Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-12-26

the other companies were under arms aud iol,r,,v
formed neiNe they we're fired on The morning |
y, was "a'S ann eiendy--our fires afforded partial
hsht, which lit gave some opportunity oft,lm,,
our positions, Was still more atygnt,ycous In ,be
enemy, aro'tlirg thcrn the means Of taking surep
aim-they we're therefore exting,ishcd a, soon ms
possible Under all these discoursyny ei,cumstan.
ecs, the troops Cninctcen twcnticths of whom LaJ
never been in action beiorc) behaved in n manner
that can never be too much applautet They took
their places without noise and with lees eonf,sion
than could have been expected from veterans paee,i
IN similar situation. As snon rs could m,,,,, Nv
morse role To the angle that attack ed found
That Bntoms company had suffered severely au, the
lett oil Ge'eers entirely broken | immediately orr
ucreu Cooks company and ti= late CAPTAIN Went
wnrtlrs, under ncut Peters tn be bro', IN rro.,,
cie centre ~ the rear line, where the ground was
n'ueh more detcnsble, and formed across the angle
| IN SUPPORT OF Barton's and Gcigcrs NV attention
Wa there engaged by heaY, firing upon the left Of
the front line where were Il toned Tho snaI, com,
tpsny of U. s. RiAcmen (then however armed with
,hasNets) aud the companies OF Baen Snellinv and
| r'esSntt OF the iuh regiment. I found major Da-
vess forming the dragons in the rear ofthose com
paacs, and understanding that the heaviest mart ol
The enemy's fire proceeded from some tees anon,
Ihiteen or twenty PAGES in front of those comuous
tdircetci the major to disIotge them with part Of
ne Dungeons. Unfortunately the majors gaiiantry
Ideterbined him to execute the order with q s,r,Il
Iiorce than sufficient, which enables, 1be e,.r
70 AVOID hia IN front, and attack lis TANKS. TLc
Enalnr was mortaliy wounded aud his party driven.
s~1x- he India. were however immediately and
gAiianty disloigcd from their adyant,geo no:,;o
\ ny captain Smelling AT the head of his eompanv L.
me course of few minutes att er the commencement
OF me attack the fire extended along the left iank
,h Nho' Oh 'he troht the right flank, and part Of
ths rear hue. Upon Spcrcef's mounted r;f.,nan
anu Tue right oi WTwick's cornpsuy which WA. noe
~ On 'he right 9t the line, ii was excess;ye,v
efeTs +; captain Spencer an his first and second
icccnahts were Killed, and captain W.rv,;c,- 80.
moita'ly wounded--.hnsc companies ho,,rS III
brsveiy maintained their posts but Spencer had eff
| Tered so severely, and having originally TOO ronrb
ground 70 occupy, L reinforced them with EobI's
company oi rilemcp, which had been ,,;yep mr. h,
mistake ordered from their position on the left f,nk
towards tue centre of the camp, and filed the varan
ey that had been occupied by Robb with Preseot,s
company of the 4th U. 5. regiment Nv great oh
Ject was TO Keen the lines entire TO prevent The en-
c'ay from breaking into the camp mill ,l,v Toi,
winch should enable me to make n general and Of
ieetuai charge. With this view I had reiuGorced
every part oil the line that had suffered much and
rs soon rs The approach OF morning discovered ;,sclr
| ! Withdrew from the front Inc Snelng's. Poscv's
lnnder lieut.. Alblight) and SCOTS and from the
| rear line, Wilson's companies, and drew them mn
upon ,hc let Hank, and at the lame time ordered
Soos and Bacn's companies, tho former from Tho
rear and the latter from the front line IN re;nCorc
tue right Hank; foreseeing that at these points the
| enemy would make their last efforts Maior yVolls
VINO commanded on the left flank not knowing nv
intentions precisely, had taken the command of
these companies, bad charged the enemy beforc I
| had formed the body of Dragons with which /
meant 20 support the Infantry a small detachment
OF these were however ready aud proved amply suf-
hc'ent Tor the purpose. The indisns were driven Inv
the Infantry ut the point of the bavone; and Tho ho
soons pursued aud forced them into marsh where
they could not be followed Captain Cock and II
'Mrr"': hhu, agreeably TO my order, marched their
COMPANIES to The right flank, had formed them un-
der the fire Of the enemy, ans, beine then oined Inv
Tue lliemen o. that flank, had charged the Indians,
Killed number, and put the rest TO q precipitate
night. favorable opportunity was here offered TO
NJ fs.fsA /. y "
at that tim. On the other flank, did not observe IL
until IT was too late.
