Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1843-02-23
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BATTLE or BRANDYWINE.

BATTLE Or BRANDYWINE.
We bad been in the ,saddie about an
hour. under the int. epid Pulaski, who,
with his own hands examined our swords,
pistols. and other equipments, as if as
sured that the struggle would be deadly
aud a long continued one. The day was
one of the most beautiful that ever broke
over the earth.-We we're about half a
mile from. the main body. ranged along a
green slope, facing the west. our horses.
about fnar hundred in number, standing
as SO many marble statues until, just as
the eastern sky began to redden and un-
dulate, anl cloud after cloud to roll up,
and heave like a great curtain up in the
wind, aud the whole heaven