The capture of New Orleans being now despaired of in the shattered condition of the force, a retreat was determined upon. As it was impossible, without great risk, to return to the fleet by the route by which the army had come—there not being sufficient boats to embark more than a third of the force at a time—it was decided to make a road from the firm ground to the water's edge, a distance of many miles, through the very centre of a morass, where human foot had never before trodden. The difficulties experienced in making this road were immense. Sometimes for miles together no firm soil could be found, nor trees to furnish brushwood, and all that could be done was to lay down bundles of reeds on the morass. Nor were the enemy idle; there was constant skirmishing at the outposts, and a continual fire was kept up on the camp from a six-gun battery mounted on the bank of the river.
After nine days' incessant toil the road was completed; the sick and wounded were first removed, then the baggage and stores, and on January 17th, the infantry alone remained in the camp. On the evening of the 18th it also began its retreat. Leaving the camp-fires burning as if no movement were taking place, battalion after battalion stole away in the darkness in the most profound silence. Marching all night over the fragile road of reeds, through which the men sank knee-deep into the mud, the army reached the borders of the lake at dawn. Boats were in readiness, and regiment after regiment embarked and set sail for the fleet, the only loss being the capture of a boat containing two officers and forty men of the 14th Light Dragoons.
After remaining a few days at the Chandeleur Islands, the naval commander decided, in concert with Major-General Lambert, to make an attack on Mobile, and the fleet accordingly proceeded to that place. On February 12th, Fort Bowyer, which commanded the entrance to the harbour, surrendered, and a British garrison being left in the citadel, the fleet retired to Isle Dauphin, West Florida. Hostilities were then terminated by a treaty of peace, and the 1st West India Regiment returned to Barbados, where early in March, Brigade-Majors Cassidy and Winkler rejoined from the West India staff. The former succeeded to the majority, vice Weston, deceased.[40]
FOOTNOTES:
[37] "The Campaigns of the British Army at Washington and New Orleans," by an Officer.
[38] According to Major-General Lambert's despatch to Earl Bathurst, the 5th West India Regiment was to cross the river with Colonel Thornton.
[39] This officer was afterwards dismissed the service.
[40] The British force employed in this expedition has been thus estimated:
| 14th Dragoons | 295 | |||
| Royal Artillery | 570 | |||
| Sappers and Miners | 98 | |||
| 4th Foot | 747 | |||
| 21st Foot | 800 | |||
| 44th Foot | 427 | |||
| 85th Foot | 298 | |||
| 93rd Foot | 775 | |||
| 95th Foot | 276 | |||
| 1st and 5th West India Regiments | 1040 | |||
| Seamen and Marines | 1200 | |||
| Staff Corps | 57 | |||
| —— | ||||
| 6583 | ||||
| 7th Foot | } | arrived on January 6th | { | 750 |
| 43rd Foot | 820 | |||
| —— | ||||
| 8153 |