could be seen to heave the agonized bosom; some raised their heads
clotted with blood; others their legs and arms; and, in this manner,
either made signs to us or faintly cried for help and pity. It was a
sight to turn nature's current, and to melt a heart of stone. Such was
its effect upon our lines, that, after a short conflict of the softer
feelings, the eye of every man flashed the vivid spark of vengeance
against the cruel race who had committed such wanton barbarities; and,
if mortal effort could have surmounted the obstacles in our path, those
who witnessed the horrid scene I have just described must infallibly
have succeeded. But the effort was beyond mortal power. Braver hearts,
or more loyal, never left the isle of Albion, than those who fell like
withered leaves, and found a soldier's grave at Bhurtpore.

Our ascent was found, for the fourth time, to be quite impossible: every
man who showed himself was sure of death. The soldiers in the fort were
in chain armour. I speak this from positive conviction, for I myself
fired at one man three times in the bastion, who was not six yards from
me, and he did not even bob his head. We were told afterwards, that
every man defending the breach was in full armour, which was a coat,
breast-plate, shoulder-plates, and armlets, with a helmet and chain
face-guard; so that our shots could avail but little. I had not been on
the breach more than five minutes, when I was struck with a large shot
on my back, thrown down from the top of the bastion, which made me lose
my footing, and I was rolling down sideways, when I was brought up by a
bayonet of one of our grenadiers passing through the shoe, into the
fleshy part of the foot, and under the great toe. My fall carried
everything down that was under me. The man who assisted me in getting
up, was at that moment shot dead: his name was Courtenay, of the 22nd
light company. I regained my place in time enough to see poor Lieutenant
Templer, who had planted the colour on the top, cut to pieces, by one of
the enemy rushing out, and cutting him almost in two, as he lay flat
upon his face on the top of the breach. The man was immediately shot
dead, and trotted to the bottom of the ditch. I had not been in my new
place long, when a stink-pot, or other earthen pot, containing
combustible matter, fell on my pouch, in which were about fifty rounds
of ball cartridges. The whole exploded; my pouch I never saw more, and I
was precipitated fro