The Tiger, leading, made her way through the
passage and, taking up a position abreast of the northeast bastion of
the fort, opened a heavy fire upon it with her guns, and harassed the
besieged with a musketry fire from her tops. The Kent was on the point
of anchoring opposite the watergate, when so heavy a fire was poured
upon her that, in the confusion, the cable ran out; and the ship
dropped down, till she anchored at a point exposed to a heavy
crossfire from the southeast and southwest bastions. Owing to this
accident, the Salisbury was forced to anchor a hundred and fifty yards
below the fort.
The French fought with extreme bravery. Vastly superior as were the
English force and guns, the French fire was maintained with the
greatest energy and spirit, the gunners being directed and animated by
Monsieur De Vignes, captain of one of the ships which had been sunk.
No advantage was gained by the Tiger, in her struggle with the
northeast bastion, and the guns of the southwest bastion galled the
Kent so severely that the admiral, neglecting the southeast bastion,
was forced to turn the whole of his guns upon it.
De Vignes concentrated his fire against one point in the Kent, and
presently succeeded in setting her on fire.
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