Bravery and Success of Colonel Thornton--Negotiation for leave
to transport the Wounded across the River--Insult offered to
the British--They retreat--Our Army embark, and determine to
make an Attack upon Mobile--Proceed in the direction of Mobile
Bay--A Brigade detached to reduce Fort Boyer--The Fort
surrenders, the Garrison becoming Prisoners of
War--Intelligence of a Treaty of Peace being concluded at
Ghent--Cessation of Hostilities.
It now remains to detail the operations of Colonel Thornton's party. It
will be seen, that, although his people were all ready at the appointed
hour, they could not get a sufficient number of boats to transport them
to the opposite shore. In fact, they did not get on board till it was
near daylight, and then only about one-half of the appointed number.
But, although at the risk of sacrificing himself and the few men he took
with him, he hesitated not to make the attempt of fulfilling his orders.
The signal for the general attack, however, was made before he could
reach the opposite bank, and he had then to land, and after making his
disposition with the few troops he had, to advance and attack a corps of
2000 men, mostly covered by works, some of which were extremely strong.
He dashed on, however, the advance of the enemy giving way before him,
till coming to their principal battery, he was obliged to detach a part
of his force through the wood on his left to turn their flank, while he
with the remainder attacked in front. This was conducted in such a
soldierlike manner, that, after a short conflict, the enemy gave way on
all sides, and retiring with precipitation, abandoned to the victors
batteries and works containing sixteen guns of various calibre.
But, alas! all this success came too late; for the principal attack had
by this time ended in a total failure, attended with the loss of three
out of four generals, and with nearly 2000 officers and men killed,
wounded, and made prisoners. Had Providence prospered the work of the
canal, and the troops could have been got across at the appointed hour,
and in sufficient numbers, there is every reason to believe that the
effect produced on the main body by such a powerful diversion, would
have tended to the complete overthrow of the whole force before us; for
so insecure did General Jackson feel himself to be after our
establishment on the other bank of the river, and so alarmed at its
consequences, that, in the evening of the fatal day, he would not
consent to a cessation of hostilities, to enable us to bring off our
numerous wounded, till General Lambert (who had now succeeded to the
command) agreed as a preliminary to withdraw the force under Colonel
Thornton from that bank; and this, although with great reluctance, the
General was compelled from motives of humanity and other causes to
consent to.
Before, however, a final answer was returned to General Jackson, I
believe it was suggested to our General, that, with the possession of
the other bank of the river, and with the 7th and 43d nearly yet entire,
and with the remainders of the other regiments, our chances of success
had not yet entirely departed, particularly as Jackson evinced such
eagerness for our withdrawing from that bank. General Lambert in
consequence used means to ascertain the feelings of the troops on this
proposition, but without their knowledge of his having done so; but I
regret to state, they seemed utterly hopeless of ever being able to
overcome such formidable difficulties as had presented themselves,
particularly now that their means of overcoming them had been so
lamentably diminished. The idea was consequently abandoned.
In this negotiation between the Generals, which continued for some
hours, Lieutenant-colonel Smith, our assistant adjutant-general, had
repeatedly to pass from army to army with flags of truce, before the
matter could be finally arranged. This officer was most indefatigable in
his exertions on this unfortunate expedition, and to him the army is
greatly indebted for his zeal, ability, and gallantry, on this and every
other occasion where they could be of service to his country, and by
those in authority no doubt they are duly appreciated.
Thus terminated the fatal attack on the lines of New Orleans--a
termination probably as disastrous in its consequences as any of modern
date--not even excepting that of Buenos Ayres; for that, discreditable
as it was to our arms, did not cost the lives of such a number of fine
soldiers; and I fear we have not yet experienced the full consequences
of this failure, for it is certain that the Americans are greatly
elevated by it in their own estimation, and it is not improbable they
may be thence induced to maintain a higher tone in all their future
negotiations with this country.
One instance may be to the point, as showing the feeling of individuals
of that country on this subject. A fellow in the shape of an officer
asked Colonel Smith, (I think it was,) "Well, what do you think of we
Yankees? Don't you think we could lick any of the troops of the
continent easily?"--"I don't know that," says our officer.--"Why, I'll
prove to you," says Jonathan, "that we have shown ourselves the best
troops in the world. Didn't the French beat the troops of every other
continental nation? Didn't you beat the French in the Peninsula? and
haven't we beat you just now?" This of course was conclusive, and no
farther argument on that subject could be advanced.
