hero tales from american history-第13部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



Jackson　acted　with　his　usual　fiery；　hasty　decision。　It　was　absolutely　necessary　to　get　time　in　which　to　throw　up　some　kind　of　breastworks　or　defenses　for　the　city；　and　he　at　once　resolved　on　a　night　attack　against　the　British。　As　for　the　British；　they　had　no　thought　of　being　molested。　They　did　not　dream　of　an　assault　from　inferior　numbers　of　undisciplined　and　ill…armed　militia；　who　did　not　possess　so　much　as　bayonets　to　their　guns。　They　kindled　fires　along　the　levees；　ate　their　supper；　and　then；　as　the　evening　fell；　noticed　a　big　schooner　drop　down　the　river　in　ghostly　silence　and　bring　up　opposite　to　them。　The　soldiers　flocked　to　the　shore；　challenging　the　stranger；　and　finally　fired　one　or　two　shots　at　her。　Then　suddenly　a　rough　voice　was　heard；　〃Now　give　it　to　them；　for　the　honor　of　America！〃　and　a　shower　of　shell　and　grape　fell　on　the　British；　driving　them　off　the　levee。　The　stranger　was　an　American　man…of…war　schooner。　The　British　brought　up　artillery　to　drive　her　off；　but　before　they　succeeded　Jackson's　land　troops　burst　upon　them；　and　a　fierce；　indecisive　struggle　followed。　In　the　night　all　order　was　speedily　lost；　and　the　two　sides　fought　singly　or　in　groups　in　the　utmost　confusion。　Finally　a　fog　came　up　and　the　combatants　separated。　Jackson　drew　off　four　or　five　miles　and　camped。

The　British　had　been　so　roughly　handled　that　they　were　unable　to　advance　for　three　or　four　days；　until　the　entire　army　came　up。　When　they　did　advance；　it　was　only　to　find　that　Jackson　had　made　good　use　of　the　time　he　had　gained　by　his　daring　assault。　He　had　thrown　up　breastworks　of　mud　and　logs　from　the　swamp　to　the　river。　At　first　the　British　tried　to　batter　down　these　breastworks　with　their　cannon；　for　they　had　many　more　guns　than　the　Americans。　A　terrible　artillery　duel　followed。　For　an　hour　or　two　the　result　seemed　in　doubt；　but　the　American　gunners　showed　themselves　to　be　far　more　skilful　than　their　antagonists；　and　gradually　getting　the　upper　hand；　they　finally　silenced　every　piece　of　British　artillery。　The　Americans　had　used　cotton　bales　in　the　embrasures；　and　the　British　hogsheads　of　sugar；　but　neither　worked　well；　for　the　cotton　caught　fire　and　the　sugar　hogsheads　were　ripped　and　splintered　by　the　roundshot；　so　that　both　were　abandoned。　By　the　use　of　red…hot　shot　the　British　succeeded　in　setting　on　fire　the　American　schooner　which　had　caused　them　such　annoyance　on　the　evening　of　the　night　attack；　but　she　had　served　her　purpose；　and　her　destruction　caused　little　anxiety　to　Jackson。

Having　failed　in　his　effort　to　batter　down　the　American　breastworks；　and　the　British　artillery　having　been　fairly　worsted　by　the　American；　Pakenham。　decided　to　try　open　assault。　He　had　ten　thousand　regular　troops；　while　Jackson　had　under　him　but　little　over　five　thousand　men；　who　were　trained　only　as　he　had　himself　trained　them　in　his　Indian　campaigns。　Not　a　fourth　of　them　carried　bayonets。　Both　Pakenham　and　the　troops　under　him　were　fresh　from　victories　won　over　the　most　renowned　marshals　of　Napoleon；　andover　soldiers　that　had　proved　themselves　on　a　hundred　stricken　fields　the　masters　of　all　others　in　Continental　Europe。　At　Toulouse　they　had　driven　Marshal　Soult　from　a　position　infinitely　stronger　than　that　held　by　Jackson；　and　yet　Soult　had　under　him　a　veteran　army。　At　Badajoz；　Ciudad　Rodrigo；　and　San　Sebastian　they　had　carried　by　open　assault　fortified　towns　whose　strength　made　the　intrenchments　of　the　Americans　seem　like　the　mud　walls　built　by　children；　though　these　towns　were　held　by　the　best　soldiers　of　France。　With　such　troops　to　follow　him；　and　with　such　victories　behind　him　in　the　past；　it　did　not　seem　possible　to　Pakenham　that　the　assault　of　the　terrible　British　infantry　could　be　successfully　met　by　rough　backwoods　riflemen　fighting　under　a　general　as　wild　and　untrained　as　themselves。

