Account of the Capture of Cape of Good Hope. 97 



appeared lurking among the buslies, and showed a disposition 

 to annoy us ; but they were speedily dislodged by a few shots 

 from the gun-brigs that covered our approach. The only serious 

 accident that occurred was the loss of one of our boats, having 

 on board about forty men of the 93d regiment, which was over- 

 set on a bank of shore-weed, and every soul lost. 



" The 7th of January was employed in disembarkino- the re- 

 mainder of the troops and the field artillery. Five hundred vo- 

 lunteers from the ships of war and Indiamen were also landed 

 for the purpose of dragging the guns, a service which they per- 

 formed with their accustomed enthusiasm. At four o'clock on 

 the morning of the 8th, we moved from the sand hills along the 

 road that leads over the shoulder of the Blueberg. When we 

 arrived on the crest of the hill, we perceived the enemy drawn 

 up on the other side. Our disposition was soon made. We 

 were formed in echellons of brigades ; the left, or Highland 

 brigade, being about two hundred yards in advance of the 

 other. In this relative position we advanced, sometimes in line 

 at others in file from the heads of companies, according to the 

 nature of the ground. We no sooner arrived within the rano-e 

 of the enemy's artillery, than he opened his fire on us from 

 twenty field-pieces, which were advanced considerably in front 

 of his line. The action, on our side, was begun by the grena- 

 diers 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 intre^dity, but 

 not without serious loss : Captain Foster being killed on the 

 spot, and fifteen men either killed or wounded. 



" The line, in the mean time, 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 rapi- 

 dity of our movement, which alarmed him so much, that, by 

 the time we came within a hundred yards of his position, he' be- 

 gan to retreat. This he eflx-cted 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 transports, a march of six 



APRIL JUNK 1831. 



