The history of the rise, progress, and establishment of the independence of the United States of America, Vol. 2 (of 3) : $b Including an account of the late war, and of the thirteen colonies, from their origin to that period — John Shaqi
The history of the rise, progress, and establishment of the independence of the United States of America, Vol. 2 (of 3) : $b Including an account of the late war, and of the thirteen colonies, from their origin to that periodGordon, William
History
The history of the rise, progress, and establishment of the independence of the United States of America, Vol. 2 (of 3) : $b Including an account of the late war, and of the thirteen colonies, from their origin to that period
Gordon, William
United States -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775; United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783
We now come to col. Arnold’s division, which is ordered to proceed in
the following manner, viz. a lieutenant and thirty men are to march in
front as an advanced guard; then the artillery company with a field
piece mounted on a sled; after that the main body, of which capt.
Morgan’s company is first. The advanced party is to open, when near the
battery raised upon a wharf, which the assailants are obliged to attack
in their way; and when the field piece has given them a shot or two, the
advanced party are to rush forward with the ladders, and force the
battery, while capt. Morgan’s company are to march round the wharf if
possible, on the ice. But the snow being deep, the piece of artillery is
brought on very slowly, and is finally obliged to be left behind. The
main body also are led wrong. There is no road, the way is dark and
intricate, among stores, houses, boats and wharfs; and they are harassed
at the same time with a constant fire of the enemy from the walls, which
kills and wounds numbers, without their being able in the least to annoy
them. The field piece not coming up, the advanced party with capt.
Morgan’s company attack the battery, some firing into the port-holes, or
kind of embrasures, while others scale the battery with ladders and
immediately take possession of it and of the guard consisting of thirty
men. This attack is executed with such dispatch, that the enemy
discharge only one of their cannon. One or two men are lost on each
side. Colonel Arnold receives a wound in one of his legs with a musket
ball, and is carried to the general hospital. When the prisoners are
taken care of, and a few men come up (which is in about half an hour)
the men attempt the next barrier, but cannot force it as the main body
is some time before it can arrive, occasioned by the beforementioned
obstacles. The enemy moreover, having the opportunity, from the retreat
of Montgomery’s division after his fall, turn their whole force and
attention upon this, so that before it can attempt the second barrier
the assailed get such a number of men behind the barrier, and in the
houses, that the assailants are surrounded with a fire from treble their
number, and find it impossible to force it, the former being under
cover, while the latter are quite exposed: here they lose some brave
officers and men. What adds to their embarrassment, they fail of being
aided by a company of their comrades, who were quartered on the north
side of the river St. Charles, and not having notice in season, in
endeavouring to join the main body, are surprised and mostly taken
prisoners, by a party, who make a sortie through palace gate. They who
are near the second barrier, at length take possession of some houses,
and from them keep up a constant fire for some time; but as the party,
which sallied out of palace gate, comes upon the rear of the assailants,
and the number of these is greatly lessened by killed and wounded, it is
thought best to retreat to the first battery.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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