The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-10-02
From the \. II. Statesman.
An Item in the Battle ofLundy's
Lane.

The papers are full with accounts of cool
courage displayed by American officers and
soldiers, in battles fought in Mexico with Il
distracted and disheartcncd enemy, whose
discipline is slight, and whose courage is
questionable: and yet there has been hard
fighting there, and our men have DISPLAYED
courage worthy of better cause. But let
the reader consider the cool bravery exhibit
ed bya New Hampshire regiment during the
last war, or war of1SI2 aud then find its G.
quail in any i!iug that has been done in Mex
leo, ifhc can. allude TO the charge made
upon the flower ot'thc British army upon
Lundy's Heights, on the night Of the Both Of
July, 1871, by the 2lst Rcgimcntundcr COM
mand of Col. JAMES MILLER, then recently
ofPetcrborough, in this state. Col. CmLEY,
OF Nottingham, believe commanded a COM
pany in that regiment during tfat dreadful
night.
The capture ofLundy's heights by the re-
nowned American Colonel, james Miller,
may justly be recorded as one ofthc most
fierce and desperate accomplishments in
modern history. Neither the advance of the
Old Guard, on the well contested plains of
" w ivy i'pi llIt OWL w iltIlllH tlIiIRC OF
Macdonald on the Austrian centre, at Wa
gram, surpassed it.
The mistaken oh~tinUcy with which tie
british army lad maintained its whole posi-
non, the OFT repeated attempts oflhc Amcri-
can troops TO force it, aud awful loss sustain
ed by the assaiant from the fatal aim Of the
batteries of the English centre, at length de
termined General Brown to make II dash at
The encmy's right wing, and under cover of
tins attack 10 pierce their centre with Il choice
detachment. The latter duty was assigned
to Col James Miller, ofthc 4Ist.
At ten o'clock in the evening, this reg
iment broke from the line, amid loud
cheers from the American centre, and passed
quickly forward in the direction of Luudy's
I'LL, 20 assault the very key ot'thc British po-
s,ion, crushing and overwhelming the oppo-
sing masses ofEngljsh infantry. The gal
liant Americans ueared the heights with ire
mcndous shouts while the British hutalions
melted away like mountains Of snow beneath
the rays ola tropical sun.
But the fight stops-thc carnage almost
ccasCs-and now loud, cheer runs along
the British line, and is heard above the terri
bic cannonudc aud the continued peal of
small arms. In an instant the heights are en-
vcopcd in thick dark clouds OF stuoke. Two
batteries of the reserve have planted and I'M
llmbcred their pieces, to arrest the progress
OF the American column. For the support
of the artillery, six battaIons Of the veterans
Of the Peninsula advanced--to meet their
first defeat. The loud rafting oftheir drums,
aud the repeated cries of God save the
King" announced TO the assauuts this fear
ful resistance. BY tile time the tall shakocs
otthe Granadies heading the columns were
perceived, the Americans were assailed with
tempest OF rockets, grape Shot aud shells,
while their right was turiously attacked with
two British regiments; but the column OF as
saulr still pressed forward. The English
General called upon his Irdian allies; but
these men were so impressed with the ter
rors of the fight that they fled in disnIay.
Col. Miller had now reached the summit
ofIhe heights, and the 2lst was thrown into
close column of companies. The men
were ont of breath and much exhausted, but
the Col hurried them ON. In attempting
charge of hayoncts the fresh and much supc-
ror force of the enemy broke through the
American ranks, and compelled the whole
regiment TO abandon its ground, aud fall
back i'll confusion to the verge of the hill
All seemed lost; but By the heroic efforts of
the Colonel the flight was stopped, the sold
iers, ashamed of their conduct, were once
more formed, and the regiment pat IN motion.
Again the 2lst swept all before il, and press
ed TO the very muZzIes of the British guns;
the cannonicrs, inspired with Il kind of irCn-
~, stood firm, and with unequaed energy,
working their pieces like madncn.
The English infantry, viewing the condnct
of the gunnGrs as a prcsage ofsucccss, rallicd,
and once more drove bacI; the American col
umn. At the verge of the heights the a.
mericans again obtained the supremacy: but
the victory cost the 2Ist so DEAR that Col.
Miller sent for reiuiorcements. Joined by
the light companies of the 18th s. 10th rcgi-
rnents, Col. Miller for the last time ordered
the advance. The troops resolved TO cop-