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

MARCH 12.

same ground in the early part of the evening, thought it prudent to
retire, and did not again date to advance.
[Then follows a report from Colonel Thornton, dated Redoubt, on
right bank of the Alis...is&ippi, Jan. 8 1815; stating his POCCen in
carrying the Redoubt and the enemy's pobition on that bank of
the river.

An Extract from the journal of Major Forrest, A. Q. M. G. of
the movements of the Army employed on the Southern Coast of
North America, gives the details of the minor operations up to the
Ist of January.]

His Majesty's Ship Tonnant, off Mandeleues
Island, Jan 28, 1813. . •
My LORD—After maturely deliberating on the • ituation of this
army, after the command had unfortunately devolved upon me, on
the Bth instant, and duly consideriug what probability now remained
of carrying on with success, on the saine plan, an attack strains' New
Orleans, it appeared to me that it ought not to be persisted in. 1
immediately communicated to Vice-Admiral Sir A. Cochrink that I
did isot think it would be prudent to make any further attempt at
present, and that I recommended re-embarking the army as anon as
possible, with a view to carry into effect the other object.; of the
force employed upon this roast ; from the 9th instant it was deter-
mined that the army should retreat, and I hav'e the satisfaction (pe
informing your Lordship that it was effected on the eight of the
instant, and ground was taken up on the morning of the 19th on
both aides of the Bayou?, or creek, which the troops had entered on
their disembarkation, 14 miles fromtheir position before the enemy's
line, covering New Orleans, on the left bank of the Mississippi. and
one mile from the entrance into Lac Borgne : the army temainerj
in bivouac until the 2rtli instant, when the whole were re-embarked.
in stating the circnmstaaees of this retreat to your Lordship, I
shall confidently trust that you:will see, that good order and disci-
pline ever existed in this army, and that zeal for the service and
attention was ever conspicuous iu officers of all rants. Your Lord.
ship is already acquainted with the position the army ocenpied, its
advanced post close tip to the enemy's line, and the greater part of
the army were 'expoied to the fire of hiebatteries, Which was mire-
' milting day arid night since the Ist January, when the position in
advanse was taken up, the retreat was effected withvitt being
harassed in any degree by the enemy ; all the sick and wonnded.
(with the exception of eighty, whom it was considered dangerous
to remove) field artillery, ammunition, hospital, and other stores of
every description, which had been Ihnded on a very large scale,
were brought away, and nothing fell into the enemy's hands. excep-
ting six iron eighteen pounders, mounted on sea carriage, and two
carronades which were in position on the left bank of the Mississippi;
to bring them off at the moment the army was retiring was impossi-
ble, and to have done it previously would have exposed the whole
force to any fire the enemy might have sent down the river. These
batteries were of course destroyed, and the gnus rendered perfectly
unserviceable ; only folic men were reported absent next morning,
and these, I suppose, must have been left behind, and have fallen
into the hands of the enemy ; but when it is considered the troops
were in perfect ignorance of the movements, until a fixed hour
during the night, that the battalions mere drawn off in succession,
and that the picquets did not move off till half-past three o'clock in
the morning, and that the whole had to retire through the most
difficult new made road, cut in marshy ground, impassable for a
horse, and where, in many places, the men could only go in single
files, and that the absence of men might be aceounted.tor in so many
ways, it would be rather a matter of surprise the number was so
few.

An exchange of prisoners has been effected with the enemy npon
very fair terms, and their attention to the braVe prisoners and
wounded, that have fallen into their hands, has been kind and hu-
mane, I have every reason to believe.
However unsuccessful the termination of the late service, the
army and navy have been employed upon, has turned out, it would
be injustice not to point out how much praise is due to their ex-
ertions; ever since the 13th December, when the army began to
move from the ships, the fatigue of disembatiting and bringing up
artillery and supplies ham such a distance has been incessant, and I
must add, that owing to the exertions of the navy, the army bas nt.
vcr wanted provisions.

The labour mid fatigue of the seamen and soldiers were particu-
larly conspicuous on the night MP4te ith inst. when fifty boats were
dragged through a canal into the in *Melt th. re
were only 18 inches' of water, and I am confident that Vice-itil-
teiral Sir A, Cochrane, who suggested the posebility Of this ope-

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