The remainder of the troops retired in the evening to their sorrowful
bivouack, worn out and sadly dispirited. All that night was of course
devoted to bringing off the unfortunate wounded; but several of those
who fell far in advance had been taken into the American lines, and, I
have every reason to believe, were treated with the greatest humanity.
Every effort was used, during the continuance of the truce, to bring
away the great numbers who lay wounded in the different parts of the
field; and on this as on all other occasions, the sailors with their
officers, evinced the utmost solicitude to render assistance to the
army; a great number of them were employed all night on this distressing
duty. During the whole of that afternoon, both while the negotiations
were pending, and at other times, the American officers were unceasing
in their endeavours to induce our soldiers to desert and join their
army. Too many, I regret to say, listened to their offers, and accepted
them. To some they promised promotion, to others money or grants of
land; in short, they were more like recruiting sergeants, I understand,
than the officers of a hostile army. My battalion did not quit the field
till after dark, and it is from some of them I have this information. A
group of two sergeants and a private of ours were accosted by an
American officer of artillery with a request that they would enter the
service of the United States; that the sergeants should be promoted if
they wished to serve, or that they should have grants of land if they
preferred a civil life; but that, if they chose to enter the army, he
would ensure them the rank of officers. Our people listened to this
harangue for some time, and then began, I regret to say, to give him
some bad language; telling him, at the same time, that they would rather
be privates in the British army, than officers among such a set of
raggamuffins as the Americans, and told him to sheer off or they would
fire upon him. This so exasperated the cowardly villain, that he went
off instantly into the line, they watching him all the while, and
pointing the gun, of which, it seems, he had charge, it was fired, and
knocked down the private, who was only wounded, however, by the shot.
Innumerable attempts of this nature were made both now and all the time
we remained before their lines subsequently, but which attempts, I am
proud to say, as far as I have been able to learn, failed in every
instance in the men of my battalion.
Much about the same time, an American soldier came within about 150
yards of our line, and began to plunder such of the killed or wounded
men as he thought possessed of any thing valuable. He at length
commenced upon a poor wounded man belonging to my battalion, which being
perceived by a Corporal Scott of ours, he asked permission from his
captain to take a shot at him. This being granted, (although a sort of
truce had been established while the negotiations were going on,) he
took up his rifle, and taking a steady aim, he fired, and tumbled the
plundering villain right over the body of the poor wounded man.
The loss of our five companies in this attack amounted to seven officers
and about ---- men killed and wounded. Some of the other regiments, the
93d in particular, had suffered dreadfully, having lost more than half
their numbers. The sad ceremony of burying such of the officers whose
bodies had been recovered, together with attention to the wounded,
occupied several days from this period, and sending the wounded, who
were able to bear removal, to the shipping, kept great numbers of the
remaining men continually employed; and the attention of all was now
turned towards drawing off from this scene of our late disastrous
attempt.
The General entered into a negotiation with Jackson about being
permitted to send a portion of our wounded down the river in boats; for
which permission some equivalent, which I forget, was to be granted on
our part, and which, after considerable discussion, was eventually
agreed to. The sick, the wounded, the stores of every description, were
now despatched as fast as circumstances would allow; but the effecting
of this occupied not less than nine days, during the whole of which time
the enemy was incessant in his attempts to harass and annoy us. All
their heavy ordnance was brought to bear on our bivouack; the
sugar-house our people occupied, and even the head-quarters, did not
escape; night and day they kept up a fire of shot and shells upon these
points; but the distance being considerable, no very great mischief
resulted from it, further than the continual state of uneasiness and
alarm in which it kept the troops. On one occasion, however, a shell was
thrown into the lines of the 43d, who had since the attack occupied a
part of the general bivouack, and which, falling into a hut occupied by
Lieutenant Darcy of that regiment, while he lay asleep, carried off both
his legs as it fell. Poor fellow! he would thus be awakened in a rough
manner indeed. I have since seen him in Dublin, the government having
kindly compensated him by giving him a company, and I believe two
pensions.
