\^ ^ ->;!^-^< \\ «-^ ^ ►,^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 Sfiuiii m m no I.I Im III li£ V^^^^^^^^^^E VVHI^^^^^^^^^B i^^ra^BIVH^^B ••»^» Photographic Sdmoes Corporation 33 WIST MAIN ITMIT WnSTILNY. 14SM (7U)t7a-4ioa A-Jif ■'h P V CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHIV1/ICI\/1H Collection de microfiches. Canadian Hwtitut* for HittorJcal Mlcroraproductiont / Inatltut Canadian da microraproductiona hiatorlquaa Tvchnical and Biblloaraphie NotM/NotM tachniquM at biblibgraphiquM TlM tol Tha Inatituta haa attamptad to obtain tha baat original copy availabia for filming. Faaturaa of thia copy which may b« bibllographieally uniqua. which may altar any of tha imagaa in tha raproduction. or which may aigniflcantiy ehanga tha uaual mathod of filming, ara ehackad balow. □ Colourad covara/ Couvartura da coulaur r*~1 Covara damagad/ D D D D D D Couvartura andommagia Covara raatorad and/or laminatad/ Couvartura raatauria at/ou palHcuMa r~1 Covar titia miaaing/ La titra da couvartura manqua □ Colourad mapa/ Cartaa giographiquaa an coulaur Colourad ink (i.a. othar than blua or black)/ Enera da coulaur (i.a. autra qua Maua ou noira) |~~1 Colourad plataa and/or illuatratlona/ Planchaa at/ou Illuatratlona t* coulaur Bound with othMr matarial/ RalM avao d'autraa doeumanta Tight binding may cauaa ahadowa or diatortlon along intarior margin/ Laraliura aarrte paut cauaar da I'ombra ou da la dlatoraion w long do la mairga intariaura Blank laavaa addad during raatoratlon may appaar within tha taut. Whanavar poaaibia, thaaa hava baan omittad from filming/ II aa paut qua eartalnaa pagaa blanchaa aJoutAaa lora d'una raatauratlon apparaisaant dana la taata. mala, loraqua cala Atait poaaib a, caa pagaa n'ont paa 4tA fllm«aa. Additional eommanta:/ Commantairaa aupplAmantairaa; Linatitut a microfilm* la maillaur axamplaira qu'il lui a At* poaaibia da aa procurer. Laa dAtaiia da cat axamplaira qui sont paut-Atra uniquaa du point da vua bibliographiqua, qui pauvant modif iar una imaga raproduita, ou qui pauvant axigar una modifteation dana la mAthoda normala da fllmaga •ont indlquAa ci«daaaoua. D Colourad pagaa/ Pagaa da coulaur □ Pagaa damagad/ Pagaa D Pagaa andommagAaa Pagaa raatorad and/oi Pagaa raataurAM at/ou paliiculAaa Pagaa diacoiourad. atainad or foxa< Pagaa dAcolorAaa. tachatAaa ou pIquAas Pagaa datachad/ Pagaa dAtachAaa rn Pagaa raatorad and/or laminatad/ Pagaa diacoiourad. atainad or foxad/ Pagaa I — I Pagaa datachad/ Thi poi ofi flln Ori tN aio otii fin ato ori Showthrough/ Tranaparanca □ Quality of print variaa/ QualitA inAgala da I'impraaaion r~~| Includaa aupplamantary matarial/ Comprand du matArial aupplAmantaira Only adMon availabia/ Saula Adition diaponibia ahi Tiff vifh dif am bai rigl ma Pagaa wholly or partially obacurad by arrata alipa, tiaauaa. ate, hava baan rafilmad to anaura tha baat poaaibia imaga/ Laa pagatf totalamant ou partiallamant obacurdaa par un faulilat d'arrata, una palura. ate., ont AtA filmAaa A nouvaau da fa^on A obtanir la maillaura imaga poaaibia. Thia itam la fllmad at tha raduetion ratio ehackad balow/ Ca document aet fllmA au taux da rAduetion indlquA ei*d*aaou8. 10X 14X liX 22X 2IX aox ^ 12X ItX »X SAX 2IX 32X -««a^:srj TiM copy fHnMd Iwra has bMn raproducMl thanks to the oMHKoalty of : BibliotMquo national* du QuMMc L'axamplaira fHm* ffiit roproduit grioa i la 9«n«roalt«d*: Blbliothiquo national* du QuAbac TlM imaflaa appaaring ^laia ara tha baat quality poaaibia eonaldaring tlia eondltion and lagllrfllty of tha original copy and in Icaapino with tha fllming contract apacifleations. Original copiaa in printad papar covars ara fHmad baglnning with tha front cover and anding on tha laat paga with a printad or IHustratad impraa- aion, or tha bacic covar whan approprlala. All othar original copiaa ara fllmad baglnning on tha first paga with a printad or IHuatratad Impraa- slon, and anding on tha last paga with a printad or Hiustratad imprassion. Tha laat racordad frama on aach mieroficha shall contain tha symbol ^^ (moaning "CON- TINUED"), or tha symbol ▼ (moaning "END"), whichavar appNaa. Maps, piatas. charts, ate., may ba fHmad at diffarant raduction ratioa. Thoaa too larga to ba antlraiy Inciudad In ona axpoaura ara fllmad beginning in tha uppar laft hand comar. laft to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams iliuatrate tlie method: Lea imagae suhrantee ont MA raproduitea avac la iMus grand soin. compM tenu do ie condition et de Ie netteti de rexemplahre flimA. et en conformiti evec lea conditions du contrst de filmage. Lea mamplairae originaux dont la couverture en papier eet Imprimte sent fHmis en commen^ent per Ie premier plat et en terminant aoit per la da ml A re page qui eomporte une empreinte dlmpreeelon ou dINuetration. solt par la eecond plot, eelen ie eas. Tous lee autrae exemplairee originaux sent filmAa en eommen9ant par la premiAre page qui comport* une empreinte dlmpreeelon ou dlNuetretion et en terminant per Ie demMre pege qui eomporte une telle empreinte. Un dee symbolee suhrente appanrttre sur la demMre Image de diaqua microficlie. selon Ie cas: la aymboie -^ signifie "A 8UIVRE", Ie eymbole ▼ signifie "nU". Les cartae. planchee. teMeaux. etc.. peuvent ftre fHm4e i dee teux de r4duction diffArents. Lorsque Ie document est trop grand pour ttra reprodult en un eaul dlelti. H eet fllm4 i pertir de I'angia eupMeur gauche, de gauche * droite. et de haut en bee. en prenant la nombra d'imagee nAceeaaire. Lee diagrammee suhrants Hlustrant Ie mithode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 8 6 .^r, ■4,- ,« I ■' If- - ♦• / >iR A <* $ -#■■■" ^»,*^ CAJ^^^ilOmi ot Ifll ^t^ISH AftMY ■■■* AT WASIiteaTON AI^oNEW OlOiEANSk 6SNEBAL8 ROSS, pA^attmAM^ AN0 lAM^ilf, ■f IN THE YSABS 1814 AHD 1815 ; •WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF THE OOUNTBOW TItlTBD. BY THE AUTHOR OF "THE SUBALTERN.' .; |Mpo5a>. ••••... •UnUtAMDA OMNIS VOITUIU FMiniOO MT.— f'try. LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBEM ARLE-STREET. . MDCCCXXVI. U'vjy,; Ml /■S--fi lONDOiri TMNTBD »r ■. AND R. •BNTLRV, DORSET UTRBBT. 'luA HjPiJ U: B nof • •••.•. • •»•' < • • •■ 1 « » « • • t««t •• ••• • ••-•••-•• •• ' • • f • ' • I • 'tuyrjf TV • • • .• • •• • I • « • • • • i.CV^ >lJih ^1 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 pui*posely 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. 33373 A NARRATIVE, ^C. §'C. S^C. LETTER i. H. M. Ship May Slst, 1814. Heee we are, at anchor 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 part9 of Gfascony to our present floating quarters. B 2 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 besi^ng army, and matters so far arranged as to permit a relaxation of the blockade, the thoughts of all were na' urally employed in speculations as to their 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 th^t 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 she has the just- est cause of irritation ; nor is it at all proliable 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 laige 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 vigoiv, 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. THE GARONNE. therefore, so completelj in consonance with the desire of those who trembled at the prospect of half-paj, 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. You are perhaps aware, that on the conclusion of an armistice between the French and British armies, one of the conditions was, that the ganison of Bayonne should be permitted to forage to the extent of seven leagues from the town. This of course occasioned a scarcity of ibod 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. Now 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 Bngland at Passage. Finding ourselves, therefore, proceeding B 2 MARCH TOWARDS BOURDEAUX. in the direction of the latter place, and not tieing aware of the cause of this movement, we b^^ to suspect that we had been premature in numbering oiurselves 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 l^an 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 way 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 begun to dream of the society of lathers, sbters, wives, and friends, now looked forward with equal, if not greater satbfac- tion, to a renewal of the . hardships and enjoyments > B 3 6 MARCH TOWARDS BOUUDEAUX. 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 laigest, 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 destroyed 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 mon^h of December last there was fighting for four days together; and I do assure you, that the number of little hil- locks within our view, from under most of which 1^ 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- MARCH TOWARDS BOURDEAUX. ever, such feelings were overborne by others much more powerful. If we ga2sed with peculiar in- terest upon one hovel more than another, it was because some of us had there maintained ourselves ; if we endeavoured to count the number of shot- holes in any wall, or the breaks in any hedge, 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 survivors. 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 has 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, are 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 circumvaUation, 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 Bayoune, 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- si^ng 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, during 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, and 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 anny were brought up, consequently a sally made in this direction, and with success, -might have been productive, to us, of much mischief. To guard against such an occur- MARCH TO^V.iHDS BOURDEAUX. 9 rence, due care 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 vilp 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 which some pieces of light artil- lery showed themselves. The walls of the edifice itself were strengthened by an embankment of earth to the hdght of fbuf or five feet, above which narrow openings were made, in order to give ita defenders an opportunity of levelling their to MARCH TOWARDS BOURDEAUXv 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 att^npt it, excepting in one point, and that on the of^site 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 besi^- 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 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 iiousehold furniture which lay nearest at hand, tL>rown 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 puT^ished. But I beUeve that they put up with man^ ii^uries rather than com- 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 countrynien, 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 fi'om 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 seniibility 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 MARCH TOWARDS BOURDEAUX. 13 by all the alleviating circumstances of which it is capable, is a fearftil thing. One experiences no r^ret at seeing the most sjdendid 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 b^, 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, are, 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 TOWAttDS fiOURDEAUX. 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- rsent burthens. Depend upon it, that all your grumblers are men devoid either of redexion or prin- cijde; in 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. BAYONNE. 16 LETTER 11. June 31st, 1814. As soon as the bustle of encamping was over, and mj time absolutely at my own disposal, I took advantage of an offered passport, and proceeded into Bayonne. You wUl readily believe that I entered this city with feelings very different from those of a common travdler. 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 16 BAYONNE^ 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 th^ it was as strong as the nature of the ground, and the labour of man eould make ii, is not, I am inclined to believe, what you would desire. I shall therefore endea-^ ▼our 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 prolix details. V. The city of Bayonne stands, as every body knows, upon the Adour, about six or eight miles from the point where that river &lls 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 walls, is perfectly flat, and the soil sandy, and apparently not very productive. On the opposite bank the ground rises rather abruptly fr^.m the brink of the stream, sloping upwards likewise from the sea, till you arrive at the pinnacle upon which 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- BAYONNC ;7 ance presented is, that of ope considerable town, with a broad river flowing through the middle of it. You will perceive, even from this short and im 26 MAllCIl TO ONDRES. camps, we found ourselves in a country more peace- ful and more picturesque, than any we had yet met with. There were here no signs of war, or mwks of violence. The cottages were covered with honeysuckle and roses; the gardens were blooming in the most perfect order ; the com was growing in great plenty and richness, and the vines were clustering round their poles like the hops in the gardens in Kent. It is impossible to describe the feeling of absolute refreshment, which such a sight stirred up in one who, for so long a time, had looked upon nothing but ruin and devastation. It is true that with respect to grandeur, or even beauty, the scenery through which I now travel- led was not to be compared with the sublime passes of the Pyrenees, or with many other spots which I had beheld ; but I confess that an hamlet unin- jured and tenanted by its own rude peasantry, a field of Indian corn exhibiting no wasteful track of foragers, nay a single cottage with its flowers and ever-greens budding around it, was at this time a more welcome object to my eyes, than the wildest mountains, or most romantic valley, displaying no habitations except white tents, and no inhabitants except soldiers. I felt, in short, as if I had once more returned into the bosom of civilized and do- mestic life, after having been for many months a wanderer and a savage. The road along which we proceeded had been MARCH TO ON DUES. 27 made by Napoleon, and was remarkably good. It was sheltered, on each side, from the rays of the sun, by groves of cork trees mingled with fir; by which means, though the day was overpoweringly hot, we did not suffer so much as we should other- wise have doue. Our march was, therefore, exceedingly agreeable, and we came in, about noon, very litt)e fatigued to the village of Ondres, where the tents were pitched, and we remained till the morrow. 28 MARCH TO BOUKDEAUX. LETTER III. The dawn was just banning to appear, whA the bugles sounded, and the tents were struck. For the firist few leagues, our route to-day resembled that of yesterday, in almost every particular. There was the same i^pearance of peaceful quiet, the same delightful intermingling of woods, corn-fields, vineyards, and posture ; but we had not proceeded far, when a marked difference was perceptible ; every step we trod, tlie soil became more and more sandy, the cultivation less frequent, and the wood more abundant, till at last we found ourselves marching through the heart of an immense forest of pines. We had diveiged, it appeared, from the main road, which carries the traveller through a rich and open country, and were pursuing another through the middle of those deserts and savannahs which lie towards the coast, a district known by the name of les Landes. There was something, if not beautiful, at least new and striking, in the scenery now around us. Wherever the eye turned, it was met by one wide waste of gloomy pine-trees ; diversi- fied, now and then, by the unexpected appearance of a modest hamlet, which looked as if it were the LES LANDRS. 29 abode of some newly arrived settlers, in a country hitherto devoid of human habitations. Were I to continue the detail of a long march through these barren regions, I should soon fatigue, without amusing you; I shall therefore content myself with observing, that day after day the same dreaf^ prospect presented itself, varied by the oc- casional occurrence of huge uncultivated plains, which apparently chequer the forest, at certain intervals, with spots of stunted and unprofitaUe pasturage ; upon these there were usually flocks of sheep grazing, in the mode of watching which, the peasants fully evinced the truth of the old pro> verb, that necessity is the mother of invention. I do not know whether the practice to which I allude be generally known, but as it struck me as very remarkable, I shall offer no apolc^ for relating it. You must observe, that the whole of this dis- trict is )i perfect flat containing scarcely a knoll or eminence of any sort, as far as the eye can reach. In addition to this, the vast plains where the sheep are fed, many of which extend two or three leagues in every direction, produce not so much as a fir tree, by climbing which, a man might see to any of its extremities : and the consequence is, that the shepherds are constantly in danger of losing their sheep, as one loses sight of a vessel at sea, in the distance. To remedy this evil, they have fallen 80 MARCH TO BOURDEAUX. upon a plan not more simple than ingenious ; they all walk upon stilts, exactly similar to those with which our school-boys amuse themselves ; the only difference is, that whereas the school-boys* stilts are seldom rais^ above ten or twelve inches from the ground, those of the French peasants are ele- vated to the height of six or eight feet.- When We first caught a glimpse of these figures, it was in the dusk of the morning ; for a while, we were willing to persuade oursdves that the haze had deceived us, by seeming to enlarge bodies be- yond their real dimensions; but when we looked at the trees, we saw them in their own proper size, nor could we suppose that the atmosphere would have effect upon one object, which it had not upon another ; yet there appeared to be no othe way of accounting for the phenomenon, unless indeed this wild country was the parent of a race uf giants, for the men whom we saw resembled moving towers rather than mortals. I need hot observe that our as- tonishment was very great ; nor in fact was it much diminished when, on a nearer approach, we disco- vered the truth, and witnessed the agility with which they moved, and the ease with whidh they would stoop to the ground, pick up the smallest article, and stand upright again. But if we admired the skill of one or two individuals, our admiration rose to a still higher pitch, when we saw crowds of them together, all equally skilftd ; till they in- LES LANDES. 31 formed us that the thing was not an amusement, but universally practised for the purpose I have stated. Besides this, I know nothing in the customs of this isolated people at all worthy of notice, unless, indeed, it be their method of supplying themselves with lights. Being completely cut off from the rest of the world, it is not in their power, except when once or twice a year they travel to the nearest towns with their wool, to purchase candles : and, as they have no notion how these can be made^ they substitute in their room a lamp fed with the turpentine extracted from the fir trees. The whole process is simple and primitive : to obtain the tur- pentine, they cut a hole in the tree, and fasten a dish in it to catch the sap as it oozes through ; and as soon as the dish is filled, they put a wick of cotton into the midst of the liquor, and bum it as we do a lamp ; the light, indeed, is not of the most brilliant nature, but it is at least better than none ; and, as they have fir trees in abundance within their Teach, there is no danger of their oil being quickly exhausted. But I b^n to apprehend, that if these minute detaib continue much longer, you will be as much tired in perusing the account of this march, as I was in its performance. Permit me, then, to hurry over the following week, during the whole course of which the same scenery and adventures occurred ; / ; ^ MARCH TO BOURDEAUX. t and to cany you forward to the morning of the twenty-third, when at last we began to emerge from the forests, and to find ourselves once again in a more open country. At first, however, it cannot be said that, with respect to beauty, the change was greatly for the better. Upon the bor- ders of the deserts, there is a little village called Le Barp, where we spent the night of the twenty- second ; from whence^ till you arrive at a place called Belle-Vue, the country is exactly in that state which land assumes when nature has begun to lose ground, and art to gain it — when the wild simplicity of t|ie one is destroyed, and the rich luxuriance of the other has not yet been super- induced. So &r, therefore, we proceeded, regret- ting, rather than rejoicing that we had quitted the woods ; but no sooner had we attained that point, than there burst upon us, all on a sudden, a inrotpect as gloriously fertile as ever de%hted the eyes of a weary traveller. Instead of boundless forests of pine, the whole &ce of the country was now covered with.vine- yarck, interspersed, in the most exquisite and taste- ful manner, with corn-fields and meadows of the richest pasturage. Nor was there any deficiency of timber; a well- wooded chateau, with its lawn < and plantations, here and there presenting itself, while quiet hamlets, and solitary, cottages, scat- tered in great abundance over the scene* gave BOUIlDEAUX< 3a to it art appearance of life and prosperitj, exceed- ingly bewitching. Had there been but the addition of a fine river flowing through the midst of it, and had the ground been somewhat more broken into hil! and dale, I should have pronounced it the most enchanting prospect of the kind I had ever be- held ; but, unfortunately, both these were wanting. Though the effect of a first view, therefore, was striking and delightful, and though to the last one could not help acknowledging the richness of the land and its high state of cultivation, its beauty soon b^an to pall. The fact is, that an immense plain, however adorned by the labour of man, is not an object upon which it is pleasing to gaze for any length of time ; the eye becomes wearied with the extent of its own stretch, and as there is no boundary but the horizon, the imagination is left to picture a continuance of t le same plain, tiU it becomes as tired of fancying as the eye is of looking. Besides, we were not long in discovering that the vineyards were unworthy to be compared, in point of luxuriant appearance, with those of Spain and the more southern regions of France., In this neighbourhood, the vine is not permitted to grow to a greater height than three or four feet from the ground; whereas in Spain, and on the borders, it climbs, like the hop-plant in England, to the top of high poles, and hangs over from one row to another, in the most graceM festoons. In spite of 8« BOUHDEAUX. these objections, however, no one could do otherwise than admit, that the change we had experienced was agreeable, and we continued to move on with greater alacrity, till it was evident, from the increasing number of seats and villas, that we were rapidly approaching the vicinity of Buurdeaux. Nor was it long before the towers and buildings of that magnificent city began to be disceiiiible in the distance. Prompted by I know not what im- pulse, we almost involuntarily quickened our pace at the sight, and in a short time reached the sub- urbs, which, like those of most French towns, are composed of low houses, inhabited by the poorest and meanest of the people. Here we halted for a few minutes to refresh the men, when having again resumed the line of march, we advanced under a magnificent triumphal arch, originally erected in honour of Napoleon, but now inscribed with the name of the Duke D'Angouleme, and ornamented with garlands of flowers. Passing under this, we proceeded along one or two handsome streets, till We reached the Military Hospital, a large and com- modious structure, fitted up for the reception of several thousands of sick, where it was arranged that we sliould spend the night. The city of Bourdeaux has been too often de- scribed, and is too well known to you and to the rest of my countrymen, to render any particular account of it at all necessary from me ; and were the case BOUKDEAUX. 96 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 oi 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, that had my opportunities been ever so great, and my talent for description ever so lively, I might on the present occasion be spared the proof of the one, and the exhibition of the other ; nay, it is very pro- bable, that you will not read even thus far, without being disposed to remind me, that my journal was promised to be one, not of a progress through the South of France, but of the campaigns in America. Let me conclude, then, that you will be satisfied to consult some other tourist, for a complete de- scription of this metropolis of the southern pro- vinces, and in the mean time to follow me, whilst I endeavour, in as few words as possible, to run D 2 36 MACAU. over a detail of the remainder of our journey towards the shipping. At an early hour next morning, we were again in motion, and proceeded to an extensive common, near the village of Macau, about thi^ee 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 S7th, 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 busines?, however* to question the wisdom of any measure fMJiopted by our superiors, and we accordingly LA M0£. m marched on in as high spirits, as if we had been followed by the entire Peninsular army. The remainder of our journey occupied two 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 from the vines, giving promise of much wealth to come ; the hay season had commenced, and numerous groups of happy-looking peasants were busy in every field; in short, it was a march upon which I shall never look back without pleasure. The close of the first day*s progress brought us to a village called La Moe, beautifully situated within view of the migestic waters of the Garonne. Here, for the first time since we quitted J yonnc^ 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 second day carried vs to Pauliac, an inconsiderable town upon the bank* of the same river, ^here we i> 3 38 AT SEA. found boats ready to convey us to the shipping, which lay at anchor to receive us. To embark the troops in these boats, and io 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 throng^ 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 tins account it was that these transports were sent as passage boats to ctstf 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 i^ged 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 finaOy settled in His Majesty's ship of 64 guns. Having now arrived at the point from whence, perhaps, I ought more pn^rly to hnve set out; I am unwilling to occupy your time by cod^nu lisonp 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 nay ^per subject, by detailing the particulars of the ftNTce, both military and naval, which composes this expedition ; but, as my letter has already 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 and taedium of a long voyage. • 39 LETTER IV. I^f the leisure which I anticipated during the voyage, I have not been disappointed; nor do I conceive that it can beU 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 him- dred. In addition tj these, there ore two officers of engineers, a brigade of artiUery, a detachment of sappers and miners, a party of artillory drivers, with a due proportimi of officers belonging to the Medical and Commissariat departments. The whole together cannot be computed at more than two thousand five hundred men, if indeed it amounts to so great a number ( and is under the command of Mi^or General Ross, a very gallant and expe- rienced leader. r,4^H. . . ,. D 4 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, Trave, 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 with 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 Trave and Weser are fiUed 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 ; aind 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 bag^page, and the vessels allotted for their acccMnmodation, the signal was made to weigh; but the wind being adverse, and the navigation o£ tiie Garonne far from simple, it could not be obeyed with safety. Every thing, therefore, remained quiet 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 sliips drifted gradually on their course; but ST. MICHAELS. 4i before long, the breeze shiiting, blew directly in their stems, 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 bd 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-book, relative to the changes in the wea- ther, and the rate of sailing. I shall only observe, therefore, that with few interruptions, the fair wind that carried us out of the Garonne, did not leave us till the nineteenth, when, by calculating the shipV 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 fSHt object that met our eyes was the high land of St. Michaels, rinng, like a collection of blue douds, out of the^ water. With such a prospect before us, you majr imagine our consternation, when we found our- selves deserted by the breeze which had hitherto 42 ST. HICUAEL S. SQ umformly favoured'' US, and lying as motionless as logs, under the influence of a dead calm. Our voyage was certainly not to be compared to that of Nearchus aanmg the ancients, of Columbus in the middle ages, nor yet to those .of Cooke or Anson in more modem times, but it bad been long enough to product a 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 houra ; and you may be assured, that many bitter complaints against the inconstancy of the weather, sufficiently attested that siich was the point of view in which it was regarded. But the injustice of these compluntis was soon evident, for before mid-day the breeze freshei^ 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 attr&pted 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 sam^ time slow enough to pier-^ mit a distinct and calm survey of the beach, with the numerous villages, seats, and convents, that adorned it. . ST. MICHAELS. 43 Hhe island of St. Michael is rr nntainous, even to the very edge of the water, bui^ the heights^ though lofty, do not present a rugged or barreii appearance. Here and ther^ indeed, bare rocks push themselves into notice, but in general the ascent is easy, and the hills are covered,^ to the tc^ with groves of orai^ trees and beautiM green pasturage. Like other Portuguese settlements^ this island abounds in religious houses, the founders of many of whi;h do not appear to have been de^ fident in taste, when they pitched upoir situations for building. There was one of these that particu- larly struck me : it stood upon a sort of platfoim, 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 tockil t and round it were plantations of orange trees, loaded with fruit, and interspersed with myrtl^i 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- vent, 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 al6ng, being seldom at a greater distance than four or five 44 ST. MICHAEL'S^ miles fix>m the land, till we came opposite to a small town called Villa Franca. Here, as the wind threatened to die away, several others and myself 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 sa simple as we had expected. An immense reef of rocks, some under water, others barely above it, but none distinguishable tiU 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 were disappointed, as the town of Villa Franca could boast of no such convenience on any scale. But .we were not on that account oUiged to bivouac ; for the Hidalgo, or mayor of the place, politdy in- sbted upon our accompanying him home, and enr tertained us with great hospitality ; and, in truth, we had no cause to regret the unsuccessful issue of our enquiries, since, independent of the good cheer with which we we|rf ]p^;«^nted, our host, being an VILLA FRANCA. 45 intelligent person, did not fail to render himself an agreeable companion ; and what contributed in no slight degree to the facility of our intercourse wai^ that though he assured us he had never quitted St. Michaels 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 u single family Of fishers to setire 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 troublesome. Whether there be truth in this story, I cannot pretend to determine; and yet I see no reason to doubt the. word qf 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 and 46 VILLA FRANCA'. obliging, we naturally informed him of our inten- tion to proceed nest rooming to Ponto del'Gada, tlie principal town in St. Midiaers, and requested his a^giitance in procuring some mode of convey- aiice; but W9 were startled by the 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 veiy town whither we were going. This was rather an alarming piece of news^ Cor 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 hme been easily managed, because we might have saifed round to the point where the fleet was to anchor ; but this was no longer in oiit power, and being rather unwilling to pursue our journey on foot, we were altogether at a loss how to determine. While we thus hesitated, the Hidalgo suggested, <^at if we would condescend to ride upon asses, he thought he could obtain a sufficient number for our party; a proposal with which we ^cUy closed, prudently determining that any mode of being carried was better than waUcing. Leaving the arrangement of this affair, therefore, to out obliging friend, we retired to rest upon clean com- fortaMe shakedowns, spread for us on the floor ; and, on waking in the morning, we found that he had not been negligent in the charge assigned him. Our party consisted of five officers, with five ser- VILLA FBANCA. yants, far whose accommodation we found ten asses at the door, each attended by its driver, armed: with a long pole tipped with lan iron spike, for the- purpose of goading the animal 'm-henever 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 ^-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 thesft inconveniences, if they may be so called, I 6ha& never cease to congratidate 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 ViUa 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 mi^^ g^e, but, on the con* trary, a rugged and stony track, sometimes leading down the face of steep hills, isometimes scaling 48 ST. MICHAELS. heights which at the distance of a mile appear to be almost perpendicular, and sometimes wind- ing along the side of a cliff, and by the edge of a fearful precipice. Except when jou 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 horizontally 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 cause which doubtless produced the smaller one, that has now disappeared. But you must not fancy, from this description, that St. Michaels is nothing but a barren rock ; far from it. There is, indeed, in this direction, at least, a fair proportion of that commodity, but tracts of cultivated ground are not therefore want- ing. I should not certainly suppose that the soil ST. MICHAELS. 4ft 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; therie is excellent pasture for sheep, and a competent supply of grain. But that in which the Azores,' and St. MichaeFs among the number, particiilarly excel, is the extreme salubrity of the climate : lying in nearly the same degree of latitude with Lisbon, the intense heat which oppresses in that city, is here alleviated by refreshing sea-breezes ; by which means, though I believe there b 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 actiuilly engaged in violent exercise, 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, proportionabl^r 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 whi''^ the English market is supplied ; but of the exr advise the disciples of Werner to come hither, li they demure further helps in the prosecution of that very interesting and practically useful study. £ S 52 ST. MICHAEL*^. LETTER V. As I am aware that jon dislike, equally with my- self, the usual Ibrmalities at the commencement of a letter, I shaft 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 t.he mountain, on which we had paused for a few minutes, to glut cur eyes and satisfy our curiosity, we arrived i^t a small hamlet, or rather a group of two or three hovels, as rodanti-> 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 circidar valley, cut off, to all appear- ance, from the rest of the habitable world ; behind them rose a towering crag, as perpendicular as the drop of a plummet, from the top of which a little rivulet came tumbling down, giving to the scene an appearance of the most delightful coolnCM, and amusing the ear with the unceasing roar of a water-faU. 