only, in common with the whole army, to express my sincere regret, and which may be supposed at this moment to come peculiarly home to me. Major-General Gibbs, who died of his wounds the following day, and Major-General Keane, who were both carried off the field within twenty yards of the glacis, at the head of their brigades, sufficiently speak at such a moment how they were conducting themselves. I am happy to say MajorGeneral-Keane is doing well. Captain Wylly, of the fusiliers, military secretary to the late Commander of the Forces, will have the honour of delivering to your Lordship these dispatches. Knowing how much he enjoyed his esteem, and was in his confidence from a long experience of his talents, I feel I cannot do less than pay this tribute to what I conceive would be the wishes of his late General, and to recommend him strongly to your Lordship's protection. I have, &c. (Signed) JOHN LAMBERT. Major-General, commanding. Camp on the left Bank of the Sir, I have the honour to inform you, that between the 17th and 22d instant, the troops destined for the attack of New Orleans were collected at Isle aux Poix, which is at the entrance of the Pearl River. Having learnt that it was impossible to effect a landing at the head of the Bayone Catalan, which runs into Lake Borgne, I directed Major Forrest, Assistant Quarter Master General, to have it reconnoitred. Lieutenant Peddie, of that department, accompanied by the Hon. Captain Spencer, of the navy, ascertained on the night of the 18th that boats could reach the head of the Bayone, from which a communication might be made to the high road, on the left bank of the Mississippi, leading to New Orleans. On the morning of the 22d, every arrangement being made by Vice Admiral the Hon. Sir Alexander Cochrane, 1 determined to attempt it. The light brigade, composed of the 85th and 95th regiments, Capt. Lane's rocketeers, one hundred sappers and miners, and the 4th regiment as a support, the whole under the command of Colonel Thornton, were placed in the boats, and the 21st, 44th, and 93d regiments, under Colonel Brooke, and a large proportion of artillery, under Major Munro, were embarked in small vessels. At 10 a. m. on the 22d, we sailed from Pearl river, and reached the head of the Bayone at day-light next morning. A landing was immediately effected without any other opposition than the country presented; Captain Blanchard, of the royal engineers, in the course of two hours, opened a communication through several fields of reeds, intersected by deep muddy ditches, bordered by a low swampy wood; Colonel Thornton then advanced and gained the high road, taking up a position with the right resting on the road, and the left on the Mississippi. In this situation I in tended tended to remain until the boats returned for the rest of the troops to the vessels, some of which grounded at a great distance. At about 8 o'clock in the evening, when the men, much fatigued by the length of time they had been in the boats, were asleep in their bivouac, a heavy flanking fire of round and grape shot was opened upon them, by a large schooner and two gun vessels, which had dropped down the river from the town, and anchored abreast of our fires: immediate steps were necessary to cover the men, and Colonel Thornton, in the most prompt and judicious manner, placed his brigade under the inward slope of the bank of the river, as did also Lieutenant-Colonel Brooke, of the 4th regiment, behind some buildings which were near that corps. This movement was so rapid that the troops suffered no more than a single casualty. The three-pounders being the only guns up, the success of a few twelve pound rockets, directed by Captain Lane, was tried against these vessels; but the ground on which it was necessary to lay them not being even, they were found not to answer, and their firing was ceased. A most vigorous attack was then made on the advanced front and right flank picquets, the former of the 95th, under Capt. Hallan, the latter the 85th, under Captain Schaw; these officers, and their respective picquets, conducted themselves with firmness, and checked the enemy for a considerable time; but renewing their attack with a large force, and pressing at those points, Colonel VOL. LVII. Thornton judged it necessary to move up the remainder of both corps. The 85th regiment was commanded by Brevet Major Gubbins, whose conduct cannot be too much commended; on the approach of his regiment to the point of attack, the enemy, favoured by the darkness of the night, concealed themselves under a high fence which separated the fields, and calling to the men as friends, under pretence of being part of our own force, offered to assist them in getting over, which was no sooner accomplished than the 85th found itself in the midst of very superior numbers, who, discovering