IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) V •5 - ♦:. V ^ ^ 1.0 111 1.1 125 121 125 £f 114 ■■■ 1 La |2.0 i FhotogiaiJiic Sciences Cdrporalion 4^ k ;\ 4^. 93 wnT MAIN tTRHT WIMTIR.N.V. MSM (7U)t72^SOa ^ 6^ ^ \ •SJ ■1 ^ ^ <^<- ^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Instituta for Historical Microraproductiont / Institut Canadian da microraproductions historiquaa Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliagraphiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. D D D D D D D Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur I I Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagie Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaur^e et/ou pelliculAe I I Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque Coloured maps/ Cartes g^ographiques en couleur □ Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) I I Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material/ ReliA avec d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ Lareliure serr6e peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge intArieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajouties lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le taxte, mais, lorsque cela 4tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas AtA filmAes. Additional comments:/ Commentaires supplAmentaires; The toti L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a M possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-Atre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la methods normale de filmage sont indiquAs ci-dessous. I I Coloured pages/ v/ ^/ D D Pages de couleur Pages damaged/ Pages endommag^es Pages restored and/oi Pages restaurAes et/ou pellicul^es I — I Pages damaged/ I I Pages restored and/or laminated/ The posi ofti film Orig begi the sion othe first sion or II Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages dicolorAes, tachetAes ou piquAes □ Pages detached/ Pages d^tachAes Showthrough/ Transparence I I Quality of print varies/ Qualit* inigale de I'impression Includes supplementary material/ Comprend du matiriel suppKmentaire The shall TINl whit Map diffe antir begii right requi metli Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont At* filmies i nouveau de fapon A obtenir la meilleure image possible. This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est film* au taux de reduction indiquA ci-detiout. 10X 14X 18X 22X MX wn >/ 12X 16X aox MX 2IX 32X ^^^'''^'^'liM'''^ ilaire s details ques du It modifier (iger une le filmage The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: IMorisMt Library Univtrtity of Ottawa The images appearing here are the best quaiity poasible considering the condition and iegibiiity of the original copy and in Iceeping with the filming contract specifications. L'exemplaire fiimA fut reproduit grAce A la gAnAroaitA da: Bibliothkiut Morittet University d'Ottawa Lea imagea suivantea ont tti reproduites avac le piua grand soin. compte tenu de la condition et de la netteti de t'exemplaire filmi, et en conformity avac lea conditions du contrat de filmage. i/ luAas Original copiea in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the iaat page with a printed or iliuatrated imprea- aion, or the bacic cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated imprea- sion, and ending on the Iaat page with e printed or iliuatrated impreaaion. Lea exempiairea originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimte sent filmte en commen^ant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la dernlAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impreaaion ou d'iiiuatration, soit par le second plat, aelon le caa. Toua las autres axemplalres originaux sont film6s en commenfant par la premlAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernlAre pege qui comporte une telle empreinte. The last recorded frame on eech microfiche ahall contain the aymboi — ► (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the aymboi Y (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Un des tymboies suivants apparaitra sur la dernlAre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols -^ signifie "A SUIVRE". le symbols ▼ signifie "FIN". lire Maps, plates, charta, etc., mey be filmed at different reduction retios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hend corner, left to right and top to bottom, aa many frames aa required. The following d.agrama illustrate the method: Lea cartsis, planches, tableaux, etc.. peuvent itre fiimia i des taux de rMuction diffArents. Lorsque ie document est trop grand pour hue reproduit en un seul clich*, 11 est film* A psrtir de I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bes, en prenent le nombre d'imeges nAcesssire. Les diagrammes suivsnts illustrent la m^thoda. >y errata ad to int ine palure, apon A 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 • 6 CAB \1 GEN Ji NARRATIVE OF THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE BRITISH ARMY AT WASHINGTON AND NEW ORLEANS, UNDER GENERALS ROSS, PAKENHAM, AND LAMBERT, IN THE YEARS 1814 AND 1815; WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF THE COUNTRIES VISITED. By AN OFFICER, WHO 8EBVED IN THE EXPEDITION, lUI'EIUNUA 0MMI8 FORTUMA rERINDO BST. — Virg. \ LONDON : JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE-STREET. 1821. i / .^: %' ■ /^ /Si' I London: Prinlwl by V.. Roworlli, llell-jriirii, Trmple-btr. "Pr- p r ADVERTISEMENT. The following Letters were not the produce of mere recollection, but were formed from the substance of a journal kept, with consi- derable care, during the progress of the events which they record. Some of these were, indeed, too striking to have been easily forgotten, as to their general character ; but for the detail of minute circumstances, which, it is hoped, will be found to possess some degree of interest, memory alone would not have been a secure or sufficient guide. The introductory and final forms of epistolary writing have been purposely omitted ; but for all the particulars, however extraordi- nary, the Author is thus enabled fairly to pledge his credit. The Letters will, perhaps, obtain the more attention, as conveying the first detailed account of this concluding ex- pedition of the war. W1 I < \ » , . .,— t . • A NARRATIVE, ■V ■ 1 . ( "i :;»«.' L , ' t *■ • , LETTER I. .. . .lie it 1 ■' : : -i > ■> H.M.Ship - May 31st, 1814 Here we are, at anehor in the Garonne, and waiting for a favourable breeze to prosecute our voyage. That America is our destination we all know ; but whether we are to proceed to Canada, or against some part of the United States, none but those at the head of affairs can tell. The secret, however, is one which cannot long be kept, because a few weeks will bring us so far on our way, as to enable every man to judge for himself. I shall not, therefore, weary your patience by idly guessing at what must so soon be a certainty, but shall rather endeavour, in the mean time, to amuse you with an account of our motions since the peace, particu- larly of our march through the southern parts of Gascony to our present floating quarters. ' •; '< AM f -^" a THE GARONNE. ' } As soon as the white flag had been displayed from the citadel of Bayonne, the customary salutes fired by the garrison and the besieging army, and matters so far arranged as to permit a relaxation of the blockade, the thoughts of all were naturally employed in speculations as to cheir future destiny. This employment, you will perceive, was the necessary consequence of the want of better. We saw, that where we were, at least, there was no longer any occasion for us, and many began to an- ticipate with dismay, the prospect of immediate reduction. There was, however, one chance left, and that depended upon the continuance of the war with America. England, it was argued, is now at peace with all the world, except this her most implacable enemy, against whom shehas thejust- est cause of irritation ; nor is it at all probable that she will let slip an opportunity so favourable of se^- verely chastising her, for her perfidy and ingratitude. It was the general opinion, therefore, that a large proportion of the Peninsular army would be trans- ported to the other side of the Atlantic, that the war would there be carried on with vigour, and that no terms of accommodation would be listened to, except such as a British general should dictate in the Republican Senate House. It has been often remarked, and not with greater frequency than justice, that men are extremely ready to believe what they wish to be true. A plan of operations, I 4 ,* Q theref desire half-p; and tl be foil soon y allotte home. accour which others i the enc time, in my dot is nevei original Y6u of an a armies, of Bayc extent ( course o and it ^ that scai march t< that, an agreed t embark i Passage. ■«** displayed iry salutes irmy, and laxation of naturally ire destiny. ;, was the 2tter. We re was no ;gan to an- immediate :hance left, nee of the ued, is now IS her most las the just- 0bable that able of se* ngratitude. hat a large d be trans- that the igour, and be listened mid dictate been often lency than to believe operations, THE GARONNE. 3 therefore, so completely in consonance with the desire of those who trembled at the prospect of half-pay, was pronounced, first the most proper, and then the most likely thing in the world to be followed up ; and the sole subject of inquiry soon was, which regiments might expect to be allotted for this service, and which would return home. For my own part, I from the first laid my account with being sent out, because the corps to which I belong had not suffered so much as many others in the war which was just closed. Nor, in the end, did I find myself deceived. There was a time, indeed, in which I began to waver, and though my doubts did not continue long in existence, it is nevertheless proper that I should say where they originated. Ybu are perhaps aware that on the conclusion of an armistice between the French and British armies, one of the conditions was, that the garrison of Bayonne should be pennitted to forage to the extfent of seven leagues from the town. This of course occasioned a scarcity of food for the horses, and it was deemed necessary, in consequence of that scarcity, to move part of the British force a day's march towards the rear. !^Tow it had so happened that, among the rest of our conclusions, we had agreed that the troops destined for America would embark at Bourdeaux, those destined for England at Passage. Finding ourselves, therefore, proceeding B 2 J 1 1 1 'I t > i .! 8 i.--. 4 MARCH TOWARDS DOURDEAUX. in the direction of the latter place, and not being aware of the cause of this movement, we began to suspect that we had been premature in numbering ourselves among those portioned off for the trans- atlantic war. Our hopes, however, or fears, or perhaps, more properly speaking, a mixture of the two, did not last long, for we proceeded no further than a distance of fifteen miles before we halted ; nor had we continued in that position many days, when an order arrived for us to retrace our steps, and to make the best of our w?.y towards Bourdeaux. I need not observe that the promulgation of this order was a full confirmation of our first opinion; and that we, who had began to dream of the society of fathers, sisters, wives, and friends, now looked forward with equal, if not greater satisfac- tion, to a renewal of the hardships and enjoyments of active warfare. It was on the evening of the fourteenth that the route was received, and on the following morn- ing, at day break, we commenced our march. The country through which we moved, had nothing in itself, unconnected with past events, calculated in any extraordinary degree to attract attention. Behind us, indeed, rose the Pyrenees in all their grandeur, forming, on that side, a noble boundary to the prospect ; and on our left was the sea,, a boundary diiferent it is true in kind, but certainly not less grand and sublime. Excepting these two — M w «i X. d not being ATfi began to 1 numbering DF the trans- or fears, or xture of the d no further we halted; many days, ;e our steps, i Bourdeaux. lulgation of of our first to dream of friends, now iter satisfac- enjoyraents rteenth that owing mora- narch. The nothing in alculated in ention. in all their i boundary s the sea^ a ut certainly g these two MARCH TOWARDS BOURDEAUX. 5 extremities, however, there was nothing in the landscape on which the eye loved particularly to rest, because the country, though pretty enough, has none of that exquisite richness and luxuriance which I had been led to expect, as characteristic of the South of France. The houses, too, being all in a ruinous and dilapidated condition, reminded one more forcibly of the scenes of violence and outrage which had been lately acted among them, than of those ideas of rural contentment and innocence, which various tales and melo-dramas had taught us to associate, in our own minds, with the land of the vine. Regarded, however, in connection with past events, the scene was indeed most interesting; though to a stranger fresh from England, a man, we will suppose, of retired and peaceful habits, I can readily imagine that it would have been pro- ductive of much pain ; and that it would have drawn from him many ejaculations against the barbarities of war, and the cruelty of men towards one another. On each side of the road, in what- ever direction we cast our eyes, and as far as our eyes could reach, we beheld cottages unroofed and in ruins, chateaux stripped of their doors and win- dows, gardens laid waste, the walls demolished, and the fruit trees cut down ; whole plantations levelled, and vineyards trodden under foot. Here and there likewise, a redoubt or breast-work pre^ B 3 6 MARCH TOWARDS BOURDEAUX. sented itself; while caps, broken firelocks, pieces of clothing and accoutrements scattered about in profusion, marked the spots where the strife had been most determined, and where many a fine fel- low had met his fate. Our journey lay, in short, over a field of battle, so that the houses were not only thoroughly gutted, (to use a vulgar but most expressive phrase,) but for the most part were rid- dled with cannon shot. Round some of the largest, indeed, there was not a wall nor a tree, which did not present evident proofs of its having been con- verted into a temporary place of defence, while the deep ruts, in what had once been lawns and flower-gardens, showed, that even their beauty did not protect them from being ^stroyed by the rude passage of heavy artillery. Immediately beyond the village of Bedart, such spectacles were particularly frequent. It was here, you will recollect, that in the month of December last there was fighting for four days together; and I do assure you, that the number of little hil- locks withiii our view, from under most of which legs and arms were peeping up, as well as the other objects which I have attempted to describe, sufficiently attested the obstinacy with which the fighting had been maintained. I repeat, that in the bosom of a man of peace, it is very conceivable that all this would have excited feelings exceedingly painful; in ours, how- A MARCH TOWARDS BOURDEAUX. 7 ever, such feelings were overborne by others much more powerful. If we gazed with peculiar in- terest upon one hovel more than another, it was because some of as had there maintained ourselves; if we endeavoured to count the number of shot- holes in any wall, or the breaks in any hsdge, it was because we had stood behind them, when " the iron hail ". fell thick and fast around us. Our thoughts, in short, had more of exultation in them than sorrow ; for though now and then, when the name of a fallen comrade was mentioned, it was accompanied with a " poor fellow !" the conversa- tion soon returned again to the exploits and hair breadth escapes of the sr.rvivors. On the whole, therefore, our march was one of deep interest and high excitement, feelings which did not entirely evaporate when we halted, about two hours after noon, at the village of Anglet. As I am well aware, from experience, that persons who live quietly at home, can form no correct notions of the state of a country which is, or lias lately been, the seat of war, I am inclined to flatter myself that you will pardon the tediousness of the above detail; and I am likewise willing to persuade myself, that a little further continuance of such matters, will not be unacceptable. The environs of a beleaguered town, in particular, arc very dif- ficult to be conceived without having been seen. It is true that every one understands, or believes B 4 * • 8 MARCH TOWARDS BOURDEAUX. that he understands, what is meant by trenches, lines of circumvallation, and so forth, but these, after all, are no more than general terms, incapable of affording real information to any except a mili- tary reader, in attempting, therefore, to give you some idea of the aspect of things, in the immediate neighbourhood of Bayonne, I shall not pretend to draw a plan, in words, of the city itself, with its defences and out-works; nor yet of the several posts occupied by the different divisions of the be- sieging army. For all this I refer you to the public prints, where you will find it much better told, than, with my opportunities of observation, I could possibly tell it. I would rather describe to you the condition of a single hamlet, minutely and par- ticularly; because it is exactly in such minute particulars that you must be least informed. For this purpose, I will take the village of Anglet, the place where we this day pitched our tents, and which, liuring the continuance of hosti- lities, was a post of vital importance. It is distant about a mile and a half, or two miles from the ad- vanced works of Bayonne, ^nd stands upon the high road from Madrid to Paris, which runs through the middle of that city. Along this road all the supplies for the left of our army were brought up, consequently a sally made in this direction, and with su9cess, might have been productive, to us, of much mischief. To guard against such an occur* Ki «•- (. MARC- TOWARDS BOURDEAUX. 9 y trenches, but these, i, incapable cept a mili- to give you immediate : pretend to If, with its the several s of the be- 3 the public better told, ion, I could be to you 2\y and par- ch minute ned. village of tched our e of hosti- is distant >m the ad- upon the US through id all the ought up, tion, and , to us, of an occur* Teiice, due cart was bestowed upon fortifying and strengthening the post. About one hundred yards in front of the village, felled trees were thrown across the road with their branches towards the town, forming what we call an abattis. Forty or fifty yards in rear of this, a ditch was dug, and a breast-work thrown up, behind which a party might securely stand and do great execution with their fire, upon any body of men struggling to force their way through the thick branches. On each side of the road, again, where the ground gradually rises into little eminences, were erected redoubts and batteries, from which a heavy flanking fire might be kept up ; whilst every house in the vil- lage itself, which, by the way, are built in a straggling manner, and at considerable distances from one another, was loop-holed, and converted into a temporary fortress; the church, in parti- cular, being on higher ground than the other buildings, was completely metamorphosed, from a mansion of peace, into a little citadel. Strong palings, called in military phraseology, stockades, were driven into the ground round the church-yard, from openings in wiiich some pieces of light artil- lery showed themselves. The walls of the edifice itself were strengthened by an embankment of earth to the height if four or five feet, above which narrow openings were made, in order to give its defenders an opportunity of levelling their , I i<7 ! \\' 10 MARCH TOWARDS BOURDEit^'X. muskets ; whilst within, the pulpit was filled with barrels of gunpowder, and the space enclosed by the rails of the altar, used as a magazine for shot and shells. I have been thus minute in my description of Anglet, because what I have said of it will apply equally well to every village, hamlet, or cluster of houses within the compass of what are called the lines. On this side, you will perceive, there was no intention of making a breach, or of storming the place ; nor, indeed, would it have been advisable to attempt it, excepting in one point, and that on the opposite side of the town. The sole object of these preparations, therefore, was to keep the enemy within their works, and to cut them off from all communication with the surrounding country. But where troops are every moment in danger of being attacked, as must be the case with all besieg- ing armies, the slightest cover and the most trifling defence is of importance. You may, therefore, figure to yourself what appearance a country must present, which, to the extent of fifteen or twenty miles round, is thus treated ; where every cottage is fortified, the most valuable timber cut down to form abattis, every eminence crowned with more regular works, and every place swarming with armed men. Such was its aspect during the day, whilst at night it exhibited a spectacle not less striking. Then, in whatever direction you might l»ti MARCH TOWARDS BOURDEAUX. 11 turn your eyes, they would be sure to rest upon parts of a huge circle of fires ; and if you chanced to be standing behind one of them, you might wit- ness chairs, tables, bedsteads, or any other pieces of household furniture which lay nearest at hand, thrown on, with all the indifference in the world, to increase the blaze. The condition of the inhabitants of this district, was, as you may suppose, exceedingly wretched. Most of them, indeed, had fled on the advance of the British, and left their houses and effects to the conquerors ; some, however, remained, and though they were certainly treated with all the humanity possible, under such circumstances, it must be con- fessed that their sufferings were great. In the first place they were necessarily deprived of all the comforts of home ; their houses were filled with soldiers, and if one little apartment were assigned to the whole family, they might consider them- selves as extremely fortunate. In the next place they were compelled to witness the destruction of their property, and to bear with patience many insults from the common soldiers. I need not say that no British officer was ever guilty of insulting them, and that, whenever a complaint was made of one of the privates, the matter was fully examined into, and if the story was found to be correct, the soldier was instantly punished. But I believe that they put up with many injuries rather than com- u I . }4 ^% 1% 1. 1 \i j 1 ^. ♦I i: 12 MARCH TOWARDS BOURDEAUX. plain, through a dread of the consequences which might result, from the anger and revenge of the man whom they should bring to punishment. Besides these two inconveniences, they must have lived in a constant state of terror and alarm. In case of a successful sortie from the town, they knew that they would be put to death by their own countrymen, for remaining in their houses to receive the English; whilst upon their present protectors they could not rest implicit confidence, seeing that they were bound to them by no ties of alliance or kindred. They could never, then, be free from apprehension, of some sort or other, nor is it easy to imagine any feeling more distressing than that of continual dread. It is true that no article of food was taken from them, without their receiving in lieu of it considerably more than its full value; and it is likewise true that when they became better acquainted with the intruders, they were frequently invited to partake of the soldier's messes; but these were trifling advantages, and by no means sufficient to compensate for the mischiefs by which they were accompanied. I am not one of those who love to evince their sensibility by mourning over unavoidable evils; neither, indeed, would it be consistent with my present views and profession so to do ; but in truth I cannot help observing, that war, when stripped of its parade and excitement, and softened down !ll^ 1 MARCH TOWARDS BOURDEAUX. 13 es which je of the 3nt. ey must id alarm. vn, they heir own receive rotectors , seeing i" alliance Vee from IS it easy han that rticle of feceiving 1 value; became ;y were messes; by no lischiefs ce their evils ; ith my n truth tripped 1 down by all the alleviating circumstances of which it is capable, is a fearful thing. One experiences no regret at seeing the most splendid mansion con- sumed to ashes, provided it be set on fire by our own shells, and to dislodge the enemy ; one has no reluctance in treading down corn-fields, destroy- ing orchards, and ruining in one day the labour of months, as long as the hurry and madness of a battle continue. But when this has died away, and the calmness of repose returns, he who can look with indifference upon the ravages which he has himself contributed to produce, must be either more or less than man. I beg, however, that you will not take fright, or imagine that I am going into a strain of prosing. Nature has not gifted me with any great turn that way, and if she had, I at present want the inclination to exercise it. One only remark, however, I beg leave to make, a remark which has been often made by much wiser men, that old England, if she were but properly aware of it, has more cause of sincere thankfulness than any nation in Europe. It is true that our countrymen have suffered, and are still suffering in their purses ; and it is unquestionable, that to part with our money, and to deny ourselves luxuries to which we have all our lives been accus- tomed, arc, in themselves, no slight grievances. But if they who complain so bitterly of taxation, could but experience for a short time the real 14 MARCH TOWARDS BOURDEAUX. misery of having a war brought home to their own doors, I am mistaken if they would not desire to buy it away again, at double the price of the pre- sent burthens. Depend upon it, that ail your grumblers are men devoid either of reflexion or prin- ciple ; m which of the two they are deficient, I leave you to judge. But I find that, in spite of my promise to the contrary, I am actually getting into a moralizing strain as fast as I can. To prevent its continuance I shall here break off, promising to renew my jour- nal, with more facts and fewer observations, in my next letter. ! BATONNE. 15 LETTER II. June 31st, 1814. As soon as the bustle of encamping was over, and my time absolutely at my own disposal, I took advantage of an offered passport, and proceeded into Bayonne. You will readily believe that I entered this city with feelings very different from, those of a common traveller. Having lain before it as a besieger for upwards of two months, its shops, its trade, its public buildings and places of amuse- ment were to me objects of, comparatively speaking, little interest or curiosity. Its fortifications and means of defence were, in truth, what I was princi- pally anxious to examine. Hitherto I could judge of them only from outward appearances and vague reports ; and now that an opportunity was offered of so doing with greater accuracy, I confess that my Inclination prompted me to embrace that oppor- tunity, rather than to hunt for pictures which I could not value, or fatigue my imagination by en- deavouring to discover fine specimens of architec- ture, amid heavy and ill-built churches. But I have already pledged myself, nor do I mean to withdraw that pledge, to attempt no military description of this important city. To do so with f i;" 16 BAYONNE. I exactness, and at the same time to render the de- scription intelligible, and what is still more difficult, interesting to a man of peace, is a task to which I acknowledge myself incompetent. Yet to pass it by with the observation that it was as strong as the nature of the ground, and the labour of man could make it, is not, I am inclined to believe, what you would desire. I shall therefore ended- vouf to steer a middle course, by giving you something like a general idea of the whole, avoid- ing, at the same time, as much as possible, all technical terms, and pi'olix details. The city of Bayonne stands, as every body knows, upon the Adour, about six or eight miles from the point where that river falls into the sea. On the southern or Spanish bank, where the whole of the city, properly so called, is built, the country, to the distance of two or three miles from the wails, is perfectly flat, and the soil sandy, and apparently not very productive. On the opposite bank the ground rises rather abruptly firom the brink of the stream, sloping upwards likewise from the sea, till you arrive at the pinnacle uponwhich the citadel is erected, and which hangs immediately over the town. Thus, though the Adour in fact separates the city from the suburbs and citadel, yet as the ramparts of the former extend to the water's edge on both sides, and as those of the latter continue the sweep from points immediately opposite, the general appear- l/> u^^ M t t ma &j rJ^^U^*^^^^ jBiirit-Y^i ^^•■'■- I BAYOXNE. 17 ance presented is, that of one considerable town, with a broad river flowing through the middle of it. You will perceive, even from this short and im- perfect sketch, that its very situation gives to Bayonne a superiority over most cities ; inasmuch as it affords peculiar facilities towards rendering it a place of great strength. On one side there is a plain, always accounted by engineers the most convenient for the construction of fortifications ; on the other an eminence, lofty enough to com- mand the surrounding country, and at the same time sufficiently level at the summit to receive the walls of a fortress, powerful at once from its posi- tion and regularity. But the great strength of Bayonne is owing, not more to its original defences than to the numerous out-works which have lately been added to it. It was along the course of the Adour, you will remember, or rather between the Adour and the Nieve, that Soult formed his famous intrenched camp. The right of this chain of stu- pendous works rested upon the city, the importance of which was consequently much increased; and as the capture of it would have occasioned, not only the loss of a town, but the turning of the whole position, no pains were spared in rendering it as nearly impregnable as possible. To give you some notion of the nature of these works, I will describe the aspect which they presented to myself, as I rode from Anglet towards the city. When 18 BAYONNE. I had proceeded about a mile and a half beyond our advanced posts, I found myself in front of the first line of defence. This consisted of a battery mounting three eighteen pounders, upon the road, flanked by others on each side; so placed as that whichsoever of them should be attacked, it would be defended by a cross five from all the rest. These were, of course, additionally strengthened by ditches, and felled trees; but they were open in the rear; and though very formidable to an assail- ing party, yet, when taken, could have been of small service to the conquerors, being themselves exposed to the fire of the second line. The situa- tion of this second line again, was similar in every respect to that of the first, being like it, open iu the rear, and placed under the guns of the town. Thus after having forced two powerful, lines of defence, the besiegers would find themselves almost as far as ever from the attainment of their object, being then only arrived at the point, where the labours of a siege could commence. . , ; ,, / ;; . But the maintenance of Bayonne altogether de- pends upon keeping possession of the citadel. As the city lies upon a plain, and that fort stands upon an eminence immediately above it, it is clear tha.twere this taken, Bayonne must eithersurrender, or be speedily reduced to ruins. It is true that, by destroying the bridge which conn'?cfcs them, all communication between the two ^i-icos w<.*uM be liJ;;*! \.^^ ipMH BAYONNE. 19 f beyond ut of the a battery the road, cl as that : would be t. These hened by e open in I an assail- re been of ;hemselve,s The situa- ar in every )pen in the vii. Thus )f defence, lost as far ect, being labours of gether dc- tadel. As brt stands it is clear surrender, uc that, by them, all WJuM be cut off; but the distance from the one to the other L.iiig not more than half-musket sliot, and the guns of tlie fort pointing directly down upon the streets and houses of the ci^y, any attempt to hold out could cause only the destruction of the town, and the unavenged slaughter of its garrison. Of the triith of this the French were, of course, as much aware as their enemies, nor did they neglect any j^ raits vvhich an accurate knowledge of engineer- ing could point out, for the defence of what they ju itly considered as the key of the entire position. In addition to its own very regular and well con- structed fortifications, two strong redoubts were thrown up, on two sides of the fort, upon the only spots of ground calculated for the purpose ; both of which, I was informed by my guide, were under- mined and loaded with gunpowder, ready to be sprung as soon as they should fall into our hands. They had judged, and judged correctly, that if ever the place should be invested, it would be here that the trendies would be opened, and the breaching batteries erected ; and they consequent- ly made every preparation to meet the danger, which great prudenoe and military skill could suggest. Bayonne, though a populous place, does not cover so much ground as one would be led to sup- pose. Like most walled towns, its streets, with the exception of one or two, are in general narrow, c 2 m 20 BAYONNE. ii and the houses lofty ; but it is compact, and, on the whole, clean and neatly built. The number of in- habitants, I should be inclined to estimate at somewhere about thirty thousand, exclusive of the garrison, which at this time amounted to fourteen or fifteen thousand men ; but as most of the fami- lies .ippear to live in the style of those in the old town of Edinburgh, that is to say, several under the same roof, though each in a separate story, or fiat, it is not difficult to conceive how thev contrive to find sufficient roorri, within a compass apparently so narrow. Of its commerce and manufactures I can say little, except that I should not imagine either to be extensive. I am led to form this opinion, partly from having seen no shipping at the wharfs, and partly because the Adour, though here both wide and deep, is rendered unnavigable to vessels of any size, by a shallow, or bar at its mouth. There was indeed, a sloop of war close to the town, but how it got there I am at a loss to conceive, unless it were built upon the river, and constantly kept there, as an additional protection againsta sur- prise from the water. The shops are, however, good, particularly those where jewellery is sold ; an arti- cle in the setting and adorning of which the French, if they do not exceed us in really substantial value, undoubtedly surpass us in elegance. When I had taken as complete a survey of the town as I felt disposed to take, I crossed the bridge t^i ST. ETIENNE. 21 with the intention of inspecting the interior of the citadel. Here, however, I was disappointed, no strangers being admitted within its gates ; but as there was no objection made to my reconnoitering it from without, I proceeded towards the point where our trenches had been dug, and where it had been designed to breach and storm the place. To this I was urged by two motives, partly from the desire of obtaining the best view possible of the fort, and partly that I might examine the ground upon which the desperate affair of the 14th of April took place. You will recollect, that some hours before day-light in the morning of that day, a vigorous and well arranged sortie was made by the garrison, and that it was not without hard fighting and a severe loss on both sides, that they were finally repulsed. Mounting the heights, therefore, I soon arrived at St. Etlenne, a little village nearly on a level with the citadel, and not more than half a mile from its walls. From this point I could satisfy my curiosity to the full, and as the account may not, perhaps, be uninteresting, I shall describe as well as I am able, the scene which here met my eyes. The ridge of little hills upon which the fort and village arc built, though it rises by gentle grada- tion from the sea, towards the spot where I now stood, is nevertheless interrupted and broken here and there with deep glens or ravines. Two of these c 3 m 22 ST. KTIENNE. I i4 glens, one to the right, the other to the left, chancci to occur immediately under the ramparts of the fortress, supplying, in some measure, the purposes of a ditch, and leaving a sort of table or elevated neck of land between them, the extremity of which is occupied by the village. On this neck of land the besieged had constructed one of the redoubts which I mentioned as having been lately thrown up, whilst on another table, at the opposite side of the left ravine, which winds round in the direction of the wall, as nearly as if it were the work of art, stands the other redoubt. Beyond this again, there is a perpendicular precipice, the hills there abruptly ending ; so that on two sides the walls of the fort skirt the extremity of a bare rock. It was along the outer ridges of these ravines, and through the church-yard of St. Etienne, that our trenciies were drawn, the village itself being the most ad- vanced British post ; and it was along these ridges, and in the street of this village, that the action of the 14th of April was fought. It is not my Ijusiness, neither indeeil is it my in- tention, to relate the particulars of that attair. The French, you will remember, having contrivetl, in a dark night, to eUulc the vigilance of our sen- tinels, came upon the pickets unperceivcd, and took them completely by surprise. The battle was maintained M— towns, are ;he poorest alted for a ving again ed under a erected in d with the nainentetl er this, we streets, till e and con*- ception ot' s arranged often do- to the rest ar account re the case I even otherwise, I confess that my opportunities of examining it were not sufficient to authorize my entering upon such an attempt. The whole extent of our sojourn, was only during the remainder of that day (and it was past noon before We got in) and the ensuing night; a space of time which ad* mitted of no more than a hurried stroll through some of the principal streets, and a hasty visit to such public buildings as are considered most worthy of attention. The; palace of the Duke D'Angouleme, the Military Hospital, the Theatre, and the Cathedral, are all remarkably fine of their kind ; while the public gardens, the Exchange, and fashionable promenades, are inferior only to those of Paris itself. But, perhaps, you will be inclined to think, tliat had my opportunities been ever so great, and my talent for description ever so lively, I might on the present occasion be spared the pioof of the one* and the exhibition of the other ; nay, it is very pro-t bablc, that you will not read even thus far, without being disposed to remind me, that my journal was promised to l)e one, not of a progress through the South of France, but of the campaigns in America.i Let me conclude, tlien, that you will be satisfied to consult some otlier tourist, for a complete (lo> scripUon of this metropolis of the southern pro* ▼inces, and in the mean time to follow me, whilst I endeavour, in as few words as possible, to pin V 2 i ;i^^ 36 MACAU. over a detail of the remainder of our journey towards the shipping. At an early hour next morning, we were again m motion, and proceeded to an extensive common, near the village of Macau, about three leagues from Bourdeaux, where we found a considerable force already assembled. Judging from the number of tents upon the heath, I conceive that there could not be fewer than eight or ten thousand men, the whole of whom we naturally concluded were destined for the same service with ourselves. The sight was at once pleasing and encouraging, because there could be no doubt that such a power, ably commanded, would carry every thing before it. In this situation we continued, without the occurrence of any incident deserving of notice, till the 27th, when an order arrived for the officers to dispose of their horses without delay. This, as you may suppose, was done at an enor- mous loss ; and, on the morning of the 28th, we set forward towards the point of embarka- tion. But, alas! in the numbers allotted for the trans-atlantic war, we found ourselves grievously disappointed, since, instead of the whole division, only two regiments, neither of them very strong, were directed to move ; it was not our business, however, to question the wisdom of any measure adopted by our superiors, and we accordingly LA MOE. 37 journey ere again common, rues from ble force umber of ere could men, the led were res. The ouraging, t such a ery thing ;hout the )f notice, for the ut delay. an enor- he S8th, embarka- i\ for the [rievously '. division, ry strong, business, r measure cordingly marched on in as high spirits, as if we had been followed by the entire Peninsular army. The remainder of our journey occupied t\vo days, nor do I ever remember to have spent a si- milar space of time with greater satisfaction ; our route lay through some of the most fertile districts in France, passing Chateau Margaux, famous for its wine, with other places not inferior to it either in richness of soil, or in beauty of prospect. The weather was delightful, and the grapes, though not yet ripe, were hanging in heavy bunches froui the vines, giving promise of much wealth to come ; the hay season had commenced, and numerous groupes of happy-looking peasants were busy in every field ; in short, it was a march upon which I shall never look back with- out pleasure. The close of the first day's progress brought us to a village called La Moe, beautifully situated within view of the majestic waters of the Garonne. Here, for the first time since we quitted Bayonne, were we quartered upon the inhabitants ; a measure, which the loss of our tents rendered necessary. They received us with so much frankness, and treated us with so much civility, I had almost said kindness, that it was not without a feeling of some- thing like regret, that we parted from them. The :iecond day carried us to Pauliac, an inconsiderable town upon the banks of the same river, where we d3 38 AT SEA. MJ I. h found boats ready to convey us to the shipping, which lay at anchor to receive us. To embark the troops in these boats, and to huddle them on board two dirty little transports, occupied some time, and the provoking part of the business was, that all this trouble was to be gone through again. The men of war, in which we were to cross the Atlantic, could not come up so high, for want of water ; and on this account it was that these transports were sent as passage boats to carry us to them. The wind however was foul, and blew so strong, that the masters would not venture to hoist a sail ; consequently we were obliged to endure the misery of a crowd in a small vessel for two nights and a day ; nor was it till past noon on the 31st, that we were finally settled hi Ilis Majesty's ship of 64 guns. Having now arrived at the point from whence, J>erhaps, I ought more properly to have set out, I am unwilling to occupy your time by compa- risons between the Garonne and the Thames, or even by an account of the scenery visible from the deck of the ship. I would rather enter at once into my proper subject, by detaiUng the particulars of the force, both military and naval, which composes this expedition ; but, as my letter has alreiiidy swelled to rather an uncommon bulk, I shall defer this relation till another opportunity, which I am not likely to be without during the idleness ami tsedium of a long voyage. rr ii^ shipping, I, and to ransports, art of the be gone vhich we me up so ccouut it ;age boats was foul, rould not we were in a small ^as it till ly settled \ whence, : set out, y^ compa- hames, or from the once into :icular8 of composes 9 alreiidy ball defer licb I am mess ami LETTER IV. ' .1 . , ... In the leisure which I anticipated during tli^ voyage, I have not been disappointed ; nor do I conceive that it can lie better occupied than in ful- filling the promise made in my last, of describing to you the nature and number of the force em- ployed upon the present expedition ; as well as in relating some of the most interesting events which have occurred during our progress towards the place of our destination. , The land army, then, is composed of three bat- talions of infantry, the 4th, 44th, and 85th regi- ments ; the two former mustering each about eight hundred bayonets, the last not more than six hun- dred. In addition to these, there arc two officers of engineers, a brigade of artillery, a detachment of sappers and miners, a party of artillery drivers, with a due proportion of officers belonging to the Medical and Commissariat departments. The whole together cannot be computed at more than two thousam! five hundred men, if indeed it amounts to so great a number ; and is under the connnand of Major General llojs, a very gallant and expe- rienced leader. ^ » 40 AT SEA. The fleet, again, consists of the Royal Oak, of 74 guns, bearing the flag of Rear Admiral Mal- combe ; the Diadem and Dictator, two sixty-fours, armed en flute, the Pomone, Menelaus, Franc, Weser, and Thames, frigates, the three last armed in the same manner as the Diadem and Dictator ; the Meteor and Devastation, bomb vessels; to- gether witii one or two gun brigs ; making, in all, a squadron of eleven or twelve ships of war, with several store ships and transports. On board the Royal Oak are embarked the General, with his staff, and the artillery ; the Franc and Weser are filled with the 4th ; the 44th are divided between the Dictator and the Thames, in the first of which ships are also the Engineers ; the 85th occupies the Diadem ; and the rest are scattered through the fleet, partly in the men of war, and partly in the transports. As soon as the troops were finally settled, with all the baggage, and the vessels allotted for their accommodation, the signal was made to weigh; but the wind being adverse, and the navigation of the Garonne far from simple, it could not be obeyed with safety. Every thing, therefore, remained qui^« till the evening of the 2d of June, when the gale moderating a little, the anchors were raised, and the sails hoisted. The tide was begin- ning to ebb when this was done, favoured by which the ships drifted gradually on their course ; but '• ^1 { h ST. MICHAELS. 41 before long, the breeze shifting, blew directly in their sterns, when they stood gallantly to sea, clearing the river before dark ; and, as there was no lull during the whole of the night, by day-break the coast of France was not to be discerned. All was now one wide waste of waters, as far as the eye could reach, bounded on every side by the distant horizon ; a scene, which, though at first it must strike with awe and wonder a person unaccustomed to it> soon becomes insipid, and even wearisome, from its constant sameness. ; It is not my design to amuse you with an ac- count of the various expedients adopted by lands- men on board of ships to kill time, neither do I suppose that you would thank me for a transcript of the log-be iC, rel?itive to the changes in the wea- ther, and the rate of sailing. I shall only observe, therefore, that with few intrrruptons, the fair wind that carried us out of the Garonne, did not leave us till the nineteenth, when, by calculating the ship's situation, it appeared that the Azores, or Western Islands, could not be very distant. Nor, as it turned out, were these calculations incorrect; for, on ascending the deck next morning, the first object that met our eyes was the high land of St. Michael's, rising, like a collection of blue clouds, out of the water. With such a prospect before us, you may imagine our consternation, when we found our- selves deserted by the breeze which had hitherto ' 1 i u f* I ji 11" i II r ] r 1 .1 '. 4S ST. MICHAEL S. SO uniformly favoured us, and lying as motionless as logs, under the influence of a dead calm. Our voyage was certainly not to be compared to tliat of Nearchus among the ancients, of Columbus in the middle ages, nor yet to those of Cooke or Anson in more modem tunes, but it had been long enough to produce an hearty dislike to the confine- ment of a ship, and a strong desire to be once more on terra firma. Under these circumstances, the delay of even a single day might be looked upon as no slight misery, by men who had laid their ac- count with reaching a friendly port within a few hours ; and you may be assured, that many bitter complaints against the inconstancy of the weathev, sufficiently attested that such was the point of view in which it was regarded. • -^ But the injustice of these complaints was soon evident, for before mid-day the breeze freshened again, sending us every moment nearer to the ob- ject of our wishes. As soon as we contrived to double the projecting head-land, which had attracted our attention in the morning, our course became one of much interest and pleasure. We had now neared the shore considerably, and were moving at a rate sufficiently rapid to prevent further re- pining, and at the same time slow enough to per- mit a distinct and calm survey of the beach, with the numerous villages, seats, and convents,, that adorned it. . -.. > i ,-■ ST. MICHAELS. 