Carriere, and the sailors' camp at Point Negro, with Prince Edward's camp at La Coste and Cas Navire, held themselves in readiness to co-operate in the grand attack. The navy to be employed in this business was under the immediate direction of Commodore Thompson. On Thursday the 20th of March, before day-break, the third battalion of grenadiers, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Buckridge, and the first battalion of light infantry, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Coote, marched by the hill on which Fort Bourbon is situated from the camp on Sourier, unperceived by the enemy, and took a position that gave them the command of the bridge that connected the town of Fort Royal to the road leading up to that fort, the batteries on the second parallel being ready, those on Morne Tortenson and Point Carriere kept up a well-directed and heavy fire on Fort Louis, and all the other batteries cannonaded Fort Bourbon during the whole of the day and night of the 19th instant, and on the morning also, till about ten o'clock, when the Asia of 64 guns, Captain Browne, and the Zebra sloop of 16 guns, Captain R. Faulknor, got under way. The Zebra led in towards the mouth of the harbour, receiving the fire of grape and round, without returning a shot: the Asia had got within the range of grape shot, when, to the surprise of every body, she wore and made sail from the fort[27]. The Admiral, Sir John Jervis, had previously made the signal for the rest of the fleet to be ready to second the attempt of these two ships, by loosing the topsails of the Boyne, and lying at single anchor ready to slip and run in; on perceiving the Asia was foiled in her attempt, and supposing, as she was under a heavy fire from the fort, that either Captain Browne was killed, or that some other desperate accident had happened, he instantly dispatched Captain George Grey of the Boyne to take the command of the Asia, and if he could not get in, to run her aground under the walls of the fort. Captain Grey soon returned, and brought the pleasing intelligence that not a man was hurt on board of the Asia. She then stood in again, and again put about, when near the mouth of the harbour, and sailed from it. Captain Faulknor, seeing that he stood no chance of being seconded by the Asia, and being all this time under a dreadful fire from Fort Louis, boldly pushed in towards that fort, still reserving his fire till he came close to the walls of it; and then running his ship aground, plying his small arms and great guns, he drove the enemy from thence, and leaping into a boat, scaled the ramparts. Seeing the Zebra go in, all the boats with scaling ladders, attended by the gun-boats, seemed to fly towards the scene of action. Those from Point Carriere mounted the walls near where Captain Faulknor had so gallantly run his ship, and seconding him, drove the enemy out of the fort, hauled down the republican flag, and hoisted the British union in its stead[28].