The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-22

pany 70 rest in the And ths invsiids a
camp generally repaired to IT, not being rtsin that
their heads upon their shoulders Ofcours% "Towsos
Lighthouse" was quite in favor with the army; aud
many good story WAS told, many a jovial song sung,
and not little whss.y drunk, under its protection,
which, but for II, had never been enjoyed
The army had tesr Int few days at Fort Erie until
the enemy approe ehsd and took strong position oppo
site Black Rock and about two miles from the fort
General Gaines arrived and assumed command, on the
4th Of August. From the time OF the enemys ap.
proach up the period Of his na fepulse there WAS
war OF pickett and other hostile operations not neces
sary here TO detail but in which many an act Of bold
Fort Erie was at that time surrounded BY thick wood
approaching to within the distance OF one thou
sand yards Of the works The enemy established MS
batteries in the edge OF this wood As the intervening
open space was travered by number OF rsvines, our
light troops would creep along these TO discover ho~ our
enemy progressing and these exploits would be At
tended With more or less firing Our killed and wound
ed would be brought of under cover OF these ra-
vines Theirs II they fell outside Of the wood we're suf
fered TO lie proposal made at time for ces
sation Of hostlie to enable each army TO bury their
dead After Browns soric the enemy retired and left
the United States troops in OF this often con-
tested ground when several dead soldiers In different
Pending the siege the British increased the number Of
their batteries extending them to the right, under
er Of the wood The last one was about six hundred
yards from Towsons, and completed and ready TO
open upon him the next morning after the incident nov
20 be related occurred. General George H. BROOKE
hsn major officer Of the day; and, In Waiting the
picket he discovered the new battery aud the state OF
torWAruDeRS ~ was Returning TO camp, ne Ooumu-
pcntea tie information to Towson and added, 'lf yoa
think proper will give you az opportunity 70 anticipate
The FIRE Of the enemys new battery ~ "Howf' y
will take dark lantern the first time 60 the grand
rounds this evening" and hang upon one OF the trees
line between your battery and his the door OF the
@ will be Sp sn .S
son ''but il will b. very perlpus Undertaking "Fn
do 1t, said the major. paiiy, lit will pleas. -,
the FIRE Of Towsons battery directed by IT, but with
hat effect vas never known
It perhaps in return for this favor, that Brooke
felt justified in lying Towsons patience and property
under contribution by the ruse which will now re-
ate.
Refore the army catered Canada, the captain being
sick had Iassed fortnight at public house, the
American shore OF the bike little west Of Buffalo kept
by Ma Goodrich, and had formed quaiuance with
his family. To this place the officers who had more
horses than they wanted during the siege OF Fort Ee
sent them TO be pastured; changing them when
sary. On such occasions, the se-yants who sent
the lake With the horses would procure vegota
bles and OCCASIONAL, chicken or duck from the far
mers who lived near to Goodrich paying Of course,
obtant prices One day during the siege Brooke sent
his company at dinner, with few friends "Piease to
bring your knife fork and spoon with you !" said the
other articles of table furniture the captain may have"
The invitation was too tempting 70 be refused and for
NAL acceptance returned When dinner was served,
Brookes guests caroas to know how he had been
fortunate to obtain the Of entertaining them
so handsomely co. my servant procured them when he
you the particulars; but wei not call for them till view
dned" None but those who have lived for long time
on camp fare during siege can tell how much Brookes
home and the days Of boyhood Dessert omitted and
Tom called tell how he had obtained the chick
ems and vegetables that formed important part Of the
meal. Tom began to tumble in his pockets Vm afraid
I've lost it," stammersd he Z" Lost .it-lost whatf'
M Goodrich's paper-no-here Il is, !" pulling out
Major aWhy Tom, this is MOI for mem'tis Tor Captain
Towson." It's the paper Mr.. Goodrich gave me; he
said the Captain must excuse it, he had other to
nd nfora Tn raat ID MA
contain ed list of eatabes which Mr. Goodrich had sent
TO Captain Towson by Tom and on which the Major had
sternly at Tom why not these article, and this