45 tionless as Im. Our d to that LimbuB in Cooke or been long e confine- )nce more nces, the »ked upon I their ac- hin a few any bitter 5 weath«f, point of . . . . a> was soon freshened to the ob- itrived to [attracted e became had now moving irther re- h to per- ach, with ;nts^ that The island of St. Michael is mountainous, even to the very edge of the water, but the heights, though lofty, do not presc' a rugged or barren appearance. Here and there, indeed, bare rocks push themselves into notice, but in general the ascent is easy, and the hills are covered, to the tops, with groves of orange trees and beautiful green pasturage. Like other Portuguese settlements, this island abounds in religious houses, the founders of many of which do not appear to have been de- ficient in taste, when they pitched upon situations for building. There was one of these that particu- larly struck me : it stood upon a sort of platform, or terrace, about half way between the sea and the summit of the mountain ; above it were hanging woods, whether natural or artificial I cannot say, interrupted now and then by projecting rocks ; and round it were plantations of orange trees, loaded witli fruit, and interspersed with myrtles, and other odoriferous shrubs. Being greatly pleased with the mansion and the surrounding scenery, I natu- rally enquired from the pilot (for one had already come off to us) as to its use, and the quality of its owner ; and from him I learnt that it was a con- Vjcnt, I forget of what order, a piece of intelligence which was soon confirmed by the sound of bells distinctly audible as we passed. , >■• '> ; In this manner we continued to coast along, being sddom at a greater distance than four or five f M \y 44 ST. MICHAELS. miles from the land, till we came opposite to a small town called Villa Franca. Here, as the wind threatened to die away, several others and mysetf agreed to go on shore; a boat was accordingly lowered, and we pushed off from the ship ; but the operation of landing did not prove to be altogether so simple as we had expected. An immense reef of rocks, some under water, others barely above it, but none distinguishable till we had almost run against them, opposed our progress ; and it was not without considerable difficulty, and the assistance of the country people, who made signals to us from the beach, that we contrived to discover a narrow channel, leading up to the strand. Having at length so far attained our wishes, as to tread once more upon firm ground, the next thing to be done was to find out some inn, or house of public entertainment, where we might pass the night, a measure which the increasing darkness rendered necessary. In this, however, we M'er^ disappointed, as the town of Villa Franca ccuid boast of no such convenience on any scale. But we were not on that account obliged to bivouac ; for the Hidalgo, or mayor of the place, politely in- sisted upon our accompanying him home, and en- tertained us with great hospitality ; and, in truth, we had no cause to regret the unsuccessful issue of our inquiries, since, independent of the good cheer with which we were presented, our host, being an I ■ kill VILLA FRANCA. 43 a narrow intelligent person, did not fail to render himself an agreeable companion ; and what contributed in no slight degtee to the facility of our intercourse was, that though he assured us he had never quitted St Michael's in his life, he spoke English with the fluency of a native. Among other pieces of infor- mation, we learnt from him, that the reef which impeded our progress towards the land, had for- merly been an island ; it appeared, he affirmed, one morning, in the most sudden and extraordinary manner, as if it had been thrown up by an earth ' quake during the night, and having continued so long above water, as to embolden a single family of fishers to settle upon it, it disappeared again as suddenly as it had come, leaving no trace of its existence, except the rocks which we had found so troubit'some. Whether there be truth in this story, I cannot pretend to determine ; and yet I see no reason to doubt the word of a man of re- spectability, who could have no motive whatever for deceiving us. But this was not all that we learnt from him respecting this reef: he declared, that previous to the appearance of the island, the water, in that very spot, was unfathomable ; and it was not till after it had sunk, that a single rock stood in the way to prevent the largest ship of war from anchoring within a stone's throw of the beach. .: Finding our new acquaintance so civil ami 46 VILLA FRANCA. U' I'll obliging, we naturally informed him of our inten- tion to proceed next morning to Ponta del Gada, the principal town in St, Michael's, and requested his assistance in procuring some mode of convey- ance ; but we were startled by tlie intelligence, that nothing of the kind could be had, and that there were not even horses or mules to be hired at any place nearer than the very town whither we were going. This was rather an alarming piece of newsy for our boat had left us, the weather was too hot for walking, and the distance to be travelled full fifteen miles. Had we not sent the boat away, the matter would have been easily managed^ because we might have sailed round to the front, where the fleet was to anchor ; but this was no longer in our power, and being rather unwilling to pursue our journey on foot, we were altogether at a loss liow to determine. While we thus hesitated, the Hidalgo suggested, that if we would condescend to ride upon asses, he thought he could obtain a sui)iciei)t number for our party ; a proposal with which we gladly closed, prudently determining that any mode of being carried was better than walking. Leaving the arrangement of this affair, therefore^ to out obliging friend, we retired to rest upon clean com* fortable shakedowns, spread for us on the floor ; and, on waking iu the morning, we found that he had not been negligent in the charge assigned himi Our party consisted of five officers, witli five scr- VILLA FRANCA. 47 vants, for whose accommodation we found ten asses at the door, each attended by its driver, armed with a long pole tipped with an iron spike, for the purpose of goading the animal whenever it should become lazy. It was not without a good deal of laughing, that the cavalcade, after bidding adieu to the hospitable Mayor, began to move forward. Besides the ridi- culousness of being mounted upon asses, these asses were without bridles, and had no saddles, ex- cept such as are used when the animals are loaded with goods for the market ; for our own comfort, therefore, we were obliged to sit, a-la-femelle, and having no command over the heads of our steeds, we were content to be guided by the hallooing and punching of the drivers. In spite, however, of these inconveniences, if they may be so called, I shall never cease to congratulate myself on having been of the party, because the ride was beyond com- parison the most agreeable I ever remember to have taken. , -, ., The road from Villa Franca to Ponto del Gada quits the water's edge, and turns, for a little way, inland, carrying you through a region as romantic and beautiful as can well be imagined ; there are here no level plains, no smooth paths over which a landau or tilbury might glide, but, on the con- trary, a rugged and stony track, sometimes leading down the face of steep hills, sometimes scaling 18 &T. MICHAELS. h I heights which at the distance of a mile appear to be ahnost perpendicular, and sometimes wind- ing along the side of a cliff, and by the edge of a fearful precipice. Except when you reach the sum- mit of a mountain, the road is in general shaded by the richest underwood, hanging over it from above ; but the whole aspect of the country is decidedly that of a volcanic production : the rocks seem to have been cast up and torn asunder by some prodigious violence, and hurled by a force which nothing but a volcano could possess, into the most grotesque and irregular shapes. It is no un- common thing to pass under a huge crag, leaning almost horizontallv over the road, and bedded in the earth by a foundation apparently so slight, as to appear likely to fall every moment, precipitating the enormous mass upon the luckless wretch be- neath. Nay, the very colour of the stones, and the quantity of what bears every resemblance to vitri- fication, scattered about, all tend to induce the belief, that the main island owes its formation to the same "ause which doubtless produced the smaller one, that has now disappeared. But you must not fancy, from this description, that St. Michaefs is nothing but a barren rock ; far from it. There is, indeed, in this direction, at least, a fai" proportion of that commtxlity, but tracts of cultivated ground are not therefore want- ing. I should not certainly suppose that the soil ST. MICHAELS. 49 was remarkably rich in any part of the island ; but it produces the fig, the orange tree, and a grape from which they make very tolerable wine ; there is excellent pasture for sheep, and a compe- tent supply of grain. But that in which the Azores, and St. Michael's among the number, par- ticularly excel, is the extreme salubrity of the climate : lying in nearly the same degree of lati- tude, with Lisbon, the intense heat which oppresses in that city, is here alleviated by refreshing sea- breezes ; by which means, though I believe there is no occasion at any season to complain of cold, it is only in the very height of the dog-days, if then, that a person, not actually engaged in violent exer- cise, is justified in complaining of sultriness. The trade of St. Michael's, as far as I could learn, is confined exclusively to fruit; the fig and the orange are the staple commodities, and being both very abundant, they are, of course, proportionably cheap. Into the praise of a St. Michael's orange it is unnecessary for me to enter, because it is gene- rally allowed to be the best with which the English market is supplied ; but of tlic excellence of the St. Michael's fig, I am not sure that my countrymen are so much aware. It might l>e, that not having seen a fig for a considerable lapse of time, my appetite was peculiarly sharpened towards its goo you> that after we had ridden about six miles, the road* which had hitb^rto conducted us along a narrow glen, where the vision was intercepted on both sides, now carried us to the suQimit of a lofty mountain, from whence we enjoyed the satisfaction of an extensive prospect, both of the $ea and of the interior. Looking towards the former, we beheld our own fleet bearing down majestically upon ^onto del Gada, and now fast approaching tlie anchorage. Turning our eyes inland again, we Mere delighted with a view of mountain and valley, rock and culture, wood and pasturage, intermingled iu the most exquisite degree of irregularity ; but what principally attracted our attention, was 4 thick dark sniokc rising slowly from tlie summit iii' a high hill that lK)uudcd the prospect. Our curiosity being excited by this phenomenon, we eiK|uire(l from our guides into its cause, and were iiir()iiiR't.l thcit the inountaiu in (|iiestion was a vq1-> cauo, and Liial,at iUi base, and along iti> bidci>, were ' 'ii M ST. illCHAEL S. 51 g in, as wc ia this and) intity thus :o entitlis it; haudize. upon $wb- digressing sn, to self, aform you> s, the road, ; a narrow d on both of a lofty satisfaction I and of the we behpld :ally upon idling tlie again, we and valley, termingled regularity ; ution, was ;lie summit: )ect. Our menon, we '., and were was a vol- sidi's, were % f 1 I I hot springs of water, of a temperature sufficient to boil an egg in three minutes. This piece of intel- ligence confirmed me, as you may suppose, in my former opinion relative to the operative cause in the production of these islands; though, indeed, had such evidence been wanting, I should never- theless have concluded, either that they were thrown u{>, in their present form, from the bottom of the sea, cr at least that they were torn asunder from one another by the force of fire. It must be confessed, however, tliat mine is the opinion of one who has devoted little of his attention to geology ; but I would by all means advise the disciples of Werner to come hither, if they desire further help^ '*i the prosecution of that very interestin||^ and I - vally useful study. f^' i5S ST. MICHAELS. .J :.., ; t LETTER V. As I am aware that you dislikr, equally with my- self, the usual formalities at f\\e commencement of a letter, I shall continue my journal without offer- ing any observation or comment, which could serve no end, but that of occasioning a break in the narrative. • ' Descending the mountain, on which we had paused for a few minutes, to glut our eyes and satisfy our curiosity, we arrived at a small hamlet, or rather a group of two or ihree hovels, as romanti- cally situated as it is possible for the imagination of man to conceive. They stood at the further end of a sort of recess, formed by the hills, which are here broken into a circular valley, cut off, to all appear- a.ice, from the rest of the habitable world ; behind them rose a towering crag, as perpendicular sm the (hop of a plummet, from the top of which a little rivulet came tumbling down, giving to the scene an appearance of the most delightful coolness, and amusing the ear with the unceasing roar of a water-fall. From the very face of the cliff, where there seemed to be scarcely soil enough to nourish a thistle, numerous shrubs and dwarf trees pro- ST. MICHAELS. 53 truded themselves, whilst above it, and on every side of the area, the hills were covered with wood, interrupted now and then by the bald forehead of a blackened rock. In front of the hamlet again, there was an opening sufficient to admit the most delicious glimpse of the ocean ; and through this the stream, after boiling for a while in a little basin which it has excavated for itself out of what re- sembles the foundation of the cliff, makes its way, brawling over a clear pebbly bottom, till it joins the sea. , ■• ' i-' ■ ■■■...;•.■-'■> This paragon of valleys, and master-piece of nature's handv-work, burst upon us as such scenes, to be witnessed with advantage, ought to do, with- out the slightest warning or expectation. The road by which we approached it, being completely shut in with wood, and winding considerably to aid the descent, brought us out nearly at the gorge of the vale, so as to throw the hamlet, the cliff, and the waterfall, into the back-ground ; and, as the whole was of such extent as to be taken in at one glance, the effect was striking beyond any of the kind I ever witnessed. You may imagine that we had no desire to hurry through such a glen as this ; and needed not the additional motive which the weari- ness of our donkeys afforded, to persuade us to a temporary halt. Giving the animals, therefore, to the care of their owners, we dismounted, and went into some of flic; cabins, the inhabitants of E S 54 ST. niCHAXL8< Mi which appeared to be as simple as the situatioil of their abodes had prepared us to expect. The m ^i were all goat-herds, and the women seemed to be as idle as their countrywomen in Portugal, sitting at the doors of their houses, surrounded by groups of t r-naked and filthy-looking childreo^ To jud[^ . by their dress, and the furniture of their hovels, they were miserably poor, though perfectly contented; they did not ask us for money, but astonished, I suppose, at the glaring colour of our coats, they were very inquisitive to know who we were, and whence we had come. The English, the French, and the Portuguese, seem to be the only three nations of whose existence they have any knowledge ; and having been assured, in answer to their first question, th it we were not French, they immediately added, then you must be English. They did not appear, however, to be without somt degree of cunning, for as long as we paused in replying to their query, they were silent, but no sooner had we answered in the negative, than they launched forth into the most violent i.ivectives against the French ; convincing us, that the ani- itiosity of the mother-country towards its barbarous invaders^ is not more implacable tlian that of the colonies. Having loitered away half an hour in this ro- mantic spot, and distributed a few dollars among its inhabitants, we remounted our steeds and con- ST. MICHAELS. 6S tinued our journey. The remainder of the ride carried us through scenery Very similar to what we had already passed ; the only difference was, that the nearer we approached to Ponto del Gada, the more frequent became the spots of cultivation, the width and smoothness of the road improving in proportion ; till, at last, when we had attained th6 brow of an eminence, from whence the town with its port and bay were distinguishable, we looked down upon an extensive valley, richly covered with fields of standing corn. Quickening our pace, wfe soon entered the capital of St. Michael's, and were conducted by the drivers to a good hotel, kept by an Englishwoman of the name of Currie, unted as '^as impos. shipping ►ef'ore we r hand, to ere a vol- appeared jhing for I, I shall curiosity prevent hange of mind, we put our donkeys into a gallop, and hur- ried on as fast as they could carry us. But the speed of the asses, and our own venturous determi- nation proved, after all, equally unavailing ; for, on gaining the summit of the downs, and looking back upon the fleet, we beheld, to our great sorrow, the signal for sailing floating from the top-masts of all the ships. Mortified at our disappointment, and at the same time rejoicing that we had got no further on our journey, we were compelled to turn our asses' heads, and to retrace our steps towards Ponto del Gada; wh'r're we found every thing in the bustle and confusion of a re-embarkation. The beach was covered with sailors, soldiers, bullocks, and casks of fresh water, hurrying, and being hurried, indiscriminately into the boats which had come to take them off. The towns-people were running about upon the strand, some offering their skiffs to convey the officers on board the ships, some helping to swing the bullocks into the barges, and others shouting and hallooing apparently from the uninterested love of noise. In short, it was a scene of great liveliness and bustle, perhaps rather too much so to be agreeable. Seeing this universal eagerness to reach 'he fleet, we, of course, threw ourselves into the iii.i; boat we could approach, and in a short time found our- selves on board our own ship. But here a very tantalizing piece of news awaited us, for we learnt «i 63 ST. MICHAELS. that, in spite of all this show of preparation, the admiral had not began to weigh anchor; nor was there any intention of moving, at soonest, before the morrow. The opportunity, however, was lost, and could not be recovered, consequently we were obliged to submit as cheerfully as we could, though it was impossible to help regretting, what had at first been a source of consolation, the circumstance of cur having caught a viewof the signal at the time we did. But, as the event proved, it was quite as well for us that we had ridden no further from the shore; for on the day following the signal was again repeated; and by way of giving additional weight to it, the admiral began to shake loose his top-sails. Nor did it prove, like that of yesterday, a false alarm. By mid day the victualling and watering being complete, the fleet immediately began to get under weigh ; and, as the wind blew fair and fresh, before dark the aiountains of St Michael's could be seen only like a thin vapour in the sky. Next morning, nothing but the old pros- pect of air and water met the gaze, as we stood our course, at a rapid rate, towards Bermuda. The voyage from St. Michaels to Bermuda occupied a space of almost an entire month, the first having l)een lost sight of on the 27th of June, and it being the 'i4th of July before the low shores of the last could be discerned. It was, however, a sail ol" more interest, and pro- I ( i\ u PERlitVDA, 63 (luctive of more variety than that from Boiirdeaux to the Azores. We had now got within the influence of the tropical climate, and were not unfrequently amused with water-spouts, and other phenomena peculiar to warm regions. The flying fish, likewise, and its pursuer the dolphin, afforded at least something to look at; whilst many idle hours were whiled away in attempts to catch, or strike the latter with harpoons. In these we were not always unsuccessful, consequently I had seve- ral opportunities of watching the change of colour which that fish undergoes when it is dying; and though the description generally given of it is cer- tainly indebted in some degree to the imagination of voyagers, I must confess that the transitions from blue to purple, and from purple to green, with all the intermediate shades, are extremely beau- tiful. When the fish is in the water, it is by no means remarkable for brilliancy of hue, and as soou as it is dead, it returns to its original colour, — a dingy sea green ; but whilst it is floundering and flapping upon the dteck, it is impossible to say what is its real uppeurauce, so many, and so diffe- rent are the hues which it assumes. Nor did we escape without the occasional occurrence of a less agreeable species oJ" variety ; 1 mean scjualls, thun- der-stomps, aud whirlwinds. As we approached Bermuda, indeed, these became too frequent to excite any interest, beyond an earnest desire that they would cease ; but while we were yet a good r u hi M r. fii VM\\ 64 BERMUDA. way off, and the incident rare, they were wit- nessed with more of admiration than terror. Besides these amusements with which nature suppUed us, we were not backward in endeavouring to amuse ourselves. Being now pretty well accus- tomed to the atmosphere of a ship, we began to consider ourselves at home, and to give balls and other public entertainments through the fleet. One of these I shall take leave to describe, because I am sure it must interest from its novelty. Oa the 19th of July, at an early hour in the morning, a signal was made from the Royal Oak, that the admiral would be happy to see the officers of the fleet, on board his ship that evening. Boats were accordingly sent off from the different ves- sels, loaded with visitors; and, on mounting the gang-way, a stage, with a green curtain before it, was discovered upon thecpiarter-deck. The whole of the deck, from the poop to the main-mast, was hung round with flags, so as to form a moderate sized theatre; and the carronadcs were removed from their port-holes, in order to make room for the company. Lamps were suspended from all parts of the rigging and shrouds, casting a brilliant light upon this singular play-house ; and the crew, arrayed in their best attire, crowded the booms, yards, and fore part of the deck; whilst the space from the nuiin-mast to the foot of the stage, was set with benches for the more genteel part of the audience. At seven o'clock the curtain drew up, and dis- AT S£A. 6$ covered a scene painted with such taste, as would not have disgraced any theatre in London. The play was the Apprentice, with the Mayor of Garret as an after-piece, performed by the officers of the ship, and of the artillery; and went off in high style, applauded, as you may suppose, with the loud- est acclamations. The quarter-deck of a British line of battle ship has often enough been a stage for the exhibition of bloody tragedies, but to wit- ness a comedy and a farce upon that stage, and in the middle of the Atlantic ocean, was delightful from its very singularity. When the performance was at an end, the stage was knocked down, the seats removed, and every thing cleared for dancing. The music was exv-ellent, being composed of the band of the Royal Oak ; and the ball was opened by Admiral Malcombe and tlie Honourable Mrs. Mullens, in a country dance, followed by as many couples as the space would permit, the greater num- ber of officers dancing, as you may believe, with one another. In this amusement every person, from the admiral and general, down to the youngest ensign and midshipman joined, laying aside, forthe time, all restraint or form of discipline; and having kept it up with great spirit till considerably be- yond mid-night, a blue light was hoisted as a signal for t!»e dilferent boats to come off for the strangers, auil each returned to his own ship highly gratified with the evening's entertainment. t ii 66 AT SEA. LETIER VI. By employing ourselves in this manner, and by keeping up what is emphatically called a good heart, we contrived to pass our time agreeably enough. Whenever the weather would permit, and the fleet lay well together, we made parties of pleasure to the different ships ; when the wind was too high, and the fleet too much scattered for such proceedings, we remained at home, and amused ourselves in the best way we could. Some of the captains, and our's among the number, were pos- sessed of very tolerable libraries; the doors of which they politely threw open for the benefit of their military guests; and thus, by reading, fish- ing, and boating, we were enabletl to make head, with some success against the encroachments of ennui. It must be confessed, however, that in spite of strenuous efforts to the contrary, that determined enemy of all idle persons, was begin- ning to gain ground upon us, when about mid-day, on the 24th of July, a cry of land was heard from the mast-head. All eyes were immediately turned in the direction to which the sailor pointed, and as I i :Ji I. r * '^■•i BERMUDA. 67 I the wind blew fair, and moderately fresh, no great length of time elapsed, before the same object was distinguishable from the deck. A signal was im- mediately hoisted for a pilot, who lost no time in coming off to us ; and before dark, we were at anchor opposite to the tanks in Bermuda. The appearance of Bermuda is altogether as dif- ferent from that of St. Michael's, as one thing can be from another. While the other, with its lofty mountains and bold shores, can be seen at the dis- tance of many leagues, a ship must be within a few miles of this before the slightest symptom of land is discernible. On this account, it is, that mari- ners find greater difficulty in making Bermuda, than perhaps any other island or continent in the known world ; the most experienced seamen fre- quently running past it, and not a few suffering shipwreck every year, upon its numerous shoals and rocks. For not only is the land itself low, and thus apt to l)e run against by vessels which may have approached, in stormy weather, too near to put about; but fornKiny miles around it, reefs of sunken rock stretch out into the sea in evMy direc- tion ; insomuch that even the approach to the' principal anchorage is no more than a narrow channel between two such reefs, in many places scircely exceeding a mile, or a mile and a half in width. The navigation, even in calm weather, is therefore attended with considerable danger ; the f2 Ifii" tr 6» BERMUDA. Is i i. '\i !♦' idea of which is greatly heightened by the remark- able clearness of the water, and the peculiar bright- ness of the rocks. In some places this is so much the case, that the bottom may be seen at tlie depth of six and seven fathoms: while the Mspe :t of the reefs which lie on each side, as you stetr towai s the anchorage, is such, as almost to persuade one, contrary to the evidence ot reason, tliat a man might leap upon them from a boat, without incurring the danger of beirg wet above the knees. Yet these very reefs are seldom covered v/ith less ' au six, and sometimes with fourteen and fiueen icct of w&t, -. L< w as they are, the shores of Bermuda are nc 'ertheles.s extremely beautiful. 1 liey are covered with cedar, a tree which here, at least, seldom exceeds the height of twenty feet, aud from which,, before the sun has risen, and after he has set, the land breeze comes loaded with the most delici- ous perfume. Under the wood there grows a rich short turf, apparently struggling to spread itself over the chalky rocks of which the entire island, or rather islands, seem to be composed ; and, as ' houses of the better orders are chiefly built w^' i: reach of the cool air from the water, they, with their little lawns and gardens, produce a lively and pleasing effect. As darkness had come on before the ship could be properly moored, no boats were permitted to BERMUDA. €9 le remark- iar bright- s so much , the depth ect of the suade oue, nan might mcuiring lees. Yet I less 'an iUeen icet rmuda are ne covered St, seldom om which, e has set, lost deUci- ows a rich 1 itselfovcr d, or rather ' houses • i: reach with tlieir Uvely and ship could rmitted to leave her that night ; but, at an early hour next morning, I embraced the first opportunity of going on shore. To reach St. George's, the capital of the colony, you are obliged to row, for several miles, up a narrow frith called the ferry, immediately on entering which, the scenery becomes in the high- est degree picturesque. Though still retaining its character of low, the ground, on each side, looks as if it were broken into little swells, the whole of them beautifully shaded with groves of cedar, and many of them crowned with country houses, as white as the drifted snow. But the fact is, that this appearance of hill and dale is owing to the prodigious number of islands which compose the cluster ; there being, in all, according to vulgar report, not fewer than three hundred and sixty-five; of which the largest exceeds not seven or eight miles in diameter. Yet it is only when you fol- low what at first you are inclined to mistake for a creek, or the mouth of a river, that you discover the want of vallies between these hills ; and even then, you are more apt to fancy yourself upon the bosom of a lake studded with islets, than steer- ing amid spots of earth which stand, each of them distinct, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. In the town of St. George's, there is literally nothing to be seen, at least nothing worthy of being repeated. It consists of about fifty or sixty houses, the glare from which, as they are all built jr3 M 70 B£RMUDA. of the chalk-stone, is extremely dazzling to the eyes. Jt is called the capital, because here the court-house stands, and the magisterial sittings are held; but in point of size, and, as far as I could learn, in every other respect, it is greatly ii^ferior to Hamilton, another town at the opposite extre- mity of the cluster, which I did not visit. A little way from St. George's, and on the summit of a bare rock, stand the barracks; fitted up for the accommodation of a thousand men ; and about a mile and a half beyond them, are the tanks, well worth the notice of travellers. The object of this work is to catch and preserve the rain, a measure which the total want of fresh springs through- out the colony renders absolutely necessary. There are, indeed, wells dug upon the beach, but the water in these is only sea-water, filtered and ren- dered brackish in making its way through the sand ; and by no means fit to be used, at le^st, in any quantity. To supply this deficiency, the bad elFectsofwhich were experienced in the unhealthi- ncss of many of the crews upon the American station, government was induced to Suild these tanks; consequently the water contained in them is the property of the king, and none but king's ships, with the troops in jrai^risou, are permitted, except in extreme cases, to be supplied from thence. The climate of Bermuda has been extolled by h i III) BERMUDA. 71 many, and among the rest by Mr. Moore in his odes and epistles, as, sahibrious and delightful. It is possible that he, and the rest of its eulogists, may have visited these islands, at a season of the year different from that in which I visited them, but to me the heat was beyond every thing oppressive. Lying, as they do, under the influence of a vertical sun, and abounding, in all directions, with cliffs of white chalk, it is obvious that the constant reflec- tion of the sun's rays thereby occasioned must be quite overpowering. If tl' 3se panegyrists mean to »8ay, that as long as you contrive to keep in the sliade, and if vou take care not to stir abroad till after sun-set; you will find the Bermudas deserv- ing of their title of summer-islands, then I will agree with tliem ; but I believe there is no man who ever walked the street of St. George's at noon, or any other spot where the sun-beams could reach him, that did not consider the heat as any- thing rather than temperate. But whatever may be thought of the climate, there can, 1 think, be but one opinion as to the soil. It is generally admitted, that there is no more unproductive spot of earth upon the face of the deep, than Bermuda. The only animals which appear to thrive are the goat, and tlie duck ; the cedar and a few calash trees are the only wood, and, except the most common kinds of vegelables, such as cabbages^ onions, and sweet f 4 i 7a BERMUDA. O potatoes ; I know of hardly another thing brought to perfection, even in the gardens. The fruits which a stranger may meet with, arc no doubt de- licious, since among them he will find the shaddock and the pine-apple; but for these, as well as for almost all their other comforts and luxuries, the Bermudians are indebted to the continent of Ame- rica, or to the West Indies. Whether this be owing to the natural sterility of the soil, or to the extreme indolence of the inhabitants, I cannot pretend to decide; though I should be inclined to suspect, that both were, in some degree, to blame; but its. consequences are felt by all visitors, in a very sen- sible manner, every article of living being here sold for thrice its intrinsic value. That provisions should be dear in this country cannot surprize, when it is considered, that this small island (for in spite of myself I cannot help regarding the whole pluster as one) is the general depot, and place of resort for repairs and stores, to a large proportion of the British navy, scattered along the coast of America; but, surely, if the natives were a little more industrious, they might afford to sell their goods at a cheaper rate, and at the same tijne to secure an equal, if not a greater profit. But their indolence is beyond all conception, and can be attributed only to, what I believe is its real cause, the facility with which they acquire fortunes, from men who are necessitated to give whatever BERMUDA. 73 they demand for the most trifling article. The poorest and meanest freeman upon the island, never dreams of applying his own hand, or even his own head, to the cultivation of the ground; and being abundantly supplied with negro slaves, they leave every thing, even the care of providing necessaries for themselves, to the industry of that ill-used race. You may perhaps consider me as too severe upon the Bermudians, but rest assured that I repeat only what I was told by some of them- selves; nor did I, from my own personal observation, discover any cause to question the veracity of my informers. In the praise bestowed by Mr. Moore upon the beauty of these regions, I do, however, most cordi- ally join. There is something bewitcbingly pretty, for pretty is perhaps the most appropriate epithet I could use, in every one of the many viev*'s which you may obtain from different points. The low and elegant cedar, the green short turf, the frequent recurrence of the white and dazzling rock, the con- tinual rise and fall of the numerous small islands, but above all, the constant intermingling of land and water, seem more like a drawing of fairy land, than a reality. There is nothing grand, nothing imposing, or calculated to excite any feeling boj- dcring upon the awful, throughout the whole; but \t is soft, gentle, and excjuisitely pleasing. Having spent the day at St. Cicorge's, I returned 74 3«:rmuda. on bo£vrd to sleep ; and on the morrow icaioved, with my baggage, to a transport then lying at anchor within the ferry, which was thenceforth to be my head quarters. There is, I am aware, an universal prejudice against transports, which I firmly believe to be not more general than unjust. There are few gales which the greater number of those in the English service will not ride out ; and there are few situations in which they are not suf- ficiently manned, to be manageable. For my own part, I confess my predilection for a transport rather than for a ship of war : because in the one, you are absolutely nothing, the captain being there all in all ; whilst in the other you are at least your own master, and have the command of your own men. To my new quarters I accordingly removed, without experiencing a shadow of regret ; and soon found reason to congratulate myself on the greater degree of liberty which I from that time enjoyed. You will readily believe, that a very small por- tion of my time was now wasted on board ship ; for economy's sake I usually slept there, because at the inn the charge for beds, as well as for every thing else, was enormous ; but all the hours of day- light were devoted to rowing round the ditferent islands, and climbing the difl'erent eminences, from whence the most extensive prospects were to be obtained. Among other curiosities, I was informed m BERMUDA. 75 of two caves in one of the little isles, distant about four or five miles from the place where we lay. Being assured that they were highly deserving of notice, I determined to visit them ; and setting off one evening, with several others, for that purpose, we reached the spot which had been pointed out to us, a little before dark. We fastened the boat to the stump of a tree, and were proceecling towards the caves, when a fine manly voice, singing one of the Irish melodies, attracted our attention. Being rather curious to discover who, in this extra- mundane place, had learnt to sing with so much taste, we followed the direction of the sound, till we came upon a party sitting under the shade of a tent, and like ourselves, enjoying the cool of the evening; on perceiving us, some of them came forward, and the satisfaction was mutual, when we recognized one another as ohl acquaintances. They urged us to relinquish our design, and to partake of their good cheer, with which, as the hour was late, we had small reluctance in com- plying ; and it was agreed, that instead of going on without proper guides, and at so unseasonable a time, we should breakfast together at the same spot in the morning, and proceed in a body to examine the caverns. Here, therefore, we remained till the moon had risen, when wc returned to our boat, and sailed back to the ship. Next morning every thing was got ready for the f;] U iii f 76 BERMUDA. expedition, but a heavy squall coming on, pre- vented us from setting out as early as we had intended ; as soon as this blew over, we took to our boat, and reached the place of rendezvous in time to share the remains of a good breakfast, which our friends had prepared for themselves and us. When it was finished, we supplied ourselves \vith torches from some dry branches of the calash 'jree, and headed by a guide, moved towards the mouth of the nearest and largest of the two caves. We descended into this by a ladder of sixteen steps, and arrived upon a broad ledge of rock, M'here we halted for a few minutes to light the torches, and accustom our vision to the gloom ; when both of these ends were attained, and we had advanced a few paces into the cave, a sight of the most inde- scribable sublimity burst upon us. The appearance was that of a huge Gothic cathedral, having its roof supported upon pillars of spar, moulded into the most regular shapes, and fluted and carved after the most exact models of architecture. The roc'' itself, however, was too lofty to be discerned, nor could the eye penetrate to any thing like an ex- tremity, all beyond a certain extent being wrapped in the most profound darkness ; but the flashes of light which at intervals streamed rut, as the glare of the torches fell upon pieces of sj)ar as clear as ciystal, and the deep echo of" our own voices as we spoke, inspired us with a feeling of" awe, bonlering BEUMUDA. 77 upon superstition. It is in such a situation as this, that the poorness and insignificance of human labour, most forcibly strikes the mind. The most magnificent church and abbey, with their sculp- tured pillars and vaulted ceilings, were thought of as mean in comparison of what was now before us ; nay, one could not help irragining, that these very churches and abbeys had been built in humble imitation of this, which looked like a temple reared by some beings more powerful than men. It seemed a shrine worthy of the genii of old, while yet they were in the zenith of their glory, and ere they had been driven from their thrones and oracles of darkness, by the light of Christianity. As we moved onward, we found the sides of the cave gradually narrow upon us, and the roof be- come lower and lower. There was, however, a continuance of the same fane-like appearance to the last, though growingmore and more contracted ; vill, finally, we were compelled to advance one by one, and to stoop in oulcr to prevent our heads from coming in contact Avith the rock. We had now gone as far as it was possible to go with any degree of comfort, and were informed by the guide, that we were upwards of three hundred yards from the entrance, when we found it expedient to wheel about, and to return to the open air. But the eflect of so sudden a change, tVoni darkness to light, was exceedingly disagreeable; insoniucli, that we has- ■ t Mi Ml m 78 BERMUDA. ■) , ., '< j; I u rj if i, tened into the smaller cave, as well for the purpose of deferring the moment of suffering, as to continue our search after the sublime. The entrance to this cavern is extremely dan- gerous, and not to be ventured upon without either a trusty, guide, or a thorough knowledge of the ground. After descending a ladder, not quite so deep as that which leads into the larger cave, you arrive at the brink of a fearful chasm, across which a flat stone, about two feet in width, is laid, con- necting the edges by a bridge of four or five feet in length. It is very fortunate that this frightful bridge is of no greater extent, for if you should chance to slip, or lose your balance whilst upon it, nothing could save you from being precipitated into the gulf. To what depth this chasm may reach, the guide could not inform us ; but that it is considerable, we discovered, by dropping a large stone, which we could hear for some time as it dashed against the projecting edges of the rock, and at length splashed, with a tremendous echo, into water. The man maintained, that the sea beat under the Inundation of the island as far as the spot where we now stood, and his story was rendered at least probable, by the number of pools of .salt- water, which we met with in the interior of the cave. After having visited the larger cavern, this cer- tainly appeared to disadv;intage ; but, had I beheld t ' BEItMUDA. 79 it first, or without seeing the other at all, I should have believed that nothing upon earth could sur- pass it for grandeur and beauty ; the only respect in which it is inferior to the other, being its size. The spar is as- clear, and proportionably as abundant ; the pillars are quite as regularly formed ; and it has even an advantage "Over its rival in two or three broken columns, which give to it the semblance of a temple in ruins. There is, also, in this cave, a strange propinquity of salt and fresh water pools ; the situation of two of which struck nie as pecu- liarly curious. They were divided from each other by a piece of rock not much thicker than a man*s hand ; and yet the water from the one tasted as if it had been taken from the German Ocean, while that from the otlicr was as fresh and pleasant as po-isible. We had by this time fully gratified our curiosity, and once more ascended to the world of sunshine ; the splendour of which was at first r^lmost insup- portable. Ijy degrees, however, our eyes became accustomed to the change, and reco'^ere* dieir original tone, when we separated, cacl>. party re- turning to its respective ship, in high gooil luimoiM" with the day's employment. But to dine (piietly on board was no longer en- durable. A tent was aciordingly carried on shore, and havingsoughtoutthe most shady .iud agreeable nook within a moderate distance of the vessel, our ' n ; I h f| I !' i m BERMUDA. M. «i^,i dinner was brought thither, and we spent the evening, as we had done the morning, among the works of nature. Here we remained till a late hour, talking over the adventures of the day, and oc'- casionally attempting a blind peep into futurity, till our friend, the moon, having risen, we again pulled on board by her light, and retired to sleep, and to dream of sparry domes and enchanted temples. ',T BERMUDA. 81 LETTER VII. Hurried away by the desire, so natural to most men, of speaking of myself, I have neglected to re- cord the occurrence of some incidents which you will probably consider as more interesting than any that I have yet told, because they relate to the expedition at large. In the first place I forgot to state, that we found Sir Alexander Cochrane in the Tonnant of eighty guns, waiting at Bermuda, to take upon himself the guidance of the fleet. In the next place, I did not inform you, that the secret of our destination transpired as soon as we had anchored off the island ; and that the bay of Che- sapeake is to be the theatre of our operations. Lastly, I omitted to mention, that on the 30th, our little army was reinforced by the junction of the 2 1st Fusileers ; a fuie battalion, mustering nine hiiii- dred bayonets. The evening before, a s([ua(hon of six frigates antl several transports appeared in the offinir, which by mid-day on the 30th were all at anchor in the roads. They proved to be from the, Mediterranean, having the 2 1st, 2<;th, and 62(1 Re- giments on board, of which the two latter were pro- 1- < I 1,1 f n I '} '■ i( Ifi BE.RMUDA. ceeding to join Sir George Prevost's army in Cana- da, while the former attached itself to that under the command of General Ross. By this very accept- able reinforcement, our numbers were increased to upwards of three thousand effective men, and a greater confidence in themselves, as well as a better grounded hope of success, in whatever en- terprize they might undertake, was at the same time givcu to the troops. Having already dwelt sufficiently upoa my own personal adventures at Bermuda, I shall not waste your time by a particular detail of the various pre- parations which during this interval were making throughout the fleet. Stores of provisions, fresh- water, ammunition, clothing, &c. were provided, and magazines for the future supply of the expe- dition establislied ; when on the 3d of August, all things being now complete, the ships once more got under weigh, and stood towards America. During the whole of this day, the wind was light and unsteady, conscijucntly little progress was made, no'* did the white rocks of Bernuida disappear till darkness concealed them ; but towards morning a fresher and more favourable breeze sprung up, and the rest of the voyage was performed in reasons blc ti»ne, and without the occurrence of any incident worthy of not'ce. The heal;, indeed, be- came more and more oppressive every day, and tlie irkscmencss of renewed confinement wa^ more !! in ii >.A\ AMERICA. 83 sensibly experienced from the long holiday which we had enjoyed on shore ; but, in other respects, every thing returned to its former state, till towards evening on the 14th, when a signal was made by the admiral, that land was in sight. As yet, how- ever, there was no appearance of it from the deck of our transport, nor, for a full half hour, couldour anxious gaze be rewarded by the slightest trace of what it sought; but, at the end of that time, the low sandy point of Cape Charles began to show itself, and we rejoiced in the prospect of a speedy release from the ennui of a sea-farina: life. The coast of America, at least in this quarter, is universally low and uninteresting; insomuch that foi some time before the land itself can be dis- cerned, forests of pines appear to rise, as it were, out of the water. It is also dan<>erous, from the immerous shoals antl sand-banks which run out, in many places, to a considerable extent into the sea; and which are so formidable, that no master of a vessel, unless he chance to be particularly well ac- quainted with the navigation, will venture to approach after dark. The fleet was accordingly anchored within a few miles of the shore, but no sooner had the day began to break, than the sails- were again hoisted ; and the ships steering under the influence of a leading wind, between the Capes Charles and Henry, stood in gallant style up the Chesapeake. .' ' 84 CHESAPEAKE. i l'!^ '< I ! r This noble bay is far too wide, and the land on each side, too flat to permit any but an indistinct glimpse of the shore, from the deck of a vessel which keeps well towards the middle. We could distinguish nothing, therefore, on either hand, except the tops of trees, with, occasionally, a wind- mill, or a light-house ; but the view of our own fleet was, in truth, so magnificent, as to prevent any murmuring on that account. Immediately on entering, we were joined by Admiral Cockburn with three line of battle ships, several frigates, and a few sloops of war and gun brigs, by which means, the squadron could now muster above twenty vessels entitled to display the pendant, besides an equal, if not greater number of victuallers and transports. Nor were we strengthened by this addition, in the naval part of tlie expedition alone. On board these ships was embarkctl a powerful reinforcement for the army, consisting of a batta- lion of seven hundred marines, an hundred negroes lately armed and disciplined, and a division of marine artillery ; so that we could now calculate on landing a corps of at least four thousand men. The sight was theretbrc altogether as grand and imposing as any I ever beheld ; because one could not help remembering that this powerful fleet was ailing in an enemy's bay, and was filled with troops for the invasion of that enemy's country. Thus, like a snow-ball, we had gathered as we CHESAPEAKE. 