COL. Tothill being lately put out of his place by a Coun­cell of War (for breach of quarter to some of the Enemy that were taken prisoners flying out of the Castle on the Weare, when we had begun to batter it) I intend Col. Le­hunt (if he returne) shall be Col. of that Regiment, and that his Lieutenant Col. Eaton (shall be Lieut. Col, to Sanders, or at least Major to some other Regiment, his intended Maj. Warren that lately came over we shall dispose of otherwise. And therefore I pray you let Col. Le­hunt and his Lieut. Col. be acquainted with so much (as from me) and know that I desire both of them (if the Lieut. Col. be not come over be­fore you can give them notice hereof) or at least that Col. Lehunt him­selfe do forbear the raising of any new Companies, or new men to bring over, either for themselves or any other (as for their old Regiment) but that if any be already raised, for that purpose, they be disbanded (if not already come over) though we loose the mony advanced (if need be) we having men enough (with the remainder of the Prest men expected) to fil up all our Regiments to 1200 a peece or very neare (if not more. Wee took about a fortnight agone the Castle on the Weare. those of the Enemy that were in it quitting it upon the first shot of two guns we had planted against it, one of which killed three of the men within, so as the rest fled out immediately in their Cots, but being comanded from each side the river with the shot of our men, and some of them wounded in their Cots; they came in to our men, part of them to this side (where Tothils and Slades Companyes were) upon promise of Quarter, the other halfe to the other side (where Colonell Ingolsby was) rendring themselves at his mer­cy.

The first being stript immediately, and committed to a guard by Slades men (that gave them Quarter.) were presently after sent for by Col. Tothill [Page 2]and by his order knocked in the head, notwithstanding the Quarter promi­sed. The latter that came in to Ingolsby at his mercy were spared, and not so much as stript or pillaged.

This we rejoyced in, as some ballance to the breach of Quarter upon the other (being about equall in number.) And giving notice to the Ene­my of what was done to both parties, wee did towards reparation release and send them in freely (without exchange or ransome) those that wer prisoners with Col. Ingolsby at mercy, tendring what other satisfaction they would reasonably desire, but they askt no more, and for Justice amongst our selves, I appointed Col. Tothill (that commanded and his Ensign that acted the Violation) to be presently tryed by a Court of War.

But he alledgeing, that he did it partly from an opinion, that no Soul­diers or inferiour Officers had power to give Quarter without consent of himselfe, then being cheife in command on that Quarter, and partly from an apprehension, that I would have been offended with him if he had spa­red them; The Court thought fit to do no more justice, but cashier him, and his Ensign for it.

But I fear it fell short of the Justice of God required therein to the ac­quitting of the Army from the guilt of so foul a sin (the excuses whereof were equally abominable, for the base and servile fear pretended in the lat­ter part, as for the pride of spirit (I doubt) predominate in the for­mer.

About the same time we on this quarter having battered and opened the nearer side of the Castle on the Bridge, and filled up (with the rub­bish of the Breach and some Bavins) the open Arch under their Draw-bridg before the Castle, stormed it, and God gave it into our hands; and we have ever since possessed it, and partly repaired it, and by other workes since carryed on beyond it upon the Bridge are possessed of about half their Bridge, so as they are sufficiently lockt in on this side; But they have quite broke down two new Arches towards the further end, so as we have little hopes of making further use of it, to work our selves over the bridge, (as otherwise wee might) into the further Gate-house, and so into the Towne.

After this we attempted (by great Boates drawn from the ships below over land, towards the upper end of their Island, and by other lesse boates, and a great floate brought over from Castle Connell to the Wear, and thence by water to the head of their Island) to storme and possesse the Island, which they had incompassed with a Line all along the water side, pretty [Page 3]well flankt, and a great Fort in the middle of it, which if we had possessed we might suddenly have been Masters of the Towne.) But herein it plea­sed the Lord, not to favour us, but on the contrary, to put a greater check and rebuke upon us, then I can remember or have heard to have fallen up­on any party of ours in this War (for so clear and sad a losse both of the party ingaged, and the businesse attempted.)

