A second attempt was made about four days afterwards. Six hundred select French and Walloon grenadiers, supported by a large body of Spaniards, ascended the hill with great silence during the night, and concealed themselves in the cliffs and hollow grounds until day-break. When the night-guard had been withdrawn from the breach near the round tower, they made a sudden rush at the wall, and with a shower of hand-grenades drove the ordinary guard from its post. At the same time two hundred French grenadiers attacked the round tower by storm. The troops in garrison were soon alarmed. CAPTAIN FISHER of the QUEEN'S REGIMENT OF MARINES, an officer of a most daring and heroic spirit, charged the enemy at the head of seventeen men; but his small party was soon overpowered and himself taken prisoner. Major Moncall, of Lord Barrymore's regiment, rushed to the scene of the conflict at the head of four hundred men, and being seconded by Colonel Rivett of the foot guards, who had climbed the rock on the right of the covered way with twenty grenadiers, he charged the enemy sword in hand, retook the round tower, and liberated CAPTAIN FISHER of the QUEEN'S MARINES. Additional troops were brought forward, and the French and Walloon grenadiers were chased from the works with the loss of more than half their numbers; but the gallant CAPTAIN FISHER, being foremost in the pursuit, was again made prisoner. The French and Spaniards continued their attempts against this fortress with unavailing assiduity, until their formidable army was half ruined, and towards the end of March, 1705, they raised the siege, and retired. "And thus," observes the author of the Annals of Queen Anne, "the siege of that important place, after six months' toil and fruitless attempts, was at last raised, _by the obstinate and valiant defence of our brave Englishmen_;" and the QUEEN'S MARINES had their share in the glory of this brilliant success. The importance of _Gibraltar_ occasioned the siege to become a subject of great interest throughout Christendom, but especially in England; the result gave rise to the most lively feelings of joy and exultation; and the conduct of the British troops was the subject of merited commendation. [Sidenote: 1706] [Sidenote: 1707] [Sidenote: 1708] In the subsequent actions during this war, the regiments of MARINES gained additional honour. They had their share of the glory acquired in the capture of _Barcelona_ in the autumn of 1705, and in the gallant defence of that city in 1706; they fought at the unfortunate battle of _Almanza_ in 1707; took part in the capture and defence of several fortified towns in Spain, and in the capture of the island of _Minorca_ in 1708. In some of these services, detachments of the QUEEN'S MARINES were probably engaged; but, after the defence of Gibraltar, the regiment appears to have been employed, generally, on board the fleet. [Sidenote: 1709] [Sidenote: 1710]