He　decreed　that　the　assault　should　take　place　on　the　morning　of　the　eighth。　Throughout　the　previous　night　the　American　officers　were　on　the　alert；　for　they　could　hear　the　rumbling　of　artillery　in　the　British　camp；　the　muffled　tread　of　the　battalions　as　they　were　marched　to　their　points　in　the　line；　and　all　the　smothered　din　of　the　preparation　for　assault。　Long　before　dawn　the　riflemen　were　awake　and　drawn　up　behind　the　mud　walls；　where　they　lolled　at　ease；　or；　leaning　on　their　long　rifles；　peered　out　through　the　fog　toward　the　camp　of　their　foes。　At　last　the　sun　rose　and　the　fog　lifted；　showing　the　scarlet　array　of　the　splendid　British　infantry。　As　soon　as　the　air　was　clear　Pakenham　gave　the　word；　and　the　heavy　columns　of　redcoated　grenadiers　and　kilted　Highlanders　moved　steadily　forward。　From　the　American　breastworks　the　great　guns　opened；　but　not　a　rifle　cracked。　Three　fourths　of　the　distance　were　covered；　and　the　eager　soldiers　broke　into　a　run；　then　sheets　of　flame　burst　from　the　breastworks　in　their　front　as　the　wild　riflemen　of　the　backwoods　rose　and　fired；　line　upon　line。　Under　the　sweeping　hail　the　head　of　the　British　advance　was　shattered；　and　the　whole　column　stopped。　Then　it　surged　forward　again；　almost　to　the　foot　of　the　breastworks；　but　not　a　man　lived　to　reach　them；　and　in　a　moment　more　the　troops　broke　and　ran　back。　Mad　with　shame　and　rage；　Pakenham　rode　among　them　to　rally　and　lead　them　forward；　and　the　officers　sprang　around　him；　smiting　the　fugitives　with　their　swords　and　cheering　on　the　men　who　stood。　For　a　moment　the　troops　halted；　and　again　came　forward　to　the　charge；　but　again　they　were　met　by　a　hail　of　bullets　from　the　backwoods　rifles。　One　shot　struck　Pakenham　himself。　He　reeled　and　fell　from　the　saddle；　and　was　carried　off　the　field。　The　second　and　third　in　command　fell　also；　and　then　all　attempts　at　further　advance　were　abandoned；　and　the　British　troops　ran　back　to　their　lines。　Another　assault　had　meanwhile　been　made　by　a　column　close　to　the　river；　the　charging　soldiers　rushing　to　the　top　of　the　breastworks；　but　they　were　all　killed　or　driven　back。　A　body　of　troops　had　also　been　sent　across　the　river；　where　they　routed　a　small　detachment　of　Kentucky　militia；　but　they　were；　of　course；　recalled　when　the　main　assault　failed。

At　last　the　men　who　had　conquered　the　conquerors　of　Europe　had　themselves　met　defeat。　Andrew　Jackson　and　his　rough　riflemen　had　worsted；　in　fair　fight；　a　far　larger　force　of　the　best　of　Wellington's　veterans；　and　had　accomplished　what　no　French　marshal　and　no　French　troops　had　been　able　to　accomplish　throughout　the　long　war　in　the　Spanish　peninsula。　For　a　week　the　sullen　British　lay　in　their　lines；　then；　abandoning　their　heavy　artillery；　they　marched　back　to　the　ships　and　sailed　for　Europe。　



JOHN　QUINCY　ADAMS　AND　THE　RIGHT　OF　PETITION

He　rests　with　the　immortals；　his　journey　has　been　long：　For　him　no　wail　of　sorrow；　but　a　paean　full　and　strong！　So　well　and　bravely　has　he　done　the　work　be　found　to　do；　To　justice；　freedom；　duty；　God；　and　man　forever　true。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Whittier。


