Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1827-08-11


paasing 10 look behind he rushed on l kept my eye
upon iih'' n'deed we werc enough 10 CONVERSE,
were possible to hear the sound cf human voice in
sNch nnu!; and DID what cuuki rather 10 RESTRAIN
his aTdoor than TO give it eucour agement. But al the
very tn0tneni when repeating my cntrcates that
De Would TOOK 10 his men, iscaG of rushing on ahead
oil them, musket bali stuck him on the neck ard
he ieI!dead al my feet. He much as moved.
me bullet had passed thruug the niudpipe and spinal
marrow, and he was corpse in Instant. Poor Ccl-
low even IN the heat of action, locked him with
feeling CT bitter agony, of which words can convey
no Impression. But could not pause 10 pay the
slightest Tribute Prospect to his remains ran past him.
and soon found my attention completely occupied b.
other matters TO forget that such one had lived
ana was dead. so overwhelmingly exciting is the i'll
ercst OF battle, and perfectly cayrossing are Oh
thoughts to which it gives birth.
| notwithstanding the paucy Of numbers, the
American lane began 10 as soo,, as we ar, wed
within twenty thirty PAGES of their front and tho
SouingpIei'InarY to charge bad hard, been utter
ed "hen they broke and fed. Our men ere TOO muc,
iaigued TO follow with any CELEBRITY but we nursued as
| quickly as we could, and bayoneting some ssamen
VINO Pertnaciousy chung their guns tocz possession
OF TWO cut of the five pieces of cannon which had so
severely Called US Our work was, however, but be-
SthhinG IN I'VE minutes, found ourselves in front
ct second line, numerous a,I more s,e,dv Than
that which we had defeated. II was composed wholly
OF regular troops who received US, as we came on
WIN nilrcerous lire, and instantly advanced TO The
charge We could not pretend to tset them Al Tho
/ iirs we hardly mustered hundred men. we were
now diminished 10 little more than half the number; q
us and
ground " fell back however, SLOWLY and INDIGNANT
~, battling from time TO time and e. inr will, effect:
whilst The enemy, instead of determined rush which,
ii attempted must have destroy at ~nce follow ed
at Inc very same pace and with the Same prccauion
Bat their Ire very destructive: nj least IL ,rol
nave BEEN had there stood opposed men enough TO
deserve IT,
We had reached almost the end of the tI;c,,a; hsn
Colonel Thornton, with reinforcement of fresh roops
coming up, restored to Cul former confidence and
we resumed 'he offensive The enemy III their turn,
faii back out '"e could not follow with our accustomed
FapGity--our men scarcely could walk far less RIM.
so there was time for their line TO receive ronforco
menis before we succeeded in breaking 1t, The bat
tic became now little else than an unre,nnr q, chance
OF Voieys. Neither party gained lost grouHd but,
fora nil a!hour, stood still loading and iins. as quick
as these operations could DC performed. WhiIs, This
was proceeding Colonel Thornton received ball in the
thigh and fell! The Americans raising a shou, at the
event, pressed; and people little dis,earened
Charlton myself and several other officers who
were IL the field, did best to STAY them and we
succeeded, though not iii Col Thornton in order ,o
avoid falling into the hands of The assaiiants had bcen
Obliged to roll himself down the slope to considerable
distance We had retired in part as far as the ground
where poor Williams lay, when pu-het ball hitting
the scah5ard OF my sword broke il. and another AZ
! The same time, slightly wounded my arm Vet I
hardly felt the wound, intent was IN rallyinn tho
men; and Gen. Ross himself coming IN At this instant,
WIN me oe''er part OF the 4th regiment tie fortune
OF the day was speedily decided. There was no more
distant iITinS on part, Charge ciIarrc!u was the
only word OF command issued II was hca rd with re
peaed accaGations and the rey music OF our cheers
ac!ng like magic upon the Americans thew disnerse;
AID fled IN every direction.
Ii for me 10 at ie,n,t anr Iocc.;,,,- Il, -
state OF ieeiinG which pervades man when after some
hours OF hard fighting, he first sees the line of e one
my become confused, and the manifestation of fight
eNHoiteu Ills whole soul IS engrosscd with Tie d.sire
OF overtahIng them and there be moment IN = mani,
existence at which lie you'd thank Providence for tho
roam OF wings, II is surely then. For own part
strained my throat TIL j, became dry with cheerinr:
O as we'll c-La,
made an eiIort TO oyerahe the americans who s.carad
from me- as persons who fresh Will always escapc
from those that are weary. IL do them Justice how
ever, their regulars rather 1irijs as iona him,
sell calls them unmndfC of the Lessons which
they had learned upon the parade They covered hni,
rear with cloud of rjeIoen, least equal in point o
RUNNERS 10 The troops who pursued them, aud the ri
ictnen very deliberately and very dicio,isly took nm
positions from time 10 time, wherever the cover of tie
brushes or underwood invited them Nor was their
ire earmess Several individuals, myself among the
number received wounds from them / pianlg so,c
"e person VINO thus lonored me- he lay behind little
copse and took aim three times before be hit rne but
at last his ball passed through the lesy part of nv
thigh, and he escaped.
Too eager TO be aTgare that was aoain scratched
pushed with my companions as lone as te ,vt nj
TctieaS force continued ID sight; nor even dreamed
{" haiing' TIL fatigue and loss of blood together over
powered me- and iei TO The ground. Happily for me-
dropped beside pool OF wafer; it yasmuidy and Gor
in no ordinary degree yet my thirst violent before
ana doUoiy violent now, from the exhaustion corso
qnsn upon pretty considerable hcmorrfagc gave TO
1t "eiicacy Of flavor which had never pcrceived in
water before and shall probably never perceive again
drank hi That thirst aPpeased, and then looking
round, perceived that there were but three y it'll sn
dc's near me They sal down beside me ill u, some
ideg1ee recovered my strength; and having kindly as
sisted me TO wrap handkerchief round tie hcoiiuo.
ih' we c'aw!od, rather than marched back to re DIN
our regiment.
found the brigade gathering together its shattered
remains upon The summit Of high ground which tho
enemy 5 reserV bad occupied in the morning | say
shattered remains; for out Of the twelve HUNDRED tncn
who bore the brunt of the battle nearly enc half had
aiien whilst Of those who survived and were fit for
tiy, many were absent for The purpose Of attending
to the wounded, and buIyins The dead.
Here The 'Subal,crn' labnurs ,inier mistake Flu.
second line consisted of company Of Marines Com Bar
nfy anTs, small deta chmGnts SGh aud ?tl r.
g"rht OF Infantry and the volunteers the militia of
Washington Georgetown, aud the adjacent Country.