The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1842-04-07

Jet US arrive as near eigh, o'clock as pos.
slble. But do not pause when you reach
/ their ou,posts-drye them n before their
ranks car form, and pursue fthem TO the
very centre OF the town. shall be there
TO take them IN the iiank-the rest we
must leave TO the God of battles. And
now gentlemen, 10 our posts" 10 i've
minutes We were in motion.
The eagerness Of our troops 10 come up
with the enemy was never more conspicu
ols than on The morning OF the evenliui
day. We had scarcely lost sight OF Sulh'
vans detachment across the intervening
fields, before the long threatened storm
burst over US. The night was intensely
cold the sleet and hail ratified necessarily
UPON The mems knapsacks; aud the wind
shrIeked, howled, aud roared among the
OLD piue trees with terrific violence. Al
times the snow fell perpendIcuIarIy down.
wards-theu II beat horizontally into our
faces with furious impetuosiiy again
II was whirled wildly on high, eddying
around and around and sweeping away on
/ the whistling tempest far down into the
gloom. The tramp Of the men-the low
orders of he ofiicers-ihe occasional rat.
tie Of musket were almost lost in the
shrll voice OF the gale, or the deep, suleD
roar of the tortured forest. Even these
sounds at length ceased, and we continued
the march in profound silence, increasing
as we drew nearer to the ouiposis OF The
enemy. The redoubIed violence of the
gale, though it added 10 the sufferngs Of
our brave con.iuenials was even hailed
with JOY, as it decreased the chances Of our
discovery, and made US once more hope
high for successful surprise. Nor we're
those suderings light. Through the dread
lul night nothing bu; the lofty patriotism Of
freeman could have sustained them
Half cloihed-many wilhou; shoes-whole
companies destitute Of blankets, they yet
pressed braVely on against the storm
though drenched to the skin, sblyering al
every blast; and too often marking their
footsteps with blood. Old as | am now,
The recollection is still vivid in my mind.
God forbid that such suferings should ever
have to be endured again
The dawn at last came; but the storm
still ragged. The trees were borne down
with sieei, and the slOsh was ankle deep in
the roads. The few fields We passed were
covered with wet, spongy now,-and the
half buried houses looked bleak aud desc
late 10 the uncertain morning hight. 1t
has been my lot to witness few such forbid
ding scenes. At this instant shot was
heard in front, and messenger, dashed
iurIousy up TO announce that the ou,posis
Of the British we're being driven in.
Forward-lorward," cried Washing
ton, himself, galioping up TO the head Of
the column, push on, my brave tel!o~s-
ON
The men started like hunters at the cry
Of the pack as their generals voice was Sc
conded BY hasiy fire from the rlaemen in
The van, and forgetting every thing bu, the
toe, marched rapidly, with silent eagerness,
toward the sound Of Tie couilic,. As they
emerged from lie wood the scene burst up.
on them.
The town lay but short distance ahead, /
Just discernable through tie twilight, aud
seemingly buried in repose. The streets
were wholly deserted and as yet the alarm
had got reached the main body Of the enc
my. A single horseman was seen, how
ever, deeuug momen, ihro' the mist
he was lost behind clump of trees,-and
then Ie.appeared, dashjng down the nam
street Of the village. had no doubt he
was a messenger IRON The ouiposts Cor
re InlCrcement and II suffered TO rally one
we knew all hope @as gone. To the for
ces he had left we now therefore turned
our attention.
The FIRST charge Of our gallant conIinen
tails had driven The ogsposts r. like the
shock ct an avalanche. Just aroused from
sleep, and taken completely by surprise, they
did not at first pretend to make stand,
but reiterated rapidly and IN disorder, before
our vanguard. few moments, however,
had sufIiced to recall their ree|na facul.
ties, and perceiyng the Insignificant force
opposed 10 them, they halted, hesltaied
rallied, poured IN heavy fire, and even
advanced cheering to the onset. But at
this moment our main body emerged from
the wood, and when my eyes first fell upon
the Irssian greaadiers, they were beginning
again 70 stagger,
" On-ou--push on, coniinentals Of the
-----," shouted the officers 10 command
The men With admirable discipline still
fareb9Fe their shouts, and steadily pres
sed o1 against the nov Tying ouipos,s.-
In another instant tho Hess,ans we're 10 fall
retreat upon the town.
8" BY heavens calculated an aid de-
camp at my side, as a rolling fire of mus
hatry, was all al once beard at the distance
OF half a mile across the village, there
goes Su!IiVan's brgade-the days our
own"
"Charge that artillery with a da;ach
meri from the eastern regiment" shouted
the general as the battery Of the enemy was
seen little to our right,
Tie men ieveied their bayonets, march
ed steadily up TO the very mouths Of the
cannon, aud before the artileris,s could
bring their pieces TO bear carried them