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LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.
18th, formed the troops in close column for the assault,which being perceived by the besieged, they demanded tocapitulate. Such would not have been the case, had thebrave conscientious Philipsthal* preserved the command.He surely vl r ould have done his duty, and have stood, notonly one assault, but as many as he could. The commandhad devolved on a Colonel Storz, also a brave and honour-able man; but his authority was limited to acting with theconsent of a council of war, which is a most fatal evil in theconduct of a siege. His own resolve was overruled, Gaetawas surrendered to the French , and the garrison allowed toembark for Sicily , first swearing not to carry arms againstFrance for one year and a day from that day forward.
On the 7th of July, upon the opening of the fire from theFrench breaching batteries, the garrison amounted to seventhousand men. These were supported by four British shipsof the line, six frigates, thirty bomb-vessels or gun-boats,and many transports. The French were seconded by twelveNeapolitan gun-boats, which performed prodigies of valour,being all commanded by naval officers of distinguishedfamilies, who had suffered from the despotism of the Bour-bons. During the siege, the fortress projected above onehundred thousand shot or shells. The French dischargedforty-two thousand. Nine hundred of the garrison werekilled or wounded ; of the French , one thousand one hun-dred. Philipsthal was the only man of distinction woundedof the garrison. The French generals, Vallongue and deGrigny, were killed. A friend of mine, one Nelli of Rome,had a narrow escape from the just indignation of Massena.He had supplied the marshal with a quantity of powder,which proved unable to propel the shot and shells with more