Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-07-13

vor TO bring them back was aoahuoheo, anu
,hey continued TO amuse themselves, as wen as
us. I'LL the column again began 10 move. nor
did any one appear to enjoy The joke more than
General Ross. He was laughing heartily, as
were the Admiral and the rest oil Inc group,
when we appeared: and he with dihcui'y sup
pressed his mirlh, even though the presence OF
the prisoners drew his attention 10 other eraVef
matters.
Having put Z few questions 10 the young
men, AS to The duty on which they haa oeen
themselves employed, General Ross Pfoceeuea
10 caiechse Them respecting the numoer anu
position of,he force appointed for the deiehce
of Baltimore. Their answers were neither very
distinct ror very satisfactory. They spoke OF a
levy en- naaSss-ninted tha, every male capaoie
of bearing arms was enroled-and Calculated
the strength Of the whole, including three thoh',
sand regulars, at twenty thousand men. he
cavalry, they said, consisted principally OF Vo-
luneer troops, to one OF which they had lhem-
selves belonged; and most OF. 1t, as wen as d
large portion Of the infantry, had met us IN the
field of Bladensburg. In artillery, again, tney
affirmed, that the ,lrength OF the Americans
was prodigious; upwards OF one hundred PIE
ces Of cannon were in battery; and these being
manned by seamcn from the fleet, would, they
observed to us, do their duty. The General
heard all this with countenance which never
once varied in It's expression, and then order
ing them to the rear, in spite OF man? urgent
enlreatics tina, he would dismiss them on their
parole, he commanded the bugle 10 sound, and
The troops again stood 10 their arms.
Whilst the column was making ready TO pro-
secute its more orderly advance, we stouliy
plunged orce more into the thi.'keis, and press
ed on. For about half an hour we proceeded
without the occurrence Of any circumstances
Gale ulated 10 excite in us more than usual de-
gree of alacrfy. There were the same obsta-
cles of brake and brlar 10 overcome, and from
lime TO time, the same impeGiments OF ponds
and creeks 10 be surnountcd; but still no enc
nv, nor any trace Of an enemy could be des-
criyd AT length, however, the face OF affairs
underwent change. A few figures suddenly
showed themselves, stealing from tree 20 tree,
and bush 10 bush; they became more and more
numerous as we went on; and finally, we beheld
about four or FIVE hundred rifemen scattered
through the wood, and prepared TO dispute
with US our farther progress Nor were many
moments wastcdin idly sazing at each other.
Having warned the column, by the sound OF our
bugles, that an enemy was in sight, we rushed
forward and the forest echoed again TO the
report Of ours and the Americans muskets
Our skirmish TO day was fora while tolera-
bly, hot and extremely animated. The Araer-
leans outnumbered us beyond calculation, while
as individuals, they were at least our equals In
the skill with which hey used their weapon;
vet from the very commencement, it was on
our part continued advance, on theirs con-
tinued retreat We drove them form thicket
to :hicket and tree to tree, not, indeed; with a.
ny heavy loss, for they We're No
4!
loss, as-.sa, NJ sssAs rr1nrig. Two more kill
led, and abouta dozen wounded, made up the
sum Of our casualties; and it may with truth be
asserted, that every thing was going on as the
General himself could have wished. But I'M
happily he was not satisfied of this. The FIR
ing struck him IS being more heavy, and more
continued than 1t ought to be; he was appre-
hensive that we had fallen into some serious
ambuscade, and, unwilling to triile with the
safety Of even few companies, he rode for
ward for the purpose of satisfying himself that
they were safe. How bitterly had the whoe
expedition cauoe to lament that step! He had
scarcely entered the wood, when all American
rifleman singled aim out; he fired and the ball
true to its mark pierced his side. When the
General receive / his death wound, | CHANGED
to be standing at no great distance from him;
saw that he was struck, for the reins dropped
instantly from his hand, and he leaned forward
upon the pommei of his saddle; and though
would not suffer myselfto imagine that there
was any danger, FASTENED towards him, but
arrived too late. His horse making move
ment forward he lost his seat, and but for the
intervention of his aid-de-camp's arm, must
have fallen to the ground. AS twas, we could
only lay him at length upon the grass, for his
limbs could no longer perform their office-it
was but too manifest that his race was run.
No language san convey any adequate idea
Of the sensation which this melancholy event
produced in the bosoms Of all who were aware
of it. 1t may, withstruth, be asserted, that ge
neral. young in command, has rarely obtained
The confidence q his troops in the degree in
which General Ross had obtained il, or held out
more hatering assurances, that he would con.
,,uue 10 possess and TO deserve il TO the last
AS colonel OF sregimen,, general Of brigade
i'll Lord Wellington's army, his name had long
stood high; and she brilliant success which at
tended his operations against Washington, sa-
tisied his own S7ldiers, at least, thai his fame
was not unmeIiied. II has been said, that in
conducting the .nroad last alluded 10, he eXhi-