Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1814-12-27

avn oohpauy -
stull's ride esrps Ard captain DAn
seas light insantry.--This detasil-
neat marched on tho read to Not
ti.xhsm abost . s'slork the re
msindsr Of the srny marched about
enc mile In advance to al elevated
p..iti.n ; the con aandins general,
with his staff. accompanied by col.
Mssroe. proceeded IN advance. to
resesaoitre the march Of the enemy.
Gem. Barney had jsisea the army
With his flstiila men, besides the
n arines under capt. Miller; the
horse preessdcd the advance ,ietash-
m.pt or eur fsrses, Wet the enemy &
retired before them. This induced
the advance ssrps to take . position
TO impede the march Of the enemy,
hpt the sdvaase detachment was or.
dsred to retrsgrade and jobs the main
bsdy Of the army that had remained
seine L.ursi. line OF battle, expect.
ing the enemy to ceme that route to
the city, hat tsek the rssd to U. Mari,
bro Ugh, turning to bis right, after
having come within few miles Of
osr forces, apsn which the ssm-
maadlag general fell back with his
whsle forces 10 the Battalion Old
Fields, ahsut 3 n,iles frsm Marlboro
and tho same distance from the airy
Of Washington. At this time heavy
explosion in the direstisB of Mari.
bore announced tbs dcstruetiss Of
the aotiIIs under com. Barusy. The
enemy arrived at Upper Malbsrs'
about : o'clock, and remained there
until late next day, 10 he Joined. II
is presumed, by the dstaehnent OF
the enemy which had been seat .
sainst the fleti'la.
The commanding general proceed.
ed to Marlboro and fsuud the ere
INV eBoamped several prisoners
taken, gave information that the g.
nemy wsula rsmaia in that position
until next day aad after making OBJ
ssr.atisns Of the enemy, till the close
Of the day, gen Wiader retsrnsa to
the army. Late In the evening Of
tki, day the president, with the Sc
sretaries Of war cad navy and the
attorney general, joined Ees wis1er
at the Battalion Old Field, snd re.
manned with him till the evening Of
tho Esd. In the morning the troops
wer. draws up and reviewed BY the
sre,ident. The most contradictory
repsrts prevailed As to the move
ments and force, sfthe enemy. and it
was Asshtfsi In caiap whether An.
napalis, fsrt Wsshiostos. uita . view
to 60 sparate With his naval forces,
or the sity Of Washington, was his
object. A. 70 The uumbers, runners
yihrated frsm 1000 To $4,000 ;the
best opinion was frsn 5to 7soO. Our
forces 1t this time. mt the Old Fields,
ara yariously estimated, with 10 ma
tcriai difference, at about 5000 men,
in the following corps absat 400
horse, under the command Of the
following otieers. liest. sol. LAVAL,
eel. 1'Iman, sspts. Caldwell, T'hsrs-
ton, Hsrsert, Williams, &e 400 re.
gular troops, asder the command Of
Il. col. Sect. viz: S6ta. 3sth, and
capt. Morgsu's somsaay ofthe 18th
iafan,ry; 600 marines and flstilla
men under CON. Barney and capt
Miller. with five pieces Of heavy
sriilisry--tws Is pounders and three
f9 psuaders. 1880 militia ssd vo-
iuuteer., general Smiths brigade Of
Gesrxetoxp AID city @ilitia, and
Marylaud Militia under eel. Kramer,
or which there were two companies
Of artillery under sapt Hnreh and
mai. Peter, with SAX 6Poundsrs each,
making ~ aggregate Of 5000, with
IL pieces Of artillery. The enemy
vas withos, cavalry. aad had 2 small
field pieces asd one hc"itzer. drawn
BY mes, and the whole ssasiry well
calculated fer dsfsDce. skirmisainY,
and to inpede the march Of an csc.
ny.
The enemy renaised at Upper
Marlboro till after IL o'clock about
which time. gen. Wisder again order
ed the dstaobmept uader 1t. Col.
Scott aad maj. Peter 10 sdvsses 4
meet the enemy ifhe should be found
advancing. srto attack bis Peslnohs.
About this time. ~ o'clock, some
prisoners were takea, and from the
infsrmatioa given ny them ssd the
obseryatisas Of the Videttes, gen.
Winder was induced to believe that