Notwithstanding all which, General Windham found much greater Opposition than he at first imagin’d; and therefore finding he should want Ammunition, he sent to the Earl of Peterborow for a Supply; at the same time assigning, as a Reason for it, the unexpected Obstinacy of the Town.  So soon as the Earl receiv’d the Letter he sent for me; and told me I must repair to Requifia, where they would want an Engineer; and that I must be ready next Morning, when he should order a Lieutenant, with thirty Soldiers and two Matrosses, to guard some Powder for that Service.  Accordingly, the next Morning we set out, the Lieutenant, who was a Dutchman, and Commander of the Convoy, being of my Acquaintance.

We had reach’d Saint Jago, a small Village about midway between Valencia and Requina, when the Officer, just as he was got without the Town, resolving to take up his Quarters on the Spot, order’d the Mules to be unloaded.  The Powder, which consisted of forty-five Barrels, was pil’d up in a Circle, and cover’d with Oil-cloth, to preserve it from the Weather; and though we had agreed to sup together at my Quarters within the Village, yet being weary and fatigu’d, he order’d his Field-Bed to be put up near the Powder, and so lay down to take a short Nap.  I had scarce been at my Quarters an Hour, when a sudden Shock attack’d the House so violently, that it threw down Tiles, Windows, Chimneys and all.  It presently came into my Head what was the Occasion; and as my Fears suggested so it prov’d:  For running to the Door I saw a Cloud ascending from the Spot I left the Powder pitch’d upon.  In haste making up to which, nothing was to be seen but the bare Circle upon which it had stood.  The Bed was blown quite away, and the poor Lieutenant all to pieces, several of his Limbs being found separate, and at a vast Distance each from the other; and particularly an Arm, with a Ring on one of the Fingers.  The Matrosses were, if possible, in a yet worse Condition, that is, as to Manglement and Laceration.  All the Soldiers who were standing, and any thing near, were struck dead.  Only such as lay sleeping on the Ground escap’d, and of those one assur’d me, that the Blast remov’d him several Foot from his Place of Repose.  In short, enquiring into this deplorable Disaster, I had this Account:  That a Pig running out of the Town, the Soldiers endeavour’d to intercept its Return; but driving it upon the Matrosses, one of them, who was jealous of its getting back into the Hands of the Soldiers, drew his Pistol to shoot it, which was the Source of this miserable Catastrophe.  The Lieutenant carry’d along with him a Bag of Dollars to pay the Soldiers’ Quarters, of which the People, and the Soldiers that were say’d, found many; but blown to an inconceivable Distance.