Person but an _Aid de Camp_ that attended him, and went out to view the
Fortifications: And there being no Horse in that strong Fortress; and
the _Miquelets_ being possess'd of all the Houses and Gardens in the
Plain, it was not difficult to give himself that Satisfaction, taking
his Way by the Foot of the Hill. The Observation he made of the Place it
self, the Negligence and Supineness of the Garrison, together with his
own uneasy Circumstances, soon brought the Earl to a Resolution of
putting his first Conceptions in Execution, satisfy'd as he was, from
the Situation of the Ground between _Monjouick_ and the Town, that if
the first was in our Possession, the Siege of the latter might be
undertaken with some Prospect of Success.
From what has been said, some may be apt to conclude that the Siege
afterward succeeding, when the Attack was made from the Side of
_Monjouick_, it had not been impossible to have prevail'd, if the Effort
had been made on the East Side of the Town, where our Forces were at
first encamp'd, and where only we could have made our Approaches, if
_Monjouick_ had not been in our Power. But a few Words will convince any
of common Experience of the utter Impossibility of Success upon the East
Part of the Town, although many almost miraculous Accidents made us
succeed when we brought our Batteries to bear upon that Part of
_Barcelona_ towards the West. The Ground to the East was a perfect Level
for many Miles, which would have necessitated our making our Approaches
in a regular Way; and consequently our Men must have been expos'd to the
full Fire of their whole Artillery. Besides, the Town is on that Side
much stronger than any other; there is an Out-work just under the Walls
of the Town, flank'd by the Courtin and the Faces of two Bastions, which
might have cost us half our Troops to possess, before we could have
rais'd a Battery against the Walls. Or supposing, after all, a competent
Breach had been made, what a wise Piece of Work must it have been to
have attempted a Storm against double the Number of regular Troops
within?
On the contrary, we were so favoured by the Situation, when we made the
Attack from the Side of _Monjouick_, that the Breach was made and the
Town taken without opening of Trenches, or without our being at all
incommoded by any Sallies of the Enemy; as in truth they made not one
during the whole Siege. Our great Battery, which consisted of upwards of
fifty heavy Cannon, supply'd from the Ships, and manag'd by the Seamen,
were plac'd upon a Spot of rising Ground, just large enough to contain
our Guns, with two deep hollow Ways on each Side the Field, at each End
whereof we had rais'd a little Redoubt, which serv'd to preserve our Men
from the Shot of the Town. Those little Redoubts, in which we had some
Field Pieces, flank'd the Battery, and render'd it intirely secure from
any Surprize of the Enemy. There were several other smaller Batteries
rais'd upon the Hills adjacent, in Places not to be approach'd, which,
in a manner, render'd all the Artillery of the Enemy useless, by reason
their Men could not play 'em, but with the utmost Danger; whereas ours
were secure, very few being kill'd, and those mostly by random Shot.
But to return to the General; forc'd, as he was, to take this
extraordinary Resolution, he concluded, the readiest Way to surprize his
Enemies was to elude his Friends. He therefore call'd a Council of War
a-shore, of the Land Officers; and aboard, of the Admirals and Sea
Officers: In both which it was resolv'd, that in case the Siege of
_Barcelona_ was judg'd impracticable, and that the Troops should be
re-imbark'd by a Day appointed, an Effort should be made upon the
Kingdom of _Naples_. Accordingly, the Day affix'd being come, the heavy
Artillery landed for the Siege was return'd aboard the Ships, and every
thing in appearance prepar'd for a Re-imbarkment. During which, the
General was oblig'd to undergo all the Reproaches of a dissatisfy'd
Court; and what was more uneasy to him, the Murmurings of the Sea
Officers, who, not so competent Judges in what related to Sieges, were
one and all inclin'd to a Design upon _Barcelona_; and the rather,
because as the Season was so far spent, it was thought altogether
improper to engage the Fleet in any new Undertaking. However, all Things
were so well disguis'd by our seeming Preparations for a Retreat, that
the very Night our Troops were in March towards the Attack of
_Monjouick_, there were publick Entertainments and Rejoicings in the
Town for the raising of the Siege.