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. MICHA£L.S. W truded themselves, whilst above it, and on every side of the area, the hiUs were covered with wood, interrupted now and then by the bald forehead of a Uackened 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. This paragon of valleys, and master-piece of nature's liandy-^ork, 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 tbe 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 p«>f^uade us to a temporary halt. Giving the animals, therefore, to the care of their owners, we dismounted, and went into some of the cabins, the inhabitants of X 8 ST. MICHAEL'S. whith appeared to be as simple as the situation of thehr abodes had prepared us to expect. The men were all goat-herds, apd the women seemed to be as idle as their countrywomen in Portugal, sitting at the doors of their houses, surrounded by groups of half-naked and filthy-looking children. To judge by their dress, and the furniture of their hovjels, they were miserably poor, though perfectly con- tented; they did not ask us for money, but as- tonished, 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, that we were not French, they immediately added, then you must be English. They did not appear, however, to be without some 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 invectives against the French; convincing us, that the anif mosity of the mother-country towards its baruarous invaders, is not more implacable than that oi the colonies. JIaving loitered away half an hour in this ro- mantic spot, and distributed a few dollars among its inhabitants, we remounted our steeds and con- •4: %^. ST. MICHAELS. 56 tinued our journey. The remainder of the ride carried us through scenery very similar to what we had akeady 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 the 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 com. Quickening our pace, we soon entered the capital of St. Michael's, and wett conducted by the drivers to a good hotel, kept by an Englishwoman of the name of Currie, where we found every accommodation we could desire, at a very nr jderate expense. As we had started at an early hour from Villa Franca, the clocks were just striking ten, when we alijghted at Mrs. Currie's hotel ; consequently, there was a long day yet before us, in which we might see every thing that was to be seen in the places Having discharged our muleteers, therefore, who seeined overjoyed at the receipt of one doUar a^piece, swallowed a hasty breakfast, and mads ourselves somewhat comfortable, we lost no time in setting out upon a strdl of examination and discovery. Ponto del Oada is, in the whole, rather a neat town, containing from twelve .to fourteen thousand E 4 5G St. ftllCIlAELS* ^ inhabitants ; but being built, especially in the out- skirts, without much regard to compactness, it covers more ground than many places of double the amount in population. It stands upon a little bay, formed by two projecting head-lands, and can boast of a tolerable harbour and excellent road- stead. In its immediate vicinity, the country is more uniformly level than any I had yet observed ; the vale extending to the distance of four or five miles on every side, arid ending in an amphitheatre of low green hills, which resemble, in appearance* the downs as they are seen from Eastbourne, in Sussex. The whole of this flat is in a state of high cultivation, being cleared, perhaps, too completely, of wood, and portioned off into different fields and parks by hedges and stone walls. Judging flrom the appearance of the crops, I should conceive 'that the soil was here of some depth, ds wdl as fertility ; the whole valley being covered with wheat, barley, and Indian com. In truths from the aspect of the country beyond the downs, where rocks tower one above another in rude and barren grandeur, one is almost tempted to beUeve that the whole industry of the island has necessa- rily expended itself upon this si)ot, because it was ihe only one capaUc of rewarding it. I was as- sured, however, by the natives, that such is not the icase; and'that, in the interior, and towards the opposite coast, the ru^ed magnificence of moun- STi mCllAELS. 67 taio scenery gives way to a more profitable, though kss picturesque champaign. 'The principal streets of Ponto del Gada are paved, and kept at once cool and clean by aeon- staiit sprinkling of water, which it is the business of two or three men stationed at pumps within a certain distance of one another, to scatter over them. Of the bye streets little can be said, they being, like those of other Portuguese towns, com- posed of niean cottages, unpaved, and extremely dirty. There is, however, an air of elegance given to the town, particularly when looked at from a distance, by the intermixture of orange groves among the houses ; the largest of these, wherever they hai^n to stand, being, in '. general, surrounded by extensive gardens, all of which are abundantly stdcked with that graceful and odcniferous plant. Add to this the number of towers and spires with which its numerous churches and convents ai« supplied, and the first coup-d*oeil may be conceived to lie extremely striking and iniposing. < As soon as we had taken a general survey of the streets, the next object of attention was the, reli- gious houses. In these, however, there was bul IxM^ to admire, the architecture being of the plainest kind, and even the chapels as much wanting in or- nament as can b^ imagined. There were, indeed, in inost of them, some trifling attenipts at C6rv«d work and gilding upon the roof, a little stained glais. 58 ST. MICHAEL'S. neither rich nor ancient, in the windows, and a few tawdry pictures suspended above the altars; but the tout ensemble was decidedly that of buildings which did not even aim at beauty or grandeur. The monks we found a good natured obliging set of men, very willing to give us any information in their power; by one of whom I was fortunate enough to be conducted through a convent of Augustine friars. Into their mode of living it is not to be supposed that I could obtain much in- sight. It seemed, however, to be less indolent than that of some convents, which I had visited in the old country, and approached proportionably nearer to a college life among ourselves; though it must be admitted that the fellows and under-graduates of Oxford and Cambridge have a better notion of both comfort and elegance, than the Augustine friars of St. Michael's. Of the nuns, of course, we saw nothing, exceptii^ throu^ the grates. We found them futt of curiosity, and eager to know as much as they could learn of the world from which they were excluded; but quite as fond of flirting asmiy set of young ladies at a boarding-school. It wa&Amu^ngto observe their mode of be^ng; for all the nuus in this part of the world are licensed beggars. The younger and fkirer members of- the siiterhood came t6 the grate ^rst^ «hatted,-8Ui^> and presented us with artificial flowers, and then retiring made way for the old and the ugly, who ST. 1IICHA£L*S. 6^ requested a little money for the good of our souls and' their bodies. To solicitations thus expressed^ it was impossible to turn a deaf ear, and the conv sequence was, that we soon discovered it to be quite as expensive an amusement to flirt with a nun, as with any other belle in London or else- where. Besides the churches and convents, amounting in all to not fewer than nine, there is a fort erected for the protection of the harbour, which we like- wise endeavoured to see ; but were prevented by the sentinel at the gate, who refused us admit- tance. The disappointment, however, was not ^at, as it was easy to perceive, from its outward appearance, that the fort could possess few points worthy of observation ; and, indeed, we attributed the reluctance evinced, in adniitting strangers^ to its utter uselessness as a place of d^ence. To describe all this occupies but a small portion of my time, and to read the description will occupy a still smaller portion of yours ; but to see it was the laborious employment of an entire day. Wea*^ ried out, therefore, with my exertions, and not feeling myself much rewarded, at least for the lat-^ ter part of my trouble, I returned, in the evening to the hotel, where; as the ships were still at anchor taking on board water and fV«sh provisions, I ventured to spend the night. Having thus discovered that there was Utile in 60 ST. Michael's. .the works of art, and a great deal in those of nature, throughout St. Michael's, to interest the traveller, a friend and myself determined to set o£f next morning on a visit to the volcano. With this design we ordered asses, for asses are the only ani- mals for hire, to be in readiness by day-break, and finding them in waiting at the time appointed, we took a guide with us and pushed forward in the direction of the dark smoke. The mountain with its crater, being distinctly visible from Ponto del Gada, we took it for granted that the distance between the two places could not exceed twelve or fourteen - miles ; but, on enquiring of our guide, we were alarmed by the information, that the near^t roafd would carry us at least twenty-seven, miles from' the town. Thunder-struck by this newd>:We were for some time at a loss what course to pursiie. To inx>ceed was dangerous, because, ngf^iunted as wcfiWere, to go and return the same day was impos- sible ; ! aiid, if we remained so far from the. shipfnng during the night, the fleet might sail before we should be able to get , back. On the other handj to give up our design and quit a country where a vol- cano was to be' seen, without seeing it, appeared rather a mortifyiBg prospect. After weighing for a few minutes the chanceft on both sides, I sh«}l Hot, soy with the utmost impartiality, curiosity finally prevailed over fear; and» in order to prevent any further repentance and consequent change of ST. MICHAELS. m miiid, 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 determir 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 ; where we found every thing in the bustle and confusion of a re-embarkatipn. 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 wcqre running iribout upon the strand, some offering their skiffs to convey the officers on board the ships, some helping to swing the bullocks into the baiges, and others shouting and hallooing apparently from the uninterested love of noise. In short, it was a s^ene of great liveliness and bustle, perhaps rather tio much so to be agreeable. '^/ r,{tt> Seeing this imiversal eagerness to reach the fleet, we, of course, threw ourselves into the first boat we could approach, and in a shtnrt time found our- selves oh board our owU ship. But here a very tantalizing piece of news awaited us, for we learnt 62 ST. MICHAELS. that, in spite of all this show of preparation, the admiiut had hot b^un 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 our having caught a view of 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 mountains of St. Mi- chael's could be seen only like a thin vapour in the sky. Next morning, nothing but the old prospect of air and water met the gaze, as we stood our course, at a rapid rate, towards Bermuda. The voyage from St. Michael's to Bemiuda occupied a space of almost an entire month, the first having been lost sight of on the 27th of .^une, and it being the 24th of July before the low shores of the lait could be discerned. It was, however, a sail of more interest, and pro- BERMUDA. 63 ductive of more variety than that firoin Bourdeaux to the Azores. We had now got within the influence of the tropical climate, and were not unfirequently amused with water-spouts, and other phenomena peculiar to warm r^ons. The flying fish, likewise, and its pursuer the dolphin, afforded at least something to 'look at ; whilst many idle hours were whiied 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- tifulk W^n the fish is in the water, it is by no means remarkable for brilliancy of hue^ and as soon as it is dead, it returns to its original colour, — a dingy sea green ; but whilst it is floimdering and flapping upon the deck, it it impossible to say what is its real appearance, 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 of variety; I mean squalls, thun- der-storms, and whirlwinds. As we approached Bermuda, indeed, theM became too frequent to excite any interest, beyond an earnest desire that they would cease ; hut while we were yet a good 64 BERMUDA. way off, and the incident rare, they were witnessed with more of admiration than terror. Besides these amusements with which nature sup- plied us, we were not backward in endeavouring to amuse ourselves. Being now pretty well accustomed 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. On the If'^h of July, at an early hour in the morn- ing, 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 accord- ingly sent off from the different vessels, loaded with visitors; and, on mounting the gang-way, a stage, with a green curtain before it, was discovered upon th^ quarter-deck. The who^.e of the deck, from the poop to the main -mast, was hupg round with flags, so as to form a moderate sized th^p^Te; and the carr ronades were removed from their port-holes, in or- der to make room -for the conipany. T«amps 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 main-mast to the foot of the stage, was set with benches for the moro genteel part of the audience. At seven o'clock the curt^^'n drew up, and dis- AT SEA. 65 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 &f the artillery; and went off in high styh;, applauded, as you may suppose, with the loud- est acclamations. The quarter-deck of u British Une 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 fi-oni its very singularity. When the performance was at an end, the stage; was knocked down, the seats removed, and every thing cleai'ed for dancing.' The music was excellent, being composed of the band of the Royal Oak ; and the ball was opened by Admiral Malcombe and the 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 i)erson, from the admiral and general, down to the youngest ensign and midshipman, joined, laying aside, for the 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 the different boats to come off for the strangers, and each returned to his own ship highly gratified with the evening s entertainment. m AT SEA. * LET^'i I 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, an<^. 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 enabled 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 84th 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 BERMUDA. 67 the wind Mew 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. MichaeFs, 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 lie within a few miles of this before the slightest symptom of land is discernible. On this account it is, that marif 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 be tun against by vessels which may have approached, in stormy weather, too near to put about ; but for many miles around it, reefs of sunken rock stretch out in\,o the sea in every direc- tion ; insomuch that eve n tlie approach to the principal anchorage is no more than a narrow channel between two 8u«;h reefs, in many places scarcely exceeding a mile, or a mile and a half in width. The navigation, even in calm weather, w therefore attended with considerable danger; the V 2 68 BKllM UDA. 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 the depth l>f six and seven fathoms : while the aspect of the reefs which lie on each side, as you steer tovvards the anchorage, is such, as almost to p^trsuade one, contrary to the evidence of rea^^on, that a man might leap upon them from a boat, without incurring the danger of l>eing wet above the knees. Yet these very reel-i are seldom i'overed with less than six, and sometimes with fourteen and fifteen feet of water. Low as they are, the shores of Bermuda are neveitheless extremely beautiftU. They are covered with cedar, a tree which here, at least, seldom exceeds the height of twenty feet, and from which, before the sun has risen, and after he has set, ilu) 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 the houses of the better orders are chiefly built within 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 BERBIUDA. ^9 leave her that night ; but, at an early hour ne%% 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 oji 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, Geoi^'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 F 3 74) B£RMUDi^. of the chalk-stone, is extremely dazzling to the eyes. It 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 inferior 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 j*ock, 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, well? 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 least, in any quantity. To supply this deficiency, the bad effects of which were experienced in the unhealthi- ness of many of the crews upon the American station, government was induced to build these tanks; consequently the water contained in them is the property of the king, and none but king's ships, with the troops in garrison, are permitted, except in extreme cases, to be supplied from thence. The climate of Bermuda has been extolled by BERiIUDil('« 71 many, and among the rest by Mr. Moore in his odes and epistles, as salubrious 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 these *pan^yrists mean to say that as long as you contrive to keep in the shade, and if you take care not to stir abroad till after sun-set, you will find the Barmudas deserv- ing of their title of summer-islands, then I will agree with them ; but I t)elieve there is no man who ever walked the street of St. Geoi^'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, I 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 the duck ; the cedar and a few calash trees are the only wood, and, except the most common kinds of vegetables, such as cabbages, onions, and sweet F 4 t2 BEK&IUDA. i^atoes, I know- of hardly another thing brought to perfection, even in the gardens. The fruits which a stranger may meet with, are 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 naturtd sterility of the soil, or to the extreme indolence of the inhabitants, 1 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- nble manlier, every article of living being here sold for thrice ite intrinsic value. That pirovisions 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 cluster 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 time 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 thejr demand for the most trifling article. The poorest and meanest freeman upon the island, never dreams of applying his . own hand, or eten his own head, to the cultivation of the ground; and being abundantly supplied with negro slaves, they leavie 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 Barniudians, but rest assured that I repeat only what I was told by some of them- selves ; nor did I, from my own personal observa- tion, discover any cause to question the veracity of my informers. In the praise bestowed by Mr. Moore upon the beauty of these r^ons, I do, however, most cordi- ally jian. There is something bewitchingly pretty, for pretty is perhaps the most appropriate epithi^ I could use, in every one of the many views 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 bor* dering upon the awful, throughout the whole ; bui it is soft, gentle, and exquisitely pleasing. : Having spent the day at St. Georgr*8, I returned u BERMUDA. on board to sleep; and on the morrow removed, 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 conimand 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 different islands, and climbing the different eminences, from whence the most extensive prospects were to be ob- tained. Among other curiosities, I was informed BEUMUDit. n 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 lis, a little before dark. We fastened the boat to the stump of a tree, and were proceeding towards the caves, when a fine manly voice, singing one of the Irish melodies, attracted our attention. Being rather curious to discover who, iu this extra- mundane place, had learnt to sing with sc ii.v^h 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 recogniii^ed one another as old 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 complying ; 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 we returned to our boat, and sailed back to the ship. Next morning every thing was got ready for the 76 BERMUDA expedition, but a heavy squall comiiig 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, ^'hich our iriends had prepared for themselves and us. When it was finished, we supplied ourselves with torcheis from some dry branches of the calash- tree, and headed by a guide, moved towards the mouth of the nearest and laigest of the two caves. We descended into this by u ladder of sixteen steps, and arrived upon a broad ledge of rock, where 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 roof 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 out, as the glare of the torches fell upon pieces of spar as clear as crystal, and the deep echo of our own vdces as we spoke, inspired us with a feeling of awe, bordering BERMUDA. 77 enng 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 imagining, that these very churches and abbeys had been built in humble imitation of this, which looked like a temple rear* ed by some beings more powerful than men. It seemed a shrine worthy of the genii of old, while yet they were in the zenith ol their glory, and ere they had lieen 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 growing more and more contracted ; till, finally, we were compelled to advance one by one, and to stoop in order to prevent our heads from coming in contact with the rock. We had now gone as far as it was possible to go with any d^ree of comfort, and were informed by the guide, that we were upwards of three hundred yards firom the entrance, when we found it expedient to wheel about, and to return to the open air. But the effect of so sudden a change, from darkness to light, was exceedingly disagreeable; insomuch, that we has- 78 BERMUDA. tened into the smaller cave, as well for the purpose of deferring the moment of snlRsring, as to continue our search after the sidriime. The entrance to this cavern is extremely dan- geroua, 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 &5 tiiat. 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 foundation 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 disadvantage ; but, liad I beheld BERMUDA. 79 it first or without seeing the other at all, I should have believed vhat 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 me 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 other was as fresh and pleasant as possible. We had by this time fully gratified our cnno.nty, and once more ascended to the world of sunshi... : the splendour of which was at first almost in- supportable. By degrees, however, our eyes became accustomed to the change, and recovered th':»r ori- ginal tone, when we separated, each party returning to its respective ship, in high good humour with the day's employment. But to dine quietly on board was no longer en- durable. A tent was acordingly carried on shore, and having sought out the most shady and agreeable nook within a moderate distance of the vessel, our 80 BERMUDA. dinner was brought thither, and we speiit 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 occasionally 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. TfiiO i i , f J i ■ - nil BERMUDA. 81 LETTER VII. Hurried away by the desire, so natural to most men, of speaking of myself, I have neglected to record 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 Slst Fusileers ; a fine battalion, mustering nine hun- dred bayonets. The evening before, a squadron of six frigates and several transports appeared in the ofiing, which by mid-day on the 30th were all at anchor in the roads. They proved to be from the Mediterranean, having the 21st, 29th, and 62d Re- giments on board, of which the two latter were pro- o 82 BERMUDA. ceeding to join Sir George Prevost*s army in Ca- nada, while the former attached itself to that imder the command of General Ross. By this very ac- ceptable 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 enter- pvizi: they might undertake, was at the same time f^'ven to the troops. Maving already dwelt sufficiently upon my own |;ei;?onal adventures at Bermuda, I shall not waste yo T time by a particular detail of the various pre- pAiHtions 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 established ; 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, conKequently little progress was made, nor did the white rocks of Bermuda disap- pear till darkness concealed them ; but towards morning a fresher and more f^^ourable breeze sprang up, and the rent of th* voyage was performed in reasonaut*' lime, and w" 'out the occun^nce of any incident worthy of notice. The heat, indeed, be- came more and more oppressive every day, and the irksomeness of renewed confinement was more AMERICA^ 8» sensibly experienced from the long holiday which we had enjoyed on shore ; but, in other respectsi. every thing returned to its former state, till towards evening on the 14th, when a signal w;as lask^a by the admiral, that land was in sight. As yet, how- ever, there was no appearance of it firom the deck of our transport, nor, for a full half hour, could our anxious gaze be rewarded by the slightest trace of what it sought ; but, at the end pf 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-faring life. The coast of America, at least in this quai-» c-r, is universally low and uninteresting; insomuch that for 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 dangerous, from the numerous shoals and 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 weU ac- quainted with the navigation, will venture to ap- proach after dark. The fleet was accordingly an- chored within a few miles of the shore, but no sooner had the day begun to break, than the sails were again hoisted ; and the ships steering under the influence of a leading /ind, between the Capes Charles and Henry, stood in gallant style up the Chesapeake. 84 CHESAPEAKE. This noble bay is far too wide, and the land oif each side, too fiat 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, ex- cept 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 Cockbum 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 ad- dition, in the naval part of the expedition alone. On board these ships was embarked 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 therefore altogether as grdnd and imposing as any I ever beheld ; because one could not help remembering that this powerful fleet was railing 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 J' 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 coiurse, 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 occassions, we brought up at too great a distance from the beach, to permit a perfect or dbtinct 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 mwe of it, than we had been able to see of the other river. It appeared to be a fine piece of water making its way thiough 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 & 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 a landing somewhere on the banks of. this river was in con- templation. In this, however, we were deceived, G 3 8^ THE PATUXENT. Ibr about one o'clock the fieet was again under sm\i and moving towards the Patuxent ; a river which empties itself into the bay, several miles above the Potomac. It was singular enough, that the ships had scarcely begun to lilt their anchors, when the sky, which had hitherto been clear and serene, became suddenly du'kened, and overcast with heavy clouds; and the water, which before had been as smooth and bright as a mirror, began to rise in black waves tipped with focun, though there was not a breath of air to fill the sails. Hurricanes are, I believe, not unfrequent 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 clovids had dispersed, and the water was again like a glassy lake. . The 18th of August had now arrived, and as yet we had got no farther than to the mouth of the Patuxent. There we lay, as we had done the day before, tiU 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 com, and mea* THE PATUXENT. 8? dows of the most luxuriant pasture ; while the neat wooden houses of the settlers, s^ of them painted white, and surroun4ed with orchards and gardens, presented A striking contrast to the bound- less forests which formed a back ground to the scene. There wasj in short, the most delightful mixture of art and nature that can pes'- ue con* ceived ; different in every respect froi t ^ had sben towards the skirts of the pine- woo mce. There, the country looked as if it had been newly cleared, and as rif there bad not been time to remove the furze, heath, and underwood, nor yet to bum 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 tlie 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 th|p ordinal forest beipg left, ex- cept asmuch as is required to form the niost beautiful hedge-rows and boundaries 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 boiders of forests throiigh which no •eye might (Hjetend to penetrate, and no traveller ven- ture to; seek his way. Without beholding the view, g4 ^. ^ \V IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 £|iu 1^ taEE ■* Hi 111 I SI 1.1 : Ht lio V • :t](iiiir:ii ^Sdraioes Carporation ^ ^i^ ^"^ V as VMBT MAM ITMIT WIMTM,N.V. UStO .«* *^% -.-v i* .^ 88 THE PATUXENT. it is impossible for any onie to imagine the efiect l^roduced bj such scenery* Here, nature is seen in her grandest attire ; civiUzed man in his. most piti- fbl state. The rivers and forests are suUime beyond description, whilst the. tiny spots, brou|^t under the dominion of culture and civilization, appear only like petty thefts, from the wild beasts and wilder human inhalntants of these Sajirannas, which they care not to resent, because they are un- worthy of their notice. 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 mucii aware o£ as I am ; namely, that the facility with which they can rid themselves of the ^rees, as they ftdl them ; and perhaps, in some degree, the prospect of a constant suf^ly of fish from the streams, induce settlers to select such situations, in prefer^ice to others fasther 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 ftiturity, thejr will per- ceive that the same cause, which facilitated their operations in clearing, will supply an easy mode of conveying the produce of the soil to market, either at home or abroad. A sail up any of the rivers in America is, therefore, extremely beautiftil, because they are all skirted with the appearances of life THE PATUZENT. 89 and indiistiy; and the Patuxent being of some size, and considerable depth, you will believe that its banks are not inferior to those of other streams; t> We had not proceeded many miles from the river's mouth, when a telqpraph from the adteiml gave orders for the troops to be in readiness to land at a moment*s notice. Every thing was therefbtc put in a state of forwardness ; provisions for thrte days, that is, three pounds of pork, and two pounds and a half of biscuit, were codced and given to the men ; the cartouch boxes were supplied with 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 hefpm to take the ground ; and, in a little whUe after, even the fHgates could proceed no fhrther. But, 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 prudence 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 19th, there was a general tflir 90 THE PATUXENT. throughout the fleet. A gun-farig had ahready taken her «tatioH within an hundred and fifty yards of a Tillage called St; Benedict's, on the left bank of the river, where it was determined that the dis- isivibarliation 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 coyer the landing of the boats; and being ino<»»d f(»e 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 dbwn tiiie stream, some of them being aground at the distanee of four leagues from this point ; but the boats weK quickly hoisted out from every one of tholi,. and the river was covered in a trice, with « well-manned and warlike flotilla. The disembark-» atiOB was conducted with the greatest r^ularity .and dispatch. Though the stream ran strong against them, and some of them were obliged to row fourteen or fifteen miles backwards and for- wardSf so strenuously did the sailors exert them- sdvei, that by three o'clock in the afternoon the whole army was landed, and occupied a stoong position about two miles above 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 ibe offered. Her broadside being pointed directly towards the village, rendered it impossible for the 8T. BEN£DICtV; 9t he enemy to bring down troops in that direction, and at the same time gave to our people an opportu^ nity of fimning, and thus bdng aide 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 hi^ 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, railess they had had leisure to heat their shot, no artiUeqr in the open country could long stand before the fire of even a gun-brig, amied as this was, for the occa- sion, with long thirty- two pounders. Each boatr load of sddiers, likewise, drew up the moment they stepped on shore, forming line without any n^^ard to compianies or batUdions; whilst, pdrtaes wiere instantly dispatched to reconnoitre, and to take possession of every house, as well iu to line every hedge, in front 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 do 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 tod com^ miasariat stores were brought up, and all. Iht material property arranged, the day was too iuf 98 ST. BENEDICT'S. spent to permit an advance into a country, of the nature and military situation of which we were of courte ignorant. The afternoon was accordingly devoted to a proper distribution of the force ; which wajd divided into three brigades, in the folloviring ovder. ' . 'The first, or light brigade, consisted of the 85th, tiie light infantry companies of the 4th, 21st, and 44th r^ments, with the party of disciplined Tkegroeat and a company of marines, amounting in all to about eleven hundred men; to the command of which Col. Thornton, of the 85th r^ment, was appointed. The a^ond brigade was composed of the 4th and 44th r^ments, 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, equalling in numlier the second brigade, and commanded by Col. Patterson, of the 2l8t. The whole of the infantry may, therefore, be esti- mated at four thousand and twenty men. Besides these, were landed about a 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 genera! and staff officers, there was not a single hor*e in the whole army. To have taken on shore a large park of artillery would have been, therefore, abio- ST. BENEDICT 8^ 93 in lute folly ; since even the pieces which were landed, proved in the end of very little service, and were drawn by seamen sent from the different ships for that purpose. The sailors, thus employed, may be rated at a hundred, and those occupied in carrying '^ stores, ammunition, and other necessaries, at a hun- dred more; and thus, by adding these, together with fifty sappers and miners, to the above amount, tiie 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 firom 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 liy 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 firam being seen by the enemy, should they come down to attack. But, as we were now in a country, where we could 94 ST. BENEDICT'S. not catculate VLpoa being rtfe in rear, any more than in front» the cbain of pi<]|Uflts Was carried round both flanics, and so arranged, that no attempt could be made to get between thii army and the f^ fleet, without due notice, and time giv«il to oj^pose and prevent it. Ekery things in short, was ar- riuiged' wilh :the utmost skilly and ^ery chance of suiipiiise provided against ; but'the n^^ passed in quiet, nor was an opporton&ty afforded of evincing the very 8QiUierJa» dispositions which had been liifidft; ' mmemmm >.l ST. B£K£DICT*S. 96 ■ t LETTER Vin. m Next morning the troops, as is customary during a state of active warftire, were under arms an hour before day-light ; and remained in position tUl after the sun had risen. It was then con^d^nt^ expected that the column would be put in mMlon, though in what direction it was to proceed, oir what was the object of the descent, none but the General himself appeared to know. A rumour, indeed, pre- vailed, that a flotiUa misbing and reconnoitering to those in front; tlieh eame the artillery, consisting, as I have already staled, of one six and two three-poUnder guns, drawn by seamen ; and last of ^ c^e the thiid brigade, leaving a detachment at the same distance from the rear of the column, as the advanced gixai^ was from it» front. 