The same night, Limahon weighed anchor from Cavite, and pressed on to Manila, and Sioco disembarked the following morning, after having sworn by an oath to his General, that he would either die in the attempt, or that day be in possession of the house of the Governor. He directed his march to the fort, which our people had constructed of timber, faggots, and barrels of earth, and he divided his troops into three bodies. He ordered one to march down, through the principal street of the city, to the square, where he expected the Spaniards would sally out of the fort, and engage them; and in this expectation, he sent another body, by the side of the river round the fort, and the third, which he commanded himself, he led along the beach. The division which had been ordered down the principal street, arrived in the square, and in order to induce the Spaniards to sally from the fort, they set fire to the houses. Fortunately the Spaniards did not quit the fort, though they saw their houses burning, but contented themselves with playing their artillery upon the Chinese, doing a great deal of mischief. Sioco, finding that it was not possible, to draw the Spaniards from their fortifications, and having lost many of his men, ordered the division that had arrived at the square, to assault the fort, at the same time leading on his own. Such was the multitude of the Chinese, against so few on our part, that the palisade was forced, and they entered through a part, which Ensign Sancho Ortez defended, and in which he was killed, performing prodigies of valour. Immediately the Governor heard of this, he repaired to the fort, attended by the Colonel; they cut their way through the Chinese, and having entered it, repulsed the invaders with great loss. The Chinese, panic struck at this, retiring by degrees towards the shore, the Spaniards followed them close, making great slaughter among them; but, to our great misfortune, our people suddenly abandoned their advantage, at the sight of Limahon's squadron, which had just entered the river, but had not been able hitherto, to take part in the action.