Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1852-11-12

very temp lng, so all concluded to return; and,
on the first of April, 1915, we left for home
the day selected for embarkatlon forming an
appropriate finish to our fools errand."
Here a sudden spasm of recollection struck
he inquirer with the force OF a galyanc bat
terry.
An Incident of the Battle OF New Orleans
British officer, who was IN the battle Of
New Orleans. mentions an incident nf thrilling
srangeness and one very descriptive of the
esern hunters many of whom marched to the
defence Of New Orleans, as volunteers III the
| army under the reEowned Andrew Jackson
We marched, said the officer in u solid COL
nmn Of twelve thousand men, in direct line up
on the American defences. belonged to the
staff; and AS we advanced, we watched through
our glasses the position and arrangements of
our enemy with that intensity an officer only
feels when marching into the jaws Of death,
with the assurance that while he thus offers
hunselt as II sacrifice to the demands of his
country. every action, be he successful, or 9TH
erwlse, will be judged with the most heartless
scrutiny.
1t was a strange light. that long range ofcot-
ten bales-a new erlal Tor breasworks,-
with the crowd of human beings behind, their
heads onlv visible above the l,ne of defence.
W COuiu ulSllllCllN Stc tliCll IOllS
over the bales, and the battery Of Gen. Coffee
directly in front, with It's great mouth gaping
towards us, as they waited to devour us, and
the position of Gen. Jackson, with his staff all
around him. But what attracted our attention
most, was the figure Of tall man standing on
the breast works, dressed IN lnsey -wUolen, with
buckskln legglns, aud a broad-brnmed felt hat,
that fell around the face, almost cOnceallng his
eItures. He was standing in one of those
picturesque and graceful attitudes peculiar to
those natural men dweers in thetorests. The
body rested on the left leg, and swayed with
curved line upward the right arm was extend
ed, the hand graspIng the rt" near the nuzzel,
the butt of which rested near the toe of his
right foot, while with his hand he raised the rim
OF the hat from his eyes, and seemed gazing
from beneath intensely upon our advancing COL
umn The cannon of Gen. Coffee had opened
upon us, and tore through our ranks with dread
tu saurhter but we continued to advance,
unwayering and cool, as If nothing threatened
our progress.
The roar of cannon seemed to have no effect
upon the figure standing on the cotton bales,
but he seemed fixed and motionless as statue.
At last he moved, threw back the lat rim over
the crown with his left hand. raised the rifle to
his shoulder, and took aim at our group Our
ewes ere rlvetted upon him. At WHOM had he
evelled his piece: But the distance was so
great that we looked at each other and smiled.
We saw the rifle hash and my right hand COM
punon. as noble looking a fellow as ever rode
at the head of his regiment, fell from his sad
die. ! ne hunter paused few momenlS, with
out moving the gun rom his shoulder then re-
loaded and assumed ms former attitude. Throw
ing the hat rim over his eyes, and again hold
ing 1t up with the left hand, he fixed his pierc-
ing gaze upon Us as II hunting out another VIC
tim. Once more The hat rIm was thrown back
and the gun raised to the shoulder. This time
we did not smile but cast short gances at each
other, to see winch Of us must die and when
again the rifle flashed, another one Of US Drop
ped to the earth There was something most
awful in thus marching on to certain death.
Gen. I Offices battery, and thousands mus
ket balls playing upon our ran S, we cared not
tor--,here was a chance OF csc ping unscathed,
Most of us mad walked upon batteries humid
red times more destructive without quaillng;
but to know thai every time that rifle was level
led towards us and IT'S bullet sprang from the
barrel, one OF us must surely fall ; TO see the
cleaning sun flash as the deadly iron came
down, and see It rest motlonless, as if poised
upon rock, and know when the hammer struck
and the sparks flew to the full prlmed pan, that
the messenger of death drove unrrrugly to its
goal--to know this, and still march on, was
awful.
could see nothing but the tail firure stand
ing on lue breastwo;k. lie seeuled H. grow,
phantom like, higher and higher, assuming
through the snohe tue supernatult appearance
Of some great Spr.t. Again did lie reload lnd
dlscharue his rifle with me same uufailing aim;
and II was with nLe,cnbabie pleasure that |
beheid, As we nearei The American lines, the
, suIphurous cloud gathered around us, and shut
that spectral hunter from my gaze We lost
the battle and to my mind. tue kentucky rife,
man contributed more to our defeat than any,
thing else for while ne remained to our sight,
, our attention was drawn from our duties, and
when at last he became elshruud"d in the
smoke the work was complete; we were in ut.
ter confusion, and unable, in the extremity, to
restore order sufficient 10 maae any successful
attack
: long thousands and thousands Of rifles
remain IN the hands of the people so long as
, mel come up from their childhood able, ere the
down appears on he chin, to Int the center Of
r a mark, or strike the deer at $50 yards IN the
most vital points SO lon. as there is a great pro-
portion of the Repabiic who i've free as the
wild Indian, knowing no leader but their own
choosing knowing no law but that Of night, and
the honorable observance of friendly inter-
Course. America is unconqucrable and all
the armies of tha combined world, though they
might drve them from the seacost and across
the Allegheny mountains, would not be abba to
subduc the free soulei hunter among the noun
tans and great pralrles and mighty rivers Of
the West.
0F@LosS by FiRr ~ BosTor.--The follow.
ing table will show the loss by fire IN Boston,
for the year ending Sep J. 1852. The chief
loss was at the burmng Of the fremont Temple
IN March, and tue Purchase street fire in July,
Loss. Insurance,
September, S.7Ol7 1922. .l25
October, 1903 3,453
November, l.S}O GRO
December, 46347 lI.9O4
January, 9,s72 5,647
February, l,24S 3.34S
March, l96.2p 6O55S
ADrIl ~ D-O a oo0