The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1826-03-16

were enabled to see the directions { our
columns, and they opened fir of I'd
and grape shot on us which rak q tro gh
them, killing aud wounding whole sections.
We still advanced, silent as before, unless
the groaning OF our wounded comrades. uD-
til we reached sort of rloat about fifty feet
wide, formed by the inundatlou of the river;
here We had to pass rank entire, the passage
being only capable of admitting one 1t a time.
On this place the enemy had brought their
guns to bear, and they kept up such fire OF
crane and musketry on it, that it vas
miracle any of us escaped. When we re.,ch-
ed the other side we formed again, and d
vanced up the glacis, forcing our way thro'
the palisades, and got down into the ditch.
The ladders by which we had to escaldle
the castle were not yet brought up, and the
men were huddled on one another in such
a manner that we could not move; ; we were
now ordered to fix our bayonets. When we
first entered the trench, we considered our
selves comparatively Safe, thinking we were
out of range of their shot, but we were soon
convinced of our mistake, for they opened
several guns from angles which commanded
the trench, and they pour ed in grape shot
upon us from each side, every shot of which
took effect, and every volley OF which was
succeeded by the dying groans of those who
paling. The attack had commenced at the
breaches towards our left, and the cannon
and musketry which played upon our troops
from every quarter of the town attacked,
kept up a continual roll of thunder, and their
ncessant flash one quivering sheet of light
ming to add to the awfulness of the scene.
a mine was sprung at the breach, which carr
rled up in its dreadful blaze, the mangled
limbs and bodies of many of our comrades.
When the ladders were placed, each eager
to mount, crowded them in such a wa that
many of them broke, and the poor fellows
who had nearly reached the top, were pre-
] cipitated height of thirty or fort fe, t, and
impaled on the bayonets of their comrades
below; other ladders were pushed aside by
! the enemy on the walls, and fell with a
crash on those in the ditch; while more
who got to the top without accident, re
shot on reaching the parapet, and tumbling
headlong, brought down those beneath them.
This continued for some time, unlil at length
few h wing made landing good on the
ramparts, at the expense of tn ir lives, ena-
bled a great number to follow. When
about company had thus collected tcgeth-
er, we formed and charged round the ramp
arts. bayoneting the French artillery at their
guns; in the direction that the party / was
with, they had drawn out howitzer loaded
to the very muz2le, pointed it towards US,
and gunner had match ready to fire,
when he was brought down BY one of our
party; in this direction we charged until
we reached the sally port communicating
with the town. In short time the division
were established in possession of the castle,
but the contest at the breaches was still Sc
we're.
"The light and 4th divisions had advance
ed from the trenches short time after us,
until they reached the covered way; their
advanced guards descended without difficult
ty into the ditch, and advanced to tine as-
sault with the most determined Drawer, but
such was the nature of the obstacles prepar-
ed by the enemy at the head of the breach,
and behind it. that they could not establish
themselves within the place. Repeated at
tempts were made after twelve at night,
when Lord Wellington finding that success
was not to be obtained. and that our division
had succeeded in taking the castle, they
were ordered back to the ground where they
had assembled, leaving the breach covered
with dead and wounded. When the gov
ernor (Philipon) found the castle was taken,
he retreated into fort St. Christoval, and at
daylight in the morning he surrendered with
all his garrison; it had consisted of 5000 men,
of which number 1900 were killed during
the siege.
"When the town surrendered, and the
prisoners were secured, the gate leading into
the town from the castle was opened, and VIC
were allowed to enter the town for the pur-
pose of plundering it. We were scarcely
through the gate when every regiment Of
the division were promiscuously mixed, and
a scene of confusion took place which battles
description each ran in the direction that
pleased himself, bursting up the doors and
rummAging through the houses, wantonly
breaking up the most valuable articles of
furniture found in them ;--small bands
formed, and when they came to door
which offered resistance, half dozen mus
kets were levelled at the lock, and 1T hew
up; bv this means many wert wounded, for
having entered at another door. there was
often a number in the house when the door
was thus thrown open. The greater mum.
Der first sought the spirit stores, where hav-
ing drank an inordinate quantity, they we're
prenared for every sort of mischief. At one
large vault in the centre of the town, to
which flight of steps led, they had STAYED
in the head Of rs casks, and were running
with their hat-caps full of it, and SO much
was splt here, that some, it was said, were
actually drowned in it. Farther on, num-
Der Of those who had visited the spirit store
were firing away their ammunition, striving