262 ATTACK ON OCZAKOW. But the wind being high, they could not bring them to attack. Our batteries nearest to Oczakow fired on the three Turkish vessels, but without being able to arrest their progress. It was now dark; and moreover, the distance between these batteries and the block-fort, on the one side of Kinbourn, being seven verstes, the land batteries never could have prevented either the entrance or exit of small vessels. "One of the Turkish ships had the folly to cast anchor in the shallows of Fort Hassan Pacha; and at daybreak on the ninth, being within shot of our most advanced land-battery, was struck between wind and water, and run down; the other two vessels got in without difficulty. I have already mentioned, that on the 18th of August I received an order to be in readiness to attack the fortress of Hassan Pacha with my bomb-vessels, and the chaloupes armed with licornes and mortars. I expected from day to day an order for action, and had in consequence bestowed much pains in training my men to the necessary evolutions; but the final orders never arrived. "The Prince of Nassau having run down my plan of attack, it was set aside; and by a new arrangement, which I was commanded to form with General Muller, Commander-inchief of Artillery, I was destined to assault the entrenchment, and the Turkish battery on the shore of the road. "On the 9th of October the flotilla advanced from the shores of Kinbourn, and attacked Oczakow; but this attack was conducted and ended in the very same manner as that of the 30th August, save that a small vessel of the Turkish flotilla, which lay farther out than any of the others, ran aground on the shallows of Fort Hassan Pacha. "On the 10th of October I received another preparatory order; and soon afterwards was ordered to give up all my gun-boats to the flotilla. Towards evening I went to headquarters to ascertain what was to be done regarding these boats. The Prince-Marshal at this time told me he had the strongest desire to see pitched overboard a large piece of artillery placed on the fore-part of the vessel of the Turkish flotilla that stood farthest out, and which had run aground. I imagined at the time that there was no other vessel run aground save the one in the road, at the distance of a verste from the fortress of Hassan Pacha; so I said the thing was quite easy; for although the Turks should come up in force to defend the vessel, there would always be time to spike the piece of cannon. "It was night when I undertook this little enterprise. As I did not imagine the Prince-Marshal attached so much importance to it as to wish that I should conduct it in person, I confided it to Lieutanant Edwards, a brave and an intelligent man, whom I wished to requite for past services. On the 1st of July he had followed me throughout, and was a long time with me in the galley of the Capitan Pacha. He had followed 266 NIGHT EXPEDITION. me on the night of the 20th of July, and had boarded, and cut the cable of the vessel which I took opposite the fortress of Hassan Pacha. He had assisted me some days afterwards, when, by orders of the Prince-Marshal, we made trial of bombarding the fort from one of the bomb-vessels; from which service we had some difficulty in withdrawing, as the wind, which rose in a moment, kept us for a long while under the fire of the enemy's musketry, which wounded some of our men. "Mr. Edwards returned before daybreak, without having succeeded. He said there were a great many men in the ship, who fired on him, and that he durst not board her, he was so ill supported. I was vexed that he had failed; and in my report to the Prince-Marshal I said that I would conduct the enterprise myself next night, if that would satisfy him. "The Prince-Marshal held me at my word; but it was eleven at night when Mr. Edwards returned with the order. The wind, which was high, was quite against me, as well as a strong tide; and I would have deferred the attempt, if I had not conceived my honour pledged. I was led to hope, that after midnight the wind might fall, and the strength of the tide lessen, if it did not change. The night was very dark, and the rain fell in torrents. I waited till two o'clock, when the moon rose. I had with me five armed boats, and I calculated on being followed by four batteaux saporoses, and by one of the armed vessels I had taken from the Turks; but it was impossible to haul them against the wind, and I was compelled to go on as I best could, with only my five boats. I have noticed that our flotilla had run down a small Turkish vessel in the shallows of the fortress of Hassan Pacha, but I did not perceive this till the moment after I had despatched Mr. Edwards to head-quarters, because the vessel lay so near the fortress, where the water is of little depth, that it had only sunk a foot or fifteen inches, and consequently appeared as if |