o
the engineers, assisted by the officers of the fleet and artillery.
Great sums of money had been expended upon the harbour and basin of
Cherbourg, which at one time was considered by the French court as an
object of great importance, from its situation respecting the river
Seine, as well as the opposite coast of England; but as the works
were left unfinished, in all appearance the plan had grown into
disreputation. The enemy had raised several unconnected batteries along
the bay; but the town itself was quite open and defenceless While
the engineers were employed in demolishing the works, the light horse
scoured the country, and detachments were every day sent out towards
Walloign, at the distance of four leagues from Cherbourg, where the
enemy were encamped, and every hour received reinforcements. Several
skirmishes were fought by the out-parties of each army, in one of
which captain Lindsay, a gallant young officer, who had been very
instrumental in training the light horse, was mortally wounded. The
harbour and basin of Cherbourg being destroyed, together with all the
forts in the neighbourhood, and about twenty pieces of brass cannon
secured on board the English ships, a contribution, amounting to about
three thousand pounds sterling, was exacted upon the town, and a plan
of re-embarkation concerted; as it appeared from the reports of peasants
and deserters, that the enemy were already increased to a formidable
number. A slight intrench-ment being raised, sufficient to defend the
last division that should be re-embarked, the stores and artillery
were shipped, and the light horses conveyed on board their respective
transports, by means of platforms laid in the flat-bottomed vessels. On
the sixteenth day of August, at three o'clock in the morning, the forces
marched from Cherbourg down to the beach, and re-embarked at fort Galet,
without the least disturbance from the enemy.

DESCENT AT ST. MALOES.

This service being happily performed, the fleet set sail for the coast
of England, and anchored in the road of Weymouth, under the high land of
Portland. In two days it weighed and stood again to the southward; but
was obliged by contrary winds to return to the same riding. The second
effort, however, was more effectual. The fleet with some difficulty kept
the sea, and steering to the French coast, came to anchor in the bay of
St. Lunaire, two leagues to the westward of St. Maloes, against which
it was determined