An officer and a subordinate officer of artillery were placed in charge of each carriage or caisson, with the promise of six hundred francs for the transport of each gun or wagon beyond the range of the fort.
General Marmont, who had proposed the plan, superintended the first operation himself.

Happily, a storm prevailed and made the night extremely dark.

The first six cannon and the first six caissons passed without a single shot from the fortress.

The men returned, picking their steps silently, one after another, in single file; but this time the enemy must have heard some noise, and, wishing to knew the cause, threw hand-grenades.

Fortunately, they fell beyond the road.
Why should these men, who had once passed, return?
Merely to get their muskets and knapsacks.