Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1815-12-02


enemy's advance. And, when ne sent cut
Scott, FOR u Diversion in favour of his posts
| on tie opposite shore, he should have
known, that without express restrictions,
if Scott met the enemy, he would light
him. lie might have met the British ar
my, six miles. instead Of three, from our
camp, and what would have been the con-
sequence Your Generals Of exceeding
policy, may condemn this disposition. Scott
ever fought, without regard 70 tho rule of
Responsibility, to retrieve or atchieve, that
military name, of which his country had
been deprived. If he was ordered to ad-
vance, for special purpose, 70 Queens
ton. he was bound to engage any obstacle
which opposed him.
The military precaution was Ordinary
in all serV &c of the army OF navy Of ha-
wing the remaining troops in preparation,
or at les il supporting distance.
The battle was fought, without any skill
full display of geneialship, except that
which was indicated by M'Rea, and with
out any advantage except that evidence
which hard fighting gave of national spirit,
and that pride Ut feeling which It affords e
very American breast. This national pride
ought not TO be lessened. by the proof
viii h the disputes of commanders devcl-
cpe OF the want Of arrangement. The
trnness and peTseveripg spirit OF the line
of subordinate officers and soldiers are rem
dered more glorious by the emcdation. IL
is due t. Brown, however, 70 say that, since
his officia; reports, he has engaged III no
contention, aud has been reserved in his
remarks on the MEASUREMENT so indus
triouly circulated.
The part which Scott performed, WAS
hard struggI s in line, with superior NUM-
bers. lie sighted the opportunity of ge-
nera,shiP. He Tough; three battalions until
they lost more than half the men they
brought into the field, III killed and wound
ed This furnished that evidence of har-
dy courage which the Country so much re-
CURED Of cur troops.
His able commanders, Brady and NJ
Neil, and his gallant aid, and brigade ma
jor, Worth e. Smith, were forced from the
presence of Scott by their Wounds. He had
detached Iessup, his other distinguished as
sistant, to engage the enemy from a wood
on the right, and who had captured major
general Rial, as the 81 brigade came into
action. With the remnant Of his brigade,
WIZ ch had been reformed by Leavenworth,
with q zeal of eXertion not perhaps equal
led during that extraordinary con est, Scott
twice charged the enemy's line. The Fl g,
was direct charge and repealed the line
he attacked-but his numbers were too
few. I'he second, which Was ain alCeual,
TO turn the enemy's flank, was somewha
marked by desperation. That he woull
have been fired OH by our own troops,
when moving in direction asa nst the
enemy, he could not have anticipated.
An aid to gen. Ripley, M'Donald, a
young and intrepid officer, has stated to
court ofinquiry, that Ripley made the pro-
posaI To attack the height. While M'Don-
al oh tt,iau IN &c
gen. Brown, M'Rea had stated to Ripley
the necessity Of taking it-declaring it to
be the key of the position, and passed i'm
mediatcly ON, TO communicate with Brown.
Brown had promptly sent orders to Nil
Ter to effect it-when he soon after met
Ripl Y, who made statement t. Brown
of the arrangement he had conceived pro-
per for the obi -Ct-to which Brown gave
his warmest sanction.
The 21st regiment, led by its col. Mil
LER, carried the eminence. OF the 23d
regiment, the battalion of M'FARLAND
broke as he fell. BROOKE, who lei the o.
Their battllion, with the assistance of Rip
ley, reformed the whole, and Brooke led
them to the attack. The detachment of
the 1t infantry, meeting a severe dis
charge of grape, was marched by its com
mandcr from the field. (d) These were
the battalionS Of Rip.ey's brig de.
The noble Miller stermed the height,
without the personal assistance of Ripley
and, what was the seVcrest duty, Mi
LER defended it. Ask this frank and war
worn veteran to whom he is ind bted FIR
assistance in preserving the height He
will tell you--to BROOKE and to CHyNN,
who fought in conjunction with his corps,
and to the detachment Of the ISt regiment
to JEssUP, who fought battalion of the
1st brigade, independently, on the right
TO the volunteer militia, under Z. b. PoR-
TER. and WOOD. Of eng neers, and the
remains Of the 1st brigade, on TIE left
Ask these brave men, who were contend
ing for their country's reputation, Whether
Brown, or Ripl y, gave his presence a.
loNg the height, to enc: urage the troop
and which remained mounted behind the
erin nce
ScoTr's situation need not he asked
he vas frightfuly wounded, and exposed
20 the feet of regiment of men before he
recovered. Brown was wounded nearly
1T the same period, on the left--rnd not
being able to find Scot, and unwilling to
trust the Erection Of the battle with Rip
ley, he continued, until his wound forced
him Reluctantly from the field. His aid,
the gallant Spencer, received his mortal
wound from the same discharge which
wounded his general (e)
After the severest struggle, which old
British officers bad ever experienced, for
n commanding point on a field Of b tile,
and after tbs cnemy's army had retired
from the contest-that Height which had