Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1842-03-11

The panic produced from the dreadful repuise
they had experienced. the plan on which they
had acted being covered with innumerable bod
les q their conntrymen, while with their most
Jealous exert;ons, they had been unable 10 OBJ
'afn Inc slightest advantage, were cirumstan-
ces well calculated to make even the most
Submissive soldier oppose the authority tina,
would have controlled him..
! Fhe light companies Of fusileers, the AID
and ODD regiments, aud 100 men from this.
West India regiment, led Of, by Col. Renne,
] were ordered TO proceed under cover Of some
chimneys standing 10 the field, until having
cleared them, to oblique to the river, and adj
vance, protected by the lesee, against our re.
doubt on the right. This work, having been
but lately commenced, was in ap unfinished
| state. was not until the 4th, that General
Jackson, much against his own opinion, had
yielded 10 the suggestions Of others, and per-
! United It's projection; and, considering the plan
| on which il had been sketched, it had not yet
received that strength necessary to its safe
| defence. The detachment ordered against this
place, formed the left of Gen. keane's CONF
mand. Rennie executed his orders with great
bravery, and urging forward, arrived at the
| ditch. His advance was greatly annoyed by
L
bank, and the cannon mounted on the redoubt;
but reaching our works and passing the ditch,
Rennie, sword in hand, leaped on the wall,
| and calling to his troops babe them follow he
had scarcely spoken, when he fell BY the fatal
aim Of our rihemen. Pressed by the iinpetu-
! osity Of the superior numbers who were moun-
| ting the wall and entering at the embrasures,
our troops had retired TO the line, in rear OF the
reooubt. momentary pause ensued, but
only TO be interrupted with increased horrors.
| Captain Beale, with the city rifemen, cool and
selfpossesed, perceiving the enemy in his
front, opened upon them, and at every discharge
| bronght,he object to the ground. To advance,
or maintain the point gained, was equally inn
| practicable for the enemy TO retreat or surren-
der was the only alternative; for they already
perceived the division on the right thrown iuto
| confusion and hastily leaving the field.
Gen. Jackson, being informed Of the success
ofihe enemy on the right. and of their being in
possession OF the redoIbt pressed forward
reinforcement TO regain it. Previously to It's
arrival, they had abandoned the attempt and
were retiring. They were severely CALLED by
such Of our guns as could be brought TO bear.
The levee afforded them considerable protec-
ton; vel, by Commodore Patierson's redonbt
on the right bank, they suffered greatly. En-
liIaded by this on their advance. they had been
greatly annoyed, and now in their retreat were
no less severaly assaulted. Numbers found a
grave in the ditch before Gn and sdshea
escaped; they were shot down as fast as they en-
tered. The route along which they had a'anced |
and retired, was.strewed with dodies. Ailrgh-
ted at the carnage, they moved from the scene
hastily ard in confusion. Our batteries were
stil.continuing,the slaughter, and cutting them
down at every step; safety seemed only at
,ainable when they should have retired with
Out the range Of our shot; which, to troops ga-
led as severely as they were, was too remote |
a relief. Pressed by this. consideration, they |
fled to the ditch, whittier the right division had
retreated. and there remained until night per- |
milted them TO retire. II
Tie loss Of the British in the main attack
on the left bank, has been at different times
variously stated. The killed, wounded. and
prisoners. ascer,ained on the next day after the
battle, by Colonel Hayne, the inspector-gene- |
raj, places il at twenty-six hundred. Generai
Lamberi's report 10 Lord Bathurst makes u
but two thousand and seventy. From prison.
ers, however, and information and clrcumstan-
ces derived through other sources, 1t must
have been oven greater than IS stated by either.
Among them, was The COMMANDMENTS cnet,
and Major General Gibbs, who died OF his
wounds The next day, besides many OF their
most valuable and distinguished officers; while
the loss of the Americans in killed and Woun-
ded was but thirteen. Our effective force al
the line on the left bank was three thousand
seven hundred; that Of the enemy at least nine
thousand. The force landed in Louisiana has
been variously reported; the best information
places il at about fourteen Thousand. part
of this acted will, Colonel Thor.on; the Gil |
mate had rendered many unfit for the duties
or The field. while considerable number had
been killed and wounded in the in the different
contests since their arrival. Their strength,
therefore may be fairly estimated, Oh me
9Th. at the aiuinber we have stated-at any
rate, not less.
That this was considered an undertaking OF
greater magnitude and hazard than they were
openly TO admit. is obvious, from one circum-
stance. The officer who leads his troops on
forlora attempt, not unfreqnently places before
Them alluren,ents stronger han either authority
a. fiutv. On the present occasion this resort
was not omitted !; and inducements were held
on,. than which nothing more inviting could ]
be offered to an Infatuated soldiery. bet 4 be
remembered Of that gallant but misguided
general, who has been SO much deplored by
tie British nation, that to the cupdity OF his
soldiers he promised the wealth OF the city, as
recompense for their galaniry aud desPera'
ton, while, will, brutal RIGHTEOUSNESS, they
were to revel in lawless indulgence, and TIL
umuh uncontrolled over female innocence
Scenes like these our nation, dlsnonofed ana
| insulted, had already witnessed she had wit
messed them at Hartford and Havre.deGface
but It was reserved for her yet to learn that an
officer Of The character and standing Of Sit I'd.
| ward Packenham, polished, generous, ana
brave, should induce his soldiers to acts OF da-.