hing
rapidity. At night a negro was caught deserting to the enemy with a
note in his possession from one of the merchants in the town describing
the distressed state of the garrison. I have not spoken much of our
distress, but it was very great. Our supply of food was daily becoming
more scanty and bad, and it could scarcely be concealed that even our
ammunition was failing us. The treacherous merchant was at once taken
in custody, to be tried for his crime.

2nd October.--A constant and heavy cannonade kept up all day on the
enemy's working parties. They nearly completed their first parallel.
Our men occupied in throwing up works.

3rd.--Much as yesterday. The enemy bringing up their artillery.

4th.--A flag came in from the enemy; the cause I know not. Perhaps to
offer terms. We kept up as hot a fire as our want of ammunition would
allow. Each day I sent to inquire after Colonel Carlyon, but could not
leave my battery.

5th.--The French displayed five stand of colours on their works, while
the Americans displayed their new States' flag of the Stars and Stripes;
we eagerly looking for that relief which would enable us to sally out
from behind our works, beside which we stood fretting angrily, and drive
them away into the recesses of their woods and marshes.

6th and 7th.--The enemy mounting their heavy artillery on their first
parallel and supplying their batteries with ammunition. The garrison
throwing up traverses to defend the works.

8th.--The enemy attacked our pickets on the left at midnight, and drove
them inside the lines. Some time after this a body of them came to the
barricade and persuaded the officers that they were deserters. The
officers of the 43rd regiment, in a most unwary manner having got on the
works to show them the way in, were treacherously shot at and killed,
their murderers making their escape.

9th.--The enemy having completed their works and mounted their guns,
their batteries opened on the evening of this day with great vigour,
that on the right of eight 24-pounders, and that on the left of four
24-pounders and two eighteens. Day and night the cannonade continued
without intermission--we, as well as we could, keeping up a reply.
Several shot having struck the Charon and Guadaloupe, they were removed
farther down the river. It will be impossible to account for the killed
and wounded in each day's action. I may be able to say something about
it if I come out of the work