d-hot balls, just taken
from old Elliot's furnaces, made no visible impression on their hulls.
By two o'clock, however, the effects of these fiery globes became
visible. The floating battery commanded by the Prince of Nassau, and
on board of which was the Chevalier d'Arcon, began to smoke on the
side exposed to the garrison, and it was apprehended it had taken
fire. Notwithstanding, the firing continued with unabated fury, and
the fortification sustained some damage from the besiegers. At seven
o'clock, however, all hope of taking the fortress vanished. By that time
the red-hot balls from the garrison had taken such good effect, that the
firing from the batteries ceased, rockets were thrown up as signals of
distress, and nothing was thought of but saving the crews. The boats of
the combined fleet were sent on that service, but it was found to be
no easy matter to move the batteries from their moorings, and to have
approached them within the range of the British batteries, and when they
were expected every moment to blow up, was like rushing into the jaws of
death. For five hours they continued in their original position, and in
the mean time, the smoke of the batteries had burst into flames, and the
fire from the rock was increased with terrific vengeance. At midnight
the only flashes from the batteries were the flames that were consuming
them, and the only sounds on board were the shrieks of the crew. Their
danger was increased by a brigade of gunboats, under the command of
Captain Curtis, which sailed out, and by their low fire swept the
batteries in the whole extent of their line, and effectually prevented
the approach of the French and Spanish boats from coming to their
aid. From the evening till the morning the sky was illuminated by the
ascending flames of the batteries, and by the fire of the garrison and
gun-boats. At five o'clock in the morning, one of the batteries blew up,
and soon after, the whole of them were one vast conflagration. Many of
their crows now threw themselves into the sea; and touched by the sight,
the British showed themselves to be as humane as they were brave.
The guns in the fortification ceased, and Curtis and his gallant crew
exerted themselves in saving the shrieking and despairing Spaniards.
Fearless of danger they dashed among the burning wrecks, snatched many
from the fury of the flames, and others from a watery grave: about three
hundred and fifty were saved by them from inevitable de