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Show 3b2 LtFE OF GEN. JACKSON. CHAP. ascend the river, in despite of every opposition ; XI. the constant activity necessary, prevented all oppor• ~ tunities for repose. On a tempestuous night, the 1815. wind sett.m g far. r to at' d t h em, an at te mp t was rna de t o pass : to divert the attention of the fort, and favour the chances for ascent, their boats were sent forward to commence an attack. In this, however, they were disappointed, and compelled to abandon the under· taking. At length, after many fruitless efforts, and an immense waste of labour and ammunition, they retired without efl'ecting their purpose, or producing, to us, a greater injury, than the loss of nine of the garrison, who were killed and wounded. The failure of this squadron to ascend the river, perhaps determined general, Lambert, in the course_ he immediately adopted. His situation before our lme was truly unpleasant. Our batteries, after ~e 8~ were continually throwing balls ·and bombs mto hts camp ; and wherever a party of troops appCllled iJJ the field, they were greatly atmoyed. Thus l~arassed, -perceiving that all assistance through ~1s chan· nel had failed ; and constantly i'n apprehension lest all attack should be made upon him, he resolved on availing himself of the first favourable opportunity to depart, and forsake a contest, where every effort had • met disappointment, and where an immense number of his troops had found their graves. The more cer· tainly to effect a retreat in safety, detachments had been sent out to remove every obstruction, that could re· tard their progre~s through the swamp. To give great· er facility to his departure, strong redoubts were erect· ed on the way, 'and bridges thrown across every creek • LIFE OF GEN. JACKSON. and bayou, that obstructed tl1e passage. Every thing CHAP. being thus prepared, on the night of the 18th, he si-~ lently decamped. and, proceeding towards the lake, 1815• embarked for his shipping, leaving, and recommend-ing to the clemency and hospitality of the American British general, eighty of his soldiers, 'vho \vere too severely ~~~~~:e· wounded to be removed. With such silence and cau- :::;~;ing. tion was this decampment managed, that the slightest intelligence was not communicated, even to our senti· nels, occupying the out posts. Early next morning, the enemy's camp was perceived to be evacuated ; but what had become of them, and whither they had gone, could only be conjectured: no information on the sub-ject was possessed. To ascertain tl1e cause of this new and sudden appearance of things, detachments were in readiness to proceed, and reconnoitre their camp, when surgeon W adsdale, of the staff, arrived at our line, with a letter to general Jackson, from the British commander, announcing his determination to suspend, " for the present, all further operations against New Orleans," and requesting liis humanity towards the wounded, whom necessity had compelled him to leave. Detachments were now sent out, to ascertain the cause of this unexpected state of tl1ings ; with orders to harass their rear, if a retreat were really intended. But the precaution taken by the enemy, and the ground over which they were retreatu;g, prevented pursuit, in sufficient numbers to secure any valuable result. The system of operations which Jackson had prescribed for himself, he believed was such as policy sanctioned, |