Chapters 16 and 17 Summary

The earnest assault begins and massed French forces move forward into withering British fire using brute-force tactics. The French place fascines—huge bundles of sticks—into the moats and then use them to approach the redoubt itself. They are repulsed with great loss of life—but the fascines are in place. A second assault is mounted a few hours later, using better tactics involving a feinting action and harassing fire. This assault is nearly successful, and several French soldiers enter the fortress compound and engage the British in hand-to-hand fighting. They are repulsed with sword bayonets and axes; other advancing elements are driven off with accurate rifle fire. The British take several casualties, but the French suffer much slaughter. The second attack is thus driven off.

Calvet and Sharpe both realize the issue is simply a matter of...