ANACCOUNTOF THEEXPEDITIONTO_CARTHAGENA, &c. _

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See the Plan of the City and Harbour of_Carthagena_, published in the _LONDON_MAGAZINE for _April_ 1740; which willserve to give the Readers of this Pamphleta clearer Idea of its Contents. 

AN

ACCOUNT

OF THE

EXPEDITION

TO

CARTHAGENA, WITH

EXPLANATORY NOTES

AND

OBSERVATIONS. 

THE THIRD EDITION. 

_Ubi per socordiam vires, tempus, ingenium defluxere, naturĉinfirmitas accusatur: suam quique culpam actores ad negotiatransferunt. _ SALLUST. 

_LONDON:_Printed for M. COOPER, at the _Globe_ in_Pater-noster-Row_. 

MDCCXLIII. 

Transcriber's Note: Minor typographical errors have been correctedwithout note. Dialect spellings, contractions and discrepancies havebeen retained. The footnotes are lettered from A to I, K to T and V toZ. Subsequent footnotes repeat the lettering sequence, beginning withan A. 

ACCOUNT

OF THE

EXPEDITION

TO

_CARTHAGENA, &c. _

It having been resolved in a general Council of War, held at _Spanish_Town, to prevent, if possible, the _French_ Fleet joining the Enemybefore any Expedition should be undertaken by Land: the _Wolf_ Sloop, Captain _Dandridge_, was dispatched up to _Port Louis_, to observe ifthe Fleet was in that Port: And on the 22d of _January_, which was thesoonest the Fleet could be got ready for the Sea, Sir _Chaloner Ogle_and his Division sailed out of _Port Royal_ Harbour; and two Days afterMr. _Lestock_ and his Division; and on the _Monday_ following theAdmiral with the rest of the Squadron (leaving behind him the_Falmouth_ and _Litchfield_ to bring up the Transports;) but the LandBreeze failing, and a great Swell rolling down, obliged them to anchorat the _Keys_ (where the _Augusta_ drove ashore, and beat off herRudder, and great part of her Keel. ) On the 28th the Admiral weighedAnchor, and plied up to Windward, and the 31st joined Sir _ChalonerOgle_ and Mr. _Lestock_ with their Divisions off _Port Morant_, and theDay following was joined by the _Falmouth_, _Litchfield_, andTransports. _February_ the 7th the Fleet made Cape _Tiberoon_ on theIsland _Hispaniola_, and off there was joined by the _Cumberland_, Captain _Stewart_, from _Lisbon_, (who had been separated from theFleet in the Storm the 1st of _November_) and the next Day the _Wolf_Sloop came into the Fleet[_A_] and brought with her a _French_ Sloop. The 13th the Fleet anchored at the Isle of _Vache_, about two Leaguesto the Westward of _Port Louis_, where they stayed but four Days, having gained Intelligence the _French_ Fleet was divided, and sailed(the Marquis _D'Antin_ and twelve Sail being gone for _Old France_, andMr. _Rochefieulle_ and six Sail for _Petit Guavas_) upon which theFleet went and anchored in _Tiberoon_, _Donna Maria_, and _Irish_ Bays, to Wood and Water; and on the 25th sailed from thence, when the_Weymouth_, _Experiment_, and _Spence_ Sloop, were dispatched aheadover to _Carthagena_, to sound _Punta Canoa_ Bay, for the saferanchoring the Fleet, which arrived there the 5th of _March_ in theEvening; and three Days after the same Ships, together with the_Dunkirk_, were ordered by the Admiral down off _Boccachica_, to soundand see if the Fleet might safely anchor there, and how near Shipsmight come to batter the Forts of _St. Philip_ and _St. Jago_; and sosoon as the Admiral had received the Reports from the Commanders ofthese Ships, a Council of War was held, wherein it was resolved to sendthree eighty Gun Ships, the _Norfolk_, Captain _Graves_, the_Shrewsbury_, Captain _Townsend_, and the _Russell_, Captain _Norris_, to batter the Forts abovementioned; the _Princess Amelia_, Captain_Hemmington_, to fire against the Fascine Battery, and the_Litchfield_, Captain _Cleveland_, against the little Battery of_Chamba_; (but these two last the Enemy had abandoned) and accordinglythe 9th in the Morning they weighed Anchor from _Punta Canoa_ Bay, together with Sir _Chaloner Ogle_, and the rest of his Division, (hebeing to command the Attack) and about two Hours afterwards, theAdmiral and the rest of the Fleet got under sail: At Noon the_Norfolk_, _Russell_, and _Shrewsbury_ began to cannonade the Forts, and in about three Hours time drove the Enemy from their Guns, andobliged them to abandon their Forts[_B_]: Immediately on this Sir_Chaloner Ogle_ made the Signal for landing the Troops, which wasrepeated by the Admiral, who was just come to an Anchor, (a little tothe Eastward) and about five o'clock in the Evening, a Body of Troopswere landed without Opposition; but the General not thinking the Bodysufficient, (he landing with them) embarked again in the Boats, andsent for more[_C_]. About eight o'Clock they landed again, and went andtook Possession of the Forts of _St. Philip_ and _St. Jago_, and aboutnine the Bomb-ketches were carried in Shore, and began to play on theCastle of _Boccachica_. The three next Days were spent in landing theremainder of the Forces, the Baggage, _&c. _[_D_] and by the 16th allthe Cannon, Mortars, and Ordnance Stores were landed[_E_]. But theprincipal Engineer not arriving till the 15th, no Spot was pitched uponfor raising a Battery[_F_] against the Enemy, so that the clearing afew Bushes away down by the Water Side, for to pitch their Tents, wasall the material Work the Army did for near a Week; and the Enemy wascontented to let them be pretty quiet, only now and then firing a Shot, until they opened a Bomb-Battery of four Mortars and some Royals on the17th[_G_], and then the Fascine Battery on the _Barradera_ Side annoyedthem greatly, and particularly the Camp, so that they were obliged toremove it several Paces off. 

