The Second War with England, Vol. 2 of 2 — John Shaqi
The Second War with England, Vol. 2 of 2Headley, Joel Tyler
History
The Second War with England, Vol. 2 of 2
Headley, Joel Tyler
United States -- History -- War of 1812
Leavenworth did the same on the right with like success, while Jessup
in the woods, ignorant how the battle was going in the plain, but
finding himself outflanked, ordered his troops "to support arms and
advance." They cheerfully obeyed and in the face of a most deadly fire
charged home on the enemy, and obtaining a better position poured in
their volleys with tremendous effect. From the moment these charges
commenced, till the enemy fled, the field presented a frightful
spectacle. The two armies were in such close proximity, and the
volleys were so incessant and destructive, and the uproar so terrific
that orders could no longer be heard. But through his two aids
Lieutenants Worth and Watts, who galloped to and fro, and by their
presence and gestures transmitted his orders in the midst of the
hottest fire, Scott caused every movement to be executed with
precision, and not an error was committed from first to last.
The enemy fled over the Chippewa, tore up the bridge and retired to
his encampment.
The sun went down in blood and the loud voice of Niagara which had
been drowned in the roar of battle, sounded on as before, chaunting a
requiem for the gallant dead, while the moans of the wounded loaded
the air of the calm summer evening.
Nearly eight hundred killed and wounded, had been stretched on the
earth in that short battle, out of some four thousand, or one-fifth of
all engaged.[4] A bloodier battle, considering the numbers, was scarce
ever fought. The British having been taught to believe that the
American troops would give way in an open fight, and that the resort
to the bayonet was always the signal of victory to them, could not be
made to yield, until they were literally crushed under the headlong
charge of the Americans.
[Footnote 4: The British were 2100 strong. American troops actually
engaged, 1900.
British killed 138. Wounded and missing 365. Americans killed 68.
Wounded and missing 267.]
Gen. Brown, when he found that Scott had the whole British army on his
hands, hurried back to bring up Ripley's brigade; but Scott's
evolutions and advance had been so rapid, and his blow so sudden and
deadly, that the field was swept before he could arrive.
M'Neil's battalion had not a recruit in it, and Scott knew when he
called on them to give the lie to the slander, that American troops
could not stand the cold steel, that they would do it though every man
perished in his footsteps.
Maj. Leavenworth's battalion, however, embraced a few volunteers, and
among them a company of backwoodsmen, who joined the army at Buffalo a
few days before it was to cross the Niagara.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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