A Journal of the Expedition to Carthagena, with Notes: In Answer to a Late Pamphlet Entitled, An account of the Expedition to Carthagena
History
A Journal of the Expedition to Carthagena, with Notes: In Answer to a Late Pamphlet Entitled, An account of the Expedition to Carthagena
Cartagena (Colombia) -- History -- Siege, 1741
[Footnote 13: The Author of the Pamphlet, in his extraordinary Note,
Letter (_m_) mentions, _five hundred Sailors to have been employed in
erecting the Battery_, tho' in Fact the Navy contributed to it, only 18
Carpenters. He adds, that, "_as more Time and Men were employed in it
than were necessary, much Execution may be expected therefrom_." What
more could be expected from it, than forcing the Enemy to abandon the
Castle? "_but the Engineers could not out-do themselves; they erected
the Battery in a Wood_." They might not out-do themselves, but they
certainly did perfectly well; for by erecting their Battery under the
Cover of the Wood, many Mens Lives were saved, and the Work was carried
on without the Enemy's being able to interrupt their Progress.
He is likewise pleased to condemn them _for not clearing more Ground
than was necessary_; a Circumstance, which, I should think, rather
deserves his Approbation, as they avoided, improperly, to fatigue the
Workmen, but this Caution, it seems was used, that the Enemy might not
see the Army; if such a Sight would have given the Enemy any
Satisfaction, I much doubt; or whether it would have answer'd to have
obliged them at the Expence of cutting down 600 or 700 Paces of thick
Wood, which intercepted their View of the Camp; but that the Army did
not decline either then, or on any other Occasion, to look the Enemy in
the Face, there have been too evident Proofs. No Man, who saw the
Position of the Battery, could have the least Room to doubt of its
bearing upon the Castle, as soon as a narrow Screen of Wood, which
cover'd it, should be cut away. What is alledged, that no Guns could be
brought to bear upon the Enemies Shipping, is absolutely false; there
were no less than seven, of which two were thought sufficient for that
Purpose, which fir'd red hot Balls, and did good Execution. It is most
certain, that if no Epaulment had been thrown up, the Battery might have
been rak'd, which was easily foreseen, and timely prevented. The Sailors
behaved well, and would have done better, had they been more under
Direction; but they did no more than their Duty, either in assisting to
erect the Battery, in which they had but a very small Share, or in
firing of it, as they were expressly order'd so to do by his Majesty.
Without all Doubt it was Mr. _Moor_'s Intention to batter the western
Face of the Bastion, and to beat down its Defences, which was evident,
not only from the Construction, but from the Effect of the Battery. I
must own I cannot but admire at the Author's Conclusion, that the
Success was owing to Chance, because, if the Enemy had cleared more
Ground round the Castle, the Undertaking would have been more difficult.
I readily join with him, that it would have been so; tho' in the
Beginning of this Note, the Engineers are condemn'd for making the best
Advantage of the Wood, which the Enemy had so imprudently left standing.
"The Engineers could by no Means out-do themselves; the Battery was
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