Early on the morning of the 12th of September, the troops landed at North Point, and advancing towards Baltimore, a division of Americans fled from an entrenched position which they were preparing across a neck of land. Continuing to advance, the troops entered a closely wooded country, where they encountered a party of Americans, and Major-General Robert Ross, mixing among the skirmishers, was mortally wounded,[8] when the command of the army devolved on Colonel Brooke.
Six thousand Americans, with six pieces of artillery and a corps of cavalry, were discovered in position in Godly wood. The light brigade extended and drove in the American skirmishers; the Forty-fourth, a party of Marines, and a body of seamen from the fleet, formed line behind the light infantry; the TWENTY-FIRST, commanded by Major Whitaker, (Colonel Paterson commanding a brigade,) and the second battalion of Marines, formed column in reserve, and the Fourth regiment made a flank movement to turn the enemy's left. The signal was given, the British troops rushed to the attack, and in fifteen minutes the American army was driven from the field with severe loss.
The regiment had Lieutenant James Gracie and fifteen rank and file killed; Major Robert Kenny, Lieutenant John Leavock, two serjeants, and seventy-seven rank and file wounded.
Colonel Paterson was commended in the public despatch, for the steady manner in which he brought the brigade into action.
At two o'clock on the following morning the march was resumed, and in the evening the troops arrived at the foot of the range of hills in front of Baltimore, where fifteen thousand Americans occupied a chain of palisaded redoubts, connected by breastworks, and defended by a numerous artillery. Trusting to the innate valour of his little army, which did not amount to one-third of the numbers of the enemy, Colonel Brooke made preparations for storming the hills after dark; but having received intimation from the fleet, that the entrance of the harbour was closed up by vessels sunk for that purpose, and that a naval co-operation against the town and camp was impracticable, the enterprise was abandoned. The troops retreated three miles on the following day, and then halted to see if the Americans would venture to descend from the hills; but, though so superior in numbers, they had no disposition to quit their works; and the British returned on board the fleet.
The season for active operations having passed, the fleet quitted the American coast, and the TWENTY-FIRST proceeded to Jamaica, where they were joined by a strong detachment from the second battalion, commanded by Major Alexander James Ross.
An attempt on New Orleans was afterwards resolved upon. The fleet again put to sea, and on the 10th of December anchored off the coast of Louisiana, opposite the Chandeleur Islands, from whence the troops were removed in boats to Pine Island, in Lake Borgne, where they were stationed, exposed to heavy rain by day and frosts by night, until the 22nd of December, when the first division proceeded in open boats to a desert spot about eight miles from New Orleans, where the regiments landed, and marched to a field on the banks of the Mississippi. The TWENTY-FIRST followed, and arrived in time to take part in repulsing a night attack of a very superior force of Americans, when the regiment had Captain William Conran and two rank and file killed; one serjeant, two drummers, and eight rank and file wounded; two men missing.
The army afterwards moved forward, but encountered many local difficulties. The Americans assembled a numerous force, in extensive fortified lines and batteries, with armed vessels on the river: the advance was checked, and some loss sustained. The ROYAL NORTH BRITISH FUSILIERS had Lieutenant John Leavock wounded; also several men killed and wounded.
1815
Arrangements were made for attacking the enemy's fortified lines on the 8th of January, 1815, and the TWENTY-FIRST were appointed to take part in this service: several circumstances occurred to delay the attack, which was made under numerous disadvantages. The troops, however, rushed forward with great gallantry, and a detachment of the Fourth, TWENTY-FIRST, and Ninety-fifth (now Rifle-Brigade), captured a battery; but the troops were exposed to a dreadful fire, which brought them down by hundreds. Major-General the Honorable Sir Edward Pakenham was killed; Major-Generals Gibbs and Keane were dangerously wounded; and success being found impracticable, the surviving officers and men withdrew from the unequal contest. Many officers and soldiers, who had been foremost in the attack, were made prisoners.