The Prince of _Hesse_ had taken large Liberties in complaining against
all the Proceedings in the Camp before _Barcelona_; even to
Insinuations, that though the Earl gave his Opinion for some Effort in
public, yet us'd he not sufficient Authority over the other General
Officers to incline them to comply; throwing out withal some Hints, that
the General from the Beginning had declar'd himself in favour of other
Operations, and against coming to _Catalonia_; the latter Part whereof
was nothing but Fact. On the other Side, the Earl of _Peterborow_
complain'd, that the boasted Assistance was no way made good; and that
in failure thereof, his Troops were to be sacrificed to the Humours of a
Stranger; one who had no Command; and whose Conduct might bear a
Question whether equal to his Courage. These Reproaches of one another
had bred so much ill Blood between those two great Men, that for above
a Fortnight they had no Correspondence, nor ever exchang'd one Word.
The Earl, however, having made his proper Dispositions, and deliver'd
out his Orders, began his March in the Evening with twelve Hundred Foot
and two Hundred Horse, which of necessity were to pass by the Quarters
of the Prince of _Hesse_. That Prince, on their Appearance, was told
that the General was come to speak with him; and being brought into his
Apartment, the Earl acquainted him, that he had at last resolv'd upon an
Attempt against the Enemy; adding, that now, if he pleas'd, he might be
a Judge of their Behaviour, and see whether his Officers and Soldiers
had deserv'd that Character which he had so liberally given 'em. The
Prince made answer, that he had always been ready to take his Share; but
could hardly believe, that Troops marching that way could make any
Attempt against the Enemy to satisfaction. However, without further
Discourse he call'd for his Horse.
By this we may see what Share Fortune has in the greatest Events. In all
probability the Earl of _Peterborow_ had never engag'd in such a
dangerous Affair in cold Blood and unprovok'd; and if such an Enterprize
had been resolv'd on in a regular Way, it is very likely he might have
given the Command to some of the General Officers; since it is not
usual, nor hardly allowable, for one, that commands in chief, to go in
Person on such kind of Services. But here we see the General and Prince,
notwithstanding their late indifferent Harmony, engag'd together in this
most desperate Undertaking.
Brigadier _Stanhope_ and Mr. _Methuen_ (now Sir _Paul_) were the
General's particular Friends, and those he most consulted, and most
confided in; yet he never imparted this Resolution of his to either of
them; for he was not willing to engage them in a Design so dangerous,
and where there was so little Hope of Success; rather choosing to
reserve them as Persons most capable of giving Advice and Assistance in
the Confusion, great enough already, which yet must have been greater,
if any Accident had happen'd to himself. And I have very good Reason to
believe, that the Motive, which mainly engag'd the Earl of _Peterborow_
in this Enterprize, was to satisfy the Prince of _Hesse_ and the World,
that his Diffidence proceeded from his Concern for the Troops committed
to his Charge, and not for his own Person. On the other Hand, the great
Characters of the two Gentlemen just mention'd are so well known, that
it will easily gain Credit, that the only Way the General could take to
prevent their being of the Party, was to conceal it from them, as he did
from all Mankind, even from the Archduke himself. And certainly there
never was a more universal Surprize than when the firing was heard next
Morning from _Monjouick_.
But I now proceed to give an exact Account of this great Action; of
which no Person, that I have heard of, ever yet took upon him to deliver
to Posterity the glorious Particulars; and yet the Consequences and
Events, by what follows, will appear so great, and so very
extraordinary, that few, if any, had they had it in their Power, would
have deny'd themselves the Pleasure or the World the Satisfaction of
knowing it.
The Troops, which march'd all Night along the Foot of the Mountains,
arriv'd two Hours before Day under the Hill of _Monjouick_, not a
Quarter of a Mile from the outward Works: For this Reason it was taken
for granted, whatever the Design was which the General had propos'd to
himself, that it would be put in Execution before Day-light; but the
Earl of _Peterborow_ was now pleas'd to inform the Officers of the
Reasons why he chose to stay till the Light appear'd. He was of opinion
that any Success would be impossible, unless the Enemy came into the
outward Ditch under the Bastions of the second Enclosure; but that if
they had time allow'd them to come thither, there being no Palisadoes,
our Men, by leaping in upon them, after receipt of their first Fire,
might drive 'em into the upper Works; and following them close, with
some Probability, might force them, under that Confusion, into the
inward Fortifications.
