On the following morning it was found that the grape-shot from the south attack had been successful in preventing the enemy from working at the breach, and preparations for resuming the battering had been ordered, when Major Dickson received a summons from Lord Wellington. He met him [Sidenote: Dickson’s MSS.] with Colonel Fletcher on the north side: and they were informed that he had decided on raising the siege. He mentioned his reasons; but he particularly pointed out the impossibility of getting possession of San Cristoval without advancing to the crest of the _glacis_;--the still difficult situation of the main breach on the south side;--the imprudence of attempting it, even when practicable, without first having Cristoval;--the strong entrenchments which the enemy had had time to construct within the breach;--and finally the approach of the enemy in such force that prudence would not allow him to be caught by them in the midst of a siege. [Sidenote: Major Dickson to D.-A.-G.c Elvas, 13 June, 1811.] Soult was at this time in force at Llerena, and Drouet’s corps was reported as having joined him; while the Northern French army under Marmont was also in motion. Major Dickson immediately set to work, and by the evening of the 12th the whole of the guns, stores, and ammunition were either in Elvas again, or at such a distance as to be in perfect safety in all circumstances. “Thus,” wrote Major Dickson to General Macleod, “ended this siege, in which everything that artillery could do was done, considering our miserable means; and this Lord Wellington was good enough to express, both to Colonel Framingham and myself. The brass guns could not stand the necessary fire, and their destruction, I am of opinion, was considerably occasioned by the lowness of the shot, which generally had so much windage that you could put your fingers in between the shot and the bore.... On the whole I have to observe that our batteries were too far off.... The whole principle of the attack was founded on the supposed weakness of the Castle wall, which it was thought could be beat down at a distance. On discovering the difficulty of this, the batteries were thrown forward as far as they could, at the same time avoiding the fire of the modern fronts, nor could they be advanced farther until Cristoval was in our hands. Indeed, if that had been carried, I think we should have got the place.... Lord Wellington was good enough to say that everything that could be done on our parts, had been done.” The casualties among the Artillery during the siege were as follows:-- Officers, Royal Artillery Lieut. E. Hawker, killed. Lieut. W. Saunders, wounded. Officers, Portuguese Artillery Captain Barreiros, wounded. Lieut. Lopez, wounded dangerously. Killed. Wounded.