Several shells were thrown into the head-quarters premises, but
providentially without injuring any one. One fell in the yard while a
party of troops was halted there for a short while, and which falling on
one of the men's knapsacks, which he had put off, it carried it, with
itself, not less than six feet deep into the earth. It did not explode.
Some fell on the roof, which penetrated through all the stories to the
very ground. Every night also the picquets were kept in a state of
agitation and alarm by the continual attacks of small parties of our
skulking enemy, and my battalion, as did the others also, lost
considerable numbers by this petty warfare. In short, the men's lives
began almost to be a burden to them.
There was another source of annoyance adopted on the part of the
Americans on this occasion, but which, affecting only the mental, and
not the bodily powers of our soldiers, was not so much heeded. Every day
almost they assembled in large bodies on the parapet of their line, with
flags of various descriptions, some with "sailors' rights" and numerous
other devices, &c. painted on them, using the most insulting
gesticulations towards those who were near enough to see them, a band
playing Yankee Doodle, and other national airs, all the while, and
sometimes ironically favouring us with Rule Britannia. Considerable
numbers of our men deserted about this time. Every encumbrance being
removed, however, by the 17th, orders were issued for the march of the
army on the following evening soon after dark, leaving the picquets as a
rearguard, which were not to march till a short while before daylight.
In retiring, some of the wounded, who were unable to bear removal, were
necessarily left in the houses where they had been collected; but there
were not many so left, and no doubt the enemy acted humanely by them.
There were seven men of my battalion left, out of which three rejoined
us after the conclusion of peace; the other four, I believe, were very
badly wounded, and died in consequence. It was also necessary to abandon
such of the guns as remained in the advanced batteries, because, both
from their weight and their being so near the enemy, they could not be
brought off without exposing our intentions of retreating. Neither were
these numerous, and most of them only iron ship-guns, which are of no
great value.
The movement commenced according to the preconcerted plan, and being
conducted with secrecy and regularity, every soldier was brought off,
over a country almost impassable, and where, if followed and harassed by
an enterprising enemy, great numbers must have either fallen into their
hands or perished in the swamp. But I believe, had the Americans even
been aware of our intention, they would have hesitated before they came
into collision with our highly exasperated army, and would scarcely have
dared to attack us in the open field: they had had enough of that work
on the 23d, to give them a specimen of what British soldiers could do
when met fairly, front to front.
The marsh, it may be necessary to mention, extended from the lower skirt
of the wood to the fishermen's huts at the mouth of the creek. This
creek we had sailed up on our advance, but this could not possibly be
the case at present, both on account of our numbers being much too great
for the number of boats, and of the danger to which it would have
exposed the troops had they been attacked from the shore, but
principally on the former account; a sort of road had therefore been
constructed by our artificers, by cutting down boughs from the wood, and
laying them across such places as required something on the surface on
which to tread. This road extended, as nigh as I can judge, about eight
or ten miles, and in passing which numerous slips were made into the
sloughs on each side; but there being plenty of assistance generally at
hand, they helped each other out: some men, I understand, were lost,
however, in this night-march through the swamp.
Having arrived at the huts before-mentioned, the whole army set about
forming such places of shelter as the desert swamp afforded. There were
certainly reeds in abundance, but we wanted some sort of timbers for the
support of the outward covering. We, however, did the best we could; and
now every exertion was made by the navy to bring the army off from this
most uncomfortable place of abode, and regiment after regiment were
despatched as fast as the boats and other small craft could go and
return, the distance from hence to the shipping being about seventy
miles. While we remained here, we who were fond of shooting found plenty
of wild-ducks on which to exercise our sporting abilities; but, alas! we
wanted shot, and were therefore seldom able to bring home a couple for
dinner.
A considerable number of slaves, belonging to the estates where we had
lately been stationed, followed us down thus far, some of whom would not
return, but were afterwards sent on board of ship. These, male and
female, often amused us with their native dances, the men generally
having a number of rings or bells about them, which sounded as they kept
time to the tune. Some of their dances were, however, far from decent,
particularly on the part of the females, which, it may be supposed,
highly delighted some of our young and thoughtless countrymen. Some were
induced to return to their masters: for those who came on board of ship,
I believe it was not till very lately that the two governments came to
terms as to the remuneration which their owners claimed for them.
