But, this was found impracticable; not being able to get nearer the shore than three miles, from a calm, and contrary currents:  nor could our men possess themselves of the heights, as the enemy had taken possession of them, and seemed as anxious to retain as we to get them.  Thus foiled in my original plan, I considered it for the honour of our king and country, not to give over the attempt to possess ourselves of the town; that our enemies might be convinced there is nothing that Englishmen are not equal to:  and, confident in the bravery of those who would be employed in the service, I embarked every person from the shore on the 22nd at night.

“On the 24th, I got the ships to an anchor, about two miles to the northward of the town, and made every shew for a disposition of attacking the heights; which appeared to answer the end, from the great number of people they had placed on them.  The Leander, Captain Thompson, joined this afternoon, and her marines were added to the force before appointed; and Captain Thompson also volunteered his services.  At-eleven o’clock at night, the boats of the squadron, containing between six and seven hundred men, a hundred and eighty men on board the Fox cutter, and about seventy or eighty men in a boat we had taken the day before, proceeded towards the town; the divisions of boats conducted by all the captains, except Freemantle and Bowen, who attended with me to regulate and lead the way to the attack:  every captain being acquainted, that the landing was to be made on the mole; from whence they were to proceed, as fast as possible, into the great square; where they were to form, and proceed on such services as might be found necessary.  We were not discovered, till within half gun-shot of the landing-place:  when I directed the boats to cast off from each other, give a huzza, and push for the shore.

“A fire of thirty or forty pieces of cannon, with musketry from one end of the town to the other, opened on us; but nothing could stop the intrepidity of the captains landing the divisions.  Unfortunately, the greater part of the boats did not see the mole; but went on shore, through a raging surf, which stove all the boats to the left of it.

“For a detail of their proceedings, I send you a copy of Captain Troubridge’s account to me; and I cannot but express my admiration of the firmness with which he and his brave associates supported the honour of the British flag.

“Captains Freemantle and Bowen, and myself, with four or five boats, stormed the mole; though opposed, apparently, by four or five hundred men; took possession of it; and spiked the guns:  but such a heavy fire of musketry, and grape-shot, was kept up from the citadel, and the houses at the head of the mole, that we could not advance; and we were all, nearly, killed or wounded.

“The Fox cutter, in rowing towards the town, received a shot under water, from one