l MacDonald,
of the 55th Regiment. They were, however, repulsed with much slaughter,
though not till forty or fifty men, and several officers, were killed or
wounded on the side of the British, among them being Captain Coghlan,
1st West India Regiment, attached to the 48th Regiment, who was wounded.

At the south side of the Morne Fortune the enemy had erected batteries,
which precluded any vessels from entering into the bay of the Grand Cul
de Sac. To open this bay to our fleet was an object of much importance,
as at present it was necessary to convey the artillery and stores from a
great distance, which could not be done without the previous labour of
opening roads through an almost impracticable country. It was,
therefore, resolved to make an attempt on these batteries. The principal
attack was to be conducted by Major-General Morshead, whose division, in
two columns, was to pass the river of the Grand Cul de Sac; the columns
of the right at Cools, and that of the left at the point where the
waters of the stream are discharged into the bay. To second this force,
Brigadier-General Hope, on the night of the 2nd of May, was to advance
from Morne Chabot with 350 men of the 42nd Regiment, the light company
of the 57th, and part of Malcolm's Rangers, the whole being supported by
the 55th Regiment, which was posted at Ferrands. A part of the squadron
was likewise to lend its assistance, by keeping up a cannonade on the
works of the enemy. Before the time arrived for putting this plan into
execution, Major-General Morshead was taken ill, and the command
devolved upon Brigadier-General Perryn. No change, however, took place
in the arrangements which had been formed.

"At dawn of day, the division under Brigadier-General Hope began to
accomplish its part of the service by carrying the battery Seche, which
was situated within a short distance of the works of Morne Fortune. The
assailants suffered so little in the assault, that they would scarcely
have had anything to regret, had it not been for the fall of the gallant
Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm.[24] On the south side of the Morne, and at
the extremity of the line of attack, Colonel Riddel, who led the column
of the left, made himself master of the battery of Chapuis, and
established himself there. Had the remainder of the project been as well
executed, the proposed object would have been completely attained.
Unfortunately, however, from some unexplained cause, the division whic