110 MAJOR-GENERAL TUPPER.
"Lionel Lincoln," thus describes a scene in the battle : —
" Push on with the th ! " cried the veteran major of marines
— " push on, or the 18th will get the honor of the day J"
" We cannot," murmured the soldiers of the th ; " their
fire is too heavy !"
" Then break, and let the marines pass through you." *
The feeble battalion melted away, and the warriors of the deep, trained to conflicts of hand to hand, sprang forward, with a shout, in their places. The Americans, exhausted of their ammunition, now sunk sullenly back, a few hurling stones at their foes, in desperate indignation. The cannon of the British had been brought to enfilade the short breast-work, which was no longer tenable ; and as the columns approached closer to the low ram- part, it became a mutual protection to the adverse parties.
" Hurrah ! for the Royal Irish !" again shouted M'Fuse, rushing up the trifling ascent, which was but of little more than his own height.
"Hurrah!" repeated Pitcairn, waving his sword on another angle of the work — "the day's our own !"
One more sheet of flame issued out of the bosom of the work, and all those brave men, who had emulated the examples of their officers, were swept away, as if a whirlwind passed along. The grenadier gave his war-cry once more, and pitched headlong among his enemies ; while Pitcairn fell back into the arms of his own child. The cry of " Forward, 47th ! " rang through the ranks, and in their turn this veteran battalion mounted the ramparts. In the shallow ditch Lionel passed the expiring marine, aud caught the dying and despairing look from his eye, and in another instant he found himself in the presence of his foes. As company followed company into the defenceless redoubt, the Americans sullenly retired by its rear, keeping the bayonets of the soldiers at bay, with clubbed muskets and sinewy arms. When the whole issued upon the open ground, the husbandmen received a close and fatal fire from the battalions, which were now gathering around them on three sides. A scene of wild and savage confusion succeeded to the order of the fight, and many fatal blows were given and taken, the m4Ue rendering the use of fire-arms nearly impossible for several minutes.
- This circumstance, as, indeed, most of the others, is believed to be
accurately true.
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