[_H_]This being represented to the Admiral, Orders were given for allBoats of the Squadron to be ready at Midnight (manned and armed) to goto surprize the _Barradera_ Battery, and the Command given to Captain_Boscawen_[_I_], in which they happily succeeded, spiked up all theGuns; burnt the Carriages, Platforms, and Guard-house; destroyed theMagazine, and took several Prisoners[_K_]. The next Morning, as soon asit was Day, the Enemy from _Boccachica_ began to fire warmly at theBomb-Battery, (as if they were angry at what happened the Night before)though without doing them any particular Damage; and as they weresensible of the Usefulness and advantageous Situation of this Battery, they set busily about repairing some Part of it, and on the 20th hadbuilt up some Embrazures and mounted two Guns, and fired them on theBomb-Battery again, which the Admiral observing, ordered the _Rippon_, a sixty Gun ship, to go and anchor as near it, as possible, and keepfiring on it to prevent the Enemy's working on it any farther[_L_], sothat all the next Day the Army was in a State of Tranquillity, and on_Sunday_ the 22d their grand Battery of twenty Guns being finished, about eight o'Clock in the Morning began to play very briskly on theCastle, as did the Bomb-Battery, and thirty or forty Cohorns and Royalsplanted on the Platform behind the Cannon[_M_], which the Enemyreturned as briskly from the Castle, the four Ships[_N_] (Don _Blass_'sin particular) _St. Joseph_'s, and some few Guns from the _Barradera_, so that the Work was warm on both Sides. On the 23d the _Boyne_, _Suffolk_, _Tilbury_, _Prince Frederick_, and _Hampton Court_, wereordered in against _Boccachica_ to cannonade[_O_]; but the _Boyne_having anchored so far to Leeward, as to lie exposed to the whole Fireof the Enemy's Ships, and _St. Joseph_'s Battery, was much shattered, and ordered off again that Night. The _Prince Frederick_ and _HamptonCourt_, sharing the Fire of the Enemy, that had been employed againstthe _Boyne_, were also much shattered by Morning, when they werelikewise ordered to come off; the former having lost her Captain, andboth many Men killed and wounded. The _Suffolk_ and _Tilbury_ happeningto anchor well to the Northward, lay battering till the next Evening(and with some Success, particularly against the Breach) when theAdmiral sent Orders for them to draw off. The Army now began to look onthe Breach as accessible, but the Guns in the _Barradera_ Battery, being able to annoy them in their Attack, a Representation thereof wasmade to the Admiral, who immediately directed the _Princess Amelia_, _Litchfield_, and _Shoreham_, to go in, and anchor as nigh it aspossible, and sent the Boats of the Squadron again mann'd and arm'd, under the Command of Captain _Watson_ to destroy it[_P_], which theydid effectually, and with scarce any Opposition; the greatest part ofthe Guns in _Boccachica_ Castle being now dismounted, the Army thoughtproper to entertain the Enemy's Ships, by widening five or sixEmbrazures of their Battery, and playing some Guns on them, which theShips as civilly returned, 'till Night closed in, and firing ceased onboth Sides[_Q_]. The 25th in the Morning it was discovered, the Enemyhad been throwing up some Fascine Works on the Ramparts; however asthey had not moved away any Rubbish from the Breach, it was resolvedthis Evening to attack it by Storm[_R_], and accordingly soon afterSun-set a Body of Troops marched up and mounted the Breachundiscovered, and quietly took Possession of the Castle, the Enemyflying out at the Gate so soon as they saw the Troops on the Ramparts, and heard their Huzza's. Those aboard their Ships were in the utmostConsternation at such a sudden and successful Event, and with allprecipitate Surprize betook themselves to their Boats, setting Fire toone of their Ships, and sinking two others. At the same time the Attackwas to be made on the Castle, (in order to divide the Enemy's Forces)the Admiral had given Orders for the Attack of the Castle of _St. Joseph_ by Boats, and sent them away under the Command of Captain_Knowles_, who took Possession of it about ten a Clock at Night, theEnemy abandoning it after firing some Guns: The Boats afterwards wentand took Possession of the _Galicia_, the _Spanish_ Admiral's Ship, andthen went to Work on cutting the Boom[_S_], and moving the _Galicia_out of the Channel; and next Morning the Admiral in the _PrincessCaroline_, the _Worcester_, and some other Ships sailed into theHarbour of _Carthagena_, and the whole Fleet and Transports continuedto sail and warp in as fast as conveniently they could. The Enemyseeing the Admiral and several Ships got into the Harbour, began toexpect a Visit at _Castillo Grande_ soon, and as _Mancinilla_ Fort layopposite to it within Gun-shot, and was not capable of making any greatDefence, they thought proper to destroy it, lest we should takePossession of it, and so batter the Castle. On the 28th the Admiralbeing informed of two small Batteries that guarded the _PassaCavallos_[_T_], sent the _Weymouth_ and _Cruiser_ Sloop to demolishthem, and take all the Imbarkations and Canoes that were there; anddisposed the Fire-ships and small Frigates round the Harbour, to guardevery Pass and Creek, in order to cut off any Supplies going to theTown. On the 30th the Rear-Admiral and several Ships turned up theHarbour, and anchored a small Distance from _Castillo Grande_, wherethe Enemy made a Shew of preparing to receive them;[_V_] and in orderto stop the Fleet here, had sunk seven Ships across the Channel, andmoored two of their Men of War, the _Conquestodore_ of sixty six Guns, and the _Dragon_ of sixty. The 31st early in the Morning, Captain_Knowles_ observed the enemy's two Men of War sunk, and not perceivingany Men in the Castle went and acquainted Sir _Chaloner Ogle_, that itwas his Opinion the Enemy had abandoned _Castillo Grande_, whoimmediately ordered him to weigh Anchor, and run in with his Ship, andfire on it, which he did; and the Castle making no return, he sent hisBoats ashore, and took Possession of it, and hoisted the _English_Flag: And on the Admiral's receiving Intelligence, he ordered a properNumber of Forces to garison it[_W_]. The next Day Captain _Griffin_, and Captain _Rentone_, were sent to see if it was possible to get pastthe Enemy's Ships they had sunk, and finding the _Conquestodore_'sStern afloat, the _Burford_ warped up, and cut the Stern Moorings, andhove her round, which opened a fair Channel, and the Bomb-Ketches, andtwo twenty Gun Ships went through. By this Time the Admiral, andgreatest Part of the Squadron, were come up the Harbour. Mr. _Lestock_and his Division was left at _Boccachica_, with Orders to reimbark theForces, and Cannon as fast as possible. The second in the Morning theBomb-Ketches began to play on the Town, and some of the Guns of_Castillo Grande_, that were cleared, fired on a _French_ Ship that layup at the Head of the Harbour[_X_], upon which the Enemy set fire toher, and she burned the greatest Part of the Day. Next Day the_Weymouth_ getting through the Channel, the Town began to fire on her, but without doing any material Damage. Great Part of the Transportswith the Troops being now come up the Harbour, this Night the_Weymouth_, the three Fire-ships, and the _Cruiser_ Sloop, beingdesigned by the Admiral to cover the landing of the Forces, warped overon the other Side the Harbour undiscovered by the Enemy, who in theMorning, to shew their Resentment, gave them a Salvo of what Cannonfronted that Way; (but firing through the Bushes did no Execution) the_Cruiser_ Sloop drawing but little Water, warped up a Creek, and aParty of the Enemy from a Breast-work they had thrown up, fired smartlyon her with their Musketry, but were quickly dislodged, a brisk fire, chiefly with Grape Shot, having been kept all Night to scour the Woods. About 5 o'Clock next Morning, being the 5th, the Forces werelanded[_Y_], and in their marching up from the Waterside had a smallSkirmish with some of the Enemy's Troops that had made a Lodgment inthe Woods, whom they soon put to Flight; and about a Mile further wereattacked a second Time, but the Enemy as soon shewed their Backs again. Finding the Country open hereabouts, the Army did not chuse to make anyfurther Advances, so they pitched on a Place for encamping, and theEvening sent a Party up to _La Papa_ to take Possession of that, if theEnemy had abandoned it[_Z_]. In the mean while all possible Dispatchwas made in landing the Baggage, Provision, Cannon, Ammunition, _&c. _[_A_] which the Enemy surprisingly suffered, notwithstanding thelanding Place was within reach of the Guns of _St. Lazare_; yet theyfired but seldom, for it appeared afterwards their Attention was moretowards their own Safety, (or 'tis certain they might have done a greatdeal of Mischief;) for whilst the Army were employed, and getting theirthings ashore, the Enemy were as busy in making a Fascine Battery offour Pieces of Cannon on the Brow of the Hill, and carrying on a Trench(or Line) round the Foot of the Castle, which they completed in a veryshort Time[_B_], quicker than the Army could make a Battery only forthree Mortars, and throw up a small Breast-work for their AdvanceGuards. But no Care was yet taken to cut off the Communication betweenTown and Country[_C_]. Complaints now began to be made, that the Numberof Sick was greatly increased in the Camp; upon which the Admiralimmediately supplied them with a Detachment of Lord _James Cavendish_and Colonel _Bland_'s Regiments, that had remained aboard the Ships aspart of their Compliments, and a Body of such _Americans_ as were fitfor Duty[_D_]. Upon this Reinforcement, and the Apprehensions of therainy Seasons, which were daily expected, on the eighth in theAfternoon a Land Council of War was held [_E_], wherein it was resolvedto attack the Castle and Trenches of _St. Lazare_, (without firstraising a Battery to make a Breach) and to this Resolution the Engineerjoined in Opinion[_F_]. Accordingly on the ninth in the Morning betweenthree and four o'Clock the Attack was made, and maintained veryresolutely on both Sides till between six and seven, when the Enemyobliged the Forces to retreat after a considerable Loss of Officers andMen[_G_]. After the Miscarriage of this Scheme (which was the occasionof the Town's not being taken) the Army sickened surprisingly fast, andthose that were killed being esteemed the Flower of the Flock, theGeneral declared he was no longer in a Condition to defend himself, much more to carry on a Siege against the Place, and hoped, if theAdmiral (who had ordered the _Weymouth_ to erect a Bomb-Battery, whichwas finished and played in two Days) expected any Thing to be done, hewould order some Ships in to cannonade the Town[_H_], otherwise desiredthese Things might be considered in a general Council of War, of Seaand Land Officers, and accordingly on the 15th a Council of War washeld, who came to a Resolution (upon the General's Representation ofthe bad State of the Army)[_I_], to have the Cannon and Forcesreimbarked with all convenient Speed, and the 17th in the Night theTroops were accordingly[_K_] taken off the Shore. 

