d with
some men, and took me with part of the Piquet along with him to the low
Town. When we got there the enemy had got on as far as the inner Barrier
and [had] a Ladder on both sides of it. There the Battle raged till the
Enemy falling back got into Houses. Some time after the Sorti coming
behind them put an end to the affair. It was the first time I ever
happened to be so closely engaged as we were obliged to push our
bayonets. It is certainly a disagreeable necessity to be obliged to put
one another to death especially those speaking the same language and
dressed in the same manner with ourselves. Only these mad people had a
large piece of white linen or paper upon their foreheads with the words
"Liberty or Death" wrote upon it. The Garrison in general behaved
remarkably well consisting in all of about 1400 men, mostly the town
Militia and sailors with 200 of Maclean's corps which were only raised
last summer. They certainly did their duty with much patience during a
severe winter of six months. In the day time we wrought a great deal at
the fortifications and shovelling the snow and in the night even those
not upon duty durst not sleep but with Clothes and accoutrements on and
by whole Companys in one House to be the more ready, for, upon our
vigilance, everything depended. For the last month the Enemy had two
Batterys of four Guns each, playing on the Town with red hot Balls, in
hope to set it on fire but luckily did very little harm. They also made
use of a fire ship in order to burn our shipping in the Harbour, which
would have communicated the flames to the Town, at the same time
intending to escalade the Walls, for which purpose they laid numbers of
ladders all round in our sight which had the effect to keep us more upon
our Guard. This fire ship got very near the Harbour but a Cannon being
fired that was well directed the men that were in her left her a little
too soon so that the tide carried her clear past the town without doing
the least harm and disappointed them of their attack for which their
whole army was prepared. Thus from the 14th of November last we passed
one dreary night after another either watching or making Rounds and
Patrole upon an extent of works of upwards of three miles round, till
the 6th of May when we had the agreeable sight of Commodore Douglass
with a Ship of War and two Frigates arriving in the Bason with part of
the 29th Regiment on board. And the same day with only the reinforcemen