British Army told off into Brigades--Advance, and are hotly
received--Heroism of a young Artillery Officer--We take up a
fresh position--The Enemy work incessantly in raising an
extensive breastwork--Two Batteries erected, from which our
heavy Ship Artillery are brought to bear against it, but
without effect--The Enemy also place their Ship Guns on
Batteries--Colonel Lambert arrives with the 7th and 43d
regiments--Preparations for a grand attack on the Enemy's
lines, which entirely fails, and the British are repulsed with
great loss.
The remainder of the army all arrived during the 24th, and were put in
bivouack in an oblique direction, with their front to the late field of
action, their right thrown back towards the wood, and their left towards
Mons. Villerey's house. The 93d formed line in advance at an angle of
the wood, as a sort of outpost, while the 85th and ours were stationed
in and around the house, to which I have so often alluded, _i. e._ where
I fell in with the column of the enemy. Our advanced picquets remained
the same as before the action. If I might here be permitted to hazard an
opinion, I should say that had we advanced upon New Orleans the morning
after the fight, I think there is little doubt we should have been
successful; for when an irregular and undisciplined body of troops once
meet with a reverse, it is difficult to bring them into action again
with that steadiness and determination which they often evince in their
first essay.
I understood General Jackson had some trouble in keeping them together
after their defeat on the night of the 23d, and the only mode in which
he could get them to form was, in planting the first who retired in line
near the road, and as each successive detachment arrived from the fight,
they were made to form on their left, the whole line sitting or laying
down for the remainder of the night. It is easy to perceive that they
would have been quite unmanageable should they have been seriously
attacked, while their spirits were depressed by their recent failure,
and as the works which we afterwards encountered did not then exist, at
least only in part, I think they would have retired after a very slight
resistance indeed. I had the information as to the manner in which they
formed, from some of those who were made prisoners, and who witnessed
it. All this, however, is merely the opinion of a private individual,
who judged from appearances only, and it is not in the nature of things
probable that I should be able to form so correct a one as those who
possessed more ample information.
After the arrival of the two general officers before mentioned, the army
was told off into brigades as follows, viz. the 1st brigade, commanded
by General Gibbs, consisted of the 4th, 21st, and 44th British, and 5th
West India regiments; the 2d brigade, commanded by General Keane,
consisted of the 85th, 93d, and 95th British, and 1st West India
regiments, (observe, the West India regiments had by this time become
exceedingly reduced in point of numbers from cold and hardship, which
they seemed unable to bear, and very soon after almost ceased to be
regiments, so many of them were sent away sick;) the artillery was
commanded by Colonel Dickson, an excellent officer; the squadron of the
14th light dragoons not being able to get mounted, formed the guards at
the hospitals, and at head-quarters, &c.
Every thing having been previously arranged on the morning of the 28th,
we advanced in two columns, the right near the wood commanded by General
Gibbs, and ours on the left by the great road near the river, commanded
by General Keane. The enemy had all along kept possession of those
farm-houses which lay at some distance in front of our picquets. They
were consequently driven from these as we moved forward, which we did, I
should imagine, to the distance of about three miles, their picquets
retiring gradually before us. We here discovered that the enemy had
thrown up a strong field-work, which extended from the river to the wood,
and which consequently shut up every avenue to our farther advance,
without fighting. We also found that their numbers had considerably
increased, as we could perceive by the immense bodies of troops behind
their works. As we pressed upon their picquets as they retired, we got a
shot or two at them with our field-guns; but every thing remained quiet
within their lines till we had arrived within about 400 yards of them,
when they opened out on the head of our columns as destructive a fire of
artillery as I ever witnessed. One shot struck in the column of the
85th, which knocked down two officers and about ten men. My battalion
was leading, and being partly extended skirmishing, they did not offer
so fair a mark for artillery as a solid body, and consequently escaped
this.