Nothing remained now but to get the Fleet and Transports ready for Sea, and to demolish the Castles and Fortifications already taken, whichlast was effectually done by blowing them up, and by the 12th of _May_the whole Fleet and Forces had taken leave of _Carthagena_. 

APPENDIX. 

In order more fully and clearly to form a Judgment of the foregoingExpedition, it may not be improper to subjoin this Narrative of theEnemy's Situation, Strength, and Disposition at _Carthagena_, as theFleet and Forces found them on their Arrival there: And in order tocarry it on agreeable to the Advances that were made, begin with a_Disposition_ of _Punta Canoa_ Bay, where the Fleet first anchored. This Bay is about five Miles to the North West of the City of_Carthagena_, but not an extraordinary good anchoring Place, as theWater is shoal a great Way off the Shore, and the Coast pretty strait, that Ships are not much sheltered with the Point of Land, from theViolence of the Breezes that generally blow. In the Bottom of this Bayis an Entrance into the great Lake of _Jesea_, (called the _Boquilla_)where the Enemy had a small Fascine Battery of four Pieces of Cannon, and kept a Guard; but upon the Fleet's Arrival, (and during the Timethey continued to lie there) a considerable Number of the Enemy'sForces, both Horse and Foot, kept constantly there, expecting aDescent. The next Place of Note was the _Cruizes_, where the Enemy kepta Guard ordinarily of a hundred Men: This Place is about half Way fromthe _Boquilla_ to the Town, and guards a narrow Creek or Pass from theTown to the Lake, called _Passa de Juan D'Ingola_, through whichSupplies come in Canoes from the other Side of the Lake to the Town: Asfor the City itself, Nature has fortified that against any Attempt bySea, the Water shoaling near a League off, and the Shore beingplentifully bounded with Rocks; besides, the Sea is very seldom smooth, so that it is difficult at all Times landing. However, as the Enemyknew the Bravery of those they had to deal with, they began to wallthis Side of the Town, and make a Ravelin in the Middle, there beingalready a strong Bastion at each End. _Bocca Grande_ being the nextPlace the Enemy suspected an Attempt might be designed, had posted twoof their Men of War, the _Conquestodore_ of sixty six Guns, and the_Dragon_ of sixty to guard it, and began two Fascine Batteries, one oneach Point of the Entrance. This Passage, called _Bocca Grande_, wasformerly the principal Entrance into the Harbour, but by Storms, andthe Force of the Sea, a Bank was thrown up, which quite closed theEntrance, and then it was called _Bocca Serrada_; but as strangeRevolutions are frequent in these Countries, within these few Yearsthis Passage has broke out again, and there is now nine or ten FootWater in it. About three Miles below this, on the Island of _TerraBomba_, was a small Fort of four Guns, called _Battery de Chamba_; andhalf a Mile further, a Fascine Battery of twelve Guns, (both of thesethe Enemy had abandoned. ) The next Places of Defence were the Forts of_St. Philip_ and _St. Jago_, one of seven Guns, the other of fifteen, which served as Redoubts to the Castle of _Boccachica_. One of theseForts was built on the Rock _Ponti_ landed on, and probably to preventany one's landing there again, (especially so easily as he did. ) TheCastle of _Boccachica_ was the Enemy's chief Dependance, as it guardedthe Entrance into the Harbour. It is a regular Square, with fourBastions well built, and was capable of making a stout Defence if wellgarisoned, and would have been much stronger had the Glacis andCounterscarp been finished. There was mounted in it eighty two Guns, and three Mortars, and the Enemy had cleared three or four hundredYards of the Woods round it, to prevent Approaches being madeundiscovered, (as _Ponti_ did in 1697. ) On the other Side the Harbour'sMouth was a Fascine Battery of fifteen Guns, called the _Barradera_;and in a small Bay a back of that, another Battery of four Guns; andfacing the Entrance of the Harbour, on a small flat Island, stood _St. Joseph_'s Fort of twenty one Guns: From this Fort to _Boccachica_Castle a Boom and Cables were fixed across, fastened with three largeAnchors at each End; and just within the Boom was moored in a Line fourMen of War, the _Galicia_ of sixty six Guns, (aboard which was theAdmiral Don _Blass D'Leso_, ) the _Africa_ and _St. Carlos_, each ofsixty six Guns, and the _St. Philip_ of seventy Guns, which spread theWidth of the Harbour's Mouth, that there was not room for a Ship eitherto pass a head or a stern of them, so that it was impossible forshipping to force an Entrance into the Harbour; and had the Enemy heremade a Defence equal to the admirable Disposition they had formed, itmust have been a difficult Task for the Fleet to have got in, evenafter _Boccachica_ Castle was taken. About four or five Miles fromhence is a Creek, or Passage, that parts the Grand _Baru_ from the Maincalled _Passa Cavallos_, through which there is Water enough for smallVessels: This Pass the Enemy had defended with two Fascine Batteries, one of eight Guns, the other of four, as well to protect their ownImbarkations that come this Way with Provisions from _Tolu_, and theRiver _Sina_, as to prevent any Attempts being made this Way. The nextplace of Defence was _Castillo Grande_, which is about eight Miles upthe Harbour. This Castle is a regular Square with four Bastions, strongand well built, and defended to the Land by a wet Ditch and Glacisproper, and one Face towards the Sea has a Raveline, and a double Lineof Guns. This Castle can mount sixty one Guns, though there was butfifty seven in it. Opposite to this was a Horse-shoe Battery of twelveGuns, called _Mancinilla_; and in the Middle between these two Forts isa large Shoal with not above two or three Foot Water on it, whichdivides the Channel into two: In each of these Passages were Ships sunkacross, to prevent, if possible, the Fleet's getting by; for that Partof the Harbour above these Castles is a perfect Bason, and seems ratherlike one Harbour within another, so that if some of the Ships could nothave got past to have covered the Troops landing (where they did) theymust have marched several Miles, and been greatly exposed; besides, itwould have been excessively difficult transporting the Cannon, neithercould the Bomb-Ketches have got near enough this Way to have divertedthe Town; so that the Intent of this Disposition was exceeding good, had it been effectually executed, (but Fear made the Enemy work in toomuch Hurry. ) Near three Miles further up the Harbour, on two flat sandyIslands, or Keys, stands the famous City of _Carthagena_, and _Himani_, called its Suburbs, which are both irregular Figures, but wellfortified to the Land with strong Bastions at proper Distances, andLakes and Morasses running round them; and the Water at the Head of theHarbour shoal so far off, that Ships cannot come near enough to do anymaterial Execution with their Guns, which adds much to its Strength. 

