So Duglass rent the column on the plain, And gave the groaning earth a sanguine stain.

Drummond* the meantime mov'd upon the fort,
Deaf to the warring thunders in report

Of Hindman's brazen mouths, which smote him dire,
Yet still his breast he bore against the fire!
As those in front with wounds unsightly bled,
An equal number crowded in their stead;
As these sunk gasping on the slippery earth,
Others the fountains of their hearts pour'd forth-
Still they advance with pike and dagger whet,
And fix their ladders at the parapet !
Drummond ascended with ambition stung,
And with this artifice he cloth'd his tongue :

66

Suppress th' eruption of the battery there!

The Drummonds yield!--they bend in their despair!"

Duglass the moment he the summons heard,

Smiling obey'd the counterfeited word;

So tender was his heart, he fear'd to wound
A soul, whose flag had kiss'd the humble ground.

By this, had Scott his broken ranks rejoin'd, And by his eloquence inflam'd their mind. To storm the Duglass walls, whose smoke-wrap'd fires Had chok'd the element. With mad desires, They burnt to scale the battlements, and Scott Fann'd high their ardour with his accents hot:

* Col. Drummond.

Why stand we here inactive as the moth,
While Fisher storming, overcomes the south?

Hark! Drummond 's in the fort!—and here we stand!
Hard lock the column-fingers dent the brand!
Behold, their brass have bellow'd them to rest!
Move-mount-transfix anatomy their breast!
The night is ours!-the fame--the victory-
The glorious fame of crushing liberty!"

Strong in their strength they press in solid form,
Forgetful of the late tremendous storm,
Which buried half his host! No dread they fear
Of the damp death that hovers on them near.
To prostrate Freedom so absorbs their mind,
All thoughts beside are scatter'd to the wind.

While this was passing, Gaines fill'd every part,
And by his manner fortified the heart;

Learning the cause why Duglass action ceas'd,
While Scott was ready, with his ranks increas'd,
To leap---in plenitude of slaughter, feast—

Swift from the centre to the north he flew,

And him he question'd with expressions few:

Duglass! why silent ?-say ?--wherefore, my son?

Deceptious was the word! Flash every gun!

Behold, the enemy deep-lock'd in form,

Approach your works with tiger-spring to storm !”
The youthful Duglass blushes for the past-
He crowds his engines to augment the blast;
With match-rope edg'd with fire, touches the prime--
Thunders roll deafening, lightnings flash sublime;
The distant mountains echo back the roar-

The column shriek-drop dead-are heard no more!

1

During these movements, Drummond reckless stood
Amidst his dying train besmear'd with blood,
Determin'd in the fight !-A thickening lower
Smooth'd his brow, by hell's abiding power.
Deep, dark, close, blacker than the raven pall,
Which wraps the coffin for the funeral.
Grimly he stands, while hungry death devours,
Insatiate of his meal, his swarming powers,
Grinding them bloody in his icy jaws—
At length he foaming from the strife withdraws:
Thus had a greedy wolf the sheep-fold past,
But ere a blood-drop had indulg'd his taste,
The faithful mastiffs in their courage strong,
Drove back the ruffian from the bleeting throng;
Yet slow and sour he mov'd-grinding his teeth-
Foam from his mad jaws gushing every breath:

So Drummond rav'd empurpled with his ire,
To be compell'd from Hindman to retire.

But soon his strength he gather'd on the plain,
And brought them forward to the strife again.
By all the untomb'd spectres of the night,
His heart shall bleed who falters in the fight!
No Briton gives-should earth and heaven combine
With pestilence to sweep away the line,

And every name to greedy death resign!"

So grating was his voice, like discord hell,

It seem'd a fiend beneath had tun'd it well.

Onward he moves while blackening in his wrathHis gloomy squadrons crowding on his path.

VOL. IV.-5

While thus was Drummond ;-Gaines with towering

soul,

Plann'd, and directed, and inspired the whole;
Bade Fanning range his brass-Porter's volunteers,
To point deliberate, as he re-appears;

And thus to Biddle with a gun's command:
"In true position with your thunderer stand,
Ready with flame the slope to enfilade,
That life may wither every blast that's made."
Rapid the word was given; he wheel'd away,
Nor did the time admit of more delay.
Silent in mind, Biddle the order done,
While Gaines to Duglass in brief style begun :
"Your deeds this night will never see the dark!
But now in stillness their reserve you 'll mark.
Aim with fatality! Listen!-no more,
Hindman re-thunders on the storming power!

His voice was lost amid the peal of war,
Which broke upon the heavens like earthquake jar.
Hindman disgorges an o'erwhelming flame;
Fanning and Biddle, Porter, blaze the same.
A thousand deaths leap forward at a flash;
The skulls of Britons with a spattering crash.
Drunken with carnage back they reel again—
A groaning host lie gasping on the plain !

But Drummond still unconquer’d in his rage, Once more advanc'd his squadrons to engage ; Once more the patriots with destruction vast, In fiery whirlwinds smote them at a blast!

The elder Drummond in his madness wept,
To see his cohorts to destruction swept ;-
He leaps to Tucker with reserve and cries:

"On with your legions! see-the column dies! File with quick beating-lo! they melt away! Reform the battle-stand you to delay ?"

The sword of Tucker wav'd as he was doneHe led his squadrons to the engagement on.

Like clouds they come when night is black with shades,
But Duglass marks them-kindles-enfilades
Their ranks but partial seen, obscur'd by night
Like distant fires half smother'd from the sight.
Thrice they recoil before the carnage dire-
Thrice they press on till half their chiefs expire.

While Duglass at reserve the flames roll'd forth, The smoke in volumes, by a light breeze north, Close wrapp'd the bulwarks like a cloud profound, Deepening, concealing, smothering up the groundShrouding the Britons waiting for the prizeVeiling in darkness Hindman's searching eyes. Drummond perceiv'd it favour'd him his plan, And thus with tiger confidence began:

"See, the reserve approaches with support! Behold, a coffin blackness wraps the fort!

Move breathless to th' assault !-Their cannon north,
Will drown our numerous feet in progress forth.
Step light as snow-fall-plant the ladders still,
Then mount with bayonets-massacreing kill."