The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1901-01-04


busily employed in bringing up heavy
cannon, with large stores of ammun!-
ton, from the feet. The object of this,
rs we afterwards learned. was to en-
able the artillery and engineer officers,
to try the effect OF a scheme which
they had suggested. They proposed
to the General, regularly to breach the
enemy's lines. and they undertook.
provided proper dispositions were
made, to silence their batteries in the
course of three hours. At an early
hour on the 3lst about twenty long
eightecns, and ten twenty four pound
ers being ready, besides powder and
ball for six hours continued cannonad-
ing, it was determined to throw up, in
the course of the mis- ght, four redcubts,
from behind which our gnnners might
take aim with increased security and
effect. With this view dctachmcnts
from each brigade got under arms soon
after dark, and moved to tie front.
Having advanced, in profound silence,
about couple of hundred yards be-
yond the videttes, the working parties
were commanded to ha!t-and pre-
tectcd by the two battaions Of the
light infautry, the S5th and 95th rifle
corps, they pitched their arms and b.
gan operations. All was conducted
with the most perfect order. Not a
man spoke, but digging seduously at
the spot pointed out to him, each strove
to execute his task more steadily and
more quietly than another. Nor were
the officers backward in atfording them
assistance There were no idle hands
here; every one welded spade or
pick-aXe, and, ku, wing. rs we all knew,
that we worked, for life and death.
Wit lied at once cautiously and 'a!ons-
ly. The consequence was, that long
before the first streaks of dawn ap-
peared, three solid domitoons were
completed, and thirty pieces OF heavy
ordnance placed in readiness to open
the fire. as soon as there should he
light enough to direct it.
Never was any failure more remark
able or unlocked Tor than this. The
infantry, having accomplished their
tasks, fell back, and took ground some
hundred yards or two in rear of the
batteries. There we lay, anXiously
expecting the sun to rise, and conf
IDENTIFY anticipated, that long before
his setting, we should be snugly housed
in The city of New Orleans. But the
sun, as if ashamed to shine upon our
disgrace, was slow of making his ap-
pearance; heavy mist obscured him;
and the morning was far advanced be-
fore it cleared away. At last, however,
the enemy's lines were visible, and then
began fire from our batteries, so
brisk, and so steadily kept up, that we,
who were behind, made not the small
est doubt of its effect. 1t was an
swered for while family, and with
seeming difficulty. By and by, how
ever, the enemy's salutation became
more spirited, till it gradually sur
passed our own, both in rapidty and
precision. We were a good deal
alarmed at this, and the more that a
rumor soon got abroad, that our bat
terics were not proof against the amaz-
ing force of the American shot We
had, it may he stated, imprulently
rolled into the parapets barrels filled
with sugar, under the impression that
sugar would prove as etftctual as sand
in checking the progress OF cannon
balls. But the event showed that we
had b' en- completely mistaken. The
enemy shot penetrated these sugar
hogsheadS as if they had been 50 many
empty casks. dismounting our guns
and killing our artillery men in the
very centre of their works. There
: could lie small doubt, as soon as these
facts were established, how the cannon.
aiding would end. Oar fire slackened
every moment, that of the American :
became every moment more terrible
till at length, after not more than two
hours and a half of firing. cur batteries
were all silenccd The American
works, on tbs other hand. remained as
little injured as ever. and we were con-.
plctrIy toiicd.
W cur cannon cOHtinAed t,
play, the enemy contentcd themselves
, by returning their salute; but in pro
position as the fire ceased, they begar
t. direct their artillery, not at the bat
terics only, but at the infantry in rear
Gar m"n were accordingly commanded
I to lie d,wn; but even thus all the sho
r passed not harml, S., and about twelv,
+ persons uf every rank were killed c
: wounded. AS soon rs this became
7 known, and 1t could not ba concealed
: that the promises Of the engineer de
1 partment were not likely to be fulfilled
l the army were again commanded t,
+ fall back; and it again took up it
e ground, foilc,l, irritated, AMI d.slcart
e enod, in its former hivouac.
D | now hardly observe, that men VIII
had of late undergone so much, an'
S saw before them SO little prospect O
!, success, began to feel both their yea
T. and Spirit ora1uallv SuI,Si6a IL