'In moving through an enemy's country, the journeys of an army will, except under piirtibular circumstances, be regulated by the nature of the ground over which < it passes : thus, though e%ht, teiir or even twelve miles may be considered «s a short day^s marcbj yet if at the end of that space an advantageous position occmr; (that is, a piece Of ground well defended by natural or accidental bar- riers, and at the same4ame calculated fbr the 4^ra^ tioils of that species of force, of which the amy may be composed) it would bd the height of impru^ deniee to push .forward, merely because n greater exient of' country mig^t be tttiversed without firtigi^ the tro^. On the otiier hand, shOlild H t i* Wk NOTTINGHAM, an army have proceeded for eighteen, twenty, or even tw^nty-^ve miles, without the occurrence of any such position, nothing except the prospect of losing a liu^ proportion of his men from weari- ness, ought to induce a general to stop, until he has reached some spot at least more tenaUe than the rest. Our march to-day was, upon this prin- ciple, extremely short, the troops halting when they had 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 sentinels, 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 £ell behind, from 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 ih&r ba^age and arms, were become re- laxed and enervated, to a d^^ree altc^ether 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 fiir firom trifling, since, independent of their arms and sixty rounds. of ball cartridge, each man bore upon hii NOTTINGHAM. 99 l>8ck a knapsack, containing shirts, shoes, stockings. Sec., 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 speedy failure of light have conr- 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 t"?o or three houses, having bams 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 arrange differently from those of yesterda|^,* tlK^tj> ip^t^ad. Ql^.*pc»venng only the front and the*Wo*^ieft)it^,jt9ty:€sefeended completely roundLl* t5p • ^.itCfmp{ne{)1&: * i^do^^. . the entire army withTn a'66nYiected*V;1idiR*t>f kme degree, by the fktigues of yesterday, the troops moved on in esccellent order, and in the highest spirits. Thf). route t&-di^y fmKdiffet^il in many respet:ti^ fW>m:fM'()f)r«tterdayA'IW'th^^ place, w& had how ji^ b^y^imd th^'ttii^ch^ r^ aiid welre proemltig tlirdugli' tresis df imineasurabte extent; this, of Itself, ga^Ve a very different aspect to all around, because hitherto we had se^ house* and NOTTINtSnAlf. 101 corn on each side of the road, wid now we eoalil diac»¥er nothing but wild savannahs; a]^* id^fy untenanted hj a single human beings In the next, idace, we leiarnt from some of. the coimtryv peoplfif who had been impressed as guides into our 88rti6e» that numerous detached bodies of rifle-men lay in ambush amid the thickets ; und the reey expectation o£ something to do, created a degree bf exdtement which, till now, we had not expe- rienced In consequence of this information, the flank patroles were stcengthened, and commanded to extend to a greater distance ; the advanced guard marohcd at a greater interval Aroni the head 'of the eolnmn, ^nd the whole army moved forward with more caution an4 circumspection than had hitherto betn used. The. low cunning which fbrms a leading trait in the. American character,' has long been proverbial; and the desise to oveiwreach and deceive, so uni** v^rsalj among the people of that nation, is no less notorious: yet I had no conception, till experience tanght me otherwise^ that they would jhave the folly to bring these dispositions with them into the field. I am tempted t» ipakfi theses perhaps ilU* lieral remarks, by the Ireneifibnmoe of a little ad- venture which occurred to m3rielf during this day*! march, and which, as at the time It had something kk it truly comical,' I cannot resist the inclination of repeating, though aware that its title to dvol^ 11 3 102 MOTTINGHAlf; Icrj must in a great measure be lost in the rdatioDl Having been informed that in a certain part of the fiNrest, a company of rifle-men had passed the night, I took with me a party of sddiers^ and proceeded in the direction pointed out, with the hope of sur- prisii^them. On reaching the {dace, I found tiiat they had retired, but I thought I could perceiTe something like . the glitter of arms a little fiirther towards the middle of the wood. Sending several files of soldiers in different directions, I contrived to surround the spot, and then moving forward, I beheld two men dressed in black coats, and urmed with bright firelocks and bayonets, sitting under a tree; as socm as they observed me, they started up and took to their heels, but being hemmed in on all sides, they quickly perceived that to escape was impossiUe, and accordingly stood still. I hastened towards them, and having got within a few paces of where they stood, I heard the one say to the other, with a look of the most perfect simplicity, '* Stop, John, tiU the, gentlemen pass/' There was something so ludicrous in this speech, and in the oast of countenance which accompanied it, that I jconld not help laughing aloud ; nor was my mirth diminished by their attempts to persuade me that they were quiet country people, come out for no other purpose than to shoot squirrels. When I delired to know whether they carried bajronets to chaige the squirrels, as well as musquets to shoot NOTTINGHAM. 103 theitir they were rather at loss lor a reply; Iwili they grumbled exceedingly when they finind themi^ • selves prisoners, and conducted as such to thtf ooktmn. But to return to the jMrincipal narrative. The army had now advanced within a few miles of Nottingham, and the men were beginning to loc^ forward, virith some anxiety, to a halt ; but as yet» nothing beyond the capture of a few stragglers had occiured to confirm the rumours which, in the morning, and during the whole of the march, had^ occasioned so much more circumspection than ap# peared to be requisite. The day was likewise £ur spent, and, as was to be expected, the ranks were beginning to be less careftiUy preserved, when a. smart firing in the wood upon the right of the road, gave new life and eneigy to the soldiers. Iti was now confidently expected, that the enemy would make a stand. The column closed its order> ready to wheel into line in a moment, and every thing was on the qui vm; but it proved to be ao more than a rencounter between a party of Ame^ fican Tifle-men and the flank patrole. After firing a few shots, the enemy gave way, and our main body, which had continued to move on during th* ■kirmish, came in without the slightest oppositioil,. to the town of Nottingham. , We feund this place, (a town or large village, capable of containing from a thousand to fiftaen- H 4 104 .KOTTfHOHAM. f!:|kiiiMk^: inhidiHaiitfr) conoplet^ly deserted' NqIt ao imllfidiiid' '^tafi to bfr a^en in the streets^ <>r semaioed in the houses; :>whiljB the appearance of th^ furtti- ture, &c«» in some places the very bread left in the meoB, showed that it had been evacuated in great haste, and immediately beibre; our arrivals ^he towh itself stuidsf upon the banks of the Falukwt, and consists of four short streets, two running ;pa4 lallelwiththe •amvi and two others crossing ^them atrig^ allies. The faouseff are hot such leui indi- otete tiie. wealth 6r girandeur of; 'the owiwrs* bdung ingenentl built of wood, and Httle superior to cot- tBgea; bat 'it if surrounded . by others of a mudi better description^ which c«hve!y the Jdea .of good mbstaiittal ft{rm;pitoiadi» MABLBOHOUOH. 105 in blgher up 'the stream; mtA we jwei^ eonseqtfentlf in the dttuition' of A huntsnian who seet lui hounds ftt fiiult; and has erery reason to apprehend ^t his game will escape. 'In/ this posvure, the army continued during the night, having its right defended I7 the riyer, and its left extending considerably beyond the town; and secured, as usual, by a connected chain of outposts; nor was it frnt in motion, as had been done the day before, as soon as there was sufficient light to distinguish ofcifects. There seemed^ indeed, to be something like hesitation as to the course to be purBued,-T*^hether to follow the gun-boats, or to return to the shipping ; but, at last, the fyrmtat proceeding was rescued upon, and the column set forward about eight o'dock,' in the directioa 4if Marlborough, another village^ about ten miles (be- yond Nottingham; • The road by which^ we tra- velled, as well to-day as during the whole of this excursien, was remarkably good; in: some places fttther heavy, iW>m being cut through a sandy soil, but in general hard, dusty, and, to use an eKpressive phrase, having a sound bottom. Running, as it did for the most part, through the heart of thick forelts, it was also well sheltered firom the rays of the sun ; a circumstance which, in a climate like this, if of no slight importance. To-day, To 1^ 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, fUls into the Patnxent, 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 of the enemy's horse occasionally showing them- selves ; and what appeared to be the rear-guaid of A column of infontry evacuating Marfixiroiigfa> aa MA&LBOROUOU. 107 our advance entered. There was^ howevo*, little or no skirmishing, and we were allowed to remain in the village all night without molestation. Bui if we were not harassed, we were at least startled on the march by several heavy exf^osions. The cause oi 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 Bamef, 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 mi|^t have been attended with serious consequences. At lei^^, however, orders were given to form, and we quitted Mari- 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 befbre they gave way. The column, however, continued to move on without molestation, till arriving at a point where two roads meet, the one leadii^ to Washington, the other to Alexandria, a strong body of troops, with some artillery, were tea WOODYiARP. obaf9?^eclmpre, reinforced by. two additional Qdmpanies, marched, directly forward to dislodge the party £rom: the, heights^ the rest of the army wheeled to the left, , taking the road i^hich leads,, not. to Wasbingtou, but to. Alexan* dria. These nwTements were not lost upon, the ^emy; who, observing by the dust in, what di- reetloja.the maiu body had 6led off, itninediateLy beguv to retreat, without wniUng for the iy;»proach of it^e detadiment* sent, against them. As they .as* tedded the hiU, however, they made a.show of halt* ing and forkniug a line. Our, men movsed steadily on, Ilk column, covered by one company in extended order along the front, but the enemy having merely thrown a tew round shot, with great precision, fOnong the skirmishers, broke once again intu marching order, and w&te quickly hid by iihe risiog ground. As sooa as they had disappoueed,- the: advance halted ; and having remained for about an^ hour, on a. little hill, to watch their imotionsr turned to the left^ and followed the reit of the army, which th^ found advantageously posted at a place called Woodyard. ^ WOODTARD. 109 ■ KB Oft:., m LETTER IX. I Had almost forgotten to inform you* thai from the firif moment of oiir landings the want of cavalry^ so useful in obtaining information, and i!ecomlol4 teringthe 6pen country, was' very' sensibly Se^' To remedy this evil, as far as it could by sudi mean§ be* remedied, orders had beeti issued to oatchf and bring in all the hoi^ that were found m die fiddsorstebles of any hbuses along the road; and these orders being punctually t^teffed, thiere were noi^ fifty ^r sixty in the carap. Upon thete 'some of the artillery drivers were mounted, and the com- mand of the troop bdng given ' to ita oflker of experience, it was ibund of gi^eat service during the remainder of the march. The advanced guard haviikg joined the main body, the whole ariny, with the exception of a party which had been sent to the rear, to bring up a convoy of provisions, was how bivouacked upon a rising ground, well defended by hedge rows and thickets. Thie night, however, was not spent in as much quietness as usual. It was late befojre the troops got to the ground ; consequently the piquets, HO MARCH T<» WA^tJfQTO'ir. for want of fight, conld not be posted in their ens- tomsry good order, neither had there been time to examine the countrj in the neighbourhood of the position. The ont-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 sentries contrived to render them abortive, nor did any thing occur, during the night, produc- tive of serious alai^ ; 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^ wMch had been de- serted for no other purpose than to mislead the Americans. Having started, on the 24th, at an early hour, our march was, f(Hr some time, both cool and agreeable. The road, if road it could be called, wound for the first five miles throug'ti the heart of an immense forest, and heing, 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 fV>om making its way*, even at noon, within the arch. We con-* tinned to move on, therefore, long after the sun had risen, without being sensible that there was MARCH TO WASHINGTON. lit not a doud in the sky to screen us from his influ^ ence ; whilst a heavy moisture, continually emitted firom the grass and weeds on both sides of us; pro*- duoed a coolness, which, had it been less confined, wcndd have been extremely pleasant^ So &r, 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 begun to emerge from the woodsy and to enter the open country, than an overpow* ering change was perceived. The sun, ^m which we had been hitherto defended, now beat upon us in full force ; and the dust riikig in thick masses from under our feet, without a breath jWe 'i^ now proceeded pibout nine miles, during the li|st .four of wN^ch the sun's rays had beat cout I 114 MARCH. tinually upon us, and we had inhaled almost as gi«at a quantity of dust as of air. Numbers of men had already fallen to the rear, and many more cofidd with difficulty keep up; consequently, if we pushed on much farther without resting, the chances were that at least one half of the army would be left behind. To prevent this from hi^ pening, ana to give time for the stragglers to over- take fhe column, a 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 bade fair to be productive of more beneficial effects; and yet so oppressive was the heat, that we had not resumed our march above an hour, when the banks by the way side were again cohered with stragglers ; some of the finest and •toutest men in the army being literally unaUe to go on. The houi' of noon was approaching, 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 changed into certainty ; for on turning a sudden angle in the road, and passing a small plantation, which obstructed the vision to- wards the left, the British and American armies HABCH. 115 became visible to one another. The position . oc- cupied bj the latter was one of great strength, and commanding attitude. They were drawn up in three lines upon the brow of a hiU, having their front and left flank covered by a branch of the Potomac, and their right resting upon a thijpk wood and a deep ravine. This river, which may be about the breadth of the Isis at Oxford, flowed between the heights occupied by the American forces, and the little town of Bladensburg. — Across it was thrown a narrow bridge, extending from the chief street in that town to the continua- tion of the road, which passed through the very centre of their position ; and its right bank (the baiik above which they were drawn up) was covered with a narrow stripe of willows and larch trees, whilst the left was alt(^ther bare, low, and exposed. Such was the general aspect of their position as at the first glance it presented itself; of which I must endeavour to g^ve a u^ore de- tailed account, that my description of the battle may be in some degree intelligible. I have said that the right bank of the Potomac was covered with a narrow stripe of willow and larch trees. Here the Americans had stationed strong bodies of riflemen, who, in skirmishing order, covered the whole front of their army. Be- hind this narrow plantation, again, the fields were open and clear, intersected, at certain distances. 116 BLADEirSBURG. by rows of high and strong palings. About the middle of the ascent, and in the rear of one of these rows, stood the first line, composed entirely of in- fantry; at a proper interval from this, and in a similar situation, stood the second line ; while the third, or reserve, was posted within the skirts of a wood, which crowned the heights. The artillery, again, of which they had twenty pieces in the field, was thus arranged: on the high road, and com- manding the bridge, stood two heavy guns; and four more, two on each side of the road, swept partly in the same direction, and partly down the whole of the slope into the streets of Bladensbui^. The rest were scattered, with no great judgment^ along the second line of infantry, occupying dif^ ferent spaces between the right of one regiment, and the left of another ^ while the cavalry showed itself in one mass, within a stubble field, near the extreme left of the position. Such was the nature of the ground which they occupied, and the for- midable posture in which they waited our ap- proach ; amounting, by their own account, to nine thousand men, a number exactly doubling that of the force which was to attack them. In the mean time, our column continued to ad*' vance in the same order which it had hitherto pre- served. The road conducted us for about two miles in a direction parallel with the river, and of consequence with the enemy's line ; when it sud BLADENSBURO;. 117 denly turned, and led directly towards the town of Bladensburg. Being of course ignorant whether this town might not be filled with American troops^ the main body paused here, till the advanced guard should reconnoitre. The result proved that no opposition was intended in that quarter, and that the whole of the enemy's army had been withdrawn to the opposite side of the stream, whereupon the army was again put in motion, and in a short time arrived in the streets of Bladensburg, and within range of the American artillery. Immediately on our reaching this point, several of their guns opened upon us, and kept up a quick and well directed cannonade, from which, as we were again com- manded to halt, the men were directed to shelter themselves as much as possible behind the houses. The object of this halt, it was conjectured, was to give the General an opportunity of examining the American line, and of trying the depth of the river ; because at present there appeared to be but one practicable mode of attack, by crossing the bridge, and taking the enemy directly in front. To do so, however, exposed as the bridge was, must be at- tended with bloody consequences, nor could the delay of a few minutes produce any mischief which the discovery of a ford would not amply compensate. But in this conjecture we were altogether mis- taken; for without allowing time to the column I 3 118 BLAD^NSBURO. to close its ranks or to be formed by some of the tnanj stragglers, who were now hurrying, as fast as weariness would permit, to regain their places, the order to halt was countermanded, and the word given to attack ; and we immediately pushed on at double quick time, towards the head of the bridge. While we were moving along the street, a con- tinued fire was kept up, with some execution, from those guns which stood to the left of the road; but it was not till the bridge was covered with our people that the two^un batteiy upon the road itself b^an to play. Then, indeed, it also opened, and with tremendous effect; for at the first. dis- charge rSBURO. 119 shot. The consequence was, that our troops had scarcely s)iown themselves when the whole of that line gave way, and. fled in the greatest confusion, leaving the two guns upon the road in possession of the victors. But here it must be confessed that the light bri- gade was guUty of imprudence. Instead of pausing till the rest of the army came up, they lightened themselves by throwing away their knapsacks and haversacks; and extending their ranks so as to show an equal front with the enemy, pushed on to the attack of the second line. The Americans, how- ever, saw their weakness, and stood firm, and hav- ing the whole of their artillery, with the exception of those captured on the road, and the greater part of their infantry in this line, they first checked the ardour jnf the assailants by a heavy fire, and then, in their turn, advanced to recover the ground which was lost. Against this chai|;e, the extended order of the British troops would not permit them to offer an effectual resistance, and they were accord- ingly borne back to the very thicket upon the river's brink; where they maintaiiled themselves with determined obstinacy, repelling all attempts to drive them through it ; and frequently following, to within a short distance of the cannon's mouth, such parts of the enemy's line as gave way. In this state the action continued till the second brigade had likewise crossed, and formed upon the I 4 120 BL A DENSBURG!. rig^t bank of the liver ; 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 British forces in firm array, to the chaise, 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 pftemoon, and lasted till four. The loss on the part of the English was severe, since, out 6E BLADENSBUUG. J 21 two-thirds of the army, winch were engaged, up- wards of five hundred men were killed and wounded ; and what rendered it doubly severe yrks, 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 in storm- 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 isi 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 vere driven in as soon as attacked, the first line gave v ay 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 quickness and precision which astonbhed 122 BLADENSBUliO. their assailants, but they stood till some of theiii were actually bayonetted, with ftises in their hands; nor. was it till tlieir 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, agieiin, no line of distinction can be drawn. All did their duty, 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 it« own rash impetuosity. The artillery, indeed, could do little; being unable to show itself in presence of a force so superior ; but the six-pounder was nevertheless brought into action, and a corps of rockets proved of striking utility. Our troops being worn down from fatigue, and of course as ignorant of the country, as the 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 was quickly beyond our reach ; and having no cavalry to scour even the high road, ten of the lightest of their guns were carried off in the flight. The defeat, however, was absolute, and the army, which had been collected BLADENSBUHO. 123 for the defence of Washington, was scattered beyond the possibility of, at least, an immediate reunion ; and as the distance from filadensbiirg to that city does not exceed four miles, there ap- peared to be no farther obstacle in the way, to prevent its immediate capture. 124 WASHINGTON. LETTER X. 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 pushed 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 capital, 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 woul4 be deprived of their booty, be* cause, without some more convenient mo4e of transr porting it than we possessed, even the portable part of the property itself could not be removed. But, on the other hand, there was no diflSculty in destroying it ; and thus, though we should gain nothing, the American government would lose pro- bably 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 vicinity, 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 direct 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, Mid reduced it to ashes, they proceeded, without a 126 WASHINGTON. 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 President'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 frigste fnerced for sixty guns, and just ready to be launched, several gun-brigs and aimed schooiiers, 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- nityj 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 rendered useless, were thrown into the river. In destroying the cannon, a method was adopted, which I had never befi)re 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 breechings. Many, however, not being mounted^ could not be WABHINjGTON. 127 of he lith it ?' be thus dealt with ; these were spiked, and having their trunions 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, aiid all the national archives were likewise com- mitted to the flames, which, though no doubt the property of Government, might better have been spared. It is not, however, my intention to joitt the outcry, which will probably be raised, agaiittt what they will term a line of conduct at once barbarous 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 i^areu as far as was possible, all private property, not a single house in the place being plundered or destroyed^ except that firom 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 wouoded into Bladensburg, 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 128 WASHINGTON. move, consequently this short journey was p^r^ fiNrmed in the dark. The work of destruction had also begun in the city, before they quitted their ground; and the blazing of houses, sliips, and stores, the I'epprt of exploding magazines, and the crash of falling roofs, informed them, as they pror ceeded, of what was going forward, You can cour 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 ligh^ was thi'Own upon the road, sufficient to permit each man to view distinctly his comrade's face. Except the burning oi St. Se- bastian's, I do not recollect to have witnessed, at any peiiod of my life, a scene more striking or more, sublime. v 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 bivouac. At first, this was agreeable enough, because the air was miid, 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 disagreet ableness of getting wet» I cannot say that I felt, disposed to grumble at the interruption, for it a|Ph«i peared that what J had before cooiidered as supers" WASHINGTON. Ii29 laiively sublime, still wanted this to render it complete. The flashes of lightning seemed to vie in brilliancy, with the flames which burst from the roofs of burning houses, while the thunder drowned the noise of crumbling walls, and was only interrupted by thie occasional roar of cannon, and of lai^ 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. night of 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 Aigitives from the battle b^;an to rush in, fiUing 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 hit 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 the ranks, and exhorted every man to do his duty, he hurried back to his own house, that he might prepare a feast for the entertainment of his ofiicers, when K 130 WASHINGTON. they shonld return victorious. For the truth c^ these detaib, 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* taUe spread, and covers laid for forty guests. Se- veral kinds of wine, in handsome cut-^ass 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 answeraUe to theiU in every respect* Spits, load^ with joints of various sorts, turn^ 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 w'hich indicated th^t 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 them, at least for some time back, had been WASHINGTON. 131 acoistom^; and which, after the dangers and fa- tigues of the day, appeared peculiarly inviting. They sat down to it, therefore, not indeed in Ihe most ordeiiy 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 {HrobiEildy 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 comidetdy |>y surprise ; n6r could the arrival of the flood •be more unexpected to the na^ tives of the antediluvian worid, than the anrival of the British army to them. The first impulse of course tempted them to fly, and the streets 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 ocea*- 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 bridije should be broken down i which being obeyed, the rest were obliged K 2 132 WASHINGTON. to return, and to trust to the clemency of the victors. In thb manner was the night passed by both parties; and at day-break next morning, the light, brigade moved into the city, while the reserve feU 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 together 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 are 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 from 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 become, I dQubt DOt, one of tbe inost flouirishiog;, cities in WASHINGTON. 133 four But the world. 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 above the town; it therefore pos- 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 this capture was brought about more by the extreme 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- sigh, if formed at all, would have been either abandoned immediately, or must have ended in the total destruction of the invaders. Like other infant towns, it is but little orha^ mented with fine buildings ; for, except the Senate-^ house, I really know of none worthy to be noticed. This, however, is, or rather was, an edifice of great K 8 134 WABHINOTOy. beauty. It stood, wBerc its nmis htw stajid, upop a inound called the CapiUA hill, and near a triflii^ stream named the Tiber ; from which circumstances^ these modem republicans are led to flatter them- selves, that the days are coming when it will rival in power and grandeur the senate-house of ancient Rome herself. It Was built entirely of firee-stone, tastefully worked and highly pcduhed; and, be- sides its numerous windows, was lighted from the top 1^ a laige and handsome cupola. Perhaps it could not be said to belong to any decided style of architecture ; but its tout-^membie was lights airy, and elegant. After travernng a wide and iqmcious entarance-hall, you arrived at the foot of a handsome spiral hanging staircase ; on the left of which were two mbgnificent apartments, one above the other^ which were occupied as sitting chambers, by the two houses of representatives. From these branched off several smaUer rooms, fitted up as offices, and probably used as such by the various officers of the state. On the right cf the staircase, again,, were two odier apartments, equal in size to those on the left, with a like number €f smaller rooms, branching off from them. These were furnished as a public Ubrary, the two kirger being well stocked with valuable books, prindiudly in modem languages, and the others filled with aarchives, natk>nal statutes, acts of legislature, &c. and used as the private rooms of the librarians. V^ASHINGTON. 135 A , The Presodent's house,' on the other hand, though lycewise a public building, was remarkable for no- thing, except the want of taste exhibited in its structure. It was smt^, incommodious, and plain ; id no respect likely to excite the jealousy of a peojde peculiarly averse to all pomp or parade, even in their chief magistrate. Besides these, there were tflso a custom-house, several banking-houses, and a school or college, all claiming to themselves the distinction of public works ; but in them there was a {dainness amounting almost to coarseness, and a general air of republicanism, by no means imposing. If you ask me respecting the number of inhabit- ants which Washington contains, I confess that I cannbt pretend to answer the question with any exactness, but from the extent of ground covered by what is considered as the town, I should say some* where about sixty thousand. George-town, tbe quarter where the President's house stood, is coih-^ pact and regular, containing, I should conceive, at least twenty thousand souls within itself; nor can the population of the other quarters be estimated at less than double that number. 8uch is the city of Washington, of which VA»HINOTOfir. LETTER XL When the hurricane had blown over, the aaikp of the Ahimcans appeared to be in as great a state of confusion as our own ; nor could either party recover themselves sufficientty durii^ the rest of the day, to try the. fortune of a battle. Of this. General Ross ^d not fail to take advantage. He had already attained all that he could hope, and perhaps more than he originally expected to attain ; consequently, to ria^ another action, would only be to spill blood for no purpose. Whatever might be the issue of the contest, he could derive from it no advantage. If he were victorious, it would not destroy the necessity which existed of evacuating Washington ; if defeated, his ruin was certain. To avoid fighting was, therefore, his objeci, and pep- haps he ow^ its accfunplishment to the fortunate ooeurrence of the storm. Be that, howev^, as it may, a retreat was resolved upon; and we now only waited for night, to put the resolution into practice. There was, however, one difficulty to be sur- mounted in this proceeding. Of the wounded, many were so ill, as to preclude all possibility of WASHINGTON. 189 !ih.*'* of their removal, and to leave them in the hands of an enemy whom we had beaten, was rather a i|ior- tif^iii^ anticipation. But for this tiiere was no hcip ; and it now only remained to make the best arrangements for their corafc»t, and to secure tcr them, as far as coidd be done, civil treatment from the Americans. It chanced, that among other prisoners taken at Bladensbtti^, was Commodore Barney, an American officer of much gallantry and hi;^ sense of honottr* Being himself wounded, he was the more likely to feel for those who were in a similar condition, and having received tiie kindest treatment from our medkal attendants, as long &s ht continued under tiidr hands, he became, without solicitation, the friend of his fellow-sufferers. To him, as well as to the other prisoners, was given his parde, and to his care were our wounded, in a peculiar ro&itner» intrusted, a trust which he received with the utmost willingness, and discharged with tiie most praise- Worthy exactness. Among other terms, it was agreed between him and General Ross, that such of our peo]^ as were left behind, should be considered as prisoners of war, and should be restored to us, as soon as th^ were able to travel ; when he and his countrymen would, in exchange, be released frdm their engagements. As soon as these arrangements were completed, and daricness had come on, the third far^^ade. 140 WASHINGTON. which was posted in the rear of our army, began its retreat. Then followed the guns, afterwards the second, and last of all the light brigade, exa^ly reversing the order which had been mun- tained during the advance. Instead of an advanced guard, this last now furnished a party to cover the retreat, and the whole procession was closed by the mounted drivers. It being matter of great importance* to deceive the enemy, and to prevent pursuit, the rear of the column did not quit its ground upon the Capitol till a late hour. During the day, an order had been issued that lione of the inhabitants should be seen in the streets after eight o'clock; and as fear renders most men obedient, this prder was punctually attended to. All the horses belonging to different officers, had likewise been removed to drag the guns, nor was any one allowed to ridej lest a neigh, or eveii the trampling of hoofs, should exdte suspicion. The fires were trimmed, and made to blaze bright ; and fiiel enough left to keep them so for some hours ; and finally, about half t>ast nine o'clock, the troops formed in march- ing order, and moved off in the most profound silence. Not a word was spoken, nor a single in«> dividual permitted to step one inch out of his place, and thus they passed along the streets perfectly unnoticed, and cletured the town without any alarm being given. You will imagine that our pace was WASHINGTON. 141 noiie of the most tardy, consequently it was not long before we reached the ground which had been occupied by the other brigades. Here we found a second line of fires blazing in the same manner ias those deserted by ourselves ; and the sfune precautions, in every respect, adopted, to in- duce a belief that our army was still quiet. Be- yond these, again, we found two or three solitary fires, placed in such order as to resemble those of a ch^n of piquets. In short, the deception was so .well managed, that even we ourselves were at first doubtful whether the rest of the troops had withdrawn. By the time we reached the ground where yes-r terday's battle had been Ibught, the moon rose, and exhibited a spectacle by Jio means enliveningl The dead were still unburied, and lay about in every direction, completely naked. They had been stripped even of their shirts, and having been ex- posed in this state to the violent rain in thie morn- ing, they appeared to be bleached to a most unnar tural degree of whiteness. The heat and rain together, had likewise afifected them in a different manner; and the smell which arose upon the night air, was horrible. ^: There is something, in such a scene as this, ex*- tremely humbting, and repugnant to the feelings of human nature. During the Station of a battle, it is nothing to see men fall in hundreds by your 142 BLADENSBURG. tide. You may look at them, p^iiaps, for an in- stant, but you do so almost without being youndf aware of it, so completely are your thoughts cuv ried away by the excitation of the moment,, and tiie shouts of your companions. But when you come to Tiew the dead in an hour of calrnness, stripped as they generally are, you cann that, similarly situated, they would not rise in hit, I should give him no credit for a superior degree of courage, but might perhaps be inclined to despise him for his want of the common feelings of a rea- sonable being. Ln Bladensburg, Uie brigade halted for an hour» while those men who had thrown away their kna|»- sacks endeavoured to recover them. During this interval, I strolled up to a house which had been converted into a hospital, and paid a hasty visit to the wounded. I found them in great pain, and some of them deeply affected at the thought of being abandoned by their comrades, and left to the mercy of their enemies. Yet, in their apprehen- sion of evil treatment ttom the Americans, th^ event proved that they had done ii\jugtice to tiiat people ; who were found to possess at least one BLADENSBUB6. 