▁was ▁able ▁to ▁shout ▁his ▁orders ▁to ▁the ▁capt ains ▁of ▁the ▁other ▁vessels . ▁ ▁Pr ég ent , ▁Drag onne ▁and ▁El cano ▁were ▁a ▁little ▁further ▁back . ▁ ▁The ▁al lied ▁fl ot illa ▁opened ▁fire ▁on ▁the ▁Vietnam ese ▁for ts ▁and ▁soon ▁found ▁the ▁range . ▁ ▁Marine ▁inf antry ▁sn ip ers , ▁firing ▁from ▁the ▁m ast head s ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁and ▁Spanish ▁ships , ▁picked ▁off ▁the ▁Vietnam ese ▁g unn ers . ▁ ▁The ▁Vietnam ese ▁respond ed ▁vig or ously , ▁but ▁their ▁aim ▁was ▁uncertain , ▁and ▁the ▁French ▁and ▁Spanish ▁soon ▁beat ▁down ▁their ▁fire . ▁ ▁The ▁landing ▁companies ▁were ▁sent ▁ash ore ▁to ▁assault ▁the ▁for ts , ▁and ▁by ▁ 8 ▁a . m . ▁both ▁for ts ▁were ▁in ▁Spanish ▁hands . ▁ ▁Later ▁the ▁same ▁day ▁cap itaine ▁de ▁fr ég ate ▁Bernard ▁J aur ég ui berry , ▁the ▁future ▁French ▁adm iral ▁and ▁n avy ▁minister , ▁sc out ed ▁the ▁Cit adel ▁of ▁Sa ig on ▁ab o ard ▁A val anche . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁morning ▁of ▁ 1 7 ▁February ▁the ▁French ▁and ▁Spanish ▁went ▁ash ore ▁and ▁assault ed ▁the ▁cit adel . ▁ ▁Serge ant ▁des ▁Pal li ères ▁of ▁the ▁marine ▁inf antry ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁to ▁enter ▁the ▁cit adel , ▁and ▁once ▁the ▁al lies ▁were ▁inside ▁the ▁Vietnam ese ▁g arrison ▁retre ated . ▁ ▁A ▁force ▁of ▁around ▁ 1 , 0