Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-07-07

ing with the celebrity OF thought INTO 'heH P'S
ces, rushed towards the bridge. twas csr,ie9
in moment; but couple OF guns whicn hau
doubtless been laid with special care, instantly
opened. and seven men were swept Gown. NJ ~,
nause however occurred. Forward, forward.
was The only word heard and forward we hur-
r;ed. as fast as the excessive fatigue we had I'M
derrone during the last forty.eigh' hours would
allow.
had forgotten to meRtion, that whilst our
bank of the river was bare and exposed, that
occupied by the enemy was covered with
pretty thick belt of wood, which they had very
iudiciously filled with host OF ritiemen-
These taking cool and deliberate aim from
their lurking places, soon began TO gall us with
their fire. Not few Of our men fell beneath
il; but the bridge was instantly Cleared; the ad-
vance was quickly scattered into skirmish;ng
order, and in FIVE minutes or little more, The
belt was emptied Of its defenders. Never did
men. with arms in their hands, make better use
of their legs Though we did our best to kill
few of them, question whether one Amer.
can lost his life in that copse, so rapid, or II
you please, so judiciously conducted, was their
retreat.
We had hardly cleared this little wood, when
the SSH Regimen, aud the light companies OF
the 4th and 44th came pouring up to our assis-
lance. TO these we now attached ourselves,
and the whole Of the light brigade forming 10
10 one extended line, advanced TO the attack
1t was our fortune TO act upon the lett oil the
road, where the copse happened to be more
thick, and the ground considerably more une-
ven than on the right The consequence was,
that we moved or for several inmates without
seeing any enemy; out the wood suddenly end
ing, an open sloping field lay before us; and in
the rear Of high paling, which ran across the
centre of the field, the enemy's first line present.
ed itself have stood under many heavy
ere of musque,ry in my day, bu: really do not
reco!ect to have witnessed any more heavy
than that which they instantly opened upon US.
Had we been numerous body and In compact
array, our loss would have been terrible; but
we were few in number-certanly not more
than 100 in all, and our order was that o! Skin
mishers, each file being full ten PAGES apart
from each other. The Americans on the 9TH
or hand. were in line wedged together as
CLOSELY as they could stand; their number could
no, fall short of a thousand men, II they ex'
ceeded it not, and they fired volley after So!ley
as fast as they could load their pieces, and raise
the m gain TO their shoulders. Five guns play
ed upou US without intermission; IN word,
can compare the shower OF balls of all sizes and
descriptions which whistled around Us, 10 no.
thing more aptly than the pelllng oil a nan
storm, which a strong northeastery wind drives
into your face The whole ground at our ieet
was ploughed up with them, and their singing
was like that of tempest through the bare
cordage of vessel al anchor.
Under this really tremendous fire, Williams
bore himself as his gallant conduc, in the skr-
mishes which had diversified our march led me
10 exDect he would bear himself. There was
railing. similar to that behind which the Amerl-
cans were drawn up. which cut of Ihe sop PISS
6rs, 10 sDring over il; and shouting ont to the
men to follow, he called TO me by name and
said, 'now who will be Tire first in the enemy's
line Without pausing to look behind he rush
ed on kept my eye upon him; indeed we
were near enough 10 converse, were IL possible
10 hear the sound Of human voice In such
,umul; and did what could rather to restrain
his ardor than to give it encouragement But
al the very moment when / was repeating my
entiea,ies that he would look TO his men, in
stead OF rushing on ahead of them, musket
ball struck him on the neck, and he fell dead at
nv feet He never so mach as moved The
bullet had passed through the wIndpipe and
spinal marrow, and he was Corpse in an IN
slant Poor fellow! even in the heat Of action,
looked al him with feeling of bitter agony,
of which words can convey no impression But
l could not pause to pay the slightest tribute of
respect to his remains; / ran past him, and
soon found NV attention SO completely occupi-
ed by other meters, as 20 forget that such
one had lived and was dead. So overwhelm-
ingly exciting is the interest of battle, and so
perfectly engrossing are the thoughts 10 which
it gives birth.
Notwithstanding the paucity Of our numbers,
the American ranks began TO waver as soon as
we arrived within twenty or thirty PAGES of
their front, and the shouting preliminary to
charge had hardly been uttered, when they
broke, and htd Our men were too much ia
tigued to follow with any CELEBRITY, but we pur
sued as quickly could, and bayonciing
some seamen, who perlinaciously chung to their
guns. took possession Of TWO out of the FIVE pie
ces Of cannon which had so severely CALLED US.
Our work was, however, but beginning In
FIVE minutes we found ourselves in front Of
second line, more numerous and more steady
than that which we had defeated. 1t was COM
posed wholly Of regular troops. who received
us, as we came on, with Hurdcroos fire, and
- Hoe tt,e havo mot