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COLUMBUS SENTINEL AND HERALD.
VO^X.]
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ALMANAC POli 1841.
BEING THE FIRST AFTER BISSEXTILE OU LEAP
i'EAR, AND THE SIXTY-FIFTH OF THE
AMF.RIGAN IN DEVEN PENCE-
’HH $ ?
s § o £ Ei E
5- ‘Z. rn CL, *1 P *-<
zT a- 3 22 ‘< cl-
<T> P
Z* to p *<
CLi *<l
• . p
1 2
1) 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 If)
17 18 19 20 21 22 22
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
3L
FEBRUARY, 1 2 3 4 5 0
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
1) 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 21 23 24 25 20 27
MARCH, ~ 1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 21 25 20 27
28 29 30 31
APRIL, 1 ~ 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 101
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30
\i \V 1
2345 G 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
50 31
123 4 5
ft 7 8 9 D> U Li
13 14 15 Ki 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 20
27 28 29 30
t ULY 1 ? 3
Jlllf 4 5 6 7 8 0 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 I
-18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 20 30 31
.ttpitot 1 2 3 4 5 0 /
AIG ’ 8 910 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 2b
29 30 31
SEBTEMBER, fl ? | ® R
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
18 20 21 22 23 21 25
26 27 28 29 3a) j
OCTOBER, _ r ~ l q
3456 t 8 and
10 11 13 13 14 15 16
s £ i? is s
NOVEMBER* 1 2 9 t *
11 15 15 g J
21 22 23 24 25 26 2i
28 29 30 o ,
DECEMBER, 7 J 9 10 11
io 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 2,)
26 27 28 29 30 31
ECLIPSES IN 1841.
There will be six Eclipses this year, Jour of
S^vofJanu
„rv at llh 50m in the morning, invisible.
‘ ‘second—A total eclipse ot the Moon,
„ , .. -•], beginning at 7h 10m, and end i
b Tm? !:: Duration of total!
21st, at 01,10 m
F^urth^Mlm V Su’>, e i“t 14 91 > in
of .he Moon. . Aj£
m sS"h—Of tho Sou. August 16.1,, at 41,
22n, i r ,b! °- Fabruarv 21.
Ash V\ ednesdav, Apr ;i
(iood Friday, Aprjl 11.
Easter Sunday, M av 30.
Whit Sunday,
From P.onecr, Jan. 7. |
ulate the same—and are callad!
Bank in the own vil!e . The
’I 10 m C I iers S wUI meet in this place, on Sat-j
bt S°v h the 23d day of January, for the pur- j
Urd p of 11 ikiirn such further arrangements as .
P tv be found necessary. Persons m this
11 i the neighboring counties, desirous of
ruiingtl,eu>o„erty into ,„,ut,o„. are
invited to attend on that
„, ./ 7U . We are glad to be able to
Bankrupt E ()rlea „| /j m of the 13th
‘"Tttotle resolutions instruct!, ig our So.
““““,°urg yadoPt ’
cd by both House* ot tne L-o -
0 From the St. Augustine News.
NOTES OF THE PASSAGE ACROSS THE
EVERGLADES.
Colonel Harney, 2d Dragoons, with Captain
Davidson, Lieuts. Rankin and Ord. 3d Artil
lery, Dr. Russell, and myself started from
l ort Dallas with ninety men and sixteen ca
noes. \V e left on the 4th of December, at
•iifrht, atid proceeded up the left prong of the
Miama Hirer. The night was very dark and
rainy, and we met with considerable difficulty
in ascending on account of the rapidity of the
current and the shoal and rocky bed of the
river. About a mile above the forks we came
to a body of high raw grass , this continued
for about a mile and a half, when we came in
open view of the lirerglade.s , and the grass
became more scattered. The pine barren
was kept close on our left, until we came to a
small island on our left, when our course be
came more Westerly; thus we continued un
til distant about eight miles from the mouth
of the river when Capt. Davidson becoming
separated from us we halted to the leeward
of an island which was entirely overflowed,
and waited until lie came up, where the night
was passed in our open boats. It continued
to rain nearly all night, and our situation was
any tiling but comfortable.
Dec. s.— By daylight this morning we were
up and at it with our paddles; our course was
generally West-South-West, but this we va
ried according to the direction of the channels,
and our depth of water, till about 1 o’clock;
the men being very much fatigued, having had
to pull their boats through the mud and grass
a greater part of the way, we insisted on John ,
our guide, carrying us to some high land
where Me might encamp, and give the men a
little rest. The officers had almost lost con
fidence in his knowledge of the country, as at
one time lie could not tell us in which direc
tion the sort rose; and as we concluded net
to follow him in the direction he was going
any longer, he insisted that he was right, and
that his object was to carry us where he could
find the greatest depth of water, and that he
could carry us a nearer way, but that it was
very shoal; which proved in the end to be
correct, as lie had not gone more than a few
miles when it was with tho greatest difficulty
we could movd the boats. The Col. called to
him to stop, as lie would go no further in that
direction: but he insisted that the island was
not more than a mile distant, and the Colonel
suffered him to proceed. Sure enough, con
trary to the expectation of all, he in a short
time halted at a low tuft of bushes, about a
half a mile in circumference, which seemed
to us to be entirely llooded with water, but
after penetrating about 300 vaids we came to
a magnilicient little spot in its centre, about
150 yards in circumference. Here we found an
old Indian camp which evidently had been
deserted for some mouths. It was encircled
by a number of shrubs of the wild Pappaw;
and two large and curious wild fig trees,
about ten feet apart, decorated its centre.
