Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1861-12-07


accompanied by burning fragments, star
ring with gold the black canopy that now
hung over the city. The warehouses be-
gan to explode their combustible materials.
Women we're seen abandoning their houses,
glad to escape alive with their children
The bells rang out in alarm shrieks and
other sounds of tamuls arose while over
all was heard the deep roar of the con.
fagration, wild and terrible as when a
hurri cane is devastating forests. Each
instant the fury of the raging destroyer
increased The houses, built mo silly of
wood, flashed into flames like powder be
fore the approaching confagration, and
the lurid element, surging across the streets,
overwhelmed new tencments, tossing its
fiery crests and plung;ug headlong on,
like some burning and devouring ocean.
In the meantime reinforccments from
Cambridge had arrived at the neck ; but
the encmy's shipping had resumed their
cannopade, and gusts of fiery sleet drove
necessarily across the narrow isthmus.-
The troops drew back. Putnam who had
hurried from the entertainments to bring
up assistance, was almost beside himself
at this hesitation. He dashed through the
hurricane of balls, and calling the men to
follow him he rc.crossed the isthmus.--
But they remained unmoved. Once more
he passed the neck. He exhorted, he i'm
plored the troops; he even walked his
horse across the isthmus; he stood still
while the shot thcrw the earth up all round
him But neither his entreaties, his re-
proaches, nor the naughty scorn of danger
he exhibited, could move the men; few
only crossed and, stung to madness by
his failure, he turned and hurried passion.
stely back to she fight.
He arrived just in season to participate
in the second repulse Of the British; for
Howe, having rallied his troops, was now
advancing again to the assault This time
the patriots waited until the enemy had
arrived with in six rods, when they deliv-
cred fire, even more murderous than
the first. The British again recoilcd. In
vain their officers stroye to rally them
the yolleys of the excited provincials fol-
lowed in rapid succession, and at last the
whole assaling army, gernadcrs and in
iantry, peIl mel, rushed in disorder to
their boats. The slaugh ghte, had been ter
rlble. vi Que company il was found that
nve, OF another only fourteen, had escaped
Most Of the officers were down. 1t was
during this assault that an incident occur.
red which, for moment, relieved the her
rors of the fight Among the enemy Put
nam recognized an old friend and fellow
soldier, Major Small, and recognized him
just in time to s2ye his life, by striking up
musket levelled at him. Poetical as the
occurrence seems, it is established on the
best testimony, and is moreover, eminent,
y characteristic of Putnam.
Sir Henry Clinton, perceiving the des,
peratc character of the fight, had, mean
time, fastened from Boston to Howe as.
sistance and, with some difficulty, the
troops were rallied once more and led tc
the attack This time tie soldiers were
ordered to throw away their knapsacks
reserve their fire, aud trust to the bayonet
Howe had now discovered, also, the vul-
rerable point Of the Americans and push
ing forward his artillery to the opening
between the breastwork and redoubt, wa.
enabled 60 enGlade the whole of the prov.
incial line He, moreover, abandoned tht
attack on the railfence, concentrating hi
whole force on the redoubt. To resis
these preparations, the Americans had no
even their former means, They were nov
reduced to their last extremity. Theil
ammunition was exhausted bayonets they
had none, Putnam, with tears Of merit
fea.ion, had returned from his unavGilnl
effort to bring up reinforcements. Nothing
was lef. but to retreat, or repel the easmy
with the butts Of their muskets, CT Will
stones. Having reached the works, thu
foremost of the British attempted to scale
them, A private mounted first. He wal
shot down at once with one of the few re
maiuing charges of ammunition. Major
Pitcairn followed him.
"The day is ours ~ he cried waving biz