OCR Text |
Show 126 LIFE OF GEN: JACKSON. CHAP. troops, and skill in the officers who commanded them, IV. be~me more and more apparent; but still their ardour ~to meet the enemy was not abated. Troops unac- 1814' quainted with service are oftentimes more sanguine than veterans. The imagination too frequently portraying battles in the light of a frolic, keeps danger concealed, until, suddenly springing into view, it seems a monster too hideous to be witl1stood. On the evening of the 21st, sensible, fi·om the trails he had fallen in upon, fresh, and converging to a point, that he was in the neighbourhood of the enemy, Jackson encamped his little army in a hollow square, on an eligible site, upon the eminences of Emuckf~w, se~t out his spies, posted his piquets, doubled h1s senti· nels and made the necessary arrangements to guard agai~st attack. About midnight, the spies cam,e in, and reported they had discovered a large encamp· ment of Indians, at about three miles distance, who, from their whooping and dancing, were no doubt ap· prized of his arrival. Every thing was ready for th~ir reception, if they meditated an attack, or to pursue m the morning, if tl1ey did not. At the dawn of day, the alarm guns of our sentinels, succeeded by shrieks and savage veils, announced their presence. They com· ~~;,~kf~wmenced a furious assault on the left flank, commanded Jan. 22· by colonel Higgins, which was met and opposed with great firmness. General Coffee, and colonels Carroll and Sitler, instantly repaired to the point of attack, and, by example and exhortation, encouraged the men to a performance of their duty. The action raged for half an hour; tl1e brunt of which being against the left wing, it had become considerably weakened, It being :pFE OF GEN. JACKSON. 127 now sufficiently light to ascertain, correctly, the posi- CHAP. tion of the enemy, and captain Ferril's company hav- IV. ing come up, and reinforced the left wing, the whole~ I C fli . . 1814. c 1arged, under general o ee, and a rout 1mmedmtely ensued. The friendly Indians joining in the pursuit, they were chased about two miles, with considerable Joss. We had five killed, and twenty wounded. Until it became light enough to discern objects, our troops derived considerable advantage from their camp fires ; these being placed at some distance without the enc~ mpment, afforded a decided superiority in a night attack, by enabling tl10,se within to fire, with great accmacy, on an approaching enemy, whilst they them, selves remained invisible, in the dark. The pursuit being over, Jackson detached general Coffee, with the Indians, and four hundred men, to destroy the enemy's encampment, unless he should find it too strongly fortified ; in which event, he was to give information immediately, and wait the arrival of the artillery: Coffee, having recormoitred this position, and found 1t too strong to be assailed with tl1e force he commanded, returned to camp. The wisdom of this determination was soon perceived. He had notreturned more than half an hour, when a severe fire was made upon tl1e piquets, posted on the right, accorn· panied with prodigious·yelling. General Coffee having obtained per!llission, proceeded to tum tl:e left flank o~ the assailants. This detachment being taken from d1fferent corps, he placed himself at their head ~nd moved briskly forward. Those in the rear, avail: mg themselves of_this cir:umstance, continued to drop off, one by one, Without h1s knowledge, until the whole Q |