3** AMERICA. Chap. XI U. 



four or five Miles thought they had quench'd their prefent Thirft , and their 

 Drought began to increafe however, they march'd on, leaving fome of their 

 Men dead on the place, others fainting, were let upon the Troopers Horfes till 

 they came that Night to fome Water, which gave them new life, and the Morrow 

 early march'd again till they came within fome Miles of the appointed Rendez- 

 vouz,wherc they heard of. the other Regiment that Landed at the right place : And 

 now having refrefiYd themfelves with Reft, Water, and Provifion, they march'd 

 to the taking of the Town , the General himfelf, with a fmall Party and a Guide, 

 went towards the Town to find out fome Water, which he knew the Soldiers 

 would want, (not having Bottles to carry any) but as they were on their March 

 which was very leifurely by rcafon of the Heat, they heard a firing of Mufquets' 

 then making more fpeed in their March, fuppofingan Engagement, in the High- 

 way, about a Mile from the Town, was found one of the General's Secretaries, 

 with others,dead } and not long after fome came back to theGeneral,and told him' 

 That looking for Water with the Guide, an Ambufcade iffu'd out, and had kill'd 

 the Guide that mould have fhew'd them the place of Water, and fome others . and 

 although fome which Commanded theforemoft Regiments were very forward and 

 willing to affaulc the Town, yet it was not thought fit fo to do till the Army came 

 up, by which time it was Night . and though they were then within half a Mile of 

 the Town, yet the Soldiers were fo impatient for Water, that they could not ftay 

 till the next Morning to aftault the Town, but were fore'd to march back to the 

 River Hind about eight Miles , (and this Relater did at that time drink his own 

 Water) there they ftaid till they had again refrefh'd themfelves, and then prepar'd 

 for their Return to attaquethe Town . and notwithftanding the March it felf in a 

 hot Countrey was irkfom enough, yet they were fore'd to make the Soldiers to 

 draw the Ordnance and other Carriages for want of Harnefs and other Neceflaries, 

 which were left behind . however, they willingly underwent it by Turns : And 

 nowa Forlorn was drawn out, and other Orders given for a March, efpecially it 

 being taken notice of, that the Enemies manner of Fight was and would be by Am- 

 bufcades, a File in every Company were order'd to ftand till the other came up, 

 and to face to the Right and Left to the Woods, which were all along as they went, 

 for fear of a Surprize j and the Forlorn marching near an old Fort, call'd Jeronymo, 

 which we had been poffefs'd of before, but thought not worth the keeping, and 

 fearing they might meet with fome fmall oppofition there, began to fortifie them, 

 felves, and took a Dram of the Bottle, which as they were drinking, and others 

 eating a bit, fuddenly rulh'd forth an Ambufli of about a hundred and twenty 

 (Blacks, with a Sfanijh Commander in the Head of them, which fo amaz'd and fur- 

 priz'd them, that fome few onelyDifcharging, the reft immediately fled . the Slacks 

 quickly falling in with their Lances, and doing fuch Execution as the time would 

 allow them , for prefently the Alarm being taken, and Supplies marching out for 

 their relief, the Enemy, who had done more than they could poffibly expert: to 

 have done retreated into their Fort, which they had better fortifi'd than before, 

 and had planted fome fmall Drakes there upon it v the Execution was fo fhort, 

 chat they had not time either to ftripor pick a Pocket, left they had paid too dear 

 for it; After this Defeat a Council of War was call'd, and there it was agreed the 

 next Morning early to fill on upon that little Fort, and fo proceed to the taking of 

 the Town , but very early, as they were in that expectation, Orders came from the 

 General to the Army to march back to the River Hmd, for what rcafon this Relator 

 (though a confiderable Perfon) never yet knew . where after they had (laid fome 

 fime, thatMifcarriagewasqueftion'dat a Council of War, and one of the chief 



Officers 



