COFFEE'S ATTACK. 333 minated on all sides by a semicircular blaze of musketry. It was now clear that we were surrounded, and that by a very superior force; and, therefore, no alternative remained, but either to surrender at discretion or to beat back the assailants." This "very superior force" was Coffee's brigade of about six hundred dismounted riflemen, which the fears of the enemy, at this time three thousand strong, magnified into an army of thousands. The attack had been commenced somewhat prematurely by the Caroline; otherwise the astonishment of the British would have been fatal. The levee would have afforded them no protection. Attacked on three sides at once, they would have been compelled to retreat before an inferior force or surrender at discretion. When General Coffee arrived at the edge of the ditch separating the plantations of Laronde and Lacoste, he ordered his men to dismount, and leaving one hundred men to guard the horses, pushed forward with the remainder, and gained, as he believed, the centre of the enemy's line. At this instant the signal from the Caroline reached him; he wheeled his columns into an extended line, according to the orders he had previously received, and moved towards the camp. He had scarcely advanced more than a hundred yards, when he was fired upon by the enemy in front. This to him was an unexpected occurrence, as he supposed the enemy to be lying principally on the bank of the river, and thought that the only opposition he would meet until he should reach the levee would be from the advanced guards. The circumstance of his coming up with them so soon, was in consequence of the severe attack of the schooner, which had compelled them to abandon their camp, and take refuge behind the dyke. Coffee ordered his line to advance in silence, and to fire without order, but only when certain of their object. The line pressed on, and having gained a position in the rear of Lacoste's garden, and near enough to the enemy to distinguish them by the uncertain light of the moon, a brisk fire was commenced, which was the more destructive, as not a man discharged his rifle without doing execution. This continued shower of deadly bullets was too severe to be long withstood; the enemy gave way and retreated -they rallied, formed, were charged, and again retreated. The gallant Tennesseeans, led by their brave commander, urged fearlessly on, and drove them from every position they attempted to maintain, until they reached the bank of the river. Here a determined stand was made, and further encroachments resisted. For half an hour the contest was extremely violent on both sides. The American troops could not be driven from their purpose, nor the British made to yield their ground; but, at length, having suffered greatly, the latter were under the necessity of taking refuge behind a strong bank, which afforded a breastwork, and protected them from the fatal fire of Coffee's riflemen. Coffee, unacquainted with their true position, was again about to order another charge, when one of his aids, who had advanced near enough to gain the information, assured him that such a course would be too hazardous; that they could be driven no further, and would from the point they occupied resist with the bayonet, and repel, with considerable COFFEE'S ATTACK. 335 loss, any attempt to dislodge them. The place of their retirement was covered in front by a strong bank, which had been extended into the field to keep out the river, in consequence of the first being encroached upon and undermined in several places. The old one, however, was still entire in many parts, and gave them security from the broadsides of the schooner, which lay off at a little distance. A further apprehension, lest, by moving still nearer to the river, he might expose himself to the fire of the Caroline, which yet maintained the conflict with spirit, induced Coffee to retire, until he could hear from the commanding general, and receive his further orders. During the whole of this time, the detachment of cavalry under the command of Major Hinds, not being able to manœuvre in fields cut up with ditches at very close intervals, remained drawn up on the edge of a ditch, in the middle of Lacoste's plantation. Captain Beale's company of Orleans riflemen advanced on the left of Coffee's line until they were separated from them in the first charge. They then pushed forward into Villere's plantation, almost in the midst of the detachments of the enemy continually arriving from the boats. They were principally engaged with a corps near the old levee, which they forced to retreat. In the meantime, Coffee discovered that some of the British had posted themselves among the negro huts on his right. He immediately moved to the right, drove them from the huts, and took a position near the boundary of Laronde's plantation. Captain Beale's company having penetrated into the very camp of the enemy and made several prisoners, |