The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1847-10-09

The suffering Of the inhabitants had become
intolerable, and the resistance could not be
protracted in their confined and straitened
condition. But twenty days had elapsed since
operations first commenced, and no one could
tell how long the place might hold out. The
season, moreover, was rapidly advancing, and
dangers of every kind were thick ening around
the feet, and therefore a crisis of some sort
must be fastened.
D'Estaing being resolved on assault, it only
it should be conducted. He and Lincoln, af-
ter a short consultation. concluded to make an
attack on the right side of the town, where
there was a deep hollow, along which the as
%sailants could march perfectly covered till
within a few rods Of the walls. The ninth
Of October was fixed on for the attempt, and
the Americans stood in order Of battle though
the French did not take their station till three
hours after. At length the flower of both ar
mics, in one long column, stretched forward
till they reached the open space in front of the
works when they broke off into their several
divisions, as arranged beforehand, and advance
ed on the respective points to which they were
destined. The French advanced in three col
umns-the Americans in one-D'Estaing and
Lincoln CALAMITY leading them on. In the
darkness they got confused in the swampy hol-
lows, but as the gray light began to dawnin the
east, they folmed anew, and pressed forward
D'Estaing wishing to take the garrison by sur
prise, Immediately spurred to the head Of the
first column, and without waiting for the 9TH
ers to come up, waved his sword over his head
and shouted "advance." Straight on the abat-
tbs, and through it-up to the very walls, and
while those hundred cannons opened in the
twilight like a peal of thunder, and one fierce
fire of musketry rolled down ontheir heads
Still "a Advance! advance" rung along the shat
tered column, and still D'Estaing cheered them
on till struck to the earth, he was borne woun-
ded from the field. But nothing could with
stand that deluge of grapeshot and balls: and
the first column riddled into fragments swerved
from the horrible storm, and wheeled away into
the cover Of the woods. The second, howev-
err, coming up, passed rapidly over their dead
companions, and with shouts that were heard
above the d%eafning uproar, gallndy mounted
, the walls. Around a redoubt on the Ebenezer
!, road, the struggle and the carnage were awful.
Again and again did this irm-set wall of liv-
!, ing men move on that wall of stone and earth
: and taking the load of grape-shot in their BIO.
t SONS, rush shouting on the guns. Moved down
= as they avanced, and stretched in ghastly rows
= along the ditch, they dissolved like mist in the
e path of the whirlwind.
3 In the midst Of the gloom and tumult, two
hundred horsemen were seen, with a fearless
, rider at their head gallopirg straight for the en-.
: trance of the town, in order to gain the enemy'
l rear. This was Pulaski, the noble, the chival-
t rio Pole, and his strong cavalry, With thei
: sabres shaking and flashing amid the smoke
!, they rode steadily forward through the fer,
t sleet, shouting as they went, until their gal
liant leader struck by a swivel shot, was hurlet
mangled and bleeding to the earth-when the,
d broke and fled.
y The second column, too, at length r%ecoilec
and then the third, and last, closed in over tn,
e pavement If dead bodies but still that sam
deluge Of fire rolled over !hem, and tie rank
n shook, and r%ecoiled, and disappearedin the GOV
n ering smoke, as if they had been mere visions
which the first breath could d~issipate. TIL
= uproar was terrific; and the heavy peals Of al
is tillery shaking the earth-the incessant roa
Of musketry, mingled with the maddened shout
of near ten thousand warriors, and all in tn
Id morningltwilight, cOnspired TO renderit a seen
,e of appalling grandeur. But Death and cal
lie mage are nothing to the excited passions 0
& men; and that last broken column stormed o
IN until at last, it, too, turned discounted bacl
lie In the midst of this deadly conflict the Amer
n can column, with the chivalrous Laurens at il
IN head, pressed straight on the Spring Hill re
h. doubts, and c%rowding into the ditch, in tn
r the rampatts. But the parapets were too high
and hurled back, rank after rank, and move
le with merciless slaughter, they recoiled on eac
# other in inextricable confusion.
lie The brave South Carolina regiment, regart
less of the fate of their companions and of tn
4 iron storm that smote them down, presse
a iercely forward, and soon the two standard
he presented to il at Fort Moultrie, were see
waving on the ramparts. Vain valor!-the b,
sieged, seeing the fury Of the attack had slacl
* ened, sailed forth with loud huzzas, and sweI
Ne the walls and bitches. Then the Inflated La
rens, seeing his troops routed, flung away h
n sword, and with his noble soul wrung with Il
Sc bitterest anguish, stretched forth his arms ar
a prayed for death, and refused to stir till force
en- away by his companions. Close beside hir
- in the ditch, lay that model of a soldier-tl