Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-12-06

which it affords every American breast. This
national pride ought not to be lessened, by the
proof which the disputes of commanders devol-
| ope OF the want of arrangement. The frmneSs
| and Persevering spirit of the line of subordinate
| officers and soldiers are rendered more glorioIs
Iby the calculation. II is due to Brown, however
TO say that since his official reports, he has enga
ged in no contention, and has been reserved in
| MS remarks, on the mis-statement so industTi-
ously circulated
The part which Scott performed, was hard
struggling in line, with superior numbers He
fought three battallions until they lost more than
half the men they brought into the field in kill.
ed and wounded! This furnished that evidence
of hardy courage which the country SO much re-
i quired of our troops
HIS able commanders, Brady and Mcneil, and
hs gallant aid, and brigade major, Worth and
Sni,h, were forced from the presence of Scott
| by their wounds. He had detached Jessup, his
oher d'stlnguished assistant, to engage the enc
my from a wood IN the right, and who had cap
tared majorgenefa Rial, as Tie Cd brigade came
INTO action. Wilrthe remnant of Iiis Grade,
Which had been reformed BY Ecav s4sSs III IS th
zed exerton not perhaps eaualied during that
extranrilnary contest, Scott Twice charged Tie
eieinys h1ie. The fist was direct oh arge, and
repeiled The line he attacked--but his numbers
49, 100 lew. Ihe second, which was an at
tempt to turn the eIemy's Hank, was somewhat
marked 6ydesperation. That ne would have been
hfeu on by our own troops, when moving in d
rcction against the enemy, he could not have an
ticipaled
An aid to general Ripley, M'Donald, young
and intrepid officer, has stated to court of in.
d"ry, mat Ripley made the proposal to attack
the helght While M'Donald was absent from
RIPLEY, in. search of gen. Brown, MRee had
stated to Ripley the necessity of taking t decla-
ing 1t to be the key of the position, and passed
Immediately on, to communicate with Brown
Brown had promptly sent orders to Miller to eff
rect lt-when he soon after met Ripley, who
made statement to Brown fthe arrangement he
ne had conceived proper for the object-Sto which
Brown gave his warmest emotion
Inc 2lst regiment, led by its col. MILLga, car
ried the eminence. Of the 23d rigiment, the
battalion OF M'Farland broke as he fell Brooke.
who led the other battalion, with the assistance
or RIPLEY, reformed the whole, and Brooke led
them to the attack. The detachment of the 1st
infantry meeting severe discharge of grape,
was marched by its commander from the field
l'(d) These were the battslions of Ripley's br;
| gade.
The noble Miller stormed the height, without
the personal assistance of Ripley-and. what
was the seyerest duty, Miller defended il. Ask
TINS frank and warworn veteran to whom he is in
aaoeed Tor assistance in preserving the height
he Will tell you--to Brooke and to Chunn, who
fought in conjunction with his corps, and to the
detachment OF the lst egment--to Jessup who
fought battalion of the 1st brigade indepsn
IDENTIFY, on the right--to the volunteer militia
under B. Porter, and Wo d. of engineers and
the remains OF the 1st brigade, on the LEFT, Ask
these brave men, who were contending for their
countrys rerutatiJn, whether Brown OF Eplev.
gave his presence along the he ght, to encouraS
the troops-and which remained mount ed behind
| the emmence
SCOTS situation need not be asked--be was
frightfuiiy wounded, and exposed to the feet OF
regiment of men before he recovered Brown
was wounded nearly at the same period. ON The
ieft--and not DeIng able to find Scott, and unwiI
ling to trust the direction of the battle with Rim
ley, he continued, until his wound forced him re-
| luctantly from the field. Hrs aid, the pallant
Spencer, received his mortal wound from the
same discharge which wounded his general Re J
After the severest struggle, which old British
| officers had ever experienced, for Commanding
| point on field of battle, and after the enemvSS
army had retired from the contestant Heighr
| which had been so brayely contested, and all tbe
| Artillery which these men had shed so much
blood to defend, were silently abandoned, as they
stood GJD
From the best examination and conversation
with British officers since, this artillery remain
ed Alone undisturbed by any one, until after sun
rise, thenext morning.
1t is a remarkable truth, that the British army
made regular approaches thenext day, to retake
| the position.
On Ripley's arrival in camp, he was sent for
| by Gen. Brown, who gave HIM orders forcibv
| expressed, to have tue troops refreshed, and be
on the field of battle with the whole, before dav
the next morning, and resume the position. RID
| ley disobeyed the order That when he com.
manded in the field, he was authorised to pursue
the dictates of his judgment, and OH his arr,vaI
| before the enemy, TO act according TO circum
stances, is not denied. But he disobeyed the or.
der of advance.
Ripley moved out, between 7 and g. of the
| morning OF the Goth, and found the enemy in
possession of the field On his return to camn
he expressed to Gen. Brown his apprehensions OF
the enemy's immediate advance The wounded
generals Brown and Scott, were hurried over TO
Schlosser, with many other wounded officers
as could be suddenly conveyed across the
Streight.
| retreat was ordered, carrying indications of
alarm and disgrace Cg-) of those soldiers who
had conquered m action the ground which they
had already resigned. Their numbers were too
few to give battle or to attack the enemy in nosi
tlon--but their noble breasts did not deserve the
degradation OF fight after Their brave strtIg-
giles tor that victory which will distinguish Their
country as long as the cataract which borders
the battle grounds, shall distinguish the soil.
| The unfortunate Spencer was left in house
on the road side. Nothing was left in the en-
campment which could be of ADVANTAGE to The ..
nemy, as what could not be hastily transported
was set fire to. The exhausted troops were M,
| permitted to cease their march with H. =.