Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1841-04-23
IS IN Try Str )"

AN INCIDENT OF THE BATTLE OF BRlDGEwATER.
On the 25,h of July, 1914, the bloody
battle of Bridgewater and Lundy's Lane
took place near the banks of the Niagara.
1t was six o'clock, and sul,ry evening.
when the British forces under General
Drummond advanced to meet the Ameri-
can columns and more deadly contest
never ragged on the soil of our beloved
country than that which: then commenced;
the roar of the neighboring cataract lost it,
self in the booming of the cannon-the
voices of many waters, and the voices of
battle sang bass together-and the dead
slept in sweet forgetfulness upon the moon
light hill. The first brigade under Gene>
raj Scott, with Towson's artillery and a
body of cavalry, sustained the attack of the
British army for an hour unaided. Gene
raj Ripley with fresh troops now arrived,
and relieved General Scott, while the lat
ter with his exhausted brigade, formed
reserve in the rear.-The British artillery
had taken pot on an eminence at the head
of Lundy's Lane, and were pouring forth
a most deadly fire on the Americans. Cen
eral Brown, the commander of the Amer
lean forces. feeling the terrible havoc made
by the enemy's cannon, concluded tina. it
was necessary to dislodge them or retreat.
1t was dreadful duty. The troops tina,
were to march up Lundy's Lane might
we'll say their praye and make their wills
before moving. 1t was certain death to
every second man of the fororn hope As
the commanding General rode along the
foot oft hill. in thoughtful mood, he saw
the brave Colonel Miller advancing at the
head of his newly raised regimen. for fur
ther orders. He rode up to him. "Will
YOU advance and capture the battery -
said the General. "I'll try, sir" said the
modest Colonel. The General rode on,
and the regiment CALAMITY wheeled and
moved up Lnndy's Lane.
At every rod the artillery on the height
sent its messengers of death through the
dense column but still. there was no finch.
ing. The voice of the noble Miller. as he
waved his sword before the bloody gap,
was heard uttered the short expressive Or
ders. "Steady men-close orders--march!
Around him the flower of his regiment fell
like lheFswi.hered leaves of autumn but
he needed not his loss he was ordered to
take the battery on the hill, and he intent
ed to do it. He advanced. therefore. cool
ly and steadily to his object. Amidst
tremendous blaze Of artillery, and at the
point of the bayonet he carried the height.
l have never heard of its equal, except at
the siege of San Sebastian. 1t was supe>
rior in temerity to Bonapar,e's attack up.
on Glbralter, at Toulon, because Miller
had no covering for his troops in case of
retreat. II was dead march to glory
yea, at every step the rear rank trod
upon the dead and the dying: and The
groans of suffering humanity mingled in
with the hoarse rattle of the drum. When
the conqueror, with his remnant of reg-
ment, trod upon the heigh's at the head of
Lundy's Lane. and turned the cannon up
on the astonished enemy, a death struggle
ensued between the American and British
armies. "rhese guns will decide the bat
tie; they must be regained, or the army of
Britain will be cut TO pieces, and. fregain-
ed, the Americans will he conquered"
Such were the thoughts of each General.
Now came the Iron grippe of war. A ter
rible conflict ragged upon the height, and,
when the morning sun rose upon the