This is a remarkable tree; it first makes its
appearance as the creeper, and seizes on the
largest tree it can find, continuing to encircle
it iu its meshes until it deprives it of life when
it feeds upon the decayed matter and becomes
a beautiful tree. These had each attacked a
palmetto, and one of them was dead, but the
top of the other was still blooming >n the cen
tre, although completely surrounded. We
hailed, with a great deal of pleasure, the
touch of dry laud, as we were wet to the
skin; it having rained all day, and the wind
blowing from the North. As soon as it be
came dark, we kindled a large fire—dried
ourselves—got a good supper, eat it with a
good deal of gusto—talked over what we had
undergone, and what we intended to do—
stretching ourselves on our blankets, and slept
soundly and sweetly, hill daylight warned us
to be up and doing.
Dec. 6. —After getting some hot coffee,
again started on our course. The day has
cleared oil’ beautifully, and we are moving
slowly and silently along, in momentary ex
pectation of falling in with some canoes. John
can see from the top of a tree the field from
which he escaped, and we will come up to it
about 12 o’clock, lie says it is only one
day’s row from that place to where all the
Indians are encamped, and we expect to have
a devil of a fight when we get there. No
thing now presents itself to view except one
boundless expanse of saw-grass and water
occasionally interspersed with little islands,
all of which are overdo ■ ed, but the trees are
in a green and flourishing state. No country
that I have - ever heard of bears any re~ein
blauie to it; it seems like a vast sea, filled
with grass and green trees, and expressly in
tern'd as a retreat for the rascally Indians,
from which the white man would never seek
to drive them. We have - plenty of water at
present and go along with a great deal of ease.
We reached the island, as expected, about
13 o'clock. When we came in sight, the
Colonel took four canoes? with Lieut Rankin,
and went ahead, having first painted himself
and inn so much line Indians, that they could
scarcely, themselves, detect the imposition.
He directed Lieutenant Ord to follow with the
rest of the canoes, and Capt. Davidson, as he
was unwell, to remain behind with the large
boats. 1 wan in the next canoe to Lieutenant
Ord, who as he was turning to give some or
der to his men, lost his balance, and such a
pretty somerset “1 never did see;” he carried
boat, provisions, ammunition, and guns all
with him. When his head appeared on the
surface of the water he said to me, “go ahead
with the boats,” l inserted my handkerchief in
my mouth and evaporated. The order was to
keep just in sight of the Colonel, and. in case
he should not be able to manage the force on
the island, to come to his assistance; but the
delay threw me behind, and i soon lost sight
of, and with the greatest difficulty found the
island. We had to wade through mud and
water three or four hundred yards, up to our
waists, before we gained dry land; here we
found a corn field of about an acre, and the
richest land 1 have ever seen, being one black
heap of soil of endless depth. This island is
called from the Indian name of the wild fig.
“ilo-co-mo-thlocco.” It being early we did
not remain here long, but pushed on to an
other island, about seven miles distant, the
usual stopping place of the Indians, when
tbev visit Sam Jones, or go from Ins camp to
the* Spanish Indians; we arrived early in the
evening, and had to wade 200 yards before we
.mined'a footing; we found here signs of a
few days old, where they had been cutting
bushes’ I ascended the top of a fig tree with
John, and he pointed out to me our course,
and the direction of the different islands. We
c mid see, far to the South, the pine barren
skirting the Everglades, and the topsot the;
p-mss and bushes burnt to make out the trad, j
The’ island. 11-co-mo-thlocco, bears about J
East-South-East from this, and the island
where we go to-morrow, about South-West
and bv South. This island is called “Eta
nos-co'-chee,” from a dog having died which
was left here, it contains about half an acre
of cleared land, but has never been cultivated,
and is used alone as a camp ground.
. aim t - 1 .
1 ]) FC 7 Off amain; our course tor a short
I di=tance was about north, then changed it to
north-west, and continued in this direction
until we reached another island which is cak
ed Cochokeynehajo, from the name or an In
dian who cleared and cultivated it. It n
distant from Efaiioccocliee about six mi.es
Iti i* coats? is about north-west Wc Irani
•WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF-EVIDENT, THAT .LL MEN ARE BORN EQUAL.’
COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, WEDNESDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 3, 1841.
on this Island the figure of an Indian drawn
on a tree, and the figures 8 and 9, which is
the first indication of a white man’s being
with them. Being early when we a’rived
here, the Colonel, contrary to the opinion of
the guide, determined not to remain here until
night, but took Lieut. Ord ahead with him,
and two canoes, to surprise the next island.
Following on With the’ rest of the boats we
had not gone more than a mile, when we lost
the trail of their boats, and confined to wan-
der to evdry point cf the compass until late in
the evening - , when we made out to reach the
Island from which we started about sun-set,
and found John, who had returned for us.
Considered ourselves very fortunate to reach
this island again, as we could not follow with
any certainty our trails for one hundred yards.
To the westward of this Island, the main
body of water seems to change its course,
and flow with some current to the south-west,
which induces us to think we are in tho cen
tre of the Everglades. It was late at night
when we reached the Island, where Lieut.
