New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-02-07

DAILY CRESCENT.
OFFICIAL JOURNAL
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE SECOND MUNICIPALITY
Anecdotes Of the Battle of Plattsburg.
BY WILLIAM wALcOTT.

The battle of Plattsburg was one of those oc-
casons when people arise in their might, and
prove, by most triumphant success, that good
hearts, and good cause. are unconouerable |
The plan OF landing three we'll appointed armies
in three different parts of our country, and by !
series Of victories supposed certain, from the |
character Of the troops, they being veterans of |
many battles, to either entirely conquer or dis
member the Union, was scheme as brilliant as |
was the promptness with which it was put into
execution. The result Of these three expeditions
is a matter of history with which every school
boy is now acquainted, rendering it useless TO
enter into n detailed description. But there
are incidents in every battle, too insignificant
for history, which, nevertheless, contain more
of interest, more romance, when one or two in
diyiduals alone are concerned, and which often
contain more peculiar charm, than the most
splendid accounts of the greatest battles. Many
of these occurred at Plattsburg, well worth re-
lating. ....... .....s..
1t Is told of a young officer, Lieutenant A. c.
Fowler, that he could fire cannon with as much
precision as an old hunter his rifle. He was sta
toned with his gun in small sand still
remaining at point nearest the lake, and COM
manding the mouth of the Saranac River, and
that part of the town of Plattsburg lying on its
north side. An ammunition wagon belonging
to the British was pointed to him, passing to
some. particular point. He Immediately aimed
his piece, with the remark, '' that he would cut
the fore wheels from under it, which; he did
the horses running off with the tongue; while
the body and the hind wheels remained-one
end cooked up in the air-in the road, very
much to the amusement of all who witnessed it,
AT another time, an officer of some standing
was seen leading n detachment of the enemy
forward, when Lieut.. Fowler said, pointing his
gun, e that he would not hurt him but merely
give him tumble" In moment more, as the
gun recoiled with the fire, the horse was killed
under this officer, and he sprawling on the
ground. r.E
The American army was divided into two
divisions-one occupying the Notifications on the
banks of the Saranac, and commanding bridge
crossing that river and the town of Plattsburg
the other posted several miles up the river, to
prevent and dispute the advance of a division of
the enemy, who had taken circuitous route, in
order to cross the river, and attack the republ-
can forces in flank, simultaneously with the adj
vance on the front, and the attack on our feet
lying in the bay and, while the action was rag
ing all along the line, and on the bay, commu-
nication was kept up between the two divisions
by officers of the staff who delivered their mes
sages verbally, as nothing could be entrusted to
paper, and carried by the subordnates, for fear
of falling into the hands of the ememy--who had
crossed the river in large body-and thereby
reveal the plan of our operations
At length it was shouted from point to point
along the lne that McDonough was victorious
on the lake, which, so soon the British learned
caused them to retreat This made a change in
the disposition of the two armies: and, just at
this time, Major Skinner was dispatched with a
message, and, not being aware of the change,
was surprised, and taken prisoner. Before leav
ing home, he had put two hundred dollars in
gold in his pocket saying to his wife, that, should
he be taken prisoner, American money would
notIp pass in Canada This they robbed him off !;
and when he protested against such conduct,
he was felled to the earth, and otherwise NAL
treated. They urged him towards the British
lines, and when crossing the river, one soldier
being each side of him, he made great exertions
to escape; but being weak from The bad treat
ment he had been subjected TO, his exertions
were of little avail. Just at this time COM
pany of the Republican Volunteers, from the
| town of Keeseville, arrived on the bank of the
river and saw the two soldiers, as they supposed
| assisting some wounded officer to escape, ant
| were upon the point of proceeding, when Major
Skinner turned his head, and was Immediately
recognized. The captain and one Of the corpo-
rails Immediately leveled one of their rifles fired
and the two soldiers fell dead in the water, car
rying Major Skinner with them. The current
bore them some distance down the stream; but
the Major succeeded at last in extricating HIM
self from the grippe of the dead men, and reached
the shore in safety. The distance fired was very
great, and, considering that all three were close
together, and walking with the irregular mo-
tion consequent in treading round slippery
| stones, was very extraordinary.
The night preceding the battle was stormy
and dark. The enemy taking advantage of
the weather, advanced in body, and built a
| battery on a prominent point near the bank
| of the Saranac, and within close musket shot OF
| all the American works so near, indeed, was
10 In H. III. H., IT,
| they labored industriously through the night
and storm young officer, named Nc
| Glassen, proceeded to the headquarters Of Gen.
| MlComb, and stated the case to him, asking the
| privilege of taking the work. The General re-
! piled, that it was dangerous undertaking, and
| that the men could not be spared, as all would
| be wanted on the next day. Mr.. McGlassen
Acknowledged all to be true that the General
| had stated, but represented the greater danger
of the enemy occupying such point, and within
| nlusket shot of the Generals own quarters
| Gen McComb then asked how many men he
wanted, and he replied that he would go with
what he could get, but that he would like one
hundred and fifty. Gen McComb said that one
hundred and fifty could not be spared, but that
he might have sixty; and McGlassen said he
would take the battery with that number. Gen
McComb then wrote him an order for the sixty
men-McGlassen went to his post. showed the
| OIuet 10 tlle ituu CdllSu
teers-Iiundreds sprang forward eager to go
| but he would take no more than the sixty, and
from the whole selected that number. He or
dered them, every man, to take the flint from his
inusllet, and fix the bayonet; then they advanced
crossed the river noselessly, and proceeded quiet
| liz through the small wood towards the work. A
| Il certain distance he ordered a halt, and pro
| ceeded cautiously alone to secure the sentinel
After succeeding in which, he returned, divide,
his little party into two divisions, one of whicl
he ordered to take circuitous route, so as +
attack on the opposite side. The other he let
himself; and, calling out in laundering vote
to 's charge on the front and the rear the
rushed, with all the noise possible for the fey
number to make, upon the enemy. They wer
altogether taken by surprise, and, supposin
themselves surrounded by overwhelming nun
bers, took to their heels, and fled like sheep. L
vein their officers tried to rally them-panic
stricken, there was no stopping them; and eve
the officers themselves were borne along wit
the frightened mass. Without continuing tn
pursuit Mr. McGlassen spiked the cannon, an
returned to the camp, having accomplished hi
object thoroughly, and without losing one mar
McDonough had formed his line of battle
his vessels lying at anchor across Plattsbul
Bay, the head of the line near the main Ian
that runs out and forms Cumberland Head
the space intervening being commanded by
battery of one gun on the shore, and reachin
to bar near Crab Island. Small vessels wel
| xpatnbipr fbn Rr;ti nd