85 5? icrcd as wc went on, and from having set out a mere handful of soldiers, were now become an army formidable from its numbers as well as discipline. The shoals and sand-banks, which abound on the outside of the bay, continue to encumber the navigation after it is entered ; and the consequence was, that the fleet was compelled to anchor every night. This was, of course, the occasion of much delay. The first day's sail carried us to the mouth of the James river ; and the second to the mouth of the Potomac; but, on both occasions, we brought up at too great a distance from the beach, to permit a perfect or distinct view of either of these rivers. Opposite to the latter, indeed, we remained for a night and a considerable part of the follow- ing day, and the sky being remarkably clear, we saw something more of it, than we had been able to see of the other river. It appeared to be a fine piece of water making its w ay through the centre of huge forests, and, though the current is in reality strong, flowing on without any apparent motion. But it would have been impossible to trace its course, even had we been nearer the shore, above a few miles, on account of its numerous windings, the first of which, overshadowed as it is with wood, shuts it out from further observation, By continuing here so long, we had begun to conjecture that ^ landing somewhere on the banks of this river was in con- templation. In this, however, we were deceived, G 3 I.t %€ THE PATUXfiNT. I i! (i > u \ UM for about one o clock the fleet was again under sail, and moving towards tlie Patuxent ; a river which empties it elf into the bay, several m'ik'i aboVe the Potomac. '' It was singular enough, that the ships had carcely began to lift their anchors, when the sky, which had hitherto been clear and serene, became suddenly darkened, and overcast with heavy clouds; and the water, which before had been as smooth and blight as a mirror, began to rise in black waves tipped with foam, though there was not a breath of air to fill the sails. Hurricanes are, 1 believe, not unfrcquent in this part of the world, and it was expected that these changes in the sea and sky foreboded the arrival of one ; but it passed by without coming to any violence, and when we brought up, which was done in the evening, the clouds had dispersed, and the water « ds Hgain like a glassy lake. The 18th of August had now arrived, and as yet wc had got no farther than to the mouth of the Patuxent. There we lay, as we had done the day before, till noon, waiting, as it seemed, for a breeze ; but no sooner did the wind blow fair, than the fleet began to enter the river, and to make its way slowly and majestically against the stream. The sail became now picturesque and interesting in the highest degree. On each hand the banks were covered with fields of Indian corn, and mea- ■■ 3 THE PATUXENT. »7 clows of the most luxuriant pasture ; while the neat wooden houses of the settlers, all of them painted white, and surrounded with orchards and gardens, presented a striking contrast to the bound- less forests which formed a back ground to the scene. There was, in short, the most delightful mixture of art and nature that can possibly be con- ceived; different in every respect fror hat I had seen towards the skirts of the pine-w France. There, the country looked as if it h; i n ewly cleared, and as if there had not ... i.me to remove the furze, heath, and underwood, nor yet to burn or grub up the roots of the trees which had been felled. Here, there was the most com- plete line drawn between the regions devoted to cultivation, and those still in a state of nature. The banks of the river being tolerably high, and sloping gradually down to meet the water, the whole of this inclination is entirely cleared and cultivated, not a remnant of the original forest being left, ex- cept as much as is required to form the most beautiful hedge-rows and bounderies between the different fields and farms. The same appearance continues to the distance of perhaps half a mile from the water, the whole space being as perfectly free from wood, as if none had ever grown there ; when you arrive at once at the borders of forests through which no eye might pretend to penetrate, and no traveller ven- ture to seek his way. Without beholding the view^ G 4 %^ ^> ^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT.3) // ^.^^ 1.0 I.I 11.25 Itilil §15 |jo "^" M^ mm jm 1.4 ||^ Fhotograpte Sciences Corporalion ^ ' ^ \ ."' <\ '** >. 11 WIST MAIN STIHT VMMTH.N.V. I49M (7l*)l7a-4Ml 4^ \ ► >^ '^ '4^^ ^ ^ ^ \ 88 THE PATUXENT. ' Kl' it is impossible for any one to imagitie the effect produced by such scenery. Here, nature is seen in her grandest attire ; civilized man in his most piti- ful state. The rivers and forests are sublime beyond description, whilst the tiny spots, brought under the dominion of culture and civilization, appear only like petty thefts, from the wild beasts and wilder human inhabitants of these Savannas, which they care not to resent, because they are un- worthy of their notice. • ;. - :;u .^\-/r. « I need not inform you, that, in America, as well as in all other late discovered countries, the banks of navigable rivers are the first places peopled and cleared. The causes of this, you are as much aware of as I am ; namely, that the facility with which they can rid themselves of the trees, as they fell them; and perhaps, in some degree, the prospect of a constant supply of fish from the streams, induce settlers to select such situations, in preference to others further in the interior. These are, proba- bly, the motives which first influence them in their choice of spots, on which to bestow their labour ; and, if they have an eye to futurity, they will per- ceive that the same cause, which facilitated their operations in clearin*^, will supply an easy mode of conveying the produce of ibe soil to market, either at home or abroad. A sail up any of the rivers in America is, therefore, extremely beautiful, because they arc all skirted with the appearances of life THE PATUXENT. 89 and industry ; and the Patuxent being of some size, and considerable depth, you will believe that its banks are not inferior to those of other streams. We had not proceeded many miles from the river's mouth, when a telegraph from the admiral gave orders for the troops to be in readiness to land at a moment's notice. Every thing was therefore put in a state of forwardness ; provisions for three days, that is, three pounds of pork, and two pounds and a half of biscuit, were cooked and given to the men; the cartouch boxes were supplied \yith fresh ammunition, and the arms and accoutrements handed out. The fleet, however, continued to move on, without showing any inclination to bring up ; till, at length, having ascended to the distance of ten leagues from the bay, the ships of the line began to take the ground ; and, in a little while after, even the frigates could proceed no farther. Bu.., by this time, the sun had set, and darkness was coming on ; consequently, there was no possibility, for that day, of getting the troops on shore without much confusion, if not danger. All, therefore, re- mained quiet for the night, the soldiers being only moved from the large ships into such as drew least water ; and these running up as high as pru- dence would permit, under convoy of the gun-brigs and sloops of war. As soon as the dawn began to appear, on , the morning of the I9th, there was a general stir iii • 11 /I1 90 THE PATUXENT. F throughout the fleet. A gun-brig had already taken her station within an hundred and fifty yards of a village called St. Benedict's, on the left bank of the river, where it was determined that the dis- embarkation should be effected. Her broad-side was turned towards the shore, and her guns, loaded with grape and round shot, were pointed at the beach, to cover the landing of the boats ; and being moored fore and aft with spring-cables, she was altogether as manageable as if she had been under sail. . The rest of the ships were several miles lower down the stream, some of tbem being aground at the distance of four leagues from this point ; but the boats were quickly hoisted out from every one of them, and the river was covered in a trice, with a well-manned and warlike flotilla. The dis-embark- ation was conducted with the greatest iTgularity and dispatch. Though the stream ran strong against them, and some of them were obliged to row fourteen or fifteen miles backwards and for- wards, so strenuously did the sailors exert them- selves, that by three o'clock in the afternoon the whole army was landed and occupied a strong position about two mik ove the village. From what I have stated, respecting the gun- brig, you will perceive that all things were in readi- ness to meet and repel any opposition that might be offered. Her broadside being pointed directly towards the village, rendered it impossible for the !■ : ST. BJbN EDICTS. <91 enemy to bring down troops in tliat direction, and at the same time gave to out people an oppor- tunity of forming, and thus being able to meet, in good order, whatever force might be posted to hinder their advance up the country. Had a few pieces of artillery been mounted, indeed, upon the high ground, afterwards taken possession of by us, some execution might have been done upon the boats, as they drew towards the beach ; but even that would have been trifling, because, unless they had had leisure to heat their shot, no artillery in the open country could long stand before the fire of even a gun-brig, armed as this was, for the occa- sion, with long thirty-two pounders. Each boat- load of soldiers, likewise, drew up the moment they stepped on shore, forming line without any regard to companies or battalions; whilst parties were instantly dispatched to reconnoitre, and to take possession of every house, as well as to line every hedge, in fvont of the shore where their comrades were arriving. But these preparations, though no more than common prudence required, were un- necessary ; since there was not only no opposition to the landing, but, apparently, no enemy within many miles of the place. By the time the different regiments had occupied the ground allotted for them, the hospital and com- missariat stores were brought up, and all the material property arranged, the day was too far tifl J)2 ST. BENEDICTS. I spent to pennit an advance into a country, of the nature and military situation of which we were of course ignorant. The afternoon was accordingly devoted to a proper distribution of the force ; which was divided into three brigades, in the fol- lowing order. The first, or light brigade, consisted of the 85 th, the light infantry companies of the 4th, £ 1 st, and 44th regiments, with the party of disciplined negroes, and a company of marines, amounting in all to about eleven hundred men; to the command of which Col. Thornton, of the 83th regiment, was appointed. The second brigade was composed of the 4th and 44th regiments, mustering together fourteen hundred and sixty bayonets ; and was commanded by Col. Brooke, of the 44th ; and the third was made up of the 21st, and the battalion of marines, equaling in number the second brigade, and commanded by Col. Patterson, of the Slst. The whole of the infantry may, therefore, be esti- mated at four thousand and twenty men. Besides these, were landed about an hundred artillery-men, and an equal number of drivers ; but, for want of horses to drag them, no more than one six- pounder and two small three-pounder guns, were brought on shore. Except those belonging to the general and staff officers, there was not a single horse in the whole army. To have taken on shore a large part of artillery would have been, therefore, abso* , I ,, ST. BENEDICTS. 93 lute folly; since even the pieces which were landed, proved in the end of very little service, and were drawn hy seamen sent from the different ships for that purpose. The sailors, thus employed, may be rated at an hundred, and those occupied in carry- ing stores, ammunition, and other necessaries, at an hundred more ; and thus, by adding these, together with fifty sappers and miners, to the above amount, the whole number of men landed at St. Benedict's may be computed at four thousand five hundred. This little army was posted upon a height which rises at the distance of two miles from the river. In front was a valley, cultivated for some way, and intersected with orchards ; at the farther extre- mity of which the advanced piquets took their ground ; pushing forward a chain of sentinels to the very skirts of the forest. The right of the position was protected by a farm-house with its inclosure and out-buildings, and the left rested upon the edge of the hill, or rather mound, which there abruptly ended. On the brow of the hill, and about the centre of the line, were placed the cannon, ready loaded, and having lighted fusees beside them ; while the infantry bivouacked im- mediately under the ridge ; that is, upon the slope of the hill which looked towards the shipping ; in order to prevent their disposition from being seen by the enemy, should they come down to attack. But, as wc were now in a country, where we could ,i ji, I f./ m ST. BENEDICTS. not calculate upon being safe in rear, any more than in front, the chain of piquets viras carried round both flanks, and so arranged, that no attempt could be made to get between the army and the fleet, without due notice, ami time given to oppose and prevent it. Every thing, in short, was ar- ranged with the utmost skill, and every chance of surprise provided against ; but the night passed in quiet, nor was an opportunity afforded of evincing the very soidier-like dispositions which had been made. . ■.:h :;>■'♦ f. \ . ;'; ■■'•.:■ ; :':■', '-li' ' i-'. • A;.*: .:.,•':.:.,., •'.•■k '; 'dj-vi ' ; ,o .'•• ' ;. '. ■:■' ' ^.r.i', a} -';!"!.■• ;•}:•! ::■! 'H.i I,; ;(■[)■{/■' ; , ;;i ;;•:?■ !V! -lil^Si,.; -i: -;''i''; ( J^rijiu! >'^ .'i!;; . ::" r. ;..■ ;i v;;.( . .'■' ffJi!'.: A) rii:.i/y :. 'm "' ' -■ '. .' ' . in;.;;:'- • • . i\ 1 1'<>( ; 3 ; I'll > , . / ' ! i ' i) J .. .!.,.. . . . I ';:' ,■'.<. , . Ill ■:' .) 'V::'X r : ' :"i\7 : :n <<^-'v Arm' h'v ■ V ' •/!; !-.vV "i. :'t n^:: -If : • • iihr' ; i !.':■■: VPi BJLNEDICT iS. 95 y more carried ittempt and the oppose wras ar- atice of issed in vincing id been ■] ,. . y^iri • ' iri'i n\ , > •/:?.( .!;;. '.■■> I<'j':! ;•• Vi ';!t.(J{ .\i'.."u. ■ :«. ^' ' V".'.' ' 1 '. s : ; • ' ! ( -LETTER VIII. Next morning the troops, as is customary during a stAte of active warfare, were under arms an hour before day-light; and remained in position till after the sun had risen. It was then confidently expected that the column would be put in motion, though in what direction it was to proceed, or what was the object of the descent, none but the General himself appeared to know. A rumour, indeed, pre- vailed, that a flotilla of gun-boats upon the Patuxent, commanded by the American commo- dore Barney, was the point of attack ; and that while the land force advanced up the river to prevent their retreat, armed boats from the fleet were to engage them in front. That such was in reality the primary object of the landing, I have every reason to believe, though circumistances afterwards occurred to bring about a ch r^.2^e in the plan of operations. Into these, however, I shall not now enter, because they are in no way connected with the present stage of my narrative, but shall merely inform you, that in their expec- tations of an immediate advance, the troops were .1 .^iM ■iiu^r^i-^- ti i 96 Nottingham. disappointed. Whether it was that the arrange- ments had not been completed, or that inteUigence respecting the state of the country, and the enemy's preparations, was wanting, I do not know ; but the regiments returned to the ground which they had occupied during tlie night, and every thing resumed the same face which it had worn on the evening before. In this state affairs continued till four o'clock in the afternoon, when the general suddenly made his appearance in the camp, the bugles sounded, and the regiments formed in order for marching. Nor did many minutes elapse before the word was given, and the army began to move, taking the direction of Nottingham, a town situated on the river, where it was understood that the flotilla lay at anchor. The march was conducted with the same caution and good order that had marked the choice of ground for encamping, and the disposi- tion of the troops in position. The advanced guard consisting of three companies of infantry led the way. These, however, were preceded by a section of twenty men, moving before them at the distance of an hundred yards; and even these twenty were but the followers of two files, sent forward to prevent surprise, and to give warning of the approach of the enemy. Parallel with the head of the three companies marched the flank patroles ; parties of forty or fifty men, which ex- NOTTINGHAM. 97 tending in files from each side of the road, swept the woods and fields to the distance of nearly half a mile. After the advanced guard, leaving an in- terval of an hundred, or an hundred and fifty yards. Came the light brigade ; which, as well as the advance, sent out flankers to secure itself against ambuscades. Next to it, again, inarched the second brigade, moving steadily on, and leaving the skirmishing and reconnoitering to those iii front ; then came the artillery, consisting, as I have already stated, of one six and two three-pounder guns, drawn by seamen ; and last of all came the third brigade, leaving a detachment at the same distance from the rear of the column, as the ad- vanced guard was from its front. 1 In moving through an enemy's country, the journies of an army will, except under particulai* circumstances, be regulated by the nature of the ground over which it passes : thus, though eight, ten, or even twelve miles may be considered as a short day's march, yet if at the end of that space an advantageous position occur, (that is, a piece of ground well defended by natural or accidental bar- riers, and at the same time calculated for the opera- tions of that species of force, of which the army may be composed) ic would be the height of impru- dence to push forward, merely because a grieater extent of country might be traversed without fatiguing the troops. On the other hand, should H 98 NOTTINGHAM. , an army have proceeded for eighteen, twenty, or even twenty-five miles, without the occurrence of any such position, nothing except the prospect of losing a large proportion of his men from weari- ness, ought to induce a general to stop, until he has reached some spot at least more tenable than the rest. Our iparch to-day was, upon this prin- ciple, extremely short, the troops halting when they ihad arrived at a rising ground, distant not more than six miles from the point whence they had set out ; and having stationed the piquets, planted the centinels, and made such other arrangements as the case required, fires were lighted, and the men suffered to lie down. It may seem strange, but it is nevertheless true, that. during this short march of six miles, a greater number of soldiers dropped out of the ranks, and fell behind, fr^om fatigue, than I recollect to have seen in any march in the Peninsula of thrice its duration. The fact is, that the men, from having been so long cooped up in ships, and unused to carry their baggage and arms, were become re- laxed and enervated, to a degree altogether unna- tural ; and this, added to the excessive sultriness of the day, which exceeded any thing we had yet experienced, quite overpowered them. The load which they carried, likewise, was far from trifling, since, independent of their arms and sixty .rounds of ball cartridge, each man bore upon his NOTTINGHAM. 99i back a knapsack, containing shirts, shoes, stockings, &c. a blanket, a haversack, with provisions for three days, and a canteen or wooden keg, filled with water. Under these circumstances, the occurrence of the position was extremely fortunate, since not only would the spftedy failure of light have com- pelled a halt, whether the ground was favourable or the reverse ; but even before darkness had come on, scarcely two-thirds of the soldiers would have been found in their places. ' '. " The ground upon which we bivouacked, though not remarkable for its strength, was precisely such as might tempt a general to halt, who found his men weary, and in danger of being benighted. • It was a gentle eminence, fronted by an open and cultivated country, and crowned with two or three houses, having barns and walled gardens attached to them. Neither flank could be said to rest upon any point peculiarly well defended, but they were not exposed ; because, by extending or condensing the line, almost any one of these houses might be converted into a protecting redoubt. The out- posts, again, were so far arranged differently from those of yesterday, that, instead of covering only the front and the two extremities, they extended completely round the encampment, inclosing the entire army withiua connected chain of centinels : and precluding the possibility of even a single indi- vidual making his way within the lines, unperceived. H 2 m f £'!2LI0THK:A J 100 NOTTINGHAM. I I These precautions were, however, like those of the preceding day, unnecessary, no enemy making his appearance, even to reconnoitre; and yet it Cannot be said that the night was passed in unin- terrupted quiet, for the troops had scarcely lain down, when they were disturbed by a tremendous storm of thunder and lightning, accompanied by a heavy fall of rain. The effect of the lightning, as it glanced for a moment upon the bivouac, and dis- played the firelocks piled in regular order, and the men stretched like so many corpses beside them, was extremely fi*ie; the effect of the rain, how- ever, was not so agreeable, for being perfectly destitute of shelter, we were speedily wet to the skin ; and tlie rem: * nler of our resting time was rendered thereby the reverse of comfortable. But the feeling of fretfulness natural on such an occa- sion, lasted no longer than till the day dawned, and the line of march was again formed ; when their former good humour returning, and seasoned, in some degree, by the fatigues of yesterday, the troops moved on m excellent order, and in the highest spirits. The route to-day was different, in many respects, from that of yesterday. In the first place, we had how got l)eyon1 404 NOTTINGHAM. u »''' hundred inhabitants) complete!/ deserted. Not an individual was to be seen in the streets, or remained in: the houses ; while the appearance of the furni- ture, &c., in some places the very bread left in the oVens, showed that it had been evacuated in great haste, and immediately before our arrival. The town itself stands upon the banks of the Patuxent, and consists of four short streets, two running pa- rallel with the river, and two others crossing them at right angles; The houses are not such as indi- cate the wealth or grandeur of the owners, being in general built of wood, and little superior to cot- tages; but it is surrounded by others of a much; better description, which convey the idea of good substantial farm-houses, a species of mansion very> common in the United States. For several miles round, the country was in a high state of cultiva-; tion ; but instead of the maize and wheat which wo had hitherto seen, the fields were covered with an abundant and luxuriant crop of tobacco. This plant seems, indeed, to be at all times the staple commodity of that district ; for, besides what was. growing and unripe, we found numerous bams filled with the remains of last year's crop ; the whole of which was of course seized in the name of His Majesty, King George the Third. But in the main object of our pursuit we were disap- pointed. The flotilla, which had been stationed opposite to Nottingham, retired, on our approach. H MARLBOROUGH. 105 higher Up the stream ; and we were consequently in the situation of a huntsman who sees his hounds at fault, and has every reason to apprehend that his game will escape. : <;. : • i ( i i ' :.. . - ; In this posture, the army continued during the night, having its right defended by the river, and its left extending considerably beyond the town; and secured, as usual, by a connected chain of outposts ; nor was it put in motion, as had been done the day before, as soon as there was sufficient light to distinguish objects. There seemed, indeed, to be something like hesitation as to the course to be pursued, — whether to follow the gun-boats, or to return to the shipping ; but, at last, the former proceeding was resolved upon, and the column set forward about eight o'clock, in the direction of Marlborough, another village, about ten miles be- yond Nottirigham. The road by which we tra- velled, as well to-day as during the whole of this excursion, was remarkably good ; in some places rather heavy, from being cut through a sandy soil, but in general hard, dusty, and, to use an expressive phrase, having a sound bottom. Running, as it did for the most part, through the heart of thick £Drests, it was also well sheltered from the rays of the sun; a circumstance which, in a climate like this, is of no slight importance. To-day, our whole journey was of this description, nor did we reach a single cultivated spot till we approached the vicinity ' »• \ 1 106 MARLBOROUGH. of Marlborough; then, indeed, we found ourselves in a counti'y not more fertile than beautiful. The grotind which had been hitherto perfectly flat, was now broken into the most graceful swells, gene- rally cleared of wood to within a short space of the summits, and then crowned with hoar and venerable forests. The village itself lies iix a valley, formed by two such hills ; the distance from the base of one hill to the base of the other, may be about two miles, the whole of which was laid out in fields of corn, hay, and tobacco ; whilst the slopes them- selves were covered with sheep, for whose suppdrt they furnished ample means. But Marlborough is not, like an English village, compact, and consist- ing of one or two lanes : the houses are scattered over the plain, and along the sides of the hills, at considerable intervals from one another, and are all surrounded by orchards and gardens, abounding in peaches and other fruits of the most delicious fla- vour. To add to the beauty of this place, a small rivulet makes its way through the bottom, and winding round the foot of one of these ridges, falls into the Patuxent, which flows at its back. During our progress to-day, the same caution was observed which had been practised yesterday. Nor was it altogether unnecessary, several bodies bf the enemy's horse occasionally showing them- selves ; and what appeared to be the rear guard of a column of infantry evacuating Marlborough, as ii MARLBOROUGH. 107 our advance entered. There was, however, little or no skirmishing, and we were allowed to remain in the village all night without molestation. But if we were not harassed, we were at least startled on the march by several heavy explosions. The cause of these we were at first unable to discover ; but we soon learnt that they were occasioned by the blowing up of the very squadron of which we were in pursuit; which Commodore Barney, perceiving the impossibility of preserving, prudently destroyed, in order to prevent its falling into our hands. In Marlborough we remained not only during the night, but till past noon on the following day* The hesitation which had caused the loss of a few hours at Nottingham, again interfered, and pro* duced a delay which might have been attended with serious consequences. At length, however^ orders were given to form, and we quitted Marl- borough about two in the afternoon, taking the road to Washington. During this day's march, there was more skirmishing than had yet occurred. We had scarcely got above three miles from the village, when the advanced guard fell in with a party of rifle-men, who maintained a sharp contest before they gave way. The column, however^ continued to move on without molestation, till arriving at a point where two roads meet, the one leading to Washington, the other to Alexandi;iav a strong body of troops, with some artillery, were \ ) I (! ro8 WOODYAUD. observed upon the slope ot* a height opposite. The capture of Washington was now the avowed object of our invasion, but the General, like an ex- perienced officer, was desirous of keeping his enemy in the dark, as to his plan of operations. ' While the advanced guard, therefore, reinforced by two additional companies, marched directly for- ward to dislodge the party from the heights; the rest of the army wheeled to the left, taking the road which leads, not to Washington, but to Alexandria. These movements were not lost upon the enemy ; who, observing by the dust in what direction the main body had filed off, immediately began to retreat, without waiting for the approach of the detachment sent against them. As they ascended the hill, however, they made a show pf halting and forming a line. Our men moved steadily on, in column, covered by one company •in extended order along the front, but the enemy ^laving merely thrown a few round shot, with great precision, among the skirmishers, broke once again into marching order, and were quickly hid by the rising ground. As soon as they had disappeared, the advance halted ; and having remained for about an hour on a little hill, to watch their motions, turned to the left, and followed the rest of the army, which they found advantageously posted at a place called Woodyard. , , , ., i.<^ WOODYARD. 109 LETTER VIII. I HAD almost forgotten to inform you, that from the first moment of our landing, the want of cavalry, so useful in obtaining information, and reconnoi- tering the open country, was very sensibly felt. To remedy this evil, as far as it could by such means be remedied, orders had been issued to catch and bring in all the horses that were found in the fields or stables of any houses along the road ; and these orders being punctually obeyed, there were now fifty or sixty in the camp. Upon these some of the artillery drivers were mounted, and the com- mand of the troop being given to an oflScer of experience, it was found of great service during the remainder of the march. The advanced guard having joined the main body, the whole army, with the exception of a party which had been sent to the rear, to briiig up a convoy of provisions, was now bivouacked upon a rising ground, well defended by hedge rows and thickets. The night, however, was not spent in as much quietness as usual. It was late before the troops got to the ground, consequently the piquets, 111 110 MARCH TO WASHINOTON. i, \ ! for want of light, could not be posted in their cus- tomary good order, neither had there been time to examine the country in the neighbourhood of the position. The out-posts were, therefore, kept in a state of constant anxiety by the frequent appear- ance of small parties of the enemy, who hovered about, probably with the design of cutting off stragglers, or perhaps of surprising, if they could) some of the piquets themselves. But whatever their intentions might be, the vigilance of the centries contrived to render them abortive, nor did aay thing occur, during the night, produc- tive of secious alarm; and the following day, being joined by the convoy which came up in safety, the column was again in motion, hastening across the country into the high road, which had been de- serted tor no other purpose than to mislead the Americans. Having started, on the 24th, at an early hour, our march was, for some time, both cool and agreeable. The road, if road it could be called, wound for the first five miles through the heart of an immense forest, and being, in every sense of the word, a by-path, was completely overshadowed by projecting branches of trees, so closely interwoven, as to prevent a single sun-beam from making its way, even at noon, within the arch. We con- tinued to move on, therefore, long after the sun had risen, without being sensible that there was MARCH TO WASHINGTON. Ill not a clpud in the sky to screen us firpm his influ- ence ; whilst a heavy moisture, continually emitted from the grass and weeds on both sides of us, pro- duced a coolness, which, had it been less confined, would have been extremely pleasant. So far, then, we proceeded without experiencing any other in- convenience than what was produced by the damp and foetid atmosphere which we breathed ; but no sooner had we began to emerge from the woods, and to enter the open country, than an overpow- ering change was perceived. Th;; sun, from which we had been hitherto defended, now beat upon us in full force ; and the dust rising in thick masses from under our feet, without a breath of air to disperse it, flew directly into our faces, occa- sioning the greatest inconvenience both to the eyes and resphation. I have stated this to you, at length, because I do not recollect a period of my life when I suffered more severely from heat and fatigue ; and as a journey of a few miles, under such circumstances, tells more than one of thrice the distance in a cool day, and along a firm wintry road, you cannot wonder that before many hours, had elapsed, numbers of men began to fall behind, from absolute inability to keep up. Yet, in spite of all this, there was that in to-day's march which rendered it infinitely more interesting than any we had performed since the landing. We liad learnt, from various quarters, that tlie e|iemy lis MARCH TO WASHINOTOTf. i was concentrating his forces for the purpose of hazarding a battle in defence of his capital. The truth of these rumours we had no cause to doubt, confirmed as they were by what we had ourselves witnessed only the evening before, and the aspect of various fields on each side of the high road> (which we had now regained,) where smoking ashes, bundles of straw, and remnants of broken victuals were scattered about, indicated that considerable bodies of troops had passed the night in this neigh- bourhood. The appearance of the road itself, likewise, in7 printed as it was with fresh marks of many feet avid hoofs, proved that these troops could be no great way before us ; whilst our very prox- imity to Washington, being now distant from it not more than ten or twelve miles, all tended to assure us, that we should at least see an American army before dark. > •■ . > - > » >i It was now th-^t wc experienced the great use- fulness of our badly mounted troopers, or as they were called by the private soldiers our cossacks. The country, from being extremely close, had be- come open on every side to a considerable extentj^ although thick groves, instead of hedges, frequently separated one field from another. This was exactly the ground on which cavalry could act with ad- vantage; because they migiii lie in ambush be* hind these groves, totally in-perct^ved, anii when an opportunity offered, cliarge the column, before MARCH. 113 mencan it had time to prepare for their reception. Tliere were one or two places, indeed, where such events were confidently anticipated ; whole rows of paling having been pulled up from the side of the road, and open spaces left, through which several squad- rons of horse might gallop ; and the consequence was that every man held his breath in expectation, and prepared himself to form square in a moment. It was here, I say, that the mounted drivers became peculiarly useful. They were divided into small parties of six or eight, and sent out in different directions to reconnoitre, two of them generally taking post at every suspicious comer, that one might give notice to the column, while the other watched the motions of an enemv. It so happened that these precautions were un- necessary, for whatever might be the strength of the Americans in cavalry, their General did not think fit to employ it in harassing our march. But the very knowledge that every danger was pro- vided against, and that they could not be at.acked without having time to make ready, gave to the soldiers a degree of steady confidence which they would otlierwise have wanted ; and the want of which, had the case been different, might have been productive of disorder at a moment w;hen good order was of vital importance. : ... - We had now proceetled about nine miles, during the last four of which the sun's rays had beat con- I 114 MAUCH. 'hi <': !! '■ tinualiy upon us, and wc had inhaled almost as great a quantity of dust as of air. Numbers of men hud already fallen to the rear, and many more could with dirticulty keep up ; consequently, if we pushed on much further without resting, the chances were that at least one half of the army would be left behind. To prevent this from hap- pening, and to give time for the stragglers to over- take the column, an halt was determined upon, and being led forward to a spot of ground well wooded, and watered by a stream which crossed the road, the troops were ordered to refresh them- selves. Perhaps no halt ever arrived more season- ably than this, or bid fair to be productive of more beneficial effects ; and yet so oppressive was the heat, that we had not resumed ourmarcli above an hour, when the banks by tlie way side were again covered with stragglers ; some of the finest and stoutest men in the arniy l>eing literally unable to go on. The hour of noon was aj)proaching, when a heavy cloud of dust, apparently not more than two or three miles distant, attracted our attention. From whence it originated there was little dif- ficulty in guessing, nor did many minutes expire before surmise was cbange5cd, and formed upon the 14 120 BLADXNSBURG. Vf I V right bank of the river ; when the 44th Regiment moving to the right, and driving in the skir- mishers, debouched upon the left flank of the Americans, and completely turned it. In that quarter, therefore, the battle was won ; because the raw militia-men, who were stationed there as being the least assailable point, when once broken could not be rallied. But on their right, the enemy still kept their ground with much resolution ; nor was it till the arrival of the 4th Regiment, and the advance of the Ei itish forces in firm array, to the charge, that they began to waver. Then, indeed, seeing their left in full flight, and the 44th getting in their rear, they lost all order, and dispersed, leav- ing clouds of riflemen to cover their retreat ; and hastened to conceal themselves in the woods, where it would have been vain to follow them. The rout was now general throughout the whole line. The reserve, which ought to have supported the main body, fled as soon as those in its front began to give way; and the cavalry, instead of charging the British troops, now scattered in pur- suit, turned their horses' heads and galloped off, leaving them in undisputed possession of the field, and of ten out of the twenty pieces of artillery. This battle, by which the fate of the American capital was decided, began about one o'clock in the afternoon, and lasted till four. The loss on the part of the English was severe, since, out of BLAD£NSfiURO. 121 two-thirds of the army, which were engaged, up- wards of five hundred men were killed and wounded ; and what rendered it doubly severe was, that among these were numbered several officers of rank and distinction. Colonel Thornton who commanded the light brigade ; Lieutenant Colonel Wood commanding the 85th Regiment, and Major Brown who had led the advanced guard, were all severely wounded ; and General Ross himself had a horse shot under him. On the side of the Ame- ricans the slaughter was not so great. Being in possession of a strong position, they were of course less exposed in defending, than the others instorni- ing it; and had they conducted themselves with coolness, and resolution, it is not conceivable how the day could have been won. But the fact is, that, with the exception of a party of sailors from the gun boats, under the command of Commodore Barney, no troops could behave worse than they did. The skirmishers were driven in as soon as attacked, the first line gave way without offering the slightest resistance, and the left of the main body was broken within half an hour after it was seriously engaged. Of the sailors, however, it would be injustice not to speak in the terms which their conduct merits. They were employed as gunners, and not only did they serve their guns with a (]uickness and precision which astonished 1S2 BLADENSBURO. I their assailants, but they stootl till some of them were actually bayoneted, with fusees in their hands; nor was it till their leader was wounded and taken, and they saw themselves deserted on all sides by the soldiers, that they quitted the field. With respect to the British army, again, no lin« of distinction can be drawn. All did their dntv, and none more gallantly than the rest ; and though the brunt of the affair fell upon the light brigade, this was owing chiefly to the circumstance of its being at the head of the column, and perhaps, also, in some degree, to its own rash impetuosity. The artillery, indeed, could do little ; being unable to show itself in presence of a force so superior; but tlie six-pounder was nevertheless brought into action, and a corps of rockets proved if striking utility. Our troops being worn down from fatigue, and of course as ignorant of the country, as tlie Ame- ricans were the reverse, the pursuit could not be continued to any distance. Neither was it at- tended with much slaughter. Diving into the re- cesses of the forests, and covering themselves with riflemen, the enemy were quickly beyond our reach ; ami having no cavalry to scour even the high road, ten of the lightest of their guns wc" carri jd off in the flight The defeat, however, was absolute, and the army, which hail been collected *• BLADENSBURG. 123 for the defence of Washington, was scattered beyond the possibility of, at least, an immed. 3 reunion; and as the distance from Bladensburg to that city does not exceed four miles, there ap- peared to be no further obstacle in the way, to prevent its immediate capture. 'i ii- -(. P .1 m vu WASHINGTOIV. LETTER X. iii ^•- Yh I I An opportunity so favourable was not endan- gered by any needless delay. While the two brigades which had been engaged, remained upon the field to recover their order, the third, which had formed the reserve, and was consequently un- broken, took the lead, and puslicd forward at a rapid rate towards Washington. As it was not the intention of the British go- vernment to attempt permanent conquests in this part of America; and as the General was well aware that, with a handful of men, he could not pretend to establish himself, for any length of time, in an enemy's csjr'tal, he determined to lay it under contribution, and to return quietly to the shipping. Nor was there any thing unworthy of the character of a British officer, in this determina- tion. By all the customs of war, whatever public property may chance to be in a captured town, be- comes, confessedly, the just spoil of the conqueror ; and in thus proposing to accept a certain sum of money in lieu of that property, he was showing mercy, rather than severity, to the vanquished. It is true, that if they chose to reject his terms, he WASHINGTON. 125 and his army would be deprived of their booty, be- cause, without some more convenient mode of transporting it than we possessed, even the portable part of the property itself could not be removed. But, on the other hand, there was no difficulty in destroying it; and thus, though we should gain nothing, the American government would lose probably to a much greater amount than if they had agreed to purchase its preservation by the money demanded. Such being the intention of General Ross, he did not march the troops immediately into the city, but halted them upon a plain in its immediate vi- cinity, whilst a flag of truce was sent in with terms. But whatever his proposal might have been, it was not so much as heard ; for scarcely had the party bearing the flag entered the street, than they were fired upon from the windows of one of the houses, and the horse of the General himself, who accompanied them, killed. You will easily believe, that conduct so unjustifiable, so di- rect a breach of the law of nations, roused the indignation of every individual, from the General himself down to the private soldier. All thoughts of accommodation were instantly laid aside ; the troops advanced forthwith into the town, and having first put to the sword all who were found in the house from which the shots were fired, and reduced it to ashes, they proceeded, without a m m 126 WASHINOTOy. li m moment's delay, to burn and destroy every thing in the most distant degree connected with govern- ment. In this general devastation were included the Senate-house, the Presid<;nt's palace, an ex* tensive dock-yard and arsenal, barracks for two or three thousand men, several large store-houses filled with naval and military stores, some hundreds of cannon of different descriptions, and nearly twenty thousand stand of small arms. There were also two or three public rope-works which shared the same fate, a fine frigate pierced for sixty guns, and just ready to be launched, several gun-brigs and armed schooners, with a variety of gun-boats and small craft. The powder magazines were of course set on fire, and exploded with a tremendous crash, throwing down many houses in their vici- nity, partly by pieces of the walls striking them, and partly by the concussion of the air ; whilst quantities of shot, shell, and hand-grenades, which could not otherwise be reridered useless, were tiirown into the river. In destroying the cannon, a lethod was adopted, which I had never before witnessed, and which, as it was both effectual and expeditious, I cannot avoid relating. One gun of rather a small calibre, was pitched upon as the executioner of the rest ; and being loaded with ball, and turned to the muzzles of the others, it was fired, and thus beat out their breechinffs. Many, however, not being mounted, could not be WASHINGTON. 127 thus dealt with ; these were spiked, and having their trimions knocked off, were afterwards cast into the bed of the river. All this was as it should be, and had the arm of vengeance been extended no farther, there would not have been room given for so much as a whisper of disapprobation. But, unfortunately, it did not stop here ; a noble library, several printing offices, and all the national archives were likewise com- mitted to the flames, vrhich, though no doubt the property of government, might better have been spared. It is not, however, my intention to join the outcry, which will probably be raised, against, what they will term a line of conduct at once bar- barous and unprofitable. Far from it; on the contrary, I cannot help admiring the forbearance and humanity of the British troops, since, irritated as they had every right to be, they spared as far as was possible, all private property, not a single house in the place being plundered or destroyed, except that from which the general's horse had been killed ; and those which were accidentally thrown down by the explosion of the magazines. While the third brigade was thus employed, the rest of the army, having recalled its stragglers, and removed the wounded into Bladensbu g, began its march towards Washington. Though the battle was ended by four o'clock, the sun had set before the different regiments were in a condition to M H W^ ' ■: f\ mm I II 1S8 WASHINGTON. e r« move, consequently this short journey was per- formed in the dark. The work of destruction had also begun in the city, before they quitted their gr'^und; and the blazing of houses, ships, and stores, the report of exploding magazines, and the crash of falling roofs, informed them, as they pro- ceeded, c*" what was going forward. You can con- ceive nothing finer than the sight which met them as they drew near to the town. The sky was bril- liantly illumined by the different conflagrations ; and a dark red light was thrown upon the road, sufficient to permit each man to view distinctly his comrade's face. Except the burning of St. Se- bastian's, I do not recollect to have witnessed, at any period of my life, a scene more striking or more sublime. Having advanced as far as the plain, where the reserve had previously paused, the first and second brigades halted ; and, forming into close column, passed the night in bivouack. At first, this was agreeable enough, because the air was mild, and weariness made up for what was wanting in com- fort. But towards morning, a violent storm of rain, accompanied with thunder and lightning, came on, which disturbed the rest of all those who were exposed to it. Yet, in spite of the disagrce- ableness of getting wet, I cannot say that 1 felt disposed to gninjble at the interruption, for it ap- peared that what I had before considered as super- lative! * plete. brilliar roofs drownc only in and of one exj I nee of the i this was of the s dreamt < city; n< began t( with dis providin credibly with the till the ance. courage informer (liscerni sence w.'i the arnn and exhc back to feast for WASHINGTON. 