Ord had gone. But notwithstanding the thou
sand channels which flowed and wound in
every direction, and although it was so dark
that we could not distinguish land from water,
John never once missed the track. Found on
this Island, which is called by owner Intaska,
a large hut built of cypress bark, and under it
a bed made of boards, coming in play very
timely and was quickly appropriated. It is
the largest and richest Island we have yet
seen, and had various vegetables growing on
it, such as pumpkins, beans, corn, &c.; and
deer tracks were very numerous. Its course
from Cochokeynehajo, N. N. West.
Dec. B.—We shall remain on Intaska until
4 o’clock this evening, when we will proceed
to another Island, which bears north 10 de
grees west from this, where we expect to sur
prise some Indians, as we can now see a large
smoke in that direction. When we visit this,
our course will then change to the southward,
and we will make for their strong holds on the
sea board.
Dec. 9.—Yesterday about 12 o’clock, when
some were asleep and silent, awaiting the
time of starting, the Colonel called out from
the top of a tree, that two canoes were ap
proaching the Island on the south side. In a
moment, all were up with their guns in hand;
the boats were silently approaching, and we
being on the north side, Lieut. Rankin was
immediately ordered to man four canoes, and
move slowly along to meet them. The grass
was so high that the Indians did not discover
him until within a few hundred yards, when
they immediately wheeled their canoes and
made off with all their strength. But there
was no eluding our snake-like boats, and our
tried soldiers. They made the boats fairly
jump out of the water. When Within a short
distance, and seeing the Indians approaching
a deep body of saw-grass, our soldiers com
menced a running fire and soon disabled one
of ihe men and overhauled him. The boats
halted at the saw-grass and the Indians leaped
out; but our men were as quick as they were,
and pursued them through it for some distance
to a pond, where they disabled another, and
accidentally wounded a squaw, who was en
deavoring to escape with her child on her
back. In another direction, they overhauled
a squaw With a girl about 12 years old, and
two shial! children; making in all, eight per
sons. None of them were killed; and as soon
as we could get them through the mud to
the boats, we returned. Col. Harney was
looking on at the race from the top of a tree,
and made Ihe Island ring with his cheering.
As soon as Lieut. Rankin started, I got a ca
noe and followed on and joined in the pursuit,
hut did not get up before they got into the
grass. When we returned to the Island, the
Colonel ordered rope to be made ready, and
swung the two warriors to the top of a tall
tree, where they now hang, “darkly painted
on the crimson sky.” The Indians reported
that Chakika is on an Island five miles from
this with a strong force, and we will s’ art
about dark to’ attack him. Captain Davidson
has been sick ever since we started, and he
is now so ill that it is feared we will have to
return on his account.-
Dec. 19th.—The squaw is dead; she died
about 12 o’clock, and we buried her on the Is
land. Shortly after, the other squaw report
ed that another party was coming on the same
track that they came. The Colonel sent out
Lieuts. Rankin end Ord, (1 accompanying,j to
intercept them, but after waiting until nearly
sun-set, we had to return without meeting
any of them. As soon as the sun went down,
the camp was broken up, and we were again
on the water. The night was very dark and
rainy, and the guide Could, with the greatest
difficulty, keep in the trail. W! en we were
within a lew miles of the Island, the Colonel
sent Lieuts. Rankin and Ord ahead to surprise
the Island. They did not reach it inti} some
time after sunrise; but such was the confi-
deuce of the Indivns in their own security,
that our party were not discovered until they
had crept up to their, campand bogan firing.
One warrior was shot, dead, and two warriors?
one boy, and five squaws and children taken
prisoners. Chakika, who was chopping wood,
threw down his and ran off howling; but his
hour had come; notwithstanding his hercu
lean sireng’ li, he could not escape. _ Hall, one
of the Dragoons, yursued him alone when all
the men were exhausted, fired and killed him,
took his scalp, and returned. Two warriors
escaped, and Lieut. Ord dievovering their trail
pursued them to another Island, about four
miles distant, where there a number of squaws
and three or four warriors. On his approach
the Indians hoisted a white flag, and called to
John to corns up and talk; but while lie was
approaching with Lieut. Ord, he was shot
through the thigh, and at the same time one
of the Dragoons was dangerously wounded
in the th gh, and Turner in the leg. A great
number ot balls were fired at Lieut. Ord, but
none struck him. In approaching, the men
had to wade about two miles in water and mud
up to their hips; and when they came up,
were so much exhausted and their guns near
ly all wet, that they had to retire under the
cover of a small scrub, about 100 yards dis
tant. When Colonel Ilarney heard the firing,
he sent Lieut. Rankin and myself with two
canoes to lits assistance? and when we got
within a mile ot Lieut. Ord, we met John all
bloody, who reported that one man was killed,
and that they were firing rapidly, and that we
could not approach wi h our canoes. We
immediately jumped out and hastened forward
as rapid as we could through the deep muu
and water. When we got up, Lieut. Rankin
attempted to charge with his men, but urree 1
of them, were wounded at the first fire, and
he was forced to retire and await the arrival
of Colonel Harney. the bads fiew th.ck
around our heads, and the Indians behaved
with a good deal of coolness. I heir object o.
lirino- was to give the squws time to escape.
When Colonel Harnev came up, we charged
the Island, but they had all escaped from the
back part, and taken off most of their plunder.