 * * * * *

About a Quarter of a Mile from the Gate of _Himani_, on a pretty highEminence, stands the Castle (or Redoubt) of _St. Lazare_, which initself is but trifling, but its Situation very advantageous, and bysome new Works lately thrown up much strengthened. This Redoubtoverlooks all the Town, but has a Brow of a Hill (about four hundredYards from it) that overlooks it as much, and entirely commands it, where would have been a proper Place to have raised a Battery, whichthe Enemy full well knew, for they constantly kept a Guard there, toobserve the Army's Motions. As it was this famous Castle put an End tothe Siege of _Carthagena_, a particular Description of it may not beunwelcome. 

 * * * * *

The Hill it stands on is about fifty or sixty Foot high, naturallysteep, but made more so by the Earth out of the Trenches and Linesbeing thrown over the Brow. The Castle is a Square of about fifty Foot, with three Demi-Bastions, two Guns in each Face, one in each Flank, andthree in each Curtain. When the Army first landed, there was nomaterial Works about the Castle, but a Fascine Battery, of five Guns atthe North End of the Hill, facing the Brow of the commanding Hillabovementioned; but whilst they were encamping, _&c. _ the Enemy cutLines round the Foot of the Castle, and erected another Fascine-Batteryon the South Brow of the Hill, and brought four Guns out of the NorthBattery, and mounted in this, as it commanded the Ascent of the Hillbest; these Lines ran in Traverses, and communicated from Battery toBattery, and were a better Defence, and much stronger, than all theother Works together. After the Attack, the Enemy being able to judgewhere their Foible lay, mounted two Guns in the Lines, against theangular Point of one of the Bastions (which was not defended) where theTroops ascended the Hill, and to the South Part of the Hill lengthenedtheir Lines, and made a Stair-case up the Hill, to the Fascine-Battery, and a Breast-work cross the Road, from the Foot of the Hill down to theWater-side, which effectually blocked themselves up, and was a Securityagainst the Army's making a second Attack, and coming at them the rightWay, as they might have done at first, had they taken the Guide'sAdvice. The Side next the Town is quite defenceless, and the Way intothe Castle up a Ladder, on that Side, which draws up, like a Bridge. 

 * * * * *

From the several Examinations of Deserters it appeared, the Number ofthe Enemy did not exceed four thousand, (regular Forces, Seamen, Militia, Blacks, and Indians included) and daily Experience convincedus of the Goodness of their Engineers, Bombardiers, and Gunners, asDesertion and Cowardice convinced us of the Badness of others. 

Having given an Account of the Enemy's Situation and Strength, it maylikewise be necessary to relate some Account of the State of the Army, and what pretty Instruments and Materials they were furnished withal. That the whole Body of the Troops, that came from _England_ (unless twoRegiments) were raw, new raised, undisciplined Men, is a Fact known toevery one; and the greatest Part of the Officers commanding them, either young Gentlemen whose Quality or Interest entitled them toPreferment, or abandoned Wretches of the Town, whose Prostitution hadmade them useful on some dirty Occasion, and by Way of Reward wereprovided for in the Army; but both these Sorts of Gentlemen had neverseen any Services, consequently, knew not properly how to act, orcommand; so that the worthy old experienced Officers, who had servedlong and well, underwent a continual Hardship, in teaching anddisciplining a young raw Army, at a Time when they were on Service, andevery one ought to have been Masters of their Trade, instead of havingit to learn; and thus, by more frequently exposing themselves, most ofthem were knocked on the Head. As for the _American_ Troops, they werein general many Degrees worse, but the Officers in particular, who werecomposed of Blacksmiths, Taylors, Shoemakers, and all the Banditti thatCountry affords, insomuch, that the other Parts of the Army held themin scorn. And for Engineers, Bombardiers, and Gunners, worse never borethe Name, or could be picked out of all _Europe_. 

 * * * * *

Amongst the ten Engineers, there was but one who ever saw a Siege (andthat was the simple Siege of _Gibraltar_) and he was killed at_Boccachica_, in the midst of his own defenceless Works; so that therest may justly have been said to be left without a Head. As for theBombardiers and Gunners, the Colonel commanding the Train was in hisgrand Climacterick, and consequently very unfit to be sent upon thisExpedition; but he, poor Gentleman, was soon dispatched (thanks to theIgnorance of the Engineers) and his Successor took care to renderhimself as unfit for Duty, by Excess of Drinking, as Old Age renderedthe other; and as to Inferiors of both Sorts, Bombardiers andCannoneers, many of them were Country Fellows, who told the Generalthey were provided for in the Train for voting for Mr. ---- and Mr. Such a one, _&c. _ Out of these few that were good, by constantAttendance and Duty's falling hard few were left, and indeed they hadnot many Opportunities of shewing their Abilities, the Materials theywere provided withal being mostly bad; for two thirds of theBomb-Shells either broke short in the Air, or their Fusees went out, and they never broke at all; nor were there one in three of theGrenadoes would burst; the Shells were so thick, and the Cavity sosmall, they would not hold Powder sufficient to crack them; nay, solittle Care was taken in providing and packing up proper Materials fora Train of Artillery, that out of eight Pieces ofBattering-Cannon-Principals, one was found defective and unserviceable, and the Expedition had like to have set forward, without a Plank orJoist for Platforms for the Guns, or any Bill-Hooks to cut Fascines andclear the Ground, had not Lord _Cathcart_ been informed these Thingswere wanting, and wrote timely to have them supplied before the Fleetsailed, which lay then at _St. Hellens_. 

 * * * * *

Upon the whole, the Service that has been performed best demonstratesthe Goodness of this Army: How much it has suffered, as well as theReputation of the Nation, by the Death of Lord _Cathcart_, the End ofthe Expedition must resolve. 

Thus much may be said in Behalf of the common Soldiers, though theywere raw and undisciplined, they wanted not for Courage and Resolutionbecoming _Englishmen_. 

_FINIS. _

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Footnotes

[_A_] When Captain _Dandridge_, of the _Wolf_, came into the Fleet, heacquainted the Admiral, that the Marquis _D'Antin_ and twelve Ships ofWar were then in _Port Louis_, which was the Reason the Admiral pursuedhis Course up to the Isle of _Vache_, where when the Fleet arrived, a_French_ Officer coming on board the _Weymouth_, told, the Marquis_D'Antin_ was gone Home: Upon the Admiral's being informed of this, hesent Captain _Knowles_ up in the _Spence_ Sloop to reconnoitre, whoreturned with Answer, that there was but one Ship of War in _PortLouis_, and that the rest were all light Merchant Ships; however theAdmiral chose to be more certain, and having an Opportunity of sendingan Answer to the _French_ Officer's Message, the next Day sent Captain_Knowles_ and Captain _Boscawen_ ashore to the Governor, who beingpolitely received, and satisfied with their Remarks, returned in theEvening to the Admiral, and confirmed the foregoing Observation, who, without loss of Time, carried the Fleet where they could best andspeediest be watered. 

[_B_] This Success was obtained by the Loss only of six Men aboard the_Norfolk_ and _Russell_, but the _Shrewsbury_'s Cable being shot(before her other Anchor could be veered aground) she met with worseLuck: She drove so far as to open the whole Fire of the Castle of_Boccachica_, four of the Enemy's Ships of sixty and seventy Guns, thatwere moored athwart the Harbour's Mouth, the Battery of St. _Joseph_, and two Fascine Batteries, that were on the _Barradera_ Side; all thisFire she lay singly exposed to till dark, when she took the Benefit ofthe Land-Wind, and ran off, being greatly shattered in her Hull, Masts, and Rigging, and a great many Men killed and wounded. 

