The National Register.
London, England, 1815-03-12 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER:

lion, to epee it info the Mississippi, by which nerves triple e add
be got over to the right bank, and the co-operation of the' armed •
boats could be secured.
The dispositiass for the attack wet as follows a corps consistieg
of the 88th light infantry. two hundred seamen,. and four launched
marines, the sth West India regiment, and four piece- of artillery,
ender the command of Colonel Thornton, of the Kali, was to pass
over durites, the night, and move along the tight batik towards New
Orleans,e y outlasteleariyz side, which
until' it tenched the flanking battery of
the e
which it had orders to carry.
The assailing of the enemy's lines in front of es, was to be made
by the brigade composed of the 4'h, !tat, and 4-1•11 regimetits, with
three companies of the_9sol, under Major General Gibbs. out] by
the 3.1 leigade, consisting of the 93d. two comithnirs of the
and two companies of the resilient, and 43d under Major General
lieane ; some black troops were destined to skirmish in the wood on
the right ; the principal attack was to be made by Major-Gentral
Gibbs ; the first brigade, consisting of the fusiliers and 43.1, funned
the reserve ; the attacking coltimns were to be provide.. with
twines, scaling Wider* and rafts, the whole to be at their etations
before (ley-light. An advanced battery in our front of six eighteen.
ponielers, was thrown. up during the night, about eight hundred
yards from the enensy's line. The attack was to he made at the
earliest hour.—Unlooked for difficulties, itteseased by the feline of
the river, occasioned considerable delay in the entrance of the armed
boats, and those destined to land Colonel Thornton's corps. by
%%hid, four or five Weirs were lost. and it was not until past five in
tl.e morning, that the Ist division, consisting of five hundr. d men,
were over. The mcntide of the general movement waslost, and in
a point which was of the last importance to the attack on the left
hank of the river, although Colonel Thornton, as your Lordship %%ill
see use his report, which I enclose, ably executed in every particu-
lar Ilia insto tietions, and fully justified
.the contidetice the Com-
mander of the Forces placed in his abilities. The delay attending
that corps occasioned some on.the left bank. and the attack did nut
take place until the columns were discertiable from the etterny'a line
at more than two ItundrerVyards distance ; as they advanced, a most
calling tile was opened from every, part of their Hue, and from the
battery on the right bank.
The brave Commander of the Forces, who never in his life could
ref-air from being at the post of honour, and stoat:big the danger to
which the troops were exposed, as soon as from his station be had
made the signal for the troops to advance, galloped on to the front
to animate them by his presence. and he wits seen, with his bat off,
encouraging them on the crest of the glacis ; it was there (almost at
the same time) be received two wounds, one in his knee, and ano-
ther, which was almost instantly fatal, in his body ; be fell in the
arms of Major I%l'l)ongalt Aid de-Camp. The effect of this iii
the sight of the troops, together with Maior-Gencrol Gibbs and
11lejor-General Keane being both Ism one oft wounded .at the same
time, with many other commanding officers sad farther. the pre-
paration* to aidsio et ossiog the ditch not being so forward as they
onelit to have been, finite perhaps, the men being wounded who
%rem catrying them. caused a wavering in the Memo. which in
such a situation became irreparable ; and as I advanced with the
reserve, at about two hundred and fitly yards from the line.-I had
the mortificatiett to observe the whole falling back upon nneiWthe
greatest confusi-in.
in this situation, finding that no impression had been made. that
Oliveth many men liatl reached the ditch, and were either drowned
or obliged to stii &miler, aril that it was impoeitilde to ,estorc enter
in the reoimi.iila wlicre Iltey wore. I itlaced the reserve in position,
until I esmid obtain such a' to determine me how to art
to the best of my judgement. easel whether or nut I should resume
the attack, and it so, I tilt it could only he (lone by the reserve.
'Die confidence I have in the corps composing it would have m-
eow-sited me greatly, though not without loss. which might have
made the attempt of serious consequence, as I know it oas the oiti-
Ilion of the late di4tisignislied Canimaiiiier of the Force-, that the
carrying of the first line would not be the least arduous set vied.
After making the best reflections I was capable at', I kept the
the troops then held, awl went to meet Vice-Admiral Sir
Alexander Cochrane, and to tell him, that under all the eirenm-
stances I did not think it prudent to renew the attack that day.
At about ten o'clock I learnt of the iiIIeCPAR of Colonel Thortiton's
corps on the right hank. I sent the Commanding officer of the
nrtilllery, Colonel Dickson, to examine the situation of the battery
and to report if it was tenable ; hut it forming one that he (lid not
think it could be held with security by a smaller. corps than too
thousand men. I consequently ordered Lieutenant Colonel Glop.
bins, on oi one the command had devolved (Colonel 'Thornton be-
ing wounded), to retire.