143 lea- generous trait in their character* namelj, that of be- having kindly and attentivdy to their prisoners. As soon as the stragglers had returned to their tanks, we again moved (m, continuing to nuvdi without once stopping to rest, during the wliole of the night. Of the fatigue of a night maith, none but those who have experienced it» oan form the smallest conception, (^ipressed wMi the most in- tolerabte drowsiness, we were absolutely doeing upon our legs ; and if any chick at the head of the column caused a momentary delay, the road was instantly covered with men fkst asleep. It is ge- nerally acknowledged, that no inclination is so dif- ficult to resist, as the inclination to sleep; but when you are compelled not only to bear up against this, bat to struggle also with weariness, and to walk at the same time, it is scarcely possible to hold out long. By seven o'clock in the morning, it was therefore absolutely necessary to pause, be- cause numbers had already fallen behind, and numbers more were ready to follow their example ; when throwing ourselves upon the ground, alnost In the same order in which we had marched, in less than five minutes there was not a single unclosed eye throughout the whole brigade. Piquets were of course stationed, and sentinels placed, to whom no rest was granted, but except these, the entire army resembled a heap of dead bodies on a fold of battle, rather than living men. ■m>- «' 144 NOTTINOHA&I. ^ In this situation we remained till noon, when we were again roused to continue the retreat. Though the sun was oppressively powerfiil, we moved on without resting till dark, when having arrived at our old position near Marlborough, we halted for the night. During this day's march, we were joined by numbers of n^ro slaves, who implored us to take them along with us, offering to serve either as soldiers or sailors, if we would but give them their liberty; but as General Ross persisted in protecting private property o{ every description, few of them were fortunate enough to obtain their wishes. , <( . We had now proceeded a distance of thirty-five miles, and began to consider ourselves beyond the danger of pursuit. The remainder of the retreat was therefore conducted with more leisure; our next march carrying us no farther than Nottingham, where we remained during an entire day, for the purpose of resting the troops. It cannot, however, be said, that this resting time was spent in idleness. A gun-brig, with a number of ships, launches, and long boats, had made their way up the stream, and were at anchor opposite to the town. On I)oard the former were carried such of the wounded as had becn> able to travel, while the latter were loaded with flour und tobacco, the only spoil which we found it possible to bring off. "While the infantry were thus employed, the ST. BENEDICT*S. 145 cavalry were sent back as far as Marlborough, to discover whether there were any American foices 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 foUow our steps, and to harass the retreat, the in- habitants of that viUage, at the instigation of a medical practitioner called Bean, had risen in arms as soon as we were departed ; and falling upon such individuals as str^iyed from the column, put some of them to deat^ uJ made others prisoners. A soldier whom they ^ \ taken, and who had e<^aped, gave this information to the troopers, just as they were about to return to head quarters; upon which they immediately wheeled about, and galloping into the village, pulled the doctor out of his bed, (for it was early in the morning,) and coni- 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 first landing, passing the night in perfect quiet; and next day, the boats of the fleet being ready L 146 ST. B£N EDICT S. to receive us, the regiments, one by one, marched down to the beach. We found the shore covered with sailors from th;; different ships of war, who welcomed our arri'^al with loud cheers ; aiid having contrived to bring up a larger flotilla than had been employed in Ihe disembarkation, they removed us within a few hours, and without the occurrence of any accident, to our respective vessels. Having now detailed the particulaiis 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 during its con- tinuance. In doing so, hoWv^ver, 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 diightest degree of penetration ; because the errors committtid. 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- prisr.ig 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 WeiUngton, he had no doubt learned ST. benedict's. 147 the art of war in an excellent school ; but he had, as yet, learned only to obey ; and hieing thus suddenly called upon to trust solely to his own resources, it would have been strange had he not been in some d^ree 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 same man at the head of an independent army, however trifling in point of number, 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 with the talents of a warrior, as not to ex- perience, when first brought into 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 diffidence. General Ross was cer- tainly guilty, and exhibited it iu the loss, first uf three hours at N' ^tingham, and again of eight hours at Marlborough. It may be said, indeed, that unless the capture of Washington was the original end of tae inroad, he should not be 1.8 148 ST. B£NKDICT'S. accused of diffidence by pausing before he under- took it. But to this 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 o£ Admiral Cockbum, 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 the attack upon Washington, and finaOy prevuled 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 long and toilsome march, without having time to close their 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 powerflil 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 impe- tuosity must have been fatal; since our army ST. BENEDICTS. 149 might have been attacked in detail, and each bri- gade cut off singly, before the others could anriTe to its support. I mention this as a glaring fault, because it ap- peared that there was a ford near to the left of the Anierican position. Now, had part of the army made a demonstration at the bridge, while the rest crossed by this ford, the attention nf the enemy would have been drawn to two points instead of one; and their left, which after all was turned before the battle was won, might have been broken at once, and the victory gained with half the loss. In attacking an enemy's position, the greater number of points which you threaten, the more likely will you be to succeed. If, for example, they behold colun:.is moving upon their right, their left, and centre, at the same time, it is clear that they will be unable to change their present order, because they cannot tell upon what point the real assault is to fall ; whereas, if you advance in .one body, they see instantly where danger is to be apprehended, and weaken the rest of their, line, that they may oppose it. Again, the pre- cipitancy with which the troops were hurried into fire, prevented the possibility of maintaining close or firm ranks. The consequence was, that they could make no head against a charge, and had the Americans only followed them up, when they L 8 160 ST. BENEDICTS. fell bftck, the destruction of the light brigade would have been inevitable. Against all this it may be urged, that nothing damps the courage of aii enemy so much as your appearing to despise them; and that in war, more depends upon celerity of movement, than on the calculation of chances. The truth of both proposi- tions I ftdly allow, but I cannot say that I perceive their weight on the present occasion. To have remained quiet all night, for the purpose of attacking at day-break nect morning, would un- questionably have been improper; but to halt for a single hour, could have produced no fatal delay, would have refi^eshed the men, and given time for stragglers to come up, and might have been probably attended by the discovery of the ford. Yet, after all, it is absurd to argue against the disposition of a battle which has been gained. Success justifies the measures adopted for securing it; and whether those of General Ross were the most prudent or not, that they succeeded was be- yond aU question. Having now stated what I thought his errors, I must be permitted, likewise, to state his excellen- cies. In the choice of ground for halting, in the order both of advancing and retreat'ivg, and in the rapidity of his motions as soon as his plan was arranged, he displayed the skill of an able leader. No man ;ould possess more of a soldier's eye in examining aT. BENEDICT'S. Ifil a countvj* than General Ross ; and in what 'little manoeuvring the circumstances permitted, he exhi- bited the proficiency of one wdl practised in the arts of campaigning. It will be recoUected* that on the 23d, the day previous to the battle, we fell in with a strong body of the enemy, to de^ ceive whom, we wheeled off ftom the main road, and took the direction of Alexandria. Tke bait took completely; fer 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 sdzed 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 respect to the Americans, criticism neces* sarily d^nerates 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 L 4 if 152 ST. BENEDICTS. concentrating their foi'ces in one place, they ought to "have harassed us with continual skixinishing ; felled trees on each side, and thrown them across the road ; dug deep ditches at certain intenrals ; in short, to have adopted the mode of warfare to which their own habits, as well as the nature of their country, invited them. 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 a^dnst regular troops, could end in nothii^ but defeat. ^Vhen two lines oppose each other, very little depends upon the accuracy with which indi- 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 r^^lar troops to drive them out, you will imme- diately lose all the advantages of discipline, and reduce 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 soon as this was effected, they might have skirmished with us I* a ST. BENEDICT S. 153 In front, and kept our attention alive with part of their troops, while the rest, acquainted as they doubt- less were with every inch of the country, had ^gbt into our rear, and, by a similar mode of proceeding, cut ciff our retreat. Thus we should have been taken in a snare, irom 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 to the fate of a battle. And here, again, they were guilty of a monstrous error, in not occuppng 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- burg, being composed of substantial brick houses, might have been maintained for hours against all our eflforts. 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 lines, 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. 154 ST. 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, therefore/ 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 the capture of Washing- ton was more owing to the faults of the Americans themselves, than to any other cause. -xi ALEXANDRIA. 155 ( i LETTER XII. Whilb the army was thus actively employed, the jQeet did not remain idle. A squadron of frigates, with two bomb ships, under the command of Cap- tain Gordon, of the Sea-horse, penetrated up the Potomac, and appeared before Alexandria. The whole of the militia of the district was at this time called away for the defence of the capitfd, conse- quently no place could be less prepared to resist an invader, than that city. A party accordingly landed from the ships without opposition, 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 alai'med ; a detachment was sent from the main army, and being joined by the reserve of militia, it was de- termined to intercept the squadron on its return. With this view, several pieces of heavy cannon were mounted upon a steep part of the bank, where the river, in making an angle, narrows con- 156 ALEXANDRIA. siderably in its channel. Thither, also, hastened lai^ bodies of infantry, and before the frigates had begun to weigh anchor, nearly 6,000 men were assembled to {Prevent their passage. Of these preparations Captain Gordon did not long 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 surprising 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-bails ; 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 them from the heights, and 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, or returning a shot, till they reached the hise of the hill upon which the in- fantry stood, and received a volley of musketry into their decks. Then, indeed, they answered the f)re ; and, with such effect, that at the first ALEXANDRIA. 167 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 arranged matters, that hot a single shot fell under its mark; and the conse- quence was, that, prepared as the phips 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 sufiicient 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 continued his voyage, and re- gained the Chesapeake without farther molesta- tion. Nor was this the only operation in which the navy were employed. Cruising about in every direction, they 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 158 ALEXANDRIA. presented itself, parties landed, plundered or de- stroyed the govehiment stores, laid towns and districts under contribution, and brought off all the shipping which could be reached. In a ^ 'ord, the hostilities carried on in the Chesapeake re- sembled the expeditions of the ancient Danes against Great Britain, rather than a modern war between civilized nations. Hut these hasty ex- cursions, though generally successful, were not ahrays performed withou. 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 nayal 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 sur ; je it, and to capture the guns. Running his frigate with this 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, with 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 cast for THE PATUXENT. 169 the purpose of watching the motions of our fleet When, therefore, he arrived at the point of desti- nation, he found the bivouac deserted, and the rear-guard in full retreat. With these a little skir- mishing ensued, (ind he received a rifle-ball in the thigh. Not suspecting that the wound was dan* gerous, he continued to push forward, till he 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 afibrded, 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 np their dead commander, returned to the river without having been able to effect any thing 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 Patuxent. 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 off in the Iphigenia, whilst a sort of breathing time vas 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, 8ometunes» 160 THE PATUXENr. fifulher up the country than prudence exactly war- ranted. The houses and villas, upon the imme- diate banks of the river, I found universally de- serted, and thoroughly plundered he corn, however, was uninjured, and even hocks of sheep were seen grazing within a short distance of the water, protected only by negro slaves. Of diese none were taken without an equivalent being as faithfully paid, as if they had been sold in the market-place of New York ; a circuinstance 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 prohi- bited, and severely punished. But this appearance of ruin and desertion ex- tended not more than a mile or two from the coast. Beyond that, I found the cottages occupied by their owners, and every thing remaining as if no enemy were within a hundred miles. The young men, indeed, were generally absent, because every man fit to bear arms was now serving with the army ; but the ol(l men and the women seemed to live as comfortably as if the most profound peace had reigned throughout the State. Nor did I find them altogether so hostile to our interest as I had expected. They professed to be Federalists ; and THE PATUXENT. 161 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 me, I determined to put a bold face upon the matter; and calling aloud, as if to a party to halt, I ad- vanced, with my servant, towards them. They were dressed in sailors' jackets and trowsers, and rose on my approach, taking off tlieir hats with much civility. On joining them, I demanded whether they were not Englishmen, and deserters from the fleet, stating that I was in seaich of two persons very much answering their description. They assured me that they were Americans, and M ^1 162 THE PATUXENT. 00 deserters, begging that I would not take them 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 three women, who entertained me with bread, cheese, and new milk. While I was sitting here, a third youth, in the dress of a labourer, entered, and whispered to one of the sailors, who immediately rose to go out, but 1 commanded him to sit still, declaring that I was not satisfied, and should cTtainly arrest him if he attempted to escape. The natm sat down sulkily; and the young labourer comfi'<^- forward, b^;ed permission to examine my gu-i. This was a re- quest wMch I did not much relish, and with which I, <^ course, reftised to comply ; telling the fellow that it was loaded, and that I was unwilling to trust it oui of my own hand, on account oi 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. I, therefinre, told the sailors that if they would pledge 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 fttll into the hands of other parties, who were also in search of deserters. The THE PATUXENT. 168 I»'erfect stillness of a calm night. ThoKigh 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. .'^fi'i'sifii'fPih rr^nhii^ rrn>i HA •ff- .^--.V^w 170 MASCH. 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 slmnbers. The same pre- cautions which had been formerly used to cover the landing, 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. The light brigade, now commanded by Major Jones of the 41st Regi- ment, led the advance ; then followed the artillery, amounting to six field pieces, and two howitzers, all of them drawn by horses ; next came the se- MARCH. 171 cond brigade, then the sailors, and last of all the third brigade. Flank patroles, and reconnoitring parties were likewise sent out ; in short, the same admindble dispositions regulated the present march, which had governed our march to Washington. The column being put in 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 en 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 com^deted. In fi»nt of it there were lines drawn ajqmrently for the purpose of marking out the width of a ditch; in some places the ditch itself was dug, and the commencement of what resembled an enfilading battery ir 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 position as, if completed, might have been maintained by a determined force against very superior numbers. Both flanks were completely protected, not only by water, but by thick wood, while a gentle eminence in the very middle of the line, ofiered the most desirable situation for the projecting battery which had been begun ; because 172 MARCH. 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 Americans, 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 wera-- young gentlemen belonging to a corps of volunteers flir- 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 learned 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, we took it for granted that they made this report only to intimidate. Having rested for the space of an hour, we MARCH. 178 agam 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 el^ than a skirmish ; but whether it was kept up by detached parties alone, or by the outposts of a regular army, we could not tell ; because, from the quantity of wood with which this country abounds, and the total absence of all hills or eminences, it was impossible 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 officer came at full speed towards us, with horror and dismay in his counte- nance, and calling aloud for a surgeon. Every man felt within himself that all was not right, though none was willing to believe the whispers of his own terror. But what at first we would not guess at, because we dreaded it so much, was soon realized ; for the aide-de-camp had scarcely passed, when the general's horse, without its rider, and with the saddle and housings stained with blood, came plunging onwards. Nor was much 174 ATTACK. dme given for fearful surmise, as to the extent of oar misfOTtune. In a few moments we reached the ground where the skirmishing had taken place, and beheld poor Ross laid, by the side of the road, under a canopy of blankets, and appa- rently in the agonies of death. As soon as the firing began, he had ridden to the front, that he might ascertain from whence it originated, and, minting with the skirmishers, was shot in the side by a rifleman. The wound il^as m(»ial : he fell into the arms of his aide-de-camp, and lived only long enough to name his wife, and to commend his family to the protection of his country. He was removed towards the fleet, but expired before his bearers could reach t^^ boats. It is impossible to conceive the effect which this melancholy spectacle produced throughout the army. By the courteoisness and condescen- sion of his manners, General Ross had secured the absolute love of all who 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 diffidence in himself which had occasion ad some loss of time on the march to Washington, appeared now to have left him. His movements were at once rapid and cautious ; nay, ATTACK. 175 of liis very ejuntenance indicated a fixed determina- tion, and a perfect security of success. All eyes were turned upon him as we passed, and a 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 44th Regiment, an officer of decided personal courage, but, perhaps, better calculated to lead a battalion, than to guide an army. Being informed of his unexpected and undesired elevation, he came to the front, and under him we continued to move on; sorrowful, indeed, but not dejected. The skirmishing had now ceased, for the American riflemen were driven in ; and in a few minutes we found ourselves opposite to a considerable force, drawn up with some skill, and occupying a strong position. Judging from appearances, I should say that the corps now opposed to us amounted to six or seven thousand men. They covered a neck cf land, very much resembling that which we had passed; having both flanks defended by little inland lakes ; the whole of their position was well wooded, and in front oi their line was a range of high palings, similar to those which intersected the field of Bladensburg. iibout the centre, though some way advanced, was a farm-house, with its out-buildings and stack-yard ; and near to the right ran the main road. 1'heir artillery, which 176 ATTACK. II ccaild 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 /i ile in rear of where they stood, are some height^-, but to occupy these as they should l)e occt^ff^iil .»uld have required a much greater numbfcv i '.' vaen than the American army could muster, ibr'r general, therefore, exhibited some judgment hi his choice of ground, 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 erroi however, he was pailty. Either he did not possess himself of the farm-house at all, or he suffered it to be taken from him with very little resistance ; for. on *^e arrival «if the column at the ground where it was to forn it was in the occufjatimi of our a anced guards. He was likewise to biame in not filling the wood ■pon rnir left with skirmishers. In short, he acted foolishly in merely attempting to repel attacks, without ever dreaming that the most effectual ATTACK. 177 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 R^ment, and the light c(Hnpanies of the other corps, in ex- tended order, threatened the whole front of the American army. The 21st remained in column upon the road ; the 4th 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 going 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 strike among the enemy, and make fearful gaps in the line. Our rockets likewise began to play, one of which, fall- ii^ short, lighted upon a hay- stack in the barn- yard belonging to the farm-house, and immedi'> ately set it on fire. The house itself, the stables, bums, and out-houses, as well as all the other stacks, soon caught the flames, and were nuickly in a state of conflagration; and the smoke and blaze which they emitted, together with the roar N t-r^i 178 ATTACK. of cannon and flashes of the giins, 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 Iain 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 under* taken, I am at a loss to conceive. While thus fluc- tuating, 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 company, as it drew near to those points, hung back ; and then assumii^ as it were, a momentary courage, rushed past, leav- ing a vacancy between it and the company which next succeeds!. All this while the whole of our infantry, #ilc^t tiie 4th Regiment, lay or stood in anxious expec- m ATTACK. 179 tation of an order to advance. This, howevw; 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- chaige of grape and cannister 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^ R^ard- less of this, our men went on without either quick- ening or retarding their pace, till they came within a 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 raisii^ a shoat, 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 sa- lutes; f(nr giving them back both their shout and their vdley, we pushed on at double quick, with the intention of bringing them to the charge. The bayonet ie a weapon peculiarly British; at least it is a weapon, which, in the hands of a British soldkr, is irresistible. Though they main- N 2 180 ATTACK. gained themselves with great determination, and stood to receive our fire till scarcely twenty yards divided 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 b^an to show itself upon the brink of the water which covered their flank ; and before a shallow part couVl 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- cUed 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 ATTACK. 181 hours from its first commencement, the enemy% loss was severe. They stood, in some respects, better than they had done at Bladensburgj 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 other occasion prevented. In the capture of guns, however, we were not so fortunate. Their pieces being light, and well supplied with horses, they contrived 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 encrmous; while in ours the casualties were much fewer than might have been expected. The 21sf and seamen suf- fered most severely, and the 85th 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 Bladeilsburg, again came in the way. The thick woods quickly screened the fugitives, and as even our mounted drivers were wanting, their horses having been N 3 V y ^ .\ r IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TAROET (MT-3) // kf A4v 1.0 £fttiU£ 12.2 lis Itt ly u 1.1 u Ii2 12.0 11^ IJ& Iliiili^Ui^ II^^^^^^B IHH^HHH^B l^nBBI^Hi "^'S 1 • jifiii^:)! Sdmces GarparatiQn as «VnT MAIH tTMIT WIUTM,N.Y. UIM (7U)S71^MS 4> ^ <; c\ 162 HALT. fikeiiifi^r the ute of 11k ar^Uery, no effectual pur- 0tai €9iildalie attempted. We aocordini^y halted 19011 th^ m the British they might expect no quarter; and that it wai| conse- quently thdr determination to give no quarter to the British. The fellow might belie his country- men, and I hope and believe he did, but such was his Import to roe. To convince him of the falsity N 4 184 JIAtT. of Ms .notions, I removed him to one of our Ikmp pitalB, where his leg was amputated; and he saw hinuifilf, as well as many others of his ' wounded anmtrjrmen, treatied with the same attention which . uras bestowed upon our own soldiers. T '%"■ MARCH. 185 LETTER XIV. 'i* At an early hour on the 13th, the troops were roused from their lair^, 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 resi, held them in the best manner they could, under thdr 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 mareh, 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 propQrtion to the diminution of his load. The 186 M^RCH. grief of soldiers is sddom of long duration, and tlioagh I will not exactly say that poor Ross was already foi^^otten, the success of yesterday had reconciled at least the private^ to the guidance of their new leadw; nor was any other issue antici- pated, than what would have attended the excursion, hid he stiU been its main-spring and director. The country through which we passed, resemUed in every particular that already described. Wood md cultivation siKceeded each other at Intwvals, tiiou^ the former surpassed the latter in tenfidd 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 house which was abandoned, fell |i prey to the scouts and reconnoitring parties. ;i But our march to-day watf 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 tb'j woods they had felled trees, and thrown them across the road; but as these abattis were without defendert, we expe- rienced no other inconvenience than wha$ vose MAUCH. 187 from hm of time ; being ok%ed to htUt on «tt oocmatmaf iM the pioneers had removed Htmtiii So great, however, was even this hindmnoe^ that we did not come in sight of the xnaia annjr of the Ame- ricans till evenings althiNii^ the distance travelled could not exceed ten miles. It now a]ipeared, that the corps which we had beaiBB Testerday, was only a detachment, and not a large one, from Uie force collected for the de« fence of Baltimore ; and that the account given by the volnnteer troc^iers^ was in every reqwct correct. Upon fi ridge of hills, which, concealed the town itself from observation, stood the grand army, consisting of twenty thousand mep. Not trustii^i to his superiority in numbers, their general had there entrenched them in the most fornddaUe manner, having covered the whole face of the heists with breast-woite« 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 Jleches, and other prqjecting works, from which a cross fire might be kept up; and there were mounted throughout this command- ing position no less than one hundred pieces or cannon. It wottid be nbsurd to suppose that the sight of preparations so warlike, did not in some degree 188 HALT. damp the ardour of our leaders ; at least it would have been madness to storm such wcnrks, 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 firom 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. Having resolved thus to act, Colonel Brodk 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 obtamed, and as even their blankets were no longer at hand, with whicu to form gipsy-tents, this was the reverse of an agree^ aUe bivouac to the whole army. X' Baricness had now come on, and as yet no intel- ligence h..d arrived from the shipping. To assail this position, however, without the aid of the fleet, was deemed impracticable ; at least o^ir 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. Ida the river, it was dear, that, could the ships b^ brought to bear upoii that poiiit, and the for^ be silenced by their fire, that flank of the poation would be turned. This once effected, there would be no difficulty iii 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 iexertions, the very sight of our people on a level with thieni; 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 crowH 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. AU, however, depended upon the abilitv of the fleet to lend their assistance, for without sUencing the fiirt, this flank could scare Ij be assailed with any chance of success ; and, therefore, the whdle plan of operations must be changed. Having waited till it was considered imprudent to wait longer, without knowing whether he was to be supported, Colond Brook determined, if possible, to open a cdmmunication with the fleet. That the river coukl not be far off, we knew ; but how to get to it without falling in with wandering parties of the enemy, was the difficulty. Th6 190 SEARCH. thing, however, must be done ; and as secrecy, and not force, was the main object, it was resdved to dispatch toi the purpose a an^e officer without an escort On this service, a particiar friend of imne chanced to be employed. Mounting lus hofs^ he proceeded to the right of the army, where, having dela3red 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 coidd guess at. It was not loi^^ beforJe his progress was stoj^ied by a hi^ hedge. Like knight-errants of t>ld, he then gave himsdtf 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 : tiiis iane he deter- mfiied to follow, and holding a cocked pistol in his hand, pushed on, not peiiiaps entirely com- fortable, but desirous at all hatords of executing his commission. He lad not ridden far, whm the sound of voicra through die splashing of the rain drew his attention. Pulling up, he listened in tA*> l6Bfce, and soon discovered that they came from two Ainericatisoldiefs, whether stragglers or sen* tinds 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 commienoe the attack, and having therefore waited tm he saw them stop shor^ as if they had perceived SEARCH. idi htm, he rode forward, atid called out to them to^ surrender. The feOows turned and fled, but gBlr 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, dariiing into a thicket, escaped, probably to tell that he had been attacked by a whole r^*- 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 midead or to betray him into the hands of the Americans, that he would instantly Uow out his brains^ Find* ing himself completely in my friend's power, the Mow could not refuse to obey; and accordingly^ the man resting his hand upon the left thigh of the officer, 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 agaiii Repeated his threat, swearing that the instant he suspected his guiding, should be the last of his life. The soldier assured him that he would keep his word, and moreover informed him that some of our ships Were almost within gaa^ shot of the. fort ; a piece of information which was quickly confirmed by the sound of firing, and the appearance of shells in the. air. They bow struck to the right, and in half an hour gained the brink 192 COUNCIL OF WAR. iyfthe river; where my friend found a pariy jusi limded ft6m the squadron, and preparing to seek tiieir way towards the camp; By them he wai conducted to the; Admiral, from whom h^ learned that no effectuid support could be given to thig ladd forc^ ; for such was the. shafiowness of the river, that none except the very lightest craft could make their way within six mites of the town ; and even these were stopped by vessels sunk in the channel, aiid other artificial bars^ barely within a shIellV longest range of the fbrt. With this iin^ wdcome news he Was accordingly forced to return ; and taking his linwiUing guide along with him, h^ made his way, ^thout any advenUire» to our ad* vanced posts ; where, having thai^ed the felloi^ for his fide^y, he rewarded it more «ffectuaUy^ by setting him at fiberty; '' Having brought his report ix» head-quarters, ^a council of war was instantly summoned to deli^ berate lipou what was best to be done. WHhout the help of the fleet, it was evident, that adopt what plan of attack we could^ our loss must be such as to counterbalance even success itself; whUe success, under exisdng circumstances, was, to say the least of it, doubtfuL ; And even if we should succeed, what would be gained by it ? We could not remove any thing from BaUimoiv^ for want of proper conveyances. Had the ships been able to reach the town^then* indeed* the quantity IfABCH. 