again attack the town.

Scarcely, however, had we landed, and before the plan could be carried
out, than the Cavaliers in great force once more approached our lines to
attempt taking the town by assault; but Colonel Blake, hurrying to the
front, placed himself at the head of a chosen band, and sallying forth
drove them back. The battle lasted little more than an hour, and during
that time Colonel Weir was killed, as were many other officers, and
Colonel Blake himself was wounded badly in the foot, while many
Cavaliers, several of them of note, lost their lives.

The next day, while the funeral of Colonel Weir was taking place,
another equally sanguinary attack was made with the same result.

That night, according to a plan before arranged, three hundred seamen
came on shore, and were concealed in the houses. In the morning the
fleet was seen under weigh, standing towards Charmouth, now approaching
the shore as if about to land some men, now firing at the Cavaliers who
appeared on the cliffs.

This made the Prince fancy that part of the garrison had gone away in
order to land and attack him in the rear, and that the town was even
less prepared for resistance than before.

It was still early in the evening when we saw the Cavaliers in three
solid columns approaching, and at the same time the big guns opened fire
upon us with redoubled fury. Instead of being diminished, our little
garrison had been increased by the seamen landed from the ships, so that
we now mustered twelve hundred men.

As the enemy approached, the whole of our force springing into view,
opened so withering a fire, that the front ranks of the foe fell into
confusion. The next column coming on was treated in the same manner as
the first. The big guns meanwhile battered at our earthworks, knocking
down walls, and sent their shot through the roofs of the houses, many of
which being set on fire were blazing up brightly.

The second column driven back as the first had been, the last advanced
shouting fiercely, hoping to retrieve the day, but our brave commander
was prepared for them. While he pressed them in front, his best
officers appeared on their flanks, and the seamen rushing forward leaped
on them furiously with their hangers.

In vain the gentlemen Cavaliers urged on their men. Beaten back at
every point, the soldiers took to flight, and at length, when that
summer's day closed, five hundred Cavalier corpses strewed the ground in
front