the Siege of Barcelona, some of your Majesty’s Ships, with the Assistance of the Troops of the Country, have reduc’d the Town of Tarragona, and the officers are made Prisoners of War.  The Town of Girone has been taken at the same time by Surprize, by the Troops of the Country.  The Town of Lerida has submitted, as also that of Tortosa upon the Ebro; so that we have taken all the Places of Catalonia, except Roses.  Some Places in Aragon near Sarrogosa have declared for me, and the Garrison of the Castle of Denia in Valencia have maintained their Post, and repulsed the Enemy; 400 of the Enemies Cavalry have enter’d into our Service, and a great number of their Infantry have deserted.

This, Madam, is the State that your Arms, and the Inclination of the People have put my Affairs in.  It is unnecessary to tell you what stops the Course of these Conquests, it is not the Season of the Year, nor the Enemy; these are no Obstacles to your Troops, who desire nothing more than to act under the Conduct that your Majesty has appointed them.  The taking of Barcelona, with so small a Number of Troops, is very remarkable; and what has been done in this Siege is almost without Example; that with seven or eight thousand Men of your Troops, and two hundred Miquelets, we should surround and invest a Place, that thirty thousand French could not block up.

After a March of thirteen Hours, the Troops climb’d up the Rocks and Precipices, to attack a Fortification stronger than the Place, which the Earl of Peterborow has sent you a Plan of; two Generals, with the Grenadiers, attack’d it Sword in Hand.  In which Action the Prince of Hesse died gloriously, after so many brave Actions:  I hope his Brother and his Family will always have your Majesty’s Protection.  With eight hundred Men they forc’d the cover’d Way, and all the Intrenchments and Works, one after another, till they came to the last Work which surrounded it, against five hundred Men of regular Troops which defended the Place, and a Reinforcement they had receiv’d; and three Days afterwards we became Masters of the Place.  We afterwards attack’d the Town on the Side of the Castle.  We landed again our Cannon, and the other Artillery, with inconceivable Trouble, and form’d two Camps, distant from each other three Leagues, against a Garrison almost as numerous as our Army, whose Cavalry was double the Strength of ours.  The first Camp was so well intrench’d, that ’twas defended by two thousand Men and the Dragoons; whilst we attack’d the Town with the rest of our Troops.  The Breach being made, we prepar’d to make a general Assault with all the Army.  These are Circumstances, Madam, which distinguish this Action, perhaps, from all others.