At length the turn came for my battalion to go on board, which we did on
the 25th of January, when our whole five companies were put on board the
Dover, the ship that had brought out two companies of the battalion, and
which were then not much fewer in number than the five at present were;
in fact, we had lost more than half. The whole army did not get embarked
till ----, when the 7th Fusileers came on board. This regiment had been
necessarily left alone at the fishermen's huts till the boats could
return, as before stated, to bring them off, and yet even this single
battalion the enemy, with upwards of 10,000 men, dared not come down and
attack, although there were no works to protect it in this exposed
situation. Nothing could possibly demonstrate more fully and clearly,
that, notwithstanding the repulse they had unfortunately given our
troops, they dreaded them in the open country; or else it must be
attributed to the prudent sagacity of their leader, who, having gained a
victory which he had previously scarce dared to hope for, now wisely
resolved not to risk the tarnishing of his dear-bought laurels. It is
not an easy matter to reconcile this cautious and timid conduct with
their furious onset on the night of the 23d, and with their boasting
speeches after our failure on the 8th instant.
Now, while we remain at rest for a short while on board of ship, let us
take a retrospective glance at the late events. It is certain we were
singularly unfortunate. Providence, which had smiled upon us in our late
operations against the most formidable army in the world, the French,
here taught us most painfully, that the victory is not always to be
gained by strength or courage. Indeed it was but a just punishment for
the contempt we entertained for our opponents, and which unfortunate
feeling, I believe, was almost universal. I own I entertained it in a
high degree; for I judged it next to a moral impossibility that an army
of undisciplined and unmanageable peasants, however numerous, could for
a moment withstand the attack of those troops who had overthrown the
victorious legions of Bonaparte. But every soldier was a patriot, and
they fought for their country, and for a country of all others most
suitable for the operations of such troops; full of fastnesses, composed
of creeks, and necks, and woods, &c. of all which they did not fail to
take the utmost advantage. For this work of theirs, constructed on a
spot of ground said to have been pointed out by General Moreau,
completely shut us out from all approach towards the town, and
compensated for every disadvantage under which they, as irregulars,
laboured; for it was not only a formidable barrier to our army, but it
gave them, by the protection it afforded their persons, all the
steadiness of troops inured to combat, and permitted them the full
exercise of that superior skill as marksmen for which they are famed,
and which exposure in the open field would have deprived them of; for
here they were covered up to the chin, and suffered comparatively
nothing from all our fire.
But I fear we have something for which to blame ourselves on this
occasion. It is certain, I believe, that they had been timely apprized
of the destination of our expedition, however secret we pretended to
keep it ourselves, and if rumour may in such a case be permitted to go
for any thing, it is said that information was conveyed from Jamaica to
New Orleans direct by a French ship, which left the former for the
latter place some time before our arrival. How she came into the
possession of that information, I cannot justly tell. It is certain,
however, that the Americans must have had timely notice, or General
Jackson could not have had the men from Kentucky and Tennessee to
oppose us the first night we landed.
I before hazarded an opinion, that had we pushed forward on the 24th
December, we should in all probability have proved successful. I will
say nothing as to the point of debarkation being well or ill chosen,
although many have said we should have been more likely to succeed had
we attacked Fort ----, which, after carrying, would have allowed us to
land behind the town, instead of three leagues below it. These things I
am totally incapable of judging of, from my ignorance of the country. I
also before expressed my opinion, that had we attacked on New Year's
Day, when our artillery produced such an effect on the appalled
Americans, we should have had a better chance of carrying their works.
Another thing in which I venture to differ from the plan adopted by our
lamented commander, is, that I would have employed the 7th and 43d to
the post of honour, instead of keeping them in reserve. They, it was
well known, had each established a reputation for being the finest
regiments in the service, and every reliance might have been placed in
their executing whatever task was assigned them, if executable by human
powers. Far different was it with those who unfortunately led the
attack, for except one of the regiments of the attacking column, they
had not any of them been conspicuous as fighting regiments.