The circumstance was very unfortunate tor
the expedition, as the Indians who escaped
communicated the inteli gence to other Is
lands, and put them on their guard. Short
ly after our return to Chakika s Island, a ca
noe was seen approaching with two Indians m
it. ;*}The Colonel immediately despatched
Lieut. Rankin with two canoes, to pursue
them; but before he got up they had approach
ed and taken an Indian or Spaniard, who was
concealed in the high grass, and hastened off
Lieut. Rankin pursued them closely for afoul
three miles; and gained on them so clesey
that a rifle was fired by the Indians, and lh*
ball passed very near Lieut. R. Unfortunate
ly the boat dipped and the guns all got wet.
and tire pursuit was discontinued. We arc
now laying here to give the men rest as they
have almost all given out, having been in hot
pursuit for several days. Col. Harney went
out about half an hour ago after Chakika’s
body, and discovered a sail approaching; he
hid his canoes in the grass until they came up,
and captured one warrior and six squaws and
children— which make our whole number of
killed and captured, twenty-five. We have
now crossed the long fabled and unknown
Everglades at least as far as we can go in this
direction. A large cypress swamp extends
lor many miles along the border, running
north-east and south-west—the great resort
for the Indians, where they build their ca
noes.
This evening, the Colonel had our two pris
oners exalted to the top of one of the look-out
trees, with the body of Chakika by their side.
We found in Chakika’s camp a large quantity of
plunder, consisting of cloth, linens, calicoes,
ready made clothing, all kinds of tools, pow
der, &c. &c.; and had au auction of them,
which amounted to upwards of S2OO. The
articles were stolen from Indian Key at the
time ol the massacre. We also got a fine
barge, and a great quantity of conti.
Dec. 11.—Our tent or shed was pitched last
night within a short distance of the tree on
which Chakika was suspended. The night
was beautiful, and the bright rising moon dis
played to my view as I lay on my bed, the gi
gantic proportions of this once great, and
much dreaded warrior. He is said to have
been the largest Indian in Florida, and the
sound of his very name to have been a terror
to his tribe. We have among the captives his
mother, sister and Wife. Left Chakika’s is
land about 10 o’clock this morning, and are
now returning as far as Intaska, in a south
easterly direction, when we will change our
course to the south-nv.sY and make for the
sea.
Dec. 12.—We continued our course to the
South-east until we passed Intaska, when we
changed our direction one point to the West
of South, and encamped, at sunset, on an isl
and of about three acres in extent. Met with
nothing here except an innumerable host of
mosquitoes. The sister of Chakika informed
us that there were three Spaniards in the
Everglades, who supplied the Indians with
salt and ammunition; one of them, Domingo,
advised them to attack Indian Key, and insur
ed their success. Started about 11 o’clock
this morning in a South-West direction, and
had not gone more than five miles, when we
approached a small island, on which we had
no idea that there were Indians, but on coining
up we found a large yawl boat, killed two In
dian men, and took one old squaw and seven
children prisoners. Lieuts. Rankin and Ord
hurried on to an island about two miles dis
tant, where they found a great number of pal
metto huts very well thatched, and a number
of plantains and banana trees, but the Indians
had gone some time before. The squaw
could talk English very well, and informed
us that 4 women had gone to an island, a short
distance oIF to dig potatoes, and the Cos), sent,
a Sergeant with a few men after them, but
could not find them. We remained until 4
o’clock in the evening; we saw a boy approach
ing-, who had been fishing; the boats laid in
the grass until he came near when they came
out and took him without any resistance. Left a
sergeant, with two boats, at this island, to
wait until the women came up, and we are
now on our way to the next island, which is
four or five miles distant. The island has turned
out to be the town Lieutenant Rankin visited
this morning, and not more than two miles
distant.
Dec. 13th.—This morning has come, and
the Serjeant returned without finding the
squaw. The Colonel sent Lts. Rankin and
Ord ahead this morning, to an island which is
almost in our course, and we are now following
in a southerly direction. The day is rainy
and disagreeable. We arrived this evening
at another, where we encamped, and also
p ssed another on our way.
Dec. 14th. We have started again on our
journey, and expect to reach the head of
Shark river to-day, and to-morrow get a sight
of the big water. Thank God! we wont have
to wade to another island, although there are
several in our way. The Indians may assault
and give us a crack, before we get out, which
would annoy us very much in our present in
cumbered stale. This is the prettie'stday we
have had since starting. I forgot to notice the
death of poor Alien, who was wounded—he
died on the evening of the 11th, and on the
morning of the 12th was buried, on Chakika’s
island, with the honors of war. He is the
only one of our party we have left in the glades
as yet.
Dec. 15th. We reached the head of the
river tire Indians call Poncln, about 4 o’clock
yesterday evening, and haded it with three
cheers. We have now accomplished what
has never been done by white men. The
head of the river was at first choked up with
cone and weeds, but we had not gone more
than a mile when it opened out most beauti
fully into a broad and navigable river. Con
tinued down it till late at night, but the guide
losing his way we went ashore on a high bluff
and got our breakfast. We shall roach the
sea by 12. We have been twelve days and
twelve nights crossing. Reached the mouth
of the river about half after 12. Its course
was about West, and empties into the sea by
two or three mouths. The bars are very shal
low, and not navigable for steamboats. This
is the only outlet of the waters of the ever
glades on this side of the Peninsula. We did
not remain long at the mouth, but rigged our
sails, and went on about sixteen miles, and
encamped on a point of the beach; here we
caught a great number of opossums, which
seemed to be the only inhabitants. The sun
set on the sea most beautifully, and threw its
variegated rays over the dense forest of man
grove which bound the whole coast.
