Life of George Washington, volume 2 of 5Irving, Washington
History
Life of George Washington, volume 2 of 5
Irving, Washington
Presidents -- United States -- Biography; Washington, George, 1732-1799
They arrived in the advance, just as Arnold was leading on his forlorn
hope to attack the barrier. Before he reached it, a severe wound in the
right leg with a musket ball completely disabled him, and he had to be
borne from the field. Morgan instantly took the command. Just then Lamb
came up with his company, armed with muskets and bayonets, having
received orders to abandon the field-piece, and support the advance.
Oswald joined him with the forlorn hope. The battery which commanded the
defile mounted two pieces of cannon. There was a discharge of grape-shot
when the assailants were close under the muzzles of the guns, yet but
one man was killed. Before there could be a second discharge, the
battery was carried by assault, some firing into the embrasures; others
scaling the walls. The captain and thirty of his men were taken
prisoners.
The day was just dawning as Morgan led on to attack the second barrier,
and his men had to advance under a fire from the town walls on their
right, which incessantly thinned their ranks. The second barrier was
reached; they applied their scaling ladders to storm it. The defence was
brave and obstinate, but the defenders were at length driven from their
guns, and the battery was gained. At the last moment one of the gunners
ran back, linstock in hand, to give one more shot. Captain Lamb snapped
a fusee at him. It missed fire. The cannon was discharged, and a
grape-shot wounded Lamb in the head, carrying away part of the
cheek-bone. He was borne off senseless, to a neighboring shed.
The two barriers being now taken, the way on this side into the lower
town seemed open. Morgan prepared to enter it with the victorious
vanguard; first stationing Captain Dearborn and some provincials at
Palace Gate, which opened down into the defile from the upper town. By
this time, however, the death of Montgomery and retreat of Campbell, had
enabled the enemy to turn all their attention in this direction. A large
detachment sent by General Carleton, sallied out of Palace Gate after
Morgan had passed it, surprised and captured Dearborn and the guard, and
completely cut off the advanced party. The main body, informed of the
death of Montgomery, and giving up the game as lost, retreated to the
camp, leaving behind the field-piece which Lamb’s company had abandoned,
and the mortars in the battery of St. Roque.
Morgan and his men were now hemmed in on all sides, and obliged to take
refuge in a stone house, from the inveterate fire which assailed them.
From the windows of this house they kept up a desperate defence, until
cannon were brought to bear upon it. Then, hearing of the death of
Montgomery, and seeing that there was no prospect of relief, Morgan and
his gallant handful of followers were compelled to surrender themselves
prisoners of war.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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