We had 11 Boats and two Cots (besides the great Floate,) in the five boates first lanched (which were the least) there went over my Maj. Wal­ker (who was appointed to command the whole party with Cap. Graves of Col. Stubbers Regiment, Cap. Whiting of Col. Axtels, and my own Ensign, and about 90 Souldiers, and non-Commissioned Officers, most of my Regiment, and Col. Stubbers. Four of these boats landed their men, and came off again to fetch more.

The men ran up to the Enemies line, beat off their Guard, and some of them pursued that Guard over the Line towards the Fort in the middle of the Island: But a fresh body of the Enemy from the Fort and other Guards of the Lyne (being betwixt 2 and 300 and not more as we could discern, or can since learn,) came suddenly upon those of ours that were pursuing beyond the Line, beate them backe to the rest on this side the Line, and suddenly forced the whole party (being in confusion, and no Officer having any intire party of his own, as yet got over to make a body) from the Line unto the River again, where pressing into the 5th. Boate that was but then landing, and halfe sunk before with shot from the Ene­my, they sunk her and so all the Officers and Souldiers that went in those five boates (being prest upon by the Enemies Pikes, and shot and forced further into the River were al drowned or killed before the rest of the boats which were comming) and the Float could get over to second or releive them, except about 6 or 7 Souldiers that by swimming to those other boats that were comming, got off alive and one Souldier that had quarter from the Enemy.

The rest of the boats being (before this) lanched and filled as fast as could be, and the four that came back being filled again were got most of them to the middle of the River; by that time our first Parties were forced into the water and drowned, & divers of them went on to the further shoar offering to land. But beyond their expectation, finding not any of our party left on the shoare, but such a body of the Enemy ready to receive them, they turned head again, and so the rest came back to us without attempting further.

And by this time the morning was grown too light, and the enemies too numerous, pouring out their shot so plentifully upon our naked shoare as it was too late to set on more men (though wee had more then enough in reserve) or to renew the attempt, and besides our men too much discour­aged by the sad losse fallen upon our first parties: Wee find missing of the Party 86 or 87 men, besides the foure Commissioned Officers aforementi­oned, and not more, what ever may be reported.

The most visible occasions of this defeat were, the going over and land­ing of the four first and smallest Boates so hastily before the rest, their boat­ing so confusedly (not one Officer with any one intire party together their keeping no order nor holding a body together when landed, their over­hasty and disorderly pursuite of the enemies first Guard beyond their line; whereas by appointment they should, after beating the Guard from the line, have kept the line onely (which having no Ditch before it towards us, but as we understood, a small one beyond it, on the enemies side was bet­ter to us against them, then to them against us, and have kept a body stand­ing betwixt the line and the River, to make good that part of the line, till the whole party of Foot, and a party of Horse also upon the Float had landed) and the slownesse of lanching the greater Boates; the slacknesse and confusednesse of the rest of the parties getting into them, and slownesse of their motion when filled: But all this made not above a minutes differ­ence betwixt the landing of the first Boates, and the comming over of the rest (within which space the first party was destroyed out of sight, as if it had not been) and what ever we in that duskie time of twilight could dis­cerne over the River or can learne of miscarrage in our party, or what e­ver men may (as occasions of miscarriage) attribute the losse unto, the hand and will of God was eminently appearing against us in the whole; The se­curitie of landing, and facility of making good a landing (enclosed to us perfectly from any infall of their horse by the very worke the enemy had made) was far greater then where we attempted, and God gave us passages for the Army over the River; you know wee had there but two Cotts and another small Boat (which carried not at first above 24 Souldiers) here besides the five first Boates which carried neere 100) we had eight more to follow which would carrie much above 200. and a great float of Caske & Deales) reaching neare halfe over the River, which would beare neer 300. men, or a Troope of Horse at once; yet in the other case God made the e­nemy both horse and foot fly from those few landing, and not hearts to re­turne upon them, when so little or so slow possibility of their being second­ed) [Page 5]but in this gave the enemy hearts (against all the danger and preparati­ons threatning them, though I dare say they dreampt not of such a thing, nor had the least Alarum till one minute or lesse before our first Boates went over) to stand at first til our men came up to their line, & after beaten thence to returne upon our party againe in the face of all the seconds comming af­ter) and to prosecute them and the shot both of them and a great reserve of foot plac't all along our shoare and to act in the whole businesse with as much courage, vigour, and resolution as ever I saw men, and on the other side, so took away both the hearts and judgements of our party, that they did nothing with advantage, either to the justifying of the attempt, or their owne security, nor had confidence, when their lives were at stake, to fight one quarter of a minute for their owne lives, but distractedly (and yet at last in an heape together in the Water) cast themselves upon a certain death (as to such as could not swimme) to avoide an uncertain and short danger, when they knew before hand, and might easily discerne then so many se­conds comming over, as much out numbred the Enemy and (had they but stood and fought for their lives one quarter of a minute) they might evi­dently either have carried the attempt, (if the Lord had pleased) or been relieved and brought off in the Boates and Floate, sufficient to have saved all; And yet I dare say both the Officers and Souldiers were men of as great naturall Courage and Resolution ordinarily in this Cause as any in our Armies, and have done as valiantly when God hath pleased to favour them, Major Walker you know) commanded the party at our attempt for the passage of the Army at Brian-Bridge.