[_C_] It was a Body of eight hundred Grenadiers that first landed, who, during the Time that more Troops were sent for (which was upwards oftwo Hours before they came) were kept in the Boats, within twenty Yardsof the Shore, and so closely crouded, scarce one Man could have usedhis Arms, that had they had any Enemy to have dealt with, but dastardly_Spaniards_, they must and would have been cut all to pieces. 

[_D_] During the first three Days the Troops were ashore, they wereemployed in no one Thing, no not so much as to clear the Ground fortheir Encampment, but kept under Arms Night and Day (where, by the Heatof the Sun, on a white burning Sand, they were scorched to Death, andby the Inclemency of the Dews in the Night, they got Colds, so thatmany of them fell sick) whereas had they been instantly employed tohave encamped and opened Ground in the Woods for that Purpose, theywould have been shaded by the Trees, freed from the burning Heat of theSand, and many of them preserved from the Enemy's Shot, that missed ourBattery. 

[_E_] In the first Place it must be observed, that there never wasApplication made what particular Ordnance, Stores, _&c. _ to land, orany Scheme formed what Sort of Cannon might be necessary, or whatQuantity of Stores wanting, but the whole was landed, and aconsiderable Part lost by being washed off the Beach by the Sea, andseveral Carriages broke to pieces by the Enemy's Shot, and the restleft in Heaps in the utmost Confusion; notwithstanding there were nearfive hundred Seamen appointed for this Purpose; but those Officers, whose Business it was to have formed an Artillery Park (though Godknows they called this so) and disposed of the Stores in a regularManner and Order, were----

[_F_] Such was the Knowledge of the Sub-Engineers, that not one of themknew where to chuse out a Spot of Ground for raising a Battery, neitherhad they prepared Fascines, Pickets, or any Materials, till theirPrincipal arrived (and after he had pitched on a Place, he made aDemand of thirty thousand Fascines of twelve Foot long, twenty thousandof nine Foot long, and forty thousand Pickets, whereas one thousandfive hundred Fascines built the Battery) who, _Vauban_ like, would notbegin to work, till all his Materials were on the Spot; and then, withfive hundred Seamen, two or three hundred Blacks, and as many Soldiersas the General could spare for Pioneers, he was ten Days erecting aBattery; and when it was done, it was parallel to neither Face norCurtain of the Fortification, and the Breach was made in the angularPoint of the Bastion, neither was there any safe Communication with it, for no Trench was ever cut, or proposed, only a Path through the Woods, and that almost in a strait Line; so that every Shot enfiladed it, andkilled twenty times the Number of Men going to and from the Battery, that were killed every where else during the Siege; nor would theEngineer be prevailed on (any more than the General) to cut off theCommunication from the Town to _Boccachica_ (by which they might haveprevented the Enemy from receiving any Succours by Land, seen all theirMotions in the Harbour, and hindered any Incursions from the Castle)notwithstanding the Admiral frequently solicited the General and wroteto him to have it done. 

[_G_] This Thing, called a Bomb-Battery, was also a Mark of the Geniusand Understanding of the Engineers. It was a Platform, laid behind asmall rising Rock, open on all Sides, no Communication to it, either byTrench, Epaulment, or any Security whatsoever, that the Enemy saw everyMan (from the Castle) that went in, or out, as they were obliged topass over high Ground, to come at the Battery, and then it lay quiteexposed to the _Barradera_ Battery; so that the Shot fired from thencepassed in at one End, and out at the other; and if they did noExecution there, were sure to do some in the Camp. And as to theUsefulness of it, and the Service that was performed by the excellentbombardiers, every idle Spectator was a Judge; though it was oftentimesobserved, by Order, that not six Shells out of forty had doneExecution, and that, on the contrary, scarce one of forty of theEnemy's ever missed. 

[_H_] The Camp (it has been observed before) was pitched on a low Sand, but being sheltered (as a direct Object) from the _Barradera_ Battery, by the Rock that _St. Philip_ stood on, could not be seen, but lying inthe Line of Direction of the Shot fired from thence, at the famousBomb-Battery, was sure to be flanked by every Shot, which missed that, and though it might be prudent to try Movings, on this Occasion, yet itwas a bad Example to the Soldiers, especially when the Chiefs moved offfirst, and the Thing was done without regular and publick Orders;besides the Time it took up at that Conjuncture (when more materialWorks were in Hand, and the Army lessening every Day by Sickness, whichwas not to be regained. ) Whereas had the Encampment been formed atfirst, a few Yards up in the Woods, none of the Enemy's Guns could havebeen brought to bear on it, nor indeed would they have been able tohave discovered where it was; besides the great Advantage of Men'sbeing cool, and particularly after working; but, as it was placed, instead of a cool Retreat, to retire to Rest, after being heated by thewarm Labour, their Tents were a hotter. 

[_I_] The following Captains were also ordered upon this Expedition, vix. Capt. _Watson_, _Coates_, _Lawrence_, _Coleby_, and _Laws_, andall the Barges and Pinnaces of the Fleet. They went away from theirShips about Midnight, and rowed pretty far to Leeward, to avoid beingseen, or the Noise of their Oars heard, and proposed landing in a smallsandy Bay, behind the _Barradera_ Battery, into which was a narrowChannel, between two Reefs of Rocks, and a four Gun Battery on theStrand, facing the Channel (both unknown to every Person there) which, so soon as some of the Boats had got into the Channel, began to fire onthem; but the brave Tars landed, and rushed in at the Embrazures, andtook Possession of the Battery, before the Enemy could fire a secondTime. This firing alarmed the _Barradera_ Battery, and the Enemy turnedthree Pieces of Canon on the Platform, which they fired with GrapeShot, so soon as the Seamen advanced; but notwithstanding that, and theDifficulties and Badness of the Road (which was through a Morass, andwhere but one Man could walk abreast, and full of Stumps of Mangroveseach a Foot or more high, the Seamen attacked it; and, after a smartthough short Resistance, carried it, took nine Prisoners, spiked upfifteen Guns (from eighteen to twenty four Pounders) burned theCarriages, Platforms, Guard-houses, and Magazine; and it may withJustice be allowed (from the many Difficulties that attended thisAction, in Regard to the advantageous Situation of the _Barradera_Battery, the Boats being surprised with a four Gun Battery, just asthey were going to land, and no Person acquainted with the Place) asbold and surprising an Enterprise, as is to be met with; and theConsternation it put the Enemy in seems to confirm this Opinion; foralthough _Boccachica_ Castle, and the Enemy's four Ships, were not morethan Musket Shot off, yet neither they, nor _St. Joseph_'s (which wasstill nearer) ever fired a Shot. So that it seems as if they could notbelieve the Thing, though they saw all in Flames. For this gallantAction the Admiral rewarded every common Man with a Dollar apiece. 

[_K_] The Success of this Action may be said to have given the Armyboth Spirits and Pleasure (_pro tempore_) as it freed them from thegreatest Annoyance of their Camp, and gave them an Opportunity ofworking quietly on their Battery. 

[_L_] Because the Enemy made such quick Dispatch in repairing some Partof the _Barradera_ Battery, mounting and firing some Pieces again, theArmy began to reflect, and say, the Battery was not effectuallydestroyed, though hundreds of Men were seen constantly at work, andBoats with Cannon, Stores, and Fascines, passing and repassing hourly, both from _Boccachica_ and the Ships: But the Truth was, the Army wasnot accustomed to work in that brisk Manner: No! Working was no Part oftheir Trade. However, when the sixty Gun Ship went in against theBattery, that the Enemy was obliged to bring their Guns to fire at her, the Army cooled in their Resentments, and all was well, while the Enemywas quiet. 