The ship also, which was anchored a little in advance of their work,
opened her broadside on the columns on the road at the same time. Our
gun and howitzer, the only two pieces we had there, endeavoured to
return the fire of the ship, but without doing her much injury. When the
fire was found to be so galling, the troops were moved off the road
into the fields on the right, and my battalion advancing about 100 paces
farther, was ordered to lay down in a sort of ditch which was there, and
to shelter themselves the best way they could. The 85th and 93d formed
also more to the right, and secured themselves as well as the nature of
the ground would admit. It was only intended as a reconnoissance,
consequently the troops did not advance farther, as soon as the nature
of their position was ascertained. It appeared to be a high dike of
casks, formed as a breastwork, with a considerable quantity of artillery
mounted on it, and with a sort of canal or wet ditch in front of it.
Of course, all this took some time to ascertain, during which they kept
up an incessant cannonade, both from their works and from the ship. The
latter poured in an immense quantity of large grape, which rendered the
situation of those exposed to it extremely unpleasant. Our two
fieldpieces were very soon silenced by the superior fire of the enemy,
and in an hour after our arrival at this point, there was not a man left
with them but the officer, who was quite a youth, but yet stood as
steady as if he had been on a common parade, although all his men were
knocked down about him. I never witnessed more devoted heroism than this
fine young man displayed. One shot, nearly towards the last, struck off
his sergeant's head, and sent his cap spinning over a ditch, where
another officer and I had taken up our post. Some rockets were also
tried from this point, both against the ship and the enemy's works, but
those directed against the vessel flew quite wide of the mark, and
totally failed. Some of those fired into the works, we saw pass over the
heads of the men posted in them, but whether they produced any effect we
could not see.
The enemy either had set fire to the houses near us before they retired
from them, or they had fired heated shot with a view of producing that
effect; but we had not been long here ere the whole of the houses in the
neighbourhood were in one grand and terrific blaze of fire. I do not
exactly know what was done on the right, for we could not see distinctly
for some trees which grew in the garden of the farm in that direction,
but imagine they encountered something similar to ourselves, as the play
of artillery from the enemy's line in front of them was equally
unceasing with that in our front. Not a man showed himself out of the
enemy's works.
When every thing was ascertained that could be, the troops began
gradually to draw off, but this was obliged to be conducted in a very
cautious manner, or the loss from their fire would have been severe. The
93d retired first, by separate wings, afterwards the 85th, but ours did
not leave their ground till after dark, when, I believe, some of the
Yankees began to advance in a rather triumphant and bullying manner, but
were taught to keep at a respectful distance by a few shots well laid in
among them. A party of sailors had been sent forward to bring off the
two fieldpieces, there being no artillerymen left to do it, and we had
no horses. They undertook and accomplished this task most cheerfully and
effectually, without a man hurt I believe.
The loss of my battalion on this occasion was not great. The army now
took up a fresh position in which to bivouack, at about a mile and a
half distance from the enemy's line, but which they could easily reach
with the shot and shells of their larger pieces. The head-quarters were
removed from Monsieur Villerey's house to a large farm or chateau behind
our new lines, and which were formed in the following manner, viz.:--the
4th and 44th composed one line, with their right near the wood. The 21st
formed on their left, but with an intervening space between them. The
85th and 93d formed one line on the left of the 21st, with an interval
between their line and that regiment. This latter line was rather in an
oblique direction, with its front towards a farm-house in advance and to
the left, and where my battalion was ordered to take its station. This
latter post was more exposed to the enemy's shot than any of the others;
it being a good deal advanced, and being close to the river, the guns
from the opposite shore ceased not firing on it, generally with hot
shot. The men were put into a sugar house belonging to this chateau, the
floor of which being sunk a little below the surface of the adjoining
earth, protected them wonderfully; but on occasions they had their very
cooking utensils knocked off the fire by the enemy's shot, in
consequence of the exposed situation of this house. The acting
quartermaster and myself being deemed civilians, and having no
inclination to be deprived of our natural rest at night, as long as we
could be allowed to obtain it, took up our abode in one of the outhouses
at head-quarters, which we found unoccupied, and where our respective
duties could be carried on with as much facility as if we were in the
same house with the battalion, the distance between them being only
about half a mile.
