Much resistance was met with from the republican troops and revolted negroes on the island. In February, 1794, the light company of the ROYALS advanced against the fortress of _L'Acal_, in the vicinity of Leogane. Part of the force designed for this service was embarked in transports, and the remainder, including the light company of the ROYALS, proceeded by land. The wind proving unfavourable, the troops in transports could not disembark; the remainder, however, advanced against the fort,--ascended the hill, which was rendered difficult by trees placed in all directions,--and, attacking the enemy with fixed bayonets, drove them from their works. After obtaining possession of the fort, two officers and thirteen private men were killed by the explosion of a magazine, which was fired by a negro recently from Africa, who did not know the use of gunpowder. One of the officers thus killed was Captain Morshead, of the light company of the ROYALS, who was wounded in the assault of the fort. Captain Hutchinson,[105] of the ROYALS, who was doing duty with the artillery, was wounded at the commencement of the attack, but he continued at his post of duty until the fort was carried. Part of the battalion was afterwards engaged in an unsuccessful attack on _Bombarde_, in which service sixteen men were killed and twenty-six taken prisoners. The attack was made before day-break in the morning, and, the retreat being sudden, ENSIGN JOHN GARSTON, of the ROYALS, with eight men of his company, became separated from the detachment, and, losing the road, wandered in a wrong direction. Towards mid-day he fell in with a patrol of six men of the enemy, and was called upon to surrender; but this brave young officer answered by a threat to fire upon them if they attempted to interrupt him. He continued to stray farther from his intended point; the enemy followed at a distance, and again called upon him to surrender, but he constantly refused. At night the patrol, fatigued with following him over dry and sandy plains, retired. The ensign and his little party continued to wander--fainting with hunger, thirst, and fatigue--two days and a night, during which time two men died of want and weariness, having found nothing but the fruit of Indian fig-trees and aloes. At length they arrived at a demolished port, where they found an old fishing-boat, in which they embarked, and arrived on the morning of the third day at the entrance of the bay of the mole St. Nicholas, from whence the fishermen brought them into the town.[106] Lieutenant M'Kellar, of the ROYALS, who commanded the light company after the death of Captain Morshead, occupied an unfinished block-house near the fortress of _L'Acal_, where he was attacked by the enemy; but he repulsed the assailants with signal gallantry, and his conduct on this occasion was mentioned in orders.