It is well known that, at the period to which my narrative refers, an
alliance, offensive and defensive, subsisted between the Government of
Great Britain and the heads of as many Indian nations or tribes as felt
the aggressions of the settlers upon their ancient territories, and
were disposed to resent them. On this side of the continent our
principal allies were the Chaktaws and Cherokees, two nations whom war
and famine had reduced from a state of comparative majesty to the
lowest ebb of feebleness and distress. Driven from hunting-ground to
hunting-ground, and pursued like wild beasts wherever seen, they were
now confined to a narrow tract of country, lying chiefly along the
coasts of the gulf and the borders of the lakes which adjoin to it. For
some time previous to the arrival of the expedition, the warriors of
these tribes put themselves under the command of Colonel Nickolls, of
the Royal Marines, and continued to harass the Americans by frequent
incursions into the cultivated districts. It so happened, however,
that, being persuaded to attempt the reduction of a fort situated upon
Mobile Point, and being, as might be expected, repulsed with some loss,
their confidence in their leader, and their dependence upon British
aid, had begun of late to suffer a serious diminution. Though not very
profitable as friends, their local position and desultory mode of
warfare would have rendered them at this period exceedingly annoying to
us as enemies; it was accordingly determined to dispatch an embassy to
their settlements, for the purpose of restoring them to good humour, or
at least discovering their intentions.
Whilst the troops were assembling upon Pine Island, a cutter, having
proper officers on board, and carrying presents of clothing, arms, and
rum, was dispatched upon this business. It reached its place of
destination in safety, and the ambassadors found very little difficulty
in bringing back the fickle Indians to their wonted reliance upon
British support. Several of the chiefs and warriors, indeed, requested
and obtained permission to visit our Admiral and General, and to follow
the fortunes of our troops; and a very grotesque and singular
appearance they presented as they stood upon the quarter-deck of the
Tonnant. But the costume, habits, and customs of these savages have
been too frequently and too accurately described elsewhere, to render
any account of them on the present occasion desirable. It is sufficient
to observe, that whilst they gazed upon everything around them with a
look expressive of no astonishment whatever, they were themselves
objects of eager curiosity to us; and that they bore our close
inspection and somewhat uncourteous deportment with the most perfect
philosophy. But to my tale.
The enemy’s cutters having fallen into our hands, at an early hour on
the morning of the 16th the disembarkation of the troops began. So
deficient, however, was the fleet in boats and other small craft fit to
navigate the lakes, that it was late on the evening of the 21st before
the last division took up its ground upon Pine Island, and even then
the inconveniences of our descent were but beginning. The troops had
yet to be arranged in corps and brigades; to each of these its
proportion of Commissaries, Purveyors, and Medical attendants, &c.,
&c., required to be allotted; and some attempt at establishing depots
of provisions and military stores behoved to be made. In adjusting
these matters the whole of the 22nd was occupied, on which day the
General likewise reviewed the whole of the army. This being ended, the
force was next distributed into divisions, or corps; and the following
is the order it assumed.
Instead of a light brigade, the General resolved to set apart three
battalions as an advanced guard. The regiments nominated to that
service were the 4th, the 85th Light Infantry, and the 95th. Rifles;
and he selected Colonel Thornton of the 85th, as an officer of talent
and enterprise, to command them. Attached to this corps were a party of
rocket-men, with two light three-pounders— a species of gun convenient
enough, where celerity of movement is alone regarded, but of very
little real utility in the field. The rest of the troops were arranged,
as before, into two brigades. The first, composed of the 21st, 44th,
and one black regiment, was intrusted to Colonel Brook; and the second,
containing the 93rd and the other black corps, to Colonel Hamilton, of
the 7th West India regiment. To each of these, a certain proportion of
artillery and rockets was allotted: whilst the dragoons, who had
brought their harness and other appointments on shore, remained as a
sort of bodyguard to the General, till they should provide themselves
with horses.
The adjustment of these matters having occupied a considerable part of
the 22nd, it was determined that all things should remain as they were
till next morning. Boats, in the mean time, began to assemble from all
quarters, supplies of ammunition were packed, so as to prevent the
possibility of damage from moisture, and stores of various descriptions
were got ready. But it appeared that, even now, many serious
inconveniences must be endured, and obstacles surmounted, before the
troops could reach the scene of action. In the first place, from Pine
Island to that part of the main towards which prudence directed us to
steer, was a distance of no less than 80 miles. This, of itself, was an
obstacle, or at least an inconvenience, of no slight nature; for should
the weather prove boisterous, open boats, heavily laden with soldiers,
would stand little chance of escaping destruction in the course of so
long a voyage. In the next place, and what was of infinitely greater
importance, it was found that there were not, throughout the whole
fleet, a sufficient number of boats to transport above one third of the
army at a time. But to land in divisions would expose our forces to be
attacked in detail, by which means one party might be cut to pieces
before the others could arrive to its support. The undertaking was,
therefore, on the whole, extremely dangerous, and such as would have
been probably abandoned by more timid leaders. Ours, however, were not
so to be alarmed. They had entered upon a hazardous business, in
whatever way it should be prosecuted; and since they could not work
miracles, they resolved to lose no time in bringing their army into the
field in the best manner which circumstances would permit.