Dec. 16th. We remained here until about
13 to-day? and I amused myself collecting the
beautiful shells which cover the beach. We
reached Cape Sable, the most Southern point
of the Territory, about 5 o’clock, and the men
are busied in building fires and forming thc
cairip. . .
Dec. I7ih. Here at Cape Sablg is the site
of old Fort Poinsett, established by Surgeon
General Lawson. The breastworks are made
of sand. The prospect is very pretty, as you
can see a number of keys to the Southward.!
Chakika’s wife informs me that this used to i
be the great resort of the Indians when on
their fishing and turtle excursions, as well as
among the neighboring keys. We have been
laying here all day in the sand; tire day has
been very warm.
Dec. 18. Lts. Oru and Rankin went to an
island yesterday, about seven miles distant,
and they have not yet returned. The officers
have returned, and’ we let! tire Caps this eve
ning (16th.) and travelled on until late? when
we anchored under the lee of some nameless
key. and fastened on to an old turtle crawl.
We spent here the most disagreeable night
we have had since starting —having to sleep
iu the open boats, piled up with squaws and
children, and the wind blowing very colJ from
the Northwest. However, we weathered it
out, and started very early on the 19fh, and at
night encamped on Matacumbria, in sight of
Indian Key, where we are now encamped.
On starting from the camp, Lts. Rankin and
Ord were sent ahead wi Ji the small canoes on
a nearer track. We iiear they have reached
Indian Key, as the Colonel sent a boat there
last night. He has now gone up himself to
•.barter a vessel, or make some other arrange
ment for our conveyance to Key Biseayne.
’he labors of our expedition, I think, are
wer; and we will soon have accomplished the
nost arduous, dangerous and successful ex
pedition that has ever been undertaken in
Florida. Every thing seemed to operate fa
vorably towards us. We invariably had a
dan night to aid us, whenever we intended
to s irprise an Indian camp.
Dec. 20th. We are now on board the sloop
Reform; on our way to Key Biseayne.
From the New York Evening Post, Jan. S.
To-day is the anniversary of a battle well
fought and gloriously won by our countrymen
—the battle of New Orleans. We can pre
sent our readers with nothing more seasona
ble, or which they will read with more inter
est, than the following picturesque and ani
mated narrative from an eye-witness of the
engagement;
BATTLE OF THE EIGHTH OF JANUARY.
The aspect of our political relations to
wards Great Britain, no less than the date of
our paper, makes it seasonable to publish, on
this auspicious day, the following narrative of
the memorable battle which, to use Napoleon’s
words, closed our second war for independence
ot foreign dictation, “by a clap of thunder!”
It is now more opportune than it has ever
been, to revive in the minds of Americans,
the ennobling remembrance of that unpar
alleled triumph of their arms;since during the
excitement ot the last election, attempts have
been made to divest that glorious anniversary
ol tne grateful associations which should ever
connect its commemoration witli the fame of
Democratic chieftains who achieved that great
victory.
Jackson’s lines (for thus has history desig
nated the breastwork below New Orleans,)
were only a pai'apet hastily thrown up on the
left bank of a canal, formerly used as a mill
race, and defended by eight batteries mount
ing sixteen guns, of various calibre, from thir
ty-two to six pounders-— >a defensive position
admirably chosen. Gen. Jackson,- while on
his march to attack Gen. Keen, saw at one
glance, all the advantages of this spot.
The strip ot high land between the river
and the woods is narrower there than any
where else near the city, and even then,
while Ins mind was buoyed up with the hope
ot cutting off Gen. Keen’s whole detachment,
he determined, if he failed in this, to take
that position and fortify it.
The breastwork was thrown up hastily by
the several companies, each on the front it
occupied along the hank of the canal, and
batteries successively established on it at ir
regular intervals from the river to the woods.,
The portion of the parapet that ran through :
these to impassable prairies, or shaking marsh
es, as they are termed in Louisiana, from their
tremulous motion when trodden upon, mount
ed no guns, as no artillery could he brought
to bear against if- Goneral Jackson had
been aware since the 6th of January that
General Packenham intended to carry his
works by a vigorous assault. The distance
at which the enemy was encamped did not
conceal his movements altogether from the
vigilant eye of our commander. On the 7th
lie spent the greater part of the day on the
top of house where he had his head quarters.
Thence with a good telescope he discovered
the whole British army, as it lay encamped
upon the river to the wood, through which it
kept up its communication with the fleet. lie
saw distinctly a canal newly dug, through tho
fields and leading to the Mississippi. Along
the banks of this; large bodies of men were
observed bending forward as men towing
heavy boats—large pieces of artillery lay in
various places; and the tr'acks on which they
were to tie wheeled were visible. All was
animation m that part of the field fronting oul
lines. Groups of soldiers were remarked
engaged in making fascines with sugar canes,
wliile others prepared scaling ladders. Offi
cers on horseback were described riding about
the fields* stopping some time at diilerent
posts, as it to give orders and mark positions.
