The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1813-07-15

commenccda veil directed and dsstrue,;v.
nre on the bead Of The invading colrmas. -
Being now sell s;,isGed as 10 20 attack an y
from the lsad side, and discovering from ira
imid''y OF the enersy in the barges, rha, 70
landing was INTENDED 10 be made on Our ws.er
position, ard Knowing that our risle sorps,
from It's gyeat inieriorisy, to The enemy, was
10 very Critical situation, matched win
'pe 'nisnty cnder my command to the po;sik
o. Ausek' ~ order 10 support II, as well al
20 annoy lhe enemy in .,is app,osch ana pre-:
ses' MS making on attack on oar rear, adyan-
'aSeous y has views, and in aid OF his in,sn.
uon 10 Surround and cut Us or rom retrrutS
we advanced N columns Of pls,oous thro'
lane and an ofsn eornheld wAithlcd from
| oar sncampmehi 10 the enemy, and 10 thc
msin and Ceiey's 'oads--aod When in the
he'o ~i'nin TWO hundred yards OF toe RSlk
opening INTO the Ccley road and thickst cf
p'nes' we were fired upon by the. epenjs
mnsketry from thick wood a, the upper ehu
?, 81 held Immediately bordering on the TOAD:
op', this discharge, orders were given, tb
w"eei 10 the left into the line and march ut,:
on inc enemy. In thi. position wo hid
marched no. mare than fifty yards when tho
e.e"y opened upon us two six pouhc field
! pieces loaded with grape and canister shot;
"na DIS machines filled with rockets Of d
smaii si5c. Upon this sudden; and to ouf
wno'e detachment. totally unexpected attack
wy" ordnance, l deemed il necessary 10
"neci AGAIN into Column, aud gain, IL poss:.
o'e, passage through the gate dcflc with
po'"on 'n TIC woods immediately behind the
s'oona occupied by the rine corps, wbieh
nep, me enemy in cheek in that quarter By ia
acadiy discharges under The direction bi Can.
I'm vSsl, 80. NJ q
so'd'ers, acted In mahner worthy OF yS,ets
ans. Al this time Captain Cooper. IA n,6,,
vigilant, brave and skilful o{icer) w;,h ,,,s
brave troop, although much worn down tsi.h
WAN the fatigue OF pa,rolling and Other 6aa
Ties, were actively and closely ENGAGED 4, on.
noying the eDeWy's left flank, and COSTS
nave been cut off but for his superior ;osr.
ment. The column was forficd with ii, ms
CELEBRITY which the naturc Of tic vrohEa
Ia soit and newly plonghcd fcld--,he advsn.
'ageons situation Of the enemy aided lty Ma
posnion--and the partly discinIinAd
experience of our troops would admir-, DV,.
pg the time occupied ty the change Of MAJ.
by the euemy. On our reacnIug ahu Passrns
the road into the wood, the grape shot frofn
a third field piece commenced its fire ON u5;
which to sether with that from the two fdt.
mer, threw the platoons of our column iuto
confusion and retreat. A few Of our leading
p!atoohs headed by Major Corbn and myself,
wheeled promptly into the wood end formod
on the tanks of our rihemen under heavy
and continued discharge Of the cncmyx cat
non, musketty and rockets. The action wss
now for shor, time KEEP: up with wsrtpih
and spirit, both on tho part OF tho Cfietry,
and OF our rilemcn and leading infantry plxs
ioons, commanded by Captain Shield ant
Captuin Hcrndon with their subaltcrns ii thu
FIST division Of the battalion Captains Ashty,
Brown, Miller and Cary, with Captsih Gotds
all Of the United S,ases' regiment artillery
VITO volunteered on this occasion, csnmshdi
cd the remaining divisions Of tho detaehvnenD
and acted with great courage aod coolnsts.
In this sharp and trying contest, Major
Corbin received in his left artn and LEG Two
severe wounds, and musket ball in the nct&,
of his horse. My efforts, aided by the bravo
Adjuisnt Robert Anderson and Lieuenatx
John r. Artnstcid, (bo,h Of whom, uotwithi
standing their exposed situation in exerli0G
to rally the troops, escaped bes
yond expectation and who for their skill ard
undaunicd 6rmness deserve much Of theyt
conntry) were directed 10 rally the rear and
rctreating platoons Of the dctac hmcnt, which
we're dispensing in every direction, while d
large body Of the enemy made an effort 10
ouitaOk aud cut of our retreat. 1t now be-,
came indispensably necessary for ali our
troops to retire, which they did under eou-
tnued but i'll directed kte frog, tho enemy
who pursued for two miles with little. loss on
our part. while our men, occasionally stoopI
ing at fence or ditch At every Ere broueM
down one Of the pursuing foe. "1ti
Captain Pcy6r with his Lieutenanss Lively
and Jones, and his brave, active msir6sscs,
aftcr slaughtering many Of the enemy With
his field pieces, remained ON the ground sih
surrounded--And when the enemy WAS with
in sixty or seventy yards Of the fort, they
spiked heir guns, broke through the ehemy's
rear, and by swimming a creek made good
their retreat without losing a man, taking