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An authentic account of the fiege and fur render of St Philip's fort, in the island of Minorca.

[See a plan of the town and fort, vol. xviii. fronting p. 221. and notes referring to it, p. 348, 9.] Saturday, HE garrifon was alarmed Apr. 17. with the first news of a large fleet of French tranfports being in fight.

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Sunday 18. Part of Col. Rich's regiment from the country brought an account of the landing of their troops at Cieutadella. All neceffary precautions were immediately taken, the artillery and additional gunners were ftationed, and a refolute defence was determined. Monday 19.. The remainder of Col. Rich's regiment arrived from Cieuta della, from whence they had retired, leaving a corporal behind; who was made prifoner by the French. The western fignal-houfe guard alfo retired into the fort. All Col. Cornwallis's regiment left Mahon, to reinforce the garrifon; and the General detached Lt. Col. Bufane with 200 men to obferve the enemy's motion; who feeing no appearance of them in the day, staid at Mahon all night.

Tuesday 20. The General detached 100 men to reinforce Col. Bufane, and alfo detached a party to drive all the cattle they could find in the country into the fort. Upon this expedition two of our men were wounded by the Spaniards. Our fcouts brought advice that 12,000 of the enemy were on their march to Mahon; on which Col. Bufane's party retired into the garrifon; as did likewife a party of miners employed in fpringing a mine, under the Grey Friery at Mahon, in order to fill up the road which led to the garrifon. Forty men belonging to the regiments in Gibraltar, and all the marines on board the men of war which lay in the harbour, were commanded to reinforce the garrifon; and the British fquadron, fix in number, failed out of the harbour; Capt Scroope having first, with 140 of his men, joined the reinforcement, and fent the Defiance to fea under the command of his lieutenant.

was alarmed, miftaking the Spaniards Wednesday 21. The Marlborough guard flying into the country for the enemy; numbers of thefe Spaniards were brought into the garrifon by different parties. We could now plainly perceive the enemy at Cape Mola, on the oppofite fide of the harbour; and at night we doubled our piquets, and detached them into the town of St Philip's, to unhead all the wine cafks; which they accordingly executed, ipilling the wine, and bringing all the empty cafks into the garrifon. These were of infinite fervice during the fiege, in erecting blinds, traverses, and other neceffary ufes. A piquet of the artillery and additional gunners manned thofe batteries which were most exposed; and on this day the whole garrison were ferved with a pint of wine a man.

Thursday 22. A firefhip was funk by Gen. Blakeney's order; which was fcarcely executed before an account arrived that the French were advancing from Elliore to Mahon; upon which the General dispatched the drum-major of Col. Cornwallis's regiment, in military form, to demand the reafon of the French King's troops landing in an hoftile manner, in his Majefty's ifland of Minorca. A party of the enemy advanced as far as Mahon, and they posted a captain's guard at Middle Mount, which is halfway between Mahon and the garrison. They alfo towed up the prizes to Mahon, which had been taken by our men of war.

In the mean time no precaution was omitted by the General for fecurity of the garrifon

Friday 23. The drum-major returned, having executed in due form the commiffion upon which he was dispatched. After fome fhort confultation, he was conducted to the Duke de Richlieu, general in chief, at Elliore, where he saw a numerous army on their march to Mahon. He faw alfo fix pieces of cannon, and a prince of the blood who came a voluntier upon this expedition. Upon this information the Governor augmented the guards, and all was quiet for the remainder of the day.

Saturday 24. We difcovered the enemy's approach by hearing their drums beat,

beat, and their morning-gun fire, and foon faw their main body on their march between Middle Mount and St Philip's; but fuddenly disappearing, we apprehended they had taken a circuit in order to attack Marlborough fort, which is feparated from the garrifon by a creek of the fea, called St Stephen's Cove. But inftead of attacking this fort, they incamped at about a mile and a half's distance from the garrifon. In the afternoon their fleet came in fight, and bore fo near that we concluded they would attempt to come in; but they kept cruifing all the next day round the harbour's mouth.

Monday 26. We could perceive, by computation, upwards of 500 of the ene my marching to Cape Mola. The Duke de Richlieu having dispatched a drummer with a letter to our Governor, complaifantly fent him a prefent of dry fruit; who in return fent him back fix bottles of English beer.

