The ruse and assault on Diamond Rock

An earlier French assault was swept away by the sea before the British garrison even realised it had begun. The garrison later flew French colours to draw the Spanish San Rafael close, then replaced them with British colours and opened fire. The account presents this as a permissible ruse of war. Villeneuve committed the 74-gun Pluton and Berwick, the 36-gun frigate Sirène, smaller vessels, gunboats, and troops to reduce the position. Berwick had previously served in the Royal Navy before her capture by the French. Maurice spiked the guns covering the landing stage, scuttled the launch, and withdrew to the upper works that his plan was designed to defend. Spanish boats achieved the landing while French gunboats lost their way, but the attackers lacked scaling ladders and suffered boat losses. They had to besiege defenders who could fire down from inaccessible heights.