Here, also, the sick and wounded were brought, where they could enjoy
more comfort than in the sugar-house, till an opportunity offered of
sending them down to the shipping. To secure our front a little more,
and to protect the troops against the shot from the opposite shore, a
redoubt was thrown up about half a mile in front of the right, and
pretty near the wood; while batteries and breastworks were constructed
on the road, to fire on any vessels of the enemy which might come down
the river. These latter were principally constructed of hogsheads of
sugar, which were found in the sugar-houses of the different
plantations in the neighbourhood. But nothing could have answered worse
than they did for this purpose, the enemy's shot going quite through
them, without being at all deadened almost by the resistance they
offered. In front of the left also, inside the road, a breastwork was
thrown up, which secured the persons of a corps of marines and sailors,
who occupied that part of the line. This body was, soon after the 28th,
landed from the fleet; and the latter, having brought small arms on
shore with them, acted as a small battalion.
It is evident the enemy must have worked incessantly, from our first
landing, to complete the work they occupied; for, from the information I
before mentioned, as given me by one of the Spanish fishermen, it is
clear they had only two guns, mounted on something like a battery, on
the great road. But now that work extended even into the wood, a
distance of at least three quarters of a mile, and at this time there
could not be less than ten or twelve pieces of heavy ordnance mounted on
it. We were told by the slaves who had remained in the houses, that the
ditch behind which they had constructed this work was a sort of small
canal, which the gentleman who owned the property used for the purpose
of transporting the produce of his farm from thence into the river. From
this time we could plainly perceive great numbers of men continually at
work upon it, mostly blacks, of which they would, of course, have
abundance; but their white people also (the army, we conclude) were
constantly employed upon it. We could see distinctly that they were
widening and deepening the canal in front of the work, and raising the
parapet to a considerable height.
It was now determined to try what our heavy ship-artillery would do
against this work. Accordingly, the greater part of the army were
employed in bringing up these unwieldy machines, and to effect which
required no slight power and perseverance, as we had no means of
transport but the sheer strength of a number of men combined, to drag
them successively through the deep soil. A sufficient number of them
having been brought up by the 31st, strong working parties were employed
all night in erecting two batteries, as near to the enemy's works as
they could with safety venture, and getting the guns, carriages, and
ammunition, &c., into them. These were formed principally of casks, &c.,
filled with earth; and I am not sure that some sugar hogsheads were not
used on the occasion. However, at daylight on the morning of the 1st
Jan. 1815, the whole of the troops were ordered under arms, and moved
forward to nearly the same points they occupied on the 28th ult.
This morning there was an extremely thick fog, which greatly favoured
our movements, the Americans being, I believe, totally ignorant that any
alteration had taken place in the situation of our army. As soon as the
fog cleared away, our artillery opened out a tremendous and thundering
cannonade upon the enemy's line, which so completely astonished them,
that there was not a shot returned for twenty minutes at least, so
little did they expect heavy artillery there. Nay, we heard afterwards
that a great number of the irregular troops were so alarmed, that they
actually quitted the lines without orders, and were posting off to New
Orleans, and were with great difficulty brought back again. As soon as
they perceived, however, that nothing more than a cannonade was
intended, and that our troops did not advance to the attack, they
commenced gradually with their artillery against ours, the fire of which
increasing as their confidence increased, they were not long in
silencing our guns, and in dismounting some of them. The fact is, our
works had been thrown up in such haste, that they were not nearly so
strong as they ought to have been made, had there been more time; the
consequence was, their shot penetrated into every part of our works, and
caused us not only considerable loss in artillerymen, (with one officer
killed,) but, as I said before, actually dismounted a great many of our
guns. This consequently entirely failed of having the desired effect;
but with such a very favourable opportunity as this morning's fog
presented, together with the alarm and terror with which the enemy were
struck on opening our artillery upon them, there is not the most distant
doubt that we should have at once got possession of their lines, had we
but advanced to the attack. It is true, we were not prepared for passing
the ditch, having no fascines or other necessaries for that purpose; but
the resistance, in my opinion, would have been so slight, that we might
almost have chosen our own place to cross it; and it was not very deep
at any place. The battalion of sailors were quite annoyed at being kept
looking on, while so fair an opportunity, as they thought, offered, and
were crying out one to another, "Why don't we go on? what is keeping us
back?"
