Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1832-11-28
BATTLE OF BRANDYwINE.

BATTLE OF BRANDYWINE.
II is not known to whom belongs The author
ship of the following brief sketch; but Il NOR,
thrilling and graphic account of one of our Rev
dictionary battles, is seldom seen. america,
System.
The battle of Brandvwine was fought on The
18th of September, l777, and lasted all the day
long. Il was bloody affair to Us, and well nigt
P'o'ri ntraI To 0reene and Sul,iv.n. W. hos
been in the saddle four hours under the intrepid
Pulaski, who, with his own hants examined oul
points, pistols, and furniture; as if assured that
the struggle would be deadly anda long con,,nu.
' ed one. The day was one of tn most beautiful
that ever broke over the earth. We were abou,
half mile from the man body, Ianged along u
green slope facing the west; our horses in num-
Der about four hundred, standin, patiently a. so
many marble creatures, until, l,st as the eastern
ekv began to redden and undulae, and cloud at.
ter cloud to roll and heave like a curtain upon
the wind, and the whole hea vensseemed dischar-
ging all their beauty and brightness upon spot,
happened to turn, and saw tbs tall Pole, hare
beaded, fitting about on his horse, like some war
like presence come out Of the earth, to worship
upon the summit of the hill behind u,; 1t NIGH,
De,-k'r the noble carriage of the man, the ma +.
tiai neariig of the soldier, would permit either
disappointment might he, in the awful employ
ment of devotion, or in the more earthward one
OF martha! observation. But suddenly he refined
bis ch' rger, shook the heavy dew from his horse
uaan's cap. replaced it, and leaped headlong dowa
the hill, jus, as bright flash passed away Oh ,hs
horizon, followed oy loud report, the next m -
ment a part of our ranks we're covered with dusI
thrown up hv cannon ball that struck within 3,
hnadred yards Of the place he hadjust left. Our
horses pricked up their ears at the sound, and u
at once, as if hundred trumpe,s we're pls,in.
in the wind, came the enemy in hn advance; p,
laski unsheathed his sword, called ont seler:
body, and set off at full galop toa mere distant
elevation, where we saw the enemy advancing ia
two columns, one under Knvphausen, which
moved with tremendous steadne,s; like q dark
solid mass, in direction towards Maxwell; the
other, un3sY Corn wallis, which -sameA To threat
en- the right hank of our main BODY. In,elli-
gence was Immediately sent to Washington, and
renforcsments called in from the house we had
lef.
We kept our position, awaiting for a whole
hour the sound # conflict; at last heavy vol
lev ratified along the sky; and a few moments
passed, aud hen another followed, like a storm
Of iron upon drum heads. The whole air rung
with it; another followed, and then gradually in
creasing in loudness, came peal after peal upon
Us, till it resembled one continued clap of thun>
der. rolling abou, in an illuminated vapour.
Blu, Pnlsski, with all his impetuosi,y. was a
general, and knee. his duty too well to hazard
any movement, ,;,l he sh,mid be able To ace with
certainty the opera,,ons Of The enemy in the va
por below. Meanwhile several little parties that
had been sent out came in. one after the other in
full GALLON, with the news ina, Knyphansen had
born down upou Maxwell in maonifcen, styie
--been beaten hack . ua;n and ao,;1. Int that he
had finally nreva;led1 and tha, M,xwaIi had 20.
treated acros. the river
A thin vanour nov rosa from, ,ho ,ro.,, ., ri,
below ms. and comnle,elv covered The ene,,y from
our view T. wa. No 49,. noss;hI. =, GU.
him. excent bv ths sound 81 ,ha ,read v~h;ch Nv.
could f.el N -. s.,,;d 40 ~ ,,,so,,'. -
onr horses. . nd no,v md 'ben . 9,,cL ,rl;m,nsr
;nn IN ,hs ,n;., .s s,,,,a go nd I'd Vs. 80,
above ;,--s,n,e vss,on ao.r;shed or some ms