AND ITS SURROUNDINGS. 163 



sad stones were told of their deeds in the Channel; for, 

 during the re-building of the fort, they had been ever on the 

 watch, to pursue and harass the vessels of the enemy. 



Another letter says — "The General having left at present 

 the care of Dartmouth to Col. Lambert, went on Wednesday 

 to Totnes. We go on to attempt Fort Charles, near 

 Salcombe. It is commanded by Sir Edmund Fortescue. 

 There must be ordnance to batter it, which are coming; 

 likewise some addition of forces to Col. Inglesby's* regi- 

 ment, now before it, are to be raised and gathered out of 

 the country, which they do willingly." f 



The commencement of the siege is said by some authorities 

 to be January 15th, while others say January 23rd. It is 

 probable [that Col. Inglesby commenced proceedings on 

 January loth (the siege of Dartmouth was on the 18th), 

 and that General Fairfax, having with him the additional 

 force and the ordnance to batter it, which was said to be 

 coming, summoned it to surrender on the 23rd. The 

 General was, however, unable to produce much effect upo n 

 it. 



"When Fairfax entered Devonshire the Royalists had 

 most of the garrisons in the county in their possession, as 

 Tiverton, Exeter, Dartmouth, Barnstaple, Torrington; but 

 he speedily reduced one garrison after another." t It must 

 have been mortifying therefore to Fairfax to have to leave 

 the little garrison at Salcombe unsubdued, as well as to 

 Col. Inglesby, who had been so successful elsewhere. 



It is probable the situation of Fort Charles was a difficulty, 

 but may it not have been that the Governor and his garrison 



* Col. Inglesby was killed soon afterwards, at the siege of Pendennis. 



f Martial Affairs. 

 % Moore. 