'Tis not to be doubted that the first effect of any new thing in warfare
is always the most certain of producing success, particularly against
inexperienced troops; but let them see and know the whole of the effects
that such a thing is calculated to produce, and the alarm wears off, and
confidence and courage return with wonderful rapidity. So it was here;
the first fire of our guns struck them dumb with amazement and
terror--But mark the contrast! Both the latter part of this day, and on
the 8th, at the general attack, how little they seemed to care for all
the artillery we could bring against them! Their gun, a 32-pounder, was
a most bitter antagonist to our principal battery. This happened to be
erected nearly in front of that part of the line where this gun was
situated, and when it fired, its shot always struck the battery at the
first bound, and then it ricocheted into the redoubt where I had taken
up my post. General Keane, with a part of his brigade, was in this
latter work, and some of them narrowly escaped the effects of the
numerous balls thrown from this gun. We were told the captain of the
schooner, after having been deprived of his vessel, had been appointed
to the charge and management of this gun, with some of his crew to work
it; and indeed it seemed very like the bitter and determined manner of
our former opponent, for any of the other guns seemed like children's
play to the unceasing and destructive fire of this heavy piece of
ordnance. I could distinctly see that they were sailors that worked
it--one of whom, a large mulatto, with a red shirt, always spunging her
out after firing.
In what I am going to relate, I know I shall incur the risk of being
deemed a _traveller_ by some of my readers, but that shall not deter me
from telling what I plainly and repeatedly saw with my own eyes,
assisted by a glass. At the distance of three quarters of a mile, I
could distinctly perceive the ball from this gun every time it was
fired, it appearing like a small black spot in the midst of the column
of white smoke, and which gradually grew larger in appearance as it
approached us. In many instances I was providentially the cause of
saving some of the men who were in the redoubt with us, because, seeing
which way the ball was coming, I told them when to lie down; and on one
occasion was the shave so close, that it actually carried away one of
the men's packs as he lay on the ground. Another shot struck about
three feet above our heads, and carried away part of a piece of timber
which supported a shed just behind us.
I forgot to mention, that, after the 28th, the Americans, conceiving
that the guns of the ship would be of more use if taken out and placed
in batteries, this was accordingly done; the greater part of them being
planted on the other side of the river, and being completely on our
flank, were enabled to annoy our people considerably, who were posted
near the great road.
About two or three o'clock in the afternoon of the 1st, the army began
again to retire to its bivouack, leaving covering parties to protect the
batteries; and after night, the whole having formed, working parties
were sent to bring off as many of the heavy guns as possible. Some of
these, however, they were obliged to bury in the earth, not being able
to drag them away before daylight next morning. This work seemed more
oppressive and fatiguing to the troops than the bringing of them up did,
inasmuch as they were animated in the latter instance by the hope of
their being able to effect something against the enemy through their
toil and labour; but now disappointment added poignancy to their
sufferings. However, although things began to assume not quite so
favourable an aspect as formerly, yet every thing was borne with the
greatest good-will, as they were still confident of all their laborious
services being ultimately crowned with success. In all these fatiguing
services, the sailors bore an ample share, and were of the very utmost
benefit to the whole army, for they could readily contrive the means of
moving those immense masses of metal by purchases, &c., which to a
soldier would be utterly impossible. Indeed, throughout the whole
service, the gallant tars deserved the very highest praise, for they
were equally brave as laborious and willing.
All hands, both soldiers and sailors, had been up the whole of the night
of the 31st, and now up again all night of the 1st. This was very
trying, no doubt. If any thing like dissatisfaction was evinced, this
incessant toil and want of rest in encountering it, arose more from a
desire to be led on to the attack, than from any wish to be rid of their
labours, however painful these were. As this attempt had failed, no
other scheme now appeared to present itself, but a vigorous and well
sustained attack on their line; for several efforts had been made to
penetrate through the wood, to endeavour to ascertain whether it was
possible to turn their position at that point, but all these efforts had
failed. The last that was attempted was conducted by Lieutenant Wright
of the engineers, but both himself and nearly all his party perished;
for it seems they fell in with a body of American riflemen, who, being
much better accustomed to travelling in woods than our people were, fell
on them, and, as said before, nearly cut off the whole party; yet it is
evident it was not utterly impassable, or the two parties could not have
met.
