The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1840-08-21

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sisted upon his at once assuming the COM
mand and directing the movements Of the
day. The British troops were at this
time landing and forming in order of bat
tie. Gen. Warren had no military staff
and required the services of some one to
transmit his orders, and Col. Brewer re-
commended to him his fellow townsman,
Mr.. Maynard, who was young, active,
and had been long enough in the service
to be well disciplined.
Young Maynard accepted the invitation
of Gen. Warren to act in that capacity,
and repaired with him to the centre. The
General Immediately directed breast
work to be constructed by doubling post
and rail fence, and filing in with hay
which had been mown the day before.
In the meantime dense clouds of smoke
rising above Charlestown communicated
the awful intelligence that the town had
been fired by the enemy, and aided in eX-
asperating the American troops for the
bloody atiray that was to follow. The
breastwork was completed TO within thir-
ty rods of the fort occupied by Col. Pres
ton, when the men were forced to quit the
work and seize their arms.
The British advanced slowly in two
columns, and when the whole were plain
ly in sight, Mr.. Maynard carried the or
der from Gen. Warren to Col. Nixon,
who lay on the Mystic river, "to reserve
his fire until the firing shonld commence
in the centre. "-Returning to the Gene
raj, he was directed to carry the same or
der to Col. Prescott and the other officers
along the line.
The breathess silence along the Ame-
rican entertainments was now only bro
ken by hasty words of encouragement and
directions from the officers TO the men.
The British advanced to within ten or
twelve rods of the American works, when
they fired, and commenced displaying
their columns to form line. At this mo-
ment Gen. Warren gave the word "FIREw
On the instant the whole breastwork was
in blaze, and report, like prolonged
thunder rolled along the line. The enc
my were thrown into disorder, and were
unable to form their line a few success
sivc weil-drectcd fires compelled them TO
retreat, which, though hasty, was conduct
ed in good order. Gen. " Warren ordered
a cessation of the firing, on account of the
scarcity of ammunition. The ground &C.
cupied by the advancing columns was
nearly covered with the dead and wound
ed who lay in heaps as they fell across
each other. The wounded raised their
heads in imploring attitudes, but neither
their friends nor their foes could afford
them relief. But few of the Americans
were killed or wounded in this attack.
All was still as the grave until the front
of their columns had passed over ali their
dead, when the American General, with
out waiting for the fire of his enemy, gave
the word that was to consign hundreds to
instant death. This fire was even more
destructive than before, and the enemy re-
tired in some confusion. The ground
was now literally covered with the dead.
The British fired but few shots and those
did but little execution.
The British now received further rein
forcements, and general officer from
Boston, and advanced third time, not in
column but in line. They again marched
over their dead, and brisk firing com
menced on both sides, which lasted near
ly an hour, until the firing of the Ameri-
cans died away for want of ammunition
The British then undertook to storm the
fort. Gen. Warren sent reinforcement
of about sixty men to Col. Prescott, and
sent Mr.. Maynard to inform him that he
would send more men if he wanted them.
Col. Prescott at first thought he had as
many men as could stand to advantage,
but detained Mr.. Maynard until the result
of the enemy's first attack should be
known. The enemy scaled the embank-
ments with their bayonets. The Ameri-
cans had but few bayoBets, but fell upon
the foe with the breeches of their guns.
knocked them down with cobble stones,
seized and wrested their guns from them,
and turned their own bayonets against
them. Prescott was every where encou-
raging his men, and joining in the gene
raj melee and shouting with his hoarse
voice, "down with them--.scize their guns
knock out their brains with stones
cobble stones are our cannon shot" &c
&c. The British were driven out Sc.
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