ss; all our Batteries firing at the
same instant to keep our Action in countenance, and favour our Design.
When we were in Possession of the Bastion, the Enemy fir'd most
furiously upon us with their small Cannon through a thin brick Wall, by
which, and their hand Grenadoes, we lost more Men than we did in the
Attack it self.

But well had it been had our ill Fortune stopp'd there; for as if
Disaster must needs be the Concomitant of Success, we soon lost what we
had thus gotten, by a small, but very odd Accident. Not being furnished
with such Scoopes as our Enemies made use of, in tossing their hand
Grenadoes some distance off, one of our own Soldiers aiming to throw one
over the Wall into the Counterscarp among the Enemy, it so happen'd that
he unfortunately miss'd his Aim, and the Grenade fell down again on our
side the Wall, very near the Person who fir'd it. He starting back to
save himself, and some others who saw it fall, doing the like, those who
knew nothing of the Matter fell into a sudden Confusion, and imagining
some greater danger than there really was, every body was struck with a
panick Fear, and endeavour'd to be the first who should quit the
Bastion, and secure himself by a real Shame from an imaginary Evil. Thus
was a Bastion, that had been gloriously gain'd, inadvertently deserted;
and that too, with the Loss of almost as many Men in the Retreat, as had
been slain in the Onset, and the Enemy most triumphantly again took
Possession of it.

Among the Slain on our Side in this Action, was an Ensign of Sir _John
Fenwick_'s Regiment; and as an Approbation of my Services his Commission
was bestowed upon me.

A few Days after it was resolv'd again to storm that Bastion, as before;
out of three _English_, and one _Scotch_ Regiment, then in the Camp, a
Detachment was selected for a fresh Attack. Those Regiments were under
the Command of Sir _John Fenwick_ (who was afterwards beheaded) Colonel
_Ralph Widdrington_, and Colonel _Ashley_, of the _English_; and Sir
_Alexander Collier_, Father of the present Lord _Portmore_, of the
_Scotch_. Out of every of these four Regiments, as before, were detach'd
a Captain, a Lieutenant, and an Ensign, with fifty Men: Captain _Anthony
Bamwell_, of Sir _John Fenwick's_ Regiment, who was now my Captain,
commanding that Attack.

At break of Day the Attack was begun with great Resolution; and though
vigorously maintain'd, was attended with the desir'd Success. The
Bastion was