as unfortunately ended;
for the Admiral not being acquainted with this Resolution of the
Council of War, (either by Letter or Message) had not an Opportunity of
acting in Conjunction with them, and assisting them with a Body of
Seamen, as it is evident he would have done; for as soon as he was
acquainted the Fort was attacked, and got up and saw the Troops at a
Stand, the Instant a Signal could be seen, (at Dawn of Day) he made one
for all the Boats in the Fleet manned and armed, and sent them with
orders to follow the General's Directions; but it was too late; before
they got ashore, the Troops were returned from the Attack.

Various are the Accounts of the Loss sustained in this Action; but it
is generally believed, there were upwards of one hundred Men killed,
and near two hundred wounded, thirty of whom were taken Prisoners,
Numbers of Arms, Colours, Drums, Woolpacks, Grenadoes, Pick-axes,
Shovels, Scaling Ladders, _&c._ were left behind in the Retreat, which
the Enemy arrogantly diverted themselves withal, for some Time, on the
Top of the Hill, taking Care to let the Army see them.

As when Faults are committed, the first Thing sought after is an
Excuse; so, not succeeding in this Attack, the Army now fell to blaming
the Guides, saying, they had led them the wrong Way; the Guides again
say, the Army would not follow them the Way they would have led them;
but had Reason alone been their Guide, sure they should have attacked
the Castle on the weakest Side; (for they all knew one Side was
defenceless) whereas they attacked it on the strongest Side, where the
Hill was most difficult of Access; and when they found themselves
repulsed, and at a Loss what to do, the speedier they had made their
Retreat, the smaller had been their Loss.

[_H_] The Admiral had sent several Officers in to sound, and try if
Ships might come near enough to batter, who all gave it, as their
Opinions, that there could not more than three Ships possibly anchor at
the upper End of the Harbour; and if they were laid but in a Foot Water
more than they drew, they would not be in a Point-Blank-Shot, and
consequently could do no material Execution; however, to convince the
General, that Ships could be of no manner of Service to him, the
Admiral caused the _Galicia_ (one of the _Spanish_ Ships) to be fitted
proper for battering, by forming, between each Port, Merlons (or Cases)
of six Foot thick, and filled with rammed Earth or Sand, and sent her
in