continue on the right bank as usual. Flags of truce were reciprocally passing until near four in the afternoon. At that hour, our batteries again began to cannonade those of the enemy, and our heavy artillery fired on the buildings of Laronde's and Bienvenu's plantations, where some groups of soldiers were seen. From one of the deserters who came over in the evening of the 8th we learned, that the enemy's loss amounted to three thousand men, and that the commander-in-chief was killed, and generals Gibbs and Keane wounded. General Lambert, on whom the command had devolved, was lately arrived, and was unknown to this deserter, who could not tell who commanded the British army.*

In the evening of the 8th of January, the wounded priSoners were conveyed to New Orleans, and lodged in the barracks. The hospitals of the city being occupied by our sick and the few wounded amongst us, accommodations had not been prepared for so great a number of those of the enemy. Captain Dubuys, commander of all the veteran corps and of the city at that period, represented to the citizens the wants of those unfortunate victims of British ambition, and immediately one hundred and forty matresses, a great number of pillows, with a large quantity of lint and old linen for dressing their wounds, were procured by contributions from all quarters, at a moment when such articles were extremely scarce in New Orleans, where not a truss of straw could be purchased.

Until the hospital directors could establish an hospital for those wounded men, whose number amounted to nearly four hundred, all kinds of refreshments and every attendance that their situation required, were liberally provided for them by a number of citizens. Several women of colour offered their services, and were employed in tending them, without any compensation but the pleasure of relieving suffering humanity.

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On the 9th, by break of day, the artillery again began to fire at intervals, which greatly annoyed the ènemy, who about ten o'clock sent out another flag of truce. The letter addressed to general Jackson, signed Lambert," but without mentioning that he who bore that name was now commander-in-chief of the British forces; an avowal which he wished to avoid, to conceal from us, as long as possible, the death of general Packenham, of which we were informed on the evening of the 8th. General Jackson replied, that he was ready to treat with the commander-in-chief of the British army, and that it was to him matter of surprise that the letter he had received was not directly from him. On this, general Lambert could not decline answering that he was commander-in-chief; and then general Jackson granted the suspension of arms required. The bodies of all the British who had died on our side, were delivered to the enemy, on the advanced line of our posts and his; they were received by British officers and buried. On beholding the remains of the three officers killed on the redoubt, and particularly those of colonel Renee, the British soldiers could not forbear to manifest strong emotions of admiration and grief, paying the tribute of their tears to the brave man whom they perhaps had often followed in the road to glory, to a father (for so they called him) who probably had of ten relieved their wants. He must have been an officer of no common merit, whose death excited such regret! If he did not live long enough to acquire great renown in arms, if the thread of his life was se vered before he had time to run a glorious career, at

least all of him is not inclosed in the tomb; his memory survives in the grateful hearts of those who experienced his benevolence.

On the 10th and 11th nothing occurred worthy of remark. Our troops on the right bank re-occupied their former position on Jourdan's plantation, where the engineer Lafon commenced a line of de, fence, which may be seen on the map, plate No. 5. In the night of the 11th there was heard the report of a very brisk cannonade, which was thought to come from fort St. Philip at Plaquemine, and the next evening we learned that the enemy was bombarding that fort. Our artillery continued to annoy the enemy to such a degree, that the deserters reported that the troops had no rest, and that all the out-posts had been doubled, as an attack was apprehended. On the 12th, fifty prisoners were brought in from Chef-Menteur. We every day continued to cannonade the enemy; the balls of our heavy pieces, as also of our shells, fell in his very camp, and greatly an noyed the men.

Several officers on our lines, who had long followed the military profession, perceived on the 15th some movements in the enemy's camp, which they thought indicated a retreat, and about the same time a deserter assured us that a retreat would shortly take place.

On the 17th of January, in consequence of proposals made by general Lambert to general Jackson, the latter appointed his aid-de-camp, colonel Edward Livingston, to confer with major Smith, military secretary to general Lambert, between the lines of the

out-posts, for the purpose of drawing up a cartel of prisoners; and these officers concluded upon one which was mutually approved of by the commanderin-chief of each army. (See that document, Appendix, No. 31.)

Next day, towards noon, conformably to the articles of the cartel, the enemy delivered to us, on the line, sixty-three of our prisoners; the greater part of whom had been taken in the affair of the 23d of December. A guard of honour, composed of a detachment of the company of carabineers, of Plauché's battalion, commanded by captain Roche, with a detachment of captain Beale's riflemen, preceded by the music of the battalion, went to receive and escort them into camp. Several of them were not yet out of danger from their wounds. Their return to their friends and acquaintances was the more grateful to all, as, until that moment, it was feared that many of them were among the dead.

Ir recurred to Dr. R. Morrell and Mr. S. Shields, on their return from the British fleet, that a few wellarmed boats could annoy the enemy on Lake Borgne. This suggestion was made to commodore Patterson on the morning of the 15th January, the period of their arrival in town. The commodore, after various inquiries concerning the description and force of the boats employed by the enemy on the lake, authorized those gentlemen to obtain volunteers for the expedition.* On the 19th they proceeded from the bayou

* I preserve in this narrative the form and nearly the words of the journal communicated to me by Dr. Morrell.

St. John in four boats (one of which carried a twelve pound carronade, the others being small) and thirtyfour men, officers included. Next morning they were joined at fort Petites Coquilles by two small boats and nineteen men from captain Newman's command. to fit masts and sails to the boats, and to distribute the men among the boats so as to give to each a few sailors; for it must be recollected the greater part of their number were soldiers and along-shore men. On the morning of the 20th they proceeded to pass Chef-Menteur, and arrived at the militia camp, situate about three miles from lake Borgne, at 2 P. M. Here they reconnoitred the enemy's boats, passing and re-passing from their army to their fleet. At 9 P. M. they got under weigh with muffled oars: at 10 were in the lake, and took a course along the land towards the Rigolets. At about 11 P. M. a large boat was discovered at anchor; immediately all hands pulled up to her as fast as possible. She was boarded on the bow, stern and centre nearly at the same moment. She surrendered after very little resistance; and had on board thirty-eight dragoons, a lieutenant and cornet, and a master's mate and thirteen seamen. All returned to the encampment, where the prisoners were delivered to captain Collins, commanding officer. At 1 A. M. another sortie was made, and row. ed about the lake till nearly day-light, but nothing could be found-21st, laid by. 22d, at 4 A. M. went out again, and steered towards the Rigolets: at 7 A. M. they captured a transport boat; at half past

This day they remained at the fort

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