Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-08-16

haverequested, Of the military services O
Col. VIM. o. Butler, during the late wa
with Great Britain, while attached to t-
army of the South. My intimate associa
ton with him, in camp, on the march ant
in the field, has perhaps made me as wei
acquainted with his merits, as a gentleman
and soldier, as any man living. And al
though we are now standing in opposite
ranks, cannot forget the days and night:
we have stood side by side, facing the com
mon enemy of our country, sharing the
same fatignes, dangers, and privations, aho
! participating in the same pleasures and Ell
4jeyments. The feelings and sympathie
spfinging from such associations in tn,
days Of our youth can never be removed Of
impaired by a difference Of opinionw with re
gard to men or mea sures, when each may
well believe the. other equally sincere as him.
self and where the most ardent desire oi
both is to sustain the honor, the happiness:
and prosperity of our country.
Soon aftermy appointment in the army
of the United States, as lieutenant, in the
fallo Of 1914, was ordered to Join the COM
pany of Captain Butler of the 44th regi-
ment of infantry, then at Nashville, Tenn.
When l arrived and reported myself,
found the company under orders to join our
regiment in the south. The march-most-
ly through an unsettled wilderness - was
conducted by Captain Butler with his usual
promptitude and energy, and, by forced
and rapid movements, we arrived at Fort
Montgomery, the headquarters Of General
Jackson, short distance above the Florida
line, Just in time to follow our beloved gen
eral in his bold enterprise to drive the enemy
from his strong position in neutral terrific
ry. The vanguard Of the army destined
for the invasion of Louisiana had made Pen
sacola its headquarters, ,and the British navy
in the Gulf of Mexico, had rendezvoused in
that beautiful bay.
The penetrating sag 1c;ty Of Gen. Jack.
son discovered the advantage OF the posi-
ton assumed by the British forces; and
with decision and energy which never
faltered. he resolved 10 find his enemy G.
ven under the flag Of neutral power
This was done by prompt and rapid march.
surprising and cutting off all the advanced
pickels, until he arrived within gunshot OF
the fort at Pensacola. The army of Gen.
Jackson was then SO inconsiderablo rs to
render reinforcement of single compa
ny, commanded Ly such an officer rs Capt
Butler, un important acquisition: And al
though there were several companies OF
regular troops ordered 10 march from Fen
nessee at the same time, Capt. Buffers, by
his extraordinary energy and promptitude,
was the only one which arrived in time to
join the expedition. His company formed
Il part of the center column of attack al
Pensacola. The street we entered was de
Tended by Il battery in front, which fired on
US necessarily. while several strong block
houses, on our tanks, discharged upon us
small arms and artillery. But gallant
and rapid charge soon carried the guns in
front, & the town imm odiately surrendered.
In this fight Capt. Butler led OIL his COM
pany with his usual intrepidily. lie had
one officer. Lieut. Flourney, severely
wounded, and several commissioned
officers and privates killed and wounded.
From Pensacola, after the object Of the
expedition was completed, by another
prompt and rapid movement we arrived at
New Orleans few weeks before the ap-
pearance Of the enemy.
On the 23d Of December the signal gun
announced the approach ofthe enemy, The
previous night they had surprised and cap
tured one OF our pickets; had ascended q
bayou, disembarked, and had taken posses
sion of the left bank The Mississippi, with.
in six miles of New Orleans The energy
Of every officer was put in requisilion, 10
concentrate our forces in time to meet the
enemy. Captain Butler was one of the
first to arrive at the generals quarters, and
ask Instructions; they were received and
promptly executed Our regiment, station
ed on the opposite side, was transported a.
cross the river. All the available forces OF
our army, not much exceeding fifteen hun.
dred men, were concentrated ill the city;
and while the sun went down, the line oil
battle was formed, and every officer took
the station assigned him in the fight. I he
infantry formed ON the open square in front
of the cathedral, waiting in anxious expec-
tation for the order 10 move. During this
momentary pause, while the enemy was
expected to enter the city, scene of deep
and thrilling interest was presented. Every
gallery, porch, and window around the
square were filled with the fair forms of
beauty, in silent anxiety and alarm, wav
ing their handkerchiels to the gallant and
devoted band which stood before them, pre-
pared to die, or defend them from the rude
intrusion of foreign soldiery. 1t was a
scene calculated to awaken emotions never
to be forgotten. 1t appealed to the chival
ry and patriotism of every officer and sol
dier-it inspired every heart and nerved
every arm to battle. From this impressive
scene the army marched to meet the enc
my, and about eight o'clock at night they
were surprised in their encampment, i'm
mediately on the banks of the Mississippi
Undiscovered, our line was formed in ST
lence within short distance of the enemy;
rapid charge was made into their camp,
and q desperate conflict ensued. After q
determined resistance, the enemy gave
way, but dlsputing every inch ofthe ground
we gained. In advancing over bitches anc
fences in the night, rendered still more
dark by the smoke of the battle, much con-
fusion necessarily ensued, and many off
GERS became separated from their commands
II more than once occurred during the
fehf. that some of our officers, through
mistake, entered the enemy's lines; and the
British officers in like manner entered
Ours, The meritorious officer in command
L. 4 81