The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1850-01-05

hUl cpiiualnu ~ Nltlf cOunloHhucth Qua keh-
lures. We we're surrounded ron all sidrsi
columns were advancing every where ~
ghlnsl ua, aHd those whom wo had hitherto
trusted hs friends, hud only walled llll lhe
arrival Of ilalr support might iuslily them ~
advancing. There Waa pa iAlseboOd IN those
reports, though made by niGn who spoke
rather from uibr fears lhhn their knowledge.
Tbs column Ia our front no scooter heard the
shout, Than they replied cordially aud loudly
~ u, lhel, firing yolley wRh deliberate aud
lnurdeTous aim, rushed iirptuly towards uh'
Now Then, ~ length, our leader's dreams Of
security were dispelled. lilo found himself
attacked In front and flank 10y three his
number, who pressed forward with tie
confidence which our late proceedings were
1ruicuiHtrd 10 producer whiiHJ the very per-
sons ~ whom he had trusted aud 20 whom
/ bu had given arms, Lost no Time iu turning
them against him. These followers no BoOn-
er head their comrades cry, Than they de-
liboralely discharged their muskoia among
ltcidoucrs drHgoons; aud diupersing before
any steps could bo lnken ~ seize them, es
cnped, excepting one or two, 10 their friends.
! II Col, Baume hadpermitted himself tu bo
lduped into great errdf, Il 10 no moro Than
Justice 10 cOnleas, that lac eXeued himself
nanlully 10 remedy the evil, aud avert its
consequences. Our llllle hand, which had
[ hitherto remained IN column, wHs Instantly
ordured i0 extend, aud tic troops Inning tho
brenstWofks replied 10 the fire Of Ilio Ameri-
cans with extreme celebrity aud considerable
effect, 50 close aud destructive, indeed was
Our frat yollcy, that iiu assuilhUiH fecoiled
before H., aud would nave roirgated, in Hli
| probability, within the woods; hat ere We
could take advantage ofthc confusion produ.
cod. llcHl nllhcha Developed themselves, aud
we were warmly oughged on oyeiy Sido, dGd
and ifom oil quarters IL become evident
that each Of our detached posts was about
10 bu Hssnilrd l., tho same instant. No Que
Of uuT dispositions had been concealed from
tlho engmy, who, on the contrary, seemed to
.be aware. Of the exact number Of man sta
iioncd nt each point, aud They were one aud
fH'i-tittente"ed with q force iIsFiseily adequate
to btHr down opposition. aud yet by no
means disprOpouiouably large, or such as TO
render the main body inefficient. Al. more
over, was lone with the rnguciy aud cool.
ness Of veterans, who perfectly Understood
tllc nature of the resistance to be expected,
aud The difficulties 10 be- overcome, aud who
having we'll considered aud muiured their
plaur, were resolved to carry thrm into exc.
cullon NJ Nll haznrde, aud NJ every expense
o lIio.
II was a. This moment, when tho hcnds of
columns began To- show themselves ia rrur
of our right mud lell, ilrni tho Indians, who
NNN lllltIth uiiuN WIN hlillll anu NulllfitlNH
llkc order, lost nll confdcnco, and fled
Alarmed ai r,o prospect at having their re-.
Treat cut OF, lhcyrstule uwHy, ufrr their own
fashion, in single tiles, ~ spite of the SIRENS.
Gus rcmouslrnucc Of Biumc aud of their
own officers, Nnvug us n,nro Than ever cN. .
posed, by the abandonment Of that angle Of !
of the iutrrnchmtnts which they had been /
appointed To muintain. lini even this spec
lnclc, distressing rs IL doubtless was, failed 7
~ affecting our people With ieoliUg at ull I
akin 10 despair.
TIC vacancy which The retreat Of tho sav. 7
ages ocrAsioncI, was promptly tilted up los I
one of our two hcld' pieces, whilst the other
poured destruction -nuong tho enemy ia
trout ns p0eu M they showed themselves IN
the open country, or Threatened To Advance.
Ia tins rtaio of things We continued upwards
OF three qunrlors Of an hour. Though re-.
pcuiody nsslilod IN front, 1ank, aud rcar,we
maintained ourselves with SO much obslna- 4
cy, ns TO inspire hopo that the enemy might
even yet be kept AT bay ill the arrival ofBrcy-
mans corps, now momentarily expected;
when an accident occurred, which al once
put nu end to this expectation, aud exposed
us, almost deicnccicss, to our fate The sol
inry tumlril which contained the whole of
our spare ammunition, became igniIed aud
blow up with n violence, which shook the
very gould under our feet, aud caused a mo
mcniury cessation Ia firing, both oil our sale
and thnt of the enemy Hut the cessation
was only for moment. Tie American Of {
ficers, guessing the extent of our Gala nifty I
rfTrrrrvi 'fr--tf S.--++.As,-a ltas
rushed up the ascent with redoubIed nrdor
in spite of the heavy volcy which we poured !
Ia to check them; aud finding our guns silent,
they sprnng over tho pnrapc', aud dashed
within our works For few seconds the !
scene which ruHttsd rriir= all power -ef laI.-
guage To describe. The hnyonet, the butt
Of tlic rilc, The Fubra, rtIg pike, wcru r, fuii
play; aud men fell,as they rurely fall IN mod
ern war, under the direct blows of their enc
mics But such n struggle could no;, in the
nature Of ihings, be OF long gou,inuauee--tS
Oul.numberod, broken, and somewhat dis :
hcnricncd 10y late events, our people wnver-
ed, aud fell back, or fought singly and un-
till they were either cut down
1t their posts. ohstinntrly defending them. {
selves, aud compelled TO surrender. OF
Roidescl's dismounied dragoons, few survived
10 tell how uubiy They had behaved; Colonel
Baumc, shot through the body 10y ride ball, =
e murtnlly wounded; nul all order and dis |
ripinG being lost, tliGht or submission was {
alone thought oi. For my own pnrt, whelh
rr the feeling arose from desperation or ncci-
lent cannot tell httt resolved rot te l+s ia
KEN, As yet had escaped almost unhurt, N 8
slight flesh wound IN the arm having alone Il
allen to my share; aud gathering around me q
ihoul thirty of my comrades, we made Il rush
Sherc the onemy's ranks appeared weakest, y
md burst through This done, zach man 9
nndd haste to shin for himself without phus- n
ug TO consider the fate of liis neighbor; and {
osing one third Of Our number from the on =
mys fire, the remainder took refuge, ia
roups oftwo or three, within the inresL