Litchfield enquirer., 1848-07-13
RATTLE or DUNBAR.


have ssvrax liking Cor Old Oliver. and 'eel
grateful 10 every one who speaks true WORD
for him. II the reader wants spirited de-
scriplion lei him just read this:
The srut on which Oliver drew up his little
amy. wes small narrow tOngue OF land, Tun>
ming out into the Firth Of FOrth-high and
blcsk near where il Joined the main Land, ard
overlooking. on either side, the restless ocean,
The town Of Dunbar was behind him single
mansion, Block6mouth House, faced ms ex"
treme lett-else there was not covering ON
the desolate expanse, save one hut, Into which
the cannon were carried TO shelter them from
the rain, which fell in torrents.
On this bleak and narrow peninsula, only
mile aud halt wide Ut its base, behind the
Mhite tents Of Cromwelfs army! In hont o.
him, landward, IL desolate, impossible moor,
with low ridge of hills beyond. on which
stands the Scotch army, twenty three thousand
slrone. At the base Of these RUNS small
s,rean1et, FORTY feet wide and almost as many
deep furnishing OEIy two passes over which
,roops can march. Cr0mwell's ships are in
the Ifing, his now last remaining respurce-
the lion il at length caught, and the prey
deemed secured.
On the second Of September, Olives locks
forth from the desolate heath, on which his
army is drawn up in order Of batile-and 10 !
what a sight meets his gaze. Behind him is
the sea, swept by strong wind-and before
him, blocking him in from shore to shore,
chosen army outnombering his own two 20 one.
The white tents, that are spriDkled over this
lew peninsula, rock 10 and fro in h. stoItn Of
sleet and hil-and all was darkness and gloom
over the Puritan host. This strip Of land is
all he has leG in Scotland, while powerful
army stands ready to sweep him into the SEA.
But il 10 IN circtulstances like these that his
character shines svth with great splendor
Though his overthTsW seems certain, he ex-
poets no encouragement oF lear, for, " he was
q str,ag man in the darn perils of war-in the
high places OF the field, hole shone in him like
pillar Of FIRE, when it hid gone on, in all
others"
Al four O'Clock that evening, as he was
watching the enemy's movements through his
glass, he saw that the ScOick COMMANDER was
bringing down The whole army fI"n ne hilito
the book at its base, to be ready next day to ,
commence the assault. In this muvemeh his
qnck eye detected an error. which, like Bona.
pate, he determined to avail himself Of
Lesley, in executing his maneuver, had pack
ed his main body into narrow space, where ii
could not easily deploy-w while the entire right
wing stretched into the plain. Cromwell saw
il he could rout this wing, aud toll 1t back in
disorder on the unwieldy mass before il could
draw up ~ battle, IN the open ground, victory
would be sure. That night, therefore. his
twelve thousand men were placed ~ battle ar.
ray, with Nothing white about them 10 show
conspicuous in the dusky twilight, and with
orders, az soon as the incoming dawned to fall
on the enemy. All night long the drenched
army Stood without tent TO cover them. IN
the cold storm-while the moan Of the sea, as
it rolled hea, lily on the beach, seemed chanting
requiem beforehand for the dead that Should
cumb.rtEe field But, amid the Shrek OF the
blast and the steady rOar OF the waves. the
voice Of PRAYER was heard along the lines
and many brave heart, poured forth its earn-
est applications 10 the God of battles
Toward morning, the clouds broke away,
snd the moi n shone dirnly down on the silent
host. Cromwell who had been intently watch
ing the enemy's motions, new saw column
moving down the southern pass-and lifting
np his arm, exclaimed, THE l. I'd bath deliv.
cred them into our handsy The trnmPeis
th en- sounded the charge--the artillery open
ed their fire, while louder than all rang the
shouts, The Lord Of Hosts the Lord Of
Hosts!' as infantry and cavalry poured IN
one wild torrent together on the enemy The
first division Of the foot recoiletl-when Crom-
weh ordered up his own regiment. which WIN
teVPleu VteCeAp Pgt6Sch StStuty tot"osN "s~''N
the carnage. bearing down all opposition. AT
that moment the cavalry came laundering on;
the Scotch paused in terEor-the next moment
the Gathering tempest was upon them. Over
the brook and over the hostile ranks they
went, trampling down the steady baitallions
like grass beneath their feet, and bearing three
thousand souls to the next word, in their
6erce passage. IN the midst Of this terrible
charge. Oh which Cromwelfs eye rested with
the deepest anxiety, the sun rose over the ma.
ked hills and struggling through the mist that
was gently moving away from the battle field.
spns his level beams athwart the commihgled
hosts.
So did the sun rise on Napoleon at Borodi-
no, as he stood and surveyed the fields on when
two hundred and sixty thousand men were
saving TO battle. and the sublime expression
burs, ffom his lips, Behold the Sun Of Aus
ferliiz.' But Cromwell, carried away by
higher sentiment than glo,y, gave vent 10 his
emol ions in sublimer Language. As the bla>
zing ire.ball rolled into view, and poured its
Hight over he scene. he burst forth, " Let God
arise, and let his enemies be scat.eied" Ay,
and they were scaitered-The right wing,
broken aud disordered was rolled in confused
mass. back upon the main body Vi the army |;
and the panic spreading, tboss twenty thou
sand men became cloud Of fugitives Sweep
irg hither and thithev over the Geld. At the
base Of Doom Hill. on whi.h the enemy had
been encamped, Cromwell ordered . general
hall and while he horse could be rallied for
the chase babe the army sing the hundred and
seventeenth Psiam. .'Hundred and seven-
lscnih Psalm, al Che foot If Doom Hill--theEe
we upliit it to the tune Of Bangor, or some
still. higher score. and roll il strong and great
against the sky." AZ the mighty anthem died
away on the field. the shout Of battle was
again heard--and the fierce cavalry drove
amid the broken ranks riding down the fusi-
lives ard sabeiing them without mercy, till
the ground was covered with the fead.
Three tn ,usand were slain-and ten thou
ssnd taken pris0ners--while fifteen thousand
stand Of arms--two hundred stands of colors,
and twenty seven cannon--Gemained 40 spous
to the vietors. II was an utter vout 0f the
Scoich--the whole county around became coz.
FRED with a disorderiy multitude. through
which the steady squadrons Of the republicans
galloped without resistance.
Tue AxppMr Hon -Tha Alc;un KInev IL