Captaine Graves did the like the same day at Castle-Connell, both these failed and fell here under the hand and good pleasure of our God, wee had many other advantages here, above what we had in the other case, more then I have leisure to set forth, and almost as great as we could wish and (if poore Creatures may say so) it was not resolved or gone upon without the feare of God, and much and oft seeking to him before and (I am perswad­ed in much simplicity; yet blessed be his name we find cause (in truth) to say, That most justly the Lord hath rebuked us, and cast reproach and confusion of face upon us.

I touched on one thing before, concerning the violation of Faith, and Quarter to Enemies coming out of the Water (who were some at the ex­ecution of them, forced into the same River againe and drowned.

God hath taught us also (in dreadfull language) who it was that gave us passage over this River, by his out-stretched arme, and taught us how to [Page 6]value such a mercy and reproved our under-valuings and unmindfulne [...] of it. Divers other things he hath hereby given us hints of his mind in (more then I can well make out) the wound was deep, and the rebuke and losse most sad upon us all; yet thus far already appears to be from the good will of a Father, That through his grace it hath had (so far as we can judge of our selves or of others in the Army) a more deep through impression, and tender kindly sence of his hand then any such dispensation I have known. But alas, we are apt (without daily new awakenings one way or other) to forget, grow cold, secure, and sleepy againe, and soone loose (even though in part we have found somewhat of) the fruit intended; and though this hath had some effects of humbling melting and teaching upon many hearts amongst us; yet for the fore-going reason, and because such a signall and eminent testimony of his displeasure towards us, in so un-used a kind of both blasting our enterprise, and giving us up that party so clearly, and in view of all the rest of us into the hands of our enemy is surely not without some extraordinary ground and ends; and when this insolent e­nemy took occasion of reproach, blaspheming against our God with sacri­fycing to their owne, and the hearts of his poore Servants that much sought to him in that businesse have temptation to discouragement, and to be a­shamed of their hope & confidence, (as I desire and beg that my self & o­thers here may not lightly or soon passe it over, or take it up with slight humiliation, or with short and easie inquiries into our own hearts & ways & the mind of God in such a thing, so) it calls for humiliation and earnest sup­plication of all Gods people concerned with us (that shall have notice o [...] it) that the full meaning and effects intended of such a thing both to themselves and us, may bee made out, and not fallen short thereof: To which end I have thus largely set forth these things, though much short of wha [...] was observable and remarkable therein; we were before this in Treaty fo [...] the Towne, but made at that time the delay, indeed too politiquely on our parts: It hath been since renewed by them and readmitted by us, but now is in a manner broke off, (I am perswaded) from duty and in faith on ou [...] parts, they are high and like to be hardened; Lets pray and commit all [...] the good pleasure of our Father, to whose abundant and immutable grace I commend you, and rest,