Such were the General's Reasons then and there given; after which,
having promis'd ample Rewards to such as discharg'd their Duty well, a
Lieutenant, with thirty Men, was order'd to advance towards the Bastion
nearest the Town; and a Captain, with fifty Men, to support him. After
the Enemy's Fire they were to leap into the Ditch, and their Orders were
to follow 'em close, if they retir'd into the upper Works: Nevertheless,
not to pursue 'em farther, if they made into the inner Fort; but to
endeavour to cover themselves within the Gorge of the Bastion.
A Lieutenant and a Captain, with the Like Number of Men and the same
Orders, were commanded to a Demi-Bastion at the Extremity of the Fort
towards the West, which was above Musket-Shot from the inward
Fortification. Towards this Place the Wall, which was cut into the Rock,
was not fac'd for about twenty Yards; and here our own Men got up; where
they found three Pieces of Cannon upon a Platform, without many Men to
defend them.
Those appointed to the Bastion towards the Town were sustain'd by two
hundred Men; with which the General and Prince went in Person. The like
Number, under the Directions of Colonel _Southwell_, were to sustain the
Attack towards the West; and about five hundred Men were left under the
Command of a _Dutch_ Colonel, whose Orders were to assist, where, in his
own Judgment, he should think most proper; and these were drawn up
between the two Parties appointed to begin the Assault. My Lot was on
the Side where the Prince and Earl were in Person; and where we
sustain'd the only Loss from the first Fire of the Enemy.
Our men, though quite expos'd, and though the Glacis was all escarp'd
upon the live Rock, went on with an undaunted Courage; and immediately
after the first Fire of the Enemy, all, that were not kill'd or wounded,
leap'd in, _pel-mel_, amongst the Enemy; who, being thus boldly
attack'd, and seeing others pouring in upon 'em, retir'd in great
Confusion; and some one Way, some another, ran into the inward Works.
There was a large Port in the Flank of the principal Bastion, towards
the North-East, and a cover'd Way, through which the General and the
Prince of _Hesse_ follow'd the flying Forces; and by that Means became
possess'd of it. Luckily enough here lay a Number of great Stones in the
Gorge of the Bastion, for the Use of the Fortification; with which we
made a Sort of Breast-Work, before the Enemy recover'd of their Amaze,
or made any considerable Fire upon us from their inward Fort, which
commanded the upper Part of that Bastion.
We were afterwards inform'd, that the Commander of the Citadel,
expecting but one Attack, had call'd off the Men from the most distant
and western Part of the Fort, to that Side which was next the Town; upon
which our Men got into a Demi-Bastion in the most extream Part of the
Fortification. Here they got Possession of three Pieces of Cannon, with
hardly any Opposition; and had Leisure to cast up a little Retrenchment,
and to make use of the Guns they had taken to defend it. Under this
Situation, the Enemy, when drove into the inward Fort, were expos'd to
our Fire from those Places we were possess'd of, in case they offer'd to
make any Sally, or other Attempt against us. Thus we every Moment became
better and better prepar'd against any Effort of the Garrison. And as
they could not pretend to assail us without evident Hazard; so nothing
remain'd for us to do, till we could bring up our Artillery and Mortars.
Now it was that the General sent for the thousand Men under Brigadier
_Stanhope's_ Command, which he had posted at a Convent, halfway between
the Town and _Monjouick_.
There was almost a total Cessation of Fire, the Men on both Sides being
under Cover. The General was in the upper Part of the Bastion; the
Prince of _Hesse_ below, behind a little Work at the Point of the
Bastion, whence he could only see the Heads of the Enemy over the
Parapet of the inward Fort. Soon after an Accident happen'd which cost
that gallant Prince his Life.
The Enemy had Lines of Communication between _Barcelona_ and
_Monjouick_. The Governor of the former, upon hearing the firing from
the latter, immediately sent four hundred Dragoons on Horseback, under
Orders, that two Hundred dismounting should reinforce the Garrison, and
the other two Hundred should return with their Horses back to the Town.