129 was per- :tion had ted their hips, and i, and the they pro- i can con- met them was bril- igrations ; the road, distinctly r of St. Se- tnesscd, at itriking or where the md second e column, this was mild, and 12 in com- ; storm of lightning, those who c disagree- that 1 felt , for it ap- d as super- latively sublime, still wanted this to render it com- plete. The flashes of lightning seemed to vie in brilliancy, with the flames which burst frbm the roofs of burning houses, while the thunder drowned the noise of crumbling walls, and was only interrupted by the occasional roar of cannon^ and of large dep6ts of gunpowder, as they one by one exploded. I need scarcely observe, that the consternation of the inhabitants was complete, and that to them this was a ni^tof terror. So confident had they been of the success of their troops, that few of them had dreamt of quitting their houses, or abandoning the city ; nor was it till the fugitives from the battle began to rush in, filling every place as they came with dismay, that the President himself thought of providing for his safety. That gentleman, as I was credibly informed, had gone forth in the morning with the army, and had continued among his troops till the British forces began to make their appear- ance. Whether the sight of his enemies cooled his courage or not, I cannot say, but, according to my informer, no sooner was the glittering of our arms discernible, than he began to discover that his pre- sence was more wanted in the senate than with the army ; and having ridden through tlie ranks, and exhorted every man to do his duty, he hurried back to his own house, that he might prepare a feast tor the entertainment of his officers, when K '!,;• 130 WASHINGTON. n they should return victorious. For the truth of these, details, I will not be answerable ; but this much I know, that the feast was actually prepared, though, instead of being devoured by American officers, it went to satisfy the less delicate appetites of a party of English soldiers. When the detach- ment, sent out to destroy Mr. Maddison's house, entered his dining parlour, they found a dinner- table spread, and covers laid for forty guests. Se- veral kinds of wine, in handsome cut-glass decanters, were cooling on the side-board ; plate-holders stood by the fire-place, filled with dishes and plates; knives, forks and spoons, were arranged for imme- diate use ; in short, every thing was ready for the entertainment of a ceremonious party. Such were the arrangements in the dining-room, whilst in the kitchen were others answerable to them in every respect. Spits, loaded with joints of various sorts, turned before the fire ; pots, saucepans, and other culinary utensils, stood upon the grate ; and all the other requisites for an elegant and substantial repast, were exactly in a state which indicated that they had been lately and precipitately aban- doned. You will readily imagine, that these preparations were beheld, by a party of hungry soldiers, with no indifferent eye. An elegant dinner, even though considerably over-dressed, was a luxury to which few of tliem, at least for some time back, had been WASHINGTON. ISt truth of but this prepared, Vmerican appetites e detach- I's house, a dinner- ests. Se- decanters, iders stood id plates; for imme- idy for the Such were lilst in the 111 in every rious sorts, and otlicr > ; and all substantial indicated itely aban- reparations Idiers, with vcn though y to which , had been accustomed ; and which, after the dangers and fa- tigues of the day, appeared peculiarly inviting. They sat down to it, therefore, not indeed in the most orderly manner, but with countenances which would not have disgraced a party of aldermen at a civic feast; and having satisfied their appetites with fewer complaints than would have probably escaped their rival gourmands, and partaken pretty freely of the wines, they finished by setting fire to the house which had so liberally entertained them. ■ ' ; ; But, as I have just observed, this was a night of dismay to the inhabitants of Washington, They were taken completely by surprise ; nor could the arrival of the flood be more unexpected to the na- tives of the antediluvian world, than the arrival of the British army to them. The first impulse of course tempted them to fly, and the sti'eeta were in consequence crowded with soldiers and senators, men, women and children, horses, car-^ riages, and carts loaded with household furniture, all hastening towards a wooden bridge which crosses the Potomac. The confusion thus occa- sioned was terrible, and the crowd upon the bridge was such as to endanger its giving way. But Mr. Maddison, having escaped among the first, was no sooner safe on the opposite bank of the river, than he gave orders that the bridge should be broken down ; which being obeyed, the rest were obliged I m 11 . <\ K o 132 WASHINGTON. to return, and to trust to the clemency of the victors. In this manner was the night passed by both parties ; and at day-break next morning, the hght brigade moved into the city, while the reserve fell back to a height, about half a mile in the rear. Little, however, now remained to be done, because every thing marked out for destruction, was already consumed. Of the senate-house, the President's palace, the barracks, the dock-yard, &c. nothing could be seen, except heaps of smoking ruins ; and even the bridge, a noble structure upwards of a mile in length, was almost wholly demolished. There was, therefore, no farther occasion to scatter the troops, and they were accordingly kept to- gether as much as possible on the Capitol hill. Of the city of Washington, I have purposely declined attempting any minute description, be- cause it possesses no leading features, by catching which one might convey to a person who has not seen it, something like an accurate notion of the whole. It is, as you arc well aware, completely in its infancy, few of the streets being finished, and many containing not more than three or four houses at wide intervals from each other. But &om its situation, it derives every possible advan- tage, and if it continue to be the capital of the United States for another century, it will !)ecome, I doubt not, one of the most flourishing cities in the w comm out th better thePc rivers i the de] for son sesses i tensive such as reach ( latter a doxical of its c) was bro the Am fidcncc any oth tcmplat or hac in retai sign, abandoi the tota Like men ted house, I This, he WASHINGTON'. rJa of the by both the light serve fell the rear. , because IS already resident's nothing ig ruins; pwards of jmolished. to scatter kept to- ^l hill, purposely ption, be- f cetching to has not ion of the ipletely in ished, and e or four her. But ble advan- tal of the ill l)econie, cities in the worM. America is, and always will be, a commercial nation, nor can a single town through- out the whole of that vast continent boast of a better harbour than Washington. It stands upon the Potomac, one of the most navigable of all the rivers that empty themselves into the Chesapeake ; the depth of which is sufficient to float a frigate for some way alx)ve the town ; it therefore prts- sesses many facilities for the carrying on of an ex- tensive trade ; whilst its distance from the coast is such as to place it, in a great measure, beyond reach of insult from an enemy. To state this latter as one of its advantages, may appear para- doxical in one who has just related the particulars of its capture ; but the truth is, that t'lis capture was brought about more by the cxfreriie folly of the American government, and their absurd con- fidence that it would never be attempted, than by any other cause. Had the emergency been con- templated, and in a proper manner provided against, or had any skill and courage been displayed in retarding the progress of our troops, the de- sign, if formed at all, would have been either abantain their thirty-five jyond the le retreat sure; our ttingham, , for the however, idleness, iches, and ream, and On board )unded as ttcr were )oil which oyed, the tavahy was sent back as far as Marlborougli,, to discover whether there were any American forces in pursuit ; and it was well for the few stragglers who had been left behind, that this recognizance was made. Though there appeared to be no dis- position on the part of the American general to follow our steps, and to harass the retreat, the in- habic-^nts of that village, at the instigation of a medical practitioner called Bran, had risen in arms as soon as we were departed ; and falling upon such individuals as strayed from the column, put some of them to death, and made others prisoners. A soldier whom they had taken, and who had escaped, gave this information to the troopers, just !«■ they were about to return to head quarters ; .jjon which they immediately wheeled about, and galloping into the village, pulled the doctor out of his bed, (for it M'as early in the morning,) and com- pelled him, by a threat of instant death, to liberate his prisoners ; and mounting him before one of the party, brought him in triumph to the camp, ; The wounded, the artillery, and plunder, being all embarked on the 28th, at day-break on the 29th we took the direction of St. Benedict's, where we arrived, without any adventure, at a late hour in the evening. Here we again occupied the ground of which we had taken possession on fust landing, passing the night in perfect quiet ; and next day, the boats of the fleet being. ready L |i 146 ST. BENEDICTS. to receive us, the regiments, one by one, marched, down to the beach. We found the shore covered with sailors from the different ships of war, who welcomed our arrival v/ith loud cheers ; and ha\ ing coiitrived to bring up a larger flotilla than had been employed in the diser^ibarkation, they removed us withm a few hour?, and without the occurrence of any accident, to our respective vessels. Having now detailed the particulars of this brilliant expedition, I may perhaps be pardoned, if I finish the present letter with a military review of the conduct of both armies durmg its con- tinuance. In doing so; however, I am far from wishing to assume to myself any peculiar know- ledge in these matters. The remarks which I shall make, are exactly such as would be made by any man, whether a soldier or not, possessed of the slightest degree of penetration ; because the errors committed, as well as the skill displayed, even by the British general, were too apparent to escape notice. To begin, then, with the conquerors. The great error of General Ross appears to have been a want of sufficient confidence in himself. Nor is it sur- prising that he was thus diffident ; because, though an officer of great courage and considerable expe- rience, his service had been hitherto performed in a subordinate situation. As general of brigade under Lord Wellington, he had no doubt learnt the art had, as thus su own r had he the evei knows, than a ever he the resu swerablc an indep number, since he not only his troop nature ♦; perience, degree o tion. Bu this to persist ii distract changing taifily gii three ho hours at that unit original ST. B^INEDICTS. U7 the art of war in an excellent school ; but he had, as yet, learned only to obey; and being thus suddenly called upon to trust solely to his own resources, it would have been strange bad he not been iij some degree apprehensive of the event. A general of brigade, as every one knows, is oppressed with no more responsibility than a colonel commanding a battalion. What? ever he is directed to do, must be done ; and let the result be what it will, he is in no shape an- swerable. But place the saine man at the head of an independent ar ,ny, however trifling in point of numbe'., the case becomes completely changed ; since he feels that upon his determinations depend, not only the success, but the lives and safety of his troops. There are few persons so gifted by nature v/ith the talents of a warrior, as not to ex- perience, when first brought i;ito this situation, a degree of anxiety which is sure to produce vacilla- tion. But in war there is nothing more likely than this to occasion fatal effects ; since it is better to persist in a plan, though not the best, than to distract the minds of your soldiers by continual changing. Of ditHdence, General Ross was cer- tainly guilty, and exliibited it in the loss, first of three hours at Nottingham, and again of eight hours at Marlborough. It may be said, indeed, that unless the capture of Wasliington was the original cud of the inroad, he should not be Lii .' t, A\ 148^ ST. benedicts; accuised of diffidence by pausing before he utider- took it. But to tliis I cannot agree ; because a general ought to make up his mind in a moment ; and surely, three hours afforded sufficient time for that purpose : and the truth is, that the capture of Washington was not the original end of the ex- pedition. To destroy the flotilla, was the sole object of the disembarkation ; and but for the in- stigations of Admiral Cockburn, who accompanied the army, the capital of America would probably have escaped its visitation. It was he, who, on the retreat of that flotilla from Nottingham, urged the necessity of a pursuit, which was not agreed to without some wavering ; and it was he also who suggested t'^.e attack upon Washington, and finally prevailed on General Ross to venture so far from the shipping. The next error which I am bound to notice, was displayed in the battle itself. The troops were hurried into action after a loi^g and toilsome march, without having time to close iheir ranks, or to cool their parched lips with water. No At- tempt was made to discover a ford, by which they might cross the river, but they were led directly in the face of a powerful battery, to assault the very centre of the enemy's position. Had the Americans been better troops, and in a higher state of discipline, the consequences of this rash '•npc- tuosity must have been fatal ; since our army 0is St, BJEN EDICTS. 149 might have been attacked in detail, and each bri- gade cut off singly, before the others could arrive to its support. I mention this as a glorious fault, because it ap- peared that there was a ford n bited the proiicieD " of one well practised in the arts of campaigning. It will be recollected, that on the 2dd, the day previous to the battle, we fell in with a strong body of the enemy, to de- ceive whom, we wheeled off from the main road, and took the direction of Alexandria. The bait took completely ; for this party was in fact the advanced guard of the main army. Thinking that Alexandria, and not Washington, was threatened, the American general abandoned a strong position, which he had seized on the main road, harassed his troops by a needless march towards that town ; and discovered his mistake^ only time enough to occupy the heights of Bladensburg a very few minutes before we came in sight With reject to the Amer^^ns, criticism ne- cessarily degenerates into unqualified censure. From the beginning to the end of the affair, they acted in no one instance like prudent or sagacious men. In the first place, they ought on no account to have risked a general action in an open country^ however strong and steep; and secondly, they deserved to suffer much more than they did, for permitting an enemy's army to penetrate beyond Nottingham. In allowing us to land without opposition, they were perhaps guilty of no great error ; but as soon as we had landed, instead of l4 In i n ii 4' V 1 '1^ m 1 152 ST. BENEDICT^; C^ toncentrating their forces in one place, they ought to have harassed us with continual skirmishing; felled trees on each side, and thrown them across the road ; dug deep ditches at certain intervals ; in short, to have adopted the mode of Warfare to which their own habits, as well as tlie nature of their country, invited them. .' ;. - ..; j ' In America, every man is a shot from his very boyhood, and every man serves in the militia; but to bring an army of raw militia-men, however excellent they might be as shots, into a fair field against regular troops, could end in nothing but defeat. When two lines oppose each other, very little depends upon the accuracy with which indii- viduals take aim. It is then that the habit of act- ing in concert, the confidence which each man feels in his companions, and the rapidity and good order in which different movements can be exe- cuted, are alone of real service. But put these raw militia-men into thick woods, and send your regular troops to drive them out, you will immer diately lose all the advantages of discipline, and rec''jce your battle to so many single combats. Here, therefore, lay their great error ; had they left all clear, and permitted us to advance as far as Nottingham, then broken up the roads, and co- vered them with trees, it would have been impos- sible for us to go a step beyond. As sqon as this was effected, they might have skirmished with us M ST, benedict's. 153 in frpnt, and kept pur ;ittention alive with part of .their troops,while the rest, acquainted as they doubtr less were with every inch of the country, had got into our rear, and, by a similar mode of proceeding,, cut off our retreat. Thus we should have been taken in a snare, from which we could not extricate our- selves, and should have been obliged, in all pro-^ :bability, to surrender at discretion. . . But this obvious and natural plan of defence, .they chose to reject, and determined to trust all tp the fate of a battle. And here, again, they wer? guilty of a monstrous error, in not occupying the town of Bladensburg with part of their forces. The most open village, if resolutely defended, will cost many men before it falls ; whereas Bladens- burgh, being composed of substantial brick houses, might have been maintained for hours against all our eiforts. In the next place, they displayed great want of military knowledge in the disposition of both their infantry and artillery. There was not, in the whole space of their line, a single point where an enemy would be exposed to a cross fire. The troops were drawn up in three straight imes, like so many regiments upon a gala parade ; while the guns were used as connecting links to a chain, being posted in the same order, by ones and twos, at every interval. In maintaining themselves, likewise, when at- tacked, they exhibited neither skill nor resolution. ff > I 111 f'l 154 81*4 Benedict's. Of the personal courage of the Americans, there can be no doubt ; they are, individually taken, as brave a nation as any in the world. But they are not soldiers ; they have not the experience nor the habits of soldiers. It was the height of folly, therefbre, to bring them into a situation where no- thing except that experience and those habits will avail ; and it is on this account that I repeat what I have already said, that die capture of Washing- ton was more owing to the faults of the Americans themselves than to any other cause. \h\' ALEXANDRIA. 155 LETTER XII. While the army wai thus actively employed, the fleet did not remain idle. A squadron of frigates^ with two bomb ships, under the command of Cap- tain Gordon, of the Sea-horse^ pencirated up the Potomac, and appeared before Alexandria. The whole of the militia of the district was it this ':imc called away for the defence of the capital, conse- quently no place could be less prepared to resist an invader, than that city. A party accorrJii jjly landed from the ships without oppositioi^, and having destroyed the barracks, public works, and all the cannon which they found on shore, they seized a number of schooners and other small craft, then lying in the harbour, and loading them with flour and tobacco, to a considerable amount, pre- pared to rejoin the fleet in the bay. But by this time the country was alarmed ; a detachment was sent from the ?T«?.in army, and being joined by the reserve of miiitia, it was de- termined to intercept the squadron on its return. With this view, several pieces of heavy cannon were mounted upon a sceep part of the bank, where the river, in making an angle, narrows con- .11 I::i>:,*l 156 ALEXANDRIA. e siderably in its channel. Thither, also, hastened large bodies of infantry, and before the frigates had begun to weigh anchor, nearly 5,000 men were assembled to prevent their passage. Of these preparations Captain Gordon did not }" ig remain ignorant; nor was he backward in making the best arrangements possible to meet the danger. By shifting the ballast in each of the vessels entirely to one side, he caused them to lean in such a manner as that their artillery could be elevated to a surprizing degree, and the shot rise even to the summit of the hill. The guns were then stuffed, rather than loaded, with grape shot and musket-balls ; and the ships, taking their sta- tions according to their draft of water, the lightest keeping nearest to the enemy's shore, set sail, and, favoured by a leading breeze, stood leisurely down the river. As soon as they arrived within tangible dis- tance, a brisk cannonade was opened upon thrm from the heights, ami the whole of the Infantry appeared in line along the brow of the eminence. Regardless of these formidable salutations, the ships continued to hold their course without changing their order, o; returning a shot, till they reached the base of the hill upon which the in- fantry stood, and received a volley of musketry into their decks. Then, indeed, they answered the fire; and, with such elVcct, that at the iir:^t ALEXANblirA. 157 broadside the enemy's guns were abandoned, and their infantry took to flight. The Americans had persuaded themselves that no ship could point her guns so as to reach the top of the hill ; and under this idea had drawn up their troops along the ridge with the intention of overawing the squa- dron by a display of their numbers. But in the event they found themselves mistaken, for so well had Captain Gordon irranged matters, that not a single shot fell under its mark; and the conse- quence was, that, prepared as the ships were for the occasion, a shower of balls of every size and description came amongst them, such as it was impossible to withstand. A single broad- side was sufficient to secure the safe passage of his squadron ; but with this Captain Gordon was not contented. Seeing the enemy driven from their cannon, he immediately landed his marines; spiked the guns, and blew up the expense maga- zines ; when, having received them all safely on board again, he continuetl his voyage, and re* gained the Chesa[)cakc without farther molesta- tion. Nor was this the only oj)cration in which the navy we"e employed. Cruising al)out in every direction, tiR'y threatened the whole line of coast, from the entrance to the very bend of the bay ; and thus kept the Americans in a constant state of alarm. Whenever a favourable opportunity Jhmi tss ALSXANPRIA. /. :f presented Itself, parties landed, plundered or de-* stroyed the government stores, laid towns and districts under contribution, and brought off all the shipping which could be reached. In a word, the hostilities carried on in the Chesapeake re- sembled the e.^peditions of the ancient Dan^s against Great Britain, rather than a modern war between civilized nations. But these hasty ^re- cursions, though generally successful, were not always performed without loss to the invaders. Many men and some officers were killed and wounded, among whom was Captain Sir Peter Parker, of the Menelaus frigate, an officer distin- guished for his gallantry, and knowledge of naval tactics. Having learnt that an encampment of 300 men and six pieces of cannon had been formed, at the distance of a few miles from the banks of the Po- tomac, and about nine leagues below Alexandria, he determined, with part of his ship's crew, to surprise it, and to capture the guns. Running his frigate with tliis view up the river, he cast anchor oppo- site to the place where the American forces lay ; and leaving on board only a sufficient number of sailors to manage the ship, and to guard against surprise, witli the rest, amounting to 200 seamen and marines, he landed, and marched rapidly to wards the enemy's camp. But intelligence of his proceedings had already reached them; patroles of horse hovering continually along the coast for THE PATUXENT. 159 I or de" vus and t oflf all a word, Bake re- t DanQ9 era w^r asty ^?c- (rere not invaders, lied and )ir Peter er distin- of naval ntofaoo jrincd, at jfthePo- indria, he ) surprise is frigate lor oppo- rces lay ; umber of against seamen ipidly to ice of his patroles coast for the purpose of watchiiig the niotioas of our fteet. When, therefore, he arrived at the point of desti- nation, he found the bivouack deserted, and the rear-guard in full retreat. With these a little skir- mishing ensued, and he received a rifle ball in the thigh. Not suspecting that the wound was dan- gerous, he continued to push forward, till lie fell exhausted from loss of blood ; when, on examin- ing the hurt, it was found that the femoral artery was cut ; and before any proper assistance could be afforded, he literally bled to death. See- ing their leader killed, and the enemy retiring apparently with the design of drawing them away from the coast, the sailors now halted ; and taking up their dead commander, returned to the river without having been able to effect any tiling which might, in any degree, console them for their loss. In the mean time the army continued, for some days, quietly on board the ships in the Patuxcnt. The wounded, whose cases appeared most despe- rate, were removed to vessels fitted up for their reception, and sailed, some for Halifax, and others for England. The dispatches were likewise made out and sent oH' in the Iphigenia, whiUt a sort of b^'eathing time was given to those who had been lately so actively employed. While this sabbath continued, I amused myself by landing; and, under the pretext of shooting, strolled, sometimes \: i ' i m i66 THiE PATUXENT* .1 farther up the country than prudence exactly \Hrar-' ranted. The houses and villas, upon the imme- diate banks of the river, I found universally de- serted, and thoroughly plundered. The corn, however, was uninjured, and even flocks of sheep Tver<" seen grazing within a short distance of the water, protected only by negro slaves. Of thesd none were taken without an equivalent being as faithfully paid, as if they had been sold in the market-place of New York ; a circumstance which favoured the belief that the houses had been ran- sacked, not by the British troops, but by the inha- bitants themselves. Whether it was really so or not I cannot say, but this I know, that from the time of our arrival in the Chesapeake, all acts of individual plunder or violence were strictly pro- hibited, and severely punished. But this appearance of ruin and desertion ex- tended not more than a mile or two from the coast. Beyond that, 1 found the cottages occupied by their owners, and every thing remaining as if no enemy were within a hundred njiles. The young men, indeed, were generally absent, because every man fit to bear arms was now serving with the army ; but the old men and tiie women seemed to live as comfortably as if tiic most profound peace hatl reigned throughout the State. Nor did I find them altogether so hostile to our interest as I had expected. They professeil to be Federalists; and THE PATUXENT. 161 tly war-' 3 imtne- ially de- le corn, af sheep e of the Of these being a8 d in the ice which )een rau- the inha- ally so or from the ill acts of ictly pro- ertion ex- the coast. hI by their no enemy )ung men, ;very man the army ; to live as )cace had lid 1 find it as I had ilists; and though they regretted the events of the war, they blamed their own rulers for its commencement. ^ Tempted by this show of quietness I one day con- tinued my walk to a greater distance from the fleet than I had yet ventured to do. My servant was with me, but had no arms, and I was armed only with a double-barrelled fowling-piece. Hav- ing wearied myself with looking for game; and penetrated beyond my former land-mark, I came suddenly upon a small hamlet, occupying a piece of cleared ground in the very heart of a thick wood. With this, to confess the truth, I was by no means delighted, more especially as I perceived two stout looking men sitting at the door of one of the cottages. To retire, unobserved, was, how- ever, impossible, because the rustling which I had made among the trees drew their attention, and they saw me, probably, before I had seen them; Perceiving that their eyes were fixed upon mc, I determined to put a bold face upon the matter ; and calling nloud, as if to a party to halt, I ad- vanced, with my scrvnnt, towards them. They were dressed in sailors' jackets a».d tro'vsers, and rose on my approach, taking otF their hats with much civility. On joining them, I demanded whether they were not Englishmen, and deserter* from the fleet, stating that I was in search of two persons very much answcrinpj their description. They assured me that they were Americans, and \,'ii $, || \r 16^ THE PATUXENT. no deserters, begging that I would not take theni^ away ; a request to which, after some time, I as- sented. They then conducted me into the house, where I found an old man, and tlree women, who entertained me with bread, chcest% and nt v 'lilk. While I was sitting here, u tliird >outh; vi the dress of a labourer, entered, acd whispered to one of the sailors, who immediately rose to go out, but I commanded him to sit still, declariig t jat I was| not satisfied, and should certainly arrest Kim if he attempted to escape. 1 he m^n sat -uwn sulkily ; and the young labourer ccn\ing forward, begged peiuiission to examine my gun. This was a re- quest which I did not nmch relbh, and with which I, of course, refused to comply ; telling the fellow that it was loaded, and ^hat I was unwilling to trust it out of my own hand, on account of a weakness in one of the locks. I had now kept up appearances as long as they could be kept up, and, therefore, rose to withdraw; a measure to which I was additionally induced by the appearance of two other countrymen at. the opposite end of the hamlet. , herefore, told the sailors that if they would pleci^o themselves to re- main quietly at home, without joining the Ame- rican army, I would not molest them ; warning them, at the same time, not to venture beyond the village, lest they should fall into the hands of other parties, who were also in search of deserters. The river; THE PATUXENT. 168 ;ake thenv nie, I as- he house, men. who ntvv pulk. ith, uthe ired to one ro out, but t iat .1 wa^ ': liira if he vi\ sulkily ; rd, begged I was a re- with which r the fellow awilling to ;count of a ong as they withdraw ; induced by men at. the )re, told the ielvcs to re- the Ame- ; warning beyond the nds of other crtcrs. The n promise they gave, but not with much alacrity^ when I rose, and keeping my eye fixed upon thefifi, and my gun ready cocked in my hand, walked out, followed by my servant. They conducted us to the door, and stood staring after us till we got to the edge of the wood; when I observed theni moving towards their countrymen, who also gazed upon us, without either advancing or flyings You will readily believe, that as soon as we found our- selves concealed by the trees, we lost no time iii endeavouring to discover the direct way towards the shipping ; but plunging into the thickets, ran with all speed, witliout thinking of aught except an immediate escape from pursuit, Wliether the Americans did attempt to follow, or not, I cannot tell. If they did, they took a wrong direction, foi- in something more than an hour I found myself at tli« edge of the river, a little way above the ship- pings and returned safely on board, fully resolved not again to expose myself to such risks, witliout necessity. '■'■■■ ■ >■' ■■ ■-•''• In this manner the time was spent, till day-break on the 6th of September ; when the whole ^eet got under wei M m THE PATAP8CQ. ship ; and, as no 6ne could guess what impediments might be thrown in the way to obstruct the navi- gation, prudence forbad that five thousand men should be entrusted to the convoy of the smaller vessels alone. Besides, the distance from this point to Baltimore did not exceed fourteen or fifteen iniles; a space which might easily be traversed in a day. But while the land forces moved in this diren an expedition THE i'ATAPSCO. 167 of M rapid a nature; whilst brushes and other ar- ticles of that description were divided between coifnmdes, one carrying what would suffice for both. Thus the additional load of twenty cartridges was more than counter-balanced by the clothing and necessaries left behind. It was dusk when we reached the anchorage, consequently no landing could take place before the morrow. But as the boats were ordered to be in readiness at dawn, every man slept in his clothes, that he might be prepared to start at a moment's warning. There was something in this state of preparation at once solemn and exciting. That we should obtain possession of a place so im- portant as Baltimore, without fighting, was not to be expected ; and, therefore, this arming, and this bustle seemed, in fact, to be the prelude to a battle. But no man, of the smallest reflection, can look forward to the chance of a sudden and violent death, without experiencing sens:itions very differ- ent from those which he experiences under any other circumstances. When the battle has fairly begun, I may say with truth that the feelings of those engaged are delightful ; because they are, in fact, so many gamblers playing for the highest stake that can be offered. But the stir and noise of equipping, and then the calmness and stillness of expectation, these are the things which force a M 4 lU,, If .1 ' ' t ,1 . i .^.LtMH^^ 168 THE PATAPSC^. I man to think. On the other hand, the warlike appearance of every thing about you, the careless faces and rude jokes of the private soldiers, and something within yourself, which I can compare to nothing more nearly than the mirth which cri- minals are said sometimes to experience and to ex- press previous to their execution; all these com- bine to give you a degree of false hilarity, I had almost said painful, from its very excess. It is an agitation of the nerves, such as we may suppose madmen feel ; which you are inclined to wish re- moved, though you are unwilling to admit that it is disagreeable. And yet, as if in mockery of these deadly pre- parations, I do not recollect to have seen a more heavenly night than the present. The heat of the day was past, a full clear moon shone brightly, in a sky where not a cloud could be discerned, and a heavy dew falling appeared to refresh the earth which had been parched and burnt up by the sun. We lay at this time within two miles of the shore, consequently every object there was distinctly visible. Around us were moored numerous ships, which, breaking the tide as it flowed gently on- wards, produced a ceaseless murmur like the gush- ing of a mountain stream. The voices of the sentinels, too, as they relieved pne another on the decks ; and the occasional splash of oars, as a soli- ,:T^imh: ■"•^^^passa*-**"' THE PATAPSCO. 169 tary boat rowed backwards and forwards to the admiral's ship for orders, sounded peculiarly musi- cal in the perfect stillness of a calm night. Though I am far from giving the preference, in all respects, to a sailor's life, it must, nevertheless, be confessed that it has in it many moments of exquisite de- light ; and the present seemed to me to be of the number. ., |. ,1 '\ ■ -^iat. *■-... -^wi'. , 170 MARCH. LETTER XIII. But the stillness of night soon passed away, and at three o'clock in the morning every ship in the fleet began to lower her boats, and the soldiers were roused from their slumbers. The same pre- cautions which had been formerly used to cover the lauding, were again adopted ; several gun- brigs laying themselves within cable's length of the beach, and the leading boats in every division being armed with carronades, loaded and ready for action. But, as had been the case at St. Benedict's, they were unnecessary, for the troops got on shore without opposition, and leisurely formed in an open field close to the river. It was seven o'clock before the whole army was disembarked, and in order for marching. The same arrangements which had been made on the late expedition, were, as far as circumstances would permit, again adopted on this. Tiie light brigade, now commanded by Major Jones of the 41st Hegi- ment, led the advance; tlicn followed tlie artillery, amounting to six field pieces, and two howitzers, all of them drawn by horses ; next came the sc- Hi MARCH. 171 txmd brigade, then the sailors, and last of all the third brigade. Flank patroles, and reconnoitering parties were likewise sent out; in short, the same admii'able dispositions regulated the present inarch, which had governed our march to Washington. The column being put iu motion, advanced, without the occurrence of any incident deserving of notice, for about an hour, when it arrived at a piece of ground which appeared as if it had been lately in possession of the enemy. It was a narrow neck of land, confined between the river on one side, and the head of a creek on the other, mea- suring, perhaps, a mile across. From the river to the creek a breast-work had been begun, and was partly completed. In front of it there were lines drawn apparently for the purpose of marking out the width of a ditch ; in some places the ditch itself was dug, and the conunencement of what resembled an enfilading battery in the centre, showed that a considerable degree of science had been displayed in the choice of this spot as a mili- tary position. .And, in truth, it was altogether such a positi(m as, if completed, might have been maintained by a dctfrmined force against very superior numbers. liotii Hanks were completely protected, not only by water, but by thick wood, while a gentle eminence in the very miildle of the line, ofi'ered the most desirable situation for the pro-ccting battery which hat' been begun ; because '\ . <\ ' '' ll' -..^ — * . 172 MARCH. I a fire from it would have swept the whole, both to the right and left. In its present state, how- ever, it was not tenable, unless by a force as able to attack as to defend ; consequently the Ameri- cans, who acted solely on the defensive, did wisely in choosing another. ■ But the aspect of the ground was such as led us to conclude that the enemy could not be very dis- tant. The troops were accordingly halted, that the rear might be well up, and the men fresh and ready for action. While this was done, part of the flank patrole came in, bringing with them three light-horsemen as prisoners. These were young gentlemen belonging to a corps of volunteers fur- nished by the town of Baltimore, who had been sent out to watch our motions, and convey intel- ligence to the American general. Being but little used to such service, they had suffered themselves to be surprised ; and, instead of reporting to their own leader as to the number and dispositions of their adversaries, they were now catechized by General Ross respecting the strength and prepara- tions of their friends. From them we learnetl that a force of no less than twenty thousand men was embodied for the defence of Baltimore; but as the accounts of prisoners are generally over-rated, wc took it for granted that they made this report only to intimidate. Having rested for the space of an hour, we MARCH. 173. aguin moved forward, but had not proceeded above a mile when a sharp fire of musketry was heard in front, and shortly afterwards a mounted officer came galloping to the rear, who desired us to quicken our pace, for that the advanced guard was engaged. At this intelligence the ranks were closed, and the troops advanced at a brisk rate, and in profound silence. The firing still continued, though, from its running and irregular sound, it promised little else than a skirmish ; but whether it was kept up by detached parties alone, or by the out-posts of a regular army, we could not tell; Ijecause, from the quantity of wood with which this country abounds, and the total absence of all hills or eminences, it was impobsilile to discern what was going on at the distance of half a mile from where we stood. We were now drawing near the scene of action, when another oHicer came at full speed towards us, with liorror and dismav in his counte- nance, and calling aloud for a surj;'. >n. Every man felt within himself that all was not right, though none was willing to believe the wiiispers of his own tenor. Jiut what ;ir first wc aould not guess at, liccause w dreadect if so much, vvas soon realized; fw th«^ .. • « u had scarc#4y passed, when thr nennaJN h(»''>.«v vvK^^ont its nd«T, and with the sad*ll<' and jH)Umii . . . It is impossible to conceive the eflfect which this melancholy spectacle produced, throughoiic the army. By the courteousness and condescen- sion of his manners, General Ross liad secured the absolute love of all '*ho served under him, from the highest to the lowest ; and his success on a former occasion, as well as his judicious arrange- ments on the present, had inspired every one with the most perfect confidence in his abilities. His very error, if error it may be called, in so young a leader — I mean that diftidcncc in himself which had occasioned some loss of time on the n.arth to Washington, appeared now to have left him. His movements were at once rapid aw) cautious, a^ v» ATTACK. \m xtent of reached 1 taken e side of ad appa- ti as the that he ted, and, t in the il: he fell ved only :omni£«d try. He ed before ct which iroughoM c ondescen- cured the lini, from cess ou a s ar range- one with ties. His o youu^ a iclf which 2 n .arch to him. His •ous, av, his very countenance indicated a fixed detenxri-^ nation, and a perfect security of success. AH eyes were turned upon him as we passed, and i sort of involuntary groan ran from rank to rank, from the front to the rear of the column. By the fall of our gallant leader the command now devolved upon Colonel Brook, of the 44tli Regiment, an oHicer of decided personal courage, but, perhaps, better calculated to lead a battalion, than to guide an army. Being informed of liis unexpected and undesired elevation, he came to the front, and under him we continued to move on ; sorrowful, indeed, but XiOt dejected. The skirmishing had now ceased, for the American viflcrnen were driven in ; and in a few minutes we found ourselves opposite to a considerubic force, drawn up witli some skill, and occupying a strong position. Judging t'roir appearances, I should say tliat the corps now opposetl to us amounted to six or seven thousand men. They covered a neck of land, very mucli resembling that which we Ivad passed; liaving both tiatiks defended by little inland lakes ; the whole of their position was well woodi.'d, and in front of their line was a range of high paUngs, similar to those wiiich intersected tlw iieid of Blaciensl)U''g. About the centre, though some way advanced, was a farni-houae; with itiiout-buildings anil stack-yard ; and xiear to the right ran the main road. Tlieir artillery, whirU I ( f, 1 176 ATTACK. could not greatly exceed our own, either in weight of metal, or number of guns, was scattered along the line of infantry in nearly the same order as it had been at Bladensburg, and their reserve was partly seen, and partly hid by a thick wood. The whole of this country is flat and unbroken. About half a mile in rear of where they stood, are some heights, but to occupy these as they should be occupied, would have required a. much greater number of men than the American army could muster. Their general, therefore, exhibited some judgment in his choice of grounil, but, perhaps, he would have exhibited more had he declined a pitched battle altogether. Yet, to do him justice, I repeat that the ground was well chosen ; for, besides the covering of wood which he secured for his own people, he took care to leave open fields in his front ; by which means we were of necessity exposed to a galling fire, as soon as we came within range. Of one error, howevci", he was guilty. Either he did not possess himself of the farm-liouse at all, or he suffered It to be taken from him with very little resistance ; for, on the arrival of the column at the ground where it was to form, it was in the occupation of our advanced guards. lie was likewise to blame in not filling the wood upon our left wi.i skirmishers. In short, he acted foolishly in merely attempting to repel attacks, without ever drcainin^f that the most effectual mode the assi As c right a shot, ir consist! Regime corps, i front o\ in colui the righ the ene marines, While lery beii army, a sides, can bea which enemy, rockets 1 ing shor yard be utely set barns, stacks, s in a sta blaze wl * . ATTACK. 177 weight d along ler as it ve was d. broken. )od, are ' should grea:ter y could' ed some perhaps, ;clined a \ justice, ien ; for, secured ve open were of jn as we r, he was f of the ken from le arrival to form, I guards, the wood he acted attacks, cftectual mode of so doing is to turn the tables, and attack the assailants. ■ As our troops came up, they filed off to the right and left, and drew up, just within cannon shot, in the following order. The light brigade, consisting, as I have formerly stated, of the 85th Regiment, and the light companies of the other corps, in extended order, threatened the whole front of the American army. The 21st remained in column upon the road; the4tli moved off to the right, and advanced through a thicket to turn the enemy's left ; and the 44th, the seamen and marines, formed line in rear of the light brigade. While this formation was gbing on, the artil- lery being brought up, opened upon the American army, and a smart cannonade ensued on both sides. That our guns were well served, I myself can bear witness; for I saw the Shrapnel shells which were thrown from them sti'ike among the enemy, and make fearful gaps ia the line. Our rockets likewise began to play, one of which, fall- ing short, lighted upon a hay-stack in the barn- yard belonging to the farm-house, and immedi- ately set it on lire. The house itself, the stables, barns, and out-houses, as well as all the other stacks, soon caught the flames, and were quickly in a state of conflagration ; and the smoke and blaze which they emitted, together with the roar N i«l n 178 ATTACK. of cannon and flashes of the guns, produced alto- gether a very fine effect. In the mean time the American artillery was not idle. Pushing forward two light field-pieces upon the road, they opened a destructive fire of grape upon the 21st Regiment, and such of the sailors as occupied that point. Three other guns were directed against our artillery, between which and several of our pieces, a sort of duel was main- tained ; and the rest played, without ceasing, upon the 85th, and the light companies, who had lain down while the other regiments took up their ground. Neither was their infantry altogether quiet. They marched several strong bodies from the right to the left, and withdrew others from the left to the right of their line, though for what end this marching and countermarching was un- dertaken, I am at a loss to conceive. While thus fluctuating, it was curious to observe their dread of every spot where a cannon-ball had struck. Having seen the shots fall, I kept my eye upon one or two places, and perceived that each com- pany, as it drew near to those points, hung back ; and then assuming, as it were, a momentary cou- rage, rushed past, leaving a vacancy between it and the company which next succeeded. All this while the whole of our infantry, except the 4th Regiment, lay or stood in anxious expec- [('■:i- ATTACK. 179 ced alto- lery Vas ;ld-pieces ve fire of h of the ther guns en which vas main- ing, upon I had lam up their altogether Ddies from hers from [1 for what was un- hile thus lieir dread ad struck. eye upon each com- Ling back ; ntary cou- jctween it :ry, except ous expec- tation of an order to advance. This, however, was not given till that regiment had reached the thicket through which it was to make its way ; when Colonel Brook, with his Staff, having gal- loped along the line to see that all was ready, commanded the signal to be made.*- The charge was accordingly sounded, and echoed back from every bugle in the army, when, starting from the ground where they had lain, the troops moved on in a cool and orderly manner. A dreadful dis- charge of grape and cannistcr shot, of old locks, pieces of broken muskets, and every thing which they could cram into their guns, was now sent forth from the whole of the enemy's artillery ; and some loss was on our side experienced. Regard- less of this, our men went on without either quick- ening or retarding their pace, till they came within an hundred yards of the American line. As yet not a musket had been fired, or a word spoken on either side, but the enemy, now raising a shout, fired a volley from right to left, and then kept up a rapid and ceaseless discharge of musketry. Nor were our people backward in replying to these salutes; for giving them back both their shout and their volley, we pushed on at dt uble quick, with the intention of bringing them to the charge. Tiie bayonet is a weapon peculiarly British; at least it is a weapon, which, in the hands of a liritisli soldier, is irresistible. Tliougli they niaiur H 180 ATTACK. ffl i tained themselves with great determination, and stood to receive our fire till scrrcely twenty yards di\ ided us, the Americans would not hazard a charge. On our left, indeed, where the 21st ad- vanced in column, it was not without much diffi- culty and a severe loss, that any attempt to charge could be made ; for in that quarter seemed to be the flower of the enemy's infantry, as well as the main body of their artillery ; towards the right, however, the day was quickly won. The only thing to be regretted, indeed, was that the attack had not been for some time longer deferred ; be- cause the Americans were broken and fled, just as the 4th Regiment began to show itself upon the brink of the water which covered their flank ; and before a shallow part could be discovered, and the troops were enabled to pass, they had time to escape. As soon as their left gave way, the whole Ame- rican army fell into confusion ; nor do I recollect on any occasion to have witnessed a more complete rout. Infantry, cavalry, and artillery, were hud- dled together, without the smallest regard to order or regularity. The sole subject of anxiety seemed to be which should escape first from the field of battle ; insomuch, that numbers were actually trodden down by their countrymen in the hurry of the flight' Yet, in spite of the short duration of the action, which lasted little more than two 11 ATTACK. 181 liours from its first commencement, the enemy's loss was severe. They stood, in some respects, better than they had done at Bladensburg, conse- quently we were more mingled with them when they gave way, and were thus enabled to secure some prisoners ; an event, which their more imme- diate flight had on the oth< asion prevented. In the capture of guns, ho e were not so fortunate. Their pieces I - .i, and. well supplied with horses, they c iunvcd to carry off all except two ; both of which would have also escaped, but for the shooting of the leaders. But, considering the nature of the ground which they occupied, the number of killed and wounded in the American army was enormous ; while in ours the casualties were much fewer than might have been expected. The 21st and seamen suf- fered most severely, and the B5th and light com- panies, a little; but had our gallant General been spared, we should have pronounced this a glorious, because a comparatively bloodless day. In the loss of that one man, however, we felt ourselves more deeply wounded, than if the best battalion in the army had been sacrificed. In following up the flying enemy, the same ob- stacles which presented themselves at Bladensburg, again came in the way. The thick woods quickly screened the fugitives, and as even our mounted drivers were wanting, their horses having be^ij N 3 i-r ■r-H I ^"4..' ..JalJ.. I*ifeffi;^ii f-'^ i-^nm^-.^i IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 11.25 ^ ^ |Z2 HiolograiJiic Sciences (Jorporation as WIST MAIN tTRlIT WnSTIN.N.V. I4SM ( 7 1* ) 173-4109 ',»W-l-.«.J. .1 ^- 18£ HALT. taken for the use of the artillery, no effectual pur- suit could be attempted. We accordingly halted upon the field of battle, of necessity content with the success which we had obtained ; and having collected the stragglers, and called in the pursuers, it was resolved to pass the night in this situation. Fires were therefore lighted, and the troops distri* buted in such manner, as to secure a tolerable posi- tion in case of attack ; and the wounded being removed into two or three houses scattered along the ground, the victors lay down to sleep under the canopy of heaven. ' ;i' ..a. , jvj .