193 t>f booty might hftye repaid the siurvivon for their toil,, and consokd then^. for the loss of edmradfs; but as the case now stood, we should only %ht, to l^ve lis an opp^ctpinity of redacting the SfpeH^s of Washington. , To distress' an enemy is, no doubt, detdrable, but, in the. preisent instance, that .dis^ tress, even if brought upon the Americans, would cost us dear; whereas, if We fiuled, it was hardly postible to avoid destnictioQ. ; ■ Suc.h was the rieasoning whi^ influenced the council of war to deckle: that all idea of storming the enemy's lines should be, given up. To draw them, from their .worlqs would require manoeuvring, and manoeuvring requires time ; but delays were all in their favour, and could not possibly advan- tage us. Every hour Inought in reimfdrcements to their army, whereas ours had no source from which even to recruit its losses; and it was, therefore, deemied : prudent, since we could not fight at once, to lose no time in returning to the shif^ping. ■ About three hours- after midnight, the ^roops were accordingly formed tipon the road, and began their retreat; leaving the jHquets to deceive the enemy, and to follow as a rear-guard. The rain* which had continued with little interruption since the ni^t before, now ceased^ and the moon shone out blight and clear. We marched along, there- fore, not in the samie sfurits as if we had been o 194 MARCH. advancing, but feeling no abasement at having thus !relinquished an enterprize so much beyond our strength. When the day broke, our piquets which had withdrawn about an hour before, rejoined us, and we went on in a body. Marching over the field where the battle of the ISIth had been fought, we beheld the dead scattered about, and still unburied ; but so far different from those which we had seen at Bladensburg, that they were not stripped, every man lying as he had fallen. One object, however, struck me as curious. I saw several men hanging lifeless among the branches of trees, and learnt that they had been riflemen, who chose, during the battle, to fix them- seh'es in these elevated situations, for the com- bined purposes of securing a good aim, and avoid- ing danger. Whatever might be their success in the first of these designs, in the last they failed » for our men soon discovered them, and, consider- ing the thing as unfair, refused to give them quarter, and shot them on their perches. Here we paused for about an hour, that the soldiers might collect their Uankets, and refVenh themselves ; when we again moved forward, pass- ing the wood virhere the gallant Ross was killed. It was noon, and m yet all had gone on smoothly without any check or alarm. So little indeed was pursuit dreamt of, that the column began to RALLY. 196 [laving leyond h had sd us, er tbe I been about, 1 those ;y were fallen. >U8. I ng the id been : them- e com- avoid- icess in failed; tnsider- them kat the IrefVetih paas- kiUed. loothly was in to straggle, and to march without much regard to order ; when suddenly the bugle sounded firom the rear, and immediately after some musket shots were heard. In an instant the men were in their places, and the regiments wheeled into line facing towards the enemy. The artillery turned round and advanced to the front, nor did I ever see a manoeuvre more coolly or more steadily performed on a parade in England, than this rally. The alarm, however, turned out to be groundless, be- ing occasioned only by the sudden appearance of a squadron of horse which had been sent out by the American general to track our steps. These endeavoured to charge the rear-guard, and suc- ceeded in making two prisoners ; but a single Shrapnel checked their further advance, and sent them back at full speed to boast of the brave ex- ploit which they had performed. Seeing that no attack was seriously intended, the army broke once more into the line of march, and proceeded to a finvourable piece cf ground, near the uncompleted position which I have al- ready described ; where we passed the night under little tents made with blankets and ram-rods. No alarm occurring, nor any cause of delay appearing, at day-break we again got under arms, and pushed on towards the shipping, which, in two hours, were distinguishable. The infantry now halted upon a narrow neck of o 2 196 HALT. land, while the artillery was lifted into lioats, and conveyed on board the fleet. As soon as this was done, brigade after brigade fell back to the water s edge, and embarked, till finally all, except the light troops, were got off. These being left to cover the embarkation, were extended across the intire space which but a little before con- tained the whole army; but as no attempt was made to molest them, they had only the honour of being the last to quit the shore. Having ventured to give my opinion on the skill and military knowledge displayed on both sides, during the late expedition, it may, perhaps, be expected that I should do the same on the pre- sent occasion. The fact is, however, that there is here but little room for criticism ; and that little would be almost a recapitulation of what has been already said. On the part of the British general I am not aware of a single error that can be noticed. Poor Ross, indeed^ threw himself away, by exposing his person unnecessarily in a trifling skirmish ; but who will blame a soldier for excess of courage, or a leader fbr excess of alertness ? Like other able men, he was unwilling to trust to the report of his subalterns, when it was in his power to ascertain what he sought to know by personal observation ; and, like other brave men, he would not be deterred from prosecuting his design by the apprehension of danger. In the HALT. 197 plan of this expedition, 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 nie 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 Grenei'al. 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 attempt. On the part of the Americans, again, nearly the same blunders were committed which marked o 3 198 HALT. their proceedings during the incursion to Wash- ington ; though certainly more science was dis- idayed 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. Put they n^lected numerous favourable opportunities <^ 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 fbr it ; in a word, they committed all those errors which men generally commit who are not soldien, and yet love war. 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 Patuxent. 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 con- verted into biscuit, and every preparation seemed to be making for a long voyage. To facilitate these operations, the fleet now se- parated, part remaining here, and part proceeding under Admiral Malcombe to the Potomac; while Sir Alexander Cochrane, in the Tonnant, with seve- o4 \ 200 THE PATUXENT. ral frigates and gun-brigs, quitted us alti^ther, 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 sea- sons, fer from healthy ; and the prevalence of dysentry through the armament, proved that the unhealthy season had already commenced. Neither did there appear to be any prospect of farther em- ployment. No one talked of a future enterprize, nor was the slightest rumour circulated as to the next point of attack. The death of General 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 sprang 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 R^ment 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 into practice. Leaving the men under the command of their THE PATUXENT. 201 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 rifletmen ; the boat draped 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 dom*, 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 the> could amoi^ 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 sue- \ 202 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 wluch he had loosened firom the stump of a tree. The barbarians immediately gave chace, firing at the brave lad, and calling out to suiTender ; but the gaUant youth paid no attention either to their voices or their bullets. Launching his little bark, he put to sea with a single paddle, and* r^ardles? 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 with 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 lai^ 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 firom captivity, or inflicting exemplary punishment upon THE POTOMAC. 203 the fanner 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 haying 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 enemy being on the alert, had timely notice of the movement, and re- tired ; by which means our people returned on the 5tli, without effecting any thing. By this time the whole fleet was once more col- lected together ; and crowded the Potomac with 204 JAMES UIV£R. their kneels. The Diadem beifig an old ship and tf bad sailer, it was determined to remore 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 Coloi^el Thornton, Lieutenant-Colonel Wood, and the rest of the officers and men who had been left behind at Bladensbuig, 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- THE CHESAPEAKE. 205 rate man of war, filled with reinforcements from England. > The wounded being now sent off, and Colond Wood among the number, the remainder of the fleet again set sail, and reached the mouth of the bay without interruption. Here they wore met by a frigate and two brigs, which spoke to the Ad- miral, and apparently communicated sbnie 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, therefor^ 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 proceediug at the rate of seven miles an hour under bare poles. The sea ran tremen- dously high, and the sky was dai^ and dreary ; insomuch chat by a landsman the gele mi^t safely be accounted a storm. Under these circumstancet, the s^p rolling as if she would dip her top-mast in the water, and the waves breaking in at the back windows of the cabin, nothii^ remained to be done but to go to bed. Thither most of us, ac- cordingly, repaired, and, holding oursdlves in our births by cling^g to the posts, we amused our- selves by watching the motions of the stools, books, trunks, and other articles, as they floated 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 b^ing afforded of saving an individual of their ctewa* 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 tel^raph 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 tot last long, for on the 19th a fair breeze sprang 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 experienced a greater degree of sultriness ; till at length, on the AT SEA. 207 did mg ite, lOfit >rd the 25th, we crossed that imaginary boundary. Here we were visited, according to custom* by Neptune and his wife ; and, as the ceremony of shaying ibayf perhaps, be unknown to you, I shall beg leave to relatie the particulars of this visit. A clever, active seaman, dressed up grotesquely in various coloured rags, adorned with a long beard made of the stuff. which sailors call spun- yam, and armed with a tri-pronged harpoon, personates the God <^ the Ocean. Another sea* man, arrayed in like manner, except that, uistead of a beard, he wears a hideous mask, performs the part of the lady. These are attended by a troop of sea-^ods and nymphs, similarly equq>ped; and, advancing from the bow of the vessel as if just stepped on board, they come forward to the mainmast, and summon before them idl such per- sons as have never sworn the oaths, or previously visited their capital. At the foot of the mast is placed a lai^ tub foil 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 filiation, by rather an extraordinary process. Two of the sea-nymphi^ 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 sufiicient quantity of grease is laid upon the face, Neptune next seizes a piece of rusty iron, generally the broken hoop of a Mater cask, with which he scrapes off all that has besn 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 head. If this be sufiicient 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 retiring, 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 fine which the force of custom compels him to pay. It must be confessed that this is a barbarous amusement, much resembling The west indies. 20d 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 privil^es 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 mu i 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 Fit !e trans- port, under convoy of the Volcano bom' . should proceed to Port Royal, while the rest ot the fleet held their course towards Negril bay. '^'hese two vessels accordingly set all sail, and push« d forward by themselves ; while the others kept on .t a more moderate rate, that none might stray fro) s the con- voy; for the West India seas at this tin^ ; ^ mented with cocoa-nut trees, and so near to each other> that I could with ease have thrown a biscuit from the ship's deck upon either. At the extre- mity of these necks, just where the bay b^ns 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 recoU 220 KINGSTON. kcted, that many years ago, an earthquake not only demolished great part of the town of Port Royals but likewise covered it with the sea ; by which means, the site of the harbour was 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 laige inland lake, the banks of which are covered with plantations of sugar-cane, groves of cocoa-nut and plantane trees, and other woods peculiar to these regions, beautifully inter- spersed with seats and villages. On your right, is the town <^ 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 back ground is composed, in general, of the nigged 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 laigest 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 KINGSTON. 221 ne- the >WI1 jfrith, lence this trading country. Like most other mercantile sea^ ports, it is built without much r^ard to r^ulaiity. The streets, though wide, are in general the reverse of el^ant, being composed ahhost 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 df 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 men's 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 covintrf ; the master of each family generally retaining a suite of apartments, or perhaps an entire mansion 222 KINGSTON. in 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 outskirts, 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 othtr nuisances. During our sojourn in this place, we 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 in 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 iiivitatioil from an old Mend 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 baggage, no difHculty respecting a mode of being JAMAICA. 223 transported, stood in the way to obstruct my design. i 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-caiies, 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-6ies, 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 remark- 224 JAMAICA. able for their elegance, resembling in the shape of the body a long beetle, which may be seen in the fields after sun-set, without wings or scales. In colour they are a dingy brown, and, like the glow- worm, carry their light in the tail. As I had not before chanced to see any thing of the kind, and forgot at the moment that such an insect as the fire-fly existed, I was for a few mi- nutes at a loss to what cause to attribute the phe- nomenon ; and was at last indebted to my n^o guide for refreshing my memory on the subject. The effect, however, cannot be conceived, without being witnessed. A cluster of two or three glow- worms shine so brilliantly, that they will furnish subject for the commendatory eloquence of any one fortunate enough to perceive them together; but their brilliancy is as a farthing candle to the sun, when compared with that of the fire-fly. Not two or three, but thousands of these creatures dance around, filling the air with a wavering and uncertain glimmer, of the extreme beauty of which no words can convey an adequate con^ ception. Having passed the night at this tavern, a small cottage kept by a free negro and his wife, I rose two hours before dawn, and prosecuted my journey. From the moment I quitted the Plumb-tree, I be- gan gradually to ascend, till, at day-break, I fo!md myself in the midst of the most glorious scenery THE BLUE MOUNTAINS. 225 that the ima^nation of man can conceive. Every thing around was new and romantic. The hills, towering into the very sky, were covered from top to bottom with the richest herbage, and the most luxuriant wood. Rarely could a barren crag be. discerned, and when it did appear, it was only a sharp point, or a bold projection pushing itself forward from the midst of the thickest foliage. But what to me formed the most bewitching part of the prospect, was the elegance of the trees, and their perfect dissimilitude to any I had previously beheld. The cocoa-nut and plantane were mingled with the wild-pine and lime-tree ; while the cashew and wild-coffee, with numberless other shrubs^ loaded at once with fruit and blossom, formed th^ underwood to these graceful fbrests. As yet I had been favoured with a wide and good road, but now it began gradually to narrow, till at last it ended in a path little more distinct than the sheep-tracks over the hi! > in Scotland. Winding along the sides of the mountains, it brought me frequently to spots, where the wood parting, as if artificially, displayed deep ravines, to look down which, without becoming dizzy, required no little strength of head; whilst above, the same hill continued to stretch itself to a height, fbr be- yond any I had before gazed upon. Presently after, it conducted me gently down into valliei completely shut out from the rest of the world ; and 226 THE BLUE MOUNTAINS. as I descended) I could hear the roar of water, though neither the stream nor the bottom of the glen could be perceived. On one of these occasions, after passing through a thick grove, I beheld a river of some width, dashing along the glen, and chafing so as to produce the noise of a mighty waterfall. Towards the brink df this river my guide conducted me ; when, plunging in, we made our way, with some difficulty, to the opposite bank, and agafn began to ascend. For several hours, the same scenery surrounded me, only varied by the occasipnal appearance of clusters of negro huts. Than these, it is impossible to imagine any species of huts or dwellings more beautifully picturesque. They are constructed of strong limbs of trees, thatched over with straw, and usually ending in a cone ; having no windows, but only two, or sometimes foiir doors, for the pur- pose of admitting a free current of air. The spots chosen for their erection, are generally small plat* forms or terraces in the sides of the hills. A little path, similar to that along which I travelled, winds down fVom their doors to the bottom of the valley, and conducts to the edge of the river, from whence the inhabitants arc 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 lields or spots where the inhabitants labour. These THE BLUE BIOUNTAINSi. 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 seasons having just ended, this stream, the Wag-water, a most appropriate naine^ 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 mouritain-torrent, pouring on with all the violence produced by a steep descent, occasioned no slight pressure upon my steed ; nor was it without considerable floundering on his pbrt, and some anxiety on mine, that once or twice we succeeded in making good our passage. 'jiiiii . (*f q2 ^2B THE BLUE MOUNTAIN^. LETTER XVII. Noon was approaching when my sooty fellow- traveller directed my attention to a neat cutlage, romantically situated on the top of a low mound^ which stood alone in the middle of stupendous fountains. 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 Hn opening, which admitted a fine view of Annotta Bay ; while in the other direction, the hills sloping gtnJually 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- 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 sinee that time some me- lancholy changes had taken place m 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 taken 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, and visited several hos- pitals, with which each estate is supplied for the reception and cure of sick negroes. I likewise made many minute inquiries as to the state and condition of the slaves, inspecting their huts, and even examining their provisions i and 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 thi 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 that inheritance. Bat 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 Q 3 230 TH£ BtU£ MOUNTAINS. with what clothing he requires, has a comfortable bed to sleep on, is distressed with no cares for the support of his family^ and is only obliged^ iii re- turn for all thisj to labdur a certain nuniber of hours in the day. It is true that he may be beaten, and cannot resist; but he never is beaten, un- less he deserve it: and to a 'man afflicted, or if you please ennobled by no fine feelings of honour, a beating produces no pain, except what may arise from the strokes themselves. f With respect to the treatment of slaves, again, the outcry so general in England against the cruelty of overseers is quite absurd. No man, however wanting in humanity, is so foolish as to render useless hiii own property. If he have no better principle to direct him, the same policy which prevents an English farmer from over-work- ing or abusing his horse, will prevent a West India merchant from over-woricing or abusing his slave. Nor are the slaves prohibited from earning some- thing for themselves. A certain number of hours in each day are at their own disposal, when, if they choose to work on, they are paid so much for their services ; if not, they are permitted to amuse themselves in any manner they please. Their food, though coarse, is wholesome, and such as they have been all their lives accustomed to ; their houses, though not elegant, are in no respect inferior to the generality of cottages, allowed to the poor by parish THE BLUF. MOUNTAINS. 231 man, as to Lve no officers in England ; and wlien they are sick, they are removed to airy hospitals, where as much attention is paid to them, as if they were people of rank and consequence. But, above alU they are never dis- tressed with anxiety for their families. They know that their children will receive the same treatment that they have received, that they wiU never want food, clothing, or a home, and therefore they die without any of those harrowing dreads, which so frequently madden the death-bed of an English labourer. But, it will be said, they are slaves; and in the word slavery are comprehended the worst evils that can befal a human being. This is (dl very well in theory, and no doubt every man bom free would risk his life to preserve his liberty ; but the most of these slaves have never known what freedom is ; and it is absurd to talk of a man pining for he knows not what. Latterly, indeed, thanks to cer- tain humane individuals, who, without possessing the slightest personal knowledge of their situation, have pitied them so loudly, that their compas- sionate expressions have crossed the Atlantic, they have begun to consider themselves as hardly treated, in being refused the common birth-right of man. The consequence is, that many negroes, who were before cheerful and happy, are now dis« contented and gloomy, and ripe for the most de- sperate attempts. Yet, as a proof of their folly q4 232 THE MAROONS. in desiring freedom, unless, indeed, that gift were accompanied with the possession of the islands where they dwell, by far the greater part of those slaves, whom their masters have at any time en- franchised, after wandering about for awhile, the most miserable creatures upon earth, return, and beg, as a favour, to be received once more into their original state of slavery. The process of making sugar is too well known to render it necessary for me to describe it in de- tail. The sugar-cane being cast into a grinding mill, is pressed till the juice is extracted, which, being conveyed in pipes from the mill to a large caldron* is boiled till it require a certain consistency; the scum being regularly taken off as it is thrown up from the bottom. The liqUor is then poured into another caldron, and undergoes another boiling; where being left till cool, it is taken out in a solid mass ; and when bruised down, becpmes the sugar of which we make use. The lees and scum of the sugar again being distilled, produce rum ; while the cattle and horses are fed upon the pulp; and thus, of th^ sugar-plant itself, three different uses are made, all of them important, and all profitable. Among other curiosities, I was fortunate enough, while in this part of the island, to see something of the Maroons. These are a race of free negroes, who live entirely by themselves, and are treated as the allies and friends of the British government. THE MAUOONS. 233 tes, led Int* They inhabit several villages, or as they are called, towns, in the wildest part of the interior, and ge- nerally near the banks of a river. They have their own magistrates, and are governed by laws of their own ; but at the head of each little republic is an European, who acts, at once, as ambassador from the whites, and as chief governor of the place. They are found extremely useful in bringing back run-away slaves, receiving a sort of pension for their services, and being supplied with muskets and ammunition, at the expence of the British au- thorities. That the Maroons are not the original inhabi- tants of Jamaica, their colour sufficiently proves. They are not copper-coloured like the natives of America, but quite black, resembling, in almost every particular, the African negro. Their fea- tures, however, are not so universally flat ; and the hair of many, instead of being woolly and curly, is long and sleek. Some of their women are com- ])ietely beautiful, with high noses, and lips mo- derately thick ; while their form and make are erect and graceful. Till I beheld these female Maroons, I did not conceive it possible to apply the term beautiful to a being as dark as ebony ; but, in truth, so powerful is the effect of regular features and an elegant form, that the difference of complexion is not able to destroy it. All the Maroons are not, however, of this de- 234 TH£ MAROONS. afcription. They are now so much mingled with fugitive slaves, that the original breed is greatly impaired, and appears to be in some danger of becoming totally lost. During the Maroon war, every slave that deserted from his master, was re- ceived among them; and these deserters being almost as. numerous as the pe(q>le to whom they fled fw reftige, the present generation is a sort of mongrd rape, partakingj in most cases, as much of the nc^ro, as of the Maroon feature. From what part of the world these Maroons have originally come, I cannot pretend to determine. In their features and form, they certainly bear a greater resembUmce to Asiatic, than the African ne- groes; and yet I am not aware, that slaves were at any. time transported from the shores of Asia to the West Indies. It is most probable, however, that these people, from whatever quarter of the g^be they may have been brought, were, at one tune, sulogect to the same bondage as the present cultivators of the soiL But the event proved, that they were more high-spirited than their flat-nosed brethren; for they soon threw off the yoke, and established themselves in the wilds and moun- tainous districts of the island. After an unsuc- cessfol attempt to reduce them, they were left in possession of their freedom and their &stnesses; and now live peaceably and quietly, carrying on a Uttle traffic in feathers, birds and skins, with their THE IfAllOONS. S85 a leir European neighbour?, and supporting themsdves, wbieni near the water, upon fish ; and when ^9tant from any stream} chiefly upon the fruit of the plan- taoetree. ;H«ying spent a few most agreeaUe days with my friend, on the 18th I set out on my i^uvn to IQngston. , The scenery, through, whichr I passed, W98,.in many respects, different from what had en- tcirtained me on my way thither ; my guide having led me by another road, in order to avoid the riv^r. The country was in general less grand, and more cultivated; but there. were two or three s^^ts even wilder than imy I had yet seeki. These were oc- cupied by Maroon towns, consisting of two long streets of huts, crossing each other at right an^es ; (saph hut being surrounded by a small jdot, in which the sweet potatoe and yam^ with some of the most common kinids of vegetaUes, were culti- vated. The hute themselves resemUed, in eveiy particular, the huts of the slaves. Only they were perhf^s less neat, and had about them less the ap- pearance of Comfort ; but in theil* food and manner of living, the condition of the Maroons seems to be decidedly inferior to that of the others; That the slaves are; in reality, more ha^y ^an the free negroes, is proved by the difierent mode in which they employ themselves, in passing through a village of the former, after the work of the day is finished, you will always find them dancing, or amusing themselves in manly and athletic games. 236 STONBY HILL. At whatever hour you may chauce to traverse a Maroon town, you will see the inhabitants sitting in lazy indolence at the doors of their cabins, so completely oppressed with what may be termed ennui, that they wiU hardly take the trouble to lift up their eyes to stare at you as you go along. Except when driven by hunger to seek the plantane trees, they seldom stir beyond their own habita- tions; unless it be to lead back some fiigitive to his master, and to claim the reward. Even their little trade is carried on with those who come among them ; few of them thinking it worth while to look for a m&rket, where they may dispose of their commodities. As it was late before I started, my ride to-day was extremely toilsome, on account of the heat. I did not, therefore, push on to Kingston at once* but stopping at a place called Stoney-hill, passed the night there; and rising early, reached that town by breakfast-time, on the following day. I found the ships preparing to sail, the sea-stock embarked, and officers hastening on board; when, congratulating myself on having arrived at a for- tunate moment, I made my way to the harbour, and once more took possession of my cabin. It happened, however, that the ships did not sail so soon as was expected. Time was therefore given me, to examine the town of Port Royal, a circumstance of which I did not fail to avail my- self. Not that there is, in this small town, much POUT ROA'AL. 237 to recompense the trouble of examination, per- formed as such an examination must be, under the rays of a vertical sun ; but to one little used to a sea life, any thing is better then remaining cooped up within the narrow compass of a ship. Port Royal is quite the- Wapping of Kingston. Full of bustle and confusion, its streets are gene- rally crowded with drunken sailors, labouring ne- groes, and noisy task-masters. The houses are mean, and the inhabitants of the lowest order; nor is it remarkable for any thing, except the strength of the works by which it is defended* The barracks, indeed, are good and extensive, being meant to contain about a thousand men ; but besides these, there is no building in the place worthy of notice ; for though, likewise, the dock- yard be of some importance, and rich in stores, it is l)ut little ornamented with architecture; and the only church is as plain and unadorned as pos- sible. The town itself, being bui^*^ upon a promontory, is washed on three sides oy the sea; and is, besides, surrounded by regular fortifications, well supplied with heavy ordnance. Close to each of the guns which point towards the water, are ftimaces for heating shot; and within the ram- parts a\'e arranged, at proper intervals from one another, many moilars of large calibre. In a word, if you view it as a town, your sentence will 2a8 NEGllIL BAY. be alt(^ether adverse; if as a fortification, you will acknowledge that it is well calculated to effect' the purpose for which it was erected; that is, to protect the principal harbour of Jamaica from insult. ' At length, on the morning of the 17th, we got uiider weigh, and stood to sea. Coasting 'along with a fah* wind, we arrived on the 19th at Nc^giil bay, the |dace of rendesvout fin* the whde arma- ment. Here we found great part of the flee^ at anclior» the horses landed, and every thing in a fCite which promised some farther delay. Neither Sir Alexander Cochrane, who was expected to re- join us with reinforcements from England, nor Admiral Malcombe, were in the bay ; and the com- mand remained at present with the Captain of the Asia. The shores, on this side of Jamaica, are more flat and tame than any I had yet seen. The quantity of wood, however, with which they are covered, even tq the edge of the water, gives to them a rich and beautiful appearance; while the sweep of the bay itself is strikingly fine. Sugar-- cane seems to be the universal produce of the soil, wherever it is capable of producing any thing; even Indian com being but little cultivated. Oi this last there were here a few fields, and but a few, interspersed among many of the other; as well as some pasture, upon which sheep and cattle NEC III L BAY. 239 ■» were feedin^^. The sheep, I believe, are bred in the island; but the cattle are brought over firom the Spanish main ; few persons attempting to en* courage their propagation, so much are they found to degenerate. Seeing all things quiet, and no likelihood of fui immediate change, I determined to go on shorw* and having, together with a friend, put my retdtii- tion into practice, we provided ourselves with horses, and rode some way up the country. But every thing appeared insipid after my journey throri: he mountains. The scenery, though rich, aot grsnd; and but for the view, which, from various eminence^, we were enabled to pro- cure of the anchorage crowded with shipping, would have been uninteresting. Our ride was not, therefore, protracted, so as to incur any risk of being left behind; for having penetrated only about ten miles from the beach, we turned our honM' heads, and retraced our steps to the fleet. In this state affairs continued tiU the 24th, when, about nine o'clock in the morning, the top- masts of a numerous squadron could be discerned over the eastern promontory. These gradually neared us, till, in a short time, we were able to distinguish the flags of Sir Alexander Cochrane, and Admiral Malcombe, and at last beheld the Tonnant and Royal Oak, accompanied by a large 240 NEGRIL BAY. fleet of troop ships and transports, majestically en- tering the bay. As may ]ye imagined, our curiosity was strongly excited to learn what troops they con- tained, and what intelligence they brought ; inso- much that they had scarcely dropped anchor when they were boarded from almost every one of the ships whiv'^h they came to join. It appeared that tli\s powerful reinforcement consisted of the following forces. The 93d Regi- ment, a fine corps of Highlanders, musteiing nine hundred bayonets ; six companies of the 96th rifle corps, two West India Regiments, each eight hundred strong ; two squadrons of the 14th Dra- goons dismounted ; detachments of artillery, rock- ets, sappers, and engineers ; recruits for the dif- ferent corps already in this part of the world ; and though last, not least, Major General Keane, to take upon himself the command of the whole. The intelligence brought was likewise interesting, for 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 olject 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 wore the 4th, 44th, aqd 85th Regiments originally dispatched from Bourdeaux, and the NEORIL BAY« 241 ring t,it lien ice, mis the 2 1st, which joined the expedition at Bermuda. These battalions being considerably reduced by past ser- vice, could not at present muster 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 frcm the first. The whole amount of this corps may, therefore, be estimated at two thousand five hundred men. Without computing the individual strength of each detachment now arrived, I will venture to fix the aggi" gate at three thousand five hundred ; and thus the whole, taken collectively, will amount to six thousand 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. This, it must be confessed, was a formidable power, and such as, had all its parts been trust- worthy, might have done much. But 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 ijur thousand four hundred men, upon whom a general could fully depend. Together with these forces, were brought out K dk42 NEOllIL BAY. iibiiiid^pt stores of iunmunitioi), some clothing for the troops, and tents to be used when an oppor- tunity should offer. There were also numerous additions to the commissariat and medical de- ]!»iartments ; in short, the material of the army Was increased in proportion to its increase of number. 