themselves, called on the regiment immediately to surrender-the answer was an instantaneous attack; a more extraordinary conflict has perhaps never occurred, absolutely hand to hand both officers and men. It terminated in the repulse of the enemy, with the capture of 30 prisoners. A similar finesse was attempted with the 95th regiment, which met the same treatment. The enemy finding his reiterated attacks were repulsed by Colonel Thornton, at half-past 10 o'lock, advanced a large column against our centre; perceiving his intention, I directed Colonel Stovin to order Lieutenant-Colonel Dale, with 130 men of the 93d regiment, who had just reached the camp, to move forward and use the bayonet, holding the 4th regiment in hand, formed in line, as my last reserve. Colonel Dale endeavoured to execute his orders, but the crafty enemy would not meet him, seeing the steadiness of his small body, gave it a heavy fire, and quickly retired. Colonel L Brooke Brooke with four companies of the 21st regiment, fortunately appeared at that moment on our right flank, and sufficiently secured it from further attack. The enemy now determined on making a last effort, and, collecting the whole of his force, formed an extensive line, and moved directly against the light brigade. At first this line drove in all the advanced posts, but Colonel Thornton, whose noble exertions had guaranteed all former success, was at hand; he rallied his brave comrades around him, and moving forward with a firm determination of charging, appalled the enemy, who, from the lesson he had received on the same ground in the early part of the evening, thought it prudent to retire, and did not again dare to advance. It was now twelve o'clock, and the firing ceased on both sides. From the best information I can obtain, the enemy's force amounted to 5000 men, and was commanded by Major-General Jackson; judging from the number left on the field, his loss must have been severe. I now beg leave to enclose a list of our casualties on that night, and have only to hope it will appear to you that every officer and soldier on shore did his duty. To Sir Alexander Cochrane I feel particularly obliged for his very friendly counsel and ready compliance with every wish I expressed respecting the service or welfare of the troops. To Rear-Admiral Malcolm, and the several Captains employed in the landing, &c. I confess the greatest obligation, I must leave it to the Vice-Admiral to do them the justice they so much deserve; for I cannot find words to express the exertions made by every branch of the navy, since the period of our arrival on this coast. In the attack made on the centre, Lieutenant-Colonel Stovin, Assistant Adjutant-General, received a severe wound, which deprived me of his able services; to him and Major Forrest, Assistant Quarter-Master General, I feel greatly indebted; they are both officers of great merit; Colonel Brooke is entitled to every praise for securing our right flank. To Colonel Thornton I feel particularly grateful; his conduct on the night of the 23d, I shall ever admire and honour. He headed his brigade in the most spirited manner, and afforded it a bril liant example of active courage and cool determination. I have every reason to be satisfied with Lieutenant-Colonel Brooke, commanding the 4th regiment; as also with Major Mitchell, of the 95th, who was unfortunately taken prisoner at the close of the affair. The exertions of Major Mon. roe, of the royal artillery, were unremitting; to him, and the officers under his command, I feel every obligation. The assistance given by Captain Blanchard, and the officers of the royal engineers, was most conspicuous, and entitle them to my best thanks. Brevet Major Hooper, acting Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General, was attached to the light bri gade. gade. Colonel Thornton states, that he derived the greatest benefit from his activity, zeal, and judgment. I regret to have to add that he was very severely wounded and had his leg ampu tated in the course of the night. The indefatigable zeal and intelligence displayed by Lieutetenants Peddie and Evans, of the Quarter-Master-General's department, entitle them to the most favourable consideration. Assistant Commissary General Wemyss's arrangements were satisfactory, and Deputy Inspector Thompson claims my best acknowledgments, for the care and attention shown the wounded: the whole of whom were collected, dressed, and comfortably lodged, before two in the morning. Major Mills, of the 14th light dragoons, accompanied me on shore; from him, Captain Persse, my aide-de-camp, and the Hon. Lieut. Curzon, naval aide-decamp, I received every assistance. Trusting that the steps I pursued while in command, will meet your approbation, I have the honour to be, &c. JOHN KEANE, Maj.