a
new and unexpected scene. About four hundred men from the fort,
emboldened, no doubt, by our tardiness, and the repeated defeats which
our troops had experienced, rushed out upon us just as we were relieving
trenches, and actually reached and had possession of our batteries and
trenches before we could return. Every one of these men was in a state
of intoxication, and fought desperately; but we soon drove them from the
batteries; then, turning our guns against them, dreadful was the
carnage. The fort fired indiscriminately at the whole party. These
fellows were, no doubt, a set of vagabonds they wished to get rid of;
and, if this was the case, their wish was fully realized, for a very
few returned to tell the tale. This was the kind of retaliation we
sighed for; but we lost a considerable number of men, killed and
wounded, in this affray; but these they had not the barbarous
gratification of cutting up. Their wounded men left within our reach
were sent to the native hospitals, and every comfort administered to
them. They were in the same wards with our wounded men, where friendship
presided instead of murder. Had the war been between native and native,
the cruelties would have been equal on both sides.

When this strange rencounter had subsided, the storming party was
ordered for twelve o'clock. Reader, imagine my disappointment when my
doctor most positively forbade my being employed on this occasion, as my
wound in the forehead was still in such a state that, should I get
heated or catch cold, he feared an inflammation of the brain would take
place. I could have thrown what few brains I had in his face; but I was
obliged to obey. The forlorn hope was led by Lieutenant Templer, of the
76th regiment, as brave a little fellow as ever wore a red coat. I
looked on at a short distance from the scene of action, and a desperate
hard struggle it was. No sooner did our brave boys gain the top of the
breach, than the well-directed fire from the fort swept them off.
Footing they had none; they literally hung on the bosom of the bastion.
A third retreat was the result; leaving behind them upwards of five
hundred dead and wounded: indeed, they might all be said to be dead, for
death was inevitable. The enemy again manned the breach in swarms,
shouting victory! It would have been better for me had I been there, for
I am sure I fought and struggled as hard as any one engaged. I cannot
describe my feelings and those of the other spe