Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-07-31

| toned in advance Of the breastwork, am
ecwith rifles, aud concealed behind lr,s,
"At first sight, ti,is array ofmen and neam
| was somewhat Appalling. But the Rub
con was passed.-Retreat would be ,u;D
accompanied with disgrace-Batlle might
also be ruinous, bW could not be dls..opor,.
bic Without hesitation, therefore, H.
latter was resolved on.
AT his own request, Capt. Falls wifi
bis mounted Infantry led the attack. When
at the distance of about eighty PAGES, h.
received the FIRE of the enrmy's advance,
Returning this with considerable effect h.
rushed s~ ord in hand into the midst OF them,
threw them into confusion. and forced them
TO fall back. Pressing his fortune with loo
much ardor, he received ball through bis
breast, aud fell dead from his horse.
"His party, however, undismayed by the
loss of their leader, continued the action
with great gaIlantry, until the foo, advan.
ced 10 their support, when the enemy was
driven behind bis breastwork.
Here ensued most n urderous conflict.
The wings having so far levelIed the Oh
struction, as to render il passable, rushed
over it, mingled with the enemy, and in
many instances, grapp!ed with them man
Ia man. Every instrument and mean Of
death was now resorted to. The bullet,
the sword. the rife but, and even the hatch
ct. with which some were provided, were
abuniantly employed. Rarely in any case.
has blood been more inexcrable, or by the
same number Of combatants, more prod.
gally shed
For time The issue was doubtful
Pressed by superior numbers, the wings
were once compelled to give ground some
of them retreating across the breastwork.
But resolutely bent on victory or death,
they returned 10 the charge with such fierce
impetuosity, and decisive effect, as bore
down all resistance.
"The tories broke and fed in confusion,
the wings for some distance hanging on
their rear, with terrible slaughter.
"Thus terminated an affair in which 50
many gallant spirits made their first, and
too many Of them, alas their last essay in
arms. In the course of it the whigs per.
formed prodigies and The royalists mani.
festeda degree Of resolution and vaIor wor.
thy Of better cause.
"The latter lost, in killed, wounded and
prisoners, upwards OF six hundred men,
The prisoners and wounded were paroled
and liberated on the field of battle.
"The numerical loss of the former was
exceedingly heavy, nearly half Of them be.
ing killed or wounded. But the actual loss
which consisted in the character. rather
than the number of those that fell, was in.
calculabIe. On that fatal day, some Of
the choicest blood Of The south was heroi.
calIy offered on the altar of freedom.
1.-The death of captain Falls, in parlicu.
lar, was deeply lamented. In the ranks Of
his country he did not leave behind hlma
purer patriot, or a more gallant soldier.
"His son, youth Of 10, had accom-
panied him to battle. When the captain
tell, this high-minded stripping, moved BY
an instructive impulse Of affection, sprang
from his horse to embrace the body, aud
project it from insult. One of the enemy,
believed TO be the same that shot captain
Falls, advancing with view to plunder
the corpse, the son suddenly snatching the
sword of the deceased, plunged it into the
bosom OF the marauder, and thus at once
punished audacity, and nobly revenged bis
fathers death.
$50 deadly was the aim Of the tory rife
men. at the commencement OF the actloa'
before the smoke of their own fire had o.
structed their view, that many Of them pla'
ced their balls in the lower end OF the strips
Of paper, which the wings wore over the
crowns Of their hats. Every shot Of this
description, passing through the brains
was instantly fatal"
~