Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1847-06-08
CHARGE OF col. MILLER.
ny EUGENE ST. CLAIR.

At this time, when the attention of
Americans is directed to the brilliant
charge of Captain May, on the field of
Resaca de la Palma, it may not be map
propriate to call the recollection of the
glorious achievement of Colonel Miller,
at the battle of Niagara, or the thirtieth
of July, 1914. The capture of Lundy's
Heights, by the renowned American Col
onel, may justly be recorded as one of the
most fierce and desperate accomplish
ments in modern history. Neither the
advance of the old guard, on the well con.
tested plains Of Waterloo, nor the over.
whelming charge Of Macdonald on the
Austrian centre of Wagram, surpassed it.
The mistaken obstinaey with which
the British army had maintained its whole
position, the oft repeated futile attempt of
the American troops to force it, and the
awful loss sustained by the assailants from
the fatal aim of the batteries of the Eng.
lish centre, at length determined General
Brown to make bold dash at the enc
my's right wing, and under cover of this
attack to pierce their centre with choice
detachment. The latter duty was as
signed to Col James Miller Oft 2Ist.
At ten O'Clock in the evening, this reg
imeRt broke from the line, amid loud cheers
from the American centre, and passed
quickly forward in the direction of Lundy's
Hill, to assail the very key of the British
position, crushing and overwhelming the
opposing masses of English infantry. The
gallant Americans neared the heights,
with tremendous shouts, while the British
battalions melted away before them like
mountains of snow beneath the rays of
tropica, sun.
But the flight stops--the carnage almost
ceases-and now wild cheer runs along
the British line, and is heard above the
terrible eanRonade and the continual peal
of small arms. In an instant the heights
are enyeloped in thick, dark clouds Of
smoke. Two batteries of the reserve
have planted and unlimbered their pieces
to arrest the progress of the American
column. For the support of the artillery,
six battalions of the veterans of the Pen
insula adyance--to meet their first defeat.
The loud rafting of their drums and the
repeated cries of "God save the King"
announces to the assailants this fearful
resistance. By the time the tall shakoes
of the Grenadiers heading the columns
were perceived, the Americans were as
sailed with tempest of rockets. grape.
shot and shells, while their right was fu-
Fiously attacked by two British regiments;
but the column ofassault still pressed for.
ward. The English General called upon
his Indian allies; but these men were 50
| impressed with the terrors ofthe fight that
they fed in dismay.
Col. Miller had now reached the sum-
nit Of the heights. & the 21st wss thrown
into close column Of companies. The
men were out of breath and much ex-
hausted, but the Colonel hurried them on.
In attempting charge of bayanets, the
fresh and much superior force ofthe enc
my broke through the American ranks,
and compelled the whole regiment to
abandon lie ground and fall back in con-
fusion to The verge of the hill. All seem
ed lost but, by the heroic efforts Of the
Colonel, the flight was stopped, the sol.
diers Ashamed Of their conduct wore once
more formed, and the regiment put in
melton. Again the 2Ist swept ell before
il, and pressed TO the very muzzles of ths