Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1852-10-23

electrified the whole field andsuficed for the whole
army. "The young and gallant leader mas evera-
i0hers along hte.Iine, encouraging and dnimati,aO
has troops, Displaying an aetioit, an enthus;asn.
and a fearless disregard Of danger that inspired
and electrified has little Grmy." Doubtless Gener-
al Scott did his duty vaantly but he foreets that
1t was not "htS little army" but Gen. Browns
and he torgets that it was bayonets led by Jesup,
mot by the direction of Scott) who perceived the
favorable moment with the eye of skillful Gen.
eral and improved it, on his own motion; and that
1t was his (Jesup's) and McNeilps admirable ma
noeuvers enabling them to pour their fire on the
front and rear of the enemy, that decided the bat
tie. Compare the account of the action as given
by the Secretary of War, General Armstrong,
from the official reports, with that taken from the
'Life of Scott
''The hostile armies being now but about one
mile and half apart their pickets were found
soon after day-break engaged in skirmishing-a
mode of warfare little adapted to Browns views.
and one he was DESTROYS of terminating in way
which should prevent his adversary from making
second experiment of it. To this end, while he
directed his outlying guards to feign fight, and
thus draw those of the enemy into pursuit, he
detached Brigadier Porter, of the New York
militia, with light corps, to march rapidly under
cover OF an adjoining wood and throw himself be-
tween the British skirmishng party and their main
body In executing this order, Porter fell in with
an outpost or patrol of the enemy, which, after a
combat of short duration, he routed and was ac-
lively pursuing. when, on debouching from the
wood he Unexpectedly found himself in the pres
ence of heavy British column. We need scarce
ly add, that his retreat was necessarily sudden and
rapid, and not discontinued until he reached the
American camp.
Though the intended manmuvre thus failed to
produce the effect expected from it, it fortunately
became the cause of another, of character much
more important-that of drawing the British Gen
eral and army from their fortified camp. Alarm
ed by the firing on his right, for the safety of his
outlying party, and suspecting that Brown, while
amusing him with petite guerre in his front, re-
ally meditated attack on his flank. Rail hast
ened to assemble his whole dsposable force, and
take position on the plain, which would better
enable him to sustain his outpests and hold in check
any formidable movement attempted by his adver.
sary. The execution of this. purpose did not es-
cape the notice of the American General, who
quickly seized the occasion it offered for bringing
his enemy to battle on open ground, where it was
Justly concluded, he would be more easily beaten
than if posted behind his entertainments Scott
was accordingly ordered to the bridge in his
front, and with his brigade and Towson's artillery
to attack Rails left-while Ripley, with the sec
ond brigade and Hindman S artillery should assail
his right'and rear.
''The former Of these corps being already un-
der arms in the exercise of its customary drill
was soon in moton-when its commander, sus-
pecting from the detour necessary to Ripley's
movement, that the two attacks could not be made
simultaneously, and inferring from the extended
front of the enemy, that the first brigade would
be greatly outfanked, promptly ordered Major
Jesup, commanding the Goth regiment, to,throw
himself forward. and give saeh employmentto Ri
ali's right aswonld preyentit from disturbing the
attack about to be made on his left This order
was quickly executed, and the 25th placed at the
short distance of one hundred wards from The
British elite; which. had in the moan time beer
careful to cover its front with .a'log fence. The
action soon commenced in parallel order, and was
maintained with stcadiness on both sides; wher
Jesup perceiving from the fire Of the covered enc
my in front, and his great liability to flank at
collected on his left that the position he had tax
en- would not long be tenable, gallanty determin
ed to try the effect of the bayonet. A chargt
was accordingly ordered, and executed with it
usual success; as the enemy declining to receive
it, abandoned his position and fed in disorder.
"The Major being now in condition to tax,
part in the main action (yet warmly contested
fastened toplace his regiment across the uncover
ed flank of what remained of RAILS line; and b,
an O0Que 1re on D0th It's front ana rear, was SoOl
enabled to put another portion of it to fight.
was at the moment of this occurrence, that tn
commanding General arrived on the field, bring
ing with him assurances of speedy support iron
the second brigade-a circumstance not even nov
unwelcome, but of greatly diminished interest t
) the gallant men of the 1st in as much as fan
movement then making by the 18th under tn
direction of Major Mcneil, combined with Scott
pressure in front, was sufficient to terminate tn
battle, and compel the enemy to withdraw benin
: his entertainments
5 Ingersoll in his History of the War, gives tn
following account of the decisive crisis in this bal
] tie, which Jesup turned to victory:
''The enemy considerably outnumbering, Out
e fanked Scott's line, and might have turned it, BIT
d for one of those inspired movements which chang
perlous crisis into greater safety and assurance
by the near approach of danger. Major JesuI
! at the head of the 25th regiment, Whose hors
t was shot under him, and his men falling fast o
e the extreme left where he contended with tn
British right, ordered his firing to be suspended
K and his regiment to advance with the bayonet,
: the teeth of deadly volleys, gained thereby
!, favorable position, and compelling their advers;
: ries to retire from log fence, behind which the
: stood. But driven back by Jesup's gallant charg
e exposed to flank as well as to front fire, MajC
e Mcneil on the right, Major Leavenworth parall
7 10 the .enemy's attack meanwhile poured in the
d rapid and destructive fire, MCNEIL judicousiy o
/ cuped an oblique position, and delivered his we
7, aimed shots with fatal effect; and though CAPITA
p Towson's own gun was thrown out OF action,
served with undated ardor at the other pieces
t Captain Harris, of the dragons, (which cor
T. was not made Nsa of \ volunteered to serve out