Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1815-01-28
ri ARMS! 10 ARMS!!

so y = - "a IS
rae Enemy 10 posssssion d Polet Re-
ire aud st. Mary's.
Cow IF q letter from capt. sAdssi.
as TO Brigudier Genera! Jvis''
Floyd, datsd
suEKr MATER BRArGH,
18th Jan. 1873.
sIs.
The enemy moved against
Point Pctre this msr.,iug At hall
past. seven o'clock, With his Whale
force, (abont fifteen hundred) his q.
perations ussc simultaneous. Ire
ceived Information OF his approach
err my picket. near nsior Johnsons
with about 500 to 1000 men. and Two
pieces Of artillery aware OF his IN
teations 10 place himself IN my rsar,s
while he at the same tine MAS All
saacing in considerable force in front
70 attack the battery on shr 81. IA
RVS, With ,iew TO cut aT my re
treat !; II maize the following dispo-
sition Of mr. (smalD but brave force.
/ ordered eapt.in StaIliags to re main
1t the Point Niti, nbou, shi " six 81
seet;ses, with orders toiiesehd j as
dong as possible. and IL he should be
eserpawcred. 10 spike the guns. fire
the train al the magazine. and re-
treat to me Nth The remainder, 4
bout 60 riiiemcn and iaisasry
moved against the eaemy ia the
rear. ,!eterm;nrd 60 oppose his pas
sage at "a narrow d~iile near Aejal
King's and make snsd my re're'., a.
sill hazards. nj aboas niac o'clock we
came up with the dsale. near majae
.iohason.s. il is fanked by mar.'s.
aa each side, and hasa complete go
yer for riilrmep ora the right AMI
left. across which the day previous
had caused some large trees to he
fallen: as we entered il on enc end.
the enemy did 80 on The other. II
was any intention to gain The cross
reads. near major kiag's. bat find
Ing ,avself slapped. lieut.. Holt. OF
iisc Esd Infantry, MAS rdered with ..
detachment sf riielncn. 10 aasanee
oasthe enemy's left. aa's Lieat Harl-
lee with anotiier detachment TO pass.
The ihickci and eadeaverto gain his
rear, this order WAS promptly obey
ed. Capt. Taitnall. of the 4sd IN
f.ntry. was ordered at the same time
20 advance in close column. and pass
the deiis at this momeat their ha-
Gle souaded and brisk fire com
nenceJ on beth sides. We had al
ready passed some distance and ti'e
enemy had given way tasce. when
capt. T..ttaail who stsoa near me
received severe waaad which .
h.iecd him to fall b.ck. This pra-
dised anament,rv pause. when the
enemy pressed forward bat was re
ecived with uaeqnal firmness. 1t
vas at this moment received nnex-
ampird support from SERGEANT Ben
sun of the 4sd infantry, AID pirate
Green OF the rifle bat cur efforts
was uaayaiiing, th-;r numbers were
too imposipg--a thousand 10 sixty
was loo saael, odds, and believing the
bnttery in the hands OF the ehemy.
as but three gans bad heen lired-it
was with reluctance ordered q re
treat. which am happy 10 state was
effected ia coed order We TOOK q
saith 10 Mrs. Gordon's sn tlle sortta
river, at which place | had prcyioEs
~ engaged large h0ai in the event
ofnot 5oin. able TO pass by the bridge
near m.jor kiag's; but some es;e
aad protracted TINT plan, tae boat
wastaken away. had but oae re-
course left and that was 10 pass at
Miller's BlaE with Il padiiag canpe-
i thea sent an order TO captain Stall
linss 70 retreat by that way, which
he promptly obeyed, the enemy
following him close in his rear, and
/ have tiic pleasure to stase We ef-
feeted il without the loss OF man
| While | lament the necessity m In
forming y OF, Of the loss Of tue fort al
Point petra, / console myself With
consciousness Of having doae M,
hest for It's preservation. and Of be
II. a T. &.