The three breaches were rendered practicable from a distance of between 600 and 700 yards; and the curtain breach was made in one day, the day of the assault. To the rapidity of the making of this breach was much of the success in the final storming due; because, had several days been required, measures would have been adopted by the defenders during the intervening nights to render it wholly impracticable. In making this curtain breach, 14 guns were employed, with an expenditure of 3514 rounds. Colonel Framingham commanded the Allied Artillery during the siege, but Major Dickson virtually directed the operations. From a rough MS. diary in the Record Office, in the handwriting of the latter officer, it would appear that the strength of the Artillery was as follows:-- N.-C. officers and men. Captain Holcombe’s company 110 Captain Gardiner’s ditto[32] 110 Captain Glubb’s (commanded by Captain Power) company 78 Captain Rettberg’s (King’s German Artillery) ditto 30 There were also 377 of the 3rd Regiment, and 249 of the 2nd Regiment, of Portuguese Artillery. [Sidenote: To Lord Liverpool, 7 April, 1812.] In his despatch, after the storming of the city, Lord Wellington said: “Major Dickson conducted the details of the Artillery service during this siege, as well as upon former occasions, under the general superintendence of Lieut.-Colonel Framingham, who, since the absence of Major-General Borthwick, has commanded the Artillery with this army. I cannot sufficiently applaud the officers and soldiers of the British and Portuguese Artillery during this siege, particularly Lieut.-Colonel Robe, who opened the breaching batteries, Majors May and Holcombe, Captain Gardiner and Lieutenant Bourchier, of the Royal Artillery; Captain de Rettberg, of the King’s German Artillery; and Major Tulloh, of the Portuguese. Adverting to the extent of the details of the Ordnance Department during this siege, to the difficulty of weather, &c., with which Major Dickson had to contend, I must mention him most particularly to your Lordship.” Besides the officers named in the despatch, there were present in the batteries Captains Power, Latham, Dundas, and Dansey; and Lieutenants Weston, Connel, Grimes, and Love. The loss of the Royal Artillery during the siege was as follows:-- Killed: Captain Latham, Lieutenant Connel, and 23 non-commissioned officers and men. Wounded: Captain Dundas, Lieutenants Grimes and Love, and 48 non-commissioned officers and men.[33] Major Tulloh, an officer of the Royal Artillery attached to the Portuguese, was also wounded.