60 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1754. 



a manner as to enfilade the quay on 

 ■which they must have landed to 

 come to us, and assuring them, at 

 the same time, that no harm sho\ild 

 happen to them, if they remained 

 quiet. The enemy kept up a cross- 

 fire of shot and shells on the spot, 

 from Malbousquet and the nci^'h- 

 boin'irif^ hills, which contributed to 

 keep the galley slaves in subjection^ 

 and operated in every respect fa- 

 vourably for us, by keeping the re- 

 publican party in the town within 

 their houses, while it occasioned lit- 

 tle interruption to our work of pre- 

 paring and placing combustible mat- 

 ter in the different store-houses, and 

 on board the ships ; such was the 

 steadiness of the few brave seamen 

 I had under my command. A great 

 multitude of the enemy continued 

 to draw down the hill towards the 

 dock-yard wall ; and as the night 

 closed in, they came near enough 

 to pour in an irregularthough quick 

 fire of musquetry on us from the 

 Boulangerie, and of cannon from 

 the height which overlooks it. We 

 kept tliem at bay by discharges 

 of grape-shot, from time to time, 

 which prevented their con<ing so 

 near as to discover the insufficiency 

 of our force to repel a closer attack. 

 A gun-boat was stationed to flank 

 the wall on the outside, and two 

 field-pieces were placed within a- 

 gainst the wicket usually frequented 

 by the workmen, of w horn we were 

 particularly apprehensive. About 

 eight o'clock I had the satisfaction 

 of seeing lieut. Gore towing in the 

 Vulcan fireship. Captani Hare, her 

 commander, placedher, agreeably to 

 my directions, in a most masterly 

 manner, across the tier of men of 

 war, and the additional force of her 

 guns and men diminished my appre- 

 hensions of the galley-slaves rising 



on us, as their manner and occasion* 

 al tumultuous debates ceased entire- 

 ly on lier appearance. The only 

 noise heard among them was the 

 hammer knocking off their fetters, 

 which huina.iity forbade my oppo- 

 sing, as tiiey might thereby be more 

 at liberty lo save ih^'mselves on the 

 conflagration taking place around 

 them. In this situation we conti- 

 nued to wait most anxiously fur the 

 hour concerted with the governor 

 for the iiiflamniation of the trains. 

 Tlie moment the r.ignal was made, 

 we h;id the satisfaction to see the 

 flames rise in every quarter. Lieu- 

 tenant Tapper wai charged with 

 the burning of the general maga- 

 zine, the pitch, tar, tallow, and oil 

 store-houses, and succeeded most 

 perfectly ; the hemp magazine was 

 included in this blaM • its being 

 nearly calm was unfortunate to the 

 spreading of the flames, but 250 

 barrels of tar divided among the 

 deals and other timber, insured the 

 rapid ignition of that whole quarter 

 which lieutenant Tupper had under- 

 taken. 



The mast-house was equally well 

 set on lire by lieutenant Sliddleton, 

 of tile Britannia. Lieutenant Pater, 

 of the Britannia, continued in a 

 most daring manner to brave the 

 flames, in order to complete the 

 work where the fire seemed to have 

 caught imperfectly. I was obliged 

 to callhim off, lest his retreat should 

 become impracti'-.able ; his situation 

 was tlie more perilous, as the ene- 

 my's fire redoubled as sojn as the 

 amazing blaze of light rendered us 

 distinct objects of their ami. Lieu- 

 tenant Ironmonger, of the Royals, 

 remained with the guard at the 

 gate till tlie last, long afti.r the 

 Spanish guard was withdrawn, and 

 was brought safely off by captain 



Edge, 



