en informed of the Thing, and then the Cattle were going into
the Town. But so far were the Army from being disposed to cut off the
Communication on that Side, that they were continually forming Ideas of
the Enemy's coming that Way to attack them, and that they were actually
raising Batteries on some of the Islands in the Lake, to drive them out
of the Camp, and could not be convinced to the contrary, till the
Admiral ordered a large Canoe to be carried over Land, and launched
into the Lake, which was manned and armed, and an Officer of the
_Weymouth_ and a Land Officer sent in her round the Lake, to
reconnoitre; upon whose Return, those dreadful Apprehensions were
dissipated.

[_D_] From the first Sight of the _American_ troops they were despised,
and as many of them were _Irish_, (suspected Papists) were never
employed till now; but as Sickness encreased amongst the others (and
hourly Attacks expected from the Enemy) it was thought expedient to
have them ashore; and though it is most certain, there was scarce one
but knew what Opinion had been conceived of them, nay indeed told them,
that had not the Fellows been better than they were taken for, it was
enough to have exasperated them to have deserted. The other Soldiers of
Lord _James Cavendish_ and Col. _Bland_'s Regiments were as good Troops
as any on the Expedition; and after this Reinforcement, it was expected
the Communication would have been immediately cut off; (as it had been
suggested Numbers could not be spared before) but so far from that,
that the Army still complained, that they had not Men enough to relieve
their Guards; and indeed, according to the Number they mounted,
_Marlborough_'s Army would scarce have been sufficient; for the Advance
Guard consisted of five hundred Men, the Picket eight hundred, besides
several other Out-Guards of one hundred, and some fifty; whereas the
Enemy had but one Guard (that faced this Way) without their Work, and
that of seven Men only. Thus were the poor Wretches harassed.

[_E_] When the Council of War met, several of the general Officers and
Colonels dissented from this Resolution, as judging it too rash an
Undertaking, without a proper Breach being made first, or at least
before the Place had been well reconnoitred; but in order to solve this
last Difficulty, there were several Deserters that offered to go as
Guides, and three of the most intelligent were pitched upon.

[_F_] The principal Engineer being killed at