ANNUAL 
ing of the 85th light infantry, two 
hundred seamen, and four hun- 
dred marines, the 5th West India 
regiment and four pieces of artil- 
lery, under the command of Co- 
lonel Thornton, of the 85th, was 
to pass over during the night, and 
move along the right bank to- 
wards New Orleans, clearing its 
front, until it-reached the flanking 
battery of the enemy on that side, 
which it had orders to carry. _ 
The assailing of the enemy's 
line in front of us, was to be made 
by the brigade composed of the 
4th, Zlst, and 44th regiments, 
with three companies of the 95th, 
under Major General Gibbs, and 
by the 3rd brigade, consisting of 
the 93rd, two companies of the 
95th, and two companies of the 
fusiliers, and 43rd under Major 
General Keane. Someblacktroops 
were destined to skirmish in the 
wood onthe right. The principal 
attack was to be made by Major 
General Gibbs. The first brigade 
consisting of the fusiliers and 43rd, 
formed the reserve; the attacking 
columns were to be provided with 
fascines, scaling ladders and rafts, 
the whole to be at their stations 
before day light. An advanced 
battery in our front of six 18- 
pounders was thrown up during 
the night, about 800 yards from 
142 
the enemy’s line. The attack was” 
to be made at the earliest hour, 
Unlocked for difficulties, increased 
by the falling of the river, occa~ 
sioned considerable delay in the 
entrance of the armed. boats, and 
those destined to iand Colonel 
Thornton’s corps by which four 
or five hours were lost, and it was 
not until past five in the morning 
hat the first division, consisting of 
500 men were over. The en- 
REGISTER, 1815. 
semble of the general movement 
was lost, and ina point which was 
of the last importance to the at- 
tack on the left bank of the river, 
although Colonel Thornton, as 
your Lordship will see in his re- 
port, which I enclose, ably exe- 
cuted in every particular his in- 
structions, and fully justified the 
confidence the Commander of the 
forces placed in his abilities. The 
delay attending that corps occa- 
sioned some on the left bank, and 
the attack did not take place until 
the columns were discernible from 
the enemy’s line at more than two 
hundred yards distance; as they 
advanced, a continued and most 
galling fire was opened from every 
part of their line, and from the 
battery on the right bank, 
‘The brave Commander of the 
forces, who never in his life could 
refrain from being at the post of 
honour, and sharing the danger 
to which the troops were ex- 
posed, as soon as from his sta~ 
tion he had made: the signal for 
the troops to advance, gallopped 
on to the front to animate them 
by his presence, and he was seen 
with his hat off encouraging them 
on the crest of the glacis: it was 
there (almost at the same time) he 
received two wounds, one in the 
knee, and another, which was al- 
most instantly fatal, in his body ; 
he fell in the arms of Major 
M‘Dougall, aide-de-camp. The 
effect of this in the sight of the 
troops, together with Major Ge- 
neral Gibbs, and Major General 
Keane being both borne off wound- 
ed at the same time, with many 
other commanding officers, and 
further, the preparations to aid in 
crossing the ditch not being so 
forward as they ought to have 
