Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1821-06-08

lon ring to the farmhouse, ana imhoui-
ately set in on fire. The house itself, the
stables. barns and outhouses, as we'll as
all the other stacks, soon caught the flames,
and were quickly in a state OF confiagra-
ton and the smoke and blaze which
they emitted: together with the roar OF
cannon and flashes of the guns, produced
altogether very fine effect. :,
In the mean time the American artli-
lery was not idle Pushing forward two
light field-pieces upon the road, they
opened destructive fire of grape upon
the alst regiment, and such Of the sailors
as occupied that point. Three other guns
were directed against our artillery, be-
tween which, and several OF our pieces,
sort of duel was maintained, and the rest
played without ceasing, upon the S5th' &
the light companies, who had lain down
while the other regiments took up their
ground. Neither was their infantry alto
sether quiet. They marched several
strong bodies from the right to the left,
and withdrew others from the left to the
right of their line, though for what end
this marching and countermarching was
undertaken, I am at loss to conceive.
While thus fuctuating, it was curious to
observe their dread of every spot where
cannon ball had struck Having seen the
shots fall, kept my eye upon one or two
places, and perceived that each company;
as it drew near to those points, hung
back, and then assumed, as it were, mo-
mentary courage, rushing past, leaving
| nd %
which next succeeded.
GAIL this while the whole of our in
fantry except the 4th regiment, lay or
stood in anxious expectation OF an order
| to advance This however, was not given
till that regiment had reached the thicket
through which it was to make its way
when Col. Brook with his staff, having
galioped along the line to see that all was
ready, commanded the signal to be made.
The charge was accordingly sounded, and
echoed back from every bug in the ar
my, when, startingirom the ground where
they had lain, the troops, moved on in
a cool and orderly manner. A dreadful
discharge of grape and canister shot, OF
old locks, pieces of broken muskets, and
every thing which they could cram into
their guns, was now sent forth from the
whole of the enemys artillery; and some
loss on our side was experienced. Re-
gardless of this, our men went on, with
out either quickening or retarding their
pace, till they came within lou yards
of the American line. As yet, not mus
ket had been fired, or word spoken on
either side, but the enemy now raising a
shout, fired volley from right to left, & .
then kept rapid and ceaseless discharge !
of musketry Nor were our people back
ward in replying to these salutes for
lItfi5sr~s0ffsy, pushed eoii at double 2,
quick, with the intention of bringing
them to the charge.
"Ths bayonet is weapon peculiarly
British, at least, it is weapon which, in
the hands of British soldier, is irresisti-
ble Though they maintained themselves
with great determination, and stood to re-
ceive our fire till scarcely twenty yards
divided us, the Americans would not haz
ard charge. On our left, indeed, where
the 2lst advanced in column, it was not
without much difficulty and a severe loss,
that an attempt to charge could be made,
for that quarter seemed to be the flower OF
the enemy's infantry, as we'll as the main
body of their artillery; towards the right,
however, the day was quickly won. The
only thing to be regretted, indeed, was
that the attack had not been for some
time longer deferred; because the Amer
leans were broken and fled, just as the
4th Regiment began to show itself upon
the brink of the water VIII ich covered
their flank and before a shallow part
could be discovered, and the troops were
enabled to pass, they had time to escape.
Gas soon as their left gave way, the
whole American army fell into confusion
nor do l recollect, on any occasion to have
witnessed a more complete rout. Infan-
try, cavalry and artillery, were huddled
together, without the smallest regard to
order or regularity. The sole subject of
anxiety seemed to be which should escape
from the field of battle insomuch, that
numbers were actually trodden down by
their countrymen in the hurry of their
flight Yet, in spite of the short duration
of the action, which lasted little more than
two hours from its first commencement,
the enemy's loss was severe. They stood,
in some respects, better than they had
done at Bladensburg, consequently We
were more entangled with them when
they gave way and were thus enabled to
secure some prisoners, an event which
their more immediate flight had on the
other occasion prevented. In the capture
of guns, however, we were not so fortu-
nate. Their pieces being light, &