[_M_] This grand Affair having taken up near a Fortnight in raising, and many more Men employed to work, than was necessary (for there werefive hundred Seamen, between two and three hundred Blacks, besides asmany Pioneers as could be spared out of the Army) much Execution may beexpected therefrom: But alas! the Engineers would by no Means outdothemselves; the Battery was constructed in a Wood! and no more Groundwas cleared, than a Space necessary for so stupendous a Building (lestthe Enemy should see the Army!). For so great Caution was used, thatbefore the Wood in the Front of the Battery was cut down, it was aDoubt, whether any Guns could be brought to bear on the Castle; and asit was, no Guns could be brought to play on the Enemy's Shipping, although it was expected they would instantly fire on the Battery, andbe capable of doing it the greatest Damage; (which they did) and hadnot an Epaulment been thrown up at the East End, every Shot from theShips must have raked the Battery, and destroyed Numbers of Men. TheArmy allowed the Tars behaved gallantly; for it must be remarked, theyhad Seamen to fight the Guns in the Battery, as well as help to buildit. Whether the Engineers proposed to batter the angular Point of theBastion in Breach is Matter of Doubt, at the first laying out of theirBattery; (but infinite Reasons may be assigned for the Absurdity, besides that great one, of having the Fire of two Flanks to destroy, instead of one) however it is generally believed, it was Hap-hazard;for the most impartial Judges in the Navy and Army agree, if the Enemyhad cut down eighty or an hundred Paces of the Woods further round theCastle, the Undertaking would have been so difficult, as to haveshocked the Science of all the Engineers, if not quite disheartenedthem, from so daring an Enterprise. 

[_N_] The Position the Enemy had lain their Ships in, was beyond allDoubt the most advantageous, could be formed by Man; both for opposingany Attempt, that might be made by Shipping on the Entrance into theHarbour; or annoy any Battery, that could be raised ashore; and as theyfound no Battery against them, they failed not to play as briskly (as_Spaniards_ will do when there is no body to hurt them) and did tentimes more Damage than the Castle. 

[_O_] These Ships were ordered to cannonade purely to oblige theGeneral, who, because the Enemy's Ships fired at his Battery, desiredthe Admiral would send Ships to cannonade the Castle, though there wasa Battery of twenty Guns to fire against five or six (for that was allthe Castle could bring to bear on the Battery) so they had their Mastsand Yards shot to pieces, and Numbers of Men killed and wounded, without doing any other Damage than beating down the Rubbish; (whichthe Battery would have done in half the Time, as being twice as near)for they could not come to hurt the Enemy's Ships, nor did it diverttheir Ships from firing at the Battery. 

[_P_] So soon as the Enemy saw the Boats coming to Land, and theseShips come to an Anchor close to the Battery, they deserted it, andspiked up the Guns; but Captain _Watson_, and Captain _Coates_ marchedinto it, and ripped up the Platforms, burned them and the Carriages, and effectually demolished the Battery: The Enemy fired at them fromtheir Shipping, but with-out much Damage. 

[_Q_] It may be remarked as something extraordinary, that although theArmy thought the Breach just practicable, they should entirely ceasefiring, the Night before they intended the Attack; as it is a sort ofan established Rule in all regular Sieges, to keep firing in the Night, to prevent the Enemy's removing the Rubbish, that is beat down in theDay, which the Enemy would certainly have done, if they had beensufficiently strong; for they began that Night a Counter-Battery ofFascines on the Ramparts, in order to have disputed it longer, which ifthey had had Time to have finished, and Numbers to have carried on bothWorks together, (_viz. _) moving the Rubbish from the Foot of theBreach, and compleating these Counter-Batteries, they would haverendered the Attack as difficult as from the Beginning. 

[_R_] The Army having sent in the Night to reconnoitre the Breach, andjudging it surmountable, resolved this Evening to attack it, and afterhaving made their necessary Dispositions, sent off to acquaint theAdmiral with their Design, and that so soon as three Shells should bethrown in the Evening by way of Signal, the Battery should begin tofire warmly, till the Soldiers were almost at the Foot of the Breach, and then to cease, and they rush in, which had the desired Effect; foron the Battery's playing, the Enemy retired off their Ramparts, exceptonly one Centinel, and he hid himself behind some Fascines; that theTroops mounted the Breach undiscovered, and were actually huzzaing onthe Ramparts, and hoisting the _English_ Flag, before the Enemy wereapprised of them; who made the best of their Way out of their CastleGate, excepting two, who were taken Prisoners; so that there was not aMusket fired in Opposition, nor a Gun from any of the Enemy's Ships, which is both astonishing and remarkable, as their Broadsides lay tothe Castle, and the Admiral (Don _Blass_) was aboard. But such was thePanick they were in, that happy was he that could get first into a Boatto save himself: (and the Don did not look behind him). Each Ship wasscuttled ready for sinking, and had a large square Plug in the Hole;but the _St. Philip_'s People not readily getting them out, set fire toher; the _Africa_ and _St. Carlos_ were sunk, as it was intended the_Galicia_ should also, in order to prevent any Ship's getting throughthe Channel, which (had the Scheme been effected) would have renderedit difficult to pass, if practicable at all, without weighing some oneor other of the Ships. This Victory (it will readily be allowed) gavethe Army a great Share of Spirits, as it freed them from Hardships(modern Gentlemen Soldiers are not used to) and gave them Possession ofan Island (as well as the Castle) in which the Enemy could not come todisturb them, especially while they had got a Fleet of Ships of War toattend on them; for, to their great Glory be it spoken, they could notventure to move along Shore without Men of War to attend on them, asthey marched, and the constant Cry was, _Why don't you come to ourAssistance?_ Nay, so great a Liking had they to the Sea, that theycould not find their Way into the Castle, after the Breach was made, without a Sea Pilot to conduct them; and what is worth Notice is, hewas a _Spaniard_, and a Prisoner; but the General imagined, he might beas good a Pilot by Land, as by Sea, and so sent to the Admiral, todesire he might shew the Troops the Way into the Castle. 

[_S_] The Admiral's Scheme for Attacking _St. Joseph_'s had drawn allthe Attention of the Enemy that Way; for so soon as they saw the Boatsgoing to Land, their Ships began to fire pretty briskly, and _St. Joseph_'s Battery fired also; but as the Bushes prevented their seeingthe Men, they did but little Harm. The Enemy sent several large Boatsfull of Men from their Ships into the Battery, which is pretty plainthey did not expect _Boccachica_ would have been attacked at that Time, or consequently they would not have sent them there. (Wherefore it isevident, this Scheme facilitated the Army's becoming Masters of_Boccachica_, and put an End to the Dispute sooner than was expected, or could possibly have happened, had any Nation but pusillanimous_Spaniards_ had the Defence of it; for had the Place been defendedequal to its Strength and excellent Disposition, both of the Ships andBatteries, it would have been a difficult Task for the Fleet and Armyboth to have rendered themselves Masters of it. ) But so soon as theysaw the Castle taken, they made the best of their Way off, in whatBoats they could get, and abandoned St. _Joseph_'s likewise, leavingonly one drunken Man behind (who was to have blown it up) so soon asthe Boats had got Possession. Captain _Coates_ was left to command thisFort, and the Captains _Knowles_ and _Watson_ went aboard the_Galicia_, where they found the Captain of her, and about sixty Men, whom they took Prisoners, and carried aboard of the Admiral, the restof the Crew having run away with the Boats, and prevented theirescaping and sinking their Ship, as was intended. 

[_T_] _Passa Cavallos_ is a Creek, that parts the grand _Baru_ from theMain, through which the Supplies of Provisions that come from _Tolu_and _Sina_ must pass; and here the Enemy had erected two smallBatteries, one of four Guns, the other of eight, which were demolishedby the _Weymouth_ and _Cruiser_. The latter was sent up the Creek, tobring away five or six _Sina_ Hulks (Vessels so called, as being dugout of one solid Tree, and big enough ordinarily to carry twenty Tuns)that lay there, which were very useful to the Fleet in watering. 