THE LAKE.
With this view, the advance, consisting of 1600 men and two pieces of
cannon, was next morning embarked. I have already stated that there is
a small creek, called the Bayo de Catiline, which runs up from Lake
Pontchartrain through the middle of an extensive morass, about ten
miles below New Orleans. Towards this creek were the boats directed,
and here it was resolved to effect a landing. When we set sail, the sky
was dark and lowering, and before long a heavy rain began to fall.
Continuing without intermission during the whole of the day, towards
night, it, as usual, ceased, and was succeeded by a sharp frost; which,
taking effect upon men thoroughly exposed, and already cramped by
remaining so long in one posture, rendered our limbs completely
powerless. Nor was there any means of dispelling the benumbing
sensation, or effectually resisting the cold. Fires of charcoal,
indeed, being lighted in the sterns of the boats, were permitted to
burn as long as daylight lasted; but as soon as it grew dark, they were
of necessity extinguished, lest the flame should be seen by row-boats
from the shore, and an alarm be thus communicated. Our situation was,
therefore, the reverse of agreeable; since even sleep was denied us,
from the apprehension of fatal consequences.
THE LAKE—LANDING.
Having remained in this uncomfortable state till midnight, the boats
cast anchor and hoisted awnings. There was a small piquet of the enemy
stationed at the entrance of the creek by which it was intended to
effect our landing. This it was absolutely necessary to surprise; and
whilst the rest lay at anchor, two or three fast-sailing barges were
pushed on to execute the service. Nor did they experience much
difficulty in accomplishing their object. Nothing, as it appeared, was
less dreamt of by the Americans than an attack from this quarter,
consequently no persons could be less on their guard than the party
here stationed. The officer who conducted the force sent against them,
found not so much as a single sentinel posted! but having landed his
men at two places, above and below the but which they inhabited,
extended his ranks so as to surround it, and closing gradually in, took
them all fast asleep, without noise or resistance.
When such time had been allowed as was deemed sufficient for the
accomplishment of this undertaking, the flotilla again weighed anchor,
and without waiting for intelligence of success, pursued their voyage.
Hitherto we had been hurried along at a rapid rate by a fair breeze,
which enabled us to carry canvas; but this now left us, and we made way
only by rowing. Our progress was therefore considerably retarded, and
the risk of discovery heightened by the noise which that labour
necessarily occasions; but in spite of these obstacles, we reached the
entrance of the creek by dawn; and about nine o’clock, were safely on
shore.
The place where we landed was as wild as it is possible to imagine.
Gaze where we might, nothing could be seen except one huge marsh
covered with tall reeds; not a house nor a vestige of human industry
could be discovered; and even of trees there were but a few growing
upon the banks of the creek. Yet it was such a spot as, above all
others, favoured our operations. No eye could watch us, or report our
arrival to the American General. By remaining quietly among the reeds,
we might effectually conceal ourselves from notice; because, from
appearance of all around, it was easy to perceive that the place which
we occupied had been seldom, if ever before, marked with a human
footstep. Concealment, however, was the thing of all others which we
required; for be it remembered that there were now only sixteen hundred
men on the mainland. The rest were still at Pine Island, where they
must remain till the boats which had transported us should return for
their conveyance, consequently many hours must elapse before this small
corps could be either reinforced or supported. If, therefore, we had
sought for a point where a descent might be made in secrecy and safety,
we could not have found one better calculated for that purpose than the
present; because it afforded every means of concealment to one part of
our force, until the others should be able to come up.
MARCH.
For these reasons, it was confidently expected that no movement would
be made previous to the arrival of the other brigades; but, in our
expectations of quiet, we were deceived. The deserters who had come in,
and accompanied us as guides, assured the General that he had only to
show himself, when the whole district would submit. They repeated, that
there were not five thousand men in arms throughout the State: that of
these, not more than twelve hundred were regular soldiers, and that the
whole force was at present several miles on the opposite side of the
town, expecting an attack on that quarter, and apprehending no danger
on this. These arguments, together with the nature of the ground on
which we stood, so ill calculated for a proper distribution of troops
in case of attack, and so well calculated to hide the movements of an
army acquainted with all the passes and tracks which, for aught we
knew, intersected the morass, induced our leader to push forward at
once into the open country. As soon, therefore, as the advance was
formed, and the boats had departed, we began our march, following an
indistinct path along the edge of the ditch or canal. But it was not
without many checks that we were able to proceed. Other ditches,
similar to that whose course we pursued, frequently stopped us by
running in a cross direction, and falling into it at right angles.
