The storming party, consisting of four hundred grenadiers, with a support of six hundred musketeers, commanded by the Earl of Peterborough and the Prince of Hesse-Darmstadt, commenced their march about ten o’clock on the night of Sunday the 13th of September round the mountains, and were followed by another detachment, and a party of dragoons. After traversing many miles of rugged mountain scenery, by different tracks, the storming party appeared about break of day at the foot of the mountain. Colonel Southwell of the sixth foot, which was then acting as Marines, was ordered to head the attack, and he succeeded in driving the enemy from the outworks into the castle. Upon this success the Prince of Hesse, advancing with great eagerness through all the fire, was shot with a musket-ball in the thigh, and upon being carried to an adjacent cottage, expired: this accident somewhat damped the spirits of the soldiers;--at the same time a large reinforcement was seen advancing from the town to aid the garrison in the Castle, and the troops received orders from some inferior officer to retire. The Earl of Peterborough rushed to the spot, countermanded the order, seized the half-pike out of Lord Charlemont’s hand, and rallied and led back the soldiers to the posts they had so nobly won. The Spaniards, who were advancing from the town, turned back, and the outworks of the Fortress of Montjuich were thus gained; batteries were constructed, and the inner works were assailed with cannon-balls, bombs, and grenades. On the 17th of September the Fort surrendered, and thus facilitated the siege of the _City of Barcelona_, which was prosecuted with vigour. The Admirals even relinquished for a time their natural element, and acted on shore as General Officers;--they came daily from their ships with a body of men formed into companies, having captains and lieutenants of their own. Cannon and mortars were dragged up steep precipices by the men; and a breach being declared practicable, a body of soldiers prepared to attack the town: further effusion of blood was spared, however, by the surrender of the garrison, which capitulated on the 9th of October. The capture of Barcelona gave additional reputation to the arms of the allies, and this splendid achievement was regarded with astonishment throughout Europe. It was accompanied by the submission of nearly all Catalonia; and Boyer, in his history of these wars, observes, “all the generals, admirals, officers, private soldiers, and seamen, engaged in this memorable expedition, deserved each their share of the honour.” [Sidenote: 1706]