Pierre. We gave three cheers in the cockpit on hearing this news. At
daylight we weighed, and in the evening entered the bay of St. Pierre; we
were ordered to take off the hard knocks from the bomb by anchoring
between her and the enemy. About 9 P.M. we all opened our fire as nearly
as possible at the same time. It was a most brilliant sight; the bay was
literally illuminated. The enemy's batteries began to play with some
trifling effect; this added to the splendour of the scene. The night,
fortunately for us, was very dark, which made it difficult for them to
strike us, as they could but imperfectly discern the object they fired at;
this was evident, as they fired immediately after we did. Our shot and
shell could not fail every time we fired them, as we had taken the
bearings of the principal places when we anchored. The cannonading ceased
about 3 A.M., when all the enemy's batteries, except one, struck their
colours. This was in a great measure owing to our troops investing the
back of the town. At four o'clock the remaining fort, finding the town had
surrendered, hauled down the tricoloured flag. The losses on our part were
twelve killed and twenty wounded. Those of the enemy must have been
considerable.

All the flat-bottomed boats and those belonging to the squadron were
ordered to land a number of marines. I was in the first division. We
landed about 7 A.M., and were astonished at the mischief our shot and
shell had done. The roof of the municipality, or town house, was nearly
knocked in. At the time some of the shells fell through it, all the wise
men of the town were assembled under its, as they imagined, bomb-proof
roof. Two of them were killed and several wounded. The principal church
had also suffered, as two sacrilegious shells had penetrated it and fallen
near the altar. On entering it we found the models of three frigates. As
they had not struck their colours, we did them that favour, and made
prizes of them. There were also some pictures of grim-looking saints,
which one of the sailors was endeavouring to unhook until another called
out, "Let them alone, Jack, they'll only bring you bad luck," on which he
desisted. This church was very dirty, and the ceilings of it filled with
cobwebs; the priests had taken everything from the altar, as well as from
the recesses or small chapels. A party of marines, with some artillerymen,
took possession of the forts, and sentinels were stationed over the public
buildin