Tuesday 27. The enemy took poffeffion of the town of St Philip's, and mounted a guard at Stanhope's tower. Now hoftilities commenced by a few ftraggling French; who fired from the town at fome of the country, but without hurt to any. This however provoked our men to return the fire; by which one was killed and another wounded. The French aggreffors underwent the difcipline of whipping through the camp for firing without orders.. The French fleet having gone to the weftward, gave a fmall veffel from Genoa in ballaft an opportunity of coming into the harbour. We had now the first order, that every perfon bearing arms fhould be ready upon any alarm; in confequence of which, none undreffed, or pulled off one gar

ment.

Thursday 29. All our provifions were removed to a magazine near the caftle. Friday 30. The first cannon was fired from the garrison, at a party of the ene my who advanced to a point of land called Philippet, which ftands in the middle of the harbour fronting the garrifon. We fuppofed them engineers and other officers who came to reconnoitre our works. We now received orders to VOL. XIX.

fire at the enemy where-ever we faw them.

Saturday, May 1. The Governor fent Capt. Chisell to the oppofite fide of the harbour, to examine if the enemy were erecting any works there; but perceived nothing. Our centinels who faced the town kept a fmart firing all night, fuppofing great numbers of the enemy there; who gave however but three or four fhot in exchange.

Sunday 2. The French fleet appeared fome leagues to the W.; and in the afternoon a large party of the enemy advanced with implements for erecting batteries towards Cape Mola: but our fire from the fort killing a number of their men, the reft were compelled to take fhelter behind the rocks, till night favoured their defign, when they began to erect their first battery.

Monday 3. Between 2 and 3000 of the enemy were very difcernible at Cape Mola, erecting a gun and bomb batteries. The Governor ordered a continual fire from the castle, and Queen's redoubt, which did great execution among them. A deferter from the enemy was killed on the glacis by the centinels; who feeing him fall, fuppofed he only meant to fhelter himself from the fire of the garrifon, till the contrary was found.

Tuesday 4. Our cannon and mortars began to play at the enemy, which obliged them to abandon their works. Capt. Theodore, with eight Greeks, joined us in order to do duty; and the day concluded with firing fome bombs at the enemy, as they returned to their works.

Wednesday 5. Their batteries being very confpicuous, we continued a brifk firing; which did great execution among the men, and deftroyed a great part of their works. Our centinels from the Marlborough guard, killed one of their engineers, disguised in a Spanish habit, as he was viewing the fort.

Thursday 6. The enemy had finished a five-gun battery, and a three-mortar battery. We received orders to cannonade them without intermiffion; which was executed with great bravery from Charles fort, Cumberland battery, and E

Queen's

Queen's redoubt; but Charles fort only continued the fire during the night. Friday 7. The enemy's fleet appeared in fight, which had not been feen for two days before. They were now twenty four in number; and because fo increafed, we were apprehenfive they had taken fome English merchantmen, a great firing having been heard at a confiderable diftance at fea. This night a party was detached into town, to learn, if poffible, whether the enemy were erecting any works there; when Serj Young, and a private foldier of the Royal Welch fufileers, were made prisoners, and remained fo during the whole time of the fiege.

Saturday 8. The enemy opened the two batteries already mentioned, and an inceffant fire on both fides continued the whole day. That of the garrifon killed fome of the enemy's gunners, and did otherwife great injury to their batteries; while we on our part were not altogether excluded from the common events of war, having had one man wounded by the enemy, whofe fhot grafing along the touch-hole of a loaded gun, difcharged it, levelled as it was at their own battery. Accident was at this time more hurtful to us than the French; for two additional gunners from Ld Effingham's regiment loading a cannon not well spunged, the piece went off, and killed them both. In the night a party of the enemy advanced almost to our palifadoes, and with undaunted bravery received and returned our fire for about ten miputes, when they thought proper to retire.

Sunday 9. They renewed their attack, with the dawn, beat down one of our einbrafures on the caftle, wounded one man by the splinters of their fhells, and ihot away the vape of our flag-ftaff with a cannon-ball. In the night a detached party of about 500 men attacked Marl borough fort; who were fo bravely repulfed by a captain's guard of 50 men only, that they retired with fome lofs, and great precipitation.

