Page:Our Indian Army.djvu/321

Rh the enemy was cut off. Not one of them escaped to relate the particulars of the surprise; and though the sentinels on the ramparts gave fire on hearing the disturbance, no extraordinary alarm was excited, the affair being taken to be the result only of a near approach of the videttes of the British force.

The morning-gun was the signal for the movement of the storming-party, which, covered by a heavy fire from the two batteries, advanced till they came within a hundred yards of the gate. Here a traverse had been recently thrown up, and mounted with three six-pounders; but the enemy were dislodged before they had time to discharge them. Colonel Monson pushed forward with the two flank companies of the 76th regiment, to enter the fort with the retreating guard; but the gate was shut, and the approach exposed to a destructive fire of grape. Two ladders were then brought to the walls, and Major McLeod, with the Grenadiers, attempted to mount; but they were opposed by a formidable row of pikemen, and desisted. It was then proposed to blow open the gate, and a six-pounder was placed for the purpose, but failed. A twelve-pounder was next brought up, but a difficulty arose in placing it; and in these attempts full twenty minutes were consumed, during which the assailants were exposed to a destructive fire. The enemy also behaved with great bravery, and even descended the scaling-ladders which had been left against the walls, to contend with the party seeking to force an entrance.

The first gate at length yielded; and the attacking-party advanced along a narrow way defended by a tower pierced with loopholes, from which a constant and deadly fire was kept up by matchlockmen, while showers of grape poured from the batteries. The British party, however, kept on its way to the second gate, which was forced without much difficulty. At the third, the assailants passed in with the retreating enemy; but a fourth still remained to be carried. Here the progress of the assail-