Nor was the night, dark and rainy as it prov
ed, without its signs and indications to the
practised eye and quick ear of the veteran
chief of our Indian wars; he watched and
listened for them in every light that glared on
the surrounding gloom, in every breeze that
wafted sound through the air. The first
sometimes borne rapidly along, and then be
coming stationary, and again moving on quick
ly, pointed out clearly from where the differ
ent heads of columns would take their direc
tion. The latter sometimes produced by
blows of 1 he hammer, sometimes by the stroke
of the whip, urging- on stubborn mules or
wearied oxen, told plainly enough that plat
forms were erecting, and the cannon slowly
advancing to be placed on them.
Being now satisfied by all he had observed
that an attack would he made on our lines
early in the morning, and probably a little
before day light, Jackson walked along the
whole line, stopping often to converse with
the soldiers, who sat around their fires drink
ing coffee; for no brandy was used to keep up
the sprits of that patriotic army. He told
them that the battle they so often wished for
would be fought in the morning; that ho be
lieved the enemy would come to it in good
earnest this time; that lie had done his part
as their general—placed them in the best po
sition that soldiers could wish, their flanks
secured, one by a mighty river, the other by
an impassable morass: that what remained to
do was their own task and would soon begin—
he entreated them to be, on the morrow, the
men he had seen them in Florida, to receive
the onset of their foe as many did on the 23d
and 23;h December, and on the Ist of this
year, which they ushered in by a glorious vic
tory.
These winning words made the hearts of
the brave to palpitate. Every man, while
listening, looked at the priming of his rifle,
i There was something inexpressibly affecting
!in this familiar conversation between the
[chief and the soldiers; there was ease, fa
miliarity, but no licentious forgetfulness of
the iiigli rank of their leader. Some of the
veterans of Napoleon, who witnessed these
1 endearing communications, exclaimed that
| Jackson reminded them of the little corporal’s
j works among his troops on the eve of some
: of his great battles.
Half of the troop? spent the night at the
breastwork, attentively watching to discover
the approach of the enemy,• should they have
determined on a night attack, the companies
I relieving each other occasionally, so that all
! should have had some rest previous to the
coming day.
Jt was yet half an horn’ before daylight
when our out-posts came in; they had noise
lessly receded before the enemy, who they
said was advancing very slowly and in great
force. At last, just as day was dimly dawning
through a thick mist I hat hung over the field,
we Indistinctly perceived tiie Brd'.sh army
spread over two-thirds of the ground between
the Mississippi and the forest. A congreye
rocket rose from the skirts of the wood; it
was followed by one ascending’ from the cen
tre, and by another again blazing over the
right. These were the signals of attack.
To this we responded by a shot from a twelve
pounder, fired from our left. The two armies,
as if roused at once by the sound, gave three
spontaneous cheers; to the cheertugs on cur
side was joined the music of a full band, play
ing Hail Columbia and the Marseillaise—
those exciting hymns of American and French
warriors.
The first shot fired from the British batteries
passed t hrough the rooin whe re Jackson was sit
ting by the’ fire drinkinga cup of warm coffee;
lie had been unwell the preceding day and the
whole night, but the noise of the cannon, the
sound of the martial music, seemed at once to
arouse him to the full vigor of health. Grasp
ing his sword that laid on a chair by him—
“We shad have a warm day,” said he “come
on—but stop, see to Chautard,* I am afraid lie
is badly wounded.” A brick struck from the
wall by the cannon ball had laid that brave
officer prostrate on the ground; but it was on
ly a severe contusion; he promptly rose and
followed us to the line.
A light breeze, when we reached the para
pet, sweeping the mist from the field, showed
■ us the British army formed into columns of
sixty men in front, advancing in fine order in
direction of our left; many of the soldiers car
ried fascines, and oi hers bore along seal ing lad
ders. All their guns and congrcve batteries
poured in advance of their column a shower
ot grape and rockets. This lire was returned
by all our batteries, not with so incessant a
roar, but with a deadlier certainty of aim, as
was visible by tire frightful gaps our shots and
grapes made in the advancingcolumns; and yet.
these could not he checked; they still rushed
on, their steps less rapid, yet still borne on
ward by the first impetus; but at last they
reached tho impervious though invisible gir
dle that breasted our lines, the iron and lead
deluge of shot poured incessantly by the Ten
nessee and Kentucky riflemen! No power of
discipline could make men advance in the face
of destruction so certain. The voice of the
officer lost its magic effect—’’the spell of com
mand was dissolved —the instinct of nature
broke asunder the shackles of habitual obedi
ence—the column stopped short, wavered a
moment, and then, breaking in wild disorder,
dispersed, every man obeying only the dictate
of self-preservation. And yet, such was ihe
vigor of British discipline, such, too, ihe na
tive valor of the 3axon race, that the troops
rallied again as soon as they receded from the
full force and effect of our musketry, and for
ming in line; instead of columns, began that
constant rolling fire whose tremendous noise
was heard in the city like rattling peals of
distant thunder. The presence of Gen. Pack
enham, who gallantly rode in front of the
troops, urging them again to advance; the ad
vance of Gen. Gibbs, who marched at the head
of a regiment; of Gen. Keen, who on that
occasion showed the same gallantry that had
saved the British army on the 23d of Decem-
I her, sustained for some time longer the cour
! age of the troops against tho most deadly lire
1 ever witnessed by the veterans of Talavera
Badajos; but when Packenham fell from his
horse mortally wounded—when GiLbs expired
in the arms of the soldiers who were carrying
him team tiio riol.l, when Kccii, also severely
wounded by a rifle hall, was obliged to leave
the field, that column finally dispersed in ir
remediable confusion.
