Page:Picture of war (2).pdf/10

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"As soon as Philippon heard that we were in the citadel, he ordered two thousand men “ to retake it at all events but, when he was told that the whole of the third division had got in, "Then," said he, give up the town"

“One battery fired about two hours after we were in, but those near the breach were quiet in half an hour, part of the fifth division which got in on the south having silenced them. The attack on the breach failed; it was renewed a second time; and again a third time, with equal bad fortune, which made LORD Wellington say, ‘the third division has saved my honour and gained the town.

“We continued under arms all night. About fifty prisoners were made in the citadel. Philippon withdrew into Fort St. Christoval, and most part of the cavalry escaped by the Sally Port. By the laws of war we were allowed to kill all we found, and our soldiers declared they would do so; but an Englishman cannot kill in cold blood!

“Our regiment did not fire a gun the whole time. I saw one instance of bravery on the part of the French, just before the grape shot came; eight or ten Frenchmen were standing on the battery, No. 82, one of our regiment fired and killed one or two of them, but the rest stood like statues; they kept on firing till there was but two left, when, one of them being shot, the other jumped down.

“The town is about the size of Northampton; all the houses near the breach were completely battered down, and most of the others damaged,