The site of our encampment continued to be
strewed with carcases to the last; and so watchful were the crew of the
schooner, that every effort to convey them out of sight brought a heavy
fire upon the party engaged in it. I must say, that the enemy's
behaviour on the present occasion was not such as did them honour. The
house which General Kean had originally occupied as head-quarters, being
converted into an hospital, was filled at this time with wounded, both
from the British and American armies. To mark its uses, a yellow flag,
the usual signal in such cases, was hoisted on the roof--yet did the
Americans continue to fire at it, as often as a group of six or eight
persons happened to show themselves at the door. Nay, so utterly
regardless were they of the dictates of humanity, that even the parties
who were in the act of conveying the wounded from place to place,
escaped not without molestation. More than one such party was dispersed
by grape-shot, and more than one poor maimed soldier was in consequence
hurled out of the blanket in which he was borne.
The reader will not doubt me when I say, that seldom has the departure
of day-light been more anxiously looked for by me, than we looked for it
now. It is true, that the arrival of a little rum towards evening served
in some slight degree to elevate our spirits; but we could not help
feeling, not vexation only, but positive indignation, at the state of
miserable inaction to which we were condemned.
Pages:
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33