The outer edge of the ditch was soon reached. The 45th, stoutly supported by the 88th and 74th, the other fine corps composing the leading brigade, jumped in upon bags of hay thrown there by the sappers. At that instant a very loud and prolonged explosion took place, seemingly at the foot of the breach, which, providentially, the regiment had not then reached. This did not, even for a moment, stop their progress, and the rugged breach was ascended under a most destructive fire from all points. Many brave men had already fallen. The enemy's fire continued to be most ruinous, and to our horror we saw that the breach was completely cut off, and that there was no possibility of advancing or descending into the city. The left was first tried, but in vain; and although the loss of officers and men of the brigade, but especially of the leading regiment was very great, yet no one supposed that retracing our steps could even be thought of. I had just made my way back, but with great difficulty, from the left of the breach, when I met General McKinnon, who commanded the brigade, and who had, by some means or other, contrived to get through the dense crowd below; and though I tried, amidst the uproar, to make him understand how we were situated, and that we could not gain ground to the left, yet he seemingly did not understand me, and went on in that direction. Whilst thus situated, another and a most dreadful explosion took place, which shook the ramparts like a powerful earthquake, and destroyed General McKinnon and most of those who had followed him. A short but fearful pause insued, when Brigade-Major Wylde suddenly appeared, coming greatly animated from the right, and pointing in that direction; all followed him with loud cheers, and I will venture to say, that he was the first man, who that night entered Ciudad Rodrigo. In their hurry in falling back from the breach, the French had not had time to remove a few planks laid across the cut to our right, and more were found on the other side; and thus by unflinching and persevering gallantry on the part of the leading brigade of the 3rd division, under a most appalling fire, the city was carried. I make no remarks upon the gallantry of those employed at the smaller breach, but undaunted courage was unquestionably displayed upon this occasion by the soldiers; but all the corps engaged immediately broke away in search of plunder and liquor, or with the intention of enjoying themselves in every kind of irregularity and excess, and that too in spite of the utmost exertions of their officers, who could not for a moment be supposed capable of countenancing their atrocities.