Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-02-05


When on that field this band the IIcssians .ouuht,
Briefly he spoke before the fight began
Soldiers these German gentlemen are
brought
Fol four pounds and ten pence per man,
by Eng'and's king-a bargain, rs It's thought,
Are VIC worth more Let's Prove it how wc
can;
For we must beat them, boys, ere set of sun,
Or Mary Starksa ,rtdor :! 1t was done.
Col. F., I believe native OF Vermont.
who resided many years in Newly ok.
but whose noble spirit long since fed to
happier relms, performed the duty fad
Jutant on that occasion. lie related to
the writer the following fact, Of which he
was an eye witness. and which | believe
is wi,hou, any parallel in the records of
battles. m'.. ."
Major w. H., an officer who was dis
tinguished for his bravery and gallant
spirit, had under his command about three
hundred SCREEN mountain boys"-a
most significant appellation in those DAYS
all OF whom were sharpsluoters. accus-
toned TO the field. and strangers to fear.
This corps was posted OH an advantage
Gus piece; ofgronnd, partly concealed by
bushes. The enemy were duly apprised
of their position, and it, was deomed i'm
portant to disIodge them. Accordingly
a formidable detachment, ESTIMATED at
about five hundred strong, was ordered to
march against them. They advanced up.
on charge, thinking to decide the con-
test without much loss and with little
difficulty. The Americans, undismayed,
were prepared to receive them. Major
IL. gave peremptory orders to his troops to
reserve their fire until the word of COM
mand the enemy, therefore, rushed on
without interruption until they had ap-
preached within few rods Of this Spa,-
tan band, when, pursuant to order, so
deadly fire was poured into their ranks,
that those who escaped retreated in dis
may and confusion. The surviving Off.
GERS. and they were few in number, SO on
rallied their forces and brought them Sc
cond time to the charge. advancing to the
line OF their comrades who had fallen,
when they received a second fire not less
destructive than the first. The enemy
were completely panic struct, and fell
back in Wild disorder. The few remain
ing officers, however, who behaved with
dauntless bravery, and probably thirsting
Tor vengeance, rallied their troops once
more, although but few were left, and
brought them third time to the charge.
The issue of this attempt was not less
fatal than the others for after receiving
the third fire, the survivors fled in terror
and despair, and soon surrendered them
selves prisoners Of war. Their astonish-
ment was past utterance, when they found
that out of the whole force With whom thew
had been associated, no more than thirtv
remained ! The others lay stretched upon
the held in mute silence, presenting Il
terrible memento of the power and un-
yielding spirit Of lreemen, when summon
ed to battle in defence oil their Invaded
rights:
Immediately after the issue of the en-
gagement, my informant repaired to that
part Of the field which had been attended
with such fatal consequences to the enc
my.-He WAS h0rrer-struct on Witnessing
the scene that presented itself 10 his view
And his declaration to the writer of this
article was, never beheId so awful a
spectacle as here greeted my eyes. 1t
'ooS a ici"row Of dead men from one end
OF the Inc to the other" The contrast of
the green mountain boys" was scarcely
less striking, as but few of them were in
jured.
1t may not be improper to add, that
MAJOR H., whose enterprising and chivaL
rous spirit was well known to the Cana
dams and Indians, was long the object of
Incessant watchfulness aud farther in
centive was given by the diabolical base
ness OF the Canadians, who offered con-
siderable bounty for scalp. UhhappiIy.
they succeeded too well in their schemes
MAJOR H., in company with small party
rot his companions in arms, fell into al:
ambush, where most Of them were killed.
lie was butchered i'm a dreadful manner
and his scalp borne off to Canada. A
surviving officer, who was severely wound.
ed. but whose life was spared, Witnessed
the horrid transaction. Major II. was not
less distinguished for private worth and for
the exercise-of alfthe manly virtues, than
Tor his noble oonduct in the field. His
death occasloned anspeaksble regret to
every person who knew him, and particu-
iarly so among The officers Of the northern
army, by whomihe was universally and
most ACKNOWLEDGMENT. Fl.
BALTiMoRE, January 25.
ATTEMPT TO ROB THE STAGE.
This morning at little before six o.
CLOCK, as the accommodation State, be-
longing to the line Of Messrs Barnum.
beitzhoover q Co, was descending hill
on the Washington Turnpike, about TWO
hundred yards beyond where it divorces
rom the Prat street road. the driver was
tlred upon, though without effect the
oaIi passing near his head, by some per-