13 



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 firino- 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 Ii*eland, 

 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 shuddered 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 a rifleman. We all stopped for a while to gaze in pensive 

 silence on his pale body." — Henry Martyii's Journal, 