It was, I believe, a well known maxim of Bonaparte's, always to put his
best troops in front; if they were successful, their example served to
stimulate the others to copy their example; if unsuccessful, their
discipline and valour never permitted them to become so totally
disorganized as to render the reverse irretrievable. The onset also of
these better troops, must produce a far different effect on the enemy
than the hesitating and dispirited attack of inferior ones. Had our
troops on this occasion rushed forward to the ditch in double quick
time, or at least at a quick march, I venture to affirm the work would
have been carried with the fourth part of the loss of what they
suffered. Reason itself must point out to any man, whether acquainted
with military matters or not, that to move slowly under a galling fire
is more trying and destructive to the troops so moving, than to rush at
once to the point aimed at; but much more, to halt at the very point
where every fire-arm can be brought to bear upon them with the deadliest
effect, is of all other modes of proceeding the least likely to succeed.
They were thus exposed for hours to as destructive a fire as ever was
poured upon the heads of an attacking army, while, had they pushed on at
the rate I mention, a few minutes would have sufficed to put them from
under the fire of the artillery at least, for when close to the ditch,
it could not be brought to bear upon them. Mark the mode in which the
three companies on the left effected the task assigned to them. Before
the enemy were aware almost that they were to be attacked, these troops
were in possession of the work they were destined to storm; so quickly
indeed that the defenders of that work had not time to effect their
retreat, and were, as before noticed, made prisoners by the attacking
party. This not only secured their safety while left there by
themselves, but enabled them, in some degree, to effect their retreat
with less loss than they would otherwise have been exposed to.
I have dwelt perhaps too long on this, but of all other causes I deem
this to have been the greatest of our sad failure. It is lamentable,
however, to be obliged to confess, that ill conduct on the part of some
parties, but of one individual in particular, contributed in no small
degree to our repulse on this melancholy occasion. For the rest,
nothing could exceed the determined courage and patient endurance of
hardship that the army in general evinced, and certainly nothing could
exceed the gallantry of our leaders.
It was now determined to make an attempt upon Mobile, a town lying about
thirty or forty leagues to the eastward of New Orleans. Accordingly, the
fleet got under weigh and proceeded in the direction of the entrance
into Mobile Bay, which is protected on the west side by shoals and Isle
Dauphine, and on the east by a fort, built on a point of land called
Mobile Point, and mounting about twenty pieces of heavy ordnance. Its
name is Fort Boyer, I believe. Before our arrival in this country, an
attempt had been made on this fort by one of our frigates, but which
entirely failed, owing to her taking the ground on the shoals before
mentioned. As she could not be got off, and as she lay under the fire of
the fort, her crew were compelled to abandon her, but, I believe, not
till they had first set her on fire; her wreck lay here when we came.
Until this fort was taken, no vessel of any size could enter the bay,
consequently it became necessary to attack it in form. The brigade
formerly General Gibbs's, consisting of the 4th, 21st, and 44th, was
therefore landed a little behind the point, and proceeded without delay
to invest it; the remainder of the troops were landed on Isle Dauphine.
We were put on shore on the 8th February, and instantly commenced
hutting ourselves by brigades. Some of the officers had tents issued out
to them; the acting Quartermaster and myself had one between us. This
island is almost covered with pine-wood, but in other respects it is
nearly a desert, and without any inhabitants resident on it, save one
family, a Mr Rooney, formerly from Belfast I understand, but now a
naturalized American. He was married to a native of Louisiana, a lady
of French extraction. He had been a midshipman in the American navy, but
had been dismissed for some misconduct, it was said, and banished to
this island. He appeared to us to be no great things.
I omitted to mention that the 40th regiment had arrived from England
before we left the banks of the Mississippi, but it being after the
failure they were of no use, and were consequently not permitted to
land. They were afterwards placed in our brigade, which now bivouacked
near to the point of the island facing the bay. When we arrived, the
island contained a considerable number of cattle, with pigs, &c.
belonging to Rooney, but which had been permitted, as is customary in
this country, to run wild in the woods, there being no danger of their
leaving the island. These, however, soon fell a prey to such hungry
fellows as we were, who had been for some time past on rather short
commons. But they did not answer our expectations, being in taste, what
may appear singular, quite fishy. This was attributed to their feeding
so much on marine vegetables, there being little other pasture for them
on the island.
