Directions for imbarking the Cannon, &c. concluding from his Silence in so material a Point, that no Reinforcement was to be expected. But no mention was at that time made of bringing in Ships to cannonade the Town; as the Manner, in which a former Proposal of that Nature had been answered, gave little Room to hope for Success in repeating of it: Tho' perhaps it may not be difficult to make appear, that our great Ships lying unactive at a time when they might have been usefully employ'd,[29] was the principal Occasion of our not possessing ourselves of the City of Carthagena, and not the Miscarriage of the Attack of St. Lazar. For had we got Possession of it (as would probably have been the Case, if the Scheme for the Attack had been punctually executed) it does not follow, that the Town would have on Course surrender'd, or that they could have been compelled to it, without the Admirals assisting us with his whole Force; except we are to suppose, that the Spaniards, with a Garrison not inferior in Numbers to the Besiegers, would have tamely given it up into our Hands: for it is morally certain, that the Corps of Troops, which were then on Shore, must, by Sickness only, in a few Days have been reduced so low, as not to be able to bring off their Cannon.

April the 13th, great Numbers of Sick, both Officers and Soldiers, were sent on board the Transports.

A Council of War was assembled on Shore, who took into Consideration a Letter from the Admiral, in Answer to their late Representation, and resolved, to desire without Delay to meet the Sea Officers in a general Council of War; which being signified to the Admiral, it was agreed to assemble the Day following on board the Admiral's Ship.

April the 14th, the Council of War being assembled, the General laid before the Members the real State of the Troops,[30] and declared, that he deemed it to be impracticable to go on with the Enterprize, without Assistance from the Fleet. The principal Engineer being called in, and examined, signify'd to the Council of War, the Places which he thought would be the most proper for erecting Batteries; to which he added, that no less than a Fortnight would be required for raising them, considering the many interruptions which must be expected from the Enemy, and the Sickness hourly increasing amongst the Troops; and that 1500 Men would be wanting for the proper Reliefs for that Service only; he further declared it to be his Opinion, that with the Troops now on Shore, the Siege could not be undertaken with any Probability of Success.

The Admiral, without further Deliberation, going to put the Question, whether the Troops should be reimbark'd or not, Mr. Wentworth declared, that he could not give his Vote, till he should be informed what Assistance they were to expect from the Fleet; who, being interrupted by the Admiral with great Heat and Passion, and not with the most polite Language, made a proper Reply; to which the Admiral not being pleased to return any Answer, immediately left the Cabbin.

The Debate was afterwards decently carry'd on, and the General having repeated his Question, Sir Chaloner Ogle, and the other Sea Officers, who were Members of the Council of War, unanimously declared, that it would by no means, be adviseable to trust the Sailors on Shore, as they could be kept under no Command, and would soon disperse themselves in the Woods; to which Mr. Vernon (who sat in the Gallery within hearing) added aloud, that some of them would soon ramble into Carthagena.

The Admiral being returned to his Place at the Board, it was unanimously resolved to reimbark the Cannon and Land Forces with all possible Expedition.

The Admiral, as President, drew up the Resolution of the Council of War, when it was observable, that he carefully avoided making the least mention of Assistance having been demanded from the Fleet.

The Battery[31] of two ten inch Mortars, which was raised by Captain Knowles on the Shore near to his Ship, began this Morning to Fire upon Fort St. Lazar, but was placed at so great a Distance as to have little or no Effect.

April the 15th, the Cannon, Stores and heavy Baggage, were put on Board.

A Council of War of Land Officers being assembled, a Disposition was laid before them, for the Retreat,[32] which was approved of.

April the 16th, About Five in the Morning, the Galicia, commanded by Captain Hoare, began to canonade the Town with tolerable good Success; but he being exposed to a superior Fire, was obliged to cut her Cable; after having received several Shots in her Hull, had six Men killed, and 56 wounded, she drove upon a Shoal, and was there burnt by the Admiral's Order.

At Seven in the Evening, the Tents were struck, at Eight the Troops march'd from their Ground, and embarked in three Divisions on the Boats prepared to receive them. The Sickness amongst the Troops increased to so great a Degree, that any longer Continuance in that unhealthy Situation, seemed to threaten no less than their total Ruin; the General therefore, and the principal Land Officers, agreed to the Admiral's Proposal, for demolishing the Forts, &c. which commanded the Harbour; that being done, and Water taken in for the Voyage, the whole Fleet set sail for Jamaica.

THE APPENDIX.

I Shall only here remark some Mistakes, which the Author of the Pamphlet has been guilty of in his Appendix, both with regard to the Circumstances of the City of Carthagena, and to the Conduct of the Officers of the Army, whom he has been pleased basely to asperse, without any Grounds whatsoever. And I do appeal to the Gentlemen of the Navy, for the Truth of what I have advanced; which must be so evident to every impartial Person, who was there present, and gave the least Attention to what passed, that I should not have employed one Moment's Time, in replying to a Pamphlet, made up of glaring Falsehoods, Facts misrepresented, and mean personal Reflections, to which the Author does not put his Name; was I not in Hopes, that by laying before the Publick an exact Account of the Transactions before Carthagena, in some Measure to remove (from those who cannot otherwise be informed of the Truth) the Prejudices which are so industriously propagated in that scurrilous Libel; not solely with a View to calumniate a few brave Men, who after many Hazards are return'd home to their native Country; but by invidious Distinctions, to set at variance the Army and the Navy, which can have no other End but to obstruct his Majesty's Service, whenever the Fleet and Land Forces shall act in Conjunction.

As for the City itself (says the Author) Nature has fortified it against any Attempt by Sea, the Water shoaling near a League off, and being plentifully bounded with Rocks; besides the Sea is