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at this time commanded a ship of the line, opened against the angle opposite to that which the British were attacking, a battery of four 36-pounders and four mortars ; to which four more mortars were subsequently added. On the 11th, the three-gun battery having been entirely destroyed, the guns dismounted, and the breastwork knocked down, by the fire of the besieged, Captain Troubridge directed Captain Hallowell, in the absence of Captain Ball, the second in command, to construct another battery of six 36-pounders within 180 yards of the walls. Between this battery and the fort some trees intervened, which if was necessary to fell, before the fire of the former could be opened with effect. This was a service of such danger, that none of the labourers could be induced to perform it. Captains Troubridge and Hallowell, with Colonel Tehudy, a Swiss officer, whose regiment formed part of the besieging forces, and M. Monfrère, an emigrant of great merit and abilities, advanced before the works, to cheer the men by their example. While here, a gun loaded with grape, was levelled at them with such precision, that the shot actually cut the boughs, and struck the ground beneath their feet, and yet not one of them was hurt. A second battery of one 18-pounder and two howitzers was also getting ready, at the same short distance. After a few hours' smart cannonade from the six-gun battery, an officer appeared on the walls of the fort with a flag of truce. At this time most of the guns in the fort were dismounted, and the works nearly destroyed. A capitulation being then agreed to, the garrison marched out with the honours of war, and, in this instance, were honourably conveyed to Toulon, the stipulated French port. The loss sustained by the British, Russian, and Neapolitan forces, amounted to five officers and 32 rank and file killed, and five officers and 79 rank and file wounded. Among the former were Lieutenant Milbanke, of the artillery, killed by a musket-shot while reconnoitring the castle, and two Neapolitan officers in one of the mortar-batteries, who fell by the same cannon-ball. The fort at Capua, a small town situated on the river Volturno, and distant about 15 miles from Naples, became the next object of attack. On the 20th Captain Troubridge, with the English and Portuguese troops, the former consisting of about 1000 seamen and marines from the British fleet, marched from Naples ; and, having rested awhile at Caserta, encamped before Capua on the morning of the 22d. On the same day a bridge of pontoons was thrown across the Volturno, to facilitate the communication between the different detachments of the army ; and batteries of guns and mortars were immediately begun to be constructed within 500 yards of the works of Capua. On the 25th a battery of four 24-pounders, another of two howitzers, and a mortar-battery, commenced playing upon the fort, and were answered by a fire from 11 guns with equal spirit. On the next day, the ^ back to top ^ |