A hoax was played off upon great numbers of our young hands respecting
this fishiness. There was on one point of the island a considerable
oyster-bed, and it was generally pretty near this that the cattle were
found and shot, that being the most distant from our bivouack. It was
therefore said the flesh of the cattle became of that peculiar flavour
from feeding upon oysters. Some, without reflecting, credited this
strange story, as the assertor generally said he had seen the cattle
opening the oysters with their tongues. This oyster-bed, however, was a
source of great luxury to us, for it not only afforded us the means of
rendering the salt junk more palatable by having an excellent sauce to
make it go down, but it even afforded a most wholesome and delicious
meal upon occasions by eating them raw. We also made the best use of our
time when not employed on military affairs, in endeavouring to catch as
many fish as we could; and for this purpose, my mess purchased from one
of the poor Spanish fishermen before mentioned (and who, for the
information and kindness they had shown us, were obliged to quit their
habitations and follow us), an excellent casting-net, with which the
acting Quartermaster and myself occupied ourselves from day to day,
generally bringing home a sufficient quantity of fish to serve our mess.
I never laboured more assiduously in any occupation than I did in this,
not only from a relish for such amusement, but because we really wanted
something to eke out our scanty meals. We at length got a siene-net from
one of the men-of-war, with which we were not only able to supply
ourselves most abundantly, but always had a large quantity to give away
to the soldiers. Wild-fowl also were very plentiful when we first
entered the island; but from the number killed, and the constant
shooting at them, they soon became scarce and difficult to get at.
Here also there were abundance of alligators, and on our fishing and
shooting excursions we frequently started them from their
lurking-places, which were generally among the reeds by the side of an
inland lake, or rather creek of the sea. On these occasions we seldom
saw them, for they always endeavoured to avoid us; but wherever they ran
along the bottom of the water, they stirred up the mud so greatly all
the track they took, that we had no difficulty in tracing them. I never
remember to have seen a live one on these occasions, but a dead one once
afforded us considerable amusement. One evening, on our return home from
our constant occupation, there being three or four of us of the party, I
was in front, and the acting Quartermaster and the others in the rear
of me. On a sudden I was alarmed by the cry of "Oh stop, here's an
alligator!" and before I could look round, a shot was fired apparently
into the earth, close beside their feet. I went back to see what was the
matter, and found indeed, as he had said, an alligator, but one which I
suppose had been dead for several months at least. It was buried in the
sand, and only a part of its body appeared; but whether he imagined it
might have placed itself in that situation intentionally, with the view
of enticing its prey within its reach, or what other thought he had, I
cannot tell, but, to make assurance doubly sure, he fired his rifle
right into the body of the half-rotten alligator. He was long and often
severely roasted about this afterwards. A young one was caught alive,
however, by some of the 14th dragoons, and brought home to England, and
afterwards, I understand, presented to the British Museum. All this
while the siege of the fort was going forward, but as we had nothing to
do with it, we had plenty of time, not only to hunt for extra prog, but
to amuse ourselves in any other manner we pleased.
The army, about this time, was inspected by our Chief, General Lambert,
by battalions. My kind late commanding-officer, Captain Travers, who was
severely wounded at the attack on the 8th, had rejoined by this time,
although still very lame. During the inspection, the General said to
him, "Travers, I am sorry to hear that your sergeant-major ran away on
the night of the 23d, during the attack."--"That is impossible,
General," said Travers, "for he fought as bravely as any man could
possibly do, and was carried off the field near the end of the fight,
severely wounded. But I have a guess what has given rise to this report.
A sergeant of ours left his battalion, I believe, either during or after
the fight, and having taken up his quarters near one of the houses
where the wounded were carried, the surgeon pressed him to remain with
him as hospital-sergeant. I made efforts to have him sent to his
battalion, but could not get it done. This must have been the cause of
such a story having got abroad."--"Ah," says the General, "I am sorry
that the poor sergeant-major should have lain under a stigma, of which
he was altogether undeserving; and, now since we have done him an
involuntary injustice, and he is a deserving man, we must try what
amends we can make him for it." He accordingly recommended him for an
ensigncy in one of the West India regiments; and before that day
twelvemonth, he had risen to the rank of lieutenant. Nothing could be
finer than the feeling of Sir John Lambert on this occasion; indeed, he
has always shown himself a most excellent upright man, and a gallant
officer.
