The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1841-08-25

party OF sailors. Inc Joss WHICH the che
nv suffered in this affair is astonishing,
the more so when compared with the tn
fling injury they caused their antagonists.
Only ten men were killed within their lines
and but one wounded on board OF the
frigate, whose guns fired eight hundred
balls during the engagement. The same
disproportion is remarkable throughout
the invasion. Many gallant Brlton LAID
his bones beneath the expresses of Loulsl-
ana.
General Packenham did not return to
his old position, but encamped on the bat
tie ground on the % of December; his
outposts extending in some places to with
in three hundred yards of the American
lines. Finding the works so we'll defended
he determined to consider them as regu-
lar fortifcation, and to breach them
The 2sth, 29th, 3Oth, and 3lst were EN-"
ployed in bringing up heavy guns from
the fleet. The labor and hardshlps incur
red in the transportation Of twenty-four
Founders by hand through quacking mo-
rass, can scarcely be conceived. Through
out this period the position Of the British
was anything but enviable. The scarcity
ofproviisions had reduced them TO half al
lowance, & driven them to ostilltheir hunger
with the sugar they found on the planfa-
tons. AS they had no tents, they were
forced to sleep upon the ground; and
Louisiana in December is not exactly
the spot one would select for passing the
night al fesco. Even the enjoyment; OF
the damp earth was denied them. The
Americans did not grant them a moments
repose. From the day of their landing
they had been engaged in one continued
battle. Beside the shot that were con-
stantly thrown among them from guns
greatly elevated ont the lines, the American
artilIerymen would advance with a few
feld-pieces within range, fire half a dozen
rounds, and retreat so rapidly as to battle
pursuit, while bands of rifemen lurked
about the picquets, and shot down the sen:
tinels. The English had great dread of
the Tennesseeans, whom they denomlna-
ted "Dirty Shirts" from the color of their
hunting.frocks. These night excursions
were very popular among the Dirty
Shirts" they termed them hunting parties.
One of these worthless is said to have kill
ed and stripped three sentinels on the same
spot in one evening, and to have made his
escape into camp with the booty.t This
system of warfare, although gh much in
weighed against by English writer's, we
think both iusti,lable and wise. When
armies meet on foreign ground to decide
some state question, about which they may
be supposed TO know little and to care
less, we can understand that kind OF CHI
yalric understanding should exist between
comba ants. Such wars are but duels on
a large scale, and the courtesy which d.
rects antagonists in affairs Of honor ought
certainly to be exercised. The case is
far otherwise with invaders. Then man
fights for his native soil; for his family and
friends; for his possessions, which would be
for his home, which would be
and destroyed. He considers
his foes in the light of fhouse-breakers, and
every man slain, one enemy less, and very
Justly. This system, too, succeeded ad-
imirably in military point of view. by
harassing and discouraging the English.
The repulses they had met with, the lnces-
SAINT labor and constant excitement in
which they were kept by the ever-recur-
ring attacks, had disheartened the troops,
and made them heartily sick of the expe'
dition.
On the night Of the s1st December
Packenham's men were employed IN
erecting batteries for thirty heavy guns.
The work was accomplished before dawn.
The sun rose behind clouds, and for some
time the mist was so thick that the
American lines could not be Distinguished.
At eight o'clock the white tents OF the
camp became visible, and the cannonade
The FIRE was principally
directed against NJ Carty's chateau which
was occupied by Jackson ashls head quar-,
ters. Although the house was pierced
repeatedly, the staff escaped
without a wound. The American bate
ries RESPONDED feebly at first, but gradual.
" grew brisker, and at length surpassed
the British both in rapidity and precision.
Tho enenv had rolled hogsheads of sugar