Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1833-03-23
From the Metropolitan.
PEMINISCENCEOF THE LAST WAR.
ny AN EVE WITNESS.
.Skirmlsh at Benedict.

rival ola British force in the waters {
the Patuxent river was announced, a,
compaDied by an order for the imms
date calling out Of the militia of tn
District Of Columbia. Being a sill
gle man and having two horses, in
mediately volunteered my services t
Captain William +. Thornton, of tn
Alexandria Dragons. The troo)
turned out, l believe, to a man; tina
is, every man who could by any mean
procure horse. But there were Sc
veraI who could not obtain one anon:
this number was an intimate friend i
acquaintance, Mr.. Robert Conway, o
Alexandria, (now living) to w'.."m
loaned my extra horse. We left Al
cxandria, if recollect right, abou,
nine o'clock in the morning, and pro.
ceeded forthwith to rplace ofdestina.
ton, viz: Benedict. On arriving al
Washington, we were joined by the
Washington troop, commanded BY
Captain Elias 3. Caldwell, and the
Georgetown troop, commanded by
Capt. q forget whom.) the whole un-
der the command Of Major Peters, of
Georgetown. Having formed, we a.
gain proceeded. After crossing the
bridge over the Eastern Branch. a
halt was called, and we fed our horses.
We resumed our march, and arrived
in the evening at Aquasco Mills, a few
miles from Benedict; here we encamp-
ed for the night.
On the following morning, a party
was despatched to Benedict, to recon
..G,soitre, and report the move ments of
Vie enemy. At about twelve o'clock
ofthis day, another person (who was
among the number previously men
toned, as not being able to procure
horses) arrived. Mr. Francis Wise.
lie was not member Of the troop.
but had, like myself, volunteered bis
servi~es.-He was, by profession, a
sailor, and is well remembered in A.
exandria. as having been among her
best sailors. lie was in every sense Of
the world complete seaman. alike
regardless Of danger or its conse-
quences. and though more accustomed
to mounting deck than mounting horse.
our t1r-soitirr, as well as his horse.
showed that he had been crow1-
ing every inch Of canvass to come up
with us. Had he been asking the
loan Of a horse to go to wedding.
poor Wise could not have asked the
favor more ardentiy than he had done
on the preceding day, in every quar-
ter where h. was likely to procure
one. All were engaged: either by
their owners. or loaned to persons who
had joined the troop. Where he sue
ccedcd in proc urirs the horse at last
] know not, suftis e it to say, that onI
Joining US. his eyes sparkled with de-
light, and his very soul seemed over
joyed.
Just at the time of Wise's arrival.
we were about preparing for our din
ner. He had not been there more
than fifteen minutes, when the trumpet
ito horse,'' SADDLE up for
march, resounded through the
camp.
Poor fellow. Wise. although he had
ridden so hard that day to overtake
Us, was amongst the first to obey the
summons: little did he dream that that
was his last day upon earth. In a +
few minutes all were ready to move,
and We Immediately commenced our
for Benedict. Here must ex-
plain. Benedict IS situated a: the foot
Of a hill, which i. nearl, rilc from
the summit to the bottom. from which
we had good view of the town and :
Upon our arrival at
the summit, we were joined by several ,
volunteer companies of infantry. a.
rnong whom l recoilected Capt. S,oll's!
elegant company of r,f!emen. from I
and certainly l never be- I
held finer looking Set than they t
were. At this junCture, who should &.
ride up but the well known old veter- ,
an Gen. Philip Stuart. He OF course
Immediately assumed the command. c
At this moment it was discovered that
i small body Of the British were en- :
gagged IN cutting down the green corn.
with their swords. in large field at the
foot OF the hill. whilst others were en- s
pioyed in carving it to the beach: forll
the purpose. as we afterwards ascer-M