It was now the turn of the other two col
umns to make an effort to retrieve the day.—
The troops composing them were seen form
ing behind a ditch,lay ing down tbeir knapsacks
that they might rush on to the assault with
greater speed. This was an awful moment
for both armies. Jackson, followed by his staff
went along the whole line. To the Ameri
cans by birth, he said that they must not prove
themselves the degenerate sons of their an
cestors, who had defeated the same enemy
that now confronted them; to the French, lie
recalled the high deeds of their armies under
Napoleon; to the Spaniards, lie invoked the
remembrance of their cities given up to plun
der by these very armies in the war of the
i eninsula; to the men of color, he said they
must show themselves worthy of the confi
dence placed in their valor, when he put arms
in their hands; to the artillerists, he said they
must depress their guns a little, and not hurry
their firing. Wherever the General appear
ed, ‘he loud cheers of the troops proclaimed
his presence. There was no time for words;
deeds responded to his animated address.
The last onset was tho most vigorous that
we had yet sustained. Some platoons of ihe
Scotch regiments advanced to the very edge
of the ditch, before the troops that had attack
ed our left dispersed, and nought shelter
among the bushes on their right, or retired to
the ditch where they had formed the columns
of attack, about six hundred yards from our
lines.
Our right, and the greater portion of our
centre, had as yet sustained no effort of the
enemy. The corps destined for this attack
had been kept out of view, under the shelter
of some large buildings near the road. These
troops, in order to avoid the fire of the Louisi
ana, whose guns swept the highway, seized a
moment when a thick smoke hung over the
river, to creep unperceived between the bank
and the water line, until they had got very
near our extreme right; and then rushing,
with resistless impetuosity,- to the unfinished
redoubt, they leaped into the ditch, and entered
it through the embrasures, putting to the
sword ail who attempted to resist.
When in possession of that bastion; to their
utter dismay, they perceived that it was dis
tinct from and unconnected with the main
breastwork, which in the rear of it ran into lire
river itself, where it was more than five feet
deep. The captured work was open on the
water side, and Commodore Patterson, as soon
as lie saw the British were I hero, poured into
the bastion a heavy and destructive fire.
Several daring officers, though already wound
ed, were seen cheering their men to another
assault against the intervening parapet; and
Col. Renee had already begun to mount the
breastwork, when one of the volunteer rifle
men under Col. Beale shot that valiant officer
through the head. Deprived of their leader,-
these brave soldiers called for quarters, ar.d
lad down their arms. The American batte
ries nearest the river kept up, all the while,
so deadly a fire on the rest oi the column that
it fell back in the greatest disorder, leaving the
road, the dyke, and the ground near the river,
over which it had advanced and now retreat
ed,- strewed with heap*- of the slain.
This was the las* eflk-rt made by the enemy;
nothing remained on the ground of the formi
dable host which in the morning marched to
the attack with all the pageant and stea uness ‘
of veteran discipline, except a confused mass j
of fugitives, throwing away their arms and en- •
deavoring to escape by flight from the fright - ;
ful slaughter of that bloody field. The uoi-e ‘
of the musketry had now ceased, but the roai*
of the cannon, however, continued long after.
Our batteries, now free to'act again?!, those of
the enemy, which they Iran allowed to play on
1 them while they made deep gaps in the attack
; ing columns, in le’ss the n two hours forced
i the artillerists to abandon their dismounted
! guns. A little before nine in the morning,
i the firing having entirely ceased on both sides,
; and the smoke no longer obscuring the field
’ of battle, a spectacle wfueh, they “that have
beheld it, “itill never forget, was presented to
our Eight; .Che whole plain in front of our
leit, aim of our extreme right to the water
edge, was covers** with the dead and dying.
In seine parts of the held, nearest to the wood,
l have seen five bodies heaped one over the
other; close to tunt spot, a space of two hun
dted and fifty yards in length by no more than
two ivatic!red in breadth; was completely cov
ered with tae bodies of men, either dead or
desperately wounded.
. Jr art hery until two in the afternoon,
hied on the enemy whenever they attempted
to rise from the ditch in which they had lain
j“ J 1 lor tiielrer. I lie reserve, a corps of two
thousand men, who had not been engaged,
’: ere geen drawn op in the ditches in several
lines; and wounded men with their arms in
songs, were distinctly observed returning
u-om the camp where their wounds had been
dressed, to j< in their companies, to swell, no
doubt, ins number of men under arms, and
to add to their appearance of strength.—
x precautions showed that the Command
mg Cj oner a! feared lest the American army
should attach him in his very camp before the
troops had recovered from the panic of their
leceiit defeat. This, the head-long impetuos
ity of American valor would soon have done,
but that the prudence of Jackson forbid this
dangerous tempting of fortune, after we had
already received at her hand far mi re than the
most sanguine had ever hoped.
f lie result of this battle, even with respect
to she actual loss of the vanquished army, is
unpieceti tiled in the annals of modern warfare.
