(for her rate), of one of the finest ships in the Navy.
Scenes almost indescribable of distress and death, misery and suffering,
now crowd around us on every side.

This evening the enemy, having mounted more of his artillery, totally
silenced Number 5 battery commanded by the first lieutenant of the
Charon, the shot and shells having torn up his platforms and dismounted
his guns. He, with his men, was therefore obliged to quit it. At ten
o'clock at night the enemy under cover of their guns made a general
attack from the centre to the left, but were again repulsed. Twice I
witnessed the Hessians give way before the enemy in front of my works.
The cannonade continued all night with a warmth hitherto unsurpassed.
The slaughter in all parts of the town was very great. We were
occasionally employed in restoring the works which the enemy had knocked
down. Not a moment was there for rest; every man was employed either in
fighting or toiling with pickaxe or shovel. Many parts of the town were
set on fire, a lurid glare being cast over the whole scene, exposing to
sight the falling buildings, the brave garrison working their guns or
labouring in the trenches, the wounded carried off on litters, the dead
strewed about in every direction; the whole to my idea presenting a
picture more awful and terrific than any I had ever yet beheld; yet I
had seen, as may be remembered, in my day a good deal of hard fighting.

11th.--No words of mine can properly describe the dreadful condition to
which our small but brave garrison was reduced. The enemy this evening
began their second parallel by which they advanced three hundred yards
nearer to us. Their fire continued incessant from heavy artillery and
mortars, and we opened fresh embrasures to flank their works, keeping up
a constant fire from all the howitzers and small mortars were possessed.
Upwards of a thousand shells were thrown into the works this night, and
every spot alike became dangerous. To talk of the thundering of the
cannon, the cries of the wounded, and the shrieks and distressing
gestures of the inhabitants, whose dwellings were in flames, and knew
not where to seek for safety, will but give a faint picture of what was
taking place. Yet amidst all this havoc, destruction, and suffering,
the known scarcity of everything necessary to prolong the siege, no
murmuring was heard. Not a wish was expressed to give up the town while
the most distant hope remained of our b