Monday 10. An inceffant firing was renewed, and kept up with great refolution on both fides. One woman only, a

follower of Col. Rich's regiment, had the ill fortune to be wounded. The enemy having erected two mortar-batte. ries in the town, our mortars and cohorns were directed to keep a continual fire upon that part of it. Lieut. Kennedy of Col. Rich's regiment was detached by water round Cape Mola to make obfervations on their works.

Tuesday 11. The firing was continued with the ufual acrimony, and we had one man wounded.

Wednesday 12. The French fleet came again in view, after four days abfence. We flackened our fire upon Cape Mola; and at night hearing the enemy at work in the town, we continued a brisk firing upon it: but the enemy opening a bombbattery from the Quay, we with all the vigilance and activity we were capable of, endeavoured to annoy them, till about eleven; when opening another battery of the fame weight of metal, our greatly exafperated men bent the fury of another fire upon that; which made this night the hottest and most furious engagement of any we had hitherto seen, having exchanged upwards of 500 fhells of different forts with the enemy. In all this heat of action one of our bombardiers only, with three foldiers on the Queen's redoubt, were wounded, and one gunner unhappily loft his leg, by one of our own mortars.

Thursday 13. Two of Ld Effingham's regiment were wounded. At night the enemy continuing their attack, a soldier of the Royal Welch fufileers was killed by a splinter of a shell.

Friday 14. Our centinels having wounded a French foldier, braught him prisoner; who affirmed, that the enemy were then 25,000 ftrong; that transports had been dispatched for reinforcements and a farther fupply of ammunition; and that it was a prevailing opinion among them, that the garrifon muft of neceffity speedily furrender. To this account he added, that they had loft great numbers of their foldiers and fubaltern officers; and that by our fire on the preceding night they had thirty-four gunners killed. This day, we had but one man of Ld Effingham's regiment wounded. At

night the affailants and affailed kept an inceffant firing. That of the enemy was but flow, however, from their batteries in town, occafioned by one of their mortars being broken by our fhells; but that from Cape Mola was vigorous and conftant. Small parties of the enemy advancing near our western lunette, were foon repelled and driven back by the guards.

Saturday 15. One of the enemy's shells fell on the north counterguard among the cartridges and loaded fhells, and fetting them on fire, blew up a large ftone blind, broke one carriage, and buried two guns in the ruins. This accident difconcerted us greatly. A foldier of Ld Effingham's regiment was wounded in the shoulder. During the night, how ever, we kept an inceffant fire; which the enemy did not return with their ufual brifknefs, being employed in raifing a breaftwork for erecting a battery oppofite the principal barrier. We alfo be gan to erect a battery juft by the drawbridge, near the N. W. ravelin.

Sunday 16. The French prifoner expired of his wounds, and we had one of Col. Rich's regiment and one of the Welch fufileers wounded by the splinters of a fhell. In the afternoon the enemy beat a parley, when an aid-de-camp with a drummer defired admittance; who being blindfolded, and brought to the Governor, produced fome pieces of lead bound with brass wire, which he afferted were fired from the garrifon; and declaiming upon the cruelty of fuch a practice among Chriftian powers, after fome short space was conducted back in the fame manner. No fooner was the officer returned, but the garrifon received the fire of the whole camp. It may be remarked, that however just the complaint, no nation under the fun are more apt to fall into this error than the French. The Governor however made all poffible, though fruitless inquiry, offering a reward of 100 dollars to discover the perfon guilty of this unlawful procedure.

Monday 17. The enemy began to play their five-gun battery, oppofite the principal barrier; and not above 200 yards from our palifadoes; they alfo opened a

battery at Stanhope's tower; from both which they played with equal brifkness. The garrilon obferving that the affailants opened their batteries very fast, increafed their firing with great diligence ; and it may be truly faid, there was no intermiffion, fave one fhort space, in which Mr Boyd went to the enemy's camp with a meffage from the Governor; at whofe return both fides renewed their firing, till the enemy beat a parley; when an officer with a drummer came to the principal barrier; but was refused admittance, because he would not fubmit to be hoodwinked. We had again the mortification of a fhell's falling among our cartridges, which with two barrels of powder blew up, without further damage. We loft two men by this day's action, one belonging to the fufileers, the other to Cornwallis's regiment, befides nine wounded. But night approaching, and the enemy's fire continuing, we fuftained more damage by the recoiling of a bomb, than we had hitherto done from all their efforts. This bomb from Stanhope's tower recoiled from the caftle-wall into a place underneath the N. W. ravelin, otherwife vacant than as the habitation of the cooper and a few others; where burfting, it fet fire to fome powder, blew up part of the ravelin, killed the cooper's wife, and almoft fuffocated the reft. Two men were killed this night at the work.

