A continual Fire, and with good Effect, was kept from the great Gun Battery, which the Enemy return'd very briskly, and but with too much Success: Mr. Moor, the principal Engineer, having been mortally wounded, as he was attentively considering the Effect of the Shot from his Battery.
March the 24th, a Detachment from the Fleet, composed of Sailors and Soldiers, commanded by Capt. Watson, made a second Attempt on the Fascine Battery, and enter'd it without the least Opposition; destroy'd the Carriages, Platforms, &c. Early in the Morning the General visited all the advanced Guards and Batteries, and towards the Evening reconnoitred the Breach, which he not thinking to be yet practicable, signify'd the same by Letter to the Admiral, who had vehemently pressed the Attack. The great Gun Battery fired during the whole Night alternatively with round and Grape Shot.[15]
March the 25th, the Breach being enlarged, and reported practicable by an Engineer, who had been sent to reconnoitre: It was resolved in a Council of War to make the Attack the same Evening.
A Disposition having been prepared for that Purpose, and approved by the Council of War; at about half an Hour after five the Troops advanced towards the Fort. The Forlorn-Hope consisted of a Serjeant, and twelve Grenadiers, who were immediately followed by thirty Voluntiers; next march'd 260 Grenadiers (the whole then remaining) under the Command of Lieutenant-Colonel Macloud, and afterwards Colonel Daniel at the Head of a Detachment of 500 Men, who had under his Direction some small Parties, carrying Scaling Ladders, broad Axes, Pick-axes and Spades, to be in Readiness in case of need: The whole was sustained by 500 Men, under the Command of Lieutenant Colonel Cochrane; and Brigadier Blakeney, the Brigadier of the Day, had the Direction of the Attack. Upon a Signal, which was, the Firing of three Bombs from the Mortar Battery, a Volley of round Shot was pour'd in upon the Breach, from the great Gun Battery, and was immediately followed by a second of Grape Shot, which obliging the Centinels upon the Walls to put themselves under Cover, probably occasioned their not having perceived the Troops, when they first began to move to the Attack; but some time before they reach'd the Foot of the Walls, the Drums in the Fort beat to Arms, the Top of the Breach was man'd, the Ships began to fire with Grape Shot, and several Shots were made from Fort St. Joseph, tho' without doing any other Execution, than the killing of one Man. The Commandant of the Fort being at that time on board one of the Ships, the Garrison fell into Confusion, and fled with Precipitation out of the Gate, as soon as the Grenadiers began to mount the Breach.[16]
Soon after our Troops were in Possession of the Castle, the Africa and St. Carlos were sunk; and the St. Philip being set on Fire (whether by the Enemy, or the red-hot Balls from the great Gun Battery, is uncertain) blew up very near to the Walls of the Castle; but without doing any Damage. When the Troops were moving towards the Breach, some arm'd Boats from the Fleet, commanded by Capt. Knowles, were perceived rowing towards the Mangroves; on what Design[17] was altogether a Secret to the General, he having not received the least Intimation of it. They had on board a Party of Soldiers and Sailors, who being landed on the Barradera Side, marched (the former leading the Way) to the Shore, the nearest to Fort St. Joseph; when it was resolved to pass thro' the Water, and to make an Attempt upon it; but the Men, who were sent in to sound, not finding it practicable, and being discovered, the Enemy began to fire upon the Party with Grape Shot, which obliged them to retire under the Cover of the Bushes. The Commandant then proposed, that the Centinel should be civilly desired to admit them into the Fort; but the rest of the Officers not much depending on his Complaisance, advised the making a general Attack upon it with all the Boats; in Answer to which, it was alledged, that as three of the Enemy's Ships of War were already destroyed, and as Fort St. Joseph lay under the Fire of the Castle, of which our Troops were then in Possession, such an Attempt would be quite unnecessary, as that Fort must on Course fall into our Hands: It was therefore resolved to go on board the nearest Ships, and there to wait for fresh Orders from the Admiral, which being come, the Commandant, in a short time, row'd towards the Fort, which he found abandoned, and enter'd it without the least Opposition.
As soon as we had possessed ourselves of the Gate of the Castle, and that the Guards were posted, the General ordered out a Party of Harrison's Grenadiers, with the proper Tools, under the Command of Mr. Blane the Engineer, and of Mr. Bennett (who first enter'd the Breach) to cut the End of the Boom adjoining to the Castle, which they did effectually about nine; and it was the Want of a Boat only that prevented the Landmen's seizing the Galicia, on board of which Capt. Knowles rowed about twelve, and afterwards order'd a Party of Sailors to cut the other End of the Boom.
March the 26th, the General issued out the proper Orders, for reimbarking the Troops, Artillery, &c. in which Commodore Lestock, who remained with his Squadron at the Entrance into the Lagoon, was directed to be assisting.
March the 27th, the great Surf of the Sea prevented the Boats from coming into Shore, and retarded the Imbarkation of the Troops, &c. A Road was made from the grand Battery to Boca-Chica, for the more commodious Conveyance of the large Cannon. The Admiral's Ship, and some other Ships of War, having warped thro' the Channel, began to move up the Harbour.