[_V_] Between _Castillo Grande_ and _Mancinilla_ Fort is a largeChannel, that goes up as it were into another Harbour or large Bason;in the Middle of the Channel is a Shoal, that divides it into twoChannels; on each Side the Shoal the Enemy had moored Ships, and sunkthem; and in the Channel next the Castle had moored two sixty GunShips, the _Conquestodore_ and _Dragon_, and untiled their Houses inthe Castle, as if intended to defend it; but observing the Boatssounding, and well knowing how near the Ships could lay theirBroadsides against it, they certainly judged right in abandoning it, and sinking their Ships, as they must have lost many Men in defendingthem, and those that had happened to have been left, after the Castleand Ships had been taken, must have submitted to have been Prisoners;for there was no Way of their escaping, either by Land or Water; and astheir Numbers were not great, it was best collecting them in one Body, and at one Place, to make an Effort. 

[_W_] Though this Castle was capable of making a pretty good Defence, yet the above Reasons justify the Enemy in abandoning it. There was inthe Castle fifty seven Guns, which the Enemy had spiked up, and thePowder they had thrown into the Cistern of Water, and spoiled, but mostof the Guns were got clear again, and the Castle was garisoned with onehundred regular Troops, and about fifty Seamen. 

[_X_] This _French_ Ship had been supplying the Enemy with Ammunition, and had not had Time to get away, before the Place was invested; andduring the Siege of _Boccachica_ Castle, had been used as an HospitalShip, to receive the Enemy's wounded, and served to carry them to Town, or fetch Ammunition, or Stores, from the Castle, as Occasion required, and, to prevent her being destroyed by the _English_, the Enemy choserather to burn her. 

[_Y_] All the Boats of the Fleet having been ordered to hold themselvesin Readiness for landing the Forces, each respective Transport was toshew a Signal Light at Midnight, where the Boats went and received theseveral Regiments according as directed, and from thence went andrendezvoused aboard the _Weymouth_ till dawn of Day; and after herscouring the Woods briskly with Grape-Shot, _&c. _ at half an Hour pastfour o'Clock in the Morning they were landed at a Place called_Gratia_, formerly a Country House hired by the _South-Sea_ Factors, and one _Mac Pherson_, who had also been in that Company's Service, andwas well acquainted with the Country, was their Guide. But, asthroughout the whole, Things were done without Order or Method, so theywent on still; for notwithstanding the Army had been apprised of theEnemy's having made Lodgments along the Road, yet they landed without aGrenado Shell, or a Field-Piece, and were likewise told, the Road waseven and able to sustain the Weight of the heaviest Cannon. However, Providence continued to favour them better than their own Prudencecould have guided, and happily they were landed with the Loss only ofone Man, and two or three wounded, although some Parties of the Enemyattacked them twice: At which Time the Ships proved of great Service, as they could see every Motion the Enemy made, and fired among themvery successfully; for no sooner did they attempt to make a Stand anddraw up, than the Shot dispersed them, and swept off Numbers; so thatif the Army had vouchsafed to have pushed their Success, it is ageneral received Opinion (even amongst themselves now) they might haverendered themselves Masters of the Castle of _St. Lazare_ that Day(even without Field-Pieces) for the whole Force of the Town was outagainst them (as they were told by some Prisoners they took and someDeserters) and very impolitically divided into several Bodies; and inthe Panick they were in, and each Party running different Ways, itwould have been no difficult Task, to have rendered themselves Mastersof that small Redoubt, if not succeeded in forcing the City Gates; forwhat had they to do, but to follow the Enemy close at their Heels, andslaughter them? Before they had got into the Town, the other must; forwhen they were mixed in a Body amongst their Enemy, the Town dared notventure to have fired, for fear of killing their own People; butinstead of making Use of any of these Advantages, they contentedthemselves in taking Possession of the Ground the Enemy had left themMasters of, and there posted their Advanced Guards, and retired withthe main Body behind _La Papa_ to encamp; and here almost as many Dayswere spent in forming an Encampment, as at _Boccachica_. 

[_Z_] _La Papa_ is a Convent, which stands on the Top of the highestHill, near _Carthagena_, and was a most advantageous Part for observingthe Enemy's Motions, as it overlooked the Town and Country for manyLeagues round about. 

[_A_] Though it might have been expected from the Loss and Destructionof Ordnance Stores at _Boccachica_, more Care would have been takenhere, yet, instead of that, the worthy Officer of the Train doubled hisNeglect, and Things were in much more Disorder and Confusion than theywere there, notwithstanding here was Choice of Ground to pitch upon foran Artillery Park; but it was too much Trouble and Labour to move theStores from the Place where they were first put down in, at landing, and required more Attendance than could be spared from the Bottle (andit is a well known Proverb, _When the Shepherd's away, the Flock willstray_, ) so that out of two or three hundred Men, that were appointedto attend this Service, it was well if thirty were found at Work. 

[_B_] When the Army landed, there were scarce any Works worth Noticeround the Castle of _St. Lazare_, but a Fascine Battery of five Guns\on the North Side of the Hill (which was built the Year before, whenAdmiral _Vernan_ bombarded the Town) and was of no Service, but in Caseof Approaches being made that Way. But as the Enemy saw the Army(disposed to Rest rather than Work) go on slowly, they took Occasion toimprove their Time, and with unwearied Diligence set to Work, and inthree Days Time completed a four Gun Battery, and entrenched themselvesin Lines round about the Foot of the Castle, which were stronger, andof much more Importance, than the Castle itself, and drew those Gunsoff the Fascine Battery on the North Port, and mounted them in this newBattery, and saluted the Army frequently with them, whilst they wereworking on their Bomb-Battery and Lodgment for their Advanced Guards. 

[_C_] It has been remarked, that neither General nor Engineer could beprevailed on to cut off the Communication, notwithstanding the Admiralrepresented the Necessity thereof, as the most sure Means to distressthe Enemy, and had sent the _Dunkirk_ to anchor off the _Boguilla_, toprevent any Embarkation bringing Supplies by Water, as he had done the_Falmouth_ at the grand _Baru_, on the Outside of _Passa Cavallos_(before the taking of _Boccachica_) which effectually prevented anyRefreshments coming to the Enemy from _Tolu_, and the River _Sina_, their principal Markets; yet nothing was of Weight enough for its beingdone here, although so very easy, and the Army were complainingheavily, for want of Refreshments, and yet suffered Supplies daily togo into the Town. The _Boguilla_ is the Mouth of the Lake (behind_Carthagena_) that opens into the Sea, where the Enemy kept a Guard ofabout an hundred Men, and was the only Way possibly they had left forSupplies to come to them; and though fresh Provisions were scarce inthe Camp, and would have been exceedingly beneficial to the Sick, yetso little Pains did the Army care to take to get it, that when theGeneral was acquainted, that a Drove of three or four hundred Head ofOxen were going along the Strand, he did not dispatch a Party tointercept them, or endeavour to cut them off, not in three Hours afterhe had been informed of the Thing, and then the Cattle were going intothe Town. But so far were the Army from being disposed to cut off theCommunication on that Side, that they were continually forming Ideas ofthe Enemy's coming that Way to attack them, and that they were actuallyraising Batteries on some of the Islands in the Lake, to drive them outof the Camp, and could not be convinced to the contrary, till theAdmiral ordered a large Canoe to be carried over Land, and launchedinto the Lake, which was manned and armed, and an Officer of the_Weymouth_ and a Land Officer sent in her round the Lake, toreconnoitre; upon whose Return, those dreadful Apprehensions weredissipated. 