It exceeded greatly the number of men which
tneir adversary had under arms in the field,
lne best informed from among the British of
ficers v. itl-i whom we conversed when we met
during the truce for burying their dead, com
puted their loss in the battle to four thousand
men. Our whole army at the lines never ex
ceeded that number, and on the morning of
tlie eighth, detatchments sent to guard the
canai 1 lernas, to v. atch the skirts of the woods
li(>m the city to the camp, and to reinforce
General Morgan’s command on t ho oilier side
oi the river, had reduced it to 3,200 men.
. J'be American arinv, on that day, only 3,-
200 strong, was attacked by fourteen thou
sand veteran troops, trained to war during the
iong and bloody war of the Peninsula, togeth
ei with two thousand sailors and marines, be
hind a breastwork hastily thrown up, and run
ning almost in a straight line. It repelled
their several assaults, made prisoners of all
Who entered the works, and killed, wounded,
and took prisoners, eight hundred ’more men
than their own number in the battle. That
Englishman should wish the memory of so
glorious a victory to pass away from the mind
ot the nation whose annals it ennobles, we
can easily conceive; but that the madness of
party feeling should have attempted to filch
irom the hero of that day the fame of his high
deed, astonishes cotemporaries, and will
scarcely be believed by posterity.
In tiiis hasty sketch, I could not inscribe
the names of the valiant lieutenants of Jack
son. ( ofleo, the daring, the unassuming, the
soldier without fear, and without reproach,
lives only in history. Adair died riot many
moths since, but Carrol lives, faithful to friend
ship and to principles.
I have not allu flf-ul 4.1.-0 ttt/tJou Ull
riie right bank of the river. It was a distinct
engagement. The enemy, though lie suc
ceeded in driving General Morgan from lines
ill chosen and feebly defended, failed to ob
tain the end they had in view'—to cause Ge
neral Jackson th weaken his forces, by send
ing reinforcements to his lieutenant.
Jackson, born as it were with the genius
of war, did not, like his adversary, violate this
great maxim o! war, “Ne pas faire de detatch
ment ala veille d’une Bataille.” The few
men he sent to Morgan were ill armed and in
efficient. Packcnham, on the contrary, de
prived himself, on the Bth of January, of
twelve hundred excellent soldiers, as well as
o! the services of one of his best officers.—
Jackson, in spite of that demonstration, know
ing that a British General would not place
such a river as the Mississipjfi, (when it was
commanded, too, by his adversary,) between
bis army and Ins line of communication with
his fleet, remained quiet and as insensible to
this initiative of his antagonist to change the
seat of operations.
The firmness of his attitude, the indiffer
ence with which he viewed the show of suc
cess exhibited on the right bank of the Mis
sissippi, by the victorious detatchrnent under
the command of Thornton, convinced General
Lambert that the designs of ids predecessor
had not worked the end expected from its ex
ecution* Aware of the danger of leaving a
corps thus isolated, and with such precarious
means of transportation as it possessed in the
lew boats it hoe at its disposition, this expe
rienced chief, eagerly seizing the advantage
of a dark night, had their troops brought back
to their original position.
CONVICTION.
A man named John Riley, who has made
himself quite notorious by the novelty and
dangerous doetrmes which he preaches and
practices, was, on Thursday last, convicted in
the Court of Quarter Sesßions of this county
ol the crime of adultery, and sentenced by his
honor Judge Hepburn to one year’s imprison
ment, to pay a fine of one hundred and thirty
dollars, with costs of prosecution, &.c. At
the same time a woman named Mussulman,
his paramour and dupe, was convicted of the
same ofFmce, and sentenced to six months’
irnpr son merit, and fined one hundred dollars.
Riley has been some years an itinerant
preacher, and lit s been attached to several de
nominations of Christians. lie has been
“ driven about by every wind of doctrine,” un
til he has at length adopted the monstrous
opinions of Theophilus R. Gates, ot Philadel
phia,- and lias been engaged for the last six
months or so preaching up the doctrine of
Christians holding all things in common, even
to a promiscuous intercourse of ihe sexes.
Strange as it may seem, Riley soon succeeded,
even in tins county, in obtaining followers,
some of whom were respectable and in good
Circumstances. He has already done much
rn sclnef by propagating his pestilential doc
trines; and as he arrogates to himself some
thingof the character and sanctity of a prbphel;
and believes himself invulnerable from the
attacks ot man, the ignorant and cr dulous;
ever ready to embrace any new opinion, were
easily deceived by this shallow pretender. The
strong arm of the law h- f,- ! i never, interfered,
and prevented, wo hope, forever, this deceiver,
from doing fm ther harm.— Carlisle (.Pa.) Her
ald and idxvositor.
From the Charleston Courier.
7’/'” TV n,:,:nglon Adre-rtiser, of Thursday
1-u says — ‘Hue I lon.- Wm: C. Rives has
been mooted L. S?. Senator from the State of
Virginia, by 0 majority/*
Urink us l irgxiua.—Tji. Beockenbeough,
Was,-on the 10th inst., re-elected President of
this institution by the board of Directors—the
vote stood 5 to 3.
j Bulwer s new play, called “Money,” has
j been produced at the Tremor.t Theatre, Bos
- ton, lor the first time in this country.
The population of the St. Charles Hotel,
| (New Or e n:~,) by a census taken last, week,
i was ear 700 inhabitants; enough to stock a
j good-sized country vdiage and make considers
’ able of a show at that.
fNO. 50.