Tuesday 18. Our officers viewing the breach, perceived a fmoak fluing from a large ftoreroom; which being on fire, when opened, the flame by a vent raged with great fury; but by the diligence of the foldiers was foon extinguished. The fmoak, however, not efcaping the enemy's observation, they kept a perpetual firing at the place, killed one of Ld Effingham's regiment; and a fucceffive fhell bursting inftantaneous, tore away three mens legs, and wounded feveral others. There was no abatement of vigour on either fide during this whole afternoon, when we had four men more wounded. The garrifon made a brisk firing from Anftruther's fort, imagining, as it afterwards proved, the enemy were erecting a new battery in the town: for

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having

having fired a thirty-two pounder, which beat down part of a garden-wall, we difcovered the work almost finished; when Mr Boyd vifiting this quarter, and be holding the enemy's new battery through the chafm, orders were given to keep a continual fire upon it with four thirtytwo pounders; which had the defired effect. However, a little before day, they opened another battery, which, if I miftake not, is called a requafee, becaufe of the elevation of the guns, in which pofition lefs powder is requifite than ufual to guns mounted level.

Wednesday 19. A thirteen-inch fhell falling in the caftle-fquare, made its way into an apartment, the lodgment of fome failors, by which five were unhappily buried under the ruins, and two were wounded. The humanity of the foldiers foon refcued the wounded, and recovered the dead from among the rubbish, in order for burial. Another fhell fell between two barrels of powder on the fouth counterguard, which blew up, and with them one carriage and a few cartridges. We had a ferjeant belonging to the artillery and a failor wounded, both by the fplinters of a fhell. This afternoon the garrifon were in high fpirits, in full expectation of relief upon feeing the EngFish fleet arrive from the weftward, under the command of the Admirals Byng and Weft; who firing three guns to leeward, as a fignal of friend fhip, gave no further proof of their being friends, nor were they of any further fervice to us; when our brave Governor, impatient to hear from the Admiral, determined at all events to fend a boat off; and according ly fent Mr Boyd, with other officers, in the evening from St Stephen's Cove; where they were difcovered by the enemy; who began to fire their field-pieces and fmall arms at them from Turk's Mount, but without injury to any. However, contrary to expectation, and to the furprise of every body, the fleet, inftead of lying to, made fail, and went off to fea; and two tartans belonging to the enemy chafed the boat into the harbour, neither feeing nor hearing more of the feet. We had one man of Ld Effingham's regiment wounded this night,

while working at the battery near the draw-bridge.

Thursday 20. Both fides kept a flow firing all the forenoon. In the afternoon a brifker action commenced; when we greatly damaged one of the enemy's batteries, by one of our largest shells falling into it, which burnt part of it, though all poffible means were used to prevent it. The garrifon keeping a continual fire upon that quarter from our cannon, mortars, and fmall arms, prevented the enemy from extinguishing the fire; and abandoning the battery, they betook themselves to their fmall arms, and fired with exceffive fury at our men at the palifadoes: but to very little effect. Another of our fhells falling into one of their magazines, made a great explosion, and quite deftroyed it. We had two marines, and a woman belonging to the fufileers, wounded this day. At night the enemy opened a bomb-battery upon Turk's Mount, whence they wounded two of Ld Effingham's regiment. We could hear the enemy all this night drawing carriages from Mahon into the upper part of the town.

Friday 21. Two of Col. Cornwallis's men were wounded. In the morning the French fleet came in fight; and steering the fame courfe which Adm. Byng took, we foon loft fight of them. Two deferters entered the garrifon, bringing their arms with them: from thefe, and not before, we had the confirmation of its being the English fleet, which we had feen on the 19th. They likewife informed us of frequent confultations held in the camp, in order to ftorm the garrifon, which defign was only fufpended through difagreement about the manner of execution. Their final refolution, they added, was, to divide their army into three columns, that if one were deftroyed by our mines, they might make a fresh attack in the fame place by another column. They added, that upwards of 400 had been killed in the camp, as many wounded, and a great number fick of various diforders. The night coming on, the rigour of war feemed to flacken a little, by a flow firing on both fides till about midnight; when one of

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