'to find himself in the chief comftiand of this fdrce, exceeded the expectation, and perhaps the desire, of General Keane. Being a young and dAshing officer, he had been selected as most fit to serVe under Ross ; and having sailed from England before the death of that gallant chief was knowii, he reached Madeira before his elevation wiEis communicated to him. Young as he was, however, his arrival produced much satisfaction ^iroughout 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 an- chored, the Bay was covered with boats, which con- veyed parties of officers from ship to ship, hastening to 'salute their comrades, and to enquire into the irtate of things at home. Greetings and hearty nn* braces were interchanged between friends thus again brought together; and a few passing ejaculations of sorrow bestowed upon those who could not now NEOBIL BAT. 248 ta&e part in the meeting. Many questions were put, relative to persons and places in England t in a word, the day was spent in that species of employ- ment, which can be completely known only to those, who haye been similarly situated. h2 iS44 AT SEA. LETTER XVIII. But the period granted for such indulgence was not of long duration, for, on th?> following moming,- the Tonnant, Ramillies, and two brigs, 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 them vessels of war, which shaking loose their topsails, and lifting their an- chors at the same moment, gave to Negril 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 ships moved slowly and proudly from their anchorage, till having cleared the head-lands, and caught the ftiir breeze which blew without, they bounded over the water with the speed of eagles, and long before dark, the coast of Jamaica had dis- appeared. Theve L something in rapidity of motion, whe- ther it be along a high road, or across the deep, ex- tremely elevating; nor was its effect unperceived on the present occasion. It is true, that there were other causes for the high spirits which now AT SEA. 246 whe- eived I there now pervaded the armament, but I question if any one was more efficient in their production, than theasto- nishing rate of our sailing. 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 go!t over the ground, and the probability that existed of our soon reaching the point of debarkation. The change of climate, likewise, was not \»ithout 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 interr ruption, on the 29th we came in sight 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 with 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^ji^Ji|[i ^^qbange for salt pork ; and so great B 8 246 AT SEA. 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 aci- ceptable, and thus both parties remained satisfied with their bai^ain. Having lain to till our turtle merchants left ua, 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 {Hcturesque, 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 pi'oduce. But the shores of Cuba were quickly passed, and AT SEA. 2if ind the old prospect of sea and sky again met the gaze^ There was, however, one circtiinstance> from which we experienced a considerable diminution of comfort. As soon as we entered the gulf, a short disagreeable sweU was perceptible; difiering 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 waa pre- venjted ; but as wie felt ourselves drawing every hour nearer and nearer to the condusion of our miseries, this additional one was borne without much repining. Besides, we found some amuse- ment in watching from the cabin windows, th6 quantity and variety of weed with which the siuv face of this gulf is covered. Where it originally grows, I could not leam^ though I should think most probably in the gulf itself ; but following the course of the stream, it floats continually in one direction ; gcung round by the opposite coast of Cuba, towards the banks of Newfoundland, and extending sometimes as for as Bermuda and the Western Isles. It is not, however, my intention to continue the deteak 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 America could be discerned. On that day we found ourselves opposite to the Chandeleur Islands, B 4 1^48 NEW ORLEANS. h') and near the entrance of Lake Borgne. There the fleet anchored, that the troops might be 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 dwected. 'r^ " 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 plaee capable of presient- ing greater obstacles to an invader ; and at the same time inore convenient^ situated with respect to trade. Being built upon a narrow neck of land, confined on one side by the river, and on the other 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 Pbntchartrain, which again commutricates through Lake Borgne,* with the sea, its peculiar * These are, properly speaking, one and the same lake. From the entrance, however, as fiir as Ship Island, is called by the inha- bitants Lake Borgne, and all above that point goes under Ui« name WEW ORLEANS, 249 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 Ian* guage of the country, a Bayo or Bayouke, navigable for vessels drawing less than six feet water, mnning up through the marsh, and ending within two miles of the town. The name of this creek is the Bayouke of St. John, and its entrance is defended by works of considerable strength. But to exhibit its advantages in a more distinct 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 word 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 stieams in the world. According to the Sioux Indians, it takes its rise from a large swamp, and is increased by many rivers emptying theiri.s^-!ves into its course as far as the fall of St. Anthony, which, by their account, is upwards of seven hundred leagues from its source. But th7.s fall, which is formed by a rock thrown across the channel, of about twelve feet perpendicukur height, is known to be eight hundred leagues from the sea; and of Lake Pontchartrain. They are both extremely shallow, vary- ing; from 12 to 6 feet in depth. '< $ 250 NEW ORLEANS. therefore the whole course of the Mississippi, from, its spring to its mouth, may be computed at little short of 5,000 miles. Below the fall of St. Anthony, again, the Mi8-<^ sissippi is joined by a number of riyel*8 consideraUei in point of 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, whieb is said to rmn 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 aa 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 dweU upon 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 suj^iosed to be 800 from its source, which, judging from the flow of its waters, lies in a north-west direction {torn the Mississippi. It is remaikable 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 rat NEW OBLEAK8. ail The Bext nwr of note is the Ohio, which, taking ite rue near Lake Erie, runs from the northeast to ^e south-west, and joins the Mississippi about seventy leagues below the Missouri. Besides this, there are the St. Francis, an inconsiderable stream, and the Arkansas, which is said to originate in the same latitude with Santa F€ in New Mexico, and which, holding its course nearly 300 leagues, faUs in about SOO above New 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 SOO 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 veiy considerable extent ; and as they join the Missisi* sippi above 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 fbom every direction are goods, th* produce of East, West, North, and South AmeviM» 262 N£W OBLEANS. 9snt 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 (^vemor ; 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 me now point out more distinctly than I have y**t done, the causes which contribute to its safety 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 fiithoms, the Missis- sippi, previous to its joining the Mexican Gulf, divides into four or five mouths, the most consi- derable of which is encumbered by a sand-bank, continually liable to shift. Over this bank, no vessel drawing above seventeen feet water, can pais; when once across, however, there is no longer a difficulty in being floated ; but to anchor is hazardous, on account of the huge logs which are constantly carried down the stream. Should one of these strike the bow of the ship, it would possibly dash her to pieces; while, independent of this, there is always danger of drifting, or losing anchors, owing to the number of sunken logs which the uodertnurrent baart akmg witbiv DETOUR DES ANGLAIS. 259 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 powerfiil^ it is impossible to stem the torrent. But, besides this natural obstacle iA invasion, the mouth of the river is defended by a fort, which, from its situation, may be pronounced imprv<^a- 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 Ditour 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 change of wind occur. From the Detour des Anglais towards New Or- leans, the face of the countr}- undeigoes an alter- ation. The swamp does not, indeed, end, but it narrows off to the right, leaving a space of firm 254 DET&UU DEB ANOLAI8. grolmd, vai^ng fhitei three to onie ihile itt widths between it and the river. At the back of this swiunp, again, whi h may be about six or eig^t ■titles across, com ; i^ the waters of Lake Pont« chartrain, and thu a neck of arable land is formed) stretching for some way »tbove the city^ The whole of these morasses arc^ covered, as far as the Detour, with tall reeds ; a little wood now succeeds^ skirting the open country, but this is only a mile ill depth, when it again gives |dace to reeds. Such is the aspect of that side of the river upon which the city is bnilt ; with respect to the other, I can speak with less' confidence, liaving seen it but ctir> soHly. It appears, however, to resemble this in almost every particular, except that it is more wooded, and less ccmfined with itiarsh. Both sides are flat, containing uo broken ground, or any other cover for military movements; for on the open shore there are no trees, except a few in the gaiw 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 otily from tlie Lake. But this can be done no where, except where creeks or bayos offer conveniences for that purpose, because the banks of the lake are HEW ORLEANS. 255 be the ire, viniversally swampy; and can hardly suppfy Ibot- ing Ibr in&ntry, 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 wdl defended, and too carefully guarded for any attempts ; and the Bayo of Catiline is another, about ten miles below the dty. That this last might be found useftil in an attack, was proved by the landing effected by oiU' 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 haitds, 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 adv.ince, there exists not k particle. Every movement of the assailants must, therefore, be made under their eyes'; and as one flrnk of their army will be as well defended by morasF, 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 iis disad- vantages; these are owing lolely to the ch'mate. zm ff&W ORLEANS^ ■:i$-' From the swampg with which it is surrounded* ihete arise* during ilie suramer months, exhalations extremely fiital to the health of its inhabitaiiiD». Fpr 8\^»n is withdrawn, and most of the families retire from their houses to more genial spots, leaving the tq v/n as much deserted, as if it hid been visited by a pes^ tilence. Yet, in spite of these precautions, agues and inif> rnittent fevers abound here at all times. Nor is it wonuii^rful that this should be the case ; for independent of the vile air which the vicinity of so maBy putrid s%vamps occasions, thb country is more liable than perhaps any other, to sudden and severe changes of temperature* A night of keen fros^ sufficiently powerful to produce ice, a quarter of an inch in thickness, frequently follows a day of intense heat ; while heavy 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 series of intoler- able heat and deadly fog. Of all these circumstances, the conductors of the present expedition were not ignorant. To reduce the forts which command 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. Sri .* . «**,. tAKE BORONE. 257 in as ter; «^, that the object of the enterprize was unknown to . the Americans, Sir Alexander Cochnme and; Ge- neral Keane determined to effect a landing some- where on the banks of the Lake; and poshing directly 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 lai^r into the lighter vessels, and these, under convoy of such gun-brigs as the shal- lowness of the water would float, began on the ISth to enter Lake Borgne. But we had not pro- ceed^ fiur, 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, til^ se. ;^M\m flotilla consisted of fifty open .tioats ; utost of them armed #ith .a carronade in the |}ow, aoid well manned with volunteers from the . tfiougli no doubt verf whoksome, was not sucli ad to reconcile us to the cold and wet under which we suffered. On the part of the iiavy, agaiti^ all these hardships were experienced in a four-fold degree. Night and day were boats pulling from the fleet to the ishuid, and firom the island to the fleet ; for it was the 21 it before all the troops were got on shore ; and as there was little time to enquire mto men's turns of labour, many seamen were four or five da3r8 continually at the oar. ThUi, they had not only to bear up against variety of temperature, but against hunger, fatigue, and Want of sk^ in addition ; three as fearfiil bur^ dens as can be lAid upon the hUAian frame. Yet, in Sjpite of all this, not a muniiur nor a whisper 6f com- plaint could be heard tHtoughotit the whole expedi- tion. No man appeared ib regard the present, while every one looked fbrward to the future. From the General, ddWn to the youngest drum-boy, a confi- dent anticipation of success seemed to pervade all ranks ; and in the hope of an ample repaid in stoire for them, the toils and grievances of the moment were forgotten. Nor was this anticipation the lisere offspring of an over-weeniflg confidence in thtfeni* selves; Several Americans had ahready detert^, who entertained us with accounts of the alarm ex- perienced At New Orleans. They assured us that there were not at present 5,000 soldiers in the Slate; that the principal inhabitants had long ago left the PINE ISLAND. 263 place ; that such as remained were ready to join us as soon as we should appear among them ; and ,^hat, therefore, we might lay our account with a speedy and bloodless conquest. The same persons likemse dilated upon the weidth and importance of the town, upon the large quantities of govemment stores there effected, and the rich booty which would reward its^T^pture; subjects iirell calculated to tickle the £uK^ of inyiidersf*. and to make them unmindful oif iipmedii^ 9l3ictipim» in, the expectation of so great a recpiiipense. the s4 264 PIN J ISLAND. LETTER XIX. While the troops were thiu assembling, an em- bassy 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 tiU 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 savages; 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 wood, 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 u po^fi^rc 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 was interchanged between man and man, while they appeared to be totally absorbed, each in his PINE ISLAND. 265 lan 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 canying 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- dement, were likewise playing about; but tbeir sports had little of the spirit of European games; and frequentiy 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 thf^ir 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 wrapped round their loins ; the size of their ornaments alone indicated that they were persons of consequence, the king having two broad pieces of gold suspended from his ears, and bracelets of the same metal round his wrists ; while the warrior's ears were graced with silver rings, and a whole Spanish dollar hung from his note. With these men, Colonel NickoUs of the Marines, who conducted the embassy, was well acquainted, having been previously appointed Ge- 266 PINE ISLAND. neralissimo of all their farces; and they therefore extended to us the right hand of fiiendship, and conducted us into the lai^est hut in the town. The rest of the warriors were hy this time roused from their lethai|^, and soon b^an to crowd about us; so that in a few minutes the hut Was filled with upwards of an hundred savages, each holding in his hand the fatal ttnnahawk, and hav- ing his scalping knife suspended from a belt fastened round his middle. The scene was now truly singular. There is a solemnity about the manner of an Indian chief extremely imposing ; and this, joined with the motions which were meant to express welcome, compelled me, almost in spite of myself, to regard these ' half-naked wretches with veneration. With the form, complexion, and costume of an American Indian, most Englishmen are well ac- quainted. In stature, they hardly come up to the common height of an European, and in appear- ance of robustness they are greatly inferior, being generally spare and slender in their make. Nor, indeed, do they at all equal the natives of Europe in strength. Their agility is superior to ours, but in muscular power they fall much short of us. Their complexion is a dark red, resembling brick- dust rather than copper ; their hair is univenwlly long, coarse, and black ; they have little or no beard, and the body is entirely smooth. Their PINE ISLAND. 267 no eii' features l:?€ high, and might perhaps be regular, were nature left to herself; but they are usually twisted and distorted into the most frightful shapes, with the view of adding to the ferocity (^ their looks. Their dress is of the simplest kind, consisting partly of the skins of wild beasts, and partly of a scarf, made of cotton cloth. For their legs and feet they have no covering, and instead of a cap, they wear their own hair twined into a knot, and ornamented with various coloured feathers. Besides the tomahawk and scalping knife, each man is armed with a rifle or firelock, in the use of which they are exceedingly dexterous. The women, again, are as much the reverse of beautiful as it is easy to conceive. Being forced by their husbands to undergo the greatest fatigues, and to perform the most menial ofllces, their air has in it nothing of the commanding '^l?gnity which characterizes that of the men. On Ua con> trary, they are timid and servile, never approaching the other sex without humble prostrations: whiic their shape is spoiled by hard labour, and their features disfigured with ornaments. Whenever the tribe marches, they are loaded with the children, and all culinary utensils, the haughty warrior con- descending to carry nothing except his arms ; and as soon as it halts, they are condemned to toil for the benefit of the men, who throw themselves upon the ground, and doze till their meal is prepared. 268 PINE ISLAND. But I must not attempt to describe the manners and customs of this strange p^ple, 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 narrative 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, consisting of lumps of Buffalo flesh, barely warmed through, and swimming in blood; with cakes of Indian c )rn and manioc. Of dishes and plates, there were none. The meat was brought in the hand of the femp^ i who had dressed it, and placed upon the turf; the warriors cut slices from it with their knives ; and holding the flesh ii: 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 be particularly fond, dipping their hands into them without ceremony, and thus conveying the food to their mouths ; but for my own part, 1 found it sufficiently difficult to partake of the raw flesh, and could not overcome my loathing so much as to taste the mince. PINE ISLAND. 269 When the remnant of the food was removedj an abundant supply of rum, which these people had received from our fleet, was produced. Of this they swallowed large potations; and, as the spiiit 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 hitherto they had sat cross-legged, many of them likewise began to jump about, and exhibit feats of activity ; nor was I without apprehension that this riotous banquet would end in bloodshed. The king and chief warrior alone still retained their senses sufficiently unclouded to understand what was said. From them, therefore, we obtained a pro- mise, that the tribe would afford to the expedition every assistance in their power ; 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 mqrning, having presented the warriors with muskets and ammunition, we de- parted, taking with us the two chiefs at their own request. For this journey they had equipped themselves in a most extraordinary manner ; making their appearance in scarlet jackets, which they had obtained from Colonel Nickolls, old fa- 270 PINE ISLANP. »hioned steel-bound cocked hats, and shoes. Trow- sers th^ 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, the troops b^an, on the 16th, to quit the ships, and on the 21st, were assembled in force upon Pine Island. But before they could cross over to the main, it was necessary that some arrangements should be made, and that the different battaliuns should be divided into corps and brigades. With this design, Greneral Keane reviewed his army on the 22d, and distri- buted it into the following order. Instead of a light brigade, he determined to form three battalions into an advanced guard. The re- giBi#>nt8 appointed to this service, were the 4th, 85th, and 95th ; and as an officer of courage and enterprizing talent is required to lead the advance of an arrny, the> Terc: pot under the command of Colonel TFiorntor Attached lu this corps of in- fawtry, were a party of rocket-men, and two light three-pounder guns ; a species of artilleiy conve- nient enough, where celerity of movement is alone r^arded, but of very little service in the field. 1>IN£ ISLAND. 271 The rest of the troops were arranged as before into two brigades. The first composed of the 21st, 4#th, and one black regiment, was intrnsted t'> Colonel Brook; and the second, containing the 93d, 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 brought their harness and other appointments on shore, remained 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 reach the scene of action. In the first place, from Pine Island to that part of the main towards which {midence directed us to steer, was a distance of no less than 80 miles. This, of itself, was an obstacle, c at least an iaconvenience of no slight nature, for suould the weather prove boisterous, open boats heavily lad«^n with soldiers, would stand little chance of escaping destruction, 272 THE LAK£. 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 transport above one-third of the army at a time. But to land in divisions, would expose our forces to be attacked in detail, by which means, one party might be cut to pieces before the others could arrive to its support. The undertaking was, 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 mer, 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 the middle of an extensive morass, about ten miks below New Orleans. Towards this creek were the boats directed, and here it was resolved to efi*ect a landing. When we set sail, the sky was dark and lowering, and before long, a lieavy rain b^^ to fall. Continuing without intarmiiBion THE LAKE. 273 during the whole of the day, towards night it as usual ceased, and was succeeded by a sharp firoist ; 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 stems of the boats, and were suffered to bum 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. Haying remained in this uncomfortable state till midnight, the boats cast anchor, and hoisted awti- 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 barg;e8 were sent on to execute the service. Nor did they experience much difficulty in accomplishing their object. Nothing, as it appeared, was less dreamt of by the Americans than an attack from this quarter ; consequently, no persons could be less on their guard than the party here stationed. The 274 LANDING. officer who conducted the force sent agamsf: l^em, found not so much as a single sentinel posted ; but having landed his men at two places, above and below the hut which they inhabited, extended his ranks so as to surround it, and dosing 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 for 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 WBH, therefore, considerably retarded, and the risk of disco't ery heightened by the noise which that labour neccssuily occasions ; but in spite of aU this, we rea.'^hed the entrance of the creek by dawn ; and about nine o^elock, 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 tall reeds ; not a house, nor a vestige of human industry could be discovered ; and even of trees, there were but a few growing upon the banks of the creek. Yet it was such a spot as> above all others, favoured our operations. No eye LANDING. 276 ited; above inded ; gra- noise i was )f ibis r, and , pur- lurried !h ena- us, and rogress he risk b that of aU jek by fely on it is no- sh, CO- [vestige Id even m the }t aS) loeye could watch us, or report Our arrival to the Ame- rican GteneraL 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 f which we occupied was seldom, if ever befor< (m\ with a human footstep. Concealment, ho was the thing of all others which we required, foi be it remembered, that th»e were how only sixteen hun- dred men on the main land. The rest Were stUl at Pine Island, where th^ must remain till the boats which had transported us should return for their conveyance, consequently maiiy 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 cal- culated for that purpose than the present ; because it afforded every means of concealment to one part of our force, until the others should be able to come up. It was, therefore, confidently expected, that no movement would be made previous to the arrivlEd of the other brigades ; but, in our expectations of quiet, we were deceived. The deserters who had come in^ and accompanied us as guides, assured the General that he had only to show himself, when the whole di^rict would submit. They re- peated, that there were not five thousand men in t2 \> IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 'iis 1.0 1.1 m Itt 122 : UK |20 ( IIIHilB U^ 4 6" » V 4^ Fhotographic DC16ijC6S GorpQratiQn n WKT MAM STMIT «MMTM,N.V. UIM ' But ithe attention, (if. a strangle is irmistibly drajim away from every other ol^e^it,. to contemplait ^ magi«ifioQ«ce si itai ^noUe rivar. Pouring dofif nal the prodigiaua i«te iof fimi mikiB an houiv«n immenaa bodgr of Water Is ipread out T 4 ^BO HALT. rou ; measoring^ a iuU liule adross/ and Beaily ft hundred fothoihs in depth. What this imgfaty stream must be near its nioiith, I can hardly ima- gine, for we were' here upwards of a hundred miles fifom the ocean. - . Such was the general aspect of the country which we had entered ; our own position, again, was this. The three regiments turning off from the road into one extensive green field, formed three dose co- lumns within pistol-shot of the riyer. Upon our right, but so much in advance as to be of no service to us, was a huge house, surrounded by about twenty wooden huts, probably intended for the accommodation of slaves. Towards this house, there was a slight rise in the ground, and between it afid the camp was a small ix>nd of no great depth. As far to the rear again as the first was to the firont, stood another hous6,' 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 hb 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; HALT. m while the right and reor were wholly without coyer. Though we occn^ed this field, therefore, an^ mi|ht have looked weU in a peaceable district, it must be confessed that oui; gituatioii hfirdly deserved the title of a military position. ■f !''•.■ ♦ 'T ght; I us, nor re- as it it inr 282 HALT. LETTER XX. Noon had just passed, when the word was given to halt, and therefore every opportunity was af- forded of posting the piquets with leisure and at- tention. Nor was this deemed enough to secure tranquillity: several parties were sent out in aU directions to reconnoitre, who returned with an account that no ienemy, nor any trace of an enemy, could be discerned. The troops were accordingly suffered to light fires, and to make themselves com- fortable; only their accoutrements were not taken off, and the arms were piled in such form as to be within reach at a moment's notice. As soon as these agreeable orders were issued, the soldiers proceeded to obey them both in letter and in spirit. Tearing up a number of strong palings, large fires were lighted in a moment; water was brought from the river, and provisions were cooked. But their bare rations did not con- tent them. Spreading themselves over the country as far as a regard to safety would permit, they entered every house, aud brought away quantities of hams, fowls, and wines of various descriptions ; which' being divided among them, all fared well. HALT. 289 and none received too large a (]piantity. Inihis diviskni of good I9uxiga, tbey were not wutiii^dAd of their o^Boen ; for .i^n active warfare the officers ane oMnidered by the privates as comrpdes* to whom respect and obedience are due, rather than as masters. , It was now about three o*c1oc)l in the afternoon^ and all had as yet remained.; quiet. The troops faliving finished their meel, lay stretched beside their fires, or lefire^ed themselves by bathing, iot to-day the heat was such as to reader this latter employment extremely agreeable, when suddenly a bugle from the advanced posts sounded the alarm, whidb was echoed back from all in the army* Starting up, we stood to our arms, and prepared lof battle, the alarm being now succeeded by some firing; but we were scarcely in eider, when word was. sent from the front that l^ere was no danger^ only a few horse having made their appearance, who were checfeed and put to flight at the fitt.^;; discliarge. Upon this intelligence^ our wonted con- fidence returned, and we again betook ourselvea ie ouv foi^nier occupations, rentairldiig that, as the Americans had never yet dared to attack* there was no great probability of their doing so ob the present oeoasion. . Hai -u*i c^ In ttius manner the day passed without; afiytftiy- ther dann; and darkness having iet in* the fires were made to Maze with increased splendour, our 284 ATTACK. eYening meal was eat, and we prepared to deep. But about half-past seven o'clock, the attention of several individuals was drawn to % lai^ vessel, which seemed to be stealing up th' river till she came opposite to our camp; when her anchor was dropped, and her sails leisurely furled. At first we were doubtful whether she might not be one of our own cruisers which had passed the port unob- served, and had arrived to render her assistance in our future operations. To satisfy this doubt, she was repeatedly hailed, but returned no answer; when an alarm spreading through the bivouac, all thought of sleep was laid aside. Several musket shots weie now fired at her with the desngn of ex- acting a reply, of which no notice was taken ; till at length having fastened all her sails, and swung her broad-side towards us, we could distinctly hear Some one cry out in a commanding voice, ' Give them this for the honour of America.* The words were instantly followed by the flashes of her guns, and a deadly shower of grape swept down numbers in the camp. Against this dreadfiil fire we had nothing what- ever to oppose. The artillery which we had landed was too light to bring into competition with an adversary so powerful; and as she had anchored within a short distance of the opposite bank, no musketry could reach her with any precision or effect. A few rockets were discharged, which ATTACK. 2^5 no or lich made a beautiful appearance in the air; but the rocket is an uncertain weapon, and these devjl^ted too for from their object to produce even terror among those against whom they were directed. Under these drcumstances, as nothing could be done offensively, 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 r^ularity, and lajring oursdyes along where- ever we could find room, we listened in painAd silence to the pattering 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 douds. Our fires deserted by us, and beat about by the enemy *s shot, began to bum 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 3rBrd. In this state we lay for nearly an hour, unable to move firom our ground, or offer any opposition to fthose who kept us there; when a straggling fire of muiketry called our attention towards the piquets, and warned us to prepare for a closer and mote desperate strife. As yet, however, it was un- certain from what cause this dropping fire arose. .ATTACK. 'If might pnooecd firiom the aeiiftiiicls, who, alanned hy the caiiiiDiiade from the; lifer, imatodk every trte ioK Wb Aw^riean ; ^aiid tiU this should he more ftdty ascevtaiiiedi^ it would' be improper to expose 4he troops^ by tnovu^ atty^ o£ them from the shelter •which the bOBk.afiordcd.^But^ these doubts were inbi permitted to r contiMie long in existence. The dropping fire- having paused for a few moments, was 'Succeeded by a fearful yell ; and Uie heavens -wine mumiaated on all sides by a semi-circular Idaze rof nmsketry. It was. now dear that we were isurroundedy ai^ithat by a very taxpenat force ; and^ itherdforeruo uttemative remaining, biit, either to ;siuTendet at discretion, or to beat back: the asr sailants. HrThe first of these plans was never for an instant tibought of ; and the second was inmiediately put into -force. Rushing from under the bank, the 85th and 95th flew to support the piquets, while tJie 4th, stealing to the reiur df the encampment^ fomed dose column, and remained as a reserve. But to describe this action is liltogeUidP out of the quefllion, for it was imch a battle as the annals of modem warfare can hardly match. AH order> all ^isciplme; were lost^ Each oflicer, as he was able to coQectf twenty or thirty men romid him, ad^ vanced into the middle of the enemy, when it was fought haiid to hand, bayoAei to bayonet, and ATTACK. 287 ras nd sword to sword, with the tumult and ferodty of one of Homer's combats. .' To give some idea of thb extraordinaiy. combat, I shall detail the adventures of a ftiend of mine, who chanced to accompany one of. the first parties sedi out. Bashing through the birouac -under a heavy dischaige from the vessel, hi* party reachied the lake, 'which was forded, and advanced ; as fiir to the house where General Keane had fixed ids headquarters. The moon had by this time made her. way throu|^ the ctouds; and though only in hei^ first quarter gave light ^ough to permit their neebof^ though , not distinctly. Having now gone ftr enough to^ the rights the. patty pushed on tor wards the firont, and entered a.sloping fidd of stubble ; at the upper end of which they: could di^tinguiiAi a dark line of men ; but, whether tk^ were tdends or fiiesit was impossible to determine; Uofirilliilig tb fire, lest he should kiU any of our own people^ my firiend led on the- volunteers whonk he had got round him, till they reat bed aome thick piles n encamped. Here we remained ready for whatever might occur till mom, when, to avoid the fir^; 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 merdy 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-Ught was banning 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 with fatigue and want of sleep, and shivering in the cold air of a frosty rooming, without being 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^ ers guns immediately opened; and thus was the whole division kept, as it were, prisoners, 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 dii^^ting sights every where presented themselves. I have frequently beheM u3 n 2^4 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 mmre horrible, .1 certainly never witnessed. A man, shot through the head or heart, lies as if he were in a deep dumber ; insomuch, that when you gaze upc a 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 exhiUted the most savage and ghastly expressions. Friends and foes lay t(^^her 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 fii^«ned in the oUier'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 tc 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 soch B friend ap few men are happy enough to FIELD OP BATTLE. 290 posseM. We had known and loved each other for jean; 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 knew that I 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 Ameral, 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 u4 2^' HOSPITAL. wounded. It is here that war loses its grandeur and. show, and presents onlj 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, atid I grieve to add, the most horrid exclamations, sniote upon the ear wherever I turned. Some lay at length upon straw, with eyes half dosed,' 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 usuatty foretold the apiHwaeh of deaths But there was'one limong 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 l^ the cheeks and forehead, as to destroy aU 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. saf 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 loiclged in the back bone. The former appeared to suffer but little, giving no signs of life, except what a heavy breathiqg produced; the latter was in the most dreadful agony, screaming out, and gnaw- ing the covering linder which he lay* There were many besides these, some severely, and others sightly 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 drcumstanoes would allow ; and that the exertions of their medical attendants were suchr as deserved and obtained the grateful thanks of even the most afflicted among the sufferers tbemsdiyes^ , j^j '4^ 'U i!!