El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-01-09

ised to make the British veterans all
the more formidable, quite apart from
their numbers.
Despite the battery fire of Jackson's
guns the British columns preserved
pretty good order until they got within
reach of the frOntiersmen's rifles. Then
the muskets of the TennesSeans and
the Kentuckians snapped angrily, and
most of the bullets found billets in the
bodies of the foe. The British were
first staggered and then thrown into
confusion. The American artillery and
small arms moved down whole files
of the enemy and forced retreat
within 25 minutes after opening the
already fOredOOmed the British attack.
Failure Everywhere.
This was not all. The 1900 men that
had been detailed to capture the lone
battery off on one of the American
flanks were away below that position
and substantially mired when the sig
nal for the general advance was given.
These troops reached their objective
too much weakened to answer the pur-
pose and were quickly driven off by
JacksOn's troops
The enemy reformed for a second as
sauIt and Zacharia Smith gives this
graphic account of what then hap
Dened: THE defeated column was
rallied by heroic efforts of the Off
GERS, reinforced with fresh troops and
a
the carnage and destruction were as
great as in the first attempt, while
almost no impression was made upon
the defensive line of the Americans.
But the English again were com
DelIed to retreat in disorder, leaving
thegreat numbers of dead or wounded
on the ground or prisoners to the
"A ForIorn Hope.
Hope of victory had now become
a forlorn one to the British. They
were broken in numbers, broken in
order and discipline and in pregtige,
yet the brave officers, led by their
commander in chief, determined not to
give up the contest without last des-
perate effort In vain did they call
upon the men to rally and form again
for another advance, striking some
with the flat of their swords and ap-
pealing to them by every incentive.
They would not move from their
shelter in the ditch. The ground over
which they had twice advanced and re-
treated was strewn thiclly with their
dead and wounded, and such slaughter
was enough to appal the bravest of
mankind In this fashion the effort
to turn Jackson's right flank was
frustrated.
Nearly 100 Of the enemy reached
the ditch in front of the American
breastwOrk, but half were killed and
the others captured. This, in effect,
was virtually the story at every point
of attack Sir Edward Pakenham lost
his life leading the 18th regiment,
which had returned to the fray with
out it's colonel. and his second in com
mand was also mortally wounded
short while afterward Indeed, so
many of the officers had fallen that
the British soldiers failed of leaders,
and were utterly dismayed and incap-
able of continuing the action.
Complete Victory.
At half past s. two hours and
half from the beginning of the battle,
the conflict was over and the victory
of the Americans amazingly decisive
Gen. Jackson lost but six killed and
seven wounded, while the toll eXacted
Of the enemy amounted to 700 killed
and 1870 wOunded-nOt counting 500
prisoners taken. A British officer who
rode over the field under the temper
airy truce that followed said: With
in 4 space of 300 yards wide and eX-
tending out 200 yards from the Ameri-
can breastworks-an area of about 10
acres-I saw before me in this small
compass not less than 1000 men dead or
disabled, all in the British uniform.
There was not one American soldier
among them"