Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1827-08-02

thick, and the ground considerably more une-
ven than on The right. The consequence was
hat We moved on Tor several minutes without
seeing an enemys but tile wood suddenly end.
ing, an open slop,ng field lay before Us; and in
the rear Of a high pdlng. which ran across the
seatre of the field. the enemy's first line PIE.
,ented itself 4 have stood under many a heavy
fire OF masquetry in my day, but | really do not
reeollect o have witnessed any more heavy than
that winch they instantly opened upon U.s.
Five guns played upon as without lntermission.
40 a word | can compare the balls OF all sizes and
descriptions which ~histled around us, % no.
thing more sptly than the peliIng OF a hail
storm, which sstrong northeasterly wind drives
IN your face. The whole ground at our feet
vas ploaghed up with them. and their singing
was Ike That Of a tempest through Tue bare
Coz 'se of q vessel at anchor.
Under his really tremendous hire, Williams
bore himself as his gallant conduct in the skir.
mlshes which had diversified our march led me
to expect he would bear himself. There was a
railing, similar to that by which the Americans
were drawn up, which cut OFT the copse from
the cultivated fields. He was one OF The first
to spring over il; and shouting out 10 the men
to follow, he called to me by name and SAID.
nov who will be first in the enemy's line.'-
Without pausing TO look behind he rushed on.
| kept my eye upon him, indeed We were near
enough to converse, were it possible to hear
the sound of = human voice in such a tuInult;
aud | did what | could rather to RESTRAIN his ar
dor than TO give II encouragement. But at tue
very moment when | was repeating my eEtfes.
ties tnat he would look TO his men, instead OF
rushing on ahead Of them, a musket ball struck
him ON the neck, and he tell desc a. my feet
He never so much As moved. The bullet had
passed through the wlndplpc and spinal mar
row, and he was a corpse IN an instant. Poor
fellow! even in the heat o, action, | looked at
him with a feeling of bitter agony, OF which
words can convey no impression. But | could
not pause to pay the slightest tribute IT respect
to his re maius; | ran past him. and soon found
my attention so completely occupied by other
matters, rs to forget that such all one bad lived
aud was dead So Overwhelmingly exciting IS
the interest ola battle, and so perfectly engross-
ing are the thoughts TO which IL gives birth.
Notwithstanding the paucity OF our numbers,
the American ranks began TO waver as soon as
We arrived within twenty or thirty pacesoftheir
front, and the shouting preliminary 10 a charge
had hardly been uttered, when they broke, and
fled Our men were too much fstIgued to fol-
low with any CELEBRITY, but We pursued as quick
ly as we could, and bayoneting some seamen.
who pertnscious'y chung 10 their guns, took
posse sslon of two out OF the five pieces of can
non which had so severely CALLED US Our work
gas however, but beginning In five minutes
we found ourselves in front of a second line,
more numerous and more steady than that which
We had defeated. Ii was composed wholly OF
regular troops. who received us ~ we came
on, with murderous FIRE. ADD Instantly ad.
vanced to the charge. We could not pretend
TO meet them AT the first, we hardly muster
ed a hundred men. we were now diminished to
little more than half the number; q whole regi.
inent broke down upon us and we gave ground.
We fell back, however. slowly and indi ynantly,
halting from time TO time. and firing with eft
fect--whilst the enemy instead OF determined
rush, which. if attempted, must destroy us at
once, followed at the very same pace, and with
the same pfecaution. But their fire was very
destructiye-at least it would have been, bad
there stood opposed to il men enough 10 de-
serve it.
We had reached almost the end Of the thick
|. when Col Thornton. with a reinforcement
offresh troops, coming up, restored us TO our
former confidence. and We resumed the often
The enemy in their turn fell back, but
We could nor follow with our accustomed rapi-
men scarcely could walk, far less
SO there was time for their line to receive
achievements, before we succeeded in break
ng it The battle became now little else than
~ underwriting exchange of ~voileys. Meth.
sr party gained or lost ground; but, Tor q full
half hour, stood still loading and firing as quick
rs these operations could be performed. Whilst
his was proceeding Col. Thornton received a
,all in the thigh and tell. The Americans raj
ling a shout at the event, pressed; and our peo-
pie q little dishear,cned. retired-Charlton,
myself, and several other officers who were in
the field, did our best 10 stay them, and we
succeeded, though not TIL Col. Thornton, in
A. a..n.l H. "a 4hn ka-t. q L. -. l
s~ailsnts had been obliged TO roll himself down
he slope, TO a considerable distance. We had
retired in part as far as the ground where poor
lay. when one musket bail, hitting
the scabbard of my sword, broke il, and anoth-
er 1T the same instant slightly wounded my arm.
Yet | hardly felt the wound, so intent was | on
the men; and Gen. Ross himself COM
ing up at this instant, with the better part Of
the fourth regiment, the fortune of the day was
decided There was no more dis
TAM firing on our part. sChargei charged was
the only word of command issued. 1t was
heard with repeated scclamstions; and The very
of our cheers acting Ike magic upon the
Americans; they dispersed and fed in every
direction.
It were vain for me to attempt any discrip.
lion of the state of feeling which pervades a
man when after some hours hard lighting, be
first sees the line of the enemy Become confu. |
sed and the manifestation OF a ii ght exhibited.
Ills whsle soul is engrossed with the desire of
Overtsking them; and ifthere be a moment in
a mans existence at which he wouh sincerely |
thank Providence Cor the loan OF wings, it is
surely then. For my own part, ! strained my
throat till it became dry with cheering; and
on, as well as exhsustation would err
NIT. made an effort to overtske the Americans,
escaped from me, as persons who are fresh