Place that was invested and going to be besieged June the 16th The Garrison not being paid the Governor who has behaved himself very prudently during the Siege and who has always done more than he promised found some means to pay them and having afterward taken a full review of all the Garrison it was found that we had only lost fourteen Soldiers one Serjeant and a Valet-de-Chambre to the Lievtenant-Colonel of the Regiment of Salusses The Governor sent a Tambour into the Enemies Camp to challenge the two last but he was answered that they had not heard of them The same day the Guards of the Posts were changed The Refugees remain'd upon the Post of the Cittadel the Bastions of St. Anne St. James at the Gate of the Succours and of Nisse at the dead Angle and at the Rivas and possess'd themselves besides of the Bastion de Carail the Regiment of Salusses possess'd themselves of the Half Moon of Rouere that was in very good order and lined with Stone they had also the Guard of the Gate of Nisse till to the Bastion of L'orme Saxe-Coburg was posted in the Covert-way from the Place of Arms to the Counterguard of the Half-Moon Balbiane that is only made of Earth and in a bad condition they had also one part of the Guard of the Bastion de Carail and Notre-Dame the Italians were partly put upon the Bastion de l'Hospital and St. Francois and partly upon the Counterscarp that regards the River Sture the new-raised Companies guarded la Pierre and the Environs the Half-Bastion de L'orme was guarded by the Burghers and the Surplus with the Militia were posted in the Main Place in case of an Allarm or Attack The Governor remained upon the Place of Arms with the Body of Reserve in order to send some Succours to the Attacked Posts the Counts de Prouane and Vibau had also their Posts assign'd them the Count de Bernez and the Marquess de Vauqueres were near the Half-Moon Rouere and the Lievtenant-Colonel de Julien was with his Battalion These Commanders visited the Posts from time to time and the Governor made exactly his round to make every Body mindful of his Duty The 17th we were inform'd that Monsieur de Bulonde came to join the Sieur de Feuquieres with a considerable re-inforcement whereupon the Governor call'd a Counsel of War wherein it was concluded that the Germans should be relieved out of the Out-works as not thinking it convenient to expose the best Troops at the very first Attacks and accordingly they were reliev'd by the Refugees and the Germans were posted in the Cittadel and some other places of the City The Refugees being well pleased with their new Post remained there during the whole Siege At Night we were always upon our Guards expecting the Enemy would open their Trenches June the 18th The Enemy receiv'd another re-inforcement and about 2 a Clock the next Morning they opened the Trenches near an antient Wall that runs along a Courtin opposite to the Bastions of Notre-Dame and Carail about 300 Foot from the Pallisadoes and the Half-Moon Balbiane which they advanced strait to the Gallows about 350 Foot in length they met in one place with so hard a ground that we heard it was like to have made them mad So soon as we perceiv'd it our Men fired furiously upon them from the Out-works during the remainder of the Night Our Gunners discharged unadvertently a Cannon from the Bastion de Carail that kill'd four of the Refugees and two of their Officers that were posted at the Counter-guard guarded by their Company of Granadeers with 60 other Soldiers The same Night twenty Men made a Sally to retard the Works of the Enemy and they came back without loss except that of a Serjeant of the Refugees who was kill'd by a Musquet-shot from the Bastion of Notre-Dame June the 19th The Enemy advanced their Trenches to which 300 Workmen were employed instead of 600 that had been busie about it during Night At Night they continued their approaches and made a Battery of 6 pieces of Canon and another of four Mortar-pieces with which they play'd upon the City we found that they had thrown 36 Bombs into the Place and the Out-works whilst in the mean time they continued their Works under the favour of a Corn-field that covered them and which has saved them a great many of their Men during the Siege June the 20th By break of Day they play'd continually upon us with six pieces of Cannon and continued to throw their Bombs into the City during the whole Day but the little harm they did us gave a fresh courage to the Inhabitants Several of the French Refugees that had never seen this sort of Engines were presently used to it and did not mind them at all althô their Posts were the most visited by them The Enemy did not at all endeavour to make a breach with his Cannon of which some were 24 others 36 Pounders but they always shot at random sometimes toward a Steeple sometimes amongst the Houses sometimes towards the Bastion of Carail where we annoy'd them very much with two pieces of Cannon and sometimes towards the Bastion of Notre-Dame where