have thus, sir, giycn you the particulars sr an
acton which vas certainly maintained vi the rrea
test 0bstinacy and perseverance, by both parties
he Indians manifested a ferocity uncoinlnon even
WIN then-to their savage fuzzy oir troops opposed
'hGt cool and deliberate yaor which Is chals eriste
! OF The christian soldier.
The most pleasing part OF my duty (that of ma
ming TO you the corps and individuals Who particu
larry distinguished taeIascyes) is vet 10 be perfor
med There Is, however, considerable difficulty in
n.where merit was so common it Is almost impos-
sble to discriminate
The whole Of the infantry formed s small I,;p.d,
under the immediate orders Of Col i;ovd. The
Coione throughout the action manifested co,is, zeal
ana bravery IN carrying Ito execution ny orders,
- ~ t''e men TO tnSir posts and exhorting
iheIn 10 hight with valOr. His brigade CIart
anu hls a''i-de camp George CrOghan Esq were al
30 very seTyiceably employed Col JoseDb Rsr
taoi1new, very valuable officer, corama6.Ied un
''~ i'Olu tue nlIitia INFANTRY he cd
sSFly m the action, and his services lost 20 me Mai
u n u FLOYD, the senior OF the 4tIi u s regiment
commanded Immediately the battalion of that ree;
meat, winch was IN the front line his co duct dn
llnS the aeuon was entirely to NV satisfaction 7
col Decker, whocommahded the battalion OF militia
on The right OF the reAr line, preserved his oo,nand
IN good order lac was, however but port;aII,, 90
'Seheo,. nave Selore mentioned to YOU that major
ScHeIai w els OF the 4ti division OF Kentucky mil;
tlg, acted undermy command as p major az the head
o two companies Of mounted volunteers fine Con
eral maintained the fame which he had ,lrrsdv a.
fureu w almost every campaign and in almost every
naluc winch has been fought with the Indians s;ncc
the settlement of Kentucky. OF the se,croI CO.
the 4th United States regiment and tvo sn,,n 49,
panies attached to it, were cert snIy IN, most Co.
spIcuous Tor nndauntcd v.ior. The companies com
inanncd by carts Cook, Smelling and Barton Ien,s
l1rcbcc, Peters and Hawkins we're nlaccd in si,ra
mems where they could render most service and o.,
counter most danger, aud those officers c,n;rcnt,r
distinguished themselves. Captains Prescott and
ofo%h performed their duty also entirely tn INV
satisfaction, did Pcsey's co1npapy of tLc III 49,
g'1aent headed by 1t. Albright In short. cir. fbev
supported the fame Of American REGULARS al I
haie never heard that single individual was lound
out o. the line Of his duty Several of tc r,iI;,;
companies were in wise inferior to the reruIsrs
Sreacers, Geiger's aud Warwick naintaincS ,Ic;,
posts amidst monstrOus carnage as indeed al
Todd ater was posted on the left flank: its loss
men EIled and wonnded) and keeping its
Ground IS sufficient evidence OF its hrmness wi
eoh's and SCOTS companies charged with the Zoo,
lm' troops and proved themselves worthy of dino
So NoTIs' company also behaved well Harprove'S
md Wilkins company were placed in a is,s 80
where they had no opportunity Of distinpI,sI.iT
themselves or ain satisfied they would have ,Iae
1t ! ns was the case with the squadron Of dr.
SONS also. After major Devices had received his
wound, knowing IL to be mortal. prop,otcd go,
ter officer. "o oe'
MY Two Hdsde-camp, majors Hurst and Tovlo,. |
WI heuC Adams Of the 9Th regiment, the adintaot
81 TIC troops, afforded me the utosf eescr,;I 81 y