I do not recollect to what regiment the men belonged who accompanied
Wright, but think it probable they were altogether unacquainted with
that description of service, which led them into the fatal snare in
which they fell. I am confident I saw blacks, who passed and repassed by
the wood, but it is certain that no attempt upon a large scale could be
made in that direction to turn their position; and it was probably the
better plan to abandon the idea altogether. A very excellent expedient
was however devised, for the purpose of turning the right flank of the
enemy; it was certainly a bold and vigorous idea, and one which, if
successful, would no doubt have secured to us the victory and the
possession of New Orleans. This was no less than cutting a canal, in
order to unite the Mississippi with the lake by which we had arrived,
and by getting boats out of the latter into the river, to transport a
sufficient number of men to the opposite shore, for the purpose of
making a diversion in aid of the principal attack on this side.
Nothing could exceed the grandness of the conception. Accordingly, all
hands were set to work to widen and deepen the rill of water which flows
into the creek at the landing-place, and, continuing it up past Monsieur
Villerey's house, to let it enter the river a little above that point.
This, as may easily be conceived, was most laborious and dirty work;
and, lest the health and spirits of the troops should suffer from such
incessant fatigue, they were told off into four watches or spells, each
of which followed the other in regular succession, so that the work
never stood still. When it had reached near the house and high-road,
screens were put up on the latter, to prevent the enemy on the opposite
bank of the river from seeing what was carrying on; but as the blacks
were passing and repassing almost continually by the wood, as I before
mentioned, no doubt the Americans were well acquainted with what we were
doing.
On the ---- General Lambert arrived with the 7th and 43d regiments, to
our great joy, two finer regiments not being in the service.
Consequently every eye now sparkled with hope, that our labours and
privations would soon terminate, as every one confidently anticipated a
favourable result, and seemed still inclined to despise that enemy who
had shown us that we could not do so with impunity. We were glad to meet
many of our old Peninsular friends in these two fine corps, and of
course welcomed them to the New World in the best manner we were
capable of. They took up their ground a little in front of the canal
which was cutting, there not being room sufficient for them in the line
of our bivouack. We were now about 7000 effective troops, and all
beginning to cheer up again, imagined nothing could withstand us.
By the 6th the canal was finished, and the boats brought up into it.
There was obliged to be a lock in it at the entrance from the river, for
the strength of which Sir Edward, our Chief, I understand, expressed his
apprehensions, but was assured by the engineer that there was not the
slightest danger. I give this merely as report.
On the 7th the arrangements for the attack next morning having been
completed, orders were issued to that effect. The arrangements were as
follows, viz.--a corps consisting of the 85th regiment, with 200 sailors
and 400 marines, and the 5th West India regiment, with four light
fieldpieces, the whole under the command of Colonel Thornton, was to
embark in boats by twelve o'clock, and to be all across the river by
daylight next morning. This force would amount to about 1200 or 1300
men, and were destined to attack and carry the works on the opposite
bank, getting possession of the guns without allowing them to be spiked
if possible, when they were to be turned upon the right flank of the
enemy's position, on this side the river, to favour our attack. It is
clear, then, that this movement should precede that of the grand attack
by a considerable space of time. In the grand attack the troops were to
be disposed as follows, viz.--The right column, under General Gibbs, was
to consist of the 4th, 21st, 44th, and three companies of my battalion,
which latter were to extend as close to the enemy's work as possible,
previous to the advance of the column, and, by maintaining a constant
fire, were to endeavour to keep the enemy down as much as possible. The
44th was to be divided; one-half of that corps was to carry fascines,
&c., which they were to throw into the ditch on reaching it, in order
that the remaining regiments of that column might be able to pass it.
These fascines were to be had in the redoubt I before mentioned. The
other wing of the 44th was to lead that column, followed by the 21st,
and then the 4th, regiments. This was to be the principal attack. The
left column, commanded by General Keane, was to be composed as follows,
viz.--one company of the 7th, one of the 21st, one of the 43d, and two
of ours. The whole to be supported by the 93d regiment. These were to
make a feint attack upon the half-moon work which the enemy had
constructed near the river, and if opportunity offered, to turn it into
a real attack, and penetrate the enemy's line, co-operating with the
other column. Our two companies were to act here in the same manner as
the other three with whom they were to form a junction, thus covering
the whole front of the enemy's work. Some blacks of the 1st West India
regiment were to enter the wood on the right of our right column, and to
keep up as much noise as possible by firing and sounding bugles, &c. to
induce a belief that a large body of troops was moving in that
direction. The reserve, under General Lambert, was to consist of the 7th
and 43d regiments, and was to be so stationed as to be able to render
aid to either of the attacking columns. Strict orders were given that no
obstacle was to be permitted to retard the advance of the columns, but
that they were to press forward and endeavour to overcome every
hinderance that might present itself.
