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Show 546 LJH: OF GEN. JACKSON. CHAP. were the British troops seen wavering in their determiX. nation, and receding from the conflict. At this moment, ~ . 1815_ Sir Edward Packenham, hastenmg to the front, endea-voured to encourage and inspire them with renewed zeal, His example was of short continuance : he soon fell, mortally wounded, in the arms of his aid-de-camp, not far from our line. Generals Gibbs and Keane also fell, and were borne from the field, dangerously wounded. At this moment, general Lambert, who was advancing at a small distance in the rear, with the reserve, met the columns precipitately retreating, and in great confusion. His efforts to stop them were unavailing,- they continued retreating, until they reached a ditch, at the distance of four hundred yards, where a momentary safety being found, they were rallied, and halted. The field before them, over which they had advanced, was strewed with the dead and dying. Danger hovered still around ; yet, urged and encouraged by their officers, who feared their own disgrace involved in the failure, they again moved to the charge. They were already near enough to deploy, and were endea· vouring to do so; but the same constant and unremitted resistance, that cause!! their first retreat, continued yet unabated. Our batteries had never ceased their fire ; their constant discharges of grape and canister, and the fatal aim of our musketry, mowed down the front of the columns, as fast as they could be formed. Satisfied nothing could be done, and that certain de· &truction awaited all further attempts, they forsook the contest and the field in disorder, leaving it almost en· tirely covered with the dead and wounded. It w~s jn t.IFE OF GEN. JACKSON. S4l vain their officers endeavoured to animate them to fur- CBAP. !her resi.s tance, and equally vain to attempt coercion. X. ~ The paniC produced from the dreadful repulse they had 1815. experienced ; the plain, on which they had acted, being covered with innumerable bodies of their countrymen ; while, with their most zealous exertions, they had been unable to obtain the slightest advantage, were circum-stances well calculated to make even the most submissive soldier oppose the authority that would have controled him. The light companies of fusileers; the forty-third and 11inety-third regiments, and one hundred men from the West India regiment, led on by colonel Rennie, were ordered to proceed, under cover of some chimneys, standing in the field, until having cleared them, to oblique to the river, and advance, protected by the levee, against our redoubt on the right. This work, having been but lately commenced, was in an unfinished state. It was not until the 4th, that general Jackson, much against his own opiition, had yielded to the suggestions of others, and permitted its projection ; and, considering the plan on which it had been sketched, had not yet received that strength necessary to its safe defence. The detachment, ordered against this place, formed the l~t of general Keane's command. Rennie executed his orders with great bravery ; and, urging forward, arrived at the ditch. His advance was greatly annoyed by commodore Patterson's battery on the left bank, and the cannon mounted on the redoubt; but, reaching our works, and passing the ditch, Ren-nie, sword in hand, leaped on the wall, and, calling to Amc•ican his troops, bade them follow; he had scarcely spoken, ~:~,0i~~' .. .\-." |
