incommoded by any Sallies of the Enemy; as in truth they made not one
during the whole Siege. Our great Battery, which consisted of upwards of
fifty heavy Cannon, supply'd from the Ships, and manag'd by the Seamen,
were plac'd upon a Spot of rising Ground, just large enough to contain
our Guns, with two deep hollow Ways on each Side the Field, at each End
whereof we had rais'd a little Redoubt, which serv'd to preserve our Men
from the Shot of the Town. Those little Redoubts, in which we had some
Field Pieces, flank'd the Battery, and render'd it intirely secure from
any Surprize of the Enemy. There were several other smaller Batteries
rais'd upon the Hills adjacent, in Places not to be approach'd, which,
in a manner, render'd all the Artillery of the Enemy useless, by reason
their Men could not play 'em, but with the utmost Danger; whereas ours
were secure, very few being kill'd, and those mostly by random Shot.

But to return to the General; forc'd, as he was, to take this
extraordinary Resolution, he concluded, the readiest Way to surprize his
Enemies was to elude his Friends. He therefore call'd a Council of War
a-shore, of the Land Officers; and aboard, of the Admirals and Sea
Officers: In both which it was resolv'd, that in case the Siege of
_Barcelona_ was judg'd impracticable, and that the Troops should be
re-imbark'd by a Day appointed, an Effort should be made upon the
Kingdom of _Naples_. Accordingly, the Day affix'd being come, the heavy
Artillery landed for the Siege was return'd aboard the Ships, and every
thing in appearance prepar'd for a Re-imbarkment. During which, the
General was oblig'd to undergo all the Reproaches of a dissatisfy'd
Court; and what was more uneasy to him, the Murmurings of the Sea
Officers, who, not so competent Judges in what related to Sieges, were
one and all inclin'd to a Design upon _Barcelona_; and the rather,
because as the Season was so far spent, it was thought altogether
improper to engage the Fleet in any new Undertaking. However, all Things