our-pound balls only served to knock off
little bits of the more prominent and projecting rocks, and to make the
ascent more difficult and formidable, by removing the very pieces of
rock by which we had a chance of ascent. The part which we attempted to
breach was a kind of nook, which had the appearance of once having been
a waterfall. I am confident, if we had battered at it till doomsday, we
never could get up; and, even if we could, a dozen old women might have
killed us every one by rolling down stones upon us. I therefore think it
a most fortunate event that this fort was given up without being
stormed, and I certainly may be considered as speaking feelingly on this
subject, for, my gallant general having volunteered (being the oldest
colonel in camp) to lead in his own column, it is not very probable that
I should have left him alone to find his way to the breach. Often when I
viewed this spot, did I think, "Here ends my career;" and so strong was
this impression on my mind, that I began to fix my eye on some little
romantic spot where I should like to be interred, should I have here
ended my days; for I was convinced of the total impossibility of
success. I began to arrange my papers, and had fully made up my mind to
end my career, as I had commenced it, in the field of glory. But I had a
wife--ay, and a fond wife too, which reflection much embittered the
prospect before me. Had I been without this tie, it would have been my
heart's first choice to have ended my days in the service of my country.
When I say this, I am far from pretending that I had any particular wish
to die; but had it been my fate, I would, from choice, sooner have made
my exit fighting for my country's liberty and glory, than on the downy
bed; but Providence has ordered it otherwise.

In the afternoon we went to examine the fort; and every step I took more
thoroughly convinced me of the utter impossibility of any earthly power
ever taking it by storm. I was obliged to halt a dozen times in
ascending, quite at my leisure, towards the grand entrance. By the time
I reached the gate I was completely exhausted, and I was ten minutes in
getting to the top. If we had stormed this place, it would, beyond
question, have been the grave of hundreds. On the walls were huge
stones, piled up for our destruction, some of them weighing two or three
hundred-weight, which a child might have pushed off. When once up, the
eye extended along a considerable level p