Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-06-13
THE BATTLE DUNBAR.

j.
THE spot on which Oliver Cromwell
drew up Wis little army, was small, mar
row tongue of land, running out into the
Firth Of Forth !; high and bleak near
where i, joined the main land, and over
looking on either side the restless ocean.
The town Of Dunbar was behind him, a
single mansion, Brocksmouth house, faced
his extreme left else there was not SIM
gle covering on the desolate expanse, save
one hut, into which the cannon were car
ried, to shelter them from the rain which
fell in torrents.
On this bleak and narrow peninsula,
only a mile and half wide at its base,
behold the whiteten,s of Cromwell's army.
| In front of him, LANDMARKS, is a desolate,
unsur passable moore, with low ridge of
hills beyond, on which stands the Scotch
army, tweny-three thousand strong. AT
the base OF these ruins, a small strcam!et,
forty feet wide, and almost as many deep;
furnishing only two passes over which
troops can march. Cromwell's ships are
il the ofling. his now last remaining re-
sources the lion is at length caught, and
the prey deemed secure.
On the End of September, Oliver looks
forth from the desolate heath, on which
his army is drawn up in order OF battle ;
and 10! what a sight meets his gaze. Be
hind him is the sea, swept by strong
wind, and before him, blocking him in
from shore. chosen army, outnnmbering
his own two to one. The white tents
tha, arc sprinkled over this low peninsula.
rock to and fro in the storm of sleet and
hail and darkness and gloom hang over
the Puritan host. This strip of land is all
he has left in Scotland, while powerful
army stands ready to sweep him into the
sea. But it is in circumstances like these
that his character shines forth with great
est splendor. Tho his overthrow seems
certain, he exhibits no discouragement or
fear, for "he was a strong man in the dark
perils of war in the high places of the
field, hope shone in him like pillar ol
fire, when it had gone out in all others
At four o'clock that evening, as he was
watching the enemy's movements through
his glass, he saw that the Scotch com
mander was bringing down the whole
army from the hill 10 the brook at its base
TO be ready next day to commence the as
sault.-In this movement his quick eye
detected an error, which, like Bonapar,e
he determined to avail himself Of.
Leslie, in executing his manenvre
had packed his main body into narrow
space. where it could not easily deploy
while the entire right wing stretched int
the plains. Cromwell saw that if he coult
rout this wing and roll it back in disorde
on the unwieldly mass, before 1t coul,
draw up in battle in the open ground
victory would be sure. That night, there
fore, his twelve thousand men were placed
) in battle array, with nothing white abou
them to show conspicuous in the dusk!
twilight, and with orders, as soon as th'
morning dawned, TO fall on the enemy
All night long the drenched army stood
; without tent to cover them IN the COLI
storm; while the moan Of the sea, as
rolled heavily on the beach, seemed chant
ing requiem beforehand, for the dea'
! that should cucumber the field. But ami'
the shrek Of the blast, and the steady rol
. Of the waves, the voice of prayer wa
heard along Nhe i'i'e> "'i" '""y
heart, that before another night shou'
4 beat no more, poured forth its earnest sup
plcation to the God OF battles.
Toward morning the clouds broke ava
and the moon shone dimly down on tn
n silent host. Cromwell, who had bee
inten,ly watching the enemy's motions
: now saw a column moving down the sou!
pass and lifting up his arm, exclaimed
; :uhe Lord has delivered them into ou
hands" The trumpets then sounded IN
charge-the artillery opened their fr
i while louder. than all rang the shout
: "The Lord Of Hosts The Lord of Hosts!
as infantry and cavalry poured in OF one vii
torrent together on the enemy. The flr
). division Of the foot recoiled, when Crou
well ordering up his own regiment Wi