The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-02-16


advanced guard pursued & soon fell in With picket
OF about 100 strong, under colonel Williams A
skrm'sh eDsned. fastened the main body VII.
mans rereateds and our advanceS pursued TIL.
pursuit. vas continued rather longer than / could
have wished, but returned to their proper position
IN me line oi march, not far from sun se, had or.
dcred the 18th and ilth, who were in the rear. to
take position tor the light near the mouth of the
Gro, :" cover the boats, should they arrive which
wouid De on the route which intended to pur.ue
the next morning, and favorable positisn pre- sent
,ng ITSELF enesped with the residue OF the troop,
Except captain Archers, company of artillery I
which accompanied the 18th and iAih ON the .pot
where we he'd halted, with an advanced p;cket
from half to three Quarters of mile in front ~;h
expre" orders for them to keep out constantly a
patroie' right and left faux guard and a rear
guard were also posted gave positive orders for
the troops TO lay on their arms. Contrary TN nv
orders fres were kindled--but there arr. Jo,b;,
whether this operated for against u, as the fires
OF the 25th which were in front, and by nv orders
had bee" abandoned, enabled to see small part of
the enemy, while the fires on Our LET, enabled the
enemy 10 see our line. On the whole, think il
operated against u.s. did expect the enemy would
attack us that night, if he intended to firht-but
perhaps this was not expected by all had INV
morse eoshned near me, and directed that the har-
mess should not be taken from the artillery Horses
directed where and how the line should be form
ed IN case OF attack. About sn hour before sylitb
on the morung fthe 9th the alarm was given. I
was ins'ahtiy up, the IS, til which lay near me- was
go which wss on the left under the etate eve
o. general Winder Owing to the neglect of the
'front.' picket, or some other cause. the Brit ,h off
GERS say mat they were not hailed or an alarm pi-
ven' until they we're within three hundred wards of
our line. The extreme darkness prevented ~. frou,
seeing or knowing at what point they intended to
attack Us, until an attack was made on our RIGHT. A
wen directed IRE wasopened upon them from the
1o.n and from nearly the whole line. After few
minutes heard several muskets in our rear. in the
direction o. the rear guard, and then expected that
the enemy had gained our rsar by some path nm.
known to me and we're about to stack us in the
rear. instantly ordered colonel Milton, with the
oth, toform in our rear nesr the woods m rueet
such ercum stances as might take place. known,
thst eouu call him TO any other point IL ,ssry
at any moment. had observed, that the sr,lery,
was no, eev . and directed general winder to
their right should cover the arterv. Ar sh;s me-
ment heard new burst Of Ere from ,be onsmy,.
on our right and not able to see sny thing which
.ook pace set out full speed towards the RIGHT.
beins tnrnsa ESQ TO proven. my right flank from
tne enemy, 4 hsd proceeded but few yards. before
my morse tell under me, by which fail reae;ved
serious infsry, Here was a time when have M
rss reg, 90 what passed, but I presume il was
what my OBJECT was, and made my way Ia The ri,bt
ana gave major Smith such directions as thonsh,
proper, to prev ent his right being formed hy snr
Prise. was then retHrnins toward the centre, ann,
n. hv he
noise, appeared to Be- in conf,s;on y ~ IN. .ae
point at which expected the esd to be formed
expected it was that regiment L approached then
ana as soon a, was near enough, saw a body Of
wnGi thousht to be the 23d, In rear Of the
sr'iiiery, broken. 1 hobbled in amongst them, and
9esan 10 rally them, and directed them to form bnt
soon found my mistake; it was the Brit;ah io,h
VINO had pushed forward to the head of their co,
;u,nn ana gained the rear of the artillery 1 wa.
immediately disarmed and conveyed down the en-.
iumn to ITS rear. 1t was not yet day. and the CIV
IRENE darkness of the night to which was sd5ed
the smoke OF the fire. put il totally cut of INV nov
81 10 see The situation of the enemy. This was all
thst saved their columns from sure and tool H.
structioD, OF which some of their officer. ave go
h,ter seeing the situation ofthe column .. ns.,sd
u,o nope and expect that general Winrier on tb,s
nrst da~n OF Light, would see their situation. snd
oring colonel Milton with the 5,h who haJ s,;i
kept IN reserve until could have dsy light m de.
Germ their stuston) to attack this column. which
am sure he would have done to adyant,pe-. b,,t -
my horthcation, soon learned that he had fallen
into the same mistake with myself; snI bv e,d.n
vor'ns to learn what was taking Mace in *. .n.a
ne was also tsken. as well as major Van he Ventsr'
o tue extreme darkness OF tie night the eneny,s
knowledge OF his intended point of attack. and onr
NO. hno@.ng at what point to expect him, must be
a'''outeo ms partial success, and not to want nj
strength or bravery in our troops. who eenerorv
behaved remarkably well under all the e;ren,mst.n'
cess and however unfortunate the event IA II reIat
70 myself only ask that all the cireumstsnee,
may ne taken INTO consideration in making u, vorr
opinion upon the conduct of general r yUus
myssif in this sffair, which am sure Won ,y;,I AZ
and fatter myself You will see no cause of censurs
regret that my decrepd situation, and the rapa;tv
with which we have been brought to this pIasr. has
put o9. OF ny power to give you detailed ae.
count OF the affair earlier. am sow sbie N na,L
some with the aid ola cane, and hope shall CON.
tinue to recover. Wi"
have the honor to be, &c. &c.
JOHN CHANDLER.
A,.;or c.,,o,n B'Tgaaier general