170 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1814. 



The troops eraploj-ed were form- 

 ed ill four columns. No, 1, the 

 left column, attacked between the 

 Antwerp and Water Poit Gates. 

 No. 2, attacked to the right of the 

 New Gate. No. 3, was destined 

 only to draw attention by a false 

 attack near the Stenbergen Gate, 

 and to be afterwards applicable ac- 

 cording to circumstances. No. 4, 

 right column, attacked at the en- 

 trance of the harbour, which could 

 be forded at low water, and the 

 hour was fixed accordingly at half- 

 past ten p. m. of the 8th instant. 



Rlajor General Cooke accompa- 

 nied the left column. Major Gen. 

 Skerrett and Brigadier-Gen. Gore 

 both accompanied the right co- 

 lumn ; this was the first which 

 forced its way into the body of the 

 place. These two columns weie 

 directed to move along the ram- 

 part so as to form a junction as 

 soon as possible, and then to pro- 

 ceed to clear the rampart, and assist 

 the centre column, or to force open 

 the Antwerp Gate. 



An unexpected difficulty about 

 passing the ditch on the ice, hav- 

 ing obliged Major-Gen, Cooke to 

 change the point of attack, a con- 

 siderable delay ensued, and that 

 column did not gain the rampart 

 till half-past eleven 



Meanwhile the lamented fall of 

 Brigadier-Gen, Gore, and Lieut. - 

 Colonel the Hon. George Carle- 

 ton, and the dangerous wound of 

 Major-General Skerrett, depriving 

 the light column of their able di- 

 rection, it fell into disorder, and 

 suftered great lossin killed, wound- 

 ed, and prisoners. The centre co- 

 lumn having been forced back 

 with considerable loss by the heavy 

 fire of the place ;Lieutenant-Col. 

 Morricf its coiuinaiider, and Lieu- 



tenant-Colonel Elphinstone com- 

 manding the 33rd regiment, being 

 both wounded), was re-formed un- 

 der Major Muttlebury, marched 

 round and joined Major-General 

 Cooke, leaving the left wing of 

 the 55th to remove the wounded 

 from the glacis. However, the 

 guards, too, had suffered verj' se- 

 verely during the night, by the 

 galling fire from the houses on 

 their position, and by the loss of 

 the detachment of the 1st guards, 

 which, having been sent to endea- 

 vour to assist Lieutenant-Colonel 

 Carleton, and to secure the Ant- 

 werp Gate, was cut off, alter the 

 most gallant resistance, which cost 

 the lives of many mo^t valuable 

 officers. 



At day break the enemy having 

 turned tlie guiisof the place, open- 

 ed their fire against the troops on 

 the unprotected rampart, and the 

 reserve of the 4th column (the 

 Royal Scotch) retired from the 

 Water Port Gate, followed by the 

 33rd. The former regiment getting 

 under a cross fire from the place 

 and Water Port reclouht, soon af- 

 terwards laid down their arms. 



Major-General Cooke then de- 

 spairing of success, directed the 

 retreat of the guards, which was 

 conducted in the most orderly 

 manner, protected by the remains 

 of the C9th reoiment, and of the 

 risjht wins: of the 55tli (which 

 corps repeatedly drove the enemy 

 back with the bayo;iet) under the 

 Major-General's immediate dirtc- 

 tion. The General afterwards 

 found it impossible to withdraw 

 these weak battalions, and having 

 thus, with the genuine feelings of 

 a true soldier, devoted himself, he 

 surrendered to save the lives of the 

 gallant men remaining with him. 



