▁the ▁possibility ▁that ▁the ▁French ▁might ▁better ▁fort ify ▁the ▁town ▁before ▁the ▁British ▁troops ▁could ▁arrive . ▁After ▁two ▁days ' ▁discussion , ▁M ord a unt ▁and ▁Con way ▁concluded ▁that ▁assault ing ▁Ro che fort ▁was ▁" ne ither ▁advis able ▁nor ▁practical ". ▁ ▁A ▁second ▁council , ▁called ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁September ▁ab o ard ▁, ▁revers ed ▁this ▁decision ▁and ▁decided ▁on ▁a ▁night ▁attack ▁upon ▁the ▁for ts ▁at ▁the ▁mouth ▁of ▁the ▁River ▁Char ente , ▁with ▁the ▁first ▁emb ark ation ▁to ▁be ▁led ▁by ▁M ord a unt ▁in ▁person . ▁However , ▁M ord a unt ▁remained ▁equ iv ocal , ▁and ▁the ▁attack ▁did ▁not ▁proceed . ▁Fr ustr ated ▁at ▁the ▁Army ' s ▁ref us al ▁to ▁act , ▁Admir al ▁Haw ke ▁declared ▁that ▁as ▁the ▁Army ▁had ▁no ▁willing ness ▁to ▁make ▁an ▁assault , ▁the ▁fleet ▁would ▁return ▁to ▁England . ▁The ▁expedition ▁set ▁sail ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁September ▁and ▁reached ▁Port sm outh ▁on ▁ 6 ▁October . ▁ ▁Pitt ▁was ▁fur ious ▁at ▁the ▁failure ▁of ▁the ▁expedition , ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁exp end iture ▁of ▁more ▁than ▁£ 1 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁without ▁result . ▁A ▁board ▁of ▁inqu iry ▁was ▁conven ed ▁under ▁the ▁aus p ices ▁of ▁Charles ▁Sp encer , ▁ 3 rd ▁Duke ▁of ▁Mar l borough , ▁George ▁Germ ain , ▁ 1 st ▁Vis count ▁S ack ville ▁and ▁John