Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-12-04

/ At haH past ten o'clock A: M an az.
ficer of dragons arrived with letter.
! in which the Gen. informed me he had
forced the enemy, and would reach tho
foe, Of the Saut early 10 the day. Or.
| dsrs were Immediately given for the
| ilosills to sail, at which instant the ere.
| my's gun-bosts appeared, and began To
| throw shot smsng ~. Information We.
brough: me at the same 'tms from Bri.
eadier Gen. Boyd, that the enemy,
troops we're advancing in column. I
Immediately sen, ordrrs to him TO attack
them; this report vas seon contrsdieted.
Their gun-boats however continued to
| scratch US, and variety Of reports Of
their movements and counter move.
oents wee brought 70 we 10 success.
sion which convinced ne Of their de.
termination e. hazard an attack, when II
| could be done to The greatest advantage.
and therefore I resolved TO anticipate
them. Directions were accordingly
sent. by that distinguished ofHtcr Col:
!, Swift Of the engineers. 70 BrigadlsrGen
| Boyd, TO throw the dstachmensk o! nj,
command, assigned TO him in the order
! Of the preceding day, and composed Of
men OF his own, Covington's and Swart.
/! wout's brigadrs, into three columns to
march upon the enemy, outAank them
If possible, and TAKE their artillery The
actien soon commenced with tie sdvanc-
ed body Of the enemy, and became ex-
.remsir sharp and CALLING, and, with oc-
casional peuses, sustained with great vi
ysci,y, ia open spsce and fair combat, for
upwards of two and q half hsurs--tha
! adverse lines alternately yielding and
| advancing. 1t impossible to cay VII,
| accuracy what wss our nnsnber on the
; field, because j. consisted Of indefinite
! drtaehn1n,s taken from tht boats 10 en-.
der safe the passage Of the Saut. Gems.
Covinglon and Swsrtvont voluntarily
took part in the action, at tho head OF
detscayrsnts from thsir respective sri.
! radss, and eyhibitsd the same courage
that WAS displayed by Brig, Gen. BOYD,
who happened to be the senior ohcer Oh
the ground. Our force sngssaa might
have reached six.ecp or seventeen hUn-
dred men hut actually did NOT exceed
eighteen hund.ed ;--shat Of tie enemy
was sstima,el from twelve hundred tn
two thousand, but did not probably a.
mouat 10 more than 6ftren or sixteen
hundred, consisting, as ! avn informed,
OF detaclmcnts from the 4Oth, s4.h snd
lo4ta regiments o. the lint---with thrso
companies Of the Voltigear and Glen
gary corps, and the militia 81 tins roun-
try, who are no, included in The estimate.
1t would be presump'uoua IN sc TO
attempt to givcyoa detailed sccoont
Of this affair, which csr,ais!y reflects
high sonsr on the relor Of the Anserican
soldier, es no examples can be Produced
ofunL;scipIioed n,en, with inexpsrenc'
ed officers, braying Ere Of two hours
ard half, without quitting tie Field or
yislding to thsir antagonists But. s,r'
inc in Information now give you, Is Derry
ed from officers Of my cor6dnnce, VINO
took scliye parts in this corsici tor thc>>
I YVES enabled to order til, atsacs, j, vas
srg hard fortuns not 10 De Enabled 10
lead ths troops commanded. The DIS
ease with which wss ass.i!sd on the
81 ef September, on my journey to Fort
Georsr, having with few short p'er.
walls Of ccnvalescsncs, preycd on NE
ever since, and at ,hs no,csnt OF sh'a &C
ton, l vas confined to my bed and eu'a.
ciated aIrnn:t to a ske,ston, unable TO
at on my horse or to move ten PAGES
withont assistance.
must, however, be pardencd for trcs-
passing on yonr ,iae few rsmarks 10
reia,icn ~ the affair. This objects OF
tie British aud American commanders
wsre precisely oPposed-ths last being
bound BY the Instructions Of his govern
men, and the mos. solemn obligations
OF da,y. to preciritate bis dsseea, oftte
ST. Lawfcnce by svery practicable
n,eans-bscsuys. this being effected,
one of the grsatc.t diffic ulties opposed
70 The American arns would be sur.
mounted; and the FIRST, BY duues equal
~ irn pesious. to rsiartl and il possible
prevent such descent He IS 70 bc sc"
couatei, victorious who effected his p,ir"
pnse. The British commander having
failed to gain either OF his cbiec.s, cen
ls7 no clsim 10 the homer ef the day
The battle Calculated and t.inmph seen-'
ed, at different Tires inclined to. tie
ccn,snding corps The front OF the en-
envy were at 6rst fcrcef back more than
mile, and though they never Iegs'nsd
tbs grouhd they lost, thsir stshd vac
permsnert and their charges resolutc.
Amidst these charges and near the elosa
of the contest, we lost field piece ~
the fall Of tho oGcer who was serving
i. with tbe sBn,. GOODNESS az u be had
been ct parade or review This wa>
Lieut. Smith Of the Light Artillery. who.
in paint Of merit, stood n the head of
his grade. The enemy having halted
and orr trpons heino spAin" fCrtaed. IN