without loss of time, all the ammunition having been previously destroyed, and the guns of the fort dismounted.--The day proving unusually hot, and the roads being deep and slippery from the incessant rains that had fallen during the preceding night, the troops were not able to reach the camp without halting; in consequence of which they took post at a planter's house on an eminence, where they were received with great hospitality. By three in the afternoon the men who had dropped down by the way from fatigue, were brought in (except two who reached the camp next morning), and the party proceeded to their different stations without further accidents.[52] [50] In the afternoon one hundred and eighty seamen from the Boyne, Commanded by Lieutenants Wolley, Thomson, and Maitland, landed under the Salines to windward of Grozier, and took post on the heights near that place; other parties of seamen also were landed at Grozier, forming altogether a strong reinforcement for the army. [51] With whom on this occasion Lieutenant Thomson served as a volunteer. [52] In this business Lieutenant Wolley had some narrow escapes. The commanding officer of the fort rushed out of the guard-room on the alarm, with a lighted match in his hand. He first fired an amuzet, luckily pointed in an opposite direction; he then three times attempted to fire a twenty-four pounder as Mr. Wolley and his men were advancing to the muzzle of it; but fortunately, either from the dampness of the powder, or trepidation of the man, it missed taking effect; on which he flung down his match, and retreated to the further end of the fort, whither Mr. Wolley followed; but, from the darkness of the night, he soon lost sight of him. As he returned he was met by his own men, who, taking him for an enemy, were about to put him to death, when his voice discovered their mistake. Had the cannon in the first instance gone off, it must have made considerable havock among our men, as it was loaded with a bag of musket balls.--This day Captain Armstrong of the 8th regiment, was killed by a cannon ball at the landing-place at Grozier, while giving directions to a serjeant about some ordnance which was to be landed there. He was on horseback, and had just remarked, that there could be no danger from the fire at Fleur d'Epée at that place; a shot, however, from the fort dipped over the point of land which seemed to shelter the landing-place, and cut him asunder. He has often been heard to say that he thought that a man must be truly unfortunate who fell by a single cannon ball.