American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1825-04-22
THE BATTLE OF BRANDYWiNE.

TIL. de,cription below is by the author OF inc
;. Rattle Of Trenion," extracted from work. WINCH
;udping from those selections, may perhaps
deemed more worthy OF prrusal than II mas
a 49, .ansds,ed Boston Spectator.
The battle of Drandywnc was fought on the ti'n
ri Septem5er, 1777; and lasted all me 20, 'o"h
II was bloody affair to us, and had weli-nigh oee"
fatal to Greene and Sullivan.
We had been in the saddle ABOUT 'our nous
under the intrepid Pulaski, who WIN ms o"n :,a
examined our points, pistols and other iurnHu.e'
az If assured that the struggle would be oeauiy
and long continued one. The day was one OF ,ne
most beautiful that ever broke over the ear'h. wei
were about half a mile from the main body ranged
along a Green slope, facing the west; our horses
in number about four hundred, standing as pahen'
" as SO many marble creatures-uhiii JUST as 'hI
eastern sky began to redden and nnduia'e' anu
cloud after cloud 10 roll up, and heave like great
curtain upon the wind ; and the whole heaven
seemed discharging all its beauty and brigh'nessl
upon one spot happened to turn about and saw
the tall Pole bareheaded fitting his horse IKE some
warke presence come up out oil the so'iu earn. ~
worship upon the very summit OF the n''i, oehihu
US it ght be-for the noble carriage o, inc man.
the martial bearing Of the soldier, would permit
either interpre,ation-it might be- IN the awiui EN-
ployment of devoton-or--n the more eartn"aIu
one, of martial obsersaoD.-But, sudoeny, ne
refined IN his charger, shook the heavy dew from
his horseman's cap-@replaced 1t, and leaped head
long down the hill, Just bright Hash passed away
on the horizon followed by loud report ana ,he
next moments part Of our ranks were covered win
dust and turf thrown up by on-oa that struck
within hundred yards of the place that ne had
Just left. Our horses prick, up their ears at the
sound and all at once, as it a hundred trumpeis
we're playing in the WIND. came inc ehe"y ~ MS
advance.
Pulaski unsheathed his sword--ca!led out q Sc
llec BODY and set off at full gallop to more dis
tant elevation, where he saw the enemy advancing
lin two columns one under Knyphausen, which
moved in tremendous seadiness, like dark solid
mass in direction towards Maxwell; the other
under CORVALLIS, which seemed to threaten the
RICH, flank of our main body. Intelligence was
Immediately sent Washington, and reinlorcements
called in, from the house that We had leit.
We kept our position, awaiting Tor whole
hour the sound of CONFLICT; at last heavy volley
ratified along the sky-a few moments passed and
then another followed, like a storm oil iron upon
drum heads. The whole air rung with 1t; another
and another followed, and then gradually increasing
in loudness, and oudness, came peal alter peal upon
u.s. till it resembed one continual clap OF lhunder
rolling about under an illuminated yapour.
| But Pulaski, with all his impeuosty, was gen
eral and knew his duty too well to hazard any
movement till we should be able to see with Ger
tainty the operation OF the enemy In the vapour
below. Meanwhile, several little parties that We
had sent cut came in, one after the other, in Toll
gallop, with the intelligence, that Knyphaustn had
broken down upon Maxwell in magnificent style
been beaten back again |; but, that he had finally
prevailed, and that Maxwell had retreated across
| The river. thin vapour now rose from the green
earth below US, and completely covered the enemy
from view. II was no longer possible ofollow
| him, except by the sound OF his tread, which we
could feel in the solid earth, jarrng ourselves aud
our horses and now and then quick gllmmerng
in the mist, as standard was raised above it
some weapon Hourished, or some musket shot
Through it-Gke rocket
| About an hour alter, horseman dashed through
the smoke, on the very verge OF the horizon-ahd
after securing the fields for whole mile, within
| view, communicated with two or three others. who
set off in different drections-one to us, with orders
n to hurry down 10 the ford where the commanderin
chief determined TO fall upon Knyphausen with
all his pow err, before CORVALLIS could come TO his aid
1t was noble but hazardous game: And Pulas
XII, whose horse literally Numbered and light.
ened along the broken and stony precipice by which
we descended kept his eyes warily to the right as
quite certain that the order would not be
i demanded.
We soon fell in with Greene, who was posting, all
lon FIRE, to give Knyphausen battle; and the next
moment, saw Sullivan in full march, over distant
r hill, upon which the morning sun broke out just
then, if leaving the heavens Tor whie,) to the
t enemy's flank.
. This arrangement would have been fatal to Kny-
Iphausen; but unluckiy there was Stop put to it
lalmost at the very moment when we were ready TO
TALL upon him. and horse by the alarming intel
Iligence, that CORVALLIS had moved off to another
T quarter.-Therc was moment of irresolution--
y doubt 1t was the death OF US. Greene was recall
ed and Sullivan commanded to halt. Hardly had
J. This happened, and our horses were covered with
sweat and froth-fretting like chained tigers upon
the bit; our covered with dust, and blinded
with the wind and sun-for it was extremely hot