we had also planted some Cannons Some young Men that found some Bullets in the Ditches and the Streets carried them to the Governor who at first gave them a French Livre and afterwards fifteen pence a piece but the number of them increasing very much he gave them at last but five pence a piece This day was spent in working on both sides The Enemy took Post at a Silk-Mill situated upon the River Sture from whence they fired furiously upon those that guarded the Countuergard de Carail During Night two Houses were burn'd either by the negligency of some particular Persons or the Bombs of the Enemy This Fire Allarm'd somewhat the Inhabitants but they were appeased by the Governors order to remove all Wood and other combustible things from the top of the Houses A little Sally was made but without any effect Our Musqueteers in the Out-works continued their Firing as usually to hinder the approaches of the Enemy who surrounded the whole Front from the Counterguard de Carail till to the point of the Bastion of Notre-Dame which comprehended exactly the Posts that were guarded by the Refugees June the 21st The whole day was spent in Firing on both sides but the Enemy had the advantage of the Bombs At night the Counsel of War did assemble where all the Officers that were design'd to be there were present except Monsieur de Julien It was there represented by the Engineer Guibert That besides that our Troops were extremely harras'd it was impossible to maintain the Covert way with so few Forces it being in a bad posture and every where surrounded by the Enemies Works That by endeavouring to maintain it we would run the hazard to lose all the Men that guarded it especially the French Refugees who had
behav'd themselves so courageously and who were exactly posted towards the Attack and the Approaches of the Enemy who undoubtedly would in great numbers fall upon them in order to possess themselves of the Covert-way and the Half-Moon which they knew to be almost in no posture of defence That therefore it would be more prudent to keep only the Sallying places of Arms and to abandon all the rest especially when according to the Project that was made a good Body of Men should be put into the Half-moons and the Counterguard of Carail This advice seem'd to be very rational and the Counsel having resolv'd upon 't accordingly the Engineer went towards Night into the Covert-way to inform the Commander of the Refugees of it who did not stir from that place night and day he acquainted him with what he had proposed to the Counsel and that they all had given him their consent to which Monsieur de Julien answered That it was a very wise and recommendable resolution but since it only aim'd at the preservation of our Men if they would believe him he did not think fit to abandon a place without blows which he had guarded with so much care from the beginning of the Siege and since we were in expectation the Enemy would possess themselves of it with their Swords in their Hands he would maintain it as long as it was possible without exposing his Men to be cut in pieces That he would contrive the matter in such a manner that advice should be given him in what condition each of his Posts were during the Attack and that as soon he would find one in a condition to be forced he would save the rest of the Men in the best manner he should be capable of To which the Engineer replyed Sir you have reason not to be willing to abandon a part of your Posts which your Men have guarded till now but you will certainly be forced to t Nevertheless I am going to inform the Regiment of Salusses of your design and that consequently they are to guard their Out-works as well as you do At night the Musqueteers continued their Firing and an hour before day-break a detachment of Dragoons made a false Attack at the Counterguard de Carail whereupon a detachment was sent thither by the Commendant de Prouane but afterwards he found it to be only a false Attack June the 22d By break of day the Enemy made the true Attack after a Signal given by eight Bombs and three Cannons They attack'd one of the most advanced places guarded by the Refugees who behaved themselves with so much bravery and made so vigorous an opposition as could hardly be expected from such a handful of Men against 500 Granadeers 500 Fusileers and 200 Dragoons seconded by two Regiments of Foot but whereas they were a little too eager in some places we had great paines to save those that were not killed in the Attack We ought here to render Justice to our Enemy and confess that they behaved themselves very well since they made themselves Masters of our Outworks with their Swords in their Hands forced a way to the Half-moon in three places and mingled themselves amongst our Men into the Ditch of the place with an extraordinary Courage and Boldness One of their Colonels was killed near the Gate of the Succours and indeed he was not the only Man of their Officers that were left behind in the Ditch The Refugees