- • Having thus given a distinct and connected detail of this affair, I shall beg leave to finish my letter with one or two anecdotes, which may be not unamusing. It is said that when Admiral Cockburn, who accompanied the nrmy, and at- tended poor Ross with the fidelity of an aide-de- camp, was in the wood where the latter fell, he observed an American rifle-man taking deliberate aim at him from behind a tree. I^nstead of turn- ing aside, or discharging a pistol at the fellow, as anv other man would have done, the brave Admiral doubling his fist, shook it at his enemy, and cried aloud, " O you d — d Yankey, I'll give it you ! " upon which the man dropped his musket in the greatest alarm, and took to his heels. " ' « . > It is likewise told of an ofliccr of engineers, that having overtaken an American soldier, and dc- HALT. 185 manded' his aims, the fellow gave him his rifle very readity, but being ordered to resign a handsomet silver-hilted dagger and silver-mounted cartoud>* box, which graced his side, he refused to comply, alledging that they were private pn^erty, and that by our own proclamations private property should be respected. This was an instance of low cun- ning, which reminded me of my own adventure with the squirrel-hunters, and which was attended with equal success. One other anecdote of a different nature, and for the truth of which I can myself answer, may likewise be related. In strolling over the field of battle, I came unexpectedly upon a wounded Ame- rican, who lay among some bushes with his leg broken. I drew near to offer him assistance, but, on seeing me, tlie wretch screamed out, and ap- peared in the greatest alarm ; nor was it without some difficulty that I could persuade him he had nothing to fear. At last, being convinced that I intended him no harm, the fellow informed me that it was impressed upon the minds of their sol- diers by the officers, that from the British they might expect no quarter ; and that it was conse- quently their determination to give no quarter to the British. The fellow might belie his country- men, and I hope and believe he did, but such wa$ his report to me. To convince him of the falsity N 4 IH IIALT. of his notions, I removed him to one of our hos- pitals, where his leg was amputated ; and he saw himself, as well as many others of his wounded countrymen, treated with the saipe attention which was bestowed upon our Qwn soldiers. . * ,' ! I ' V *. < ■ ■ ff r ■ ■ * • *. . » » « •' • , >*^ I i- .» 4i 1.1 ii.'.f v'4 i 'hi.-, ■ . . . ■ •■ )i . .y . t< I. i = . ■ .' ... t ' ■ ' '^ i<. / . 1 j,i.. .,...,*, ,'....,./ ,^., ».>^< j», , ,i/i,., -Vlji.ur -J ,,(; -k . : ,; .^_ . y.,,, , J,,-, .,, ,L-^;,-, 1 J MARCH. ' our hos- !v,/.. ' .;;■'! t • \ 'r- ■:• -^ .., .: : ad he saw ^■•t) ,M t I ■ • • ' ' ■;- '• ■ ■ wounded ,,,-1 .:..,. ..,.•.•- . . . ion wWch n ■;■•«■ . t ' - J LETTER 185 I*. -.., 1. * * » .- f. Mi, I •• < < i ' \ .... ,..^. I ..... X.i' t^ «* i^ 4 ff ^ • At an early hour on the 13th, the troops were roused from their lairs, and forming upon the ground, waited till day-light should appear. A heavy rain had come on about midnight, and now fell with so much violence, that some precautions were necessary, in order to prevent the firelocks from being rendered useless by wet. Such of the men as were fortunate enough to possess leathern cases, wrapped them round the locks of their mus- kets, while the rest held them in the best manner they could, under their elbows ; no man thinking of himself, but only how he could best keep his arms in a serviceable condition. As soon as the first glimmering of dawn could be discerned, we moved to the road, and took up our wonted order of march, but before we pushed forward, the troops were desired to lighten them- selves still farther by throwing off their blankets, which were to be left under a slender guard till their return. This was accordingly done; and being now unincumbered, except by a knapsack almost empty, every man felt his spirits heightened in proportion to the diminution of his load. The ii 1 I i: ;» ; t> i 186 MARCH. grief of soldiers is seldom of long duration, and though I will not exactly say that poor Ross was already forgotten, the success of yesterday had reconciled at least the privates to the guidance of their new leader ; nor was any other issue antici- pated, than what would have attended the excur- sion, had he still been its main-spring and director. The country through which we passed, resembled in eyery particular that already described. Wood and cultivation succeeded each other at intervals, though the former surpassed the latter in tenfold extent ; but instead of deserted villages and empty houses which had met us on the way to Washing- ton, we found most of the inhabitants remaining peaceably in their homes, and relying upon the assurance of protection given to them in our pro- clamations. Nor had they cause to repent of that confidence. In no instance were they insulted, plundered, or ill-treated ; whereas every hous^ which was abandoned, fell a prey to the scouts and reconnoitering parties. ' ' fiut our march to-day was not so rapid as our motions generally were. The Americans had at last adopted an expedient which, if carried to its proper length, might have entirely stopped our progress. In most of the woods they had felled trees, and thrown them across the road, but as these abattis were without defenders, we expe- rienced no other iucunvcuicucc tlian what arose MARCH. 187 frpm loss of time ; being obliged to. halt on aU such occasions, till the pioneers had removed the obstacle. So great, however, was even this hin- drance, that we did not come in sight of the main army of the Americans till evening, although the distance travelled could not exceed ten miles. It now appeared, that the corps which we had beaten yesterday, was only a detachment, and not a large one, from the force collected for the de- fence of Baltimore ; and that the account given by the volunteer troopers; was in every respect correct. Upon a ridge of hills, which concealed the town itself from observation, stood the grand army, consisting of twenty thousand men. Not trusting to his superiority in numbers, their general had there entrenched them in the most formidable manner, having covered the whole face of the heights with breast-works, thrown back his left, so as to rest it upon a strong fort, erected for the pro- tection of the river, and constructed a chain of field redoubts, which covered his right, and com- manded the entire ascent. Along the side of the hill were likewise JiecheSj and other projecting works, from which a cross fire might be kept up ; and there were mounted throughout this com- manding position no less than one hundred pieces of cannon. It would be absurd to suppose that the sight of preparations so warlike, did not in some degree if 1. 1 -.^^>4-; '■- ■^ r ii 188 HALT. damp the ardour of our leaders ; at least it would have been madness to storm such works, without pausing to consider how it might best be at- tempted. The whole of the country within can- non-shot was cleared from wood, and laid out in grass and com fields ; consequently there was no cover to shelter an attacking army from any part of the deadly fire which would be immediately poured upon it. The most prudent plan, therefore, was to wait till dark ; and then, assisted by the frigates and bombs, which we hoped were by this time ready to co-operate^ to try the fortune of a battle, i : . -> ■ «pi .'V Having resolved thus to act. Colonel Brook halted his army ; and having secured against sur- prise by a well-connected line of piquets, the troops were permitted to light fires, and to cook the pro- visions. But though the rain still fell in torrents, no shelter could be obtained, and as even their blankets were no longer at hand, with which to form gipsy-tents, this was the reverse of an agree- able bivouac to the whole army. . m, / . * ■ * » i T Darkness had now come on, and as yet no intel- ligence had arrived from the shipping. To assail this position, however, without the aid of the fleet, was deemed impracticable ; at least our chance of success would be greatly diminished, without their co-operation. As the left of the American army extended to a fort, built upon the very brink of HALT. 189 the river, it was clear, that, could the ships be brought to bear upon that point, and the fort be silenced by their fire, that flank of the position v/ould be turned. This once effected, there would be no difficulty in pushing a column within their works ; and as soldiers entrenched always place more reliance upon the strength of their entrench- ments than upon their own personal exertions, the very sight of our people on a level with them, would in all probability decide the contest. At all events, as this column was to advance under cover of night; it might easily push forward and crown the hill above the enemy, before any effectual op- position could be offered ; by which means they would be inclosed between two fires, and lose the advantage which their present elevated situation bestowed. All, however, depended upon the ability of the fleet to lend their assistance, for without silencing the fort, this flank could scarcely be assailed with any chance of success ; and, therefore, the whole plan of operations must be changed. ■ ... Having waited till it was considered imprudent to wait longer, without knowing whether he was to be supported, Colonel Brook determined, if possible, to open a communication with the fleet. That the river could not be far off, we knew ; but how to get to it without falling in with wandering parties of the enemy, was the difficulty. The n ;,!.• N I I ,i"'i 190 SEARCH. ''\ I. ■ thing, however, must be done ; and as secrecy, and not force, was the main object, it was resolved to dispatch for the purpose a single officer without an escort. On this service, a particular friend of mine chanced to be employed. Mounting his horse, he proceeded to the right of the army, where, having delayed a few minutes till the moon rising gave light enough through the clouds to distinguish objects, he pushed forward at a ven- ture, in as straight a line as he could guess at. It was not long before his progress was stopped by a high hedge. Like knight- errants of old, he then gave himself up to the guidance of his horse, which taking him towards the rear, soon brought him into a narrow lane, that appeared to wind in the direction of the enemy's fort : this lane he deter- mined to follow, and holding a cocked pistol in his hand, pushed on, not perhaps entirely com- fortable, but desirous at all hazards of executing his commission. He had not ridden far, when the sound of voices through the splashing of the rain drew his attention. Pulling up, he listened in si- lence, and soon discovered that they came from two American soldiers, whether stragglers or cen- tinets, it was impossible to divine ; but whoever they were, they seemed to be approaching. It now struck him, that his safest course would be to commence the attack, and having therefore waited till he saw them stop short, as if they had perceived SEARCH. 191 him, hie rode forward, and called out to them to surrender. The fellows turned and fled, but gal- loping after them, he overtook one, at whose head he presented a pistol, and who instantly threw down his rifle, and yielded himself prisoner ; while the other, dashing into a thicket, escaped, probably to tell that he had been attacked by a whole regi- ment of British cavalry. Having thus taken a prisoner, my friend resolved to make him of some use; with this view, he commanded him to lay hold of his thigh, and to guide him directly to the river, threatening, if he attempted to mislead or to betray him into the hands of the Americans, that he would instantly blow out his brains. Find- ing himself completely in my friend's power, the fellow could not refuse to obey ; and accordingly, the man resting his hand upon the left thigh of the oflficer, they proceeded along the lane for some time, till they came to a part where it branched off in two directions. My friend here stopped for a mo- ment, and again repeated his threat, swearing that the instant he suspected his guiding, should be the last of his life. The soldier assured liini that he would keep his word, and moreover informed him that some of our ships were almost within gun- shot of the fort ; a piece of information which was quickly conflrmed by the sound of firing, and the appearance of shells in the air. They now struck to the right, and in half an hour gained the brink i i-on, he displayed both skill and resolution. Instead of wasting time by an at- tempt to ascend the river, he chose to land where he was least likely to meet with immediate opposi- tion ; and such was the celerity of his motions, that had he lived, the chances are that we should have fought two battles in one day. But of what a man might have done, I have nothing to say ; let me rather do justice to his successor and his ad- visers. Of these latter, there is one whom it would be improper not to mention by name — I mean Lieutenant Evans, Deputy Assistant Quar- ter Master General. The whole arrangement of our troops in order of battle was committed to him ; and the judicious method in which they were drawn up, proved that he was not un- worthy of the trust. With respect to the deter- mination of the council of war, I choose to be silent. Certain it is that the number of our forces would hardly authorize any desperate attempt; and if government regret the issue of the expedi- tion, I humbly conceive that the fault is, in a great measure, their own, in sending out a force so inconsiderable. On such subjects, however, I do not wish to dwell, though every one must be sensible that 10,000 men might have accomplished what 5,000 could not venture to attemj)t. On the part of the Anj».iicans, again, nearly the same blunders were committed which marked o3 '.! vt. i. 'ii'i ■ ' " am 198 HALT. their proceedings during the incursion to Wash- ington; though certainly more science was dis- played in the distribution of their forces along their principal position. At Bladensburg, indeed, there were no works, but the troops were badly arranged ; here there were not only fortifications, but fortifications constructed in a scientific man- ner, and troops drawn up in such order, as that, even without their works, many cross fires would have protected their front. But they neglected numerous favourable opportunities of harassing both our advance and retreat. They felled trees, but left no guards to keep them from being re- moved, and took no advantage of the delays which their removal created. They risked a battle with part of their army, when there was no necessity for it ; in a word, they committed all those errors which men generally commit who are not soldiers, and yet love war. / Tir THE PATUXENt. 199 LETTER XV. Having once more received the troops on board, the fleet remained quietly at anchor till the 17th, when, at an early hour, we set sail and stood towards the Patui^ent. In this voyage we passed close to Kent Island, and again threw the inhabitants of Anapolis into alarm by approaching almost within gun-shot of their town ; but at neither place were hostilities attempted, and on the 19th we arrived, without any adventure, at our former anchorage in the river. Here we brought up, and parties were sent on shore to dig wells in the sand, to which the boats resorted in great numbers for water. Cattle and sheep were likewise purchased from the natives; some of the flour which had been captured, was converted into biscuit, and every preparation seemed to be making for a long voyage. To facilitate these operations, the fleet now separated, part remaining here, and part proceed- ing under Admiral Malcombe to the Potomac ; while Sir Alexander Cochrane, in the Tonnant, with several frigates and gun-brigs, quitted us o 4 ";it 200 THE PATUXENT. ,i •; altogether, and set sail, as it was given out, for Halifax. But our situation was by no means agreeable. The climate of this part of America is, at certain seasons, far from healthy ; and the preva- lence of dysentry through the armament, proved that the unhealthy season had already ccnmenced. Neither did there appear to be any prospect of farther employment. No one talked of a future enterprize, nor was the slightest rumour circulated as to the next point of attack. The death of Ge^^ neral Ross, in short, seemed to have disorganized the whole plan of proceedings, and the fleet and army rested idle, like a watch without its main spring. While things were in this state, while the banks of the rivers continued in our possession, and the interior was left unmolested to the Ame- ricans, a rash confidence sprung up in the minds of all, insomuch that parties of pleasure would frequently land without arms, and spend many hours on shore. On one of these occasions, se- veral officers from the 85th Regiment agreed to pass a day together at a farm-house, about a quarter of a mile from the stream ; and taking with them ten soldiers, unarmed, to row the boat, a few sailors, and a young midshipman, not more than twelve years of age, they pro- ceeded to put their determination u\to practice. liCaving the men under the command of their THE PATUXENT. 201 icasions, se- youthful pilot, to take care of the boat, the officers went on to the house, but had not been there above an hour, when they were alarmed by a shout which sounded as if it came from the river. Looking out, they beheld their party sur- rounded by seventy or eighty mounted riflemen; the boat dragged upon the beach, and set on fire. Giving themselves up for lost, they continued for an instant, in a sort of stupor ^ but the master of the house, to whom some kindness had been shown by our people, proved himself grateful, and, letting them out by a back door, directed them to hide themselves in the wood, while he should en- deavour to turn their pursuers on a wrong scent. As they had nothing to trust to except the honour of this American, it cannot be supposed that they felt much at ease; but seeing no better course before them, they resigned themselves to his guid- ance, and plunging into the thicket, concealed themselves as well as they could among the under- wood. In the mean time the American soldiers, having secured all that were left behind, except the young midshipman, who fled into the wood in spite of the fire, divided into two bodies, one of which approached the house, while the other en- deavoured to overtake the brave boy. It so chanced that the party in pursuit passed close to the officers in concealment, but by the greatest good fortune did not observe them. They suc- |t ;f! m If 1^02 THE PATUXENT. ceeded, however, in catching a glimpse of the midshipman, just as he had gained the water's edge, and was pushing off a light canoe which he had loosened from the stump of a tree. The barbarians immediately gave chace, firing at the brave lad, and calling out to surrender ; but the gallant youth paid no attention either to their voices or their bullets. Launching his little bark, he put to sea with a single paddle, and, regardless of the showers of balls which fell about him, re^ turned alone and unhurt to the ship. While one party was thus employed, the other hastened to the house in full expectation of cap- turing the officers. But their host kept his word witn great fidelity, and having directed his country- men towards another farm-house at some distance from his own, and in an opposite quarter from where his guests lay, he waited till they were out of sight, and then joined his new friends in their concealment. Bringing with him such provisions as he could muster, he advised them to keep quiet till dark, when; their pursuers having departed, he conducted them to the river, supplied them with a large canoe, and sent them off in perfect safety to the fleet. On reaching their ship, they found the 85th Re- giment under arms, and preparing to land, for the purpose of either releasing their comrades from captivity, or inflicting exemplary punishment u,>on THE POTOMAC. J203 the farmer by whose treachery it was supposed that they had suffered. But when the particulars of his behaviour were related, the latter alterna- tive was at once abandoned ; and it was determined to force a dismissal of the captives, by advancing up the country, and laying waste every thing with fire and sword. The whole of the light brigade was accordingly carried on shore, and halted on the beach, whilst a messenger was sent forward to demand back the prisoners. Such, however, was the effect of his threatening, that the demand was at once complied with, and they returned on board without having committed any ravages, or marched above two miles from the boats. Besides this trifling debarkation, another little excursion was made by the second and third bri- gades, the light troops being left most unaccount- ably on board. Hearing that an encampment was formed a few miles from the left bank of the Po- tomac, Colonel Brook determined, if possible) to come up with and engage the force there sta- tioned. With this view, two brigades were landed on the night of the 4th of October, and pushed forward at a brisk pace, but the army being on the alert, had timely notice of the movement, and re- tired ; by which means our people returned on the 5th, without effecting any thing. By this time the whole fleet was once more col- lected together ; and crowded the Pc/coinac with 204 JAMES RIVER. their keels. The Diadem being an old ship and a bad sailer, it was determined to remove from her the troops which she had formerly carried, to fill her with American prisoners, and to send her to England. The Menelaus was likewise dispatched with such officers and soldiers as required the be- nefit of their native air, to complete the cure of their wounds ; and the rest getting under weigh on the 6th, stood directly towards the mouth of the Chesapeake. When we reached the James River, we anchored, and were joined by an Ameri- can schooner bearing a flag of truce. She brought with her Colonel Thornton, Lieutenant-Colonel Wood, and the rest of the officers and men who had been left behind at Bladensburg, and being under the guidance of Commodore Barney, that gentleman was enabled to discharge his trust even to the very letter. It may readily be supposed that the meeting be- tween friends thus restored to each other, was very agreeable. But there was another source of com- fort which this arrival communicated, of greater importance than the pleasure bestowed upon indi- viduals. In Colonel Thornton we felt that we had recovered a dashing and enterprising officer ; one as well calculated to lead a corps of light troops, and to guide the advance of an army, as any in the service. On the whole, therefore, the American schooner was as welcome as if she had been a first- rate Engl THE CHESAPEAKE. 205 rate man of war, filled with reinforcements from England. The wounded being now sent off, and Colonel Wood among the number, the remainder of the fleet again set sail, and reached the mouth of the bay without interruption. Here they were met by a frigate and two brigs, which spoke to the Ad- miral, and apparently communicated some impor- tant intelligence ; for we immediately put about, and stood once more up the Chesapeake. The wind, however, blew with great violence, and di- rectly against us. After beating about, therefore, for some time, without gaining any ground, we turned our heads towards the ocean, and, flying between the Capes with amazing velocity, stood out to sea; directing our course towards the S.S.E. ; and proceeding at the rate of seven miles an hour under bare poles. The sea ran tremen- dously high, and the sky was dark and dreary ; insomuch that by a landsman the gale might safely be accounted a storm. Under these circumstances, the ship rolling as if she would dip her top-mast in the water, and the waves breaking in at the back windows of the cabin, nothing remained to be done but to go to bed. Thither most of us, ac- cordingly, repaired, and, holding ourselves in our births by clinging to the posts, we amused our- selves by watching the motions of the stools, books, trunks, and other articles, as they floated KjJ , \f\ .-> Il l I I i n iMi* n t0 206 AT SEA. majestically from one side of the cabin to the other. But the effects of the gale were not, in every re- spect, ludicrous. Two small schooners which had been captured at Alexandria and converted into tenders, foundered, and went down ; without an opportunity being afiforded of saving an individual of their crews. At length the wind began to moderate, and on the 18th there was a dead calm. In point of com- fort, however, I cannot say that much change was experienced, for, though the gale had ceased, the swell still continued ; and the motion produced by a heavy sea after a storm, is actually more disagree- able than that occasioned by the storm itself. But on this day the minds of all were set at ease, as to the place whither we were going, a telegraph signal being made to steer for Jamaica. It was likewise understood that we should be there joined by strong reinforcements, and proceed upon a se- cret expedition against some place on the southern borders of the United States. The calm which had succeeded the storm, did not last long, for on the 19th a fair breeze sprung up, and sent us, at a moderate and agreeable rate, upon our course. The heat, however, was most oppressive; even awnings being unable to afford any sufficient shelter. We were fast approaching the tropic of Cancer, and every day \ i,;eri.. iced a greater degree of sultriness ; till at length, on the i.u^mU'"" AT SF.A. 207 I the other. 1 every re- which had 'erted into without an , individual te, and on int of com- :hangc was ceased, the reduced by re disagree- orm itself, set at ease, a telegraph :a. It was there joined upon a se- he southern storm, did :eze sprung eeable rate, , was most e to afford ■ tpioaching i virk iced a th, on the 25tli, we crossed that imaginary boundary. Here we were visited, according to custom, by Neptune and his wife; and, as the ceremony of shaving may, perhaps, be unknown to you, I shall beg leave to relate the particulars of this visit. A clever, active seaman, dressed up grotesquely in various coloured rags, adorned with a long beorcl iTjade of the stuff which sailors call spun- yaiii. 111 J armed with a tri-pronged harpoon, personates the God of the Ocean. Another sea- man, arrayed in like manner, except that, instead of a beard, he wears an hideous mask, performs the part of the lady. These are attended by a troop of sea-gods and nymphs, similarly equipped ; and, advancing from the bow of the vessel as if just stepped on board, they come forward to the mainmast, and summon before them all such per- sons as have never sworn the oaths, or previously visited their capital. At the foot of the mast is placed a large tub full of sea-water, and covered by a piece of canvass, which is held tight by four of their attendants. Upon this unsteady throne is the luckless wight, whom they design to initiate, compelled to sit; and being asked several ques- tions, which he cannot answer, and taking several oaths, very much resembling those said to be ad- ministered at Highgate, Neptune proceeds to con- fer upon him the honour of iiliation, by rather an extraordinary process. Two of the sea-nymphs, ■Ill .' r 208 AT SEA- generally tall stout fellows, pinion his arms to his sides ; and another, bringing a bucket filled with grease and slops from the kitchen, sets it down at his godship's feet, putting a small painting brush into his hand. Neptune now dips his brush into the filth, and proceeds to spread a lather over the face of the novice, taking care to ask questions during the whole process ; and if the adopted be simple enough to reply, the brush is instantly thrust into his mouth. As soon as a sufficient quantity of grease is laid upon the face, Neptune next seizes a piece of rusty iron, generally the broken hoop of a water cask, with which he scrapes off all that has been applied. If the novice take all this patiently, his face is washed, and he is per- mitted to descend from his throne in peace, being dignified with the title of Neptune's son. But if he lose his temper, which most men are inclined to do, a bucket of sea- water is poured upon his licad. If this be sufliicient to cool his wrath, he suffers no more ; but if it only increase his indig- nation, bucket after bucket is emptied over him, and, at last, the holders of the sail-cloth suddenly rctning, he is plunged, over head, into the tub. To crown all, the unfortunate wretch who has en- dured these miseries, is fined, by his tormentor, in a gallon of rum ; a iiw: which the force of custom compels him to pjiy. It nmst be confessed that this is a barbarous anuiscmcnt, much rcsend)liiig THE WEST INDIES. 209 arms to his t filled with it down at nting brush s brush into icr over tlie >k questions adopted be is instantly a sufficient cc, Neptune ene rally the z\\ he scrapes ; novice take nd he is per- peace, being son. But if are inclined red upon his is wrath, he ise his indig- icd over him, uth suddenly nto the tub. who has en- ormentor, in cc of custom infcssed tliat 1 rcscmbrm"- that of the boys, in the fable of the boys and the frogs. Though very agreeable to those who act» and to the lookers on, it is not so to him that suffers. In this manner many persons were treated, till at length Neptune growing weary from the num- ber of novices, was content to admit the rest to the privileges of initiation, on condition that the fines should be punctually paid ; an agreement, into which most of us very thankfully entered. Next morning, the first object which met our eyes, was the land of Caycos island. We were so close to the shore, when day-light discovered it, that had the wind been at all adverse, we must un- questionably have struck ; but being assisted by a fair and gentle breeze, the ships put about imme- diately, and escaped the danger. Standing out to sea, the fleet now doubled the promontory, and steering round by the other side, sailed on without losing sight of land, till late in the evening. On the following day, a signal was made from the Admiral's ship, that the Golden Fleece trans- port, under convoy of the Volcano bomb, should proceed to Port Royal, while the rest of the fleet held their course towards Ncgril bay. These two vessels accordingly set all sail, and pushed forward by themselves ; while the others kept on at a more moderate rate, that none might stray from the con- voy ; for the West India seas at this time swarm- u 210 THE WEST INDIES. ^i ing with American privateers, it was of great consequenoe to keep the store-ships and heavy transports in the middle of the squadron. It so chanced, that I took my passage in one of the two ships which went forward by themselves. The wind was fair, and we made great progress, insomuch, that before dark the high land of St. Domingo, on one side, and the mountains of Cuba on the other were discernible. In spite of the heat, therefore, our voyage soon became truly delight- ful. Secure of getting on under the influence of the trade winds, we had nothing to distract our thoughts, or keep us from feasting our eyes upon the glorious shores of these two islands ; while in addition to the sight of land, which of itself was cheering, we were amused with water-spouts, ap- parently playing about us in every direction. One of these, however, began to form within a little distance of the ship, and as they are dangerous as well as interesting, a cannon was got ready to break it, before it should reach us. But it did not complete its formation, though I cannot tell why ; for, after one s|)out had risen into the air some height, and another bent down from the clouds, to meet it, they were suddenly carried away in dif- ferent directions, and fell into the sea with the noise of a cataract. Among other sources of amusement, our atten- tion was drawn, on the 29th, to a shark, which THE WEST INDIES. 3U made its Appearance at the stern of the vessel. A strong hook was immediately prepared and baited with a piece of salt pork, which, being thrown over, was instantly gulped by the voracious mon" ster. But, as soon as he felt the pain occasioned by the hook in his jaws, he plunged towards the bottom of the sea with siich violence, as to render the very taifarel hot, by the rapidity of the cord gliding over it. Having permitted him to go a certain length, he was again hauled up to the sur- face, where he remained without offering further resistance, whilst a boat wa» lowered down, and a strong noose thrown over his uead* Being thus made fast to the- gunwale of the boat, he was brought round to the gangway, when the end of the noose being cast over the main-yard, he was lifted out of the sea and swung upon the ship's deck. Hitherto he had suffered quietly, oftering no resistance, and apparently stupified by the pain of his jaw ; but he began now to convince us that neither life nor strength had deserted him ; lashing with his tail with such violciKc as speedily to clear the quarter deck, and biting in the most furious manner at every thing within his reach. One of the sailors, however, who seemed to understand these matters more than his comrades, took an axe, and watching his opportunity, at one blow chopped off his tail. He was i.ow perfectly harmless, unless indeed, one had chosen to thrust one's hand into p 2 f $12 THE WEST INDIESv his raouth ; and the same sailor accordingly pro- ceeded to lay him open, and to take out his en- trails. And now it was that the tenacity of life» peculiar to these animals displayed itself. After his heart and bowels were taken out, the shark still continued to exhibit proofs of animation, by biting with as much force as ever, at a bag of carpenter's tools that happened to lie within his reach. Being cut up, he was distributed in portions among the soldiers and ship's crew. The tail part only, was reserved as the chief delicacy for our cabin, which, though dry and hard, with little flavour or taste, was on the present occasion con- sidered as agreeable food, because it was fresh. iW -i THE WEST INDIES. 213 ? ■ 1 LETTER XVI. But what I principally relished, in this part of our voyage, was the exquisite beauty of its night- scenery. To an inhabitant of Great Britain, the splendour of a night-scene in these climates is alto- gether unknown. Shining broad and full in a sky perfectly cloudless, the moon sends forth a clear and mellow lustre, little inferior, in point of strength, to the full twilight in England. By this means you never lose sight of land, either by night or day, as long as your course lies between Cuba and Saint Domingo ; whilst the delicious coolness, which follows the setting of the sun, tempts you, in spite of all the whispers of prudence, to expose yourself to dews and damps, rather than forego those pleasures of which they are the bane. Be- sides, you have constantly the satisfaction of observing yourself move steadily on at the most agreeable of all rates, about five or six miles an hour ; a satisfaction far from trifling in a sea life. Then the ocean is so smooth, that scarcely a rip- ple is seen to break the moon-beams as they fall ; whilst the quiet dash of little waves against the ship's side, and the rushing noise occasioned by 1- 3 ( ^f I 214 THE WEST INDIES. / / the moving of her bow through the water, produce altogether an effect which may, Avithout affecta- tion, be termed absolutely refreshing. It was my common practice to sit for hours after night-fall upon the taffarel, and strain my eyes in the attempt to distinguish objects on shore, or strange sails in the distance. It so happened, that on the 30th I was tempted to indulge in this idle but bewitching employment, even beyond my usual hour for retiring; and did net quit the deck till towards two o'clock in the morning of the 31st. I had just entered my cabin, and was beginning to undress, when a cry from above, of an enemy in chase, drew me in- stantly to the quarter deck. On looking a-stern, I perceived a vessel making directly after us, and was soon convinced of the justice of the alarm, by a shot which whistled over our heads. All hands were now called to quarters, the small sails were taken in, and having spoke to our companion, and made an agreement as to position, both ships cleared for action. But the stranger seeing his signal obeyed with so much alacrity, likewise slackened sail, and continuing to keep us in view, followed our wake without approaching nearer. In this state things continued till day-break, we still hold- ing our course, and he hanging back ; but as soon as it was light, he set more sail and ran to wind- ward, moving just out of gun-shot, in a p&rallel di- THE WEST INDIES. 215 rection with us. It was now necessary to fall upon some plan of deceiving him, otherwise there was little probability that he would attack. In the bomb, indeed, the height of the bulwark* served to conceal some of the men ; but in the transport no such screen existed. The troops were, therefore, ordered below, and only the sailors, a few blacks, and the officers kept the deck. The same expe- dient was likewise adopted, in part, by Captain Price, of tlie Volcano, and, in order to give to his ship a still greater resemblance than it already had to a merchantman, he displayed an old faded scar- let ensign, and drew up his fore and mainsail in what sailors term a lubberly manner As yet the stranger had shown no colours, but from her build and rigging, there was little doubt as to her country. She was a beautiful schooner, presenting Steven ports of a side, and apparently crowded with men, circumstances which imme- diately led us to believe, that she was an American privateer. The Volcano, on the other hand, was a clumsy strong built ship, carrying twelve guns ; and the Golden Fleece mounted eight ; so that in point of artillery, the advantage was rather on our side ; but the Americans' sailing was so much su- perior to that of either of us, that this advantage was more than counterbalanced. Having dodged us till eight o'clock, and recon- noitered with great exactness, the stranger began p 4 u S16 THE WEST INDIES. to steer gradually nearer and nearer, till at length it was judged that she was within range. A gun was accordingly fired from the Volcano, and an- other from the transport, the balls from both of which passed over her, and fell into the sea. Find- ing herself thus assaulted, she now threw off all disguise, and hung out an American ensign ; when, putting her helm up, she poured a broadside, with a volley of musquetry, into the transport; and ran along side of the bomb which sailed to windward. As soon as her flag was displayed, and her in- tention of attacking discerned, all hands were ordered up; and she received two well-directed broadsides from the Volcano, as well as a warm salute from the Golden Fleece. But such was the celerity of her motion, that she was along side of the bomb in less time than can be imagined ; and actually dashing her bow against the other, attempted to carry her by boarding. Captain Price, however, was ready to receive them. Tlie boarders were at their posts in an instant, and Jonathan finding, to use a vulgar phrase, that he had caught a Tartar, left about twenty of his men upon the Volcano's bowsprit, all of whom were thrown into the sea ; and filling his sails, sheered off with the same speed with which he had borne down. In attempting to escape, he unavoidably fell somewhat to leeward, and exposed the whole of his deck to the fire of ! • THE WEST INDIES. 217 the transport. A tremendous discharge of mus- quetry saluted him as he passed ; and it was almost laughable to witness the haste with which his crew hurried below, leaving none upon deck ex- cept such as were absolutely wanted to work his vessel. The Volcano had, by this time, filled and gave chace, firing with great precision at his yards and rigging, in the hope of disabling him. But as fortune would have it, none of his important ropes or yards were cut ; and we had the mortification to see him, in a few minutes, beyond our reach. In this affair, a marine officer and two men were killed on board the Bomb ; and some of the tack- ling was shot away. The transport suffered nothing, in killed or wounded, having been in a great degree protected from the enemy's fire, by her commodore ; and only one rope, I believe a mainstay, was destroyed. The battle being over, and the chace given up as fruitless, we continued our course, without any other adventure ; and before dark, were able to distinguish the blue mountains of Jamaica. St. Do- mingo and Cuba had both disappeared, and this was now the only land visible, but it was not till the first of November that we could obtain a dis- tinct view of it. Then, indeed, we found ourselves within a few miles of the shore, and coasted along, highly delighted with the prospect before us. . li^ fj I 'I Ha S18 JAMAICA. The shores of Jamaica are in general bold and mountainous, but on this side they are peculiarly grand. It appeared to me, that even the Pyrenees, magnificent as they are, were not to be compared, in point of altitude, to the hills now before me ; and early in the morning, while yet the mists hung upon their summits and concealed them, the ima- gination was left to picture to itself what it chose ; even the gates of heaven resting upon their tops, tt was, in truth, a glorious scene; and as the wind blew light and uncertain, we were permitted, from the slowness of the sbip's progress, to enjoy it to the full. Towards evening, indeed, the breeze died entirely away, which compelled us to anchor about eight miles from the harbour of Port Royal. In. spite of the little rest which I had procured during the preceding nights, having sat up till an early hour this morning, to watch several strange sails that hovered about us, I couKi not bring my- self to quit the deck till after midnight, so beauti- f\x\y in all respects^ were the objects around me. The moon slione with her accustomed brilliancy, and exhibited every crag and tree upon tlie land, changed and confounded in shape,, but still plainly ; while the perfume, borne off upon the breeze, was odoriferous in the highest degree. Tlie sound of the waves, likewise, breaking upon the rocks, and the occasional cry of seamen, as they adjusted ropes and sails, together with the sight of several PORT ROYAL. 219 vessels which took advantage of the night-wind and stood to sea, with canvass glittering in the moon-beams, produced so delightful a combination, as completely rivetted me to my seat ; nor was it without much reluctance that I at length yielded to the drowsy god, and descended to my cabin. Next morning, the ship got under weigh at an early hour, but owing to the unsteadiness of the breeze, it was ten- o'clock before we made any sa- tisfactory progress. As we approached the bay which forms the harbour of Port Royal, a novel and pleasing scene presented itself. The hills dying gradually away, gave place to gentle slopes and green knolls, till towards the entrance, the coast became perfectly level. Pushing forward, we soon found ourselves in a narrow channel be- tween two projecting head-lands, beautifully orna- mented with cocoa-nut trees, and so near to each other, that I could with ease have thrown a biscuit from the sliip's deck upon either. At the extre- mity of tliese necks, just where the bay begins its sweep, stand two well-built forts, bristling with cannon ; and at the opposite side may be seen a third, ready to sink whatever hostile fleet should be fortunate enough to pass the first. But these were not the most striking parts of the scene. The water in this streight is remarkably clear, and ex- hibits with great distinctness the tops and chim- neys of houses at the bottom. It will be recol- L\ U IJ i i{ T'A 220 KINGSTON. lected, that many years ago, an earthquake not only demolished great part of the town of Port Royal, but likewise covered it with the sea ; by which means, the site of the harbour wss com- pletely changed, and that which was formerly dry land, and a town, became part of the entrance of the bay. Having doubled the promontories, a rich and extensive prospect meets the eye. You find your- self, as it were, in a large inland lake, the banks of which are covered with plantations of sugar-cane, groves of cocoa-nut and plantahe trees, and other woods peculiar to these regions, beautifully inter- spersed with seats and villages. On your right, is the town of Port Royal, lying nearly on a level with the water, and strongly protected by fortifi- cations, while in various other directions are castles and batteries, adding an appearance of security to that of plenty. The banks, though not lofty, slope gently upwards, with occasional falls or glens, and the hack ground is composed, in general, of the rugged tops of distant mountains. Having waited till the ship dropped anchor, I put myself into a sort of barge rowed by four ne- groes, and proceeded to Kingston. Though not the capital of the island, Kingston is the largest town in Jamaica. It stands upon the brink of a frith, about nine miles above Port Royal ; and thence enjoys all the advantages of the chief mart in this A i ■■ KINGSTON. 2.^1 uake not i of Port sea; by V3S com- nerly dry :raiice of rich and ind your- banks oF gar-cane, ind other illy inter- r right, is n a level by fortifi- ire castles icurity to lot lofty, falls or I general, anchor, I four ne- )ugh not ^sttown f a frith, i thence rt in this trading country. Like most other mercantile sea- ports, it is built without much regard to regularity. The streets, though wide, are in general the reverse of elegant, being composed almost entirely of wooden houses, and by no means remarkable for cleanliness. Of public buildings, it possesses none worthy of notice. Its inns are, however, excellent; and though certainly not moderate in their charges, they are at least more so than those of Bermuda. In a word, it is exactly such a town as one would expect to find, holding the principal commercial rank in a colony where mens' minds seldom aspire beyond the occupations of trade. Of the intense heat in this place, none but those who have experienced it can form a notion. It is impossible to walk out with any comfort, except before the sun has risen, or after he has set ; and even within doors, with the aid of thorough draughts, and all the other expedients usually adopted on such occasions, it is with the utmost difficulty that you can contrive to keep your blood in a moderate degree of temperature. In the town itself, therefore, few of the higher classes reside ; the closeness produced by a proximity of houses being in this climate peculiarly insupport- able. These accordingly inhabit little villas, called Pens, about three or four miles in the country ; the master of each family generally retaining a suite of apartments, or jperhaps an entire mansion in ' K: I' «JL . UV^t.>" * " I 222 KINGSTON. ■i h- I some open street, for his own use, when business obliges him to exchange the comfort of fresh air for the suffocating atmosphere of Kingston. To- wards the outskirtj, indeed, in one direction, a few genteel families inhabit one or two handsome houses, surrounded by extensive gardens and shrub- beries ; but these are not numerous, and so far from the heat of the town, as to be in a great mea- sure beyond the influence of its smoke, and other nuisances. During our sojourn in this place, wc received the most hospitable attention from several persons of the first distinction. Balls, and other entertain- ments, were given, at which all the beauty and fashion i"n this part of the island attended ; and for some days I had little leisure or inclination for any other pursuit, than the enjoyment of civilized pleasures ; a pursuit which, from long disuse, pos- sessed more than ordinary zest. But, at length, having seen as much of Kingston and its vicinity, as I desired to see, I determined to take advantage of the opportunity which fortune had placed within my reach, and to make an excursion into the heart of the Blue Mountains. To this I was additionally induced by an invitation from an old friend to visit him at Annotto Bay ; and as, along with his letter, he sent a horse for my own con- veyance, and a mule for the conveyance of my '^ggagc, no difficulty respecting a mtxle of being JAMAICA. 223 transported, stood in the way to obstmct my design. Having made up my mind to this journey, I waited till sun-set on the 9th, when starting in the cool of the evening, I reached a little tavern called the Plumb-tree, about half an hour after dark. My ride carried me through an open and fertile country, covered with sugar canes, coffee, and such other plants as are cultivated in the low grounds of Jamaica. It was a short one, not more than twelve miles in extent; but I was forced to halt where I did, because I had now gained the foot of the mountains ; and if I passed the Plumb- tree, well known as a sort of half-way house on such tours, I might travel all night without finding any place of accommodation. As darkness set in, one of the beautiful pecu- liarities of a tropical climate, which I had not pre- viously witnessed, came under my observation. The air was filled with fire-flies, which emitting a phosphoric light, something similar to the light of the glow-worm, only more red and brilliant, danced around me like sparks from a smith's anvil, when he is beating a bar of red hot iron. These creatures flutter about with a humming noise, and frequently settle in large swarms upon branches of trees, giving to them the semblance of so many pieces of timber taken newly out of a fire. When viewed by day-light, they are in no way rcmarka- ,T ' I V forms or terraces in the sides of the hills. A little path, similar to that along which I travelled, winds down from their doors to the bottom of the valley, and conducts to the edge of the river, from whence the inhabitants are supplied with water. Other tracks likewise branch off in different directions, some towards the summit, and others along the sides of the mountains ; leading, probably, to the fields or spots where the inhabitants labour. These ■I J* THE BLUE MOUNTAIN'S. 227 huts have no chimney, but only a large hole in the roof, to give free passage to the smoke, and I could perceive, by its rise at present, that fires were con- stantly kept burning. It would be labour lost, were I to attempt any more minute description of this delightful journey. Every step I took presented something new, and something more grand and sublime than I had just quitted ; while the continual fording of the swollen river, (for I crossed the same stream no fewer than eight and twenty times,) gave an additional interest to the scene, arising from the sense of danger. The rainy fv?asons having just ended, this stream, the Wag-water, a most appropriate name, had not as yet returned to its natural size ; but at the fords, which in general would not cover a horse's knees, the depth was such as to moisten the saddle-girths. So great a quantity of water, in a furious mountain-torrent, pouring on with all the violence pi*oduccd by a steep descent, occasioned no slight pressure upon my steed ; nor was it without considerable floundering on his part, and some anxiety on mine, that once or twice we suc- ceeded in making gocxl our passage. M^ ' iiil .,u , ''I .