Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-07-01

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tlie FIRST charge. Confident that tie utmost eli:
forts would I've directed 10 TIE recovery dis po-
s't,on and Of the artillery, Gen. Ripley immedi-
d ateiy sent his aid TO Genera, Brown, to spprlze
ham oi what had been d1le and to request him TO
remove and secure the ciJ,ncp; but the request
was disrcgsrdej- Advancing ms iNe some i;s,
lance ~ front ofthc battery the 25d reg n, enf
with rowson's aptllesy. was formed on lie right
OF the 2I5t. 4 part OF ,he Ist resimcnt, under
Lieut. Col Nicholas, was stationed on the Lett,
and ON The extreme leGt the brave General Porci
with his voluntee Before the close OF the bat
tie, the 18th regiment also, uude' Msjor JesSup,
was directed to Be brought Vi, and was formed
on the right of the whole. III this order the at
tack was awaited. Gen. Ripley directed the front
rank to kneei, and that rot gun should be
fired until the eneIuy had delivered has fire, then
that delberateaiin should be taken. AS the Br-
tlsh advanced 20 the attack, they received such q
dreadful IRE, as to be driven again down the hill
fhese charges were repeated five or SIX tiDies
WITH The same result. At this per,od General
Scott, eager 60 strike decisive blow, threw him.
sell before Gen. Ripleys llne, without apprizng
nm ofthe movement, attacked the enemy, but
was wounded and repulsed. Beng between two
fires, It is supposed that in consequence OF the
da'Sae2s and confusion, he suffered from botib-
OBSTINATE and indignant at the loss or the bate
nv and the result OF every attemptto recover II,
the British forces advanced with heroic determ-
nation Gen Ripley's brigade, and the other
troops under his command, We're formed as be.
tore. notwithstanding a :aOst destructive ire,
the enemy pressed on alad engaged with the point
otthe bayonet. Overcome by numbers, our troops
OH The right and left gave way /; rowson was
Obliged to spike and abandon his pieces and To-
til discontinue seemed unavoidable But a part
OF the central brigade, animated by the ga.iantry
OF their commando, remained firms the tanks
We're rallied by his exertons and the eXertions G!
L
down the Hill. This was the termination Of the,
conflict for at this perlod, after the eneniy had
been repulsed IN their last attack, Gen1 Ripley
received an order from Gen. Brown 10 collecth MS
wounded and retire Immediately to camp. Upon
gong TO his rear, and finding that the CanOnhad
rot been removed, and the trophies of victory
had not been accomplished" according to has re-
quest, he ordered detachment Of Portce's 20.
Iunteers TO dra,; them oil the ground but the
want OF ropes rendered Unnecessary leave tllem
behind, Besides, the men, after fighting FIVE OF
SIX hours, were exhausted by fatigue, and were
incapable OF eIertIon. Nor was IT safe TO linger
III the rear, for the enemy Immediately pressed
UP the hui, and actually took several prisoners
by the side oftle artillery. AS aeleral R.p.ey
marched from the fcid ofbattie bat two platoons
CT General SCOTS brigade, sh.ler Mgjor Lea
vl7worth, could be collected and of tie whole
army, it was estimated by several officers, tla. no
Wore than 500 men returned with him 10 clmp
the rest having been dispersed.
Such was the heroic enterprise, which was pro.
Jected, ordered and executed by General Rip CIV.
vino was OH horseback, and frequently in troni
during the whole eng cement. Two musk
pierced his has, another struck button of hlsI
coat, and another woundedhi horse. The prn
cipai officer belonging to his brigade, that fc.,
vas the brave VI ior Mcfarland of the sd OIL
SIX generals present, four were severely and one
slightly wounded. Gen. Ripley alone, altho ex
POSED to every danger, was unhurt In this ao-
Ton, there was greater loss ofmen in killed and
wounded, than occurred in INV battle iuring the
VA ofthe Revolution, the British acknowledging
a loss of S78 and our loss beng 743 The lust
charge, about the hour ofmdnight, was fearful
and tremendous conflict
Gen. Brown, IL his Official account, forgot TO
give the credit OF ordering this enterprise TO Gea
Ripley, for he SAWS 10 secure the victory, II
was necessary to carry this artillery and seize the
height. This duty 1ods assigned to Col Miller
while TO favor its execution, the first regiment
under Ae command Of Colonel Nicholas, was d.
1ected to menace and anuse the infantry" Gen
Ripley, IN his brigade orders, three days after tbs
battle, says, g The good conduct of Tie ID bril-
gade was cOnsp Cuous II saved the army from
The gallantly Of the list regiment
N obeyine the order Of the Brig Gen'l. to storm
the encmy's park of artillery and break his line,
affords an example ofcool a,dsteadyvalor, winch
lU oDsl8Cte5 can imp 4 ne ZOn regiment Nas
ascending the hill at the same Time at gt angles
With the 2ls,." lie also bestowed OIL Col. Miaer
the highest commentator.
Had the reserve Of artillery, the pique', camp
and quarter guards, and stragglers, been brcugh,
into the action, and Refreshments ordered to the
battle ground, our army might have lain on tie
heId during the night and having the whole Of
the cnemy's artillery III possession, and the adgan.
t9ge of position, when the day dawned, although
we should have been inferior IN numbers ct IL is
probable the enemy, should he have venuired to
make an attack, would have Deenrepulsed.
After the return to camp, Gen. Brown, who
states Glathe had assigned the command to Gen.
Ripley, yet hiGi, as the day dawne1, @ 10
pun mmselfon the Geid Of battle, and meet and
beat the enemy, ifha appeared re was order
Cd to take his own brigade and Portcr's voluu.
teers. lie marched accordingly but after cross.
ing the Chippewa, was ordered to furnish reh esl.
meut to the la.n. AZ this time, and not befoic c,
the l., Or Grn. SCOTS brigade, was added to his
c)mmanl. Coming N git OF the enemy, and
finding that t.ey occupied Che battle ground, re-
tanning their cannon lie halted h.g troops, deter
mined not TO risk ageneral action with an enemy
superior in numbers and position" The WIS
dom Of abandoning tie battery in the night IN or
der to take t agaih az the morning, was g. him
ineypiicsbe Ifhe was beaten, be knew that lc
had no place oftelreat, and thst lie whole army
would be lost whereas, ifthe enemy, BY mira
Gle should again be dislodged and belien, hey
could retire IN safety 10 Fort George. lie there
fore determined to exercise tllt prudence wil ch
fe f.f,I Vf,.