Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-01-08

comitatus,' dressed IN colored clothes s.cear-
ing broad bsauers,' armed acith lono duck
guns '6y lamps and croacds Of American mill
taa,' and 'by round-hatted Americans but
who, with practised weapons, with stout
hearts, sharp eyes, and steady hands, had
planted themselves in the path between them
and their prey.
"Here was, indeed, food for reflection
and recollection and the reader of the two
military authors who participated in these
events will be struck with the sombre tone
of their remarks upon depicting their situa-
ten and prospects on the eve of the battle.
There was an evident want of confidence in
the British army-a vague presentiment of
some approaching disaster--a scepticism as
to the abilities of their leaders and the mill
tary policy of their arrangements.
"sComing events cast their shadows be-
FORE These apprehensions are easily ac-
counted for from the course of events. and
from the promptness, decision, and conf
dence on one side, and the want of these
military virtue on the other.
" But the work of preparation went on
in the British camp. The troops were en-
barked in the boats; the fascine and seal
ing ladders were prepared; the columns
marched to the proper positions; the bat
teries made ready to open their fire, and
the necessary orders communicated, accord
ing to military usage, through such chan
nels as would insure their reception and
proper execution. Thus passed the night
''Such was the relative situation of the
hostile forces, when, at the dawn of day,
on the morning of the 9Th of January, a
signal rocket, thrown up from the left of
the British lines, and Immediately succeed
ed by another from the right, announced
to the assailants that the moment of attack
had arrived, and to the defenders that their
trial was at hand. The morning was calm,
cold, and lowering; and the exhalations
from the river and swamps still rested on
the whole face of Nature, and masked the
movements of the advancing troops. They
had formed in two columns; the principal
one on the right, near the woods, and the
| other on the left, near the river. As soon
as their advance was perceived by the out
lying picquets, they instantly retreated
within the American lines, and gave notice
of the coming storm. There could howevei.
be no surprise. All night the lines had
been manned, one half Of the troops doing
duty at their posts while the other slept,
or, more properly rested.
''Sill, the obscurity of the morning, and
a partial curve in the woods, enabled the
main column to attain within two hundred
yards of the American work before it was
distinctly visible, The enemy had con-
structed two heavy batteries, and these
opened their fire simultaneously with the
movement of their troops, and were served
with great rapidity. The thunder Of their
discharges added to the sublimity of the
scene, but in all other respects they werr
innocuous. Not gun in the American
batteries was disabled and as to the killed
and wounded, they did not equal, in the
whole engagement, the number of cannon
which the British had in battery.
'sThe American artillery now took its
part in the contest Some of the batteries
were directed against the enemy's cannon,
while others swept the advancing columns.
Commodore Patterson, from his position
across the river, operated by vigorous
fanking fire with the general means Of an