enemy, Lieutenant-colonel Moore had been detached with two regiments, a small howitzer, and a sixpounder, for the purpose of seizing on Fornelli by a sudden and unexpected movement. Having dragged these for the space of several miles, through a mountainous country, on reconnoitering the place, which on the preceding year had resisted the attack of one of our flying squadrons, it was found that it could not be taken by a coup de main. The present expedition, however, proved the means of its capture; for this officer reported, that provided heavy artillery was brought up, an attack on the enemy's posts seemed likely to be attended with success.

The officers and seamen of the navy cheerfully undertook to accomplish the most laborious part of this expedition, and accordingly, after four days incessant fatigue, a sufficient quantity of ordnance* was hauled, notwithstanding the variety of obstructions that occurred, to an eminence elevated no less than seven hundred feet above the level of the sea. From this commanding height, a single eighteen-pounder so annoyed two French frigates in the adjacent bay of St. Fiorengo, that they were forced to retire, while one battery, consisting of three pieces of artillery, enfiladed the redoubt of the Convention, and a second took it in reverse.

In the mean time the Corsicans, to the number of twelve hundred, advanced to the support of their allies, while, to prevent the waste of time, an immediate assault

* Four eighteen-pounders, one large howitzer, and a ten-inch

mortar.

was

was determined upon, as the French commander refused to capitulate. Accordingly, on the evening of Febrary 17, Lieutenant-colonel Moore headed a column, with which he advanced against the nearest part of this formidable redoubt, while Lieutenant-colonel Wauchope and Captain Stewart, extended in the centre and on the left, and having thus divided the attention of the enemy, drove them down a steep hill in the rear.*

In consequence of these operations the English now became masters of the town as well as the Gulph of St. Fiorengo, and Lord Hood solicited Major-general Dundas to pursue the good fortune that had hitherto accompanied his Britannic Majesty's arms, in order to complete their career of success by the conquest of Bastia. The commander in chief of the land forces, however, declined to engage in an undertaking, for the accomplishment of which, the troops under his command appeared inadequate.

On this the British admiral determined to undertake the siege with the marines alone. Accordingly Lieutenant-colonel Villettes having landed with a body of men, who had hitherto served on board, and Captain, now Admiral Lord Nelson, joined him with a detachment of seamen, batteries were opened and the place summoned. But the chief reliance was on the closeness of the blockade, and to effect this, the ships were moored across the entrance of the harbour,

On this occasion Lieutenant-colonel Moore cut down a French grenadier, who fought by the side of his commander, with his own hand.

with gun-boats and armed launches occupying the intervals, while row-boats were constantly employed during the night to preclude the arrival of any supplies. One thousand three hundred English, and almost eight hundred Corsicans, were opposed on this occasion to a garrison of near three thousand men, yet, after a siege of three and thirty days, General Gentili was under the necessity of surrendering.

apper

As Calvi was now the sole post in the island taining to the French, the immediate possession of it became of great importance to the English. Accordingly, while Lord Howe was cruising to intercept a division of the Toulon squadron destined for its relief, the hero of Aboukir, who had as usual distinguished himself by his zeal and intrepidity, proceeded with the troops, and effected a landing at Agra.

In the course of the same day,* the troops having received considerable reinforcement under Lieutenant-general Stewart, they encamped in a strong position, called Serra del Cappucine, three miles distant from the object of their attack.

While the English admiral, not content with blocking up the port, and pynting the possibility of the arrival of supplies, was landing seven of the lower guns belonging to his own ship the Victory, the approaches and operations by land were found extremely difficult. To remedy this inconvenience, the seamen and soldiers were employed in constructing roads, bringing up artillery, ordnance stores, and

1804-1805.

* June 9, 1795.
K

provisions.