_ ~E. r

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The army remained in position until night in order to gain time
to destroy the eighteen-pounder battery we lad constructed the
preceding night in advance. I then gave orders for the troops re-
suming the ground they of copied previous to the attack.
Our log has been very severe, but I trust it will not be considered,
netwithstinding the failure, that this army Was iniffeted the military
character to-be tarnished. lam satisfied, had I thought it right to
renew the attack, that the troops would have advanced with cheer-
fidness. The services of both army and navy, since their landing
on this coast, have been arduous beyond any thing I ever witnessed,
and difficulties have been got over with an assiduity and perseverance
beyond all example by all reeks, and the most hearty co operation
has existed between the two services.
It is not necessary for one to expatiate to yon upon the loss the
army has sustained in Majur-General the Hon. Sir E. Pakenham,
Commander in Chief of this force, nor could i in adequate terms.
His services and merits are so well known, that I have only, in com-
mas' with the whole army, to express my sincere regret, and which
may be supposed at this moment to come peculiarly home to me.
Maior-General Gibbs, who died of his wounds the following day,
and Major-General'Keane, vsere both carried off the field
within twenty yards of the glaeis, at the head of their brigades,
sufficiently speak at such a moment how they were conducting
themselves. lam happy to say Major-General Keane is doing well.
Cdetain Wylly, of the fusiliers, Military Secretary to the late
Commander of the Forces, will have the tumour of tle!ivering,,to
your Lordship these dispatches. Knowing how much he enjoyed
his esteem, and, was in his 'confidence fition a lone experience of his
talents,• I feel I cannot do less than pay this tribute to what I con-
ceive would be the wishes of his late General; and to recommend
hint strongly to your Lordship's protection. I have, &e.
(Signed) JOHN LiIBERT,
Major-General, commanding.
[Next follows a report from Major-General Keane' dated Camp
rna the left bank of the Missisiippi, nine miles from New (Means,
December :6, 1814, stating the landing of a part of thetroops, and
that about eight o'clock in the evening on the 22d, when the men,
much fatigued by the length of time they had been in the boats
were asleep in their bivouac, a heavy flanking fire of round and
grape shot was opened upon them, by a large schooner and two gun
vessels, which had dropped down the river from the town; from
this they were covered.]
A most vigorous attack was then made en the advanced front and
right flank picquets, the former of the 95111 under Captain Henan,
the latter the 85th, under Captain Seliaw ; these officers, and their
respective picqusets, conducted themselves with firmness, and check-
ed ti:e enemy fora considerable time, but renewing their attack
with a large force, and pressing at these points, Colonel Thornton
judged it necessary to move up the remainder of both corps.
The 85th regiment was commanded by Brevet Major Gubbins,
whose conduct cannot be too much commended ; on the approach
°flits regiment to the point of attack, the enemy, favoured by the
darkness of the night, concealed themselves under a high fence
which separated the fields, and calling to the men as friends, under
pretence of being part of our own force, offered to mho them in
getting over, o hich was no sooner accomplished than the 85th found,
itself in the midst of very superior numbers, who, discovering them-
selves, called on the regiment immedietely to surrender—the answer
waM an instantaneous attack; a more extraordinary conflict has
perhaps neeer occurred, absolutely hand to band both ofF.cers
nien. It terminated in the repulse of the enemy with the cap-
ture of thirty, prisoners. A similar finesse was attemptedwith the
98th regiment. which met the same treatment.
Theeuemy finding his reiterated attacks were repulsed by Col.
ThorotoO, at half past ten o clock Advanced a large Coltman against
onreeutre; perceiving his intention, I directed Colour! Stovin to
order Lieutenant Colonel Dale, with one hundred and thirty men of
the 93d regiment, wimp had just melted the camp, to move forward
and use the' bayonet, holding the 4th regiment in band, formed g
lin,, as my last resift.. Colonel Dale endeavoured to execute his
eiders,. but the Nifty enemy would not meet him, seeing the,
steadiness of his tinf d! body, gave it a heavy fire and quickly retired.
Colonel Brooke, With fuer companies a the elst regiment, tot-
innately appeared gt that moment on right flank, slid sufficiently
secured it from further attack.
Tile enemy How determined to makes last effort, and collecting
the whole of his force, formed an extensive line, and moved directly
against the light brigade. At first this line drove in all the advapeed
posts, lent Colonel Thornton, whose noble exertions bad guaranteed
all farmer success, was at hand I he called his brave comrades
and moving turward with a firm detetrnimititm of charging,
"W4lled the Mays who, front the lesson he had rectiVed on the