(» 'In 228 THE BLUE M0UXTAIN9. m LETTER XVII. Noon was approaching when my sooty fellow- traveller directed my attention to a neat cottage, romantically situated on the top of a low mound, which stood alone in the middle of stupendous mountains. It commanded one of the most ex- quisite prospects that fancy can represent. A sort of glen surrounded it on every side, richly and beautifully wooded ; behind, rose some of the most lofty of the blue mountains; on the right there was an opening, which admitted a fine view of Annotta Bay ; while in the other direction, the hills sloping gradually upwards, presented an inclined plane, covered with fields of sugar-cane, and ending at a considerable distance, in one abrupt and broken ridge. The cottage in question, was the residence of my friend, and the resting place whither my steps were turned ; nor did I experience any regret at finding myself so near my journey's end. The heat had for some time been almost intoler- able, and having eaten nothing since the night before, nature began to cry out for repose and re- pletion. In truth, the welcome which I expe- .^-7< THE BLUE MOUNTAINS. 229 rienced was of such a nature, as to take away all desire of wandering farther. We had not met for many years, and since that time, some me- lancholy changes had taken place in my friend's family ; but he received me with all the cordial hospitality which a warm heart produces, and for- got his own private sorrows, that he might not throw a damp over my enjoyments. Feeling that I had tiiken sufficient exercise for one day, I did not go out till the morrow ; when we rode together round several estates, saw the process of making sugar, aiid visited several hos- pitals, with which each estate is supplied for the reception and cure of sick negroes. I likewise made many miu. ce inquiries as to the state and condition of the slaves, inspecting their huts, and even examining their provisionr ; an<^ I must con- fess that the result of these inquiries was such, as to destroy much of the abhorrence which I had before felt to the name of slavery. There is some- thing in the idea of bondage very repugnant to the feelings of men born to freedom as an inhe- ritance ; nor are there any evils which such men would not undergo to preserve ihat inheritance. But after all, the misery of the one state, and the happiness of the other, is but ideal. As far as real comforts go, I should pronounce the negro slave, in Jamaica, a happier man than the peasant in England. Like a soldier, he is well fed, supplied q3 s strongly excited to learn what troops they ' o .tained, and what intelligence they brought; jomuch that they had scarcely dropped anchor when they were boarded from almost every one of the ships whidi they came trjoin. It appeared that this pov erful reinforcement consisted of the following forces. The 93d Regi- ment, a fine corps of Highlanders, mustering nine hundred bayonets; six companies of the 95th rifle corps, two West India Regiments, each eight hundred strong ; two squadrons of the 14th Dra- goons dismounted ; d'^tachmcnts of artillery, rockets, sappers, and engineers ; recruits for the clifferent corps already in this part of the world ; and though last, not least, Major General Kcane to take upon himself the command of the whole. The intelligence brought was likewise interesting, fo' it informed us of the point whither we were to proceed; and it was soon known throughout the fleet, that the conquest of New Orleans was the object in view. But before I pursue my narrative farther, having arrived, as it were, at a second commencement, it may be well if I state in full, the number of men which the army now contained. In the first place, then, there were the 4th, 44th, and 85th Regiments originally d'spatchcd from BourdcauX, and the po\v( M'or cor] the patc( four \'i:fiRiL n.vY. 241 I'i ij 2 1 St, which joinetl the expedition at Bermuda. These battaUons being considerably reduced by past ser- vice, could not at present nuiister conjunctly above two thousand two hundred men ; and being likewise deprived of the Marine battalion, which had fought beside them in the Chesapeake, they retained no followers except the Artillery, Sappers, &c. which had accompanied them fiom the first. The whole amount of this corps may, therefore, be estimated at two thousand live hundred men. Without computing the individual strength of each detachment now arrived, I will venture to fix the aggregate at three thousand five hundred ; and thus the whole, taken collectively, will amount to six ♦^housand combatants. That it might some- what exceed or fall under this computation, I do not deny ; but neither the excess nor deficiency could be considerable ; and therefore my state- ment may be received as correct, with very little allowance. Tbis, it nuist be confessed, was a formidable power, and such as, had all its parts been trust- worthy, might have done much. Ikit in the black corps, little reliance could be placed, especially if the climate should prove colder than was antici- pated ; consequently, there were not more than four thousand four hundred men, upon whom a general could fully de|)end. Toirether with these forces, were brought out u 'n '1' i I t . . I ri' -.i 942 NEGRIL BAY. abundant stores of ammunition, some clothing "of the troops, and tents to be used when an oppor- tunity should offer. There were also numerous adf''*"'ons to the commissariat and medical de- pa*- ents; in short, the material of the army was increased in proportion to its increase of number. To find himself in the chief command of this force, exceeded the expectation, and perhaps the desire, of General Keane. Being a young and dashing ofllicer, he had been selected as most fit to serve under Ross ; and having sailed from England before the death of that gallant chief was known, he reached Madeira before his elevation was communicated to him. Young as he was, however, his arrival produced much satisfaction throughout the armament; for though no one entertained a doubt as to the personal courage of Colonel Brook, it was felt that a leader of more experience was wanted on the present expe- dition. As soon as the newly-arrived squadron had anchored, the Bay was covered with boats, which conveyed parties of officers from ship to ship, hastening to salute their comrades, and to enquire into the state of things at home. Greetings and hearty embraces were interchanged between friends thus again brought together; and a few passing ejaculations of sorrow bestowed upon those m 1. • ilothing "of a an oppor- t numerous nedical de- [ the army increase of land of this perhaps the young and as most fit sailed from ,nt chief was his elevation ; as he was, I satisfaction ;h no one I courage of idor of more iiesent cxpe- iqnadron had boats, which ship to ship, nd to enquire Greetings iged between and a few cd upon those NEOttIL BAY. £43 who could not now take part in the meeting. Many questions were put, relative to persons and places in England ; in a word, the day was spent in that species of employment, which can be completely known only to those who have been similarly situated. f ,'■ ii I "i.^ H'2 •>. \ ■'m M ijjipli 1 ^ ' Ivil^S ^n. ^'liHi w^ ^^Ifrl It ii 1 fl ! S44 AT SEA. LETTER XVIII. But the period granted for such indulgence was not of long duration, for, on tlic following morning, the Tonnaut, Ramiilies, and two brig*^, stood to sea, and on the 26th, the rest of the fleet got under weigh, and followed the Admiral. It is impossible to conceive a finer sea-view than this general stir presented. Our fleet amounted now to upwards of fifty sail, many of tlicm vessels of war, which shaking loose their topsails, and lifting their an- chors at the same moment, gave to Negri I Bay an appearance of bustle such as it has seldom been able to show. In half an hour all the canvass was set, and the sliips moved slowly and proudly from their anchorage, till having cleared the head-lands, and caught the fair breeze which blew without, they bounded over the water with the speed of eagles, and long before dark, the coast of Jamaica had disappeared. There is something in rapidity of motion, whe- ther it be along a high road, or across the deep, extremely elevating ; nor was its effect unperceivcd on the present occasion. It is true, that there were other causes for the high spirits which now AT SEA. 245 indulgence was lowing morning, 1 brio's stood to le fleet got under It is impossible this general stir low to upwards Is of war, which lifting their an- ;o Negri I Bay an las seldom been the canvass was nd proudly from |d the head-lands, 1 blew without, th the speed of coast of Jamaica lof motion, wlic- lacross the deep, feet unperceivcd |true, that there )irits which now pervaded the armament, but I question if any one was more efficient in their production, than the asto- nishing rate of our sailinp Whether the business we were about to undertake would prove bloody, or the reverse, entered not into the contemplation of a single individual in the fleet. The sole sub- ject of remark was the speed with which we got over the ground, and the probability that existed of our soon reaching the point of debarkation. The change of climate, likewise, was not without its effect in producing pleasurable sensations. The farther we got from Jamaica, the more cool and agreeable became the atmosphere ; which led us to hope that, in spite of its southern latitude, New Orleans would not be found so oppressively hot as we had been taught to expect. The breeze continuing to last without inter- ruption, on the 29th we came in sigiit of the island of Grand Cayman. This is a small speck in the middle of the sea, lying so near the level of the water, as to be unobservable at any considerable distance. Though we passed along wi;:h prodigious velocity, a canoe nevertheless ventured off from the shore, and making its way through waves which looked as if they would swallow it up, succeeded in reaching our vessel. It contained a white man and two negroes, who brought off a quantity of fine turtle, which they gave us in exchange for salt pork ; and so great II 3 i't Ml 246 AT SEA. 11 was the value put upon salt provisions, that they bartered a pound and a half of the one for a pound of the other. To us the exchange was very ac- ceptable, and thus both parties remained satisfied with their bargain. Having lain to till our turtle merchants left us, we again filled and stood our course. The land of Cayman was soon invisible ; nor was any other perceived till the 2d of December, when the western shores of Cuba presented themselves. Towards them we now directed the ship's head, and reaching in within a few miles of the beach, coasted along till we had doubled the promontory which forms one of the jaws of the Mexican gulf While keeping thus close to the shore, our sail was more interesting than usual, for though this side of Cuba is low, it is still picturesque, from the abundance of wood with which it is ornamented. There are likewise several points where huge rocks rise perpendicularly out of the water, presenting the appearance of old baronial castles, with their battlements and lofty turrets ; and it will easily be believed, that none of these escaped our observa- tion. The few books which we had brought to sea, were all read, many of them twice and three times through ; and there now remained nothing to amuse, except what the variety of the voyage could produce. But the shores of Cuba were quickly passed, and AT SEA. 247 the old prospect of sea and sky again met the gaze. There was, however, one circumstance, from which we experienced a considerable diminution of comfort. As soon as we entered the gulf, a short disagreeable swell was perceptible ; differing in some respects from that in the Bay of Biscay, but to my mind infinitely more unpleasant. So great was the motion, indeed, that all walking was pre- vented ; but as we felt ourselves drawing every hour nearer and nearer to the conclusion of our miseries, this additional one was borne without much repining. Besides, we found some amuse- ment in watching from the cabin windows, the quantity and variety of weed with which the sur- face of this gulf is covered. Where it originally grows, I could not learn, though I should think most probably in the gulf itself; but following the course of the stream, it floats continually in one direction ; going round by the opposite coast of Cuba, towards the banks of Newfoundland, and extending sometimes as far as Bermuda and the Western Isles. It is not, however, my intention to continue the detail of this voyage longer than may be interest- ing ; I shall therefore merely state, that, the wind and weather having undergone some variations, it was the 10th of December before the shores of Amp^ca could be discerned. On that day we found ourselves opposite to the Chandelcur Islands, 11 4 .1 '.' «fe,i E;" i U ■ 248 \E\V Oil LEANS. i and near the entrance of Lake Borgne. Tliere tlie fleet anchored, that tlie troops might he removed from the heavy ships, into such- as drew least water ; and from this and other preparations, it ap- peared, that to ascend this lake was the plan deter- mined upon. But before I pursue my narrative farther, it will be well if I endeavour to give some account of the situation of New Orleans, and of the nature of the country against which our operations were directed. New Orleans is a town of some note, containing from twenty to thirty thousand inhabitants. It stands upon the eastern bank of the Mississippi, in 30'' north latitude, and about 110 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Though in itself unfortified, it is difficult to conceive a place capable of present- ing greater obstacles to an invader ; and at the same time more conveniently situated with respect to trade. Being built upon a narrow neck of kind, confined on one side by the river, and on tlie otlier by impassable morasses, its means of defence re- quire little explanation ; and as these morasses extend only a few miles, and are succeeded by Lake Pontchartrain, which again commuriicates through Lake Borgne,* with the sea, its peculiar • These are, properly speaking, one and the same lake. From the entrance, however, as far as Ship Island, is called by the inha- bitants Lake Borgne, and all above that point goes under the name NEW ORLEANS. 249 There tlie )C removed (hew least tions, it ap- 5 plan cleter- rther, it will count of the le nature of rations were 2, containing abitants. It >lississippi, in les from the unfortified, it le of present- ; and at the with respect neck of hind, on the other defence rc- lese morasses uccceded by ommuhicates its peculiar Ime lake. From llled by the inha- , under ihc name commercial advantages must be equally apparent. It is by means of the former of these Lakes, indeed, that intercourse is maintained between the city and the northern parts of West Florida, of which it is the capital ; a narrow creek, called, in the lan- guage of the country, a 13ayo or Bayoute, navigable for vessels drawing less than six feet water, running up through the marsh, and ending within two miles of the town. The name of this creek is the Bayoute of St. John, and its entrance is defended by works of considerable strength. But to exhibit its advantages in a more dist'nct point of view, it will be necessary to say a few ■words respecting that mighty river upon which it stands. The Mississippi, (a corruption of the Vvord Mechasippi, signifying, in the language of the na- tives, ' the father of rivers,') is allowed to be inferior, in point of size and general navigability, to few streams in the world. According to the Sioux Indians, it takes its rise from a large swamp, and is increased by many rivers emptying themselves into its couisc as far as the fall of St. Anthony, which, by their account, is upwards of seven hundred leagues from its source. But this fall; which is formed by a rock thrown across the Ciji* uel, of about twelve feet perpendicular height, is known to be eight hundred leagues from tlie sea; and of Lake Pontchartrain. They arc both ext.eiiiely shallow, varying from 12 to 6 feet in depth. •♦^ t ) ' ( 250 NEW ORLEANS. therefore the whole course of the Mississippi, from its spring to its mouth, may be computed at Httle short of 5,000 miles. Below the fall of St. Anthony, again, the Mis- sissippi is joined by a number of rivers considerable in point o^ size, and leading out of almost every part of the continent of America. These are the St. Pierre, which comes from the west ; St. Croix, from the east ; the Moingona, which is said to run 150 leagues from the west, and forms a junction about 250 below the fall ; and the Illinois, which rises near the Lake Michigan, 200 leagues east of the Mississippi. But by far the most important of these auxiliary streams is the Missouri, the source of which is as little known as that of the Father of Rivers himself. It has been followed by traders upwards of 400 leagues, who traffic with, the tribes which dwell uDon its banks, and obtain an immense return for European goods. The mouth of this river is five leagues below that of the Illinois, and is supposed to be 800 from its source, which, judging from the flow of its waters, lies in a north-west direction from the Mississippi. It is remarkable enough, that the waters of this river are black and muddy, and prevail over those of the Mississippi, which, running with a clear and gentle stream till it meets with this addition, becomes from that time both dark and rapid. i isippi, from ;ed at little n, the Mis- onsideiable .most every ese are the ; St. Croix, i said to run J a junctior. inois, which igues east of lese auxiliary • which is as ivcrs himself, ^rards of 400 which dwell se return for river is five :l is supposed ing from the [est direction uhle enough, and mu(lVew Orleans. Sixty leagues below the Arkansas, comes the Yazous from the north-east ; and about fifty-eight nearer to the city, is the Rouge, so called from the colour of its waters, which are of a reddish dye, and tinge those of the Mississippi at the time of the floods. Its source is in New Mexico, and after running about 200 leagues, it is joined by the Noir thirty miles above the place where it empties itself into the Mississippi. Of all these rivers, there is none which will not answer the purposes of commerce, at least to a very considerable extent ; and as they join the Missis- sippi alK)ve New Orleans, it is evident that this city may be considered as the general mart of the whole. Whatever nation, therefore, chances to possess this place, possesses in reality the command of a greater extent of country than is included within the boundary line of the whole United States; since from every direction are goods, the produce of East, West, North, and South America, .1 I J fJ / 252 NEW ORLEANS. sent down by the Mississippi to the gulf. But were New Orleans properly supplied with fortifi- cations, it is evident that no vessels could pass without the leave of its governor ; and therefore is it that I consider that city as of greater impor- tance to the American government, than any other within the compass of their territories. Having said so much on its commercial advan- tages, let mc now point out more distinctly than I have yet done, the causes which contribute to its i-afety from all hostile attempts. The first of these is the shallowness of the river at its mouth, and the extreme rapidity of the current. After flowing on in one prodigious sheet of water, varying in depth from one hundred to thirty fathoms, the Missis- sippi, previous to its joining the Mexican Gulf, divides into four or iive mouths, the most consi- derable of which is encumbered by a sand-bank, continually liable to drift. Over this bank, no vessel drawing above seventeen feet water, can pass ; when once across, however, there is no longer a difticulty in being floated ; but to anchor is hazardous, on account of the huge logs which arc constantly carried clown the stream. Should one of tliese strike the bow of the ship, it would possibly dash her to pieces ; while, independent of mis, there is always danger of drifting, or losing anchors, owing to the number of sunken logs which the uuder-currcnt bears along within ilf. But h fortifi- )uld pass therefore er impor- any other ial advan- tly than I »ute to its St of these th, and the flowing on ig in depth the Missis- cicau CiuU, nost consi- sand-bank, bank, no water, can lere is no t to anchor oiTs Nvhicli Should >, it would ndependcnt hitting, or of sunken ong within DF.TOUR DES ANGLAIS. 253 lU a few feet of the bottom. All vessels ascending the river are accordingly obliged, if the wind be foul, to make fast to the trees upon the banks ; be- cause, without a breeze at once fair and powerful, it is impossible to stem the torrent. But besides this natural obstacle to invasion, the mouth of the river is defended by a fort, which, from its situation, may be pronounced impregna- ble. It is built upon an artificial causeway, and is surrounded on all sides by swamps totally imper- vious, which extend on both sides of the river to a place called the Detour des Anglais, within twenty- miles of the city. Here two other forts are erected, one on each bank. Like that at the river's mouth, these are surrounded by a marsh, a single narrow path conducting from the commencement of firm ground to the gates of each. If, therefore, an enemy should contrive to pass both the bar and the first port, he must here be stopped, because all landing is prevented by the nature of the soil ; and however fair his breeze may have hitherto been, it will not now assist his farther progress. At this point the Mississippi winds almost in a circle, in- somuch that vessels which arrive are necessitated to make fast, till a cliange of wind occur. From the Detour des Anglais towards New Or- leans, the face of the country undergoes an alter- ation. Th ; swamp does not, indeed, end, but it narrows off to the right, leaving a space of firm '( 'M 'I 1' ^54 DETOUR DES ANGLAIS. ground, varying from three to one mile in width, between it and the river. At the back of t.us swamp, again, which may be about six or eight miies across, come up the waters of Lake Pont- chartrain, anH ihus a neck of arable land is formed, stretching for some way above the city. The whole of these morasses are covered, as far as the Detour, with tall reeds; a little wood now succeeds, skirting the open country, but this is a mile in depth, when it again gives place to reeds. Such is the aspect of that side of the river upon which the city is built ; with respect to the other, I can speak with less confidence, having seen it but cur- sorily. It appears, however, to resemble this in almost every particular, except that it is more wooded, and less confined with marsh. Both sides arc flat, containing no broken ground, or any other cover for military movements; for on the open shore there are no trees, except a few in the gar- dens of those houses which skirt the river, the whole being laid out in large fields of sugar-cane, separated from one another by rails and ditches. From this short account of the country, the ad- vantages possessed by a defending army must be apparent. To approach by the river is out of the question, and therefore an enemy can land only from the Lake. But this can be done no where, except where creeks or bayos offer conveniences for that purpose, because the banks of the lake ate NEW ORLKANS. 255 universally swampy; and can hardly supply foot- ing for infantry, far less for the transportation of artillery. Of these, however, there are not above one or two which could be so used. The Bayo of St John is one ; but it is too well defended, and too carefully guarded for any attempts ; and the Bayo of Catiline is another, about ten miles below the city. That this last might be found useful in an attack, was proved by the landing effected by our army at that point ; but what is the conse- quence? The invaders arrive upon a piece of ground, where the most consummate generalship will be of little avail. If the defenders can but retard their progress; which, by crowding the Mississippi with armed vessels, may very easily be done, the labour of a few days will cover this nar- row neck with entrenchments ; while the opposite bank, remaining in their hands, they can at all times gall their enemy with a close and deadly cannonade. Of wood, as I have already said, or broken ground which might conceal an advance, there exists not a particle. Every n.ovement of the assailants must, therefore, be made under their eyes ; and as one flank of their army will he as well defended by morass, as the other by the river, they may bid defiance to all attempts at turning. Such are the advantages of New Orleans ; and now it is only fair, that I should state its disad- vantages : these are owing solely to the climate. r .1 U'\n 256 NEW OULEANS. From the swamps with which it is sunountled, there arise, during the summer month'*, exhalations extremely fatal to the health of its inhihitauts. For some months of the year, indeed, so deadly are the etiects of the atmosphere., that iiic g?v.iiS(Mi is withdrawn, and most of the families; retire from their houses to more goni d spots, leaving the town as much deseited, as if it iiad been visited by a pes tilcnce. Yet, in 5;pite of tlie.sc precautions, agu'.s and intermittent fevers abound hero at ail .. ocs. Nor is it wonderful that this should he the case ; for indep ndent of the vile air which the vicinity of so r'lny j>utrid swamps occasions, this country is riMrc liable than perhaps any other, to sudden and severe changes of temperature. A night of keen frost, sufficiently powerful to produce ice, a quarter of an inch in thickness, frequently follows a day of intense heat ; while hea 'y rains and bright sun- shine often succeed each other several times, in the course of a few hours. But these changes, as may be supposed, occur only during the winter ; the summer being one continued serie-^ f intoler- able heat and deadly fog. Of all these circumstances, the conductors of the present expedition were not ignorant. To reduce the forts which conmiand the navigation of the river, it was conceived, was a task too difficult to be attempted ; and for any ships to pass without this reduction, was impossible. Trusting, therefore. 'I;fp LAKE BORGNF. 257 ivrountlcd, ixlialatums ,\babitauts. deadly are gjv.nsoii is retire from 12 the town cu by a pes fions, agu'-s Lt ail .. ncs, he case ; for ; vicinity of s country is sudden and o-ht of keen ce, a quarter illows a day |l bright sun- al times, in changes, as the winter; f intoler- uctors of the To reduce [ation of the ditlicult to bass without »g, therefore. that the object of the enterprize was unknown to the Americans, Sir Alexander Cochrane and Ge- neral Keane determined to effect a landing some- where on the banks of the Lake ; and pushing di- rectly on to take possession of the town, before any effectual preparation could be made for its defence. With this view the troops were re- moved from the larger into the lighter vesselsj and these, under convoy of such gun-brigs as the shal- lowness of the water would float, began on the 1 3th to enter Lake Borgne. But we had not pro- ceeded far, when it was apparent that the Ameri- cans were well acquainted with our intentions, and ready to receive us* Five large cutters, armed with six heavy guns each, were seen at anchor in the distance, and as all endeavours to land, till these were captured, would have been useless, the tran- sports and largest of the gun-brigs cast anchor, while the smaller craft gave chase to the enemy. But these cutters were built purposely to act upon the Lake. They accordingly set sail, as soon as the English cruizers were within a ceitain dis- tance, and running on, were quickly out of sight, leaving the pursuers fast aground. To permit them to remain in the hands of the enemy, how- ever, would be fatal, because, as long as they com- manded the navigation of the Lake, no boats could venture to cross. It was, therefore, determined at all hazards, and at any cxpence, to take them ; and i;\ ; h r^i fi5ii Lake boron£. since our lightest craft could not float where they sailed, a flotilla of launches and ship's barges was got ready for the purpose. This flotilla consisted of fifty open boats ; most of them armed with a carronade in the bow, and well manned with volunteers from the different ships of war. The command was given to Cap- tain Lockier, a brave and skilful officer, who imme- diately pushed ofl^; and about noon, coming in sight of the enemy, moored fore and aft, with the broad- sides pointing towards him. Having pulled a considerable distance, he resolved to refresh his men before he hurried them into action ; and, there- fore, letting fall grapplings just beyond reach of the enemy's guns, the crews of the different boats coolly ate their dinner. As soon as that meal was finished, and an hour spent in resting, the boats again got ready to ad- vance. But, unfortunately, a light breeze which had hitherto favoured them, now ceased to blow, and they were accordingly compelled to make way only with the oar. The tide also ran stiong against them, at once increasing their labour, and retard- ing their progress ; but all these difficulties ap- peared trifling to British sailors; and giving an hearty cheer, they moved steadily oi.ward in one extended line. It was not long before the enemy's guns opened upon them, and a tremendous shower of balls LAKE BORGNE. 259 vhere tbey barges was oats; most B bow, and le different ^en to Cap- who imme- iing in sight h the broad- ig pulled a , refresh his ; and, there- reach of the flferent boats and an hour ready to ad- ireeze which Lsed to blow, |to make way long against and retard- ifficuUies ap- id giving an .ward in one opened er of balls sruns m saluted their approacli. Some boats were sunk, others disabled, and many men were killed and wounded ; but the rest pulling with all their might, and occasionally returning the discharges from their comrades, succeeded, after an hour's labour, in closing with the Americans. The marines now began a deadly fire charge of musketry ; while the seamen, sword in hand, sprang up the vessel's sides in spite of all opposition ; and sabring every man that stood in the way, hauled down the American ensign, and hoisted the British flag in it's place. One cutter, however, which bore the commo- dore's broad pennant, was not so easily subdued. Having noted its pre-eminence, Captain Lockier directed his own boat against it ; and happening to have placed himself in one of the lightest and fastest sailing barges in the flotilla, he found him- self along side of his enemy, before any of the others were near enough to render him the smallest support. But nothing dismayed by odds so fear- ful, the gallant crew of this small bark following their leader, instantly leaped on board the Ameri- can. A desperate conflict now ensued, in which Captain Lockier received several severe wounds ; hut after fighting from the bow to the stern, the enemy were at length overpowered ; and other barges coming up to the assistance of their com- mander, the commodore's flag shared the same fate with the others. as ij 260 LAKE BORGNE. Having thus destroyed all opposition in this quarter, the fleet again weighed anchor, and stood up the Lake. But we had not been many hours under sail, when ship after ship ran aground : such as still floated were, therefore, aowded with the troops from those which could go no farther, till finally the lightest vessel stuck fast ; and the boats were of necessity hoisted out, to carry us a distance of upwards of thirty miles. To be con- fined for so long a time, as the prosecution of this voyage would require, in one posture, wasof itself no very agreeable prospect; but the confinement was but a trifling misery, when compared with that which arose from the change in tlic weather. Instead of a constant bracing frost, heavy rains, such as an in- habitant of England cannot dream of, and against which no clouk will furnish protection, began. In the midst of these were the troops embarked in their new and straitened transports, and each di- vision, after an exposure of ten hours, landed upon a small desert spot of earth, called Pine Island, where it was determined to collect the whole army, previous to its crossing over to the main. . Than this spot, it is scarcely possible to imagine any place more completely wictched. It was a swamp, containing a small space of firm ground at one end, and almost wholly unadorned with trees of any sort or description. There were, in- deed, a few stinted firs upon the very edge of the PINE ISLAND. 1?6I on in this and stood lany hours aground : )wded with no farther, it; and the I carry us a To be con- tion of this ,s of itself no ncment was li that which Instead of ich as an in- and against began. In LMnbarkcd in nd each di- anded upon Pine Island, whole army, ,in. c to imagine It was a firm ground ilorned with re were, in- edge of the water; but these were so diminutive in size, as hardly to deserve an higher classification than among the meanest of shrubs. The interior was the resort of wild ducks and other water fowl ; and the pools and creeks with which it was intercepted abounded in dormant aligators. Upon this miserable desert, the army was as- sembled, without tents or huts, or any covering to shelter them from the inclemency of the weather .•■ and in truth we may fairly affirm, that our hardships had here their commencement. After having been exposed all day to a cold and pelting rain, we landed upon a barren island, incapable of furnish- ing even fuel enough to supply our fires. To add to our miseries, as night closed, the rain generally ceased, and severe frosts set in ; which, congeahng our wet clothes upon our bodies, left little animal warmth to keep the limbs in a state ©f activity ; and the consequence was, that many af the wretched negroes, to wliom frost and cold were altogether new, fell fast asleep, antj perished before morning. For provisions, again, we were entirely depen- dent upon the fleet. There were here no living creatures which would suifer themselves to he caught ; even the water-fowls being so timorous, that it was impossible to approach them within musket shot. Salt meat and ship biscuit were,' therefore, our food, moistened by a small allowance s 3 y ' 1 262 PINE ISLAND. of rum ; fere, which, though no doubt very whole- some, was not such as to reconcile us to the cold and wet under which we suifered. On the part of the navy, again, all these hard- ships were experienced in a four-fold degree. Night and day were boats pulling from the fleet to the island, and from the island to the fleet ; for it was the 2 1st before all the troops were got on shore ; and as there was little time to inquire into mens' turns of labour, many seamen were four or five days continually at the oar. Thus, they had not only to bear up against variety of temperature, but against hunger, fatigue, and want of sleep in addition ; three as fearful burdens as can be laid upon the human frame. Yet, in spite of all this, not a mur- mur nor a whisper of complaint could be heard throughout the whole expedition^ No man ap- peared to regard the present, while every one looked forward to the future. From the General, down to the youngest drum-boy, a confident anti- cipation of success seemed to pervade all ranks ; and in the hope of an ample reward in store for them, the toils and grievances of the moment were forgotten. Nor was this anticipation the mere off- spring of an over-weaning confidence in themselves. Several Americans had already deserted, who en- tertained us with accounts of the alarm expe- rienced at New Orleans. They assured us that there were not at present 5,000 soldiers in the PJNE ISLAND. 263 State ; that the principal inhabitants had long ago left the place ; that such as remained were ready to join us as soon as we should appear among them ; and that, therefore, we might lay our ac- count with a speedy and bloodless conquest. The same persons likewise dilated upon the wealth and importance of the town, upon the large quantities of government stores 'there collected, and the rich booty which would reward its capture ; sub- jects well calculated to tickle the fancy of inva- ders, and to make them unmindful of immediate afliictions, in the expectation of so great a re- compense. '. i s4 S61 PINE ISLAND. LETTER XIX. While the troops were thus assemhling, an cm- hassy was dispatched to the Chactaws, a tribe of Indians with whom our government chanced to be in alliance. Along with this embassage I had the good fortune to be sent; and a most amusing expedition it proved to be. We set sail in a light schooner, and running along the coast till we came to a district not far from Apalachicola, pushed our vessel into a creek, and landed. Proceeding a short distance from the shore, we arrived at a considerable settlement of these sa images; as singular a collection of human habitations as ever I beheld. It consisted of up- wards of thirty huts, composed of reeds and branches of trees, erected in the heart of a wocJ, without any regard to form or regularity ; each hut standing at a short distance from the rest. At the doors of these huts sat the men, in a posture of the most perfect indolence, with their knees bent upwards, their elbows resting upon their knees, and their chins upon their elbows. Not a word 'vas interchanged between man and man, while they appeared to be totally absorbed, eacli in his PIN£ ISLAND. 265 ;, an cm- a, tribe of hanced to ige 1 had t amusing I running! ict not far to a creek, e from the ;lcnicnt of of human cd of up- eeds and f a wogJ, ity ; each rest. At osture of ijccs heiit leir knees, ot a woio lan, while aclt in his own private contemplations. The women, how- ever, were differently employed. Upon them, in- deed, all the toil of domestic economy seemed to have devolved ; for they were carrying water, splitting wood, lighting fires, and cooking provi- sions. Some children, though not so many as one would have expected, from the extent of the set- tlement, were likewise playing about ; but their sports had little of the spirit of European games ; and frequently ended in quarrels and combats. On our approach, two men rose from the doors of their huts, and came to meet us. These proved to be the chief, and the principal warrior of the tribe ; the first an elderly infirm person, and the last a man of fierce countenance, probably about the age of forty. They were not, however, dis- tinguished from their countrymen by any peculi- arity of dress ; being arrayed, as the others were, in buffalo hides, with a loose scarf of cotton thrown over one shoulder, and wra|)ped round their loins; the size of their ornaments alone indicated that they were persons of consecjuence, the king having two broad pieces of gf»Ul suspended from his ears, and bracelets of the same metal round his wrists ; while the warriors ears were graced with silver rings, and a whole Spanish toil (Vk i\w benefit of the men, w1m> throw thcmsrlvei upon the i^ run ml, and fkAW till flieir m« il i . «>• pared. 268 PINE ISLAND. But I must not attempt to describe the manners and customs of this strange people, which have been so frequently and so much better described already. I would rather relate such incidents as fell under my own immediate observation, without suffering my simple navrative to aim at a dignity to which it is not entitled. Having brought with us an interpreter, we were informed by him that the king declined entering upon business till after the feast. This was speedily prepared, and laid out upon the grass, con- sisting of lumps of Buffalo flesh, barely warmed through, and swimming in blood ; with cakes of Indian com and manioc. Of dishes and plates, there were none. The meat was brought in the hand of the females who had dressed it, and placed upon the turf; the warriors cut slices from it with their knives ; and holding the flesh in one hand, and the cake in the other, they eat, as I thought, rather sparingly, and in profound silence. Besides these more substantial viands, there were likewise some minced-meats of an extraordinary appearance, served up upon dried hides. Of these the company seemed to l)e particularly fond, dipping their hands into them without ceremony, and thus conveying the food to their mouths; but for my own j)art, I found it sufficiently difficult to partake of the raw flesh, and could not overcome my loathing so much us to taste the mince. •/ PINE ISLAND. Q69 When the remnant of the Tood was removed, an abundant supply of rum, which these people had received from our fleet, was produced. Of this they swallowed large potations ; and, as the spirit took effect, their taciturnity gave way before it ; till at last, speaking all together, each endeavoured, by elevating his voice, to drown the voices of his companions, and a tremendous shouting was the consequence. Springing from the ground, where hitiierto they hatl sat cross-legged, many of them likewise began to jump about, and exhibit feats of activity ; nor was I without apprehension that tins riotous ban(|uet would end in bloodshed. The king and. chief warrior alone still retained their senses sutiicieitly unclouded to understand wliat: "vas said. From them, therefore, we obtained a pro- mise, that the tribe would affjrd to the expedition every assistance in their jjovv^er; after which we retired for the night to a hut assigned for our ac- commodation, leaving our wild hosts to continue the revel as long as a single drop of spirits re- mained. On the following morning, having presented the warriors with muskets and ammunition, we de- paitecl, taking with us the two chiefs at their own recjuest. For this journey they had c(iuipped theniselves in a most cxtraoidinary manner ; making their appearance in scarlet jackets, which they had obtained from Colonel Nickolls, old fa- i V 270 PINE ISLAND. shioned steel-bound cocked hats, and shoes. Trow- sers they would not wear, but permitted their lower parts to remain with no other covering than a girdle tied round their loins ; and sticking scalp- ing knives in their belts, and holding tomahawks in their hands, they accompanied us to the fleet, and took up their residence with the Admiral. In the mean time, the disembarkation was going on with much spirit. The cutters being taken, and all difficulties removed, tlie troops b«?gan, on the I6th, to quit the ships, and on the 21st, were assembled in force upon Pine Island. J>ut before tlicy could cross over to the main, it was necessary that some arrangements should be made, and that the different battalions should be divided into corps and brigades. With this design, General Keanc reviewed his army on the 22d, and distri- buted it into the following order. Instead of a light brigade, he determined to form three battalir^s into an advanced guard. The rc- gimeiits appointed to this service, v/cre the 4th, 85th, and 95th ; and as an officer of courage and entcrprizing talent is rccpilrcd to lead the advance of an army, they were put under the command of (.'olonel Tliorntoii. Attached to this corps of in- fantry, V. ere a party of rocket-men, and two light three- poiinder guns ; u species of artillery conve- nient enough, where celerity of movement is alone regarded, but of very little service in the field. PINE ISLAND. ^ri M 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 d3d,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 ; while the dragoons, who had biought their harness and other appointments on shore, re- mained as a sort of body-guard to the General, till they should provide themselves with horses. The adjustment of these matters having occu- pied a considerable part of the 22d, it was deter- mined that all things should remain as they were till next morning. Boats, in the mean time, began to assemble from all quarters, supplies of ammuni- tion were packed, so as to prevent the possibility of damage from moisture, and stores of various de- scriptions were got ready. But it appeared, that even now, many serious inconveniences must be endured, and obstacles surmounted, before the troops could reacii 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 inconvcnienje of no slight nature, for should the weatlier prove boisterous, oj)en l)oats heavily laden with soldiers, would stand little chance of escaping destruction, Ji: f . \lu 272 THE LAKE. in the course of so long a voyage. In the next place, and what was of infinitely greater import- ance, it was found that there were not throughout the whole fleet, a sufficient number of boats to traneport 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, there- fore, 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 re solved to lose no time in bringing their army into the field, in the best manner which circumstances would permit. With this view, the advance, consisting of 1,600 men, and two pieces of cannon, was next morn- ing embarked. I have already stated that there is a small creek, called the Bayo de Catiline, which runs up from Lake Pontchartrain through tlie 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 hea\y rain began to fall. Continuing without intermission I * ■ 11 THE LAKE. 273 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 be- numbing sensation, or effectually resisting the cold. Fires of charcoal, indeed, were lighted in the sterns of the boats, and were suffered to burn as long as day-light 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 comfortable ; since even sleep was denied us, from the appre- hension of fatal consequences. Having remained in this uncomfortable state till midnight, the boats cast anchor, and hoisted awn- ings. There was a small piquet of the enemy stationed at the entrance of the creek, by which we meant to effect our landing. This it was ab- solutely necessary to surprise ; and while the rest lay at anchor, two or three fast sailing barges were sent on to execute the service. Nor did they ex- perience much dilticulty in accomplishing ♦:heir 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 ■ ^I.^III S74 LANDING. officer who conducted the force sent against them, found V >t so much as a single MOitinel posted; but having landed his men at two places, above and helow the hut which they inhabited, extended his ranks so as to surround it, and closing gra- dually 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 lor intelligence of success, pur- sued their voyage. Hitherto we had been hurried along at a rapid rate by a fair breeze, which ena- bled us to carry canvass ; but this now left us, and we made way only with rowing. Our progress Mas, therefore, considerably retarded, and the risk of discovery heightened by the noise which that labour necessarily occasions ; but in spite of all tills, 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. Wherever we looked, no- thing was to be seen except one huge marsh, co- vered with t"»ll 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 ;:i igainst them, tinel posted ; places, above ted, extended closing gra- without noise )wed as was iment of this d anchor, and success, pur- been hurried J, which ena- w left us, and Our progress , and the risk le which that 1 spite of all the creek by ere safely on s wild as it is I looked, Ro- ^e marsh, Co- nor a vestige ed ; and even ing upon the ich a spot as, ons. No eye LANDING. 275 could watch us, or report our arrival to the Ame- rican General. By remaining quietly among the reeds, we might effectually conceal ourselves from notice ; because, from the appearance of all around, it was easy to perceive that the place which We occupied was seldom, if ever before marked with a human footstep. Concealmr^ 'lowever, was the thing of all others whicli v li'-'-d, for be it remembered, that there were no > teen hundred men on the main land. 1 .c lo, 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 con- cealment to one part of our force, until the others should be able to come up. It was, therefore, confidently expected, that no movement would be made previous to the arrival of the other brigades ; but, in our expectations of (juiet, 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 re- peated, that there were not five thousand men in t2 ,1 •ff I' ) (^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 UitU |2.5 ■^ lU 12.2 U il.6 otIsi i^^^ ^ ^ "> <•»' y Photographic Sciences Corporation as WMT MAIN STHST VraUTM.NV USM (7l*)«7a-4»03 K •v.ni\ '^'L j^* 276 MARCH. :, € arms throughout the state ; that of these, not more than twelve hundred were regular soldiers, and that the whole was at present several miles on the op- posite side of the town, expecting an attack on that quarter, and apprehended no danger on this. These arguments, together with the nature of the ground on \vhich we stood, so ill calculated for a proper distribution of troops, in case of attack, and so well calculated to hide the movements of a force 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 ad- vance was formed, and the boats had departed, we began our march, following an indistinct path along the edge of a ditch or canal. It was not, however, without many checks that we were able to proceed. Other ditches, similar to that whose course we pursued, frequently stopped us by run- ning 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, while bridges were hastily constructed of what tnaterials could Lte 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 intercepted MAltCH. 