otice of our approach. All of us were in high
spirits at the thoughts of fighting the Spaniards, and O'Driscoll and I
agreed that it was far better than having to make war on the Americans,
whom, rebels as they might be called, we could not help looking on as
our brothers and cousins.

All arrangements had in the most judicious way been previously made, so
that we were ready, directly the anchors were dropped, about nine
o'clock at night, to commence landing our forces. Everything was done
with the most perfect order and in complete silence. The boats from all
the ships were lowered, and about three hundred seamen and marines, with
about a hundred and fifty Indians, volunteers and regulars, were
embarked in them. The oars were let fall in the water, and together
they pulled in for the shore. I watched the boats as long as they could
be seen through the darkness, like some sea-monsters gliding noiselessly
towards their prey. O'Driscoll accompanied the shore expedition. On
landing, the Indians, who were sent forward, attacked the enemy's
look-out houses, and, having killed a Spaniard and taken two more
prisoners, returned in triumph. At midnight the army began their march
to the westward, and the ships at the same time weighed and stood along
shore. On Sunday morning, the 17th, the ships lay becalmed about a
league off shore, when the troops halted to report themselves. No time,
however, was lost. They had hoped to have arrived before the place just
at daybreak, when they would certainly have surprised it, and even now
it was hoped that the enemy would not have heard of their approach. On
the summit of a high hill, overlooking the fortress, stands the
governor's house--a very important post. Towards it they hurried, and
before ten o'clock reached its base. Up the hill like a swarm of ants
they rushed, and in spite of all opposition quickly carried it. The
garrison were now, of course, on the alert to receive us. It was not,
however, till three in the afternoon that the wind allowed us to stand
into the harbour, when we made the signal to the forces on shore that we
were ready to co-operate with them. As we took up our stations,
directly opposite the town, we commenced a heavy cannonade, which was
warmly returned by the enemy from a battery of between twenty and thirty
heavy guns. In a short time the effect, of our fire was very visible.
Flames burst forth from different parts of the town, which was soon