Colonel Grant very gallantly mounted the Hill upon the Left; but having immediately received a mortal Wound, and the Guide, with several others, being kill'd; the Officer, the next in Command, advanced no further, but continued on the Side of the Hill, till they were ordered to retire.
As soon as the Day broke, and gave the General an Opportunity of viewing the Posture of the Assailants, and that of the Enemy, he sent a Message to Brigadier Guise, who commanded the Attack, signifying, that, if he could push forward, he should be sustained by 500 Men, who were accordingly ordered to advance; but it was then too late. The Troops were disheartened, and the Enemy's Numbers encreased every Instant, by pouring in fresh Men from the City, who had by that time assembled a Force upon the Hill equal, if not superior, to the Assailants. It was therefore found necessary to order a Retreat, which was made without further Loss, the five hundred Men abovementioned bringing up the Rear. The principal Engineer having proposed the raising a Breast-work at the advanced Guard, it was without Delay begun upon, and was in so great Forwardness by the next Morning, as to put the Men under Cover. A Cessation of Arms was agreed upon for a few Hours to bury the Dead.
April the 10th, The Sick and Wounded were sent on board; the Intrenchment at the advanced Guard was inlarged for the Reception of two Mortars, which were this Day conveyed thither.
The Troops were under great Difficulties, not only from the Sickness, which hourly encreased, but from their Provisions not being regularly landed.
April the 11th, the two Mortars began to fire from the advanced Guard upon the Castle of St. Lazar, and with very good Effect.
A Council of War was assembled, composed of Land Officers, who having carefully inquired into the State of the Forces on Shore, found them to be so much diminished by Sickness, and by the late Loss; and those, who were return'd, as fit for Duty, so much exhausted by the excessive Heat, and by Fatigue, that without a considerable Reinforcement from the Fleet, it would not be possible to go on with the Enterprize: This their Resolution was immediately communicated to the Admiral.
April the 12th, the Sickness amongst the Troops still encreasing, several of the principal Officers were seized with it, and the Water in the Cisterns began to be very low. The Admiral return'd an Answer to the Resolution of the Council of War of yesterday; which having been taken into Consideration by the principal Land Officers, assembled for that Purpose, they observed with great Surprize, that no mention was made of any Reinforcement to be sent from the Fleet; of which, having taken the proper Notice in their Answer, they desired, that the Admiral would issue out his Directions for imbarking the Cannon, &c. concluding from his Silence in so material a Point, that no Reinforcement was to be expected. But no mention was at that time made of bringing in Ships to cannonade the Town; as the Manner, in which a former Proposal of that Nature had been answered, gave little Room to hope for Success in repeating of it: Tho' perhaps it may not be difficult to make appear, that our great Ships lying unactive at a time when they might have been usefully employ'd,[29] was the principal Occasion of our not possessing ourselves of the City of Carthagena, and not the Miscarriage of the Attack of St. Lazar. For had we got Possession of it (as would probably have been the Case, if the Scheme for the Attack had been punctually executed) it does not follow, that the Town would have on Course surrender'd, or that they could have been compelled to it, without the Admirals assisting us with his whole Force; except we are to suppose, that the Spaniards, with a Garrison not inferior in Numbers to the Besiegers, would have tamely given it up into our Hands: for it is morally certain, that the Corps of Troops, which were then on Shore, must, by Sickness only, in a few Days have been reduced so low, as not to be able to bring off their Cannon.
April the 13th, great Numbers of Sick, both Officers and Soldiers, were sent on board the Transports.