THE BROME-WALTON FAMILY. 
255 
of “ The Field Artillery of the Great Rebellion,'' 1 2 attributed the impo- 
tence of the position guns (12-prs.) of that era in their prolonged 
attacks upon Lcdhom House and Basing House (castellated and fortified 
residences of feudal nobility), chiefly to the want of officers and trained 
gunners , although the guns were identical with modem smooth-bores ; 
and would seem to point a moral that R.A. officers and gunners of a 
modern era would have made all the difference in employment of these 
identical guns. Let us see :— 
The “ bombardment'' (a misnomer with solid shot) of Fritzler, Feb- Bombardment 
ruary 13th, 1761, was conducted by Major Forbes Macbean, formerly 
from what Napoleon termed Vecole de Woolwich , and a future F.B.S. 
The Hereditary Prince had reconnoitred the fort, and communicated 
to Major Macbean all particulars of its internals. Macbean recon¬ 
noitred it, and made his dispositions before the Princes and Generals 
of the army. The whole army invested the fort, with its garrison of 
1200 men; and watched with intense interest the placing of our heavy 
12- prs., and the temerity of the gunners in planting the light 6-prs., 
within 300 yards, loaded with grape shot to scour the parapets. The 
fort was one of Yauban's pentagons, on a hill, without any ditch. One 
hour before daybreak the 12-prs. opened, and a furious and sustained 
cannonade of solid shot was hurled against the devoted garrison until 
, sunset; yet the sacrifice was not consummated—the walls being of 
flints and cement. H.S.H., with princely courtesy, came, saw, and 
expressed “his entire satisfaction and approbation of Major Macbean's 
■ measures ; yet could not conceal his impatience.” At last “ Major 
Macbean suggested " (or someone reminded him of the Beau-Sejour 
precedent) “ that some shells be tried—wdiich the Prince approved ;'' 
and these were “so w r ell managed” that before 10 o'clock the gar¬ 
rison surrendered unconditionally. 
Sequel. —“ Major Macbean received the Prince's special thanks; and 
the town w 7 as ordered to pay him 4000 crowns in lieu of their bells.” 3 
The scene changes back to our Chap. IV. in June 1755, before fort 
Beau-Sejour —a Yauban pentagon, on a hill, with garrison of 1400 
men. The places of the Princes and Generals were supplied by 
i Governor Lawrence (civilian) and a Lieut.-Colonel of infantry. The 
fort was invested by the Louisbourg regiment of recruits not two months 
raised, by some 900 British soldiers of the 47th Regiment, and by the 
Royal Artillery Brigade under Captain Charles Brome , R.A., who had 
been the great Borgard's pupil in 1698. Their highnesses thought 
this prophet would do some great thing—perhaps call fire from heaven 
to quench the waters of the w ? et ditch which surrounded the fort. For Bombardment 
three days was this devoted fort cannonaded by heavy 12-prs. in the ssfourj^ss. 
orthodox fashion ; but on the fourth morning Borgard's pupil of a dozen 
sieges discarded orthodoxy, and, adopting his old master's dangerous 
bombs, brought up a few of his mortars and dexterously planting a few 
13- in. shells into the casemates, “instantly the white flag was hoisted, 
the garrison surrendered, and with this chief stronghold of the enemy 
1 “ Proceedings ” E.A.I., Vol. VI., No. 8, p. 284. 
2 “ Cleaveland MSS.” 13/2/1761. “ History of the E.A.” (Duncan) Vol. I., pp. 215-6. 
