The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-06-28
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE DARING YANKEE,

schooner lay at anchor. bearing the Colum
bian flag. She had just returned from
cruise considerably damaged in her spar.
and rigging. occasioned partly by the VIC.
lence of the weather, and partly by engag.
ing Spanish Letter of Marque, which she
eventually captured. As it would take
some days to reft her, the crew whom moth.
ing could induce to work in port, were per-
mitted to pass much of their time on shore,
where they contrived to while away the
hours by smoking, drinking and games Of
hazard. The recklessness Of sailors is pro.
verbal. In few days majority of the
crew had exhausted their stock Of doubloons
for which they had so often 2erilled life and
limb, and having now no means of crafty.
ing their various wants, they became weary
oflhis inactive course, and ready for any
enterprise that seemed likely to replenish
their empty Golfers. At this period it was
ascertained that the Royalists we're advanc.
ing in strong force. and as it was krown
that the Columbians under Gen. Sucre were
in the vicinity, battle seemed inevitable
on the result of which rested the destinieS
of the republic. Among the crew this be.
came the engrossing topic Of conversation,
and il ended in their determination to serve
as volunteers under the columbian flag.
One Of the most jealous for this enterprise
was a Yankee by the name of Nutta. He
had left the u 1ied States with no capital
but an iron heart-had rovef wherey r
there was prospect of lettering his for
tune, but hitherto without success, and was
now prize master.
On arriving at the Columbian camp, il
occurred TO Nutta that he had none of the
qualifications Of the soldier except courage,
and that no severity of drill could transform
an old salt into one Of the regular rank and
file. To him such an idea was preposter-
Gus. He had almost concluded TO retrace
his steps, when the inquiry was made i!
any of the crew could act as trumpeter. for
In that important office there was vacancy
in the cavalry. For Nutta that was the
very place. In his younger days he had
played the trumpet in the militia, and he
considered himself competent TO answer all
the calls of that important funclionary. He
was Immediately furnished with q suitable
horse and instrument, and it was generally
admitted that his ia ra ra, if it failed in
sweetness, was remarkable for IFS strength.
The hostile forces had now man9Ivred
in sight of each other several days, when
the royalist General satisfied Of his own nu-
merical superiority, and of the courage Of
his tried and veteran troops, determined to
hazard an engagement. Gen. Sucre had
equal confidence in the Columbians. They
we're struggling to shake off the Spanish
yoke that had become intolerably Cypress
i've, and we're aware that defeat would prove
ruinous to their cause. They too were i'm
patient for the conflict.
II commenced little before dawn, by an
attempt of the Royalisfs TO surprise the COL
umbians in their camp. The latter, how
ever having some intimation of their de-
ign. we're arranged in order of battle, and
received them with 40 warm fire that the
advancing corps precipitately retrcated AT
sunrise the action became general. The
regiment to which Nu,ta belonged, was
posted on the extreme right, with orders on
no account to change their position, unless
so directed from head quarters. If these
orders had been more discretionary it would
have saved the effusion of much blood, and
averted a blow which al one time had near
ly proved fatal to their cause.
No sooner had the engagement become
general. than masked battery had oDened
upon Nuta's regiment. and was so admira-
bly, served that man and horse were coniin'
ually dropping beneath its desolating fire.
The field officers of the regiment were all
either killed or MORALLY wounded, when
Montana, the captain. on whom The COM
mand now devolved, panic.struck at the
carnage, gave orders TO sound a retreat.
Nuita, who amid all the confusion was per-
fectly collected, saw at glance that even
such an order was too late for their safety.
He perceived body Of the enemy even
then endeavoring 10 occupy the ground in
their rear, and that their only chance of sue.
cess was TO advance. Satisfied Of this. he
placed the trumpet TO his lips. and sounding
the charge, he dashed headIong on the enc
my followed by his gallant comrades. The
onslaught was irresistible-the artillery
were sabred almost to man. and the cav
airy, taking their places at the guns, open
ed fire upon the corps which had endeav'
ored 10 cut off their own retreat, and which
was then occupying the ground they had
left. In the meantime Sucre, who had been
informed of the danger of his cavalry, but
knew not of the favorable change, pushed
forward his reserve in support. 1t reached
the scene of action at the moment the cav
airy transformed TO artillerists, were pouring
their grape aid canister upon their late
pursuers. The latter unable to withstand
the double fire to which they we're now ex'
posed, soon broke in disorder; the example
spread and paralized the rest. and the affair
terminated in a disastrous flight in which
the enemy lost more of their number than
during the heat of the engagement.
This victory so Important to the Coluinbi-
ans was mainly owing to the effective change
of the cavalry, and the royalists saw that it
was apparently too late to recover the lost
fortunes of the day. Gen. Sucre was awnre
of this, and was sdmiring to his officers the
conduct of the corps, when he learned with
surprise the weight of his obligations to the
underhand efforts of his trumpeter. He
at once sent for him.
sWho,' incurred the General, directed