The Household Narrative of Current Events (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1855 Excerpt: ...of the French columns wisely called a halt. They had already penetrated into the enemy's lines further than any of the allies had been before, and to continue the advance with such a small force, and without support, would have been mere madness. As it was, they might have had great difficulty in effecting their retreat. A hasty examination was made of the trench, and one of tho soldiers, who had advanced further than the rest up the parallel on the right, came running back, and reported that there was a new battery there. The whole force instantly advanced in the direction intimated, and, truly enough, found that in a large obtuse angle of the breastwork a new battery had been formed, and was totally abandoned. It mounted lome eight or ten heavy long guns, four mortars, and a number of cohorns. Not a moment was lost in turning the discovery to account. Half the force was instantly formed out in columns, with out-pickets to give notice of the approach of the enemy, who was now momentarily expected, and to keep them, if possible, in check till the destruction of the battery was completed. The rest of the troops, piling their arms, commenced the work of destruction. The long guns were instantly spiked, overturned, the trunnions of the guns knocked off, and the spokes of the carriage-wheels chopped to pieces. Some, which were ships' guns, had their small wooden wheels split up, and the carriages thrown over the breastwork. The timber-tramways of the guns were levered up and carried away. The mortars were spiked, their beds overturned, and the trunnions of two knocked off. The cohorns were captured and sent away immediately. But bad as this was, it was by no means all the mischief that was effected. Not more than 100 men were employed about the guns--the rest (...