Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1812-01-03

mand OF Major General Wells of the Kentuc-
KY militia, VINO served as a Major the other
oy Spencer's company of mounted riaemen
winch amounted to eighty men. The front
line was composed of one battalion of United
states infantry under the command of Major
Floyd, thanked on the right by two companies
OF militia, and on the left by one COMPANY
Inc rear line was composed of battalion of
United States troops under the command of
captain Baen, acting as Major, and four com
pames OF militia infantry under Lieutenant
eoL Decker The regular troops of this line
joined the amounted rihemen under General
wells on the lett Hank and Col. Decker's bat
TALON formed an angle with Spencers compa-
ny on the left
Two troops OF Dragons, amounting to in
the aggregate about sixty men, were encamp-
ed In the rear of the left flank, and captain
Parke's troop, which was larger than the o.
Their two, in the rear of the front line Our
order OF encampment varied little from that
above described, excepting when some pecu-
iiarity OF the ground made it necessary For
night attack the order of encampment was
the order OF battle, and each man slept imme-
diately opposite to his post in the line In
the formation of my troops | used single
rank, or what is called Indian file--because
In Indian warfare, where there is no shock to
resist one rank is nearly as good as two, and
IN that kind of warfare the extension of line
IS matter of the first importance. Raw
troops also Man9uvre with much more facili-
ty IN the single than in the double ranks. 1t
was my constant custom to assemble all the
beld officers at my tent every evening by sig
nal to give them the watch word and their
instructions for the night-those given for the
night OF the 9th were, that each corps which
formed part of the exterior line Of the en-
campment, should hold its own ground until
relieved The Dragons were directed to pa
rade dismounted in case of night attack
with their pistols i'll their belts, and to act as
corps de reserve. The camp was defended
by two captains guards consisting each of four
non-commissioned officers and AZ privates-
and two subalterns guards of twenty nonc
missioned officers and privates. The whole
under tho command OF a field officer of the
day. Tae troops were regularly called up an
hour before day, and made to continue under
arms until it was quite light. On the morn
ing Of the 9TH. had risen at quarter after
four o'clock, and the signal for calling out
the men would nave been given in two min
utcs, when the attack commenced 1t began
on our left flank-but single gun was fired
by the cenlnels or by the guards in that di-
rection, which made not the least resistance
but abandoned their officer and fled into
camp, and the first notice which the troops of
that fank had ofthe danger, was from the
yells of the savages within short distance of
the iine-Dut even under those circumstances
the men were not wanting to themselves or to
the occasion. Such of them as were awake,
or were easily awakened, seized their arms
and took their stations others which were
more tardy, had to contend with the enemy
in the doors oftheir tents. The storm first
fell upon capt. Barton's company of the 4th
U. S. regiment, and capt Geigcr's company
OF mounted riflemen, which formed the LETT
angle of the rear line The fire upon these
was excessively severe and they suffered con-
sderably before relief could be brought to
them. Some few Indians passed into the en-
campment near the angle, and one or two
penetrated to some distance before they were
killed | believe all the other companies
were under arms and tolerably formed before
they were fred on. The morning was dark
and cloudy--our fires afforded partial light,
which if it gave us some opportunity of taking
our positions, was still more advantageous to
the enemy, affording them the means of tax
ing surer aim-they were therefore extin
guished as soon Is possible. Under all these
oiscouraging circumstances, the troops thine
teen twentieths of whom had never been in
action before) behaved in a manner that can
never be too much applauded They took
their places without noise and with less confu-
sion than could have been expected from vete
rams placed in a similar situation. As soon as
/ could mount my horse, Irode to the angle
that was Attacked found that Barton's COM
pany had suffered severely and the left of
Geiger's entirely broken. Immediately or
dered Cooks company and the late captain
Wentworth's under lieut.. Peters, to be bro't
up from the centre Of the rear line, where the
ground was much more defensible, and form
ed across the angle in support Of Barton's