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

| NeSSeiS Ol all SIZES anu dimensions,
crowded the Mississippi, and com
manded the whole fleet. With re-
spect to the British army again, its
time was now powerfully occupied, in
digging canal from the end of the
bayo, by which we had effected our
landing, up to the river. The object
to be attained by this work could not
be concealed; it was intended to bring
up boats from the Lake and to trans
port a division over the river, so as to
capture, and turn against themselves,
there planted. Now, though it ill
becomes me, especially after the pledge
which | have given to the contrary, to
hazard any opinion on the measures
pursued in this campaign, l must be
permitted to observe, that never were
men so severely, and so uselessly ha-
rassed as in this undertaking. OF the
scheme which proposed to carry the
batteries on the opposite side, it is i'm
possible to speak in terms too lauda-
tory it was the only plan which in
our circumstances offered any chance
Of success, and it ought to have been
adopted at once But why break the
spirits, and wear out the strength of
the troops, by setting men to excavate
. trench, full two miles in length and
six feet deep? We had dragged heavy
twenty-four Founders over land, from
the mouth of the creek where would
have been the difficulty of transporting
any number of light boats, in similar
manner? In my humble opinion, time
and toll were never so thoroughly
wasted as they were then. Had a few
rollers been framed, barges, gigs, cut
tiers and even launches, might have
come through the bog with perfect
ease; and all the risks and uncertain
ty of artificial navigation avoided.
But our Chief thought OF herwise, OF
rather the possibility of moving boats,
except through water never occurred to
him; the consequence was, that the
whole army, being divided into four
relays, worked necessarily by day and
by night, from the morning of the End
up to the evening Of the 9th Of Janu-
ary. 1t was gigantic undertaking ;
but we accomplished it, for, at the Pc
riod last mentioned, an artificial bayo
was formed, to all appearance at least,
not less navigable than the natural one.
All, therefore, was now expectation
nor did many hours elapse before ex-
pectation was converted into certainty.
The relay to which Charlton and l
belonged, had ended their tasks at
day-break on the morning of 7th; We
had retired to our hut, for a hut we
happened to possess, and having stop
ped for an hour or two. we were seat
ed at our breakfast, more blessed, if
the truth must be told, in the excel
lence of our appetites, than in the
means of gratifying them. The color
sergeant entering at the moment, laid
down the regimental orderly book be-
ore us. Charlton eagerly grasped it,
and having read it in silence, handed
it to me. l also read, and, as far as
my memory can be trusted, to the fol-
lowing effect =
"The troops will be under arms two
hours before daylight tomorrow morn
ing, when the army will form into two
columns in the following order:-The
right column, consisting of the 4th,
2lst, and 44th regiments, shall take
part near the wood, the 44th leading
and bearing the gabions and fascines;
the left column, eompused of one COM
pany from the 43rd regiment one com
pany from the 7th, the 93rd and the
7th West India regiment, shall station
itself upon the road. The 95th regi-
ment, in extended order shall keep up
the communication between the head
of one column and the head of the other
whlls, the 7th and 43rd shall remain
in reserve" The orders then went on
to state, that a general assault would
be made upon the enemy's lines; that
the commander of the forces placed the
fullest reliance in the gallantry of the
troops ana the skill of his officers; that
arrangements were made so as To as.
sure success, and that lie confidently
; trusted that tomorrow would add al
additional laurel to the many which
already adorned the brows of his brave
followers. The order was well eX
pressed. We read it with intense in
terest, and we determined, that, as fal
: as we were concerned at least, no eXer
: tions should be spared to hinder The
5 generals hopes from suffering a blight
When men are made aware, that a
the expiration of Il few hours, they vii
be brought into Il situation which will
require all their energies of mind ant
body to bear them honorably through
D., they almost unavolahly congregat'
together, and indulge in numerous sur
: mis- as to the results which are llkel,
| to cnsuc, :.nd the means which to eacl
, appears best calculated to render these
/ results favorable. On the present oc
casion, for example, not many minutes
] elapsed ere our hut became place o
=.