The next day, by ten in the morning, the breach had been enlarged to three-and-twenty yards, and about noon a flag of truce arrived; ... it was a service of danger to carry it, the day being so foggy, that the flag could scarcely be seen. General Leval who commanded the besieging troops, summoned the governor, saying, “that the defence made by the fortress under his command had sufficiently established that fair name which is the basis of military honour: that in a few hours the breach would be practicable, and that the same honour which had prompted him to resistance, imposed it now as a duty upon him to spare the lives of a whole population, whose fate was in his hands, rather than see them buried amid the ruins of their town.” Copons answered in these words: “When you propose to the governor of this fortress to admit a capitulation, because the breach will shortly be practicable, you certainly do not know that I am here. When the breach shall be absolutely practicable, you will find me upon it, at the head of my troops to defend it. There we will negotiate.” After receiving his reply, the French renewed their fire upon the breach, but most of the balls passed through it into the houses which stood opposite. ♦THE FRENCH REPULSED IN AN ASSAULT.♦ Preparations were now made on both sides for the assault, and at eight on the following morning the enemy advanced from their trenches in every direction. 2000 of their men moved by the bed of the river in front of the breach; the 87th regiment flanked the breach to the north and south, leaving two companies in reserve to bayonet the assailants if they should leap the wall. This, however, was not much to be apprehended; for the town is built in a hollow, and in that part the wall on the inside was fourteen feet lower than on the out. The breach opened into a narrow street, which had been barricaded on each side, and was well flanked and secured with _chevaux-de-frize_, for which the iron balconies, commonly used in Spanish towns, furnished ready and excellent materials. When Colonel Gough saw them advancing, he drew his sword, threw away the scabbard, and ordered his band to strike up the Irish air of _Garry-Owen_. The men immediately cheered, and opened their fire. The 47th, who lined a wall which descended from the south-east tower, and flanked the enemy’s columns, did the same, and the carnage made among the enemy was such, that they halted for a moment, as if dismayed, then ran to the edge of the breach. This they saw was impracticable, and hurrying off under the wall, they made a dash at the portcullis. Here the barricade was impenetrable, and finding themselves in a situation where courage could be of no avail, and where they were brought down by hundreds, they fled. Colonel Gough seeing them fly, bade his band strike up _St. Patrick’s Day_, and the men were so inspirited, that it was scarcely possible to restrain them from pursuing the fugitives up to their very trenches[33].