having put some of their Men into the Courtine of the Bastion de Carail and Notre-Dame fired so furiously upon the Enemy who was already much weakned that it was impossible for them to maintain themselves in the Half-moon nay to lodge themselves in the Counterscarp and they confessed themselves that it had been too hot to remain there Their Dragoons who had lost their Officers were the first that run away and we ought not to be surpriz'd that all the rest followed them in great disorder since we continued to Fire upon them from the Counterguard of the Bastions de Carail and Notre-Dame and being assisted by those of the Courtine left the Enemy no time to lodge themselves except they had been willing to lose their whole Army which at that time consisted of twelve Regiments of Foot two of Horse and two of Dragoons The Regiment of Salusses annoy'd the Enemy very much with the Cannon from their Posts that were not attacked by the Enemy the Cannon of the Bastion of Notre-Dame broke twice their Squadron of Horse and this attack lasted an hour and a half Our loss consisted for the greatest part of French Refugees and of 7 or 8 Germans three Captains were kill'd upon the spot besides one who dyed afterwards of his wounds one Ensign one Sergeant and 30 Common Soldiers Of the number of the wounded were the Lieutenant Colonel who was wounded in his Hand one Captain one Ensign two Sergeants and 55 Soldiers It would be to no purpose to say with several others that the Refugees regain'd the Half-Moon with their Swords in their Hands since the Enemy will certainly deny it because they retreated without being pursued and were only forced to leave their Post by the great Fire that was made upon them from our Bastions Lieutenant Colonel de Julien who was the Man in the World that prais'd most this bold Action of theirs answered to those that complemented him for having regained this Outwork and driven the Enemy out of the Half-Moon with the Sword in his Hand and planted the Standard of England upon one point of the Half-Moon the latter of which he really did Gentlemen If you had seen the whole course of this Action you would not trouble me with such complements for if I have forced the Enemy to abandon all our Outworks it was by reason of the great Fire I ordered to be made by our Men after which 't is true that I went out and conducted them into Half-moon but I found no Enemy there no more than in the Covert-way and upon the Counterguard Confirming by this Answer of his that it is very Natural to Men of a Noble and Generous Mind to render Justice to all the World and by no means to accept of praises they have not deserved neither to hear those but with uneasiness which they have bought with the very hazard of their Lives The loss of the Enemy was far more considerable than we at first imagined we talk'd then only of 5 or 6 hundred of their Men kill'd but afterwards we were informed by the Deserters as well as the Prisoners of War amongst which there were several considerable Officers that in this Action a thousand of their Soldiers had been kill'd the Flower of their Troops with about seventy Officers kill'd or wounded and amongst them several that were in great esteem in their Army we have six of them wounded in our place The rest of the day we had no disturbance at all given us the Enemy being almost affraid
to show their Faces they only plaid with their Cannon and threw some Bombs and Stones into the City We buried our Dead and those of the Enemy that were found in our Outworks Some fresh Men were put into the Covert-way and we contented our selves to guard the Places of Arms upon each of which there were posted ten Soldiers with one Sergeant The Enemy did not at all desire leave to carry away their Dead nor did they enquire after a Colonel of theirs and several other Officers of Note that were left behind upon the place and indeed we saw several of them that lay upon the Counterscarpe lifting up their Heads as if they begg'd their Friends assistance which yet was not granted them till at Night The Enemy had advanced their Trenches within 20 or 25 yards of the Pallisadoes and it was from thence they endeavoured without pushing more forward to possess themselves of our Outworks At Night they endeavoured to draw near to the place of Arms near the covered way but were hindred by the continual firing of our Musqueteers the Enemy threw some Bombs and Stones into the place and the former being all spent they sent for more from Carmagnole June the 23d The Enemy continued their Approaches but very slowly and we saw plainly that they had no mind to lose more of their Men. At Night they advanced their Batteries and we repaired the Breaches their Cannon had made into the Courtine we raised also a Traverse upon the Bastion of Carail to cover the Houses on that side from the Cannon of the Enemy Our Musqueteers and Gunners fired as they were used to do June the 24th Early in the Morning the Enemy began to play from their new Battery