Frasers of Philorth > Volume 1

274 THE FRASERS OP PH1LORTH, LORDS SALTOUN.
I wish to see ; I want you to take Peronne ; you may as well take with you
the Brigade of Guards and a Dutch- Belgian brigade. I shall be there almost
as soon as yourself.' Peronne was distant about eleven miles from the
Guards' then position. Byng having given the necessary instructions to
Maitland's Brigade of First Guards and to a Dutch-Belgian brigade, the
former marched off at once, and reached Peronne at the same time as the
Duke, who immediately summoned the garrison, and proceeded to reconnoitre
the fortress in person. Perceiving that it might be taken by storm, he gave
orders to prepare for an assault, and directed the attack to be made upon a
hornwork which covers the suburbs on the left bank of the Somme. To the
Third Battalion First Guards, preceded by the light companies of the First
Brigade under Lord Saltoun, was given the task of assaulting the place, while
the Second Battalion carried the fascines for their comrades. As the Guards
advanced they separated into two columns of attack, the left one destined to
scale the left face of the right demi-bastion ; the right one to force an entrance
by the ravelin and through the gate, which was blown open by the Engineers
who assisted in the operation. Saltoun immediately rushed to the assault
with his light companies, which experienced some slight loss as they crossed
the ditch, while Saltoun himself was struck by a grape-shot as he was mount-
ing the scaling-ladder, but fortunately the shot striking a purse full of coins, in
his pocket, lessened the blow, so that it inflicted but slight injury, and he
refused to report himself wounded. The hornwork was carried with little
loss, and a Dutch brigade of four 9-pounders being brought up and estab-
lished to the east of the town, to take in reverse the face to be attacked, a
few shots were exchanged ; while a brigade of four field-pieces was placed
so as to command the front of the hornwork itself. After a short interval
General Byng sent forward Lieutenant-Colonel Stanhope, his acting Quarter-
master General, with a flag of truce, upon which the garrison capitulated,
and the maiden fortress surrendered to the Guards, on condition of the men
being allowed to go to their homes. As General Byng was returning to
Vermand to report to the Duke the capture of the fortress, he met about half-
way the Dutch-Belgian brigade, which had been ordered at the same time as
the Guards to proceed to the front."
In writing to his wife of this affair, on the 27th, in continuation of his