277 by wider spots of firm ground ; and the reeds gave place, by degrees, to wood ; and the wood to in- closed fields. Upon these, however, nothing grew, harvest having long ago ended. They presented, therefore, but a melancholy appearance, being co- vered with the stubble of sugar-cane, which re- sembled the reeds we had just quitted, in every thing except altitude. Nor as yet was any house or cottage to be seen. Though we knew, there- fore, 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 now conducted with more caution and regularity. But in a little while, some groves of orange trees presented themselves ; on massing which, two or three farm-houses appeared. Towards these, our advanced companies immediately hastened, with the hope of surprising the inhabitants, and preventing any alarm from being raised. Hurry- ing on at double rju ick time, they surrounded the buildings, succee(ied in securing the inmates, and capturing several bouses; but becoming rather careless in watching their prisoners, one man con- trived to effect his escape ; after which, all hope of eluding observation was laid aside. The rumour T 3 278 HALT. A I I li'i of our landing would, we knew, spredd faster than we could march ; and it now only remained to make that rumour as terrible as possible. With this view, the column was ordered to widen its files, and to present as formidable an appearance as could be assumed. Changing our order, there- fore, 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 track of 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, wc soon arriveil at the main road, which leads directly to New Orleans. Turning to the right, we then advanced in the direction of tliat 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. ■^he country where we had now established o ves, answered, in every respect, the descrip- tion 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 marsli from which we had just emerged. To- wards the open ground, this marsh was covered HALT. '279 witli 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 Avhole being laid out in larg^ fields for the growth of sugar-c^ne ; a plant which seems as abundant in this part of the world as in Jamaica. Looking up towards the town, whi<;h 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. Betw^Qn the road and the water, is thrown up a lofty and strong etnbank- nient, resembling the dykes in Holland, and meant to serve a similar purpose; by means of which, the Mississippi is prevented from overflow- ing its banks, and the entire flat is preserved from inundation. But the attention of a stranger is ir- resistibly drawn away from every other objeict, 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 t4 ( 1 280 HALT. 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 oiF 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, sur- rounded by about twenty wooden huts, probably intended for the accommodation of slaves. To- wards 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 again as the first was to the front, stood another house, inferior in point of appearance, and skirted by no out-buildings: 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 re- doubt, the flank of the division extending, as it were, between them. Immediately in front, where the advanced posts were stationed, ran a dry ditch and a row of lofty palings ; and thus, both it and the left were in some degree protected; t HALT. 1281 across, and What this auth, I can pwards of a •■ v:>K f ?'■*■*■:' * the country iition, again, ing off from ield, formed of the river. Ivance as to 1 house, sur- its, probably slaves. To- t rise in the ) was a small iie rear again lOther house, skirted by n the right; >mpanied us, the one nor covering rc- mding, as it front, where ran a dry d thus, both e protected; while the right and rear were wholly without cover. Though we occupied this field, there- fore, and might have looked well in a peaceable district, it must be confessed that our situation hardly deserved the title of a military position. I." " ,.■•'. ..t ' 'I : .'/ ' . I; , i »• -••;m; "..:. n ..[ •7.1 -:,■,.; J: ■.•: . r; '.■■,,• f: :^ • ■ . -' ... ;;'■ J . . . , .... ■ . ' ?■■; ('.'y '■■■ ■ '- '■ 'j . M I .'■...!>. •- V y '. ■: t . ■ . r;] ATTACK. 285 made a beautiful appearance in the air ; but the rocket is an uncertain weapon, and these deviated too far from their object to produce even terror among those against whom they were directed. Under these circumstances, as nothing could be done ofFetisively, our sole object was to shelter the men as much as possible from this iron hail. With this view, they were commanded to leave the fires, and to hasten under the dyke. Thither all, ac- cordingly, repaired, without much regard to order and regularity, and laying ourselves along where- ever we could find room, we listened in painful silence to the scattering of grape shot among our huts, and to the shrieks and groans of those who lay wounded beside them. The night was now as dark as pitch, the moon being but young, and totally obscured with clouds. Our fires deserted by us, and beat about by the enemy's shot, began to burn red and dull, and, ex- cept when the flashes of those guns which played upon us cast a momentary glare, not an object could be distinguished at the distance of a yard. In this state we lay for nearly an hour, unable to move from our ground, or offer any opposition to those M'lio kept us there ; when a straggling fire of musketry called our attention towards the piquets, and warned us to prepare for a closer and more desperate strife. As yet, however, it was un- certain from what cause this dropping fire arose. ■i\ Mi!- S86 ATTACK. It might proceed from the sentinels, who, alarmed by the cannonade from the river, mistook every tree for an American ; and till this should be more fully ascertained, it would be improper to expose the troops, by moving any of them from the shelter which the bank afforded. But these doubts were not permitted to continue long in existence. The dropping fire having paused for a few moments, was succeeded by a fearful yell ; and the heavens were illuminated on all sides by a semi-circular blaze of musketry. It was now clear that we were surrounded, and that by a very superior force ; and, therefore, no alternative remaining, but, either to suiTender at discretion, or to beat back the as- sailants. The first of these plans was never for an instant thought of; and the second was immediately put into force. Rushing from under the bank, the 85th and 9.5th flew to support the piquets, while the 4th, stealing to the rear of the encampment, formed close column, and remained as a reserve. But to describe this action is altogether out of the question, for it was such a battle as the annals of modern warfare can hardly match. All order, all discipline were lost. Each officer, as he was able to collect twenty or thirty men round him, ad- vanced into the middle of the enemy, when it was fought hand to hand, bayonet to bayonet, and ATTACK. 287 twoiid to sword, with the tumult and ferocity of one of Home'i's combats. To ^ve some idea of this extraordinary combat, I shall detail the adventures of a friend of mine, who dianced to accompany one of the first parties sent out. Dashing through the bivouac under an heavy discharge from the vessel, his party reached the lake, which was forded, and advanced as far as the house where General Keane had fixed his head quarters. The moon had by this time made her way through the clouds ; and though only in her first quarter gave light enough to permit their seeing, though not distinctly. Having now gone far enough to the right, the party pushed on to- wards the front, and entered a sloping field of stubble ; at the upper end of which they could distinguisli a dark line of men ; but, whether they were friends or foes it was impossible to determine. Unwilling to fire, lest he should kill any of our own people, my friend led on the volunteers whom he had got round him, till they reached some thick piles of reeds, about twenty yards from the object of their notice. Here they were saluted by a sharp volley, and being now confident that they were enemies, he co5'. urnded his men to fire. But a brother office'- who accompanied him, was not so convinced, assuri^ig him that they were soldiers of the 9ith, upon which they agreed to divide the forces ; that he who doubted, should remain with 288 FLIGHT OF THE ENEMY. u I \ one part, where he was, while my friend, with the rest, should go round upon the flank of this line, and discover certainly to which army it belonged. Taking with him about fourteen men, he ac- cordingly moved off to the right, when falling in with some other stragglers, he attached them like- wise to his party, and advanced. Springing over a high rail, they came down upon the left of those concerning whom the doubt had existed, and found them to be, as my friend had supposed, Americans. Not a moment was lost in attacking, but having got unperceived, within a few feet of where they stood, they discharged their pieces, and rushed on to the charge. In the whole course of my mili^ ti'y career. I do not recollect any scene at all re- sembling that which followed. Some "soldiers having lost their bayonets, laid about them with the butt end of their firelocks ; while many a sword, which till to night had not drank blood, be- came in a few minutes crimsoned enough. The contest, though desperate, was of short dura- tion. Panic struck at the vigour of the assault, the Americans soon fled, and our people pursued them through a garden, and into the middle of the huts, which I liave stated as surrounding a large house upon the right front of our original position. Here they found a considerable number of our own men, and one or two officers taken, and guarded by a detachment of Americans. These they imme- HALT. 289 cliatcly released, who, catching up what weapons they could find, followed their liberators in the chase of the flying enemy. . < ' But, having now got as far in advance of the main body as he considered prudent, my friend de- termined to pause here, till he shouM discover how things went in other parts of the field. With this view he halted his party, amounting, by the late addition, to forty men and two ollicers; and proceeding alone towards the front, he attJilion, at the bottom of a field on the left. Being anxious to discover who they were, he walked forward, when a voice from among them called out not to fire, because they were Americans. But my friend had more in view than merely to discover what countrymen they were, and therefore, answering as one of themselves, he demanded to what corps they belonged ? To this the speaker replied, that they were the '2d battalion of the 1st Regiment, and recfuested to be informed what had become of the l»t battalion. Still imitating the AuK'ricau twang, my friend again made answer that it was upon his right; and assuming a tone of authority, commanded then» to remain as they were, till he should join them with a party of which he was at the head. . . •> ^ i Having ended this conversation, he returned tp the vjlliige, and forming his party in line, led them u n W 290 COMBAT. on in deep silence towards the 2d battalion of I 1 st Regiment. As they drew near he called out for the commanding officer, or him who had spoken to come forward, adding that he had something to communicate ; upon which an elderly man, armed with a huge dragoon sabre, advanced to meet him. As soon as they were together, my friend seized his sword, and desired him to surrender, declaring that he and his regiment were surrounded, and that resistance would only occasion unnecessary blood- shed. The man was completely confounded, and resigned his sword immediately ; when, turning to another officer, he demanded his. This person, however, was younger, and appeared to have his wits more about him, for, instead of giving up his weapon, he made a cut at my friend's head, which he had scarcely time to ward off. Their country- men, likewise, who had hitherto stood motionless, took courage at the deed, and began firing ; when, as all chance of cheating them into a surrender was at an end, our soldiers dashed amongst them, and once more renewed the combat hand in hand. But though the enemy had so far recovered from their panic as to refuse a surrender, their resolution did not prompt them to any determined resistance. Charged as they were upon the flank, it is not wonderful that they soon fell into confusion, and being closely pressed by the brave little part}', they had no time given to rally. In less than an COMBAT. 291 alion ot t :aUed out for • had spoken lomething to man, armed to meet b'nn. friend seized ier, declaring ided, and that jessary blood- ifounded, and en, turning to This person, ed to have his ■ giving up his '8 head, which rheir country- od motionless, firing; when, surrender was est them, and . in hand, ecovered from heir resolution ned resistance, lank, it is not confusion, and c little party, n less than an hour, therefore, they began to fly; and as my friend considered that he had been rash enough in attacking a force so superior, with a handful of men, he did not add to that rashness, by con- tinuing the pursuit too far; but having chased them a little way, recalled his followers, and re- turned to the hamlet. In giving a detail so minute of the adventures of an individual, on the present occasion, I am far from wishing to exhibit him in the light of an hero of romance. The fact is, that what he did, was done in a greater or less degree by every officer in the army ; for this was a combat which compelled every man, in spite of himself, to rely solely pn his own resources. Attacked unexpectedly, and in the dark, surrounded by enemies before any ar- rangements could be made to oppose them, it is not conceivable that order, or the rules of disci- plined war could be preserved. We were mingled with the Americans, frequently before we could tell whether they were friends or foes; because speaking the same language with ourselves, there was no mark by which to distioguish them, at least none whose inthicnce extended beyond the dis- tance of .1 few paces. The consequence was, that more feats of individual gallantry were performed in tlic course of this night, than many campaigns might have aiforded an opportunity of performing; while viewing the alfair as a regular action, none u 2 292 COI^BAt. Ill ii I ! ii can be imagined more full of blunders and con- fusion. No man could tell what was going for- ■W^ard in any quarter, except where he himself chanced immediately to stand ; no one part of the line could bring assistance to another, because, in truth, no line existed. It was in one word a per- fect tumult, resembling, except in its fatal conse- quences, those scenes which the night of an Irish fair usually exhibits, much more than an engage- ment between two civilized armies. ' - • ; .' The night was far spent, and the sound of fight- ing had begun to die away, when my friend once more established himself among the huts. Here, likewise, considerable numbers of our people as- sembled, from whom he learned that the enemy were repulsed on all sides. The combat had been long and obstinately contested, having begun at eight in the evening, and continuing till three in the morning, but the victory was decidedly ours ; for the Americans retreated in the greatest disorder, leaving us in possession of the field. Our loss, however, was enormous. Not less than 500 men had fallen, many of whom were our finest soldiers and best officers, and yet we could not but con- sider ourselves fortunate in escaping from the toils, even at the ex pence of so great a sacrifice. The recall being sounded, our troops were soon brought together, and filing to the left, formed line in front of the ground, where we had at first FIELD OF BATTLE. 293 encamped. Here we remained ready for whatever might occur till morn, when, to avoid the fire of the vessel, we again betook ourselves to the bank, and lay down. For some hours past, indeed, she had ceased to annoy us, but this we knew was owing merely to the ignorance of her crew, where to direct her aim ; and we were well aware that, un- less we contrived to cover ourselves before that ignorance was removed, we should undoubtedly suffer for our temerity. ...... Day-light was beginning to appear, and we were just able to distinguish that our enemy was, a fine schooner, pierced for eighteen guns, and crowded with men, when we retreated to the bank. Here we lay for some hours worn out witli fatigue and want of sleep, and shivering in the cold air of a frosty morning, without Ijeing able to light a fire, or prepare a morsel of provisions. Whenever an attempt of the kind was made ; as soon as two or three men began to steal from shelter, the schoon- er's guns immediately opeped; and thus was the whole division kept, as it were, prisonerst, for the space of an entire day. While our troops lay in this uncomfortable situa- tion, I stole away with two or three men to find out and bury a friend who was among the slain. In wandering over the field for this purpose, the most shocking and disgusting sights every where presented themselves. I have frc(}ucntly belicld V 3 Hi Q94i FIELD OF BATTLE. a greater number of dead bodies in as small a com- pass, though these, indeed, were numerous enough, but wounds more disfiguring or more horrible, I certainly never witnessed. A man, shot through the head o** heart, lies as if he were in a deep slumber; insomuch, that when you gaze upon him, you experience little else than pity. But of these many had met their death from bayonet wounds, sabre cuts, or heavy blows from the butt ends of muskets ; and the consequence was, that not only were the wounds themselves exceedingly frightful, but the very countenances of the dead exhibited the most savage and ghastly expressions. Friends and foes lay together in small groups of four or six, nor was it difficult to tell almost the very hand by which some of them had fallen. Nay, such had been the deadly closeness of the strife, that in one or two places, an English and American soldier might be seen with the bayonet of each fastened in the other's body. Having searched for some time in vain, I at length discovered my friend lying behind a bundle of reeds, where, during the action, we had se- parated ; and shot through the temples by a rifle bullet so remarkably small, as scarcely to leave any trace of its progress. I am well aware that this is no fit place to introduce the working of my own personal feelings, but he was my friend, and such a friend as few men are happy enough to FIELD OF BATTLE. QQ5 possess. We had known and loved each other for years ; our regard had been cemented by a long participation in the same hardships and dangers ; and it cannot therefore surprise, if even now I pay that tribute to his worth and our friendship, which, however unavailing it may be, they both deserve. When in the act of looking for him, I had flat- tered myself, that I should be able to bear his loss with something like philosophy, but when I be- held him pale and bloody, I found all my resolution evaporate. I threw myself on the ground beside him, and wept like a child. But this was no time for the indulgence of useless sorrow. Like the royal bard, I knev/ that 1 should go to him, but he could not return to me, and I could not tell whether an hour would pass before my summons would arrive. Lifting him, therefore, upon a cart, I had him carried down to head-quarter house, now converted into an hospital, and having dug for him a grave at the bottom of the garden, I laid him there as a soldier should be laid, arrayed, not in a shroud, ^but in his uniform. Even the very pri- vates, whom I brought with me to assist at his funeral, mingled their tears with mine, nor are many so fortunate as to return to the parent dust more deeply or more sincerely lamented. Retiring from the performance of this melancholy duty, I strolled into the hospital, and visited the u 4 m 11 296 HOSPITAL. woundctl. It is here that war loses its grandeur and show, and presents only a real picture of its effects. Every room in the house was crowded with wretches mangled, and apparently in the most excruciating agonies. Prayers, groans, and I grieve to add, the most horrid exclamations, smote upon the ear wherever I turned. Some lay at length upon straw, with eyes half closed, and limbs motionless; some endeavoured to start up, shrieking with pain, while the wandering eye and incoherent speech of others, indicated the loss of reason, and usually foretold the approach of death. But there was one among the rest, whose appear- ance was too horrible ever to be forgotten. He had been shot through the wind-pipe, and the breath making its way between the skin and the flesh, had dilated him to a size absolutely terrific. His head and face were particularly shocking. Every fea- ture was enlarged beyond what can well be ima- gined ; while his eyes were so completely hidden by the cheeks and forehead, as to destroy all re semblance to an human countenance. Passing through the apartments where the pri- vate soldiers lay, I next came to those occupied by officers. Of these there were five or six in one small room, to whom little better accommodation could be provided than to their inferiors. It was a sight peculiarly distressing, because all of them chanced to be personal acquaintances of my own. HOSPITAL. 297 One had been shot in the head, and lay gasping and insensible ; another had received a musket ball in the belly, which had pierced through and lodged in the back bone. The former appeared to suffer but little, giving no signs of life, except what an heavy breathing produced ; the latter was in the most dreadful agony, screaming out, and gnaw- ing the covering under which he lay. There were many besides these, some severely, and others slightly hurt ; but as I have already dwelt at suffi- cient length upon a painful subject, I shall only observe, that to all was afforded every assistance which circumstances would allow; and that the exertions of their medical attendants were such, as deserved and obtained the grateful thanks of even the most afflicted among the sufferers themselves. (.-■ ..i S98 ADVANCE. hi 1,1 ; 1' i LETTER XXI. In the mean time the rest of the troops were land- ing as fast as possible, and hastening to gain their comrades. Tliough the advance had set out from Pine Island by themselves, they did not occupy all the boats in the fleet. Part of the second brigade, therefore, had embarked about twelve hours after their departure; and rowing leisurely on, were considerably more than half way across the lakes when the action began. In the stillness of night, however, it is astonishing at what distance a noise is heard. Though they must have been at least twenty miles from the Bayo when the schooner first opened, the sound of firing reached them, and roused the rowers from their indolence. Pulling with all their might, they now hurried on, while the most profound silence reigned among the troops, and gaining the creek in little more than three hours, sent fresh reinforcements to share in the danger and glory of the night. Nor was a moment lost by the sailors in return- ing to the island. Intelligence of the combat spread like wild-fire ; the boats were loaded even beyond what was strictly safe, and thus by exert- I ADVANCE. 299 ing themselves in a degree almost unparalleled, our gallant seamen succeeded in bringing the whole army into position before dark on the 24th. The second and third brigades, therefore, now took up their ground upon the spot where the late battle was fought, and resting their right upon the woody morass, extended so far towards the river, as that the advance by wheeling up might continue the line across the entire plain. But instead of taking part in this formation, the advance was still fettered to the bank, from which it was additionally prevented from moving by the arrival of another large ship, which cast anchor about a mile above the schooner. Thus were three battalions kept stationary by the guns of these two formidable floating batteries, and it was clear that no attempt to extricate them could be made with- out great loss, unless under cover of night. During the whole of the 24th, therefore, they remained in this uncomfortable situation ; but as soon as dark- ness had well set in, a change of position was effected. Withdrawing the troops, company by company, from behind the bank, General Keane stationed them in the village of huts ; by which means the high road was abandoned to the protec- tion of a piquet, and the left of the army covered by a large chateau. Being now placed beyond risk of serious an- noyance from the shipping, the whole army re- 300 ADVANCE. I If [ i mained quiet for the night. Hov long we were to continue in this state, nobody appeared to know ; not a whisper was circulated as to the time of ad- vancing, nor a surmise ventured respecting the next step likely to be taken. In our guides, to whose rumours we had before listened with avi- dity, no farther confidence was reposed. It was perfectly evident, either that thoy Jiad purposely deceived us, or that their informatioii w^s gathered from a most imperfect source ; then^fore, though they were not exactly placed m confinement, they were strictly watched, and treated more like spies than deserters. Instead of an easy conquest, we had already met with vigorous opposition ; instead of finding the inhabitants ready and eager to join us, we found the houses deserted, the cattle and horses driven away, and every appearance of hostility. To march by the only road was rendered imprac- ticable, so completely was it commanded by the shipping. In a word, all things had turned out di- ametrically opposite to what liad been anticipated ; and it appeared, that instead of a trifling affair more likely to fill our pockets, than to add to our renown, we had embarked in an undertaking which presented difficulties not to be surmounted, without patience and determination. Having effected this change of position, and co- vere-1 ' h ♦ iVort of his army with a strong chain of outposts, General Keane, as I have said, remained ADVANCE. 301 quiet during the remainder of the night, and on the morrow was reHeved from farther care and re- sponsibility by the unexpected arrival of Sir Ed- ward Pakenham, and General Gibbs. As soon as the death of Ross was known in London, the for- mer of these officers was dispatched to take upon himself the command of the army. Sailing im- mediately with the latter, as his second in com- mand, he had been favoured, during the whole voyage, by a fresh and fair wind, and now arrived in time to see his troops brought into a situation from which all his abilities could scarcely expect to extricate them. Nor were the troops themselves ignorant of the unfavourable circumstances in which they stood. Hoping every thing, therefore, from a change, they greeted their new leader with an hearty cheer ; while the confidence which past events had tended in some degree to dispel, re- turned once more to the bosoms of all. It was Christmas Day, and a number of officers clubbing their little stock of provisions, resolved to dine to- gether in memory of former times. But at so me- lancholy a Christmas dinner I do not recollect at any time to have been present. We dined in a barn; of plates, knives and forks there was a dismal scarcity, nor could our fare boast of much either in intrinsic good quality, or in the way of cooking. These, however, were mere matters of merriment : it was the want of many well known and beloved SOS ATTACK. m U faces that gave us pain ; nor were any other suh- jects discussed, besides the amiable quahties of those who no longer formed part of our mess, and never would again form part of it. A few guesses as to the probable success of future attempts alone re- lieved this topic, and new and then a shot from the schooner drew our attention to ourselves; for though too far removed from the river to be in much danger, we were still within cannon shot of our enemy. Nor was she inactive in her attempts to molest. Elevating her guns to a great degree, she contrived occasionally to strike the wall of the building within which we sat ; but the force of the ball was too far spent to penetrate, and could there- fore produce no serious alarm. While we were thus sitting at table, a loud shriek was heard, after one of these explosions, and on run- ning out, we found that a shot had taken effect in the body of an unfortunate soldier. I mention this incident, because I never beheld in any human being so great a tenacity of life. Though fairly cut in two at the lower part of the belly, the poor wretch lived for nearly an hour, gasping for breath, and giving signs even of pain. But to return to my narrative : as soon as he reached the camp, Sir Edward proceeded to exa- mine, with n soldier's eye, every point and place within view. Of the American army nothing whatever could lie perceived, except a corps of ob- ATTACK. 303 servation, composed of five or six hundred mounted riflemen, which hovered along our front, and watched our motions. Tlie town itself was com- pletely hid, nor was it possible to see beyond the distance of a very few miles, either in front or rear, so flat and unbroken was the face of the country. Under these circumstances, little insight into the state of affairs could be obtained by reconnoitring. The only thing, indeed, which he could learn from it was, that while the vessels kept their present station upon the river, no advance could be made ; and, as he felt that every moment's delay was in- jurious to us, and favourable to the enemy, he re- solveil to remove these incumbrances, and to push forward as soon as possible. With this view nine field-pieces, two howitzers, and one mortar were brought down to the brink of the stream, as soon as it was dark. Working parties were likewise ordered out, by whom a bat- tery was thrown up opposite to the schooner; and having got all things in readiness, at dawn on the 26'th a heavy cannonade was opened upon her with red-hot shot. It was not long before we could perceive her crew hastening into their boats, while the smoke, which began to rise from her decks, proved that the balls hud taken cflcct. She was, in faci, on fire, and being abandoned without re- sistance in little more than an hour, she blew up. lu itself the sight was a fine one, but to us it 304 ATTACK* was peculiarly gratifying, for we could not but ex- perience something like satiated revenge at the destruction of a vessel from which we had suffered so much damage. A loud shout accordingly fol- lowed the explosion, and the guns were imme- diately turned against the ship. But the fate of her companion had warned her not to remain till she herself should be attacked. Setting every inch of canvass, and hoisting out her boats, she began to stem the stream at the very instant the schooner took fire, and being impelled forward both by tow- ing and sailing, she succeeded in getting beyond the range of shot before the guns could be brought to bear. One shell, however, was thrown with admira- ble pr'-cision, which falling upon her deck, caused cor>iderable execution; but, excepting this, she escaped without injury, and did not anchor again till she had got too far for pursuit. Having thus removed all apparent obstacles to his future progress, the General made dispositions for a speedy advance. Dividing the army into two columns, he appointed General Gibbs to the com- mand of one, and General Keane to the command of the other. The left column, led on by the latter officer, consisted of the 95 th, the 85th, the 93d, and one black corps; the right, of the 4th, £lst, 44th, and the other black corps. The artillery, of which we had now ten pieces in the field, though at present attached to the left column, was designed ATTACK. 305 lot but cx- nge at the lad suflfered rdingly fol- vere imme- the fate of I remain till f every inch , she began ;he schooner loth by tow- y beyond the brought to with adniira- deck, caused ing this, she [anchor again obstacles to dispositions rmy into two to the com- le command by the latter ;th, the 93d, he 4th, filst, artillery, of field, though was designed to act as circumstances and the nature of the ground would permit ; while the dragoons, few of whom nad as yet provided themselves with horses, were appointed to guard the hospitals, and to secure the wounded from any sudden surprise or moles- tation from the rear. But the day was too far spent in making these arrangements, and in clearing the way for future operations, to permit any movement before the morrow. The whole of the 26th was therefore spent in bringing up stores, ammunition, and a few heavy guns from the ships, which being placed in ^-attery upon the banks of the river, secured us against the return of our floating adversary. All . this was done quietly enough, nor was there any cause of alarm till after sun-set ; but from that time till towards dawn, we were kept in a constant state of anxiety and agitation. Sending down small bodies of riflemen, the American General harassed our piquets, killed and wounded a few of the sentinels, and prevented the main body from obtaining any sound or refreshing sleep. Scarcely had the troops lain dcwn, when they were roused by a sharp firing at the outposts, which lasted only till they were in order, and then ceased ; but as soon as they had dispersed, and bad once more aless looked 5, while two facing each ;sted, unless »e intended ; ding carried, English sen- irt. But the alric notions, hether alone, )anions ; and every indivi- ensjth of the )ubt reasoned ircd an unge- cr they could r distance of n would fuc I, while one or as a regard to cd the part of attempted to ti olliccrs, like- wise, when going their rounds they constantly lay in wait ; and thus, by a continued dropping fire, they not only wounded some of those against whom their aim was directed, but occasioned consi- derable anxiety and uneasiness throughout the whole line. Having continued this detestable system of war- fare till towards morning, they retired, and left us at rest. But as soon as they began to break, our piquets were called in, and the troops formed in order of attack. The right column, under General Gibbs, took post near the skirts of the morass, throwing out skirmishers half way across the plain, while the left column drew up upon the road co- vered by the rifle corps, which in extended order met the skirmishers from the other. With this last division went the artillery, already well sup- plied with horses ; and, at the signal given, the whole moved forward. It was a clear frosty morning, the mists had dis- j>crsed, and the sun shone brightly upon our arms when we began ^'ir march. The enemy's corps of observation fell back as we advanced, without offer- ing in any way to impede our progress, and it was impossible to guess, ignorant as we were of the position of his main ixMly, at what moment op- jK)sition might be expected. Nor, in truth, was it matter of nuich anxiety. Our spirits, in spite of the troubles of tlic night, were good, and our cx- X Q 1 I !I. 308 MARCH. p pectations of success were high, consequently many rude jests were bandied about, and many careless words spoken. For soldiers are, of all classes of men, the freest from care, and on that account, perhaps, the most happy. . By being con- tinually exposed to it, danger with them ceases to be frightful; of death, they have no more terror than the beasts that perish ; and even hardships, such as cold, wet, hunger, and broken rest, lose at least part of their disagreeableness, by the frequency of their recurrence. Moving on in this merry mood, we advanced about four or five miles without the smallest check or liiudrance ; when, at length, we found ourselves in view of the enemy's ar»ny, posted in a very ad- vantageous manner. About forty yards in their front was a canal, which extended from the mo- rass to within a short distance of the high road. Along their line were thrown up breast-works, not indeed completed, but even now formidable. Upon the road, and at several other points were erected powerful batteries ; while the ship, with a large flotilla of gun-boats, flanked the whole posi- tion from the river. When I say that we came in sight of the enemy, I do not mean that he was gradually exposed to us in such a manner, as to leave time for cool exa- mination and reflection. On the right, indee 1 : I .. -IT . J ; ' i.'* , .;.; I" J '. . Ill s of sugar. 316 ATTACK. LETTER XXII. I: The infantry having retired, and the gunners taken their station, dawn was anxiously expected. But the morning of the 1st of January chanced to be pecuharly gloomy. A thick haze obscured for a long time the rays of the sun, nor could objects be discerned with any accuracy till a late hour. But, at length, the mist gave way, and the Ame- rican camp was fully exposed to view. Being at this time only three hundred yards distant, we could perceive all that was going forward with great exactness. The different regiments were upon parade ; and being dressed in holiday suits, presented really a fine appearance. Mounted offi- cers were riding backwards and forwards through the ranks, bands were playing, and colours floating in the air ; in a word, all seemed jollity and gala ; when suddenly our batteries opened, and the face of affairs was instantly changed. The ranks were broken ; the different corps dispersing, fled in all directions, while the utmost terror and disorder appeared to prevail. Instead of nicely dressed lines, nothing but confused crowds could now be i\ RETREAT. 317 observed ; nor was it without much difficulty that order was finally restored. While this consternation prevailed among the in- fantry*- their artillery remained silent ; but as soon as the former rallied, they also recovered confidence, and answered our salute with great rapidity and precision. A heavy cannonade therefore commenced on both sides, and continued during the whole of the day; till, towards evening, our ammunition began to fail, and our fire in consequence to slacken. The fire of the Americans, on the other hand, was redoubled : landing a number of guns from the flotilla, they increased their artillery to a prodigious amount ; and directing, at the same time, the whole force of their cannon on the oppo- site bank, against the flank of our batteries, they soon convinced us, that all endeavours to surpass them in this mode of fighting, would be useless. Once more, therefore, were we obliged to retire, leaving our heavy guns to their fate ; but as no attempt was made by the Americans to secure them, working parties were again sent out after dark, and such as had not been destroyed, were removed. ' Of the fatigue undergone during these opera- tions by the whole army, from the General down to the meanest sentinel, it would be difficult to form an adequate conception. For two whole nights and days, not a man hud closed an eye J I* h' 318 PAUSE. 11' ! i\ except such as were cool enough to sleep amidst showers of cannon-ball; and during the day, scarcely a moment had been allowed, in which we were able sO much as to break our fast. "VVe re- tired, therefore, not only baffled and disappointed^ but in some degree disheartened and discontented. All our plans had as yet proved abortive ; even this, upon which so much reliance had been placed, was found to be of no avail ; and it must be confessed, that something like murmuring began to be heard through the camp. And, in truth, if ever an army might be permitted to murmur, it was this. In landing, they had borne great hard- ships, not only without repining, but with cheer- fulness; their hopes had been excited by false reports, as to the practicability of the attempt in which they were embarked ; and now they found themselves entangled amidst difficulties from which tlicre appeared to be no escape, except by victory. In their attempts upon the enemy's line, however, they had been twice foiled ; in artillery, they perceived tlicmselves so greatly overmatched, that their own could hardly assist them ; their pro- visions being derived wholly from the fleet, were both scanty and coarse ; and their rest was con- tinually broken. For not only did the cannon and mortars from the main of the enemy's position play unremittingly upon them Ix Mi day and night ; but they were likcv/ise exposed to a deadly fire PAUSE. 3\9 from the opposite bank of the river, where no less than eighteen pieces of artillery were now mounted} and swept the entire line of our encampment. Besides all this, to undertake the duty of a piquet, was as dangerous as to go into action. Parties of American sharp-shooters harassed and disturbed those appointed to that service, from the time they took possession of their post, till they were re- lieved ; while to light fires at night, was impossi- ble, because tliey served but as certain marks for the enemy's gunners. I repeat, therefore, that a little murmuring could not be wondered at. Be it observed, however, that these were not the mur- murs of men anxious to escape from a disagreeable situation by any means. On the contrary, they resembled rather the growling of a chained dog, when he sees his adversary, and cannot reach him ; for in nil their complaints, no man ever hinted at a retreat, while all were eager to bring matters to the issue of a battle, at any sacrifice of lives. Nor was oui gallant leader less anxious to fight than his followers. To fight upon something like equal terms, however, was his wish ; and for this purpose, a new scheme was invented, worthy, for its holdncss, of the school in which Sir Edward had studied his profession. It was determined to di- vide the army, to send part across the river, who shoukl seize the cncnjy's guns, and turn them on themselves ; while the remainder should at the i 320 ATTACK. (I m V same time make a general assault along the whole entrenchment. But before this plan could be put into execution, it would be necessary to cut a canal across the entire neck of land from the Bayo de Catiline to the river, of sufficient width and depth to admit of boats being brought up from the lake. Upon this arduous undertaking were the troops immediately employed. Being divided into four companies, they laboured by turns, day and night ; one party relieving another after a stated number of hours, in such order as that the work should never be entirely deserted. The fatigue under- gone during the prosecution of this attempt, no words can sufficiently describe ; yet it was pursued without repining, and, at length, by unremitted exertions, they succeeded in effecting their purpose by the 6th of January. While these things were going on, and men's minds were anxiously turned towards approaching events, fresh spirit was given to the army by the unexpected arrival of Major General Lambert, with the 7th and 43d ; two fine battalions, mustering each eight hundred effective men. By this reinforcement, together with the addition of a body of sailors and marines from the fleet, our numbers amounted noMT to little shcrt of eight thousand men ; a force which, in almoat any other quarter of America, would have been irresistible. Of the numbers of the enemy, again, various reports were in circula- ATTACK. S21 tion ; some stating them at 23, and others at 30,000; but perhaps I may come nearer the truth, if I choose a middle course, and suppose their whole force to be about 25,000 men. It is at least cer- tain, that they exceeded us in numbers as much as they did in resources ; and that scarcely an hour passed which did not bring in new levies to their army. The canal, as I have stated, being finished on the 6th, it was resolved to lose no time in making use of it. Boats were accordingly ordered up for the transportation of 1400 men ; and Colonel Thornton with the 85th Regiment, the marines, and a party of sailors was appointed to cross the river. But a number of untoward accidents occurred, to spoil a plan of operations as accurately laid down as any in the course of the war. The soil through which the canal was dug, being soft, parts of the bank gave way, and choking up the channel, pre- vented the heaviest of the boats from getting for- ward. These again blocked up the passage, so that none of those which were behind, could pro- ceed, and thus, instead of a flotilla for the accom- modation of 1400 men, only a number of boats sufficient to contain 350 was enabled to reach their destination. Even these did not arrive at the time appointed. According to the preconcerted plan, Colonel Thornton's detachment was to cross the river immediately after dark. They were to Y I if 1,1 it '/! 32e ATTACK. push forward, so as to carry all the batteries, and poiflt the guns before day light ; when, on the throwing up of a rocket, they were to commence firing upon the enemy's line, which at the same moment was to be attacked by the main of our army. In this manner was one part of the force to act, while the rest were thus appointed. Dividing his troops into three columns, Sir Edward directed, that General Keane, at the head of the 95th, the light companies of the 21st, 4th and 44th, together with the two black corps, should make a de- monstration, or sham attack upon the right ; that General Gibbs with the 4th, 21st, 44th, and 93d, should force the enemy's left, while General Lam- bert with the 7th and 43d remained in reserve, ready to act as circumstances might require. But in storming an entrenched positioil, something more than bare courage is required. Scaling lad- ders and fascines had, therefore, been prepared, with which to fill up the ditch and mount the wall ; and since to carry these was a service of danger, re- quiring a corps w'.'ll worthy of dependence, the 44th was for that purpose selected, as a regiment of sufficient numerical strength, and already accus- tomed to American warfare. Thus were all things arranged on the night of the 7th, for the 8th was fixed upon as the clay decisive of the fate of New Orleans. ATTACK. 323 While the rest of the army, therefore, lay down to sleep till they should be roused up to fight, Colo- nel Thornton with the 85th, and a corps of marines and seamen, amounting in all to 1400 men, moved dov/n to the brink of the river. As yet, however, no boats had arrived; hour after hour elapsed before tliey came ; and when they did come, the misfortunes which I have stated above were dis- covered, for out of all that had been ordered up, only a few made their appearance. Still it was absolutely necessary that this part of the plan should be carried into execution. Dismissing, therefore, the rest of his followers, the Colonel put himself at the head of his own regiment, about fifty seamen, and as many marines, and with this small force, consisting of no more than 340 men, pushed off. But, unfortunately, the loss of time notuing could repair. Instead of reaching the op- posite bank, at latest by midnight, dawn was beginning to appear before the boats quitted the canal. It was in vain that they rowed on in per- fect silence, and with oars muffled, gaining the point of debarkation without being perceived. It was in vain that they made good their landing and formed upon the beach, without opposition or alarm ; day had already broke, and the signal rocket was seen in the air, m hiic they were yet four miles from the batteries, which ought houi"S ago to have been taken. Y 2 ^■. 3U ATTACK. %. Ms- Ill tlicJ mean time, the main body armed and moved forward some way in front of the piquets* There they stood waiting for day-light, and hs- tening with the greatest anxiety for the firing which ought now to be heard on the opposite bank* But this attention was exerted in vain, and day dawned upon them long before they desired its ap- pearance. Nor was Sir Edward Pakcnham dis- appointed in this part of his plan alone. Instead of perceiving every thing in rf tJiness lor the as- sault, he saw his troops in battle array, indeed, but not a ladder or fascine upon the field. The 44th, which was appointed to carry them, had either mis- understood or neglected their orders ; and no\y headed the column of attack, without any means being provided for crossing the enemy's ditch, or scaling his rampart. The indignation of poor Pakcnham on this occa- sion may be imagined, but cannot be described. Galloping towards Colonel Mullens, who led the 44th, he commanded him instantly to return with his regiment for the ladders, but the opportunity of planting them was lost, and though they were brought up, it was only to be scattered over the field by the frightened bearers. For our troops were by this time visible to the enemy. A dread- ful fire was accordingly opened upon them, and they were mowed down by hundreds, while they stood waiting for orders. armed and ;he piquetsi jht, and lis- r the firing posite bank* in, and day esiredits ap- kcnham dis- ne. Instead ss lor the as- , indeed, but , The 44th, id either mis- s; and no\y it any means ny's ditch, or on this occa- )e described, who led the return with opportunity |h they were red over the >r our troops A dread- n them, and while they ATTACK. 