The Rise of Canada, from Barbarism to Wealth and Civilisation. Volume 1Roger, Charles
History
The Rise of Canada, from Barbarism to Wealth and Civilisation. Volume 1
Roger, Charles
Canada -- History
of the Mississippi was very strong, so strong indeed that the fifty
boats, in which his division was embarked, were prevented from reaching
their destination at the hour appointed for a simultaneous attack upon
New Orleans, in front and rear. Pakenham, as the day began to dawn,
grew exceedingly impatient, and, at last, having lost all patience, as
it was now light, revealing to the enemy, in some degree, his plans, he
ordered Gibbs' column to advance. A solemn silence pervaded the
American lines. There was indeed nothing to be heard but the measured
tread of the column, advancing over the plain, in front of the
intrenchments. But when the dark mass was perceived to be within range
of the American batteries, a tremendous fire of grape and round shot
was opened upon it from the bastions at both ends of the long
intrenchment, and from the long intrenchment itself. Gibbs' column,
however, moved steadily on. The 4th, 21st, and 44th regiments closed up
their ranks as fast as they were opened by the fire of the Americans.
On the brow of the glacis, these intrepid men stood as erectly and as
firmly as if they had been on parade. But, through the carelessness of
the colonel commanding the 44th regiment, the scaling ladders had been
forgotten, and it was impossible to mount the parapet. The ladders and
fascines were sent for, in all haste, but the men, on the summit of the
glacis, were, meanwhile, as targets to the enemy. They stood until
riddled through and through, when they fell back in disorder. Pakenham,
unconscious that Colonel Mullens, of the 44th, had neglected his
orders, and only fancying that the troops being fairly in for it, were
staggering only under the heaviness of the enemies' fire, rode to the
front, rallied the troops again, led them to the slope of the glacis,
and was in the act, with his hat off, of cheering on his followers,
when he fell mortally wounded, pierced, at the same moment, by two
balls. General Gibbs and General Keane also fell. Keane led on the
reserve, at the head of which was the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders, a
thousand strong. Undaunted by the carnage, that noble regiment dashed
through the disordered throng, in front, and with such fury pressed the
leading files on, that without either fascines or ladders, they fairly
found their way by mounting on each other's shoulders into the work.
But they were then cut down to a man. The fire from the enemy's rifles
was terrific. It was almost at the same moment that Colonel Ranney
penetrated the intrenchments on the left only to be mowed down by grape
shot. An unforeseen circumstance had too long delayed an attack which
could only have been successfully made in the dark, and General
Lambert, who had succeeded to the command by the death of Pakenham and
the wounds of Gibbs and Keane, finding it impossible to carry the
works, and that the slaughter was tremendous, drew off his troops.
Thornton had been altogether successful on the left bank of the
Mississippi.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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