three weeks he refrained from any attempt to carry out his threat.

"During that time Governor Haslet came to Lewis and summoned the militia
to its defence. On his arrival he reiterated the refusal to supply the
British invaders with what had been demanded.

"Beresford repeated his threats and at length, on the 6th of April, sent
Captain Byron, with the _Belvidera_ and several smaller vessels, to
attack the town.

"He fired several heavy round shot into it, then sent a flag of truce,
again demanding the supplies Beresford had called for.

"Colonel Davis, the officer in command of the militia, repeated the
refusal; then Byron sent word that he was sorry for the misery he should
inflict on the women and children by a bombardment.

"To that a verbal reply was sent: 'Colonel Davis is a gallant officer,
and has taken care of the ladies.'

"Then Byron presently began a cannonade and bombardment and kept it up
for twenty-two hours.

"The Americans replied in a very spirited manner from a battery on an
eminence. Davis's militia worked it and succeeded in disabling the most
dangerous of the enemy's gunboats and silencing its cannon.

"The British failed in their effort to inflict great damage upon the
town, although they hurled into it as many as eight hundred eighteen and
thirty-two pound shot, besides many shells and Congreve rockets. The