325 Seeing that all his well-laid plans were frustrated, Pakenham gave the word to advance, and the other regiments, leaving the 44th with the ladders and fascines behind them, rushed on to the assault. On the left, a detachment of the 95th, 2 1st, and 4th, stormed a three gun battery and took it. Here they remained for some time in the expectation of sup- port; but none arriving, and a strong column of the enemy forming for its recovery, they deter- mined to anticipate the attack, and pushed on. The battery which they had taken was in advance of the body of the works, being cut off from it by a ditch, across which only a single plank was thrown. Along this plank did these brave men attempt to pass ; but being opposed by overpower- ing numbers, they were repulsed ; and the Ameri- cans, in turn, forcing their way into the battery, at length succeeded in recapturing it with immense slaughter. On the right, again, the 21st and 4th being almost cut to pieces and thrown into some confusion by the enemy's fire, the 93d pushed on and took the lead. Hastening forward, our troops soon reached the ditch ; but to scale the parapet without ladders was impossible. Some few, in- deed, by mounting one upon another's shoulders, succeeded in entering the works, but these were instantly overpowered, most of them killed, and the rest taken ; while as many as stood without were f;xposed to a sweeping fire, which cut them down Y 3 •I f! 326 ATTACK. l^r by whole companies. It was in vain that the most obstinate courage was displayed. They fell by the hands of men whom they absolutely did not see; for the Americans, without so much as lifting their faces above the rampart, swung their firelocks by one arm over the wall, and discharged them directly upon their heads. The whole of the guns, likewise, from the opposite bank, kept up a well directed and deadly cannonade upon their flank ; and thus were they destroyed without an opportunity being given of displaying their valour, or obtaining so much as revenge. Poor Pakenham saw how things were going, and did all that a General could do to rally his broken troops. Riding towards the 44th which had returned to the ground, but in great disorder, he called out for Colonel Mullens to advance ; but that officer had disappeared, and was not to be found. He, therefore, prepared to lead them on himself, and had put himself at their head for that purpose, when he received a slight wound in the knee from a musket ball, which killed his horse. Mounting another, he again headed the 44th, when a second ball took effect more fatally, and he dropped lifeless into the arms of his aide- tie-camp. Nor were Generals Gibbs and Keane inactive. Riding through the ranks, they strove by all means to encourage the aoaailants and recall the fugitives ; ATTACK. 327 till at length both were wounded, and borne off the field. All was now confusion and dismay. "Without leaders, ignorant of what was to be done, the troops first halted and then began to retire ; till finally the retreat was changed into a flight, and they quitted the ground in the utmost disorder. But the retreat was covered in gallant style by the reserve. Making a forward motion, the 7th and 43d presented the appearance ofa renewed attack; by which the enemy were so much awed, that they did not venture beyond their lines in pursuit of the fugitives. While affairs were thus disastrously conducted in this quarter, the party under Colonel Thornton had gained the landing place. On stepping a-shore, the first thing they beheld was a rocket thrown up as a signal that the battle was begun. This unwelcome sight added wings to their speed. Forming in one little column, and puslilng for- ward a single company as an advanced guard, they hastened on, and in lialf an hour reached a canal, along the opposite brink of which a detach- ment of Americans was drawn up. To dislotlge them was the work of a moment: a boat with a car- ronade in her bow, got upon their flank, gave them a single discharge of grape, while the advanced guard extended its ranks, and approached at double quick time. But they scarcely waited till the latter were within range, when, tiring a Y 4 S28 ATTACK. M : I volley, they fled in confusion. This, however, was only an outpost. The main body was some way in rear, and amounted to no fewer than 1500 men. . It was not long, however, before they likewise presented themselves. Like their countrymen on the other side, they were strongly entrenched, a thick parapet with a ditch covering their front; while a battery upon their left swept the whole position, and two field pieces commanded the road. Of artillery, the assailants possessed not a single piece, nor any means, beyond what nature gave, of scaling the rampart. Yet nothing daunted by the obstacles before them, or by the immense odds to which they were opposed, dispositions for an imme- diate attack were made. The 85th extending its files, stretched across the entire line of the enemy, the sailors in column prepared to storm the battery, M'^hile the marines remained some little way in rear of the centre as a reserve. These arrangements being completed, the bugle sounded, and our troops advanced. The sailors raising a shout, rushed forward, but were met by so heavy a discharge of grape and cannister, that for an instant they paused. Recovering them- selves, however, they again pushed on ; and the 85th dashing forward to their aid, they received a heavy fire of musketry, and endeavoured to charge. A smart firing was now for a few mi- HALT. 329 nutes kept up on both sides, but our people had no time to waste in distant fighting, and accordingly hurried on to storm the works; upon which, a panic seized the Americans, they lost their order, and fled, leaving us in possession of their tents, and of eighteen pieces of cannon. In this affair our loss amounted to only three men killed, and about forty wounded, among the latter of whom was Colonel Thornton. Nor could the loss on the part of the enemy greatly exceed our own. Had they stood firm, indeed, it is hardly conceivable that so small a force could have taken an entrenched position from numbers so superior ; at least it could not have been done without much bloodshed. But the fact is, that they were completely surprised. An attack on this side was a circumstance of which they had not dreamed ; and when men are assaulted in a point which they deem beyond the reach of danger, it is well known that they defend themselves with less vigour, than where such an event was antici- pated. When in the act of storming these lines, the word was passed through our r^nks, that all had gone well on the opposite bank. This naturally added to the vigour of the assault ; but we had not followed our flying enemy above two miles, when wc were commanded to halt. The real 1' 330 UE-EMBARKATION. state of the case had now reached us, and the same messenger who brought the melancholy news, brought likewise an order to return. The place where we halted was in rear of a canal, across which was thrown a wooden bridge, furnishing, apparently, the only means of passing. At the opposite end of this bridge stood a collec- tion of wooden cottages, and one chateau of some size. Here a company was stationed to serve the double purpose of a piquet, and a rear-guard ; while the rest of the troops, having rested for half an hour, began their march towards the point where they had landed. As soon as the main body had got sufficiently on their way, the piquet likewise prepared to fol- low. But in doing so, it was evident that some risk must be run. The enemy having rallied, began once more to show a front ; that is to say, parties of sixty or a hundred men now approached to reconnoitre. These, however, must be de- ceived, otherwise a pursuit might be commenced, and the re-embarkation of the whole corps hin- dered or prevented. The orticcr conimandinj^ the piquet, accordingly formed his men, and made a show of advancing. Upon which the Americans fled ; when wheeling about, he set fire to the chateau ; and, under cover of the smoke, destroyed the bridge and retreated. Makiug all haste to- R£-£MBARKATION. 331 wards the rear, he overtook his comrades just as they had begun to embark; when the little corps being once more united, entered their boats, and reached the opposite bank without moles- tation. i ^ r li" > <»'. v\: 332 FIELD OF BATTLE. LETTER XXIII. As soon as the whole army was re-united, and the broken regiments had recovered their order, a flag of truce was dispatched with proposals foi the burial of the dead. To accomplish this end, a truce of two days was agreed upon, and parties were im- mediately sent out to collect and bury their fallen comrades. Prompted by curiosity, I mounted my horse and rode to the front ; but of all the sights I ever witnessed, that which met n -I'jre was beyond comparison the most shock r. nd the most humiliating. Within the small compass of a few hundred yards, were gathered together nearly a thousand bodies, all of them arrayed in British uniforms. Not a single American was among them ; all were English ; and they were thrown by dozens into shallow holes, scarcely deep enough to furnish them with a slight covering of earth. Nor was this all. An American officer stood by smoking a segar, and apparently counting the slain with a look of savage exultation; and re- peating over and over to each individual that ap- proached him, that their loss amounted only tq eight men killed, and fourteen wounded. THE CAMt»; 333 4 I confess, that when I beheld the scene, I hung down my head half in sorrow, and half in anger. With my officious informant I had every inclina- tion to pick a quarrel ; but he was on duty, and an armistice existed, both of which forbade the measure. I could not, however, stand by and repress my choler, and since to give it vent would have subjected me to more serious inconvenience, than a mere duel, I turned my horse's head, and galloped i)ack to the camp. But the change of expression, visible there in every countenance, no language can pourtray. Only twenty hours ago, and all was life and ani- mation; wherever you went you were enlivened by the sound of merriment and raillery ; while the expected attack was mentioned in terms indica- tive not only of sanguine hope, but of the most perfect confidence as to its result. Now gloom and discontent every where prevailed. Disap- pointment, grief, indignation, and rage succeeded each other in all bosoms ; nay, so completely were the troops overwhelmed by a sense of disgrace, that, for a-while, they retained their sorrow with- out so Piuch as hinting at its cause. Nor was this dejection occasioned wholly by the consciousness of laurels tarnished. The loss of comrades was to the full as afilicting as the loss of honour ; for out of more thiin 7000 men brought on this side into the field, uo fewer than 2000 had fallen. Among these were '1 '!» i 1 1 ■\ 3] ♦r 334 THE CAMP. J •I ('I I ; '( two generals (for Gibbs survived his wound but a few hours) and many officers of courage and ability; besides which hardly an individual survived, who had not to mourn the loss of some particular and well-known companion. Yet it is most certain that amid all this variety of conflicting passions, no feeling bordering upon despair, or even terror, found room. Even among the private soldiers no fear was experienced, for if you attempted to converse with them on the subject of the late defeat, they would end with a bitter curse upon those to whose misconduct they attributed their losses, and refer you to the future, when they hoped for an opportunity of revenge. To the Americans they would allow no credit, laying the entire blame of the failure upon certain individuals among themselves ; and so great was the indignation expressed against one corps, that the soldiers of other regiments would hardly ex- change words with those who chanced to wear that uniform. Though deeply afflicted, therefore, we were by no means disheartened, and even yet anti- cipated with an eagerness far exceeding what was felt before, a renewal of tiie combat. But General Lambert, on whom the chief com- mand had devolved, very prudently determined not to risk the safety of his army by another at- tempt rnon works evidently so much beyond their strength. He considered, and considered justly PREPARATIONS FOR RETREAT. 335 that his chances of success were in every respect lessened hy the late repulse. In the first place an extraordinary degree of confidence was given to the enemy ; in the next place the only feasible plan of attack having been already tried, they would be more on their guard to prevent its being again put in execution, and lastly his own force was greatly di- minished in numbers, while theirs continued every day to increase. Besides, it would be casting all upon the hazard of a die. If again defeated, nothing could save our army from destruction, because, unless it retreated in force, no retreat could be effected. A retreat, therefore, while yet the measure appeared practicable, was resolved upon, and towards that end were all our future operations directed. To the accomplishment of this desirable object, however, one great obstacle existed; — by what road were the troops to travel, and in what order were they to regain the fleet. On landing, we had taken advantage of the creek or bayo, and thus come up by water within two miles of the culti- vated country. But to adopt a similar course in our retreat was impossible. In spite of our losses there were not throughout the arman. c a suffici- ent number of boats to transport above one half of the army at a time. If, however, we should sepa- rate, the chances were that both parties would be destroyed ; for those embarked might be inter*- i' i' 336 PREPARATIONS FOR RETREAT. [« J: ;i 11 f i cepted, and those 's.^ft behind would be obliged td cope with the entire American force. Besides, even granting that the Americans might be repulsed, it would be impossible to take to our boats in their presence ; and thus at least one division, if not both, must be sacrificed. To obviate this difficulty, prudence required that the road which we had formed on landing should be continued to the very margin of the lake; while appearances seemed to indicate the total impracticability of the scheme. From firm ground to the water's edge was here a distance of many miles, through the very centre of a morass where human foot had never before trodden. Yet it was desirable at least to make the attempt ; for if it failed, we should only be reduced to our former alternative of gaining a battle, or surrendering at discretion. Having determined to adopt this course. General Lambert immediately dispatched strong working parties, under the guidance of engineer oflScers, to lengthen the road, keeping as ij?ar as possible to the margin of the creek. But the task assigned them was burthened with innumerable difficulties. For the extent of several leagues no firm footing could be discovered, on which to rest the founda- tion of a path ; nor any trees to assist in forming hurdles. All that could be clone, therefore, was to bind together large quantities of reeds, and lay PREPARATIONS FOR RETREAT. 337 them across the quagmire; by which means, at least the semblance of a road was produced, however wanting in firmness and solidity. But where broad ditches came in the way, many of which intersected the morass, the workmen were necessarily obliged to apply more durable mate- rials. For these, bridges composed in part of large branches brought with immense labour from the woods, were constructed ; but they were, on the whole, little superior in point of strength to the rest of the path, for though the edges were supported by timber, the middle was filled up only with reeds. To complete this road, bad as it was, occupied the space of nine days, during which time our army remained in position without making any attempts to molest the enemy. The Americans however, were not so inactive. In the course of two days, six guns were again mounted upon the bank of the river, from which a continual fire was kept up upon our camp. The same mode of pro ceeding was adopted in front, and thus, night and day were we harassed by danger against which there was no fortifying ourselves. Of the extreme unpleasantness of our situation, it is hardly possible to convey any adequate conception. We never closed our eyes in peace, for we were sure to be awakened before many minutes elapsed, by the splash of a round-shot or shell in the mud beside us. Tents we had none, but lay some \v the open air, and M V .ui / 338 ^Ei>AhAtt6NS ton afiTRfeAt* some in huts made of boards, oi- ally materials that could be procured. From the first moment of Our landing, not a man had undressed excepting to bathe; and maily had worn the same shirt for weeks together. Besides all this, heavy rains now set in, accompanied with violent storms of thunder ami lightning, which lasting during the entire day, usually ceased towards dark, and gave place to keen frosts. Thus were we alternately wet and frozen; wet all day, and frozen all night. With the out-posts, again, there wt.s constant skir- mishing. With what view tlie Americans wished to drive them in, I cannot tell ; but every day were they attacked, and compelled to maintain thbir ground by dint of hard fighting. In one word, none but those who happened to belong to this army can form a notion of the hai-dships wlvich it endured, and the fatigue which it underwent. Nor were these the only evils which tended to lessen our numbers. To our soldiers every inducement was held out by the enemy to desert. Printed papers, oflfering lands and money as the price of desertion were thrown m to the piquets, while individuals made a practice of approaching our posts, and endeavouring to persuade the very Sentinels to quit their stations. Nor could it be expected that bribes so tempting would always \k refused. Many deseitions began daily to take place, and became before long so frequent, that the evil rose to be of a sdrious nature. % PREPARATIONS FOR RETREAT. 389 aterials that netit of our xcepting to le shirt for heavy rains It storms of ; during the rk, and gave e alternately zen all night. :x>nstant skir- ricans wished /ery day were laintain th^ir In one word, elong to this ships wlvich it derwcnt. ich tended to oWiers every cmy to desert, money as the the piquets, f approaching suade the veiy or could it be luld always Ix; daily to take ]uent, that the There occurred, however, one instance of magnanimous fidelity, on the part of a British soldier, which I cannot resist the inclination of repeating. A private of the i)5th, whose name I should have joyfully mentioned had I not for- gotten it, chanced one day to stand sentinel, when he was addressed by an American officer. The American offered him a hundred fJoUars and a quantity of land if he would coipe over ; repre- senting, at the same time, the supeiiority of a democratical government, and railing, as these persons generally do, against the title of king* Though the Englishman heard what was said dis- tinctly enough, he nevertheless pretended to be deaf, and begged bis tempter to come a little nearer, that, in Uis own words, "he might tell him all about it." Jonathan exulting at the prospect of drawing tl.'s fine fellow from his duty, approached within twenty paces of where he stood, when just as he had opened his mouth to renew his offer, the sentinel levelled his piece and sliot him through the arm. Nor was he contented with inflicting this punishment. Walking forward he seized his wounded enemy, and reproaching him with dis- honourable dealings, brought him in a prisouer to the camp. But unhappily conduct such as this was rare; in the course of a week, many men quitted their colours, and fled to the enemy. Iq the mean time, tlie whole of the Akrounded, z 2 '•!l 340 RETREAT. ?{ except such as were too severely burt to be re- moved, were embarked upon the canal, and sent off to the fleet. Next followed the baggage and stores, with the civil officers, commissaries, purvey- ors, &c. and last of all such of the light artillery as could be withdrawn without trouble, or the risk of discovery. But of the heavy artillery, of which about ten pieces were mounted in front of the bivouac, and upon the bank of the river, no ac- count was taken. They were ship's guns, of little value, and extremely cumbersome ; consequently, their removal, had it been practicable, would scarcely have rewarded the trouble. It was therefore de- termined to leave them behind; and they were accordingly permitted to retain their stations to the last. . .1 . These preparations being continued for some days, on the 17th no part of our force remained in camp except the infantry. Having therefore de- layed only till the abandoned guns were rendered unserviceable, on the evening of the 1 8th it also began its retreat. Trimming the fires, and arrang- ing all things in the same order as if no change were to take place, regiment after regiment stole away, as soon as darkness concealed their motions . leaving the piquets to follow as ;i rear guard, but with strict injunctions not to retire till day-light began to appear. As may be suppv^^^ed, the most profound silence was maintained ; not ajnan open- MARCH. 541 ing his mouth, except to issue necessary orders, and even then speaking in a whisper. Not a cough or any other noise was to be heard from the head to the rear of the column ; and even the steps of the soldiers were planted with care to prevent the slightest stamping or echo. Nor was this ex- treme caution in any respect unnecessary. In spite of every endeavour to the contrary, a rumour of our intended movement had reached the Ame- for we found them of late watchful and ricans prying, whereas they had been formerly content to look only to themselves. For some time, that is to say, while our route lay along the high road and beside the brink of the river, the march was agreeable enough ; but as soon as we began to enter upon the path through the marsh, all comfort was at an end. B iing con- structed of materials so slight, and resting upon a foundation so infirm, the treading of the first corps unavoidably beat it to pieces ; those which followed were therefore compelled to flounder on in the best way they could ; and by the time the rear of the colunm gained the morass, all trace of a way had entirely disappeared. But not only were the reeds torn asunder and sunk by the pres- sure of those who had gone before, but the bog itself, which at first might have furnished a few spots of firm footing, was trodden into the consist- ency of mud. The consequence was that every z3 w 342 MARCH. step sunk us to the kn^es, and frequently higher. Near the ditches, indeed, many spots occurred which we had th^ utmost difficulty in crossing at all ; and as the night was dark, there being no moon^ nor any light except what the stars supplie(^ it was difficult to select our steps^ or tven to follow those who called to us that they were safe on the opposite side. At one of these places I mysdf beheld an tmfortunate wittch gradually sink till he totally disappeared. I saw him floun- der in, heard his cry for h6lp, and ran forward with the intention of saving him; but before I had taken a second step I myself sunk at once as high as the breast How I contrived to keep myself from smothering is more tlian I can tell, for I felt no solid bottom under me, and continued slowly to go deeper and deeper, till the mud reached my arms. Instead of enldeavourtng to help the poor soldier, of whom hotliing could ilow be seen except the liead and hands, I was forced to beg assistance for myself; when a leathern canteen strap being thrown to me, I laid h^ld of it, and was dragged out, just as my fellow Buiferer became invisible. Over Toads such as these did we continue our journey during the whole of the night ; and in the morning reached a place called Fishennan's Huts, upon the margin of the lake. The viame is derived from a cltiinp of mud-built cottages, situ- ated in as complete a desert as the eye of man was HALT. 343 ever pained by beholding. They stand close to tlie water, upon a part of the morass rather more firm than the rest. Not a tree or bush of any description grows near them. As far as the eye could neach, a perfect ocean of reeds every where pre- sented itself, except on that side where a view of the lak^ changed without fertilizing the prospect. Were any set of human beings condemned to spend their lives here, I .shoujUi consider their fate as little superior to that ^f the sohtary captive ; but during many moinths of theyear, these huts are wholly unoccupied, bei'^g erected, as tlieir name denotes, merely to shelter a fe,; fishermen, while the fi»hing season lasts. Here at length we v-, iira ordered t<^ halt; and perhaps I never rejol ed more sincerely at any order than at this. Wearied with my exertions, and oppressed with want of sleep, I threw myself on the ground without so much as pulling ofl^ my muddy garments ; and ui an instant all my cares and ti;oublcs were forgotteu. Nor did I wake fvosxx tliat deep slumber for many hours, when 1 rose cold and stiif, and creeping beside a miserable fire of xeed: addressed myself to the last morsel of salt ,pork wUk a my wallet contained. The whole army had now come up, the piquets having C3caped without notice, or at least witliout annoyance, forming along the brink of the lake, a line of out posts was planted, and the soldiers were z4 >i H 344 HALT. 'i commanded to make themselves as comfortable as they could. But in truth the word comfort is one which cannot in any sense be applied to peo- ple in such a situation. Without tents or huts of any description (tor the few from which the place is named were occupied by the General and other heads of departments) our bed was the morass, and our sole covering the clothes which had not quitted our backs for upwards of a month. Our fires, upon the size and goodness of which much of a soldier's happiness depends, were composed solely of reeds ; a species of fuel which like straw soon blazes up, and soon expires again, almost w^ithout communicating any degree of warmth. But above all, our provisions were expended, and from what quarter to obtain an immediate supply defied the most inventive genius to discover. Our sole dependence was upon the boats. Of these a flotilla lay ready to receive us, in which were em- barked the black corps, with the 44th, but they had brought with them only food for their own use. It was therefore necessaiy that they should reach the fleet and return again, before they could furnish us with what we so much wanted. But thr distance to the nearest of the shipping could not be less than eighty miles, and if the weather should become boisterous, or the winds obstinately adverse, we might starve before any supply could arrive. MALT. 345 These numerous grievances, however, were without remedy, and we therefore bore them with patience; though for two whole days the only provisions issued to the troops were some crumbs of biscuit and a small allowance of rum. Forn j own part I did not fare so badly as many others. Having been always fond of shooting, I took a rire-lock and went in pursuit of wild ducks, which abounded throughout the bog. Wandering along in this quest I reached a lake, by the margin of which I concealed myself, and waited for my prey ; nor was it long before I had an opportunity of firing; Several large flocks flew over me, and I was fortunate enough to kill three birds. But alas ! those birds, upon which I had already feasted in imagination, dropped into the water ; my dog, more tired than her master, would not fetch them out, and they lay about twenty yards off, tantaliz- ing me with the sight of a treasure which I could net reach. Moving off to another point, I again took my station where I hoped for better fortune ; but the same evil chance once more occurred, and the ducks fell into the lake. This was too much for a hungry man to endure ; the day was pierce- ingly cold, and the edge of the pool was covered with ice; but my appetite was urgent, and I resolved at all hazards to indulge it. Pulling off my clothes, therefore, I broke the ice and plunged in ; and though shivering like an aspui leaf, I rc- I 346 HALT. turned safely to the camp with a couple of birds. Next day, I adopted a similar course, with like suc- cess ; but at the expence of what was to me a serious misery. My stockings of warm wool were the only part of my dress which I did not strip off, and to day it unfortunately happened that one was lost. Having secured my ducks, I attempted to land where the bottom was muddy ; but my leg stuck fast, and in pulling it out, off came the stocking ; to recover it was beyond my power, for the mud closed over it directly, and the conse- quence was, that till I regained the transport only one of my feet could be warm at a time. To those who can boast of many pairs of fme cotton and woollen hose, this misfortune of mine may appear light, but to vac, who had only two stock- ings on shore, the loss of one was very grievous ; and I tliercforc request tliat I may not be sneered at, wlien I record it as one of the disasterous cou- Aequences of this ill-fated expedition. THE LAKE. 347 LETTER XXIV. ^^ M ; As soon as the boats returned, regiment after re*- giment embarked, and set sail for the fleet ; but the distance being considerable, and the wind fottl, many days elapsed before tiie whole could be got off. Excepting in one trifling instance, however, no accident occurred, and by the end of the montli, we were all once int^re on board our former ships. But our return was far from triumphant. We, who only seven weeks ago had set out in die surest con-iidence of gkwy, and, I may add, of emo- lument, were brought back dispirited and dejected. Our Tanks were wofiilly thinned, our -diiefs slain, our clothing tattered and filthy, and even our dis- cipline in some degree injured. A gloomy silence reigned throughout tlie armament, except when it was broken by the voice of lamentation over fallen friends ; and the interior of each ship presented a scene well calculated to prove the short siglttod- ness of human hope, and human prudence. The accident to which I alluck;, was the capture of a single boat by the enemy. About thirty men of the 14th dragoons having crowded into an on- armed barge, were ))i)occcdi«g slowly down the U I ml 348 THE LAKE. H I If lake, when a boat mounting a carronade in its bow, suddenly darted from a creek, and made to- wards them. To e cape, was impossible ; for their barge was too heavily laden to move at a rate of even moderate rapidity ; and to fight, was equally out of the question, because of the superiority wV ich their cannon gave to the Americans. The whole party was accordingly compelled to sur- render to six men and an ofllicer; and having thrown their arms into the lake, their boat was taken in tow, and they were carried away pri- soners. This, however, was the only misfortune which occurred. Warned by the fate of their comrades, the rest kept together in little squadrons, each at- tended by one or more armed launches ; and thus rowing steadily on, they gained the shipping, without so much as another attempt at surprisal being made. On reaching the fleet, we found that a considerable reinforcement of troops had arrived from England. It consisted of the 40th Foot, a fine regiment, con- taining nearly a thousand men, which, ignorant of the fatal issue of our attack, had crossed the lakes only to be sent back to the ships, without so much as stepping on shore. The circumstance, how- ever, produced little satisfaction. We felt that the coming of thrice the number could not recover what was lost, or recall past events ; and therefore THE LAKE. 349 In made in its id made to- e ; for their at a rate of was equally superiority ricans. The lied to sur- and having ir boat was d away pri- rtune which ;ir comrades, 3ns, each at- ;s; and thus e shipping, at surprisal considerable om England. ;giment, con- I, ignorant of led the lakes^ lout so much stance, how- ! felt that the not recover md therefore no rejoicing was heard, or the slightest regard paid to the occurrence. Nay, so great was the despond- ency which had taken possession of men's minds, that not even a rumour respecting the next point of attack, obtained circulation; while a sullen carelessness, a sort of indifference as to what might happen, seemed to have succeeded all our wonted curiosity, and confidence of success, in every un- dertaking. In this state we remained wind-bound till the 4th of February, when, at length, getting under weigh, the fleet ran down as far as Cat Island. This is a spot of sandy soil at the mouth of the lake, remarkable for nothing except a solitary Spanish family, which possesses it Completely cut off from the rest of the world, an old man, his wife, two daughters and a son, dwell here in ap- parent happiness and contentment. Being at least one hundred and twenty miles from the main, it is seldom that their little kingdom is visited by strangers, and I believe that till our arrival, the daughters, though grown up to womanhood, had seen fc^" faces besides those of their parents and brother. Their cot^^age, composed simply of a few boughs, thatched and in-woven with stra'v, is beau- tifully situated within a short distance of the water. Two cows, and a few sheep grazed beside it, while a small tract of ground covered with stubble, and a little garden well stocked with fruit- I, I 350 PAUSE. I \ trees and vegetables, at once gave proof of their in" dustry, and showed the source from whence they supplied tbeiT! selves with Head. It may apj-ear childish, but I confess that the sight of domestic peace Ho s -'shing, as it were, in thi; midst of wars and tumiULs, extremely delighted me. Whilv? we continued at anchor, therefore, I paid fiequent visits to this cottage, and forming a sort of acquaintance with .'he old man, soon pos- sessed myself of his little history. He had emi- g^a^(•d from Spain u dnj }'ear8 ago, and married in America. Having been unsuccessful in business, he had saved from the wfccJc of his property only enough to hire labourers, by whose assistance his present cottage was erected, and his little farm cleared •, when, with his wife and three children, then verv young, he had withdrawn from society, and settict) himself here, where he bad remained e ^er since. Once a year, he or his son visited the main to sell their wool, and purchase such necefrp saries as their island could not produce ; but ex- cepting on these occasions, or wlien a fishing-boat arrived in h re nor less,) proceeded through the principal streets HAVANNAH. 3^1 in the town, with a slow and measured pace. As all except the soldiers walked two and two, it co- vered, I should conceive, little less than a mile m extent, and after winding from lane to lane, and from square to square, directed its steps towards a particular convent where the waxen image was solemnly deposited in a vault. It is said, but with what truth I cannot pretend to determine, that a different image is made use of every year, and that the vault is now so full of waxen corpses, that it will be necessary before long to have some of them destroyed. Having now got rid of the most sacred part of their burthen, the Monks, bearing only the two couches, returned in procession by the same rout and in the same order as they had proceeded, only the bands struck up lively airs, and the singers chaunted hymns of rejoicing and hallelujahs. Instead of walking at a slow pace, likewise, they stepped out almost in d sort of dance, ant' reaching the door of the grt -^ church, they there separated, each party hastening to its own house to celebrate mass. Into one or two of the convent chapels I like- wiie ' Altered, and was present during the perform- ance of tlieir very strikmg service. I found them omam'-ntc'd in the mo»t magnificent manner. The rafters of many l)einir gilded over, and all tiie win- dows crowded vrith stained glass. Of pictures, and what stru^'k ('m a^ something better than mere 362 HAVANNAH. daubs, there Avere also great numbers. In a word, it seemed as if I had reached the heart and capital of Roman Catholic splendour. Nothing that I had beheld in the mother country could at all com- pare with what was now before me, and I returned in the evening to my ship, not indeed a convert to the principles of that religion, but decidedly as^ tonished and confounded at the solemn magnifi- cence of its ceremonies. JIAVANNAH. 363 LETTER XXV. At an early Isour next morning I returned to the citv, and found that the face of affairs had under- gone a complete revolution. No more melancholy countenances, no clo^^ed shops and vacant streets were now to be seen ; all was bustle and rejoicing, bells ringin'^, car»-iages rattling along, flags flying, and guns firing. The solemnity of Good I'iiday ends, it appeared, at ten o'clock on Saturday morn- ing; and fron: tiiat time the merriments of Easter have their commencement. The whole of this day 1 spent in strolling over thedifllcreut walks, and points of view from whence the town and surrounding country may be seen to most advantage, and I certainly must pronounce it by far the most magnify *■ colonial capital I have visited. The ?t'eets arc i^i general wido, clean, 3.nd airy ; the houses, except in the suburbs, are composed entirely of stone, and being occasionally intermingled witli convent'., churches, and odier public buildings, produce a very striking and hand- some effect. Though surroiindcd by a rampart, Ilavannan has little of the confined and straight- ened appearance by winch fortifietl towua are }\ 364 HAVANNAII. ft generally disfigured. The works being of great extent, have left within their circumference a bun- dant room for the display of elegance and neatness in its construction, an advantage which has not been neglected ; while from their situation they command as glorious a prospect as can well be imagined. "When you ascend a bastion which overhangs the harbour, the city with all its towers and spires lies immediately and distinctly beneath your gaze. Beyond it, again, you perceive a winding of the bay, which washes three sides the promontory where the city stands ; numerous fields of sugar cane and Indian corn succeed, intersected by groves of orange and other fruit (''ees, which ex- tend for some miles in a sort of inclined plane, and are at length bounded by lofty and rugge;iij of Dec III Tl . t < ji rror, and one which continued to exert its intluence throughout the whole campaign, was the delay in bringing on a general action. Why our troops fell back upon the 29th, I confess is to me a mystery. It was not to be supposed that an officer who had shown so much judgment as the American General, Jackson, displayed in his first en- deavours to check an advance, would lose the advan- tages which the nature of his position afforded. That he would fortify the neck of land, indeed, was ex actly what must have been expected ; and, there- fore, every hour during which an attack was. tleferred, contributed so much to his strength and to our weakness. It is true that we should have suifered, and probably suifered severely ; but un- questionably our chances of suffering were not diminished by delay. We ought, therefore, in stead of falling back, to have pursued our ope- rations with vigour on that day ; because the American lines were not then tenable, and B B if iH^ W> ^^, o3.^ "^;a? IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MTO) /. 1.0 I.I ^aiM 12.5 *^ Ui |2.2 :^ 1^ 12.0 I m :.25 III ,4. ,^ ^ 6" ». Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 33 WIST MAIN STRMT WIMTIt.N Y I4SM (7l*)l7a-4S03 ^ ^ ,v*^ %° V ^ 370 REMARKS. f n would have assisted, rather than retarded our pro- gress. »• Having once retired, however, and wasted three days in idleness, no other blame can be laid upon the leader of the expedition. His attempt to si- lence the enemy's guns was unsuccessful, and may therefore be deemed unfortunate in its issue, rather than in its design ; but his subsequent plan no words can sufficiently applaud. It was at once bold and judicious ; and deserved, in every point of view, a different result from that with which it was attended. But for its failure poor Pakenham is in no way answerable. Against the falling in of the canal, no prudence could provide ; and to the loss of time thereby occasioned, the fatal issue of the decisive battle may in some measure be ascribed. It must, however, be confessed, that this sad calamity was not wholly occasioned by unavoid- able accidents. For the conduct of Colonel Mul- lens, and the 44th Regiment under his command, no excuse can be offered. When I include that corps in the censure bestowed upon its comman- der, it is evident that I do so only as one would blame schoolboys for deficiency of learning, whose master was unfit for his office. Unless a leader understand his duty, it is not possible that a regi- ment can conduct itself with propriety ; and as the 44th was as much composed of British soldiers REMARKS. 371 d our pro- sted three laid upon mpt to si- , and may sue, rather t plan no s at once I'ery point 1 which it ?akenhani lling in of md to the il issue of ^asure be t this sad ' unavoid- onel Mul- command, ;Iude that comman- ►ne would ng, whose I a leader at a regi- r ; and as (h soldiers as any battalion in America, no doubt can be enter- tained but that, had it been differently commanded, it would have made a different figure on the pre- sent distressing occasion. But the behaviour of the Colonel was disgrace- ful in the highest degree. When the orders were issued for his regiment to bear the fascines and ladders, instead of feeling a pride at the honour conferred upon them, that officer fell into despair. He stated, in the hearing of the private soldiers, that his corps was devoted to destruction ; and conducted himself, in every respect, like a con- demned criminal on the night previous to his execution. When the troops got under arms, instead of bringing his battalion to the redoubt, where he had been instructed to find the ladders, he marched directly past it, and led them into the field without a single ladder or fascine. When the day dawned, and he was sent back for these instruments, he headed his corps in its retrograde movement, but left it to return as it could to the front ; and when sought for to guide the attack, he was no where to be found. That a regiment, thus abused and deserted by its commanding (.fficer, should fall into confusion cannot occasion any surprise ; and therefore the subseciuent disorderly advance and hasty retreat of the 44th, were no more than might have been expected. It may here be asked, whether, provitled all D d2 372 REMARKS. If I I' things had gone right on this side of the river, pro- vided the 44th had done its duty, and the ladders and fascines had been properly brought up, the delay in carrying the batteries on the opposite side would not alone have occasioned a defeat. This must of course remain as a matter of doubt ; but my own private opinion is that it would not. Had the fascines been at hand to cast into the ditch, and the ladders to plart against the rampart as soon as day-light appeared, I conceive that the battle would have ended in favour of the assailants; but as this was not the case, as the army was under fnc before these implements were so much as sought for, it is no wonder that victory declared for the Americans. To plant ladders and fascines in open day, and under a heavy discharge of mus- ketry and artillery, retjuires much coolness and determination, neither of which was evinced by the corps to which that duty was assigned : for being deserted by their leader, and ignorant of the point whither they were to proceed, the sol- diers lost their ranks, and ad van ' or retreated as their individual feelings urged t; <, covering the field with those very machines which they ought to have carried to the foot of the ramparts. The consequence of this was, that other regiments like- wise fell into confusion ; and before order could be restored, all the generals were borne dead or wounded from the field. Much the greater part, REMARKS. 373 therefore, of the blame attachable to this failure, must rest where fidelity of narration has obliged me to place it. ' > ■ But the primary cause of this defeat may be traced to a source even more distant than any I have mentioned; I mean to the disclosure of our designs to the enemy. How this occurred I shall not take it upon me to declare, though several rumours, bear- ing at least the guise of probability, have been cir- culated. The attack upon New Orleans was pro- fessedly a secret expedition ; so secret, indeed, that it was not communicated to the inferior officers and soldiers in the armament, till immediately previous to our quitting Jamaica. To the Americans, how- ever, it appears to have been known long before, and hence it was, that, instead of taking them una- wares, we found them fully prepared for our recep- tion. But it is past, and cannot be recalled, and therefore to point out errors on the part of my coun- trymen can serve no good end. That the failure is to be lamented, no one will deny, since the conquest of New Orleans would have been beyond all com- parison the most valuable acquisition that could be made to the British dominions, throughout the whole western hemisphere. In possession of that post, we should have kept the entire southern trade of the United States in check; and furnished means of commerce to our own merchants, of incalculable value. :)1 (I I) r i l-y- 374 REMARKS. The fact is, however, that when we look back upon the whole series of events produced by the late American war, we shall find little that is likely to flatter our vanity, or increase our self-import- ance. Except a few successes in Canada, at its very commencement, and the brilliant inroad upon Wash- ington, it will be found that our arms have been constantly baffled or repulsed on shore ,• while at sea, with the exception of the capture of the Che- sapeake, and one or two other affairs towards its conclusion, we have been equally unsuccessful. From what cause does this proceed ? Not from any inferiority in courage or discipline, because in these particulars British soldiers and sailors will yield to none in the world. There must, then, be some other cause for these misfortunes, and the cause is surely one which has continually baffled all our plans of American warfare. We have long been habituated to despise the Americans, as an enemy unworthy of serious re- gard. To this alone it is to be attributed that frigates half manned were sent out to cope with ships capable of containing them within their hulls ; and to this, also, the trifling handfuls of troops dispatched to conduct the war by land. In- stead of fifteen hundred, had ten thousand men sailed from the Garonne under General Ross, how differently might he have acted ! There would have been then no necessity for a re-embarkation. REMARKS. 375 ^ after the capture of Washington, and consequently no time given for the defence of Baltimore ; but marching across the country, he might have done to the one city what he did to the other. And it is thus only that a war with America can be success- fully carried on. To penetrate up the country amidst pathless forests and boundless deserts, and to aim at permanent conquest, is out of the question. America must be assaulted only on her coasts. Her harbours destroyed, her shipping burned, and her seaport towns laid waste, are the only evils which she has reason to dread ; and were a suffi- cient force embarked with these orders, no Ame- rican war would be of long continuance. A melancholy experience has now taught us that such a war must not be entered into, unless it be conducted with spirit; and there is no conducting it with spirit, except with a sufficient numerical force. To the plan which I propose of making desert the whole line of coast, it may be objected, that by so doing, we should distress individuals, and not the Govern- ment. But they who offer this objection, forget the nature both of the people whose cause they plead, and of the Government under which they live. In a democratical Government, the voiceof the people must at all times prevail. The very mem- bers of the House of Representatives are the per- sons who, from such proceedings, would suffer ^r 1 S76 UEMARKS. most severely, and we all know how far private suffering goes to influence a man's public opinions. Besides, the very prinQiple upon which the advocates for the sacredness of private property proceed, is al- together erroneous. I admit, that, in absolute mo-^ narchies, where war is more properly the pastime of kings, than the desire of subjects, non-combatants ought to be dealt with as humanely as possible. Not so, however, in States governed by popular assemblies. By compelling the constituents to ex* perience the real hardships and miseries of warfare, you will soon compel the representatives to a vote of peace; and surely that line of conduct is, upon the whole, most humane, which puts the speediest period to the cruelties of war. There are few men who would not rather endure a raging fever for three days, tlian a slow and lingering disease for three months. So it is with a democracy at war. Burn their houses, plunder their property, block up their harbours, and destroy their shipping in a few places ;.and before you have time to proceed to the rest, you will be stopped by entreaties for peace. Whereas, if you do no mischief that can be avoided, if you only fight their fleets and armies wherever you meet them, and suffer the inhabitants to live in undisturbed tranquillity, they will continue these hostilities till they have worn out the means of one party, and greatly weakened those of both. Should aiK)ther war break out between Great IIEMARKS. zn Britain and America, this is the course to be adopted by the former. Besides this, I humbly conceive that a second attempt should be made upon New Orleans, since the importance of the conquest would authorize any sacrifice for its at- tainment; and when once gained, it could be easily defended. The neck of land, upon which that city is built, extends in the same manner above it as be- low ; and therefore the same advantages which it holds out to its present defenders it would likewise hold out to us. A chain of works thrown across from the river to the marsh would render it inac- cessible from above ; while, by covering the lakes and the Mississippi with cruisers, all attacks from below would be sufficiently guarded against. 'i 11 THE KND. I London: Printpd br i'. Rnwnrlh, Uell.i»ril, Tem|ilr-bar. ■'\i { — r •'■ \' , 'j ■ -' '. ■ v.." ( Th ERRATA. 145. 1. 149, 1. 203, I. 238, !. 249, I. Page 40, line 4, for Franc reud Travc. 46, 1. 14, for front read point. 55, 1. 4, from bottom, dele furtlicr. 60, 1. 10, for water read crater. 92, last line, for pai-t read park. 122, 1. 2, for fusees read fuses. 9, for Bran read Bean. 4, for glorious read glaring. 6, from bottom, for army reod enemy. 17, ybr sea read Asia. 6 & 10, ^br Bayoute read Bayouku. 252, 1. 19, for drift read shift. 254, I. 9, before a mile insert only. 5, /or comrades read carronades. 9, for coming read came. 7, for fire-charge read discharge. 5, for apprehended read apprehending. 4, from bottom, for houses read horses. 13, for scattering read pattering. 3, for gain rend join. 9, for they read day. 4, after plank insert are. 12, after sides insert of. 365, I., 16, Jor fusees read fuses. The absence of the Author from London must apologize for these Errata, which the reader is requested to correct for himself. 258, 1. — . I 259, 276, 277, 285, 298, 1. .307, I. 353, I. 364, I 7