h vivid brightness among the combustible rigging, and ran with
amazing rapidity to the tops of the several masts, while all around was
thunder and lightning from our numerous cannon and mortars, and in the
darkness presented one of the most sublime and magnificent spectacles
that can be imagined.

"Some of our shells, over-reaching the town, were seen to fall in the
river, and, bursting, threw up a column of water like the spouting of a
monster of the deep. All night long the allies kept up a cannonade, and
early the next morning another British transport was set in flames by a
fiery ball, and consumed.

"During the night of the eleventh the besiegers commenced a second
parallel, between two and three hundred yards from the British works.
The three succeeding days were devoted to the completion of this line of
trenches, during which time the enemy opened new embrasures in positions
from which their fire was far more effective than at first.

"Two redoubts on the left of the besieged, and advanced three hundred
yards in front of the British works, flanked the second parallel and
greatly annoyed the men in the trenches. Preparations were made on the
fourteenth to carry them both by storm.

"To excite a spirit of emulation the reduction of one was committed to
the American light infantry under Lafayette; the other to a detachment
of French grenadiers and chasseurs commanded by the Baron de Viomenil, a
brave and experienced officer.

"Toward evening the two detachments marched to the assault. Colonel
Alexander Hamilton, who had commanded a battery of light artillery
during this campaign, led the advance corps of the Americans, assisted
by Colonel Gimat, Lafayette's aide; while Colonel Laurens, with eighty
men, turned the redoubt, in order to intercept the retreat of the
garrison.

"At a given signal the troops rushed furiously to the charge without
firing a gun, the van being led by Captain Aaron Ogden. Over the abattis
and palisades they leaped, and with such vehemence and rapidity
assaulted and entered the works, that their loss was inconsiderable. One
sergeant and eight privates were killed; seven officers and twenty-five
non-commissioned officers and privates were wounded. Major Campbell, who
commanded the redoubt, and some inferior officers, with seventeen
privates, were made prisoners. Eight privates of the garrison were
killed in the assault, but not one was injured after the surrender.

"The redoubt stormed