The expedition appeared before _Belle-Isle_ on the 7th of April, and a landing was attempted on the following day; but the whole island appeared like one vast fortress;--the little which nature had left undone by rocks and crags, having been supplied by art; so that when the grenadiers gained the shore, the enemy was discovered so strongly fortified, that no efforts of the few men which could be landed at once, were of any avail. A boat of Erskine's grenadiers (SIXTY-SEVENTH), commanded by Captain Thomas Osborne, landed at a point, and drew up undiscovered. His situation flanked the enemy, but no other boat followed. The French immediately came out, and Captain Osborne advanced to meet them. Twice brought to the ground by a shot, he pressed on, and approached so close to the enemy, that he exchanged thrusts with the French officer in command. The English fired, and then charged with the bayonet. The commanders on both sides were killed, when the English, being without leaders, were unable to maintain their position.--Attempts to secure a landing on other points of the island being also unsuccessful, orders were given to desist from the attempt, and the men returned to the boats, and proceeded back to their several ships. Many of the boats were destroyed or damaged in this attempt, and about five hundred men were lost in killed, wounded, and missing. Commodore Keppel stated in his letter, of the 13th of April, 1761, to the Right Honorable Mr. Secretary Pitt, afterwards created the Earl of Chatham, that "One of the flat boats landed sixty of Erskine's grenadiers (SIXTY-SEVENTH regiment), who got up a very difficult place to the top of the hills, where they formed with great skill, but were so immediately routed by a much more numerous body of the enemy, that all attempts to succour them were ineffectual, any further than the boats bringing from the rocks about twenty of them." On the 8th of April, 1761, the SIXTY-SEVENTH had Captain Thomas Osborne and Lieutenant John Gardner killed. Lieutenants Marmaduke Green and William Herdsman were taken prisoners. The other casualties were, two serjeants, one drummer, and six rank and file killed; and sixteen rank and file wounded. Major-General Hodgson subsequently received the following reinforcements:-- REGIMENTS. COMMANDING OFFICERS. MEN. 3rd Foot. Major J. Biddulph 800 36th ditto. Lieut.-Col. W. Preston 800 75th ditto[8] " C. Parry 800 85th ditto, 2nd Batt.[8] Major Sir Hugh Williams 600 ---- 3000 ----