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Show 260 LIFE OF GEN. JACKSON. .. . CHAP. The enemy, coming up with the two gun boats, YilT. in advance of the line, and relying on their numbers ~18 and supposed s~1perior skill, determined to board. 14. For this purpose, several of their barges bore down pn number 156, commanded by lieutenant Jones, but failed in the attempt ; they were repulsed, with an immense destruction, both in their officers and crew, and two of their boats sunk ; one of them, with one hundred and eighty men, went down, immediately UQ· der die stem of number 156. Again rallying, with a stronger force than before, another desperate assault was made, to board, and carry at the point of the sword, which was again repelled, with considerable loss. The contest was now bravely waged, and spi· ritedly resisted. Lieutenant Jones, unable to keep on die deck, from a severe wound he had received, retired, leaving the command with George Par~er, who no less valiantly defended his flag, until, severely wounde<\, he was forced to leave his post. No longer able to maintain the cc,mflict, and overpowered by s~~ erior numbers, diey yielded the victory, after a con· test of forty minutes, in which every thing was done that gallm;try could do, and nodling unperfonned that duty required. The commandant was ably sup· ported by lieutenants Spedder. and M•Ever, o_f num· bers 162 and 123, and by sailing masters Ulnck an~ Deferris, of numbers 163 and 5. The two form~ were wounded; ~r severely, in both arms; m one so badly, as to be compelled to have it amputat~It is unnecessary to take up die time of the reader, m commendation of this Spartan: band : dleir braver~ an~ good conduct will b\! long remembered and admired, LIFE OF GEN. JACKSON. 261 and excite emotions much stronger than lmiguage can C~1tf.' paint. The great disparity of force between the com-~ batants, added to the advantages the enemy derived 1814. from die peculiarconstructionoftheir boats, which gave them an opportunity to take any position that circum-stances and safety directed, while the others lay wholly unmanageable, presents a curious and strange result ; that while the American loss was but six killed, and t~y-five wounded, that of dieir assailants was not less than three hundred. The British have never af-forded us any light upon this subject: but, from eve-ry information, aJid from all the attendant circum-stances of the battle, it was even believed to have ex-ceeded this number ; of which a large proportion was officers.* The British returned to their shipping, at Cat island, with their prisoners, carrying with them a convincing argument, to do away the belief with which they had arrived, diat, in this section of country, the inhabitaJits were waiting, with open arms, to receive them ; and that die forces embodied for its defence would retire, at the first appearance of danger. It was the same argument which, a few weeks before, had been made to colonel Nicholls, at Fort Bowyer, and which had produced on his mind such conviction, as to render hi1u Boats. • The British had 43 The Americans 5 )fen. 1200 182 Guns . 45 25 38 1018 20 So that the disparity of force was as eight-seven-qnd nei}.r .. ly two to pne. |