Upon Tuesday, the 10th of this instant, about five o’clock in the evening, we began the Storm:
and after some hot dispute we entered, about seven or eight hundred men; the Enemy disputing it
very stiffly with us. And indeed, through the advantages of the place, and the courage God was
pleased to give the defenders, our men were forced to retreat […]yet, being encouraged to recover
their loss, they made a second attempt; wherein God was pleased so to animate them that they got
ground of the Enemy, and by the goodness of God, forced him to quit his entrenchments. And after a
very hot dispute, the Enemy having both horse and foot, and we only foot, within the Wall,—they
gave ground, and our men became masters both of their retrenchments and ‘of’ the Church […]
Divers of the Enemy retreated into the Mill-Mount; a place very strong and of difficult access;
being exceedingly high, having a good graft, and strongly pallisadoed. The Governor, Sir Arthur
Ashton, and divers considerable Officers being there, our men getting up to them were ordered by
me to put them all to the sword. And indeed, being in the heat of action, I forbade them to spare any
that were in arms in the Town: and, I think, that night they put to the sword about 2,000 men;—
divers of the officers and soldiers being fled over the Bridge into the other part of the Town, where
about 100 of them possessed St. Peter’s Church-steeple, some the west Gate, and others a strong
Round Tower next the Gate called St. Sunday’s. These, being summoned to yield to mercy, refused.
Whereupon I ordered the steeple of St.’ Peter’s Church to be fired, when one of them was, heard to
say in the midst of the flames: “God damn me, God confound me: I burn, I burn.”
The next day, the other two Towers were summoned; in one of which was about six or seven
score: but they refused to yield themselves: and we knowing that hunger must compel them, set only
good guards to secure them from running away until their stomachs were come down. From one of
the said Towers, notwithstanding their condition, they killed and wounded some of our men. When
they submitted, their officers were knocked on the head; and every tenth man of the soldiers killed;
and the rest shipped for the Barbadoes.
I am persuaded that this is a righteous judgment of God upon these barbarous wretches, who
have imbrued their hands in so much innocent blood [….] That which caused your men to storm so
courageously, it was the Spirit of God, who gave your men courage […]and therewith, this happy
success. And therefore it is good that God alone have all the glory.