-Gen. Redoubt, on the right Bank of the Mississippi, Jan. 8, 1815. Sir, I lose no time in reporting to you the success of the troops which you were yesterday pleased to place under my orders, with the view of attacking the enemy's redoubt and position on this side of the river. It is within your own knowledge, that the difficulty had been found so extremely great of dragging the boats through the canal, which had been lately cut with so much labour to the Mississippi, that, notwithstanding every possible exertion for the purpose, we were unable to proceed across the river until eight hours after the time appointed, and even then, with only a third part of the force which you had allotted for the service. The current was so strong, and the difficulty, in consequence, of keeping the boats together so great, that we only reached this side of the river at day break, and by the time the troops were disembarked, which was effected without any molestation from the enemy, I perceived by the flashes of the guns, that your attack had already commenced. This circumstance made me extremely anxious to move forward, to prevent the destructive enfilading fire, which would of course be opened on your columns from the enemy's batteries on this side; and I proceeded with the greatest possible expedition, strengthened and secured on my right flank by three gun boats, under Captain Roberts, of the navy, whose zeal and exertions on this occasion were as unremitted as his arrangements in embarking the troops, and in keeping the boats together in crossing the river, were excellent. The enemy made no opposition to our advance, until we reached a picquet, posted behind a bridge, at about 500 paces from the house in the Orange-grove, and secured by a small work, apparently just thrown up. This picquet was very soon forced and driven in by a division of the L2 85th 65th regiment, under Captain Schaw, of that regiment, forming the advanced guard, and whose mode of attack for the purpose was prompt and judicious to a degree. Upon my arrival at the Orangegrove, I had an opportunity of reconnoitring, at about seven hun dred yards, the enemy's position; which I found to be a very formidable redoubt on the bank of the river, with the right flank secured by an entrenchment extending back to a thick wood, and its line protected by an incessant fire of grape. Under such circumstances it seemed to me to afford the best prospect of success, to endeavour to turn his right at the wood; and I accordingly detached two divisions of the 85th, under Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Gubbins, to effect that object, which he accomplished with his usual zeal and judgment, with one hundred sailors, under Captain Money, of the Royal Navy, who I am sorry to say, was severely wounded, but whose conduct was particularly distinguished on the occasion, threatened the enemy's left, supported by the division of the 85th regiment, under Captain Schaw. When these divisions had gained their proper position, I deployed the column composed of two divisions of the 85th regiment, under Major Deshon, whose conduct I cannot sufficiently commend, and about 100 men of the royal marines, under Major Adair, also deserving of much commendation, and moved forward in line, to the attack of the centre of the intrenchment. At first the enemy, confident in his own security, shewed a good countenance, and kept up a heavy fire; but the determination of the troops which I had the honour to command to overcome all difficulties, compelled him to a rapid and disorderly flight, leaving in our possession his redoubts, batteries, and position, with sixteen pieces of ordnance, and the colours of the New Orleans regiment of militia. Of the ordnance taken, I enclose the specific return of Major Mitehell, of the royal artillery, who accompanied and afforded me much assistance, by his able directions of the firing of some rockets, it not having been found practicable in the first instance to bring over the artillery attached to his command. I shall have the honour of sending you a return of the casualties that have occurred, as soon as it is possible to collect them; but I am happy to say they are extremely inconsiderable, when the strength of the position, and the number of the enemy are considered, which our prisoners (about 30in number) agree in stating from 1500 to 2,000 men, commanded by General Morgan. I should be extremely wanting both in justice and in gratitude were 1 not to request your particular notice of the officers whose names I have mentioned, as well as of Major Blanchard, of the royal engineers, and Lieutenant Peddie of the 27th regiment, Deputy Assistant Quarter Master General, whose zeal and intelligence I found of the greatest service. The wounded men are meeting with every degree of attention and humanity from the medical arrangements of Staff Surgeon Baxter. The |