He had neither the time nor the material necessary for regular approaches; nor, had he acted decisively, do these seem to have been at all necessary.

The place was not tenable at the period of his first summons.

The prompt energies of the British commander soon made it so.

Instead of considering, he consumed the twenty-four hours in working.

The arrival of Lieutenant-Colonel Cruger, with a small command, from Sunbury, and the force of Lieutenant-Colonel Maitland, from Beaufort, soon put the fortress in such a condition of defence as to enable its commander to return his defiance to the renewed summons of the combined armies.