As far as I recollect, and from the information I have since gained,
these were substantially the orders issued, and arrangements made, on
this occasion. The commanding-officers and heads of departments were
also assembled, and each told the part he had to perform; on which
occasion, I understand, the commanding-officer of the 44th expressed
himself in terms which I could scarcely conceive it possible could fall
from the lips of a soldier, which were, that "it was a forlorn hope with
the 44th." In all my campaigning I never yet heard a commanding-officer
who did not look upon the post of danger as the post of honour, and who
did not rejoice, as if a favour was conferred on him, when appointed to
an arduous or hazardous duty. Had the commanding-officer of the 44th
served in the Peninsula under our illustrious leader there, he would, I
am confident, have been animated by a quite different spirit. After dark
I went with my commanding-officer and adjutant to view the ground over
which our battalion was to march next morning, and to find out the
wooden bridges, &c. over some ditches which lay in the way, that no
delay might take place when they were to be called upon to act.
I was sadly disappointed at our not meeting with any other
commanding-officers engaged in this most necessary duty, and at the time
I expressed my apprehensions as to the result. I pointed out to him the
different manner in which the business had been conducted previous to
the assault of Badajos, and previous to the attack on the enemy's
position on the Nivelle, where every commanding-officer, or others, who
had any particular duty assigned to them in the next day's operations,
were brought to ground from which it was clearly pointed out to them how
they were to move and act; but here all seemed apathy and fatal
security, arising from our too much despising our enemy. This latter, I
believe, was the principal cause of our not taking the necessary
precautions, and consequently of our failure; particularly the
commanding-officer of the 44th ought to have been brought and shown
where the fascines were lodged, that no excuse of ignorance on that
score might be pleaded. A rocket thrown up was to be the signal for the
troops to advance to the attack, after they had been properly posted
under the cover of night for that purpose. I own I did not at all feel
satisfied with what I had seen and heard, and retired to rest with a
considerable degree of despondency on my mind; and as I knew I could
render little aid to the service in a case like the present, I
determined I should not take any part in it, for I almost felt confident
of its failure.
The whole of the troops were at their post by the time appointed; but,
unfortunately, as the sailors, &c. were getting the boats out of the
canal into the river, the lock gave way after only a very few had passed
it. Thus the whole business seemed at one blow to be totally ruined.
Every effort was made to remedy the evil, but it was irremediable. They
toiled, however, to get more boats into the river, but the delay had
been so great that it began to draw towards dawn before they had
effected any thing worth mentioning. Poor Sir Edward seemed like one
bereft of his reason, for this failure had blasted all his most sanguine
hopes; and as the troops were now close under the enemy's works, and
could not be withdrawn before daybreak, nor without being perceived by
the enemy, he thought it as dangerous to turn back as to go forward with
the operation, consequently he ordered the rocket to be fired, although
it was considerably past the time for the attack to take place, and no
troops on the opposite shore. As soon as this was done, he galloped to
the front. But the enemy had been quite prepared, and opened such a
heavy fire upon the different columns, and upon our line of skirmishers,
(which had been formed for some time within about 100 or 150 yards of
the enemy's work,) as it is not easy to conceive. I was not in it as I
said before, but I was so posted as to see it plainly. But the 44th,
with the fascines, were not to be found. Their commanding-officer had
taken them considerably past the redoubt where the fascines were placed,
and when he bethought him of what he had to do, he and his men were
obliged to turn back to seek them; and thus, when he ought to have been
in front to throw them into the ditch to allow the other troops to pass
over, he was nearly half a mile in rear seeking for them. But I believe
it would not have availed much had they been there in time, for the
right column never reached the point to which it was directed; but from
the dreadful fire of every kind poured into it, some of the battalions
began to waver, to halt and fire, and at last one of them completely
broke, and became disorganized. Sir Edward seeing this rushed forward
with his hat in his hand, and endeavouring to animate them by his
presence, he cheered them on to advance again; but at this moment he
fell, after receiving two wounds, the last of which was mortal. General
Gibbs also fell nearly at the same time mortally wounded, and was borne
off the field. Thus was the right and principal column deprived of both
its leaders; and although one regiment gave ground, and could not be
brought again to the attack, the other continued to keep in a body,
although any attempt now must be hopeless, and they were losing such
numbers of men that they must shortly be annihilated. They accordingly
retired without effecting any thing.