When those two Hundred Dragoons were accordingly got into the inward
Fort, unseen by any of our Men, the _Spaniards_, waving their Hats over
their Heads, repeated over and over, _Viva el Rey, Viva_. This the
Prince of _Hesse_ unfortunately took for a Signal of their Desire to
surrender. Upon which, with too much Warmth and Precipitancy, calling to
the Soldiers following, _They surrender, they surrender_, he advanc'd
with near three Hundred Men (who follow'd him without any Orders from
their General) along the Curtain which led to the Ditch of the inward
Fort. The Enemy suffered them to come into the Ditch, and there
surrounding 'em, took two Hundred of them Prisoners, at the same time
making a Discharge upon the rest, who were running back the Way they
came. This firing brought the Earl of _Peterborow_ down from the upper
Part of the Bastion, to see what was doing below. When he had just
turn'd the Point of the Bastion, he saw the Prince of _Hesse_ retiring,
with the Men that had so rashly advanc'd. The Earl had exchang'd a very
few Words with him, when, from a second Fire, that Prince receiv'd a
Shot in the great Artery of the Thigh, of which he died immediately,
falling down at the General's Feet, who instantly gave Orders to carry
off the Body to the next Convent.
Almost the same Moment an Officer came to acquaint the Earl of
_Peterborow_, that a great Body of Horse and Foot, at least three
Thousand, were on their March from _Barcelona_ towards the Fort. The
Distance is near a Mile, all uneven Ground; so that the Enemy was either
discoverable, or not to be seen, just as they were marching on the Hills
or in the Vallies. However, the General directly got on Horseback, to
take a View of those Forces from the rising Ground without the Fort,
having left all the Posts, which were already taken, well secur'd with
the allotted Numbers of Officers and Soldiers.
But the Event will demonstrate of what Consequence the Absence or
Presence of one Man may prove on great Occasions; No sooner was the Earl
out of the Fort, the Care of which he had left under the Command of the
Lord _Charlemont_ (a Person of known Merit and undoubted Courage, but
somewhat too flexible in his Temper) when a panick Fear (tho' the Earl,
as I have said, was only gone to take a View of the Enemy) seiz'd upon
the Soldiery, which was a little too easily comply'd with by the Lord
_Charlemont_, then commanding Officer. True it is; for I heard an
Officer, ready enough to take such Advantages, urge to him, that none of
all those Posts we were become Masters of, were tenable; that to offer
at it would be no better than wilfully sacrificing human Lives to
Caprice and Humour; and just like a Man's knocking his Head against
Stone Walls, to try which was hardest. Having over-heard this Piece of
Lip-Oratory, and finding by the Answer that it was too likely to
prevail, and that all I was like to say would avail nothing. I slipt
away as fast as I could, to acquaint the General with the Danger
impending.
As I pass'd along, I took notice that the Panick was upon the Increase,
the general Rumor affirming, that we should be all cut off by the Troops
that were come out of _Barcelona_, if we did not immediately gain the
Hills, or the Houses possess'd by the _Miquelets_. Officers and
Soldiers, under this prevailing Terror, quitted their Posts; and in one
united Body (the Lord _Charlemont_ at the Head of them) march'd, or
rather hurry'd out of the Fort; and were come halfway down the Hill
before the Earl of _Peterborow_ came up to them. Though on my
acquainting him with the shameful and surprizing Accident he made no
Stay, but answering, with a good deal of Vehemence, _Good God, is it
possible?_ hastened back as fast as he could.
I never thought my self happier than in this Piece of Service to my
Country. I confess I could not but value it, as having been therein more
than a little instrumental in the glorious Successes which succeeded;
since immediately upon this Notice from me, the Earl gallop'd up the
Hill, and lighting when he came to Lord _Charlemont_, he took his
Half-pike out of his Hand; and turning to the Officers and Soldiers,
told them, if they would not face about and follow him, they should have
the Scandal and eternal Infamy upon them of having deserted their Posts,
and abandon'd their General.
