Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1853-01-06
3flisicllnllD.
BATTLE LUyDY'S LANE.
July 25th, l8l4'

. AAJ r-1eA ~N-@s
WE quote from "a eazzop among Amer
/ icau Scenery by Aug E. Silliman," pub
/ lished by Appletop 4 Co, in l843) the
( following graphic and thrilling account
Of the memorable Battle Of Lundy Lane.
\ Upper CaHa3a, 5o years ago. wherein our
countrymen assailed on their own ground
1 far superior force of British Regulars,
and proved. both in giving and receiving
I a succession IF baEouet charges. that the
American blood Of Bunker Hin and Ben
nington flowed through the veins Of no
/ degenerate sons A thousand battles
have been fought with far superior forces:
( but we hesitate not to say that in daunt-
( less courage and heroic steadiness none of
them surpassed that Of Lundv's Lane,
wherein WIxrIELD .ScoTT freshly endear-
ed himself to his cquntrymen and receiv-
ed wounds whereof he viii carry the
scars to his grave But let US hear Mr.
Silliman's narrative, mainly founded on
+ the personal account of an actor in the
fray. a Major. since deceased ~ J.
Tribune.
Far different music has resouuded thro'
these continuous woods than the wild bird's
carol. the hula of Insects and the waving
of the breez2 that now so gently greets
our ear At Wonder white house sald the
Major. as Eiaa Scott, making a forward
movement with his brigade in the after
noon of the 2jth of July 1914, came in
view Of it. we saw the court yard filed
with British officers. their horses held by
orderlies and servants In attendance As
soon as We became visible to them, their
burles sounded to saddleand in few mo-
Il 4g,I o,,A 4
ed through the woods at full gallop. TWEEN
ty bugles ringing tie alarm from differ
ent parts Of the forest. All vanished as
if swallowed by the earth, save an ele-
CANT veteran officer. who reigned up Just
out of musket shot, and took a leisurely
survey Of cur numbers. Having appar-
emily satisfied himself of our force. he
raised the plamed bat from his head. and
bowing gracefully to our cortege, put
spurs to his Horse and disappeared with
the rest From the occupant Of the
house we gathered that we were about a
mile distant from o strong body Of the
enemy. posted on the rising ground just
bevond the woods ia our front. General
Scott. turning to me. said. "Be kind
enough sir to return to Maj Gen Brown,
inform him that I have fallen in with the
enemv's advance, posted IN force at 'LH3l-
dVs Lane and that in one half hour I
shall have iozned battle Order up
Ripley with the second brigade. direct
Porter to get his volunteers Immediately
under arms" was tie brief reply Of the
Major General to my message, and the
aids were instantly in their saddles con
veying the orders As | galloped thro'
the woods. aontinued the Major, the can
non screaming by me, tearing the trees
and sending the rail fences into the air in
their course. warned me that the contest
had begun But we are on the battle
ground There upon the verge of that
sloping hill, ard through the grave yard,
was drawn mp the British line under Gen
eral RialI. In force three times greater
than our brigade, his right covered by a
powerful battery of nine pieces of artil-
ierv. two of them brass twenty-fours.
The eleventh and twenty-seeond regi- +
mcnts first leaving the wood, depl0ved up
on the open ground with the coolness and +
regularity ot q review, and were soon en- .
gagged furiouslv In action the fire from
the euemy's line and from the batteries,
which completely commanded then0s.tio1
opening upoa tbCm with tremendous ef- .
feet Towsan. having hurried up with
his guns on the left. IN vain endeavor to i
attain sufficient elevation to return the .
ire of their battery. The destruction on +
our side was great. TIE two regiments F.
fought with 19usunmate bravery. Sc .
vercly cut up, their ammunition exhaust
ed. and their oiiicors nearly all Of them
killed or wounded they were withdrawn
from action the few oficers remaining IN
hurt throwing themselves into the ninth
which now came inte action, led by the
gallant Col. I.eavenwOrth.
The brunt Of the battle now came upon
them. and they alone sustained it for
some time, fighting with unfinchiug bra
very until their numbers were reduced to
one-half by the fire of the enemy. At
this iuncturo Gen Scott galloped up with
the intention of charging the hlll; but
finding them so much weaker than he
expected, altered hisiutcntion. ertreatiDg