The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-12-22

| iSht troops began TO concentrate near the
| bridge, and To press across it and the river
which was fordable above. The battalion OF
riflemen under maj. Pinkn.y, now united gal
iantly with the fire from the battery. For
'me minutes the fire was continued with con-
| siderable effect; the enemy's column was not
| only dispersed while in the street, but while
| approaching the bridge they were thrown in
u some confusion, and the British officers
were seen exerting themselves te press the
| soldiers on. Having now gained the bridge,
it waspassed rapidly, and as the enemy cross
! ed. fianked, formed the lire and advanced
steadily Oh. which compelled the artillery &
battalion at riiiemen to give way, atcer which
| my. Piukney was severely wounded. He
eHerted himself to rally his men, and snccec-
! ded at small distance in the rear Of ts first
| position, * united with the fifth Baltimore re
! giment.
! 1t appears from reports of several officers,
Stansbuiy, Pihkney, Law, Stcrret, &c. that
the command of general Stansbury was or
| 4OOyalrlS III the rear of the battery, and mai.
| Pinknoy's rfemen and some other small
corps to the left OF the battery OF course this
small party had to fight with tie whole force
ot the enemy until they retired, and the
enemy occupied the Crcuud thew left
without any considerable resistance, as the G.
nemy marched On without hS,iug after the
bridge was passed Capt. Burch and colonel
ctCiiVl NSic dDDuI VIC SAME distance, WhGn
Colonel Sterret was ordered To advance to
support the first line. One Of the pieces of
artiiie' was abandoned, but spiked I,revious-
~ The enemy soon took advantage Of the
trees of an orchard which was occupied or
held by the force whiCh had just rctreated *
kept M gIiling FIRE on part of our line
Capt. Burci's artillery & small detachment
near 1t now opened a cross fire upon the enc
my Col. Sterret, with the fifth Baltimore re-
\ s~rr-
prompt movement uatil ordered to halt,
as at th'S moment the rockets assuming a
more horizontal direction and passing near
the 'heads o. coils. Schultz and Ragans ree-
mentS, the u6ht gave way, which was follow
ed III few minutes by general fight of the
two regiments, in defiance of all the ex~rtons
OF gems. Wonder, Stansbury and other officers.
burch's artillery and the 5th regiment remain
cd with tirmness the orchard obstiucted
their FIRE but notwithstanding the enernys
light troops were, for moment, DRIVEN back
ny them; the enemy having gained tne right
flank ofthe fifth, which exposed it, BIrch's
artillery and col. st rret, who Commanded
the fitth, were ordered by gen. Wmder to re-
treat, with view OF forming at a small dis
lance IN the rear but, instead of retiring in
order, the fifth, ike the other two reyes. I'M
dcr general Starsbury, in a very few minutes
were lJtreating IN disorder and cf.1f5s;on
to prevent it. From reports of various Gift
GERS cXertiOns we're made to rally the men
and TO bring them again to the battle, which
partly succeeded i'll the first instance, but ulti-
! mately, and in a short time, all attempts
We're vain, and the forces routed and the first
line, together with the horse, were totally rou-
ted and reiterated in a road which fOrkcd in
| three directions one branch led by Rock
Greek Church to Tenley Town aid Mont
ran r.-r, a., l.
Town and third to the city Of Washington
II does not appear that any movement was
made or attempted by the cavalry or horse
men, a.thO' the enemy to- the left we're j. O.
pen & scattered order, as they pnrsu al CT
pressed upon our lines, and most ful r nate
moment presented itscifior chaigc OF ciyal-
ny and horsenen.
1t may be proper here to observe, that cen
| eral Winder states his cxertions to direct
the retreating line to the capitol, with a
view OF lallying. This intention IS corrobora-
ted by colonel Sterret but il appears as if
tins determination was not generally under
stood by the officers or men. Colonel Kra-
MGR, posted on the right of the road and in
advance of Commodore Barney, was next
drawn from his position aftr. having main
| tanned his ground with considerable injury to
the enemy, and retreated upon the command
! OF colonies Beall and Hood, on a commanding
| CHIhCiitS u lilc T1SnN. A. T the retreat
of the militia under colonel Kramer from his
first position, the enemy's column in The road
was exposed to an animated discharge from
! major Peters artillery, which continued an
| til they came into contact with commodore
Barney here the enemy met the greatest
resistance and sustained the greatest loss,
advancing upon our retrca,ing line. When
| the enemy came in full view, and in a hea-
| Wy column in the main road, commodore
| Barney ordered an 10 FOUNDER to be open
! ed upon them, which completely cleared
the road, scattered and repused The enc
| my TOR moment IN several attempts to
! rally and advance, the enemy was repulsed,
which induced him TO flank TO the right of
our Zines III an open field. Here clptain
! Miller opened upon him s,th the three II
! Founders. and the foLilla men acting as in
| flntry, with conside ribe effect J he enc
my continued Ranking to the right, and
| pressed upon the command OF coloncls Beall
and Hood, which gave way after three or
| four rounds Of Intellectual fire, at consider
! able distance from the enemy, while colo
| mel Beall and otrer officers attempted to
rally the men on THIS high postion The
enemy very soon gained the faux and e.
ven tie rear ~ the right Of the second line
| Commodore Barney, captain Miller and some
! other officers Of his command being wound
! ed, his ammunition wagons having gone az
| III the disorder and that which the marines
g4Ndt sf.ftf l.