e loss of the contents of the
tumbrells would have obliged us to have raised the siege, and given the
enemy time to fortify their fort. All this mischief would have fallen on
him whose imperative duty it was to have seen the general's orders
obeyed, and not to have intrusted their execution to others. Crimes out
of number would have been framed against him: such as utter contempt of
orders--pointed neglect of duty--wantonly destroying the lives of his
soldiers, and the property of the government with which he had been
intrusted. Nothing could have saved his commission; and, if the accident
had happened, what could have soothed his feelings? As it was, the
escape was quite providential; for, scarcely had the last tumbrell got
round the corner of the village, before the enemy commenced a heavy
cannonade on the very spot from which the ammunition tumbrells had been
removed. On my return towards camp I met the general riding towards the
fort at speed, still imagining that something was not right. When I
reported to him the circumstances just described, he rode on and
admonished the captain in most severe terms; but his heart was as humane
as it was brave, and he soon pardoned the neglect, and forgot all about
it.

We then went round the other works, to see that everything was safe and
in obedience to his orders. In the mortar-battery, the general observed
to the captain of the artillery, that he thought the magazine was too
close to the battery; but the officer explained the nature of its
construction, which satisfied him of its security, and we rode home
again.

We were in hopes of opening our breaching-guns on the following morning,
for which purpose we all rode down to see them commence. The
shelling-battery had commenced the day before, and did wonderful
execution. The guns were loaded; the match was lit; when, on a sudden,
our attention was drawn from the contemplation of this view to one of a
less pleasant nature--an awful explosion in our mortar-battery, the
shells from which were ascending some yards above the heads of the
artillery-men, and then exploding. I was immediately dispatched to
ascertain the cause of this unfortunate occurrence. I rode within a
hundred and eighty yards of the fort, but I was not conscious that I was
so near, till their balls roused me from my reverie. Something still
kept blowing up in our mortar-battery, so that I had not time to go
further round. I continued my course, therefore, as h