The native American. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1840, 1840-10-24

Ieven now battle shouldllave been fought
land he have fallen victim.
/ On parting with Ellen, the young lead
Ter went instantly 10 the rendezvous Of his
men, animating Them by his presence to
lsuch a degree that they were ready TO
lmarch long before morning. 1t was still
Iearly therefore before they set ont, and
1.-The first feint streak of day had notillumi-
mated the eastern horizon, when the young
man passed the house Of Elen's father,
i which he knew not that he Should ever
Hook upon again. Yet his heart did not
lqlHti, nor his determination weaken. He
Ind embarked III /. the cause of his conn
TRY, because it was The course Of duty
|pointed ont, and not from anysudden I'M
Iplltse which conld be as suddenly check
led.
/ We will pass over the week we spent in
y the vicinity OF Boston, checkercd as II
was with constant alarms and surprises.
| He heard nothing Of Ellen, for how could
Ihe,when the communications between her
Village and Boston, had been cut off the
very day after he joined his fellow coun-
|trymen? In the mean time, however,,
Ievery one felt that an outbreak was al
hand, and every moment was looked upon
las big with fate
r. twas late on the evening of the six
Iteenth June, l775, that the young officer
received a summons to repair to Colonel
Prescott. His commander met him at the
door, and extending his hand said,
I'VE shall want youall tonight shall
take possession of Banker Hill by mid
might, and every hand will be required in
/ throwing up a brcastworls, rs we shall
probably have an attack in the morning.
| BE ready in an hour to march,
The young officer bowed and departed.
It needed little to hasten the preparations
Iof his men. Universal order pervaded
ievery breast, aud before half the allotted
time had elapsed his detachment was rea-
idyto march.
!. The day had scarcely begun to dawn
on the morning of the seventeenth, and
the eartllen breastwort which had been
! thrown up by Col. Prescotts orders,
was scarcely completed, when the sentries
lon board the British fleet in the river, de-
tected the intrenchments of the Aneri-
leans. A heavy cannonade was instantly
1opened flom the shipping,and Corps Hill
lon the opposite shore, upon the little fort,
which was kept up hour after hour, with
out intermission, reverberating over sea
and land, and filing many a fond heart
lin Boston with terror, for those within
the seemingly fated intrenchments. But
the brave men who clustered in that little
H,,{., ;,,o
| Meantime the day wore OIL, and though
reinforced by the regiments of Colonies
1 Crown and Nexon, the little army of
i Americans wasstillhopelcssly small, when
the barges Of the British could be seen
putting off from Boston, and in a few min
utes their gallant army had landed, and
a was forming at the foot Of the hill. Sud
denly a fellow officer clutched young
| Fountenoy by the arm, and pointing in
| the direction Of Charleston, exclaimed,
! My God look there, they have fred
the town. 1t is too true, answered the
Young man, and, as he spoke, the men
Catching a sight Of the burning houses, a
Ishout Of stern defiance rolled down the
|line. But The moment Of action was APP
|proaching, and adeath-like silence now
]reigned along the line. The British had
formed and were advancing steadily to
1.-THE attack, their banners waving, their
muskets flashing in the sun light, and the
long array other serriedf files presentcda an
appearance which might have struck ter
Iror to ally hearts but those Of Americans
determined to be free. Atthis instant an
1order came, by anaid de-camp. from Gen.
i Warren in the centre, not to fire until he
land his men led off.
] A breathless silence cnsued. The air
was close and sultry. Not voice was
heard along the American lines, except
1.-The low orders Of the officers, and the
words fencouragemen,whisp 10 each
.other by the men Nearer and nearer
ithe foe advanced, wltha front seemingly
made of steel. Alreadytlley were within
ten rods Of the fort Their quick jung
Hing tramprung out sharply on the breath.
less silence and yet no order came from
the centre to fire. Suddenly the whole
column of the enemy fired, and began
displaying into line. AT that Instant a
stream Of fire poured from the centre OF
1.-The American lines; it was caught up on the
right; it rolled down to the left; itrattledI
once along the centre, and IN IL momcntI
the whole front of the gallant provincial
army was blazing with an incess',nt dis
Icharge Of musketry. II moved their OPP
lponents resistIessIy down like grass before
1.-THE scythe. The British staggered and
broke. In vain their. officers attempted
Ito rally them, i'll vain they almost drove
them at the swords point back to the
lcharge, the effort was useless, for that
deadly fire still continued rolling from
flank TO flank Of the Americans stretch-