was nevertheless much inconvenienced, and his troops harassed,
by the necessity of detaching continually into the sand hills
to his left, to cover that flank against the troops whom the
enemy had placed in the sand hills. The admirable disposition,
however, which he made of his troops, and their determined
spirit and gallantry, enabled him to arrive within a mile of
Egmont. Here he was seriously opposed by a very considerable
corps of French infantry, which occupied Egmont-op-Zee, and the
high sand hills in its front, and who had formed a very strong
corps of cavalry and artillery to their left. The engagement
was maintained during several hours with the greatest
obstinacy; and in no instance were the abilities of a
commander, or the heroic perseverance of troops in so difficult
and trying a situation, more highly conspicuous. Animated by
the example of General Sir Ralph Abercromby, and the generals
and officers under him, the troops sustained every effort made
upon them by an enemy then superior in numbers, and much
favoured by the strength of his position. Late in the evening,
the enemy's cavalry, having been defeated in an attempt which
they made upon the British horse artillery on the beach, and
having been charged by the cavalry under Colonel Lord Paget,
was driven, with considerable loss, nearly to Egmont-op-Zee;
his efforts then relaxed considerably on the right; and General
Sir Ralph Abercromby, having soon after been joined by the
reinforcements under Colonel Macdonald, took post upon the
sand hills and the beach, within a very short distance of
Egmont-op-Zee, where the troops lay upon their arms during the
night."

In the battle of the 6th of October, in which the 49th was not engaged,