It was surprizing to see with what Alacrity and new Courage they fac'd
about and follow'd the Earl of _Peterborow_. In a Moment they had forgot
their Apprehensions; and, without doubt, had they met with any
Opposition, they would have behav'd themselves with the greatest
Bravery. But as these Motions were unperceiv'd by the Enemy, all the
Posts were regain'd, and anew possess'd in less than half an Hour,
without any Loss: Though, had our Forces march'd half Musket-shot
farther, their Retreat would have been perceiv'd, and all the Success
attendant on this glorious Attempt must have been intirely blasted.
Another Incident which attended this happy Enterprize was this: The two
hundred Men which fell into the Hands of the Enemy, by the unhappy
Mistake of the Prince of _Hesse_, were carry'd directly into the Town.
The Marquis of _Risburg_, a Lieutenant-General, who commanded the three
thousand Men which were marching from the Town to the Relief of the
Fort, examin'd the Prisoners, as they pass'd by; and they all agreeing
that the General and the Prince of _Hesse_ were in Person with the
Troops that made the Attack on _Monjouick_, the Marquis gave immediate
Orders to retire to the Town; taking it for granted, that the main Body
of the Troops attended the Prince and General; and that some Design
therefore was on foot to intercept his Return, in case he should venture
too far. Thus the unfortunate Loss of our two hundred Men turn'd to our
Advantage, in preventing the Advance of the Enemy, which must have put
the Earl of _Peterborow_ to inconceivable Difficulties.
The Body of one Thousand, under Brigadier _Stanhope_, being come up to
_Monjouick_, and no Interruption given us by the Enemy, our Affairs were
put into very good Order on this Side; while the Camp on the other Side
was so fortify'd, that the Enemy, during the Siege, never made one
Effort against it. In the mean time, the Communication between the two
Camps was secure enough; although our Troops were obliged to a tedious
March along the Foot of the Hills, whenever the General thought fit to
relieve those on Duty on the Side of the Attack, from those Regiments
encamp'd on the West Side of _Barcelona_.
The next Day, after the Earl of _Peterborow_ had taken Care to secure
the first Camp to the Eastward of the Town, he gave Orders to the
Officers of the Fleet to land the Artillery and Ammunition behind the
Fortress to the Westward. Immediately upon the Landing whereof, two
Mortars were fix'd; from both which we ply'd the Fort of _Monjouick_
furiously with our Bombs. But the third or fourth Day, one of our Shells
fortunately lighting on their Magazine of Powder, blew it up; and with
it the Governor, and many principal Officers who were at Dinner with
him. The Blast, at the same Instant, threw down a Face of one of the
smaller Bastions; which the vigilant _Miquelets_, ready enough to take
all Advantages, no sooner saw (for they were under the Hill, very near
the Place) but they readily enter'd, while the Enemy were under the
utmost Confusion. If the Earl, no less watchful than they, had not at
the same Moment thrown himself in with some regular Troops, and
appeas'd the general Disorder, in all probability the Garrison had been
put to the Sword. However, the General's Presence not only allay'd the
Fury of the _Miquelets_; but kept his own Troops under strictest
Discipline: So that in a happy Hour for the frighted Garrison, the
General gave Officers and Soldiers Quarters, making them Prisoners of
War.
How critical was that Minute wherein the General met his retreating
Commander? a very few Steps farther had excluded us our own Conquests,
to the utter Loss of all those greater Glories which ensu'd. Nor would
that have been the worst; for besides the Shame attending such an ill
concerted Retreat from our Acquests on _Monjouick_, we must have felt
the accumulative Disgrace of infamously retiring aboard the Ships that
brought us; but Heaven reserv'd for our General amazing Scenes both of
Glory and Mortification.
I cannot here omit one Singularity of Life, which will demonstrate Men's
different Way of Thinking, if not somewhat worse; when many Years after,
to one in Office, who seem'd a little too dead to my Complaints, and by
that Means irritating my human Passions, injustice to my self, as well
as Cause, I urged this Piece of Service, by which I not only preserv'd
the Place, but the Honour of my Country, that _Minister petite_, to
mortify my Expectations and baffle my Plea, with a Grimace as odd as his
Logick, return'd, that, in his Opinion, the Service pretended was a
Disservice to the Nation; since Perseverance had cost the Government
more Money than all our Conquests were worth, could we have kept 'em. So
irregular are the Conceptions of Man, when even great Actions thwart the
Bent of an interested Will!