About this time, a Russian vessel was detained going up to New Orleans
with a cargo of wine from Bordeaux; but although she would, I doubt not,
have been a legal capture, for breaking the blockade, the master was
permitted to dispose of his cargo to our army, and an excellent thing he
made of it, for the wine, which he must have purchased for about one
shilling or one and sixpence a bottle, he charged us in general about
four shillings for; we were glad, however, to get it at any price, and a
most seasonable supply it was indeed. On one of our shooting excursions,
an officer of ours fell in with a sow and two or three pigs, in the
wood; he instantly fired at one of the pigs and killed it; but when
going to pick it up, the sow set upon him with such fury, that he was
glad to abandon his prize, and retreat with precipitation.
When the army landed near New Orleans, the 14th light dragoons had taken
their saddles and other horse equipments with them, in hopes of being
able to get mounted in the country; and which, being bulky, required a
good large boat to bring off again. They were therefore put on board a
considerable-sized one, with an officer of the regiment and a guard to
protect them. On their way down towards the shipping, night overtook
them before they could reach their destination, on which they pushed
towards the shore, whether of an island or the mainland, I cannot say,
in hopes of being more secure for the night; they consequently put on a
sentry, and all lay down in the boat to sleep. Soon afterwards, however,
a boat came rowing rapidly alongside, and before the sentry could
discover who or what they were, they boarded, and instantly made the
party all prisoners. The officer, I believe, when called on to deliver
up his sword, was so annoyed at being trapped in such a manner, that he
threw it into the lake, as far as he could fling it. The American
officer who captured them was a lieutenant in their navy, and went by
the name of Commodore Shiel (for every fellow is a commodore who
commands even a few boats). He was so elated by his success on this
occasion, and, I believe, by having taken another boat with stores, that
he boasted to his prisoners, that he would take even Admiral Cochrane
himself yet, before he left the country.
While we remained on Isle Dauphine, a commissary, with a sergeant and
party of our men, were sent on shore, on the mainland, to shoot bullocks
for the supply of the army. They had landed, and the commissary, with
the sergeant and I think two men, went off into the neighbouring wood,
leaving the two or three other men at the landing-place to protect the
boat. Here again Mr Shiel made his appearance, quite suddenly and
unexpectedly, having come round a jutting point before the men were
aware of his presence; he instantly, of course, made them prisoners,
and, taking their arms from them, he put them on board their own boat,
then, sending a part of his crew on board to manage it, despatched it
for the American harbour. He now with a few more of his people went in
search of the commissary and his party, whom he soon found; and they
seeing resistance would be vain, when their own boat was departed, were
compelled at once to surrender. He instantly put them into his own boat;
and taking the commissary into the after-sheets alongside of himself,
the sergeant and the other men were put forward to the head of the boat.
Whether any preconcerted scheme and signal had been agreed upon between
the commissary and the sergeant, I do not know, but an opportunity soon
after offering, the commissary gave the sergeant the wink, and instantly
seizing Mr Shiel by the thighs, pitched him right overboard in an
instant; the sergeant, at the same moment, seizing the stoutest of
Shiel's men, and serving him in a like manner. The others being attacked
by the remaining two men, at once surrendered, and, I believe, suffered
themselves to be bound; and our people, having now resumed their arms
and become masters of the boat, admitted Mr Shiel, who, I fancy, had
clung to the boat to prevent his drowning, to come once more on board.
What became of the other man who was thrown over, I know not; whether he
swam on shore, or was drowned, or was afterwards taken into the boat, I
cannot tell; but the result was, that the great, the boasting Commodore
Shiel, was brought to the island a prisoner, where he landed like a
drowned rat, and quite chopfallen.
The commissary, who was a fine, stout, and gallant young fellow, spoke
highly in praise of Tom Fukes, our sergeant, for his bravery and good
management on the occasion.