paper brought to mes ~ obeys orders SIR" said
Tom casting glance g. the Major and raising himself
ed 1t off, by remarliDg, It's pity since the Major has
taxed so heavily 70 furnish out the dinner that he
did not step further and borrow the spot under
my battery to set the table, as we might then have
dined without the liability to have dshes disturbed
by the enemy's shotn No accident occurred however,
during the dinner and it not enjoyed with the less
gusto on account Of the Majors and Toms black mail
The assault and defence Of Fort Erie Of the
about two in the morning. with numbers superior TO the
Americans and Of the best appointed troops and both
b the enemy and ons own troops many deeds Of hero
General Ripley says On the hrst DIRE Of the picket,
Cap.an Towson opened his artillery upon the enemy
from Fort Williams In q style which doss him infinite
credit 1t continued with very great eject upon the
enemy during the whole action And in another part Of
his report he says cannot refrain from sdverting to
the manner in which Captain Towson's artillery was
served; have It eqpa,ed This officer has
often distinguished himself that to say simply that
he Is In action is volume Of euiogium the army only
to be informed that he is there assent
at satisfied that he has performed well his
have no Idea that there an artillery officer in any
service superior to him in the kno sledge and perform
snce Of his duty" The fire Of Towsons artillery aud Of
the 2lst infantry was terrible and destructive that
the British column, after four efforts to rally and ad-
vance at length broke and fed and the victory was
early end efectusly completed upon this wing which
facilitated the ultimate repulse Of the foe, aid
r. odv I'm vnht
quarter, who were sorey pressed The British were
connie Led 70 retire to their camp with great loss-nine
hundred and fifteen men in killed, wounded and missing
The Americans lost eighty four
On the ID Of September General Brown again took
command at Fort Erie. The British receiving tinua
achievements renewed their efforts and again pushei
their batteries close upon the fort and rendered them
formidable General Brown for the purpose OF
and cripIlng the enemy conceived the bold idea Of
sofe for the destruction OF his batteries The British
force consisted Of three brigades Of about fifteen hun
dred en- each one of which, alternately stationed
at the batteries while the other remained at the
camp The object Of the sorte to surprise tho br
gade on duty defeat capture IT, and destroy the
teres tfore the others could it, aid The sue
cess Of the enterprise is well kno the country and
to the world On the 9th Of October Major General
lizard arrived from Patsburg with his division Of 5000
men to relieve the beseged army but found that they
had relieved themselves BY the brilliant affair lust de-
scrbed, and that the enemy had retired Lard deter.
mined TO follow him, and try to bring him action He
pewa The defences at that piece had been
by the construction Of redoIbts and by extending
along the creek on the side Of the village Ia
J distance sunicient to their infantry and light
troops, and also BY work the opposite side Of the
creek, defended By artillery Upon accommodating the
enemy lines 1t discovered that his artillery was In
position but that there appearance any other
troop and this with certain movements observed In
the village created mpre ssicn that he was about to
abandon the post In his letter 70 the Secretary Of War
General lizard says Some Of my officers induced
to believe that the enemy ting the post and
Major General Brown Of this opinion To ascertain
the fact which seemed to incredible the
state Of their works, ordered the whole Of nv little
train, consisting Of Towsons and Archer's Companies
the former three ak FOUNDERS and Eve aud half
inch howityer the latter two eighteen ad
vance and IRE on the batteries Nothing could be moro
gallant than the proceeding Of this little baud They
advanced through the open ground in full view Of the
enemys batteries Of twenty four and twelve FOUNDERS
formed the line without any whatever and CON-
menced cool and correct cannonade which was inme-
diste answered by their adyrrsaes The vast superi.
orty OF our artii rsts dsoernbe BY the most In
experienced eye Every shot told one Of the enemy
batteries was silenced. The intended effect vas pro
duced and y was plain that far from abandoning
their posts thrtish in strength and su peror In
number II gums aud weight of metal fhe firing con-