JOHN　QUINCY　ADAMS　AND　THE　RIGHT　OF　PETITION

The　lot　of　ex…Presidents　of　the　United　States；　as　a　rule；　has　been　a　life　of　extreme　retirement；　but　to　this　rule　there　is　one　marked　exception。　When　John　Quincy　Adams　left　the　White　House　in　March；　1829；　it　must　have　seemed　as　if　public　life　could　hold　nothing　more　for　him。　He　had　had　everything　apparently　that　an　American　statesman　could　hope　for。　He　had　been　Minister　to　Holland　and　Prussia；　to　Russia　and　England。　He　had　been　a　Senator　of　the　United　States；　Secretary　of　State　for　eight　years；　and　finally　President。　Yet；　notwithstanding　all　this；　the　greatest　part　of　his　career；　and　his　noblest　service　to　his　country；　were　still　before　him　when　he　gave　up　the　Presidency。

In　the　following　year　（1830）　he　was　told　that　he　might　be　elected　to　the　House　of　Representatives；　and　the　gentleman　who　made　the　proposition　ventured　to　say　that　he　thought　an　ex…President；　by　taking　such　a　position；　〃instead　of　degrading　the　individual　would　elevate　the　representative　character。〃　Mr。　Adams　replied　that　he　had　〃in　that　respect　no　scruples　whatever。　No　person　can　be　degraded　by　serving　the　people　as　Representative　in　Congress；　nor；　in　my　opinion；　would　an　ex…President　of　the　United　States　be　degraded　by　serving　as　a　selectman　of　his　town　if　elected　thereto　by　the　people。〃　A　few　weeks　later　he　was　chosen　to　the　House；　and　the　district　continued　to　send　him　every　two　years　from　that　time　until　his　death。　He　did　much　excellent　work　in　the　House；　and　was　conspicuous　in　more　than　one　memorable　scene；　but　here　it　is　possible　to　touch　on　only　a　single　point；　where　he　came　forward　as　the　champion　of　a　great　principle；　and　fought　a　battle　for　the　right　which　will　always　be　remembered　among　the　great　deeds　of　American　public　men。

Soon　after　Mr。　Adams　took　his　seat　in　Congress；　the　movement　for　the　abolition　of　slavery　was　begun　by　a　few　obscure　agitators。　It　did　not　at　first　attract　much　attention；　but　as　it　went　on　it　gradually　exasperated　the　overbearing　temper　of　the　Southern　slaveholders。　One　fruit　of　this　agitation　was　the　appearance　of　petitions　for　the　abolition　of　slavery　in　the　House　of　Representatives。　A　few　were　presented　by　Mr。　Adams　without　attracting　much　notice；　but　as　the　petitions　multiplied；　the　Southern　representatives　became　aroused。　They　assailed　Mr。　Adams　for　presenting　them；　and　finally　passed　what　was　known　as　the　gag　rule；　which　prevented　the　reception　of　these　petitions　by　the　House。　Against　this　rule　Mr。　Adams　protested；　in　the　midst　of　the　loud　shouts　of　the　Southerners；　as　a　violation　of　his　constitutional　rights。　But　the　tyranny　of　slavery　at　that　time　was　so　complete　that　the　rule　was　adopted　and　enforced；　and　the　slaveholders；　undertook　in　this　way　to　suppress　free　speech　in　the　House；　just　as　they　also　undertook　to　prevent　the　transmission　through　the　mails　of　any　writings　adverse　to　slavery。　With　the　wisdom　of　a　statesman　and　a　man　of　affairs；　Mr。　Adams　addressed　himself　to　the　one　practical　point　of　the　contest。　He　did　not　enter　upon　a　discussion　of　slavery　or　of　its　abolition；　but　turned　his　whole　force　toward　the　vindication　of　the　right　of　petition。　On　every　petition　day　he　would　offer；　in　constantly　increasing　numbers；　petitions　which　came　to　him　from　all　parts　of　the　country　for　the　abolition　of　slavery；　in　this　way　driving　the　Southern　representatives　almost　to　ma