| Show jt ri x sy BY ELDER EDWARD EDWAED SIr bir bic VENSON I 1 11 I 1 I 1 I 1 erter JETTER J NO 4 ough the spaniards had been thrice defeated in the attempts to recover gibralter they continued to e ahat t garrison with a jealous eye determined to seize reize t e firt 0 opportunity to test wrest it from the dominion of reat teat at britain and as hs the close of 1777 bid fair cpr war veen france frace and england as hostilities had bad been caron earon caron foi fol for tor abar near six month spain took this favor favorably ably opportunity of 0 I 1 interfering by her mediation proposing such as she shie must fiust wag Was be assured would not be agreeable oil 00 the refusal pi 0 europe the court of madrid espoused the part of france and on the 1614 of f june 1779 the spanish ambassador presented to the coul 01 f lonabell his hostile marili manifesto esto the brin principal clial descho des eki the agn bof of 1 th tho 0 court of madrid doubt doubtless lem iem was the then recovery of on the thell cit if june 79 the ahe gie yie lot cadiou M tio ra bet spain and gibralter was closed by order J 0 of e court ur I 1 th garrison at this time could command 09 office officers fr sergeants drain meral merai rank rant and nnie flit i lacking an army army it raen laen 1 saon on the being closed a council councial of war was immediately summoned to aduse advise concer nin the gea in Sea Is ures lures to be pursued arrangements were entered into filhe for the defence and provisioning of the garrison on the 6 f july jul jui a packet from england informed the gover igl nor that Ehat hostilities had already commenced between greal britain and spain A proclamation in consequence ba a as published for capturing all spanish vessels ac and I 1 t to a of of marque were granted for that purpose to the privateers in the bay the consequence was some prizes w were ere ta taken keil keri and a few hostile shots exchanged aa the of jub july v gibralter was blockaded and the spanish lanish began 0 to o strengthen their fortifications As the th iti lockade blockade did not continue fong jong long 1 by v water maily mally many of the in 1 habitants left gibralter for the tha necessaries of life daliy dally became more scarce As the enemy s camp numbered and fortifications were continually being beins erected and advancing to the gar rison nison a council of war was summoned on the lith hilt sept and and oa on the opened fire on the enemy v which alch caused them to do much of their work during the night although much annoyed by the bul bursting sting of shell ac the enemy I 1 L bein belag being 0 ak within ithan one ono mile they were the most annoyed by 1 5 4 12 1 2 inch shell with short fuses so 0 o as to burst 0 oer er their head beadi s abott about this time several cannon of large calibre were wera on the summit of the rock 1400 feet above e their enemies the smallpox became troublesome in the garrison also adding trouble to the distressed inhabitants many macy of whom could scarcely subsist as mutton was nas worth 7 per ib lb and veal real pork coc a pigs head too ducks 00 a coupe couple and a goose moose one guinea the governor general elliot for experiment lived hi ed on roer forr ounces ounces of rice a day for eight ays thistles whistles es dan del dr delions ilens ions lons and wild ft ili lid leeks leeb vere were M ere the dally daily I 1 nouri nourishment of I 1 numbers tor for some time about this time the thol enemy edemy fired on a clergyman performing burial service len sen vice ice over a soldier soon after the inhabitants seemed frantic en n the arrival of a strung strong fleek fleet from england laden with v ith provisions inions ac uthaug although h the scurvy scurry had begun to effect many tl the ile ric garrison rison having bean with provisions ld and tb the magazines aal filled also reinforcements received a new spirit seemed to animate the soldiers sold lers 1 preparatory for the great struggle about to commence the combined fleets of france arance and spain captured ta arte rte outward bound east and west india fleets carrying the most of them into cadiz onest the heaviest blows blons which commerce had ever sustained the reception of the fleet wath ath wih supplies bupp ites lles did so desp displease leae the enemy that they soon opened a vigorous i fire on the garrison garr girr ison lson destroying many buildings and scattering the inhabitant leaving their all behind to the south of the rock without shelter only as some were afterwards furnished turtte turn furn Shed d with tents by government it was not uncommon for shell to pas past through roots of houses add and disquiet officers and others abile their thein killing and wounding wound ng them hem causing mah much confusion and disorder which enabled the soldiers I 1 0 0 abatt themselves of many of the humpries iusi lusi lux lum iriss pries that had been previously boarded up soon the influence of 0 f wine a and rd other more ardent spirits gave the soldiers great importance and liberties oi on one occasion it pleased them to road roast a pig by the jire of cinnamon also to t take ike the virgin mary man and for a bit of fun tun place ilce her in a whirligig ag and anil after li holding court mart martial lall condemned condemi iid lod bar her af 0 t a crime they were weye guilty 0 debauchery and other high crime imet cr the governor discovering dischi ening ering the poor virgin in confine confinement rilent she being phased pla pia ed in ina lna a conspicuous ailace ordered her release and aill removal thus thud tb the tha io clevi soldiers had bad taken liberties until they could scarcely be controlled contro oled leil by their off officers leers while on duty necessity caused th the following rigorous measures ori gattison ga trison orders on the apra april 1781 every soldier sold convicted of f being drunk or asleep upon hig his alap past sl or tand found ma should be immediately executed on the ath of may fl u soldier vs executed on the grand parade for plundering ills Ms body hung until sunset I 1 as an example to others the enemas cannonade and bombardment continued continue continued a discharging 1500 1503 rounds in the 21 hours often killing ano wounding men women and children blowing up maga magat t tines and on fire buildings building so that the town edill baited a most fogt dreadful picture most of the tha houses wurt deserted on the aist 42 rounds were numbered in two Talu minutes ittes A corporal coln coin with the relief had bad the muzzle of bys bis closed and the barrel twisted hse M ke a french horn born without injury to his person the enemies shot pierced 7 feet of solid sand bag work some large mortars in irl the gar garrison ilson did great execution in the enemas camp they were loaded with 29 2313 12 1 3 2 to of powder and a 33 with nibs and an 18 with gibs an aug g 61 6 a shell failing falling ii in a tent those 14 the tent were ams roke roue and thinking the fuse to be out were discussing their narrow escape when the shell burst and blew them against a wall at some fowe distance but they were not kill ulli killed A horrible occurred by a r shell falling filling an fn hospital where irany many that were sick dial ds covering rt it crawled out on hands and feets feet while others not able abie shared their fate hotl notia veins eln able to heip help help heip th themselves oct 24 in 24 hours 1263 sho were fared fired arom from the enemy net and the preceding kingda day 1 diw gli che the carrison during one forenoon fore foret tonet loon toon oon fired iti shot blo bio shell of a heavy nature and abid 16 car carcassi carca cased seg sei and dad 2 light balls nov 20 2 deserters came cams to the garri garrison soni sony one a V corporal ralf ralp giving fluch firch useful information in con consequence benc of which orders were eiveri given to attack the batteries which took place oh on d the octh at night with W ith great success 3 driving the enemy enemy froin from their batt batteries erfe s spiking 10 1013 lois 13 incho mor mortar 18 26 nning flying their works v which illuminated I 1 the troops and surrounding objects traits being laid to the magazines they returned and just jet ps BS they entered the garrison the principal magazine exploded with bith a dreadful crash As but little opposition was offered but few were killed or the batteries continued smoking on n the dec 31 1781 from april I 1 huntu until the thie pre present senty senti 1 18 oth officers cers 39 sergeants 8 drummer drum moer roer sp riek avd file total verg were aled and wounded e of inhabitants A deserter coming from llie ifie tile camp stated slated thata bels sels of guns puns hid had been spoiler since the comfit commencement ri cement of the bombardment bar bili dment |