At length the works being all completed for battering the fort, Colonel
Smith was sent in with a flag of truce to demand its surrender. The
commandant was quite undecided how to act, and asked the Colonel what
he, as a man of honour, would advise him to do. "Why," says the Colonel,
"do you not see that our guns are now overlooking your whole work, and
that we could, in a very short time, knock it down about your ears? I
have no hesitation in telling you, that the rules of war will fully
justify you in surrendering to such a superior force, and when the siege
has advanced to such a point as it actually is." His arguments, together
with the truth of his statements, at length overcame the courage and
determination of Jonathan, and he instantly agreed to surrender, the
garrison, afterwards becoming prisoners of war, marching out and laying
down their arms on the glacis.
Thus, on the 12th February, this important fortification fell into our
hands, together with 400 men of the 2d regiment of the United States,
and either one or two American colours. This obstacle removed, every
exertion was now made to advance up the lake to the attack of Mobile;
but on the 14th, a vessel arrived with the unexpected, but cheering
information, that peace had been concluded at Ghent between the two
nations, and that it only required the ratification of Mr Maddison, the
United States' president. Of course, all further operations of a warlike
nature were suspended for the present, till it was known whether the
treaty would be ratified or not. This ship also brought out the
notification of our two Generals, Lambert and Keane, being appointed
Knights of the Bath. Some of our Colonels also were included in the
list, viz. Blakeny of the the 7th, and Dickson of the royal artillery.
And now nothing was thought of but amusement, and making ourselves as
comfortable as possible. But we began to get very short of provisions.
Our people were therefore obliged to send to the Havannah, where they
procured the strongest sort of beef I ever saw. It was not salted; but
after the cattle had been killed, all the thin belly part had been cut
round the whole bullock, in narrow stripes, of about two inches in
width; this being laid, or hung up in the sun, which is extremely
powerful in that country, it was dried without having the least
offensive taste or smell, farther than a little rancidity, which was not
by any means unpleasant; but when brought from on board, it had much
more the appearance of coils of ropes (for it was coiled up in a similar
manner) than provision for the use of man. An aide-de-camp of General
Lambert's, then Lieutenant, but now Major D'Este, son of his Royal
Highness the Duke of Sussex by Lady Augusta Murray, used frequently to
join the shooting party of our acting quartermaster and myself; and, on
one occasion, having obtained a canoe, a trip to the mainland was
projected, for the purpose of shooting; accordingly we took two or three
men with us, and started from the northernmost point of the island, that
being the nearest to the main, which we saw before us, and not more than
five or six miles distant. It was considered the best mode of proceeding
for us all to get into the boat, except one man, who was a famous wader,
(having often accompanied us in our expeditions around the island,) and
who was to wade as far out into the sea as he could, dragging the canoe
after him. This he could do very easily, for she was quite light, and
the water was exceeding shallow for a great distance into the sea. He
continued towing us in this manner for about half a mile, when, being
fairly up to his chin, he and we thought it was high time for him to
come on board; but, in doing this, he gave her such a cant as turned her
right over, and pitched us all into the water. I luckily had my eye
upon the man when he sprung to get into the canoe, and suspecting that
she could not bear so rough a pull, was ready; and accordingly, when I
saw her going, leaped out, without being plunged overhead, as all the
others were. But all our rifles, &c. were pitched out, and of course
sunk to the bottom, to which we were obliged to dive before we could get
them up. This accident put a stop to our excursion, and we waded out
again, looking extremely foolish. Nevertheless we ought to have been
truly thankful to Providence that it occurred before we got out of our
depth; for, with such a frail bark, it is more than probable some
accident would have happened before our return, had not this prevented
our further progress.
Innumerable were our adventures of this nature, for the water was
delightfully warm, and having no military occupation at the time, we
could not find any better amusement. A party, indeed, suggested the
getting up of theatricals, which being approved on all hands, workmen
were instantly set about erecting the theatre-royal, Isle Dauphine.
This, of course, with the getting off of parts, occupied the managers
and the other performers for some time; but at length all being ready,
most excellent entertainments took place, following each other in quick
succession. At some of these parties, American officers, who now often
paid us visits, were highly entertained, and paid us high compliments,
not only as to the splendour and magnificence of our theatrical
representations, but to our ingenuity as displayed in hut-building,
which, they said, even surpassed the architectural abilities of the
Indians in that branch of the art,--a high compliment indeed!