubs. Owing to some misconception of 
orders, we began firing before we had arrived within killing 
distance of the enemy; but this error was speedily corrected 
by the rapidity of our movement, which alarmed him so 
much, that, by the time we came within a hundred yards of 
his position, he began to retreat. This he effected in very 
good order; for, to tell the truth, we were in no condition to 
molest him. Fresh from the cool bracing climate of Ireland, 
then cooped up for five months on board of crowded trans- 
ports, a march of six hours over the scorching sands of 
Africa, exhausted us to such a degree, that even the exhilar- 
ating sight of a flying enemy could not prevent immense 
numbers from escaping to the rear. 
* Our force of every description in this action, was about 
five thousand men; that of the enemy three thousand. The 
loss was nearly equal, being about three hundred in killed 
. * The Indiamen being then ordered to get under weigh, and the men-of-war 
drawn up close to the shore, a landing was effected, and soon after seven the 
next day, a most tremendous fire of artillery began behind a mountain abreast of 
the ships. It seemed as if the mountain itself was torn by intestine convulsions. 
The smoke arose from a lesser eminence on the right side of the hill; and 
on the top of it troops were seen, marching down the farther declivity. Then 
came such a long-drawn fire of musketry, that I could not conceive any thing 
like it. We all shaddered at considering what a multitude of souls must be 
. passing into eternity. The poor ladies were in a dreadful condition: every shot 
seemed to go through their hearts. The sound is now retiring, and the enemy 
are seen retreating along the low ground on the right, towards the town." 
* “ Among several others, some wounded and some dead, was Capt. Foster, 
who was shot by arifleman. We all stopped for a while "a pie 
—U body."— Henry Martyn’s Journal. efie em 