*^f1"r . hn q if}'.- 298 ADVANCE. LETTER XXI. In the mean time the rest of the troops were land- ing as fast as possible, and hastening to join their comrades. Though 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 consnderably 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- ADVANCE. 299 ing themselyes in a degree almost unparalleled, our gallant seamen succeeded in bringing the ^hole army into position before dark on the 24th. The second and third Ivigades, 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 ^vance was still fettered to the bank, from which it was additionally prevented from moving by the arrival of another laige ship, which cast anchor about a mile above the schooner. Thus were three battalions kept stationary by the guns of these two fivmidable floating batteries, and it wto 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, comnany by company, from behind the bank. General Keane stationed them m 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 ri^ of serious an- noyance from the shipping, the whole army re- 300 ADYANCE. mained qtiiet for the night. How long we were to cdntinne in this state, nobody i^peared to know ; not a whisper was circuhited as to the time of ad- vancing, nor a surmise yentured respecting the next step likely to be taken. In our guides, td whose rumours we had before listened with avi* dity, no farther confidence was reposed. It was perfectly evident, either that they had purposely deceived us, or that their information was gathered from a most imperfect source ; therefore, though they Were not exactly placed in confinement, they were strictly watched, and treated more tike spies than deserters. Instted 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 hones driven away, and every appearance of hostility. To march by the only road was rendered impraii- ticabje, so completely was it commanded by the shipping. In a word, all things had turned out dia*- metrically opfKMite to what had been anticipated $ and U ai^peeored, that imtead of « 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 purtience and determination, ^iw Msov :. .•lit/im^. Having effected this change of position, and co- vered the front of his army with a strong chain of outposts, Genend Keane, as I have said, remained ADVANCE. 301 quiet during the remainder of the night, and on the morrow was relieved 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 dbpatched 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 Ins , 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 a hearty cheer; while the confidence which past events had t^ided in some degree to dispel, re- turned once more to the bosoms c^ aU. It was Christmas Day, and a number of officers clubbing their little stodk of provisions, resolved to dine to- gether in memory of foiem^ times. But at so me- lancholy a Christmas dinner I do not recdlect at any time to have been present. We dined in a bam ; of {dates, knives and forks, there was a dismal scardty, nor could our fare boast of much either in intrinsic good quatity, or in the way of cooking. These, however, were mere matters of menivAe^i it was the want of many well known and beloved 302 ATTACK. faces that gave us pain; nor were any other sub- jects discussed, besides the amiable qualities of those who jtio longer formed part of our mess, and never would again form part of it. A few guesses as to the probable success of iiiture attempts alone re- lieved this topic, and now 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 d^ree, 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 sa he reached the camp, Sir Edward proceeded to exa- mine, with a soldier's eye, every point and place within view. Of the American army nothing whatever could be perceived, except a corps of ob- ATTACK. 303 e servation, composed of five or six hundred mounted riflemen, which hovered along our front, and watched our motions. The town itself wa»(jGom- 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 vesseb 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- solved 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 26th 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 had taken effect. She was, in fact, on fire, and being abandoned without re- sistance in little more than an hour, she blew up. In itself the sight was a fine one, but to us it 304 ATTACK. was peculiarly gratifying, for we could not but ex- perience jsomething 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 precision, which falling upon her deck, caused considerable execution ; but, excepting this, she escaped without injury, and did not anchor again till she had got too far for pursuit. Slaving thus removed all aj^rept 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 95th, the 85th, the 93d, and one black corps; the right, of the 4th, 21st, 44th, and the other black corps. The aitill^y, of which we had now ten pieces in the field, though at present attached to the left column, was designed ATTACK. 305 to lu:t as circumstances aiid «the nature of the ground would permit; while the dragoons, few of whom Iiad 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 battery 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 l)ody fruro obtaining any sound or refreshing sleep. Scarcely had the troops lain down, 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 had once more addressed themselves to repose, the same cause of alarm returned, and they were again called to their ranks. Tims was the entire night spent in watch- 306 ATTACK. ing, or at best in broken and disturbed slumben^ than which nothing is more trying, both to the health and spirits of an army. With the piquets, again, it fared even worse. For the outposts of an army to sleep is at all times considered as a thing impossible ; but in modem and civilized warfare they are nevertheless looked npoDt in some degree^ as sacred. Thus, while two European armies remain inactively facing each other, the outposts of neither are molested, unless a direct attack upon the main body be intended ; nay, so far is this tacit good understanding carried, that I have myself beheld French and English sen- tinels not more than twenty yards apart. But the Americans entertained no such chivalric notions. An enemy was to them an enemy, whether alone, or in the midst of five thousand companions ; and they therefore counted the death of every indivi- dual as so much taken Arom the strength of the whole. In point of fact, they no doubt reasoned correctly, but to us at least it appeared an unge- nerous retuipn to barbarity. Whenever they could approach unperceived within proper distance of our watch fires, six or eight riflemen would fire amongst the party that sat round them, while one oru two, stealing as close to each sentinel as a regard Uhn their own safety would permit, acted the part of assassins rather th:m of soldiers, and attempted tOM murder them in cold blood. For the officers, like- MARCk. m Id lof ire lor Ito of ito w- wi^j whiefa goiiig iiieir rounds* they constantly lajr id #ait ; and thus, by* a continued dropping fi^, they not only wounded sbihe of thbse a^inst whom their aim was directed, but odbasibned con- siderable anxiety and uneasiness throu^out the whole line. ' Having continued thiis detestabte systiem of war- fare till towards morning, they retired, and left us at rest. But as soon as day began to break, our piquets were called in, and the troops fbrmed in order of attack. The right columti, uridbir G^h4ral Gibbs, took pdst niear the skiHs of the mbriass, throwing diii skirmishers hal^ way acrbss ihb ^lisdh, while the left cbliimh drew up upon the road co- vered by the rifle corps, which in extendeii Orde^ met the skirmishers fVom the other. With this last division went the artillery, already well sup- plied with hOrseS; and, at the signal given, the whole moved forwaird. '^ It was a cleai* frosty morning, the mists had dis- peiined, i^nd the sun shone brightly upon our arms when we began oiir march. The eneniy'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 hii main body, at what moment op- position might be expected. Nor, in truth, was it matter of much anxiety. Our spirits, in spite of the troubles of the night, were good, and our ex- x2 308 MARCH. pecta^ns of success were high; consequently many rude jests were bandied about, and many careless words spoken. For soldiers are, of aU classes of men, the freest fn»n care, and on that account, perhaps, the most happy. By being con- tinually exposed to it, danger with them ceases to be fHghtfiil; 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. t ''Moving on in this merry mood, we advanced about four or five miles without the smallest check or hindrance ; when, at length, we found ourselves in view of the enemy's army, 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 formidfdble. Upon the road, and at several other points were erected powerful batteries ; while the ship, with a laige flotilla of gun-boats, flanked Uie whole posi- ti6n from the river. (^ ^,^,j When I say that we came in s^ht 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, indeed, he was seen for some time, but on the left, a few Wi?.' ATTACK. 30d houses built at a turning in the road, entirely con> oealed him ; nor was it till they had gained that turning, and beheld the muzzles of his guns pointed towards them, that those who moved in this ctirec- tion were aware of their proximity to danger. But that danger was indeed near, they were quickly taught ; for scarcely had the head of the column passed the houses, when a deadly fire was opened from both the battery and the shipping. That the Americans are excellent shots, as well with artillery as with rifles, we have had frequent cause to ac- knowledge ; but, perhaps, on no occasion did they assert their claim to the title c^ good artillery-men more effectually than on the present. Scarce a bullet passed over, or fell short of its mark, but alt striking full into the midst of our ranks, occasioned terrible havoc. The shrieks of the wounded, there- fore, the crash of firelocks, and the fall of such as were killed, caused at first some little confusion ; and what added to the panic, was, that from the houses beside which we stood, bright flames sud- denly burst out. The Americans expecting this attack, had filled them with combustibles for the purpose; and directing one or two guns against them, loaded with red-hot shot, in an instant set them on fire. The scene was altogether very sublime. A tremendous cannonade mowed down our ranks, and deafened us with its roar; while w X 8 310 ATTACK. tviTQ li^i^v^faifiteaux and their outbuildings, abxnoet WtQ^ched ij|S> wi^h the flames, and blinded u« with the $ni;o)te w^h they emitted. T^e infentty, however, was not V>ng suffered to irentain thus exposed; but, being ordered to quit IbeiMith, and to form line in the fields, the artilleiy was brouglit up, and o{qK>sied to that of the Gsn^m^i 9ut tiie contest was in. every respect unequal, since titeir artillery &r exceeded ours, both in numerical strength and weight of metal. The consequence was, that in half an hour, two of our fields-pieces, and onie field-mortar, were dismounted; many of the gunners were kiUed; and the rest, after an in- effectual attempt to silence the fire of the lapping, were obliged to retire. b-^^i^ii* Aj*'?iitr. ' hk the mean* time, the infantry having formed line, advanced under a heavy discharge of r^nd and gmpe shot, tUl they were checked by the ap- pearance of the canal. Of its depth, they were of course ignorant, and to attjempt its passage without having ascertained \Kliether. it could he forded^ might have been productive bfi fatal consequences. A halt was therefore ordered, and the men wete commanded, to shelter themselves as well as they could from the enemy's fire For this purpose, they; were hurried into a wet ditch, of sufficient depth t6 cover the knees, whese, leaning forward, they concealed themselves behind some high '>»W> M^ >j;ji«u»': RETREAT. 311 lent ltd. rushes which grew upon its brink, and thus escape mstij bullets which fell round them in all directions. Thus fared it with the left of the army, while the right, thou^ less exposed to the cannonade, was not more successful' in its object. The same impediment which cheeked one column, fbrced the other likewise to pause; and after having driven in an advanced body of the enemy, and endeavoured, without effect, to penetrate through the marsh, it also was commanded to halt. In a; word, all thought of attacking was for this day abandoned ; and it now only remained to withdraw the troops from their present perilous situation, with as little loss as possible. The first thing to be done was to remove the dismounted guns. Upon this enterprize, a party of seamen was emplbyed, who, running forward to the spot where they lay, lifted them, in spite of iOie whole of the enemy's fire, and bore them off in triumph. As soon as this was effected, regiment after r^ment stole away ; not in a body, but one by one, under the same discharge which saluted their approach. But a retreat, thus conducted, necessarily occupied much time. Noon had there- fore long past, before the last corps w..^ brought off; and when we again began to muster, twilight was approaching. We did not, however, retire to our former position; but, having Men back only X 4 %. 312 PAUSE. about two miles from the canal, where it was mp- posed that we should be beyond reach of annoyance from the American artillery, we there established ourselves for the nigfatj having suffered less> during the day than, from our exposed ntuation, and the enemy's heavy fire, might have been expected. The ground which we now occupied resembled, in almost every particular, what we had quitted. We again extended across the plain,, from the marsh to the river; no wood, or cover of any description concealing our line, or obstructing the view of either army ; while, both in front and rear, was an open space, laid out in fields, and intersected by narrow ditches; Our outposts, however, were pushed forward to some houses within a few hun-^ dred yards of the enemy's works, sendikg out ad- vanced sentinels even ferther ; and the head-quarters of the army were established near the spot where the action of the 23d had been foughtw In this situation we remained inactive during the 28th, 29th> and 30th ; hut not so tbe enemy. Day and night we could observe numerous parties emplc^ed in strengthening his lines; while from the increased number of tents, which almost every hour might be discerned, it was evident that strong enforcements were continually pouring into his camp. Nor did he leave us totally unmolested. By giving to his guns a great d^ree of elevation, he contrived at last to. reach our bivouac ; and thus PREPARATIONS. 313 were we constantly under a cannonade which, though it did little execution, proved nevertheless extremely annoying. Besides this, he now began to erect batteries on the opposite bank of the river ; irom. which a flanking fire could be thrown across the entire front of his position. In short; he adopted every precaution which prudence could suggest, and for the reception o£ which, the nature of his post was so admirably^adapted. rounder these circumstances, it was evident that the longer an attack was delayed, the less Ukely was it to succeed ; that s(»nething must be done immediately evoy one perceived, but how to pro- ceed, was the difficulty. If we attempted to rtorm the American lines, we should expose ourselves to almost certain destruction from their artillery ; 1^ turn them, seemed to be impossiUe ; and to draw their troops by any manoeuvring ftom behind their entrenchments, was a thing altogeUier out of the question. There seemed, therefore, to be but one practicable mode of assault; which was, to treat; these field-works as one would treat a r^ular for- tification ; by erecting breaching batteries against, them, and silencing^ if it were possible^ at> least some of their guns. To this plan, therefi>re„ did our leader resort; and, in consequence^ the whole of these three days were employed in land- ing heavy cannon, bringing up ammunition, and. making such preparations as might have sufficed j for a si^e. . 314 PREPAUATIONS. , Ai lei^h^ iMving compieted lib anrangement^ uid provided' mob meaiifi as were conrideBed snffi* owot to ensure snccesA, deneral Pakenham deti9r<^ nuned to coninwiii» operations without dd«3r^-^ One half of the army was accordingly ordered out on the night of the 3l8t, and inarched to the fronts passing the piquete> and hAltuig about three hun- dred yardis from the enemy's line. Here it was resolved to thrr n 316 ATTACK. ■imiv ■ ^v^-a it-~A{i i£tfi«;'■gJJi'^»""^ 'T ■^!'^' ;:,;♦, ..<-,>*., LETTER XXII. bsm- ^A».iu... - ■o 7 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 peculiarly 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 ft»rward with great exactness. The different regiments were upon parade; and being dressed in hdiday suits» presented really a fine appearance. Mounted oiB* cers were riding backwards and forwards through the ranks, bands were playing, and cotours floadng^ in the air ; in a word, all seemed jollity and gala; when suddenly our batteries opened, and the hctt of affairs was instantly changed. The ranks were broken; the diflRerent corps dispersing, fled in att' direction':, while the utmost terror and disorder appeared, to prevail. Instead of nicely dressed' lines, nothing but conftised crowds could now br KplTREAT. 3i7 observed ; nor wfa it without much difficulty that order was finaUy restored. | , While tlus consternation prevaUed among the in- iantry, their artillery remained silent ; but as soon •8 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 ; tiU, towards evening, our ammunition b^;an to fail, and our fire in consequence to slacken. The .fire of the Americans, on the other band, 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, therefcre, were we obliged to rttir^, leaving our heavy guns to their fate ; but as no attempt, was made by the Americans to secune th^n, working parties were again sent out aftei' dark, and such as had not been destroyed, were removed. -*ui<[o^'M)t>j.rBtj ji/ • !»Uw^, u Of the fatigue undergone during these opera- tions by the whole army, from the General down to the mcAoest sentinel, it would, be difficult to fijrm Ml adequate conception.. For two whole nights and days, not a man had closed an eye. 816 PAUl^'Ei msept K^h as Hftte (6oiA Untia^ t&' Hkiep MiMst showers of cannon-baU ; «SA dU^tlg fh» ^, scarcely a ihomeht' hflid bei^b iHl^ed, ki Whfefk' we itiete fible so mueh as to bredk ov^ fiisf. W^Mf^ ti^^ Hhet^Tb, not oHly^ %iiB«d attd diiMt^tiOlntdl, biit hi soriae dqgR« dilh^Heiied ^iid disditil^ntetf. Att our plafiS. had as y^t i>i«Ved tlbttartivt^ ; ^^ei ^haM, upon which so nludi reKanc^ had' beeil phU»di was found tO' be of noaViul; and ii nitut *be corifeisc^, that something like munnuring began to be heard throi^h the camp. And, in thith, if ev^if an army hiight be permitted to murmiliv it was this. In landing, they had borH^ great hard- ships, not only without rd^ning^; but with cheer- fiilness ; their hopes had been excited by falife reports, as to the practicr^bility of the attempt ih irhi^h they were embarked ; and now they found themselves eittangled amidst diffidulties from #hich there appeared td be no escape, except by victDry. In thtir attempts upon the enemy's Une, ho^n^ei-, they had' been twibe foUtsd ; in ardOery, they perceived tfaem'selves so greatly OT<^atched, thtit theit own could hardly assist thsm ; their pro- visions being derived wholly from the fleet, were bvtth scanty and cdarse ; and thdir rest Was con- iihttiaiy'bh>kieii. For not dnly did the cannon and mortars flrom the main bf the enemy's posltioi^ play unremittingly upori them' both d«^ and nigh^t Ihit tftey were IfkewiM exposed t« a deadly fiit vAjuse, 3i9 firom theiopponte bank of the river, where no less than cagiiteen pieces of; artiUeiy were now mounted* and swept the entire line of our, en<»Ripment. Besides all this, to undertake the duty of a. piquet, was as dangerous as to go into action. Parties of American. sharp-«hootera harassed and disturbed those appointed to that service, from the time they took possesion of their post, till they were re^ lieved ; while to rhght fires ati night, was impossi^ Me, because th^ served but as certMU narks for the enemy's* gunners. I repeat, therefore;, that m little murniimng could not be wondered at. Be ib observ^d^ however, that these were not the mur- murs of men anxious to escape from a disagreeaUa situation by any means. On the cootrary, tiiey resembksd 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 wti«at«^ turn them on thtmielvet; while the remainder should at the '320 ATTACK. umie time make a general assault along the whole 'entrenchment. But befcnre 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 XSadline to the river, of sufficient width and dqith 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 ; vone party relieving another after a stated number w9f hours, in such order as that the work should mever be . entirely .deserted. . The Beitigue under- gone, during the prosecution of this, attempt, no words can suffiqiently describe ; yet it was pursued .without , repipingi and, at length, by unremitted -. '^ . .^ ^«?' .V' While these things w^ie going on, and men s minds were anxioualy turned towards approaching events, fresh spirits was given to the army by the miexpected arrival of Mlijor General Lambert, with tM 7th end 48d ; two fine battalions, mustering each eight hundred effective men. By this rehafbrcement, tog^her with the addition of a bodjr of sailors i|pd marines from the fleet, our numbers amounted now to little short of .eight thousand men ; a Ibrce W^ych* in ahnost any other quarter of America, would have been irresistiblei Of the numbers of the enemy, again,, various reports were in drcula- ATTACK. 321 tion ; some stating them at 23, and others at 30»000 ; but perhiq)s 1 may come nearer the truth, if I choose a middle course, and suppose their whole force to be about 26,0()0 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 •-'.' The canal, as I have stated^ being finished on the Gth, it was resolved to lose no time in making use of it. Boats were accordingly ordered up for the transportation of 1400 men ; and Colons Thornton with the 85th Reghnent, the marines, atid a party of sailors, was appointed to cross the river. But a number of ntitoward accidents occurred, to spoil a plan of operittions 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 heairiest of the boats fWmi getting for- ward. These again bloclnd up the paslulge, so that none of those which were behind, could pro- ceed, and thus, instead of a flodUa for the iuxom- modation of 1400 men, only a number of boats sufficient to contain 350 was enabled to rea^ih their destination. Bven these did not arrive at the time appointed. According to the preconcerted plan, Colonel Thornton s detachment was to drosi the river immediately after dark. They were to Y 322 ATTACK. push fotwttrdt so as to carry all the batteries, and ^iilt the. guns before dayUght; when, on the throwing up of a rocket* they were to coanmence 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 trooffi pttoi three columns. Sir Sdward directed, that General KJeane, at the head of the 95th, the lil^t companies of the 21st, 4th, and 44th, together tnlbh the tiwo- blac^k corps, should make a de^ mopttration, or diam attack upon the right; that Cleneral Gibbs with the 4th, 21st, 44th, and 93d, should force the enemy's left, while General Iiam- bert widi the 7th and 43d remained in reserve, ready to act as circumstances might require. But in storming an entrenched position, ■. something more than bare courage is required. Scaling lad- ders and fascines had, therefore, been prepared, witili which to fill 1^ the ditch a;>d mount the wall ; and s^ice to carry these was a service of danger, re- quiring a corps well worthy of dependence, the 44th was for that purpose selected, as a r^ment of sufficient numerical strength, and already accus- tonied to American warfare. Thus were all things arranged on the night of the 7th, for the 8th was fixed upon as the day decisive of the fate of New Orleans. ,^ ATTACK. 3da While the rest of the army, therefore, lay down to sleep till they should be rous^ up to fight, Cdoi-- nel Thornton with the 85th, and a corps of mariiiel and seamen, amounting in i^to 1400 meti, mov^ down tO' the brink of the river; As yet, hbweVer^ no boats had arrived; hour after hdUr elkp^ before they came; and when* th^y 'did d)me^ the" misfortunes which ^ I have stated' a^ve were d^' covered, for out of all ^hkt hiEui 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 ^ 4iis followenf, thb €okmel put himself at the head of his dwti regihietit, iibout fifty seamen, and as inany ' marlties, and ' Svith thii small force, consisting of no tnore than '340 m^eii, pushed off. But, unfortunately, the loss of timt nothing could repair. Instead of r^OChihg thi^ op* posite bank, at latest by midnight; dawn Wti^ beginning to appear before the boats quitted tlic^ canal. It was in vain that they rowed oh 'in pei^ feet silence, and with bars muiHed, gaitkSng tfk! point of debarkation without bdng p^6eiVM. It was in vain that they made good their liinding koA formed upon the beach, without -oppositiCn or alarm; day had already broke, and the signal rocket was seen in {he air, while they were yet four miles from the botterien, which ought hctan ago to have been taken. y2 324 ATTACK. In the mean time» tfae mfiin body armed and moved forward some way in front of the piquets... There they stood waiting for day-light, and lis- 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 de&ired its ap- pearance. Nor was Sir Edward Pakenham dis- )ii appointed in this part of his plan alone. Instead of perceiving every thing in readiness for the as- sault, he saw his troops in battle array, indeed, but not a ladder or fascine upon the fidd. The 44th» which was aj^inted to carry them, had either mis- understood or ne^ected their orders ; and now<~ headed the column of attack, without any means being provided for crossing the enemy's ditch, or scaling his rampart. The indignation of poor Pakenham on this occa- sion may be imagined, but cannot be described.. Galloping towards Colonel Mullens, who led the 44ith, he commanded him instaintly to return with his regiment for \he 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- fill fire was accordingly opened upon them, and they were mowed down by hundreds, while they stood waiting for orders. ATT * CK. 325 Seeing that all his weUrlaid plans were frnstvated^ Pakenham gave the word to advance, and the other regiments, leaving the 44th with the ladders and fudnes behind them, rushed on to the assault. On the left, a detachment of the 95th, 21st, and 4th, stormed a three gun battery and took it. Here thej 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 whicl^ they had taken was in advance of the body of the works, being cut off ^m it by a ditch, across which Only a single plank was thrown. Along this pl^k 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 recaptuifng it with, immense slaughter. Oh the right, again, the 21st and 4th being almost cut to pieces and thrown mta some conftision by thie enemy's fire, the 93d pushed on and took the lead. Hastening forward, our troops sobn reached the ditch ; but to scale the parapet without ladders was impossible. Some few, in- deed, by mounting one upon anothei^s shoulders, succeeded in entering the works, but thete were instintly overpowered, most of them kflled, and the rest taken ; while as many as stood without were exposed to a sweeping fire, which cut them down y3 326 ATTACK. by whole compames. It was in vain tbut the most obstinate, coiulage was displayed, Tbey fell by the hands 6f ntuen wfadm they alMolutely did not see; fin* the .Americans, without so much as lifting their fiu:es iabove the rampart, swung their firekx;ks by one arm over the wall, and discharged them .directly upon th»r heads. The whole of the gnnti, likewise, from the opposite bank, kiept: 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 Pakehham saw how things were gomg, and did all that a General cdiUd do to raUy his broken troops. Riding towards the 44th, which had returned to the ground, but in great disordw, he called out for Colonel MuUen&^ to advance ; but that officer had disappeared, and. was not to be fband. He,, therefore, prepared; .(to lead them oti himself; and had put himself at their head fior that pur^x>se, when he received a slight wound in the knee fbm 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 Mfeless into the arms of his .Idde- de-camp. Nor were Generals Gibbs and Keane lAactivei Riding through the ranks, they strioVe by all' means to encourage the ' assailants and- recall the iiigitivcs ; ATTACK. 327 ^ at length' both wer^ wounded, and bor^e off the field; AU was now confusion and dnsnia]r. Without leaders, ignorant of what was to be done, the troops first halted and then b^an to retise; till finaUy the retreat was changed into a flight, and they q[uitted the ground in the utmost' disorder. But the retreat was covered in gallant style by iht retferve. Making a forward motion, the 7th and 43d presented the appearance of a renewed attack; by Which the enemy were so much awedj that ihey did not venture beyond their lines in |>ur8uit of the fugitives. <3i^While affairs were thus disastrously conducted in thi^ quarter, the party under Colonel ThcMmtdn had gained the landing * place. On stepping a-shore, the first thing they beheld was a rocket llkrbwn up as a signal that* the battle was begun. This Unwelcome' %igfat add(^ wings to thdr speed. Forming in one little eolumn, and pushing for- ward a single company as an advanced guards they hastened on, and in half an hour reached a canal, along the opposite brink of which a detachi ment of Americans was drawn up. To dislodge them was the work of a moment : a boat with a car- ronade in her bow, got upon their flank; gave them li singte disehar^ of grape, while the advanced guurd extended its ranks, and approached at double quick time. But they scarcely waited till the latter were within range, when, firing a y 4 328 ATTACK. Volley, they fled in concision. This, howeref, was only an outpost. The main body was some way in reat, and limounted 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 Hack parapet with a ditch covering their froni; WhUe a battery upon theur left swept the wlKde ))Ositibn; and two field-pieces commanded the road. Of firtaUery, the ass&ilaiits possessed not a sia^e piecfe, nor any means, beyond what nature gave, of s6itfii% the i-ampart. Yet nothing daunted by the bbstades before them, or by the immense odds to Wliich they Were opposed, > 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 lliey attributed tb^ir losses, and refer you to the ftiturej whexk they hoped for an opportunity of revenge. To die Americans they would allow no credit, laying the entire blame of the failure upon certain ipidividuals among themselves; and so great was the indigniition expressed against one corps, that the soldiers of other n^ments would ' hardly ex- change words with those who chanced to wear that uniform. Though deeply afflicted, therefore, we were l^ no means disheartened, and even yet anti- cipated with an eagerness far exceeding what was fidtljefore, a renewal of the combat. "^ But General Lambert, on whom the chief com- mand had devolved, very pnidently detiermin«Hl not to risk the safety of his army by another at- tempt upon works evidently so much beyond their strength. He considered, and considered justly, PREPARATIONS f;OR RETREAT. aaa ^y» jfchat his chances of success were in every respect lessened by the late repulse. In the first place ran extraordinary d^free of confidence was given to the enemy ; in the next place the only feasible plan ei attack having been already tried^ they would be more on their guard to prevent its being again put in execution^ and lastly, bis own force was greatly di- minished in npmbers, while theu« contiiiued every day to increase. Besides, it would be castii^ 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 pTected. A retreat, therefore, while yet the measure appeared practicable, was resolved upon, and towards that end were all our future ope* rations 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 armament a suffici- ent number of boats to transport above one half of t' J 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- 336 PllEPARATlONS FOR RETREAT. oepted, and those left behind would be obliged to cope with the entire American force. Besides, even granting that the Americans might be repulsed, it woidd 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 impracticalnlity of the scheme. From firm ground to the water^s edge was here a distance of many mfles, through the very centre of a morass where human foot had never before trodden. Yet it was desiraMe 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. ^f^^^i^>f' Having determined to adopt this course, General Lambert immediately dispatched strong working parties, under the guidance of engineer officers, to lengthen the road, keeping as near 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 done, therefore, was to bind together lai^ge quantities of reeds, and lay -i' t>Il£PA RATIONS FOR RETREAT. 337 to to ed them across the quagmire; by which means, at least the semblance of a road was produced., how- ever wanting in firmness and solidity. But where broad ditches came in the way, many of which intersected the morass, the workmen were neces- sarily obliged to apply more durable materials. For these, bridges composed in part of lai^ branches brought with immense labour from the woods, were constructed ; but they were, on Hhe whole, little superior in point of sl^ngth 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, v'ere 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 sanoe mode of pro- ceeding was adopted in front, and thus, night and day were we harassed by danger against wbich 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 in the open air, and 2 . • 338 PREPARATIONS FOR RETREAT. some in huts made of boards, or any materials that could be procured. From the first moment of our landing, not a man had undressed excepting to bathe; and many had worn the same shirt for weeks together. Besides all this, heavy rains now set in, accompanied with violent storms of thunder and 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 outposts, again, there was constant skir- mishing. With what view the Americans wished to drive* them iii, I cannot tell ; but every day were they attacked, and compelled to maintain their 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 hardships which it endured, and the fatigue which it underwent. Nor were these the only evils which tended to lessen our numbers. To our soldiers every in- ducement was held out by the enemy to desert. Printed papers, offering lands and money as the price of desertion, were thrown in 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 be refused. Many desertions began daily to take place, and became before long so frequent, that the evil rose to be of a serious nature. PREPAUATIOS'S FOR RETREAT. 339 ie ie There occurred, however, one instance oF mag- nanimous fidelity, on the part of a British sdldier, which I cannot resist the inctination of repeatingi A private of the 95tib, whose name X should have joyftiUj mentioned had I not fbi^tten it, chanced one day to stand sentinel, when he was addressed by an American officer. The American offered him a hundred dollars and a quantity of land if he would come over ; representing, at the same time, the superiority of a democratical government, and railing, as these persons gene- rally do, against the title of king. Though the Englishman heprd what was said distinctly enough, he nevertheless pretended to be deaf, and be^ed his tempter to come a little nearer, that, in hi^ own words, " he might tell him all about it.^ Jonathan exulting at the prospect of drawing this fine fellow from his duty, apprbached 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 shot him through the arm. Nor was he contented with inflicting this punish- ment. Walking forward he seized his wounded enemy, and reproaching him with dishonourable dealings, brought him in a prisoner 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. In the mean time, the whole of the wounded, z2 340 RETREAT. except such as were too severely hurt to be re- moved, were embarked upon the canal, and sent off to the fleet. Next followed the ba^^iage and stores, with the civil officers, commissaries, purvey- ors, kc. 