George
Fairburn's first task in the siege was to help to carry to the rear
two or three badly wounded men. On the ground lay a couple who needed
no surgeon.
As yet only a few preliminary shots had been fired into the fortress,
but the defenders were evidently quite ready with their reply, and the
order for a general attack rang out. Within a few minutes the fight
was raging in terrible fashion. From land and sea alike the shot
poured into the town; sailor and soldier joining, and often standing
side by side. As George afterwards expressed it, "any man set his hand
to any job there was to do." Sailors were to be seen on land in many
places, while not a few soldiers helped with the firing on board the
ships.
All that long morning, however, George Fairburn worked at the gun to
which he had been assigned. Black with smoke, powder, dust,
perspiration, the lad toiled among his companions. For an hour or two
none of the enemy's shots fell very near the spot. But at length, and
almost suddenly, the balls began to fly in too close proximity to be
pleasant. Shot after shot fell within a yard or two of the gun, and
not a few gallant fellows dropped to earth dead or wounded.
"By Jupiter!" cried the lieutenant, who was assisting, "they have got
our measure at last! I wonder what it is that makes us so
conspicuous.
Pages:
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84