These were too wide to be leaped, and too deep to be forded;
consequently, on all such occasions, the troops were obliged to halt,
till bridges were hastily constructed of such materials as could be
procured, and thrown across.
Having advanced in this manner for several hours, we at length found
ourselves approaching a more cultivated region. The marsh became
gradually less and less continued, being intersected by wider spots of
firm ground; the reeds gave place, by degrees, to wood, and the wood to
inclosed fields. Upon these, however, nothing grew, harvest having long
ago ended. They accordingly presented but a melancholy appearance,
being covered with the stubble of sugar-cane, which resembled the reeds
which we had just quitted, in everything except altitude. Nor as yet
was any house or cottage to be seen. Though we knew, therefore, that
human habitations could not be far off, it was impossible to guess
where they lay, or how numerous they might prove; and as we could not
tell whether our guides might not be deceiving us, and whether
ambuscades might not be laid for our destruction as soon as we should
arrive where troops could conveniently act, our march was insensibly
conducted with increased caution and regularity.
But in a little while some groves of orange-trees presented selves; on
passing which two or three farm-houses appeared. Towards these, our
advanced companies immediately hastened, with the hope of surprising
the inhabitants, and preventing any from being raised. Hurrying on at
double-quick time, they surrounded the buildings, succeeded in securing
the inmates, capturing several horses; but becoming rather careless in
watching their prisoners, one man contrived to effect his escape. Now,
then, all hope of eluding observation might be laid aside. The rumour
of our landing would, we knew, spread faster than we could march; and
it only remained to make that rumour as terrible as possible.
With this view, the column was commanded to widen its files, and to
present as formidable an appearance as could be assumed. Changing our
order, in obedience to these directions, we marched, not in sections of
eight or ten abreast, but in pairs, and thus contrived to cover with
our small division as large a tract or ground as if we had mustered
thrice our present numbers. Our steps were likewise quickened, that we
might gain, if possible, some advantageous position, where we might be
able to cope with any force that might attack us; and thus hastening
on, we soon arrived at the main road which leads directly to New
Orleans. Turning to the right, we then advanced in the direction of
that town for about a mile; when, having reached a spot where it was
considered that we might encamp in comparative safety, our little
column halted; the men piled their arms, and a regular bivouac was
formed.
HALT.
The country where we had now established ourselves, answered, in every
respect, the description which I have already given of the neck of land
on which New Orleans is built. It was a narrow plain of about a mile in
width, bounded on one side by the Mississippi, and on the other by the
marsh from which we had just emerged. Towards the open ground this
marsh was covered with dwarf wood, having the semblance of a forest
rather than of a swamp; but on trying the bottom, it was found that
both characters were united, and that it was impossible for a man to
make his way among the trees, so boggy was the soil upon which they
grew. In no other quarter, however, was there a single hedge-row, or
plantation of any kind; excepting a few apple and other fruit trees in
the gardens of such houses as were scattered over the plain, the whole
being laid out in large fields for the growth of sugar-cane, a plant
which seems as abundant in this part of the world as in Jamaica.
Looking up towards the town, which we at this time faced, the marsh is
upon your right, and the river upon your left. Close to the latter runs
the main road, following the course of the stream all the way to New
Orleans. Between the road and the water is thrown up a lofty and strong
embankment, resembling the dykes in Holland, and meant to serve a
similar purpose; by means of which the Mississippi is prevented from
overflowing its banks, and the entire flat is preserved from
inundation. But the attention of a stranger is irresistibly drawn away
from every other object, to contemplate the magnificence of this noble
river. Pouring along at the prodigious rate of four miles an hour, an
immense body of water is spread out before you; measuring a full mile
across, and nearly a hundred fathoms in depth. What this mighty stream
must be near its mouth, I can hardly imagine, for we were here upwards
of a hundred miles from the ocean.
Such was the general aspect of the country which we had entered;—our
own position, again, was this. The three regiments turning off from the
road into one extensive green field, formed three close columns within
pistol-shot of the river. Upon our right, but so much in advance as to
be of no service to us, was a large house, surrounded by about twenty
wooden huts, probably intended for the accommodation of slaves. Towards
this house there was a slight rise in the ground, and between it and
the camp was a small pond of no great depth. As far to the rear as the
first was to the front, stood another house, inferior in point of
appearance, and skirted by no outbuildings: this was also upon the
right; and here General Keane, who accompanied us, fixed his
head-quarters; but neither the one nor the other could be employed as a
covering redoubt, the flank of the division extending, as it were,
between them. A little way in advance, again, where the outposts were
stationed, ran a dry ditch and a row of lofty palings; affording some
cover to the front of our line, should it be formed diagonally with the
main road. The left likewise was well secured by the river; but the
right and the rear were wholly unprotected. Though in occupying this
field, therefore, we might have looked very well had the country around
us been friendly, it must be confessed that our situation hardly
deserved the title of a military position.