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 {Meces were mounted in front of the bivouac, and upon the bank of the river, no ac- count was taken. They were ship's guns, o£ little value, and extremdy cumbersome; consequently, their removal, hf^d it been practicable, would scarcely have rewarded the trouble. It was therefore de- termined to leave ihem behind; and they were accordingly permitted to retain their stations to the last. These preparations being continued for some days, on the 17th no iMu-t of our force remained in camp except the infantry. Having therefore de- -J^ed only till the abandoned guns were rendered unserviceable, on the evening of the 18th it also began its retreat. Trimlning 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 a rear-guard, but with strict injunctions not to retire ti!1 daylight began to appear. As may be supposed, the most profound siknce was maintained ; not a man open- MARCH* 34] ing his mouth, except to issue necessary orders, and even then speaking in a whisper. I^^ot a cough or any other noise was to be heard from the head to the rear of the ccdumn ; 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» ricans ; for we found them of late watchful and prying, whereas they had been formerly content to look only to themselves. For some time, th^t 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. JBeing con- . structed of materials so slight, and resting upon a foimdation 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 column 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 b(^ itself, which at first might have furnished a few spots of firm footing, was trodden into the consist- ency of mud. The consequence waa tbikt every z^3 342 MARCH. step sank us to the knees, and frequently higher. Near the ditches, indeed, many spots occurred which we had the utmost difficulty in crossing at •U ; and as the night was dark, there being no moon, nor any light except what the stars supplied, it was difficult to select our steps, or even to follow those who called to us that they were safe on tiie opposite side. At . one of these places I RTjrself beheld an unfortunate wreteh . gradually sink tM he totally disi^peared. I saw him floun- der in, heard his cry for help, and ran forward with the intention of saving him ; but before I had taken a second step I myself sank fit once as high as the breast. How I contrived to keep myself from smothering is more than 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 endeavouring to help the poor soldier, of whcHn nothing could now be seen except the head and hands, I was forced to b^ assistance for myself ; when a leathern canteen strap being thrown to me, I laid hold of it, and was draped out, just as my feUow sufferer became invisible. Over roads such as these did we continiM our Journey during the whde of the night ; and in tile morning reached a place cdled i^sherman's Huts, upon the margin of the lake. The name is derived from a dump of mud-built cottages, situ- ated in as comfdete a desert as the eye of man was HALT. 843 ever pained by beholding. They stand close to the water, upon a part of the morass rather' more firm than the rest. Not a tree or bush of any description grows near thein. As far as the eye could reach, a perfect ocean of reeds everywhere pre- sented itself, except on that side where a view of the lake changed without fertilizing the prospect. Were any set of human beings condemned to spend their lives h^%, I should consider th' ir fiite as little superior to that of the solitary captive ; but during many months of the year, these huts are wholly unoccupied, being erected, as their nanfc denotes, merely to shelter a few fishermen, while the fishing season lasts. Here at length we were ordered to halt; and perhaps I never rejoiced more sincerely at any order than at this. Wearied with my exertions, and oj^ressed with want of sleep, I threw myself on the ground without so much as pulling off my muddy garments; and in an instant all my cares and troubles were foi^^tten. Nor diil I wake from that deep slumber for many hours, when I rose cold and stiff, and creeping beside a miserable fire of reeds addressed myself to the last morsel of salt pork which my wallet contained. The whoki army had iiow come up, the piquets having escaiied without notice, or at least without annoyance : forming along the brink of the lake, a line of outposts was planted, and the soldiers were z4 344 HALT. ci)nimanded 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 (for 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 (ires, 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 witliout communicating any d^ree 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 fole 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 tliei'eTore necessary that they should reach the fleet and return again, before they could fUmish us with what we so much wanted. But the distance to the nearest of the shipping could not be less than eighty miles, and if the weather should become Ijoisterous, or the winds obstinately adverse, we might starve before any supply could arrive. HALT. 345 These numerous grievances, however, were without remedy, and we therefore bore themi with patience ; though for two wliole days the only provisions issued to the troops were some crumbs of biscuit and a small allowance of rum. For my own part I did not fare so badly as many others. Having been always fond of shooting, I took a fire-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, anc^ waited for my prey ; nor was it long before I hau 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 not 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 fbr a hungry man to endure ; the day was pier* cingly cold, and the edge of the pool was covei'ed 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 aspin leaf, I re- 346 HALT. turned safel/ 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 stockirrr ; 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 fine cotton and woollen hose, this misfortune of mine may appear light, but to me, who had only two stock- ings on shore, the loss of one was very grievous ; aud I therefore request that I may not be sneered at, when I record it as one ^f the disastrous conse- quences of this ill-fated expedition. THE LAKE. 347 \i LETTER XXIV. As soon as the boats returned, regiinent after re- giment embarked, and set sail for the fleet ; but the distance being considerable, and the wind foul, many days elapsed before the whole could be got oif. Excepting in one trifling instance, however, no accident occur; ad, and by the end of the month, we were all once more on board our former -ships. But our return was far from triumphant. We, who only seven weeks ago had set out in the surest confidence of glory, and, I may add, of emo- lument, were brought back dispiiited and dejected. Our ranks were wofully thinned, our chiefs slain, our clothing tattered and filthy, and even our dis- cipline in some degree injured. A gloomy sUence reigned throughout the 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 sighted- ness of human hope, and human prudence. The accident to which I allude, was the capture of a single boat by the enemy. About thirty men of the 14th dragoons having crowded into an un- armed barge, were proceeding slowly down the 348 th£ lake. lake, when a boat mounting a carronade in its bow, suddenly darted from a creek, and made to- wards them. To ? ^^ape, was impossible ; for their barge was too hea 'i?' laden to move at a rate of even moderate ra^ di.,/; and to fight, was equally out of the question, because of the superiority which their cannon gave to the Americans. The whole party was accordingly compelled to sur- render to six men and an officer ; and having thrown their arms into the lake, their boat was taken in tow, and they were carried away pri- soners. This, howeveir, 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 conoiderable reinforcement of troops had arrived from England. It consisted of the 40th Foot, a fine r^ment, con- taining nearly a thousand men, which, ignorant of the fatal ir^ue 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 no rejoidiig 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 Completdy 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 few faces besides those of their parents and brother. Their cottage, composed simply of a few boughs, thatched and in-woven with straw, is beau- tifully situated within a short distance of the water. Two cows, and a few sheep grazed !3csid«i it, while a small tract of ground cov&red with stubble, and a little garden well stocked with fruit- 350 PAUSE. trees and vegetables, at once gave proof of their in- dustry, and showed the source from wheiu^e they supplied themselves mth bread. It may appear childish, but I confess that tlii^ sight of domestic peace flom-ishiag, as it were, in the midst [of wars and tumults, extremely delighted me. WhUe we continued at anchor, therefore^ I paid frequent visits to this cottagts and forming a sort of acquaintance with the old man, soon pos* sessed myself of his little history. He had end- grated 'Toin iSpain ntany years ago, and married in America. Having been unsuccessM in business, he had sav^id from the wreck of his property only enougli to hire labourers, by whose assistance his present . cottage was erected, and his little farm cleared; when, with his wife and three children, then very young, he had withdrawn from society, and settled himself here, where he had remained ever since. Once a yeJEur, he or his son visited the main to sell their wool, and purchase such neces^ saries as their i^nd could not produce ; but ex- cepting on these occasions^ or when a fishing-boat arrived in his bay, which rarely occurred, he had had no intercourse with any human being, besides his own ikmily, for a great lapse of time. As may tje imagined, I found this tribe as simple in their ideas as in their mode of living. Of reading and writing all except the patriarch himself were igno- rant, nor did they seem to waste a thought upon ai b( AT SEA. 351 any subject not immediately connected with their bodily wants. They professed, indeed, to be Christians, and would have been probably shbdked, had I questioned their claim to sound Catholicism^ though I much doubt whether they in the slightest d^ee understood the meaning of either term. Having remained here till the 7th, we again took advantage of a fair wind, and stood to sea. As soon as we had cleared the lake, we directed our course towards the east, steering, as it was ru- moured, upon Mobile; nor was it long before we came in sight of the bay which bears that name. This is formed by a projecting head-land, called Point Bayo, in a large island called Isle Dauphin. Upon the first is erected a small fort, possessing the same title with the promontory, which commands the entrance ; for though the island is at leaat five miles from the main, there is no water for floating a ship of any burthen, except within a few hundred yards of the latter. The island is, like Cat Island, uninhabited, except by one family, and unprovided with any works of defence. As the attack of Mobile was professedly our ob- ject, it was clear that nothing could be done pre< vious to the reduction of the fort. The ships ac- cordingly dropped anchor at the mouth of the bay, and immediate preparations were made for the siege. But the fort was too inconsiderable in point of size to require the employment of all our 352 8IEaE. forces in its investment. While one brigade, there- fore, was allotted to this service, the rest proceeded to estaUish themselves on the island, where, carrying tents and other conveniences on shore, the first regu- lar encampment which we had seen since our arrival in this hemisphere was formed. The spot of ground, of which we had now taken possession, extended twelve miles in length, and from one to three in width. Its soil is in general dry and sandy, well covered with grass^ and orna- mented by continued groves of pine, cedar, oak and laurel. On one side only is there a swamp, but not of sufficieQt size to contaminate the atmosphere of the whole, which is considered so peculiarly healthy, that the place is gene^rally used as a depot for the sick in the American army. At present, as I have said, it was tenanted by no more than a single family, the master qf which was i^ n^dship- man in the American navy, and banished hither for some misdemeanour ; but what was to us of much greater importance, it was likewise stocked with cattle resembling in appearance the black cattle of the highlands of Scotland, and not behind them in point of wildness. . While the remainder of the u'my spent their time here, the 4th, 2 1st and 44th, being landed above the , fort, were busied in the siege. This small work stands, as I have stated, at the extre- mity of a promontory. Towards the sea, its forti- PEACE. 35a fications are respectable enough, but on tlie land- side it is little better. than.u block-house. The ram- parts being composed of' sand, not more than three, feet in thickness, and faced with, plank, are hardy cannourproof ; wlule. a sand-hill rising within pis^ td-shot , of the ditch, completely commands it. M^thin, again, it is as much wanting in accommoda- tion as it is in strength. There are no bomb-proof barracks, nor any hole or arch under which men might find protection from shells; indeed^ so defi- cient is it in common lodging rooms, that great part of the garrison slept in tents. To reduce this place, therefore, occupied but a short time. The troops having assembled on the 8th, drove the enemy's within their lines on the 9th, and broke ground the same evening. On the 10th, four ei|^teen pounders with two howitzers were placed in battery upon the top of the sand-hill; on the 11th,. the fort surrendered; and on the 12th, the garrison, consisting of 400 men of the second Ame- rican regiment, marched out with all the honours of war, and laid down their arms upon the glacis. With the reduction of thb trifling work ended all hostilities in thb quarter of America, fcH* the army had scarcdy re-assembled, when intelligence arrived from England of peace. The news reached us on the 14th, and I shall not deny that it was re? ceived with much sati^ction. Though war is the soldier's harvest, yet it must be confessed, that A A 354 PEACE. When citifrfed dik as H; bad of late beeh coitdtict6^^ it id a harvest of #1iicii men sotfn beoo^ 'Wksarfi aUd many 6f vm haviti^ beetif absent ib^ ievkinSl fe&K from Our ni^6 shores, experieneed absohiie ddlght at tKii prbs^iect df returning once idor^ tt^ the bosdiii of our famiKcls. The OomiMunicatidti yras th^reibr^ welcomM #tth unflbigned joyj nOt could fttiy other topic of cOnvorsfition gaiti atten-t tion throughout the camp, except the anticipated re-6mbarkation. But as the prisliminaries only had been signed^ and af( Mh Maddisoh's approval was required before we should bie at liberty to depart, our army still continued stationary upon the island. Of the President s conduct, however, no doubts were ehi tertained, and all thoughts df future military ope- i*ations ^ere in cohsequlence laid aside; The sOl^ aihi of every iiidividuid was theniceforth td niaki^ hirhsel^ as coinfortable as circiimstances would permit, during his sojourh in thiis wildlehiess. To Effect this end variou^ expedients i^erie adopted. Among others, a theatre was erected, in which such officers as cho^ to exhibit performied foir their own amusement, and the athus6ment of their ftiiehds. In shootmg and fishing, likewise, liauch of our time was spent; and thus, by ddbpting the iisiifd expedients of idle ihien, we contHved to pilss isOme dayft ih fi state of tolerable comfokl. Occupations such as these, however, soon grew in- "^m PCACX^ 9fia we. heard. Mv« Maddisoii's ags^vmu%, to th^ term* proposed qn the 5th Mfirch pfonnMcated. All w«# now hope and exidtatiop^ an immfidiate departure was anticipated, and those were pitied aa imfortur nate whose lot, it was supposed* nught detain them even a day behind their felbws. But as yet no movement took place ; our provisions, were not suQicient to authorise the undertaking so long a voyage as we must undertake, did we attempt to run for the nearest British settlement; we were therefore forced to remain where we were, till a frigate should return, which had been sent forr ward to solicit supplies from the governor of Cuba, During this interval, the same occupations were resorted to ; aqd others of a less agreeable na^ ture undertaken. As summer came on, the island MUt forth multitudes of snakes from their lurking^ places, which infested the camp, making their wi^ in s^ne instances into qu^ very beds. This was bad enou^, but it was not the only nuisance to which we were subject. The alligators*, which during the winter months lie in a dormant state, now b^an to awake, and prowling about the mar- gin of the pool, created no UtUe alarm and agita- tion. Apparently confounded at our invasion of their territories, these monsters at first confined themsi^ves to t^ marshy pciit of the island, but A a2 356 tEAce, becoming by degrees mote famiUar, they soon ven- tured to approach the very precincts of the camp; Ofne of them at length entered a tent/in whidi only a woman and a child chanced to be, and hav- ing stared round as if in amazement, walked out again without offering to commit any violence. But the visit was of too serious a nature to be overlooked. Parties were now formed for th&st destruction, and it was usual on their return, in- stead of asking how many birds, to demand how many snakes and alligators they had shot. Of the former, indeed, great numbers Were killed, and of the latter not a few, the lai^est of wHidi measured kbout nine feet from the snout to the tail. 'Another employment, also, deserves to be noted, because it is truly characteristic of the boyish joUity of young soldiers. Wearied with a state of idlenesff, the officers of the 7th, 43cl, and ]4tii dragoons made an attack with fir-apples upon those of the 85th, 9dd, and d5th. For the space of some dajrs they pelted each other, from morning till i%ht> laying ambuscades, and exhibiting, on a vmali scale, all the stratagems of war; while the Whole anriy, not even excepting the Generab then^ves, stood by and spmrred them oti^ f W; '=:r; rv But to continue a detail of such proceedings would only swell my narrative, without amusing you ; I shall therefore content mysdf with ob- serving, that things remained in this state till HAVANNAIf. 357 ■th6 14th of March, when the loiig4oolced fpr fri- gate at length arrived; and oo the, 15th> the first division of the army embarking, setsaU fbr Eng- land. The wind, however, was foul, nor did t)ie ships make any way till the 17th^ when a fresh breeze springing up, we stood our course, andr by ten o'clock on the 21st, could distinguish the high land of Cuba. But the violence of the gale having driven us considerably to leeward, we were forced to bear up, and beat along the coast, on which account it was not till the 23d that we came opposite to the port of Havannah. Than the approach to this city, and its first ap- pearance frt>m the water, it is impossible to con(»e|ve any thing more grand mid imposing. A little bay, extremely narrow at the entrance, forms the har- bour. . On each side of it stand forts of prpdigious strength, particularly those on the left, where the ground is considerably elevated, whUe the city Jtsdf w^ith its ramparts and towers, its. numerous steeples* : spires, aqd public Jbufldings, giyes im i assurance of wealth and magmfioence peculiarly striking. When we entered, every towerVwas sujr- moimted by a national banner half mast higlv a circumstance which at least ^d not diminish , the effect of a first view ; and the guns from the forts ^.answering our salute, showed us how desperate must be the condition of an enemy that should venture within their range. Why the flags should aa3 358 HAV/'^AW. th^d ijid^cate a general moarnfing, ^e were at a losb t6 gtKe^^, fiU the jiilot informed ns thai this was holf i week. Then, indeed, we Temembered that we had rfetiAlJed to a Homan Catholic country, amd rejoiced at iihe lucky accident which had brought us thither &t such a season. As it was late befbine we anchored, I was pre- vent^ &6m landing thiit night; but on the mor- row I wetit on shdre at an eavly 'hour, with the itit playing slow f^id solenui i^usic; next came a guard of soldiers, with heads bent down, and arms reversed ; ^en fo^owed about ,two hundred Monks l^onging to diffei^ent orders, arrayed in their dark robes, with Jiands anct feet bare, and crucifixes sus- pended from ttheir necks. A short interval now succeeded, and another party of Monks dressed in white, appeared, singing hymns in honour of the Virgin, ^ext came a splendid couch surmounted by a canopy, covered with white silk, and E^>arkling with gold and jewels, xk^^n wl^ich sat a waxen image of the Mother of God, clothed in gorgeous epparel. Following this was another party of white-robed Monks, chaunting a requiem for a departed soul, and then a second interval. At the distance of perhaps twenty yards from these came two Monks bearing two large silver nails, then two others bee?- ing a spear and a rod, and then the body of our Saviour, stretched at full len^h upon the bier. After the bier came two Monks bearing two other nails, and then other two bearing a small cross and a ladder. Here, again, there was another interval, which was succeeded by a third white-robed party likewise chaunting a requiem. Next to these came about twenty canons arrayed in scarlet ; then ano- ther couch covered with crimson velvet, which sup- ported a figure of Mary Magdalen, likewise i^ a sitting posture ; Uien a second body of canons, sue* A A 4 i| -HAVANNAH. cefeded by about two hundred Monks in black ; after these, another guard of soldiers, and last of all a ise- cond militarj band. In spite of prejudice, I could not avoid being -deeply struck by this solemn procession. The airs performfed brfr the bands were slow sind moumfiil, the voices of the singers were d'^ep and musical, the 'di'csses ^ere rich to a d^reC of splendour, and ^h*» whole was gone through with much apparent devo- tion. No doubt, when regarded with the eyie of inflection, the whole may seem something worse than ludicrous, but it is impossible to witness this scene, and to ivai^on on its propriety at the same -time. As long as the pageant is before your eydi, ydu are lost in wonder, and a species of aWe ; nor h it till after it has disappeared, that you are in- dined to ask yourself why you gave way to feel- ings of that nature. Yet, among the natives, I thought I could observe a considerable degree of levity. It is true, that as many as were in the streets, or at the windows, dropped upon their knees while the procession passed, but their care- less looks and suppressed smiles sufficiently proved, that they knelt only because they were obliged to kneel. ' * Commencing at the door of the church wher^ the repretentation of the crucifixion had been exhi- bitM, the ftineral party (for it was neither rnore nor less) proceeded through the principal streets HAVANXAH. 361 in the town, with a slow and measiired pace. As .Jdl except the soldiers walked two and two, it co- vered, I should conceive, little less than a mile in extent, and after winding from lane to lane, and from square to square, directed its steps towards a particular convent, where tlie waxen image was solemnly deposited in a vault. It is said, but with fWhat 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 ihem 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 route and in the same order as they had proceeded, only the bands struck up lively airs, and the singers ohaunted hymns of rejoicing and hnUclujahs. Instead of walking at a slow pace, likewise, they i/^pped out almost in a sort of dance, and reaching vhe door of the great church, thfey there separated, eacli party hastening to its own house to celebrate mass. Into one or two of the convent chapels I like- wise entered, and was present during the peiform' ance of their very striking service. I found vhem ornamented in the most magnificent manner; the rafters of many being gilded over, and all the win- dows crowded with stained glass. Of pictures, and what struck me as something better than mere J Mi HA VAN NAM. daubs, there were also great numbers. In a word, it seemed as if I had reached the heart and capital of JElomui Catholic splendour. Nothing that I had vbdheld in the mother country .could at all compare with what was now ibefore me, and I returned in the evening to my ship, not indeed a convert to the principles of that religion, but decidedly astonished and confounded at the solemn magnificence of its ceremonies. HAVA.NNAH. 368 LETTEK XXV. . At an early hour next morning I returned to the city, and found that the face of affairs had under- gone a complete revolution. No more melancholy countenances, no closed shops and vacant streets were now to be seen ; all was bustle and rejoicing, bells ringing, carriages rattling along, flags flying, and guns firing. The solemnity of Good-Friday ends, it appeared, at ten o'clock on Saturday morn- ing ; and from that time the merriments of Easter have their commencement. The whole of this day I spent in strolling over the different 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 magnificent colonial capital I have visited. The streets are iti general wide, clean, and airy; the houses, except in the suburbs, are composed entirely of stone, and being occasionally intermingled with convents, churches, and other public buildings, produce a very striking and hand- some efTeCv. Though surrounded by a rampart, Havannah has little of the coilfined and straight- ened Appearance by which fortified towns are 364 HAVANNAH. generally disfigured. The works beiog of great extent, have left within their circumference abtm-r dant room for the display of elegance and neatness in its construction, an advantage which has not been n^lected; 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 of the promontory where the city stands ; numerous fields of sugar- cane and Indian corn succeed, intersected by groves of orange anH other firuit trees, which ex- tend for some miles in a soit of inclined plane, and are at length bounded by lofty and nigged moun- tains. On your left again is the creek or entrance to the bay, separating you from the Moro, a line of castles remarkable for their strength and extent. Behind sweep the waters of the Gulf of Mexico ; and on the right is another view mudi resembling that which lies befor3 you, only that it is more narrowed; the I't^ v.rovmd bearing in this direc- tion doMT upon the city. Or iie whole, I do not jwmember to lk.ve been more forcibly struck by anjr 8c«nery, than that which I beheld from tins bastion; so well were town and country, casdet and convents, land and water, hill and valley combined. ■^ HAVANKAH. 365 ' s Having spent some hours in wandering through the city, I endeavoured to make my way into the forts, and to examine the state of the works. But in both of these attempts I was interrupted. Without an order from the Governor, I was infwm-r ed, none, even of the natives, are permitted to enter the Moro, and all applications on the part of foreigners, are uniformly refused. There was a degree of jealousy in this, as neiedless as it was illi- beral, hut indeed the whole conduct of the Spanish authorities gave proof of their reluctance to admit their old allies, even to the common rites of hospi- tality. From the moment we entered the harbour the militia of the island were called out, many of the guns which commanded our shipping were shotted, and artillerymen with lighted fuses, stood constantly beside them. An order was likewise issued, prohibiting niore Uian two persons to land at the same time from each vessel, and many other precautions were taken, little coraplimentaiy to the good faith of those, to whom Spain must feel that she owes her very existence. In spite of these drawbacks, however, I contrived to spend a week in this city with much satisfaction. The Opera and Theatre opening on Easter Sunday, and con- tinuing open during the remainder of our stay, fur- nished sufficient amuw'^ment tor the evenings, while in walking or riding about, ii)^, examining the different churctM^s and chapels, and in chatting .V ^y-i 360 AT SEA. with naoB through the grate, or monks within their oeQs, my mornings passed away more qack^ib^ than I desired. At length, our victualling and watering being complete, on the 9th of April we bade adieu to the shores of Cuba, and running along with the gulf, stream, took our course towards Bermuda. The wind favoured us greatly, and on -the 17th we again reached these islands ; where we delajred tiU the 23d, when cmoe more setting sail, we; steered directly &fr En^nd. During the remainder of tl^ voyage nothing of importance occurred till the 7th of May, when reaching in towards the shores of Brest, we were astonished by beholding the tri-coloured flag floating from the citadel. Of the mighty events which had taken place in Europe, we were as yet in perfect ignorance. Though surprised, therefore, at the first view of that beacon of w ar, we nativally concluded it to he no more than a signal, and passed on without enquiry. As we ascended the channel, however, we were hailed by a schooner which professed to communicate some news concerning Buonaparte; but the wind being high, we could not distinctly tdi what was said ; nor was it till the 9th, when we had anchored off Spit-faiad. that the re-appear- «9ce of that wonderful man was made known. The eiect of this inttiKgence it wcttki be difli- cult to describe. At first it was received with REMARKS. 36T acckittiflitioii^, httt hy and hft theie wbo httd Cbiteamed of heme b^fgto to jierceive in it the de-* stnictidn of their visioiis. Yet we tonsidereci that we were sddiers, and certainly no regfret was ex- perienced when we wete ofderied to re-'embefk» and sadl for the Downs^ Having thus brought my narrative to a coochi- sioAj I catinot laj aside my pen without offeriiig a few remarks upon the events of this bu^ year, and the tiattire of ttn American war in general. In doing sd^ I shall begin with the unfortunEte attack upon N6w Orleans, and etideavonr, in m few wolds as possible, to assign the true omtm» of its failure. From the account which I have given of thb afikir, it will appear that frium it« veff commence- ment it. was replete with error, and gave promise of no bettei* result than actually occurred. I do not here allude to the spoi iixed upon for landing, because that was as appropriate as could be oliOiank Neither do I aMude to tbe groundless rainoars brought in by dewrters ; ibr to such eXL MfAilants are Hable ; but tl^ error lay in the steps lufaiequently adopted ; in tke unhappy advance of *he first di- vision from a place of concealment into the open country, without pushing forward to the extent required. The fact is, that having reached the • main land in safety, one out of two plans might have been selected by Gen^pal Keane ; which, in 36^8 llfiAIARKS., all probability, wovHd have been equally tdiien^ied., -with success. Either he might have remaintid Id. the nKvass till the whole army was assembled ; or id this was deemed dangerous, he ought to have ad- vancjed upon the city, with the first division alone^ If it be objected, that a force of 1,600 men was incompetent for an undertaking so hazardous as the latter, I reply that there could be no more hazard in it than in the step which was taken. New Orleans is not a regular fortification, .requir- ing a large army, and a powerful battering train for its reduction. In obtaining possession of it. there would hdve been no difficulty, because I have every reason to believe that the American troops really were, at the time of our landing, some miles above the city ; and surely it would not have been more bard to repulse an attack within a town, than in the o^:«;n country. But neither of these courses was pursued. The advance was withdrawn from concealment, aud intelligence of the point threat- ened, communicated to the American general ; the consequence of which was a well-directed attack upon our bivouac, and an immediate commence- ment of those works which afterwards resisted and repelled all our efforts. The second error evident in this business, was the selection of the schooner instead of the ship for destruction. Had the latter, which lay fartiiier * up the stream, been destroyed, it is dear that the mmmmmtin UE^&JAAKSi. 36^ le former never could Jiave^paa^ed o^r bnU^ty; noi? been of farther annoyance to us; whereas, the iduibner being burnt, the ^h^ wasr only removed out of ^e reach of danger, . and posted m^heUe 9h€ couktbe inficiitely more adraada^eous to hef'fipkndi; sttd^ detrimental to her enemies. sm itself was a fAtal error, andb^ondiidl dc ^p^ribut^i in a very great degiee, to the repu le 29th of December. The third error, and one which continued to exert its influence throi^hout the whole campaigti, was the delay in bringing on a general $ctift»i^ yVhy imr troops fell back upon the 2dtb, | confess ii to m^ a mystery. Ji was not to be supposed that an officer who had shown so much ju<%mea&t as the American Genend, Jackson, displayed in his first endeavours to check an advance, would lose the &d«> vantag^ which the nature ^f his position afforded. ^That he woidd fortify the, neck of laad^ indeed, ivas exactly what must have been expected ; and, there- fore, every hour during which an attack was de- ferred, contributed so much to his strength and to our weakness. It is true that we should have suffered, and i^robably suffered sev^r^ly; but un- questionably our chance of suffering were ,QOt diminished by delay. We ought, therefore^ Inr stead of fklling back^ to hiave pursued our rOfie- rations with vigour on that day ; because the American lines were not then tenable, and fi B IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 ■tt lU |22 bo 12.0 HI U iniaBi^s iinii IJi& U 1 1.6 ^ ^ ^ $1^ >v.> V^> /; 1 • |]fl*^lrS)l ■■%> ScMioes Carparatkm ai WMT MAM STMIT WIUTM.N.V. I4SM (71«)l71-4a01 <\ 370 REMAHKS. would have asnsted, rather than retarded our pro- gress. Having once retired, however, and wasted three days in idleness, no other Uame can be laid upon the leader of the expedition. His attempt to si- lence the enemy's guns was unsuccessful, add 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 aniiwerable. Against the falling in of the canal, no prudence could provide ; and to the loss of time thereby occasioned, the fataf issue of the decisive battle may in some measure be as- cribed. It must, however, be confessed, that this sad calamity was not wholly occasioned by unavoil- aUe accidents. For the conduct of Colonel Mul- lens, and the 44th Regiment under his commim^, no excuse can be offered. When I include that corps in the censure bestowed upon its comman-r der, it is evident that I do so only as one would Uame schoolboys for deficiency of learning, whose master was unfit for hu office. Unless a leader understand his duty, it is not possible that fi regi- ment can conduct itself with propriety; ff^d' as the 44th was as much composed of British soldiers mBSSm REMARKfl. 371 ler as in as anj battalion in America, no doubt cani be enter- tained but that, had it been diiferentlj cominanded, it WQuld have made a different figuje 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 r^ment to beieir 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 'tde 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 coult'i to the flront ; 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 officer, ihould fall into conftision cannot dccasion any surprise; and therefore the subsequent disorderly advance and hasty retreat of the 44th, were no more than might have been expected. It may here be asked, whether, providied all bb2 372 BEMARKS. things bad gone right on this side of the river, pro- vided the 44th had done its duty, and the ladders and fascines had been property brought ilp, the delay in canying the batteries on the opposite dde would not alone have occasioned a defeat. This must of course remain as a matter of doubt ; but ihy own private opinion is that it would not Had the fascines been at hand to cast into the ditch, and the ladders to plant against the rampart as soon as day-li^t appeared, I conceive that the battle would have ended in favour of the assailants ; but as this was^ not the case, as the army waiB under fire before these implements were so much as sought for, it is no wonder that victory delated f6r 'the Americans. To plant ladders and fkscitt^ in open day, and under a heavy dischai^ of tnus^ ketry and artillery^ requires much coolness and determination, neither of which was evinced 1^ the corps to which that duty was assigned: fbi^ being deserted by their leader, ond ighdrant of th^ point whither they were to ^, the iol- diera loit> their ranks, and advAiceu or retr^at^ as their individual fitelings ur^ tlieni, edVcfring the field with tHMe very machines which they onght to have icarriedto the foot of the rflmpiuts. 7ht consequence