nine o'clock
They are admirable for irregular war , but worse than useless for anything else . All we will ask of them , count , is to scatter in strong bodies over the hills , to guard every road , and cut off any parties of the enemy who may venture to go out to gather provisions or forage . If they can manage occasionally to threaten an attack upon the French camp , so much the better . '' The next morning a strong body of the French took post round Montjuich , and at nine o'clock a force of infantry , supported by two squadrons of horse , attempted to carry the western outworks by storm . This was the weakest part of the citadel , and was manned by only a hundred men of Colonel Hamilton 's regiment , who had arrived the night before , having in two days ridden seventy miles on mules . As the French advanced they received them with great determination , and poured in so sharp a fire that the assailants speedily retired with considerable loss . As they fell back the English threw up their caps and raised loud shouts , which so exasperated the enemy that they reformed and returned several times to the assault , but only to be repulsed as on their first attempt .