The left column succeeded somewhat better; but, as things turned out, it
was only to enhance their own loss. They forced their way into the
circular work before mentioned, in which they made all the men who
defended it prisoners. But the canal still lay between them and the
main work, which was passed only by a plank; and being so few in
numbers, it would have been madness in them to attempt to go beyond
where they had at present stationed themselves. Indeed, they were in a
most critical situation; for, being within a few yards of the enemy's
main body, they could not move without being shot through the head by
their riflemen; and it was not till they had threatened to shoot the
prisoners they had taken, that they induced the Americans to desist from
attacking them; for by this time General Keane also had fallen severely
wounded, and the 93d had been nearly cut to pieces; and General Lambert,
with the reserve, had been obliged to advance and cover the retreat of
the other columns. Colonel Dale, who commanded the 93d, fell early in
the action, and the command devolved on Colonel Creagh; this officer,
being unwilling to retire his regiment without effecting the object
aimed at, although the men were literally mown down by the murderous
fire of the enemy, and the other column had given way, still endeavoured
to advance, but was at length reluctantly compelled to retrograde,
taking care to keep his men together. This showed a fine and noble
feeling in him, and is equally honourable to his gallant regiment; but
unfortunately it tended only to swell the list of killed and wounded on
this lamentable occasion.
My people were thus left to shift for themselves, and to get away in the
best manner they could. But being extended, and not being so good an
object for the artillery to fire at as the columns, they escaped with
much less loss than could well be supposed. Some few of them reached the
ditch when they saw the columns advancing, and which they say could have
been passed with ease; but the columns never advanced so far, which had
they done, and that rapidly, their loss would not have been half so
great; for the enemy's troops in front of the right column were
evidently intimidated, and ceased firing for some seconds as the column
approached; and there is little doubt, had they pushed on to the ditch
with celerity, the Americans would have abandoned their line; at least,
such is my humble opinion. But the poor fellows on the left, who had
gained the only work which fell into our hands on this bank of the
river, were still detained there, unable either to advance or retreat;
and not one durst show his head above the parapet, or he was instantly
shot dead.
Such was their confined and critical situation at this period, that an
officer of the 7th, whose name I forget, being himself rather tall, and
wearing at this time the high narrow-topped cap, could not squeeze in
sufficiently close to cover himself completely by the parapet, the top
of the high cap he wore sticking above the top of the work. This part of
the cap, which was visible to the Americans within the line, had no less
than four or five rifle-shots put through it while he lay there, but
without touching his head. All this information respecting these three
companies I had from Lieutenant Steele of the 43d, one of the officers
who was in the work.
They were obliged at last to adopt a very singular but politic
expedient, which was, to make one of the American prisoners embrace a
man of the 43d, and thus to stand up together to see what was going
forward; for hitherto they were totally ignorant, from the causes above
assigned. The enemy durst not fire in such a case, for fear of killing
their own man. The news they now learned was most disheartening indeed,
which was, that the whole of the British had retired, and that the
Americans were coming out of their lines, and were moving in the
direction of that work. Nothing now remained but to surrender, or to
make an attempt to retreat, at the risk of being every man knocked
down. The latter, however, they preferred; on which Colonel Rennie, of
the 21st, who commanded these three companies, was the first to make the
experiment, and in doing which, the moment after he left the fort, he
fell to rise no more. They thought it better for them all to go at once,
and instantly the whole party made a rush out of the work. The greater
part of them providentially succeeded in effecting their escape,
although many a brave fellow fell in the attempt.