On the morning of January 8th the British were early astir, and it was soon discovered from the American lines that the enemy was about to deliver his assault in three columns. General Keane’s Foot and Colonel Rennie’s Rifles formed the left of the British line; General Gibbs, with three thousand Peninsular Veterans, the right; Dale’s Highlanders, nine hundred and fifty strong, the center, and a force of about two thousand foot, under General Lambert, as a reserve—in all, about eighty-five hundred men. Over them all hung a silence as of the grave, for none knew better than these men that they were about to march to almost certain death at the hands of the backwoodsmen and their long rifles. At break of day, by rocket signal, the columns moved into position; but some plantation buildings which concealed the advance of the Rifles having been set on fire by the American guns and the attack unmasked, Colonel Rennie promptly ordered a charge, for he had already been discovered by Commodore Patterson in the _Louisiana_, whose guns were decimating his ranks. The riflemen were immediately met by such a hail of bullets and grape from the breastwork guns and the backwoods rifles that they hesitated, halted, and the few that remained erect finally sought safety in flight, leaving General Keane, Colonel Rennie, and two-thirds of their number killed or wounded on the field. Owing to some misunderstanding, the attack of General Gibbs’ column was delayed, but, after some hesitation, advanced to within one hundred yards of the works, where they were met by such a storm of American lead as to kill General Gibbs and to cause his men to melt away like snow before the summer sun. Word of all this came to Sir Edward, who was with the Highlanders, and Colonel Dale was at once ordered to advance ahead of the wreck of General Gibbs’ force, which command was at once obeyed by the Scots, who started forward steadily and with bagpipes playing, only to be engulfed in the rout of the comrades in retreat. Colonel Dale was killed, Sir Edward Pakenham fell pierced by three balls, and, as all that remained of the other columns were in retreat, the fight was lost beyond repair. The brave and thoroughly disciplined Highlanders alone remained. They could not advance, they would not retreat, so they remained where they were, under the galling fire of the long rifles, until out of the original nine hundred and fifty scarce four hundred remained alive and erect. Lieutenant Lavack achieved the distinction of being the only Englishman over the walls that day. The remaining Highlanders surrendered and no hostile British soldier remained upon the field. The fight was short, sharp and decisive, lasting but thirty minutes.