and were for some Hours taken up to ruine that part of the Courtine that defends the right side of the Half-moon and the Ditch near it They threw a power of Stones but few Bombs into our place expecting without doubt those they had sent for from Carmagnole They made also frequent discharges of their Cannon charged with Stones and during this day and the following night they advanced Outworks some Foot but always very slowly by reason of the continual Firing of our Men. Our Troops having suffered great Fatigues and being much weakned by the loss of many Men and several Officers and Soldiers wounded some of them being kill'd every day the Council of War having all things well examined and considered the poor condition of the Half-moon resolved not to defend it any longer but negligently ordering him that was to command in this Outwork to take great care not to be cut off there and in case of an Attack after two or three discharges to withdraw with his Men into the Body of the Place to put them into the Courtine and to Fire from thence upon the Half-Moon that it might cost the enemy very dear to be lodged there which was the best thing we could do considering the State of our Affairs the Counter-guard being a very hot Post and easie to be taken from behind was always left to the Guard of 120 Refugees and for a Guard of the Half-moon and of all the Places of Arms which till that day the Refugees had been trusted with there was established a Body of Men drawn proportionably out of all our Troops insomuch that at Night these 200 men were dispersed in the Half-moon the Places of Arms and the Gate of Succours under the Command of Lievtenant Colonel de Julien who was reliev'd the next day towards Night by the Lievtenant Colonel of the Regiment of Salusses and an equal number of Soldiers And indeed it was very just that since the Enemy made but one Attack a detachment of all the Bodies should be opposed them without suffering that the Refugees should be alone sacrificed and that the rest should remain in such places that were not at all insulted yet their Commander would not willingly have consented to this change in case the Council of War had not before resolv'd to defend but weakly the Half-moon and to abandon it to the Enemy when they should come near it in order to save our Men that were necessary to defend the Body of the place till his Royal Highness should be in a condition to raise the Siege At Night the Enemy advanced their Works within eight Foot of the Pallisadoes they threw a great quantity of Bombs into the place and our men fired briskly upon them June the 25th This Day was spent in suriously firing from both sides at Night the Sieur Fichet Lieutenant Colonel of the Regiment of Sallusses a brave and Gallant man and an experienc'd Officer reliev'd the Commander of the Refugees who took Post that Night upon the Courtine where the rest of his Battalion was The same Night the Enemy lodged themselves upon the Counterscarp notwithstanding our Firing and the Work they made was near the Sallying Angle of the Half-moon June the 26th It was resolv'd early in the morning to make a Mine in order to dislodge the Enemy and the Engineer Guibert had the direction of it whereupon they went immediately to work about it but somewhat slowly the day was spent in Firing on both sides At Night the Commander of the Refugees reliev'd the Lieutenant Colonel of the Regiment of Salusses It was resolved to leave only some Sentrys upon the Places of Arms to lessen also the Number of the Guard of the Counterscarp of the Half-moon and the Outworks and it was this manner Into the Counterguard were put twenty Refugees under the Command of a Lievtenant and a Sergeant with order to be always upon their Guard partly not to be surprized and partly not to be cut off and to make a great Fire during Night into the Half-moon there were only put 50 men to Fire all night long and 50 more were posted into the Ditch before the Half-moon having the Gate of Succours behind them and these fifty should every hour relieve the fifty of the Half-moon and in case of an Attack they had orders after two or three discharges to withdraw through the Gate of Succours into the Courtine from whence a prodigious Fire was to be made at the first Signal that the Half-moon was abandon'd and after these 50 men should be entred by the assistance of the Fifty that should be in order of Battle in the Ditch the latter should retreat also and should be followed by twenty Soldiers that were placed on the Right and the Left of the said Ditch near a little retrenchment The surplus of the 200 men design'd for the Guard of these Outworks with a hundred that were drawn out of the Counterguard were posted twenty of them near the Gate of Succours under the Command of a Captain and the rest upon the Courtine in the Face and Left-Flanck of the Bastion of Carail where the surplus of the Refugees were posted except 60 that were put to the Left of the Bastion of St. Francis and de