194. | SWABEY DIARY. . 
Picurena, previously carried by assault. The obstacles to mounting. 
these breaches were to one party the ditch, which is dry, and a piece of : 
water about 4 ft. deep which was passed. ‘To the 4th division, a ravelin' 
opposed itself, which they forced; the light and 4th divisions stormed 
the breaches three times unsuccessfully ; never was so much art used to 
render a breach formidable. The space on the parapet was filled with 
chevaux-de-frise made of swords, and the ground was covered with a 
platform of spikes. Within the breach was erected a false parapet 
of sand bags, behind which were artillery and musketry. Had that: 
been carried, three lines of entrenchments presented themselves on the 
terrepleim, and all-along the walls and communications from bastion: 
to bastion, trenches were dug and chevaux-de-frise planted. Hvery- 
street. presented similar obstacles, and to prevent escalade, round the 
whole circuit of the place (except at the castle which stands very high),” 
the edge of the parapet had a trench to contain infantry supplied with 
langrage,! grenades, and live shells. Things were in this state, and 
many of the light and 4th divisions slaughtered when Lord Wellington 
sent an order for the return of the troops; fortunately General Picton 
had been sent to make a false attack on the castle side, and having con- 
verted. it into a real one, he was actually in possession when he received 
Lord W.’s orders, which he answered in pencil briefly, “ My Lord lam 
in possession of the castle.” 
As soon as it was known on the walls that the castle was scaled, the 
enemy left their guns in consternation. Two thousand were at length 
rallied by General Vieland, who attempted in vain to retake the citadel, 
upon which they laid down their arms and the English troops entered 
the breaches; part of the 5th division made good their entrance by 
escalade on another side, but the success is attributed to General 
Picton. 
| An officer was sent to the Governor, Philippon,? who had retired to 
Fort St. Christoval, and after some hesitation he surrendered. Another 
fort was carried in great style by the Portuguese.’ 
_ During the siege our batteries were very little fired into as the enemy 
wanted ammunition. In what was called the grand magazine, only 42 
barrels of powder were found.* The slaughter of the officers and men at 
the breaches was dreadful, nevertheless our fellows when they entered 
would not kill a man. Two-hours plunder was allowed, but I believe 
little found. One corporal of the 48th told me that he had got £50 in 
money, but the fool took his jacket off to go to sleep and a comrade stole 
itall. The sight of the killed and wounded, all of whom are not now 
removed, is shocking in the extreme, and the whole air is tainted with 
the smell. Fortunately the weather is not yet hot enough to produce 
1 Langrage was akind of grape shot mostly in naval use, itis difficult to understand how it could 
have been used by infantry unless thrown by hand. 
2 General of Division, Baron Philippon, for his successful defence of Badajos in April and June, 
1811, against Marshal Beresford and Lord Wellington, was promoted from General of Brigade. 
On this occasion his garrison consisted of 5000 men. : 
3 The bastion of San Vicente. —f.4.W. 
4 Philippon’s store of powder was very inadequate to his wants, and he was'very scantily supplied 
with shells. Napier, Vol. 4, p. 401. “Bale int ; 2 
