▁dawn ▁broke , ▁Mus ke in ▁ordered ▁the ▁advance ▁and ▁the ▁gun br igs ▁and ▁smaller ▁can non ▁in ▁the ▁b arg es ▁opened ▁fire ▁on ▁the ▁British ▁def ences . ▁ ▁The ▁West ▁Island ' s ▁batter ies , ▁under ▁Lieutenant ▁Price , ▁consisted ▁of ▁ 1 7   c annon : ▁four ▁ 4 , ▁two ▁ 6 , ▁and ▁six ▁ 2 4 - p ound er ▁long ▁guns , ▁and ▁three ▁ 2 4 , ▁and ▁two ▁ 3 2 - p ound er ▁car ron ades . ▁Although ▁eight ▁of ▁the ▁guns ▁were ▁relatively ▁light , ▁the ▁batter ies ▁inf lic ted ▁dev ast ating ▁damage ▁on ▁the ▁light ▁invasion ▁craft . ▁Despite ▁severe ▁cas ual ties ▁the ▁French ▁b arg es ▁continued ▁their ▁approach ▁until ▁they ▁were ▁within ▁mus ket ▁range , ▁. ▁The ▁g arrison ▁of ▁Royal ▁Mar ines ▁opened ▁fire ▁and ▁the ▁art illery ▁cre ws ▁switched ▁to ▁can ister ▁shot . ▁Six ▁or ▁seven ▁boats ▁s ank ▁with ▁their ▁entire ▁cre ws ▁and ▁troops , ▁and ▁others ▁were ▁heavily ▁dam aged . ▁ ▁L oss es ▁were ▁so ▁high ▁that ▁the ▁French ▁called ▁off ▁the ▁attack ; ▁even ▁so , ▁the ▁return ▁journey ▁carried ▁the ▁b arg es ▁past ▁East ▁Island , ▁which ▁was ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Lieutenant ▁Richard ▁Bour ne ▁of ▁Sand fly ▁and ▁mounted ▁a ▁battery ▁of ▁two ▁ 6 8   p ound er ▁car ron ades , ▁massive ▁guns ▁that ▁inf lic ted ▁additional ▁severe ▁losses . ▁Although ▁H