Page:Historical Record of the Fifty-Sixth, Or the West Essex Regiment of Foot.djvu/29

 army, and he was assisted by a celebrated French engineer, Monsieur d’Arcon. As the summer of 1782 progressed, the garrison was aware that a crisis was approaching, and awaited with cool determination the hour of trial. Sickness and the enemy’s fire thinned their numbers (Lieutenant White, of the, being among the wounded); yet their efforts were not relaxed. New subterraneous works were constructed; and furnaces prepared for heating red-hot shot.

A trial of hot shot was made in the early part of September, and some of the enemy’s works were set on fire. This unexpected disaster provoked the Duke of Crillon to hurry the attack of a number of new batteries, which opened with a volley of sixty shells, and was followed by the fire of one hundred and seven guns of large calibre. A tremendous storm of bullets and shells thundered against the fortress; and soon after, the immense battering-ships approached and took their station: princes of the royal blood of France,—Spanish nobility,—dignified characters of Europe,—and an amazing concourse of persons filling the enemy’s camp, and covering the adjacent hills, to witness the fall of the fortress under the fire of these stupendous vessels.

The batteries of the garrison opened their fire, and the roar of four hundred heavy guns proclaimed the dreadful conflict. The battering ships proved powerful; the heaviest shells rebounded from their tops, and a thirty-two pound shot scarcely seemed to make an impression on them. Sometimes smoke arose, but the engines in the ships soon caused it to disappear. The effect of the red-hot shot was doubted; the result uncertain; but the fire was persevered in, and showers of balls, shells, and carcasses, flew through the air. For some hours the attack and defence were so equally well supported, as scarcely to admit of any appearance