Military Memoirs of Capt. George Carleton eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 290 pages of information about Military Memoirs of Capt. George Carleton.

Military Memoirs of Capt. George Carleton eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 290 pages of information about Military Memoirs of Capt. George Carleton.

Such were the General’s Reasons then and there given; after which, having promis’d ample Rewards to such as discharg’d their Duty well, a Lieutenant, with thirty Men, was order’d to advance towards the Bastion nearest the Town; and a Captain, with fifty Men, to support him.  After the Enemy’s Fire they were to leap into the Ditch, and their Orders were to follow ’em close, if they retir’d into the upper Works:  Nevertheless, not to pursue ’em farther, if they made into the inner Fort; but to endeavour to cover themselves within the Gorge of the Bastion.

A Lieutenant and a Captain, with the Like Number of Men and the same Orders, were commanded to a Demi-Bastion at the Extremity of the Fort towards the West, which was above Musket-Shot from the inward Fortification.  Towards this Place the Wall, which was cut into the Rock, was not fac’d for about twenty Yards; and here our own Men got up; where they found three Pieces of Cannon upon a Platform, without many Men to defend them.

Those appointed to the Bastion towards the Town were sustain’d by two hundred Men; with which the General and Prince went in Person.  The like Number, under the Directions of Colonel Southwell, were to sustain the Attack towards the West; and about five hundred Men were left under the Command of a Dutch Colonel, whose Orders were to assist, where, in his own Judgment, he should think most proper; and these were drawn up between the two Parties appointed to begin the Assault.  My Lot was on the Side where the Prince and Earl were in Person; and where we sustain’d the only Loss from the first Fire of the Enemy.

Our men, though quite expos’d, and though the Glacis was all escarp’d upon the live Rock, went on with an undaunted Courage; and immediately after the first Fire of the Enemy, all, that were not kill’d or wounded, leap’d in, pel-mel, amongst the Enemy; who, being thus boldly attack’d, and seeing others pouring in upon ’em, retir’d in great Confusion; and some one Way, some another, ran into the inward Works.

There was a large Port in the Flank of the principal Bastion, towards the North-East, and a cover’d Way, through which the General and the Prince of Hesse follow’d the flying Forces; and by that Means became possess’d of it.  Luckily enough here lay a Number of great Stones in the Gorge of the Bastion, for the Use of the Fortification; with which we made a Sort of Breast-Work, before the Enemy recover’d of their Amaze, or made any considerable Fire upon us from their inward Fort, which commanded the upper Part of that Bastion.

We were afterwards inform’d, that the Commander of the Citadel, expecting but one Attack, had call’d off the Men from the most distant and western Part of the Fort, to that Side which was next the Town; upon which our Men got into a Demi-Bastion in the most extream Part of the Fortification.  Here they got Possession of three Pieces of Cannon, with hardly any Opposition; and had Leisure to cast up a

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
Military Memoirs of Capt. George Carleton from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.