204 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. 



the attack, after consulting with 

 colonel Dickson, commanding the 

 royal artillery, I ventured to order 

 the guns to be turned against the 

 curtain. A heavy fire of artillery 

 was directed against it ; passing a 

 few feet only over the heads of our 

 troops on the breach, and was kept 

 up with a precision of practice 

 beyond all example. Meanwhile 

 I accepted the offer of a part of 

 major-general Bradford's Portu- 

 guese brigade to ford the river near 

 its mouth. The advance of the 1st 

 battalion, 13th regiment, under 

 major Snodgrass, over the open 

 beach, and across the river; and 

 of a detachment of the Slth regi- 

 ment, under lieutenant- colonel 

 M'Bean, in support, was made in 

 the handsomest style, under a very 

 severe fire of grape. Major Snod- 

 grass attacked and finally carried 

 the small breach on the right of 

 the great one, and lieut.-colonel 

 M'Bean's detachment occupied the 

 right of the great breach. I ought 

 not to omit to mention, that a si- 

 milar offer was made by the 1st 

 Portuguese regiment of brigadier- 

 general Wilson's brigade, under 

 lieutenant-colonel Fearon ; and 

 that both major-general Bradford, 

 and brigadier-general Wilson, had, 

 from the beginning, urged most 

 anxiouslj^ the employment of their 

 respective brigades, in the attack, 

 as they had so large a share in the 

 labour and fatigues of the right 

 attack. 



Observing now the effect of the 

 admirable fire of the batteries 

 against the curtain, though the 

 enemy was so much covered, a 

 great oflPort was ordered tobe made 

 to gain the high ridge at all ha- 

 zards, at the same time that au at- 



tempt should be made to storm the 

 horn-work. 



It fell to the lot of the 2nd bri- 

 gade of the 5th division, under the 

 command of colonel the honour- 

 able Charles Greville, to move out 

 of the trenches for this purpose, 

 and the 3rd battalion of the Koyal 

 Scots, under lieutenant-colonel 

 Barnes, supported by the 38th, 

 under lieutenant-colonel Miles, 

 fortunately arrived to assault the 

 breach of the curtain, about the 

 time when an explosion on the 

 rampart of the curtain (occasioned 

 by the fire of the artillery) created 

 some confusion among the enemy. 

 The narrow pass was gained, and 

 was maintained, after a severe con- 

 flict, and the troops on the right 

 of the breach having about this 

 time succeeded in forcing the bar- 

 ricades on the top of the narrow 

 line vvall, found their way into the 

 houses that joined it. Thus, after 

 an assault which lasted above two 

 hours, under the most trying cir- 

 cumstances, a firm footing was ob- 

 tained. 



It was impossible to restrain the 

 impetuosity of the troops, and in 

 an hour more the enemy were 

 driven from all the complication of 

 defences prepared in the streets, 

 suffering a severe loss on their re- 

 treat to the castle, and leaving the 

 whole town in our possession. 



Though it must be evident to 

 your lordship, that the troops were 

 all animated with the most enthu- 

 siastic and devoted gallantry, and 

 that all are entitled to the highest 

 commendation ; yet I am sure 

 your lordship will wish to be in- 

 formed more particularly concern- 

 ing those, who, from their situa- 

 tions, had opportunities of gaining 