[_D_] From the first Sight of the _American_ troops they were despised, and as many of them were _Irish_, (suspected Papists) were neveremployed till now; but as Sickness encreased amongst the others (andhourly Attacks expected from the Enemy) it was thought expedient tohave them ashore; and though it is most certain, there was scarce onebut knew what Opinion had been conceived of them, nay indeed told them, that had not the Fellows been better than they were taken for, it wasenough to have exasperated them to have deserted. The other Soldiers ofLord _James Cavendish_ and Col. _Bland_'s Regiments were as good Troopsas any on the Expedition; and after this Reinforcement, it was expectedthe Communication would have been immediately cut off; (as it had beensuggested Numbers could not be spared before) but so far from that, that the Army still complained, that they had not Men enough to relievetheir Guards; and indeed, according to the Number they mounted, _Marlborough_'s Army would scarce have been sufficient; for the AdvanceGuard consisted of five hundred Men, the Picket eight hundred, besidesseveral other Out-Guards of one hundred, and some fifty; whereas theEnemy had but one Guard (that faced this Way) without their Work, andthat of seven Men only. Thus were the poor Wretches harassed. 

[_E_] When the Council of War met, several of the general Officers andColonels dissented from this Resolution, as judging it too rash anUndertaking, without a proper Breach being made first, or at leastbefore the Place had been well reconnoitred; but in order to solve thislast Difficulty, there were several Deserters that offered to go asGuides, and three of the most intelligent were pitched upon. 

[_F_] The principal Engineer being killed at _Boccachica_, hisSuccessor (being none of the most knowing in the Science) did not chuseany Works should be taken in Hand, as they would expose his Ignorance;so chearfully gave into that Opinion. 

[_G_] After the Majority of the Council of War had determined on theAttack, a proper Time was now the Question, as to which the Desertersinformed them, about two o'Clock in the Morning would be the best Time;for the Guards from the Town that nightly patroled round the Foot ofthe Hill would by that Time be returned and gone to their respectiveHomes; because as Duty went hard (their Numbers being but it wascustomary for them, as soon as they had performed their Rout, to go toBed;) and further observed, that when a _Spaniard_ has laid himselfdown to sleep, it is no easy Task to raise him to fight; but theseArguments were of no Force to the General; just before Day was hisTime; accordingly, about four o'Clock in the Morning the Attack began, and a Party of Grenadiers, along with Colonel _Grant_, entered theTrenches at the Foot of the Castle; but not being sustained, were cutoff, and Colonel _Grant_ shot through the Body. After this, instead ofrushing in, Sword in Hand, and mingling with the Enemy in the Trenches, a full Stop was made, and the Men stood firing in Plotoons; those thathad Room, and could wheel off for others, did, but the greatest Partstood and fired all their Ammunition away, while the Enemy (as it wasnow Day-light, and they could take Aim) were mowing them down, likeGrass, with their Cannon, Musketry, and Grenadoes; notwithstandingwhich, the Troops faced them like Lions, and wanted but to have beenled on, or told what they were to have done, and they certainly wouldhave taken the Place. But, instead of that, from the most excellentDisposition that was made, no Officer attempted to lead them on, andthe Grenado Shells, that should have been in the Front, and distributedamong the Soldiers, were in Boxes in the Rear; nor was there one Lengthof lighted Match among them. The Woolpacks and Scaling Ladders werealso in the Rear. But when Colonel _Grant_ entered the Trenches, suchCall was made for them, that some few were carried up the Hill; howeveras he, poor Gentleman, fell, no body else tried to make Use of them;and so amongst other Things they were left for the Enemy. As thisScheme was but badly formed from the Beginning, (and indeed may beproperly called the General's own Scheme) so it as unfortunately ended;for the Admiral not being acquainted with this Resolution of theCouncil of War, (either by Letter or Message) had not an Opportunity ofacting in Conjunction with them, and assisting them with a Body ofSeamen, as it is evident he would have done; for as soon as he wasacquainted the Fort was attacked, and got up and saw the Troops at aStand, the Instant a Signal could be seen, (at Dawn of Day) he made onefor all the Boats in the Fleet manned and armed, and sent them withorders to follow the General's Directions; but it was too late; beforethey got ashore, the Troops were returned from the Attack. 

Various are the Accounts of the Loss sustained in this Action; but itis generally believed, there were upwards of one hundred Men killed, and near two hundred wounded, thirty of whom were taken Prisoners, Numbers of Arms, Colours, Drums, Woolpacks, Grenadoes, Pick-axes, Shovels, Scaling Ladders, _&c. _ were left behind in the Retreat, whichthe Enemy arrogantly diverted themselves withal, for some Time, on theTop of the Hill, taking Care to let the Army see them. 

As when Faults are committed, the first Thing sought after is anExcuse; so, not succeeding in this Attack, the Army now fell to blamingthe Guides, saying, they had led them the wrong Way; the Guides againsay, the Army would not follow them the Way they would have led them;but had Reason alone been their Guide, sure they should have attackedthe Castle on the weakest Side; (for they all knew one Side wasdefenceless) whereas they attacked it on the strongest Side, where theHill was most difficult of Access; and when they found themselvesrepulsed, and at a Loss what to do, the speedier they had made theirRetreat, the smaller had been their Loss. 

[_H_] The Admiral had sent several Officers in to sound, and try ifShips might come near enough to batter, who all gave it, as theirOpinions, that there could not more than three Ships possibly anchor atthe upper End of the Harbour; and if they were laid but in a Foot Watermore than they drew, they would not be in a Point-Blank-Shot, andconsequently could do no material Execution; however, to convince theGeneral, that Ships could be of no manner of Service to him, theAdmiral caused the _Galicia_ (one of the _Spanish_ Ships) to be fittedproper for battering, by forming, between each Port, Merlons (or Cases)of six Foot thick, and filled with rammed Earth or Sand, and sent herin to cannonade the Town; but it was soon found, she could not comehear enough to do any Service; for the enemy had demolished her so, intwo or three Hours, that she would have sunk in half an Hour more, ifshe had not been drawn off; and it may be established as a generalRule, for Ships to go by, that unless they can come within half aMusket or Pistol Shot of a Fortification, it will have the Advantage ofthem, for the further you lye off, the more Guns they can bring to bearagainst you; whereas, when you go so near, there can no more Guns annoyyou, than are mounted within the Length of your Ship; and theDifference of Briskness in firing, betwixt a Ship and a Fort, is sogreat, besides the Odds in Number of Guns, that it is impossible towithstand a Ship long. After this Experiment the _Galicia_ was burned. 

[_I_] After the famous Battle of _St. Lazare_, the Troops sickened veryfast, insomuch, that by Account delivered in (and the General's Report)between _Thursday_ Morning and _Friday_ Night, they had dwindled awayfrom 6645 to 3200, and 1200 of these were _Americans_, and not esteemedfit for Service. 

[_K_] When the Council of War agreed to the Forces being embarked, theGeneral urged, that they might come off in the Night, lest the Enemyshould make a Sortie, so that the Boats were ordered ashore about nineo'Clock, and from the Apprehensions they were in of the Enemy's beingat their Heels, many of them left their Baggage, and Numbers of themtheir Tents and Arms, which the Enemy came the next Morning and pickedup. The Tents they pitched upon _St. Lazare_ Hill, and other Places, where they might best be seen, and by a Flag of Truce that had Occasionto pass the next Day, about Exchange of Prisoners, they failed not toexpress their Astonishment at the precipitate Retreat of the Army. Thusended this famous Expedition, that was the greatest and most expensivethat ever entered the _American_ Seas, and which _Europe_ gazed on withAdmiration and Attention.