" Day broke with a "Levanter," and the heavy clouds
hanging about rendered any distant view a matter of difficulty.
However, before it had become actually daylight the alarm guns gave
notice that the enemy had been sighted. The troops turned out with
great promptitude, being all at their assigned stations in less than a
quarter of an hour, and were shortly ordered to various points
commanding the east side of the Rock. As day broke, the hostile ships
were to be discerned steaming in single line ahead, from the northeast,
along the back of the Rock, and about 5,000 yards from it. The flag
ship, followed by the Monarch and the Agincourt, proceeded toward
Europa Point, while the Iron Duke and the Curlew stood close in to the
eastern beach, so as to engage the northern defenses of the fortress.
The first shot was fired by the flag ship, shortly before six o'clock
in the morning, at the southern defenses. It was replied to, in less
than three minutes, by the Europa batteries, and very shortly the
engagement became general. The plan of tactics employed by the
squadron was that of steaming rapidly up and down, and concentrating
their fire in turn on the various shore batteries. Later on, the whole
squadron assembled off Europa Point, and fired broadsides by
electricity as they steamed past at speed. The spectacle at this
moment was a very fine one, the roar of the heavy guns of the ships
being supplemented by the sharp, rapid report of the quick-firing
guns, which were supposed to be sending a storm of small shell among
the defenders of the Rock.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25