The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-09-28
WASHINGTON, Sept. 90.
Ctty ofa tetter. from iItaj. Gen. Smith, TO
the Secf'efaryo IF War, dated
HEAU-'II X hItS, BALTIW OKE,
Sept. 10, 1911.

CeU between Z ana oOJO iOen on NIOnJ;ly, the
18th inst. at North Point, fourteen miles dis
tant from this town. Anticipating this debar-
kation, Gen. Stricken had been detached ON
Sunday evening with a portion of his brigade
on the North Point road. Major Randall, of
thc Baltimore county militia, having under
ms command light corps Oh ridcmen and
musquetry taken from General St;,nsburys
brigade and the Pennsylvania voiun-
teers, was detached to the mouth of Bear
Greek, with orders to cooperate with Gen.
Stricken, and to check any landing which the
enemy might attempt in that quarter. On
Monday, Brig. Gen. Stricken took good posi-
ton at the Junction OF the two roads leading
from this place to North Point, having his
right hankcd hy Bear Greek, and his left by
a marsh. He here awaited the approach of
the enemy, having sent OF an advance corps
under the command of Maj. Heath OF the 5th
regt. This advance was met by that of the
enemy, and after some skirmishiDg it returned
to- the line, the main body of the enemy being
at short distance i'll the rear Of their advance.
Between two and three o'clock, the enemy's
whole force came up and commenced the bat
tie by some discharges OF rockets, which were
succeeded by the cannon from both sides, and
soon after the action became general along
the line. Gen. Stricken gallantlymaintained his
ground against great superiority of numbers
during the space OF an hour and twenty mi
nutes, when the regiment on his left (the 5lst)
giving way, he was sntier thenecessity of re-
firing TO the ground i'll his rear, where ne had
Stationed one regt. as reserve. He here form
ed his brigade but the enemy not thinking
it advisable to pursue, he, i'll compliance with
previous arrangements, fell back and took
post OIL the lett of my entertainments, and
half mile in advance of them. III this affair
the citizen soldiers of Baltimore, with the ex-
eeption of the 5lst regt. have maintained the
reputation they so dcscrvedly acquired at
Biadensburg, and their brave and skilful lea
der has conirmcd the confidence which we
had all so Justly placed i'll him. / take the IL
berty OF referring you to his letter for the
more particular mentIin of the individuals
who, new to warfare, have shown the cool
ness and vaior OF veterans d; and VINO, by their
Conduct on this occasion, have given their
country and their city an assurance of what
may be expected from them when their SER
vices are again required. cannot dismiss
the subject without expressing the heartfelt
satisfaction experience i'll thus bearing testi-
mony to the Courage and good conduct of my
fellow-townsmen. About the time General
Stricken had taken the ground Just mentioned,
he Was joined by Brig. Gen. WInder who hal
been stationed on the west side IF the CITY, but
was now urderedto march with Gen. Doug
lass brigade OF Virginia militia and the L. s.
dragons under Captain Bird, and tass e .past
on the left of Gen. Stricken. During these
movements, the brigades or Gems. Stans5uIy
and Foreman, the seamen and marines under
Com. Rodgers, the Pennsylvania volunteers
uader Coloseis Cobean and Findey, the Bal
timore artillery under Col. Harris, and the
marine artillery under Capt. Stiles, manned
the trenches * the batteries-a!l prepared to
receive the enemy. We remained in this Sit
uation during the night.
On Tuesday the enemy appeared in front of
my Entertainments at the distance of two miles,
on the Philadelphia road, from whence he had
a null view OF our POSITION lie maneuvred
during the morning tow ards our left, as if
with the intention OF making cirCuiLouS
march and coming down the Hartford or York
roads Gems. Winder and Stricken were or
dered to adapt their movements to those of
the enemy so as to battle this supposed inten
ton. They executed this order with great
skill ard judgment by taking an advantageous
position, stretching from nv left across the
country, when the enemy was likely to APP
proach the quarter he SCENE, to threaten
L hls movement induced the enemy to con-
centrate his forces (betwecn one and two o.
ciock) IN my front, pushing his advance to
WITHIN mile OF us, driving i'll our videttes and
shelving All intention of attacking US that even
ing. immediately drew Gems. Winder and
Stricken nearer to the left of my entrpnch-
ments and u the right of the enemy, with the
intention of their falling Oh his right or rear
should he attack me or, If ne declined it, of
attacking him in the morning. To this move.
ment and to the strength of my defcnces
which the enemy had the fairest opportunity
OF observing, | am induced TO attribute his re-
treat, which was commenced at half past l o.
| clock on Wednesday morning. In this he
| was 50 favored by the extreme darkness and
| "A continued rain, that we did not discover it
| until daylight. l consented to Gen. Winder's
| pursuing with the Virginia brigade and the y
| states dragons at the same time Ma or
| Randall was dispatched with his light corps
| in pursuit on the enemy's right, whilst the
| whole OF the militia cavalry was put in mo
| ton for the same object. All the ioops were,
| however, so worn out with continued watch
| ing, and with being under arms during three
| days and nights, exposed the greater part of
| the time to very inclement weather. that it
| was found impracticabe 20 do any thing more
than pick up a few stragglers. The enemy
! commenced mis- embarlsatOn that evening, &
| completed it the next day at I o'clock. Il
would have been impossible, even had cur
! troops been in Il condition to act often
| sivelY, to have cut off any part of the enemy'S
| rear guard during the embark alton, as the
| point where it was effected was defended from
| our approach by line Of descnces extending
from Back river to Humphreys creek OF the
! Petapsco thrown up by ourselves previous to
| their arrival
have now the pleasure Of calling your ~
tention to the brave commander of For. Nj
1 utt- Mo, Ar,ncfoaI a.. go. ..