Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-10-04

the reign Of George the Third published in 1870 shows
that nearly ninety years ago John Bull und it not easy
take with powerful combined naval aud military force.
R. E. X.
ga feet, under the command Of Admiral Pocc cke sailed
from Portsmouth the 5th of March, 762 having board
ten thousand land forces under the Command of Lord Albe
marle. This feet joined CAPE Nicola by part Of
that which had been successfully employed against Mar
Unique the WHOLE when combnsd amounted to nineteen
heine, and eighteen Of inferior size, while the
transports amounted to nearly one hundred and fifty
Gas il Of the utmost Importance to reach their place
destination before the Of the rainy season,
Pococke proceeded by passage known by the
IF the Od Straits OF Bahama, which is seldom passed by
any vessel and perhaps fleet Of such magnitude
The length of this channel about hundred miles, and
the whole is and difficult Yet such the conf
dence of the admiral that he would have favorable weather.
that he entered it, with the whole feet using the precauton
however, send before him several small vessels examine
the passage he approached His good fortune equaled bis
expectations, and in nine days be passed The Straits
sOn the 9Th of June they arrived before the Havana the
place Of their destination An attack had not been i'm
media ely foreseen yet the the place well prepared for
vigorous defence and the Spanish ships of war; which
intended for the West India SERVICE the harbo and
bued much to accelerate such extraordinary preparations
necessary
sThe entrance Of the harbo which is narrow is defended
by forts, called Punta, the side tie town
the other Of uncommon strength situated the side oppo
Site Even the town itself well fortified being surrounded
by rampant. bastions and deep ditch. The vessels sta
toned in the harbor had been careful to render the entrances
dcnit a. possible by laying strong boom from sid
70 me ss.sR and sinking several ships behind it.
ward Of the place. in order the y e es
which in truth commanded the whole surrounding country
the feet sailed to the west in order conceal their intentions
"Ths strategem proceeded, and the 7h of June the
troops landed without opposition While the principal part
Of the forces undertook the siege of the Moro the remainder
advanced distance into the interior to blockade the
and other forts.
g The command of the siege given to Gen. Keppe,
that Of the blockading division to Gen. Elliott.
Hardly any thing be imagined arduous than
the siege they had just undertaken Nature herself seemed
preclude every prospect of The soil thin
upon the rocks that by sufficient to The
approaches They compelled for this purpose have
recourse to bags of cotton The artillery dragged
rocks the batteries where it 10 be used vertical
rendered the fatigue excessive, while could be pro-
cured except from Distance and that scany that the
greater part furnished by the feet.
I" hen all these circumstances considered can
hardly be surprised that many Of the soldiers dropped dead
from excessive fatigue All these obs acles yielded the
and activity of the British did the enemy
show less courage in the defence To the number Of fifteen
thousand they made bold attempt drive their
ants but were epulsed with loss Of three hundred
ITO aid the land forces three British ships of joined
in cannonadng the Moro, but without making any other ap
parent impression than that Of attracting to themselves great
part Of the FIRE of the fort they suffered severely and
obliged to retire. The chief battery which the British had
erected caught hre oeng OF ana was one
half the land forces and very great number Of the
wers already sick TO add to these msfortunes, reinforce
ent which expected from North America did not arrive
At the time fixed upon and above ALL the hurricane
was at great distance. when their feet would be exposed
10 destructive storms and would be impossible carry
their operations At length supply of provisions arrived
from jamaica and reinforcement long expected from
Nsx York. The miners effected breach in the wall, and
this though hardly practicable it resolved storm
the place. They accordingly mounted the BREACH and
a. hv
they forced their way into the place. Don Louis Velasco
the Governor formed small entrenchmen around his censo
placed himself there with hundred men, could be be
persuaded yield till the greater part Of bis brave companions
had fallen be then with reluctance offered his sword but
before could be received random shot deprived him Of
is,ence. On the 10th of August the batteries ready to
open their FIRE the town. aud the 4h the British took
possession Of it"