ope_.

* * * * *

Amongst the ten Engineers, there was but one who ever saw a Siege (and
that was the simple Siege of _Gibraltar_) and he was killed at
_Boccachica_, in the midst of his own defenceless Works; so that the
rest may justly have been said to be left without a Head. As for the
Bombardiers and Gunners, the Colonel commanding the Train was in his
grand Climacterick, and consequently very unfit to be sent upon this
Expedition; but he, poor Gentleman, was soon dispatched (thanks to the
Ignorance of the Engineers) and his Successor took care to render
himself as unfit for Duty, by Excess of Drinking, as Old Age rendered
the other; and as to Inferiors of both Sorts, Bombardiers and
Cannoneers, many of them were Country Fellows, who told the General
they were provided for in the Train for voting for Mr. ---- and Mr.
such a one, _&c._ Out of these few that were good, by constant
Attendance and Duty's falling hard few were left, and indeed they had
not many Opportunities of shewing their Abilities, the Materials they
were provided withal being mostly bad; for two thirds of the
Bomb-Shells either broke short in the Air, or their Fusees went out,
and they never broke at all; nor were there one in three of the
Grenadoes would burst; the Shells were so thick, and the Cavity so
small, they would not hold Powder sufficient to crack them; nay, so
little Care was taken in providing and packing up proper Materials for
a Train of Artillery, that out of eight Pieces of
Battering-Cannon-Principals, one was found defective and unserviceable,
and the Expedition had like to have set forward, without a Plank or
Joist for Platforms for the Guns, or any Bill-Hooks to cut Fascines and
clear the Ground, had not Lord _Cathcart_ been informed these Things
were wanting, and wrote timely to have them supplied before the Fleet
sailed, which lay then at _St. Hellens_.

* * * * *

Upon the whole, the Service that has been performed best demonstrates
the Goodness of this Army: How much it has suffered, as well as the
Reputation of the Nation, by the Death of Lord _Cathcart_, the End of
the Expedition must resolve.

Thus much may be said in Behalf of the common Soldiers, though they
were raw and undisciplined, they wanted not for Courage and Resolution
becoming _Englishmen_.

_FINIS._

* * * * *

Footnotes

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