420 
MINUTES OE PROCEEDINGS OF 
Ill connexion with, this part of the subject, it may not be considered out 
of place to give a list of the battering train collected in the harbour of 
Passages for the siege of Bayonne, in 1814. 
24-prs.j iron. ... 52 
8-inch howitzers . 22 
68-pr. carronades. 16 
13-inch mortars . 4 
10 -inch mortars ...... 19 
4-f-inch coehorn do... 20 
18-prs. 6 
Total ... 189 
Tor 68-pr. 
carronades and 
8-inch howitzers. 
24-pr. round shot . 
/, grape . 
,/ spherical . 
18-pr. round shot . 
„ grape . 
i/ spherical .. 
ground shot . 
case and grape . 
spherical case . 
common shells . 
^carcasses .. 
13-in. common shells . 
„ carcasses .. 
10-in. common shells . 
,/ carcasses . 
Bounds of pound shot, 10-in. 
4J-in. shells . 
„ carcasses .. 
Barrels of powder, 90 lbs. ... 
71,730) 
3,380 [ 
15,930 ) 
23,413) 
1,382 [ 
4,350 ) 
700h 
1,500 
10,266 > 
7,328 
200 
1,6941 
103) 
5,705 ) 
220 [ 
1,065 ) 
8,0001 
400 ) 
10,160 
91,040, or 1750 rounds 
a gun. 
29,145. 
19,994, or 500 rounds 
each. 
1797, or 450 rounds 
each. 
6990, or 368 rounds 
each. ' 
8400, or 420 rounds 
each. 
The following letter from an unknown (to me) correspondent of the 
tc Times ” is here inserted; just the kind of observer we want; creeping close 
up, and then going afterwards “ to see what effect our shells had had/' 
“ Certainly they behaved well.” 
Head Quaetees, Letaca, 
August, 1813. 
* * * “I got down the hill as fast as I could, and crept close up to 
Captain Cairns’ brigade of artillery, belonging to the 6th Division, who opened 
upon them a dreadful fire. Mind, when Capt. Cairns began, three Trench columns 
were not above 200 yards from our guns, engaged with our infantry. I was about 
100 yards on one side of Cairns’ guns, so that I could plainly see the effect of 
the fire ; for one hour the Trench stood exposed to five pieces of artillery playing 
on them with spherical shells ; I saw them fall by dozens, such gaps in their lines. 
* * * certainly they behaved well on this occasion. Their dead which 
I saw in the village, and on the hill were very numerous as I got up the hill to see 
what effect our shells had had,” &c. 
Here is another passage of a river,—the Bidassoa,-—in face of the enemy. 
“ Seven columns, attacking on a line of five miles. Tides rising sixteen 
feet,” and tw r o hours to do it in ! Our guns at first protecting the passage, 
and then crossing. 
Lieut. J. Sinclair, E.A., says,—General Hay has taken me as aide-de- 
camp ; the first duty I was on with him was in forcing the passage of the river 
Bidassoa, and entering Trance. The difficulty of the roads prevented the 
artillery coming up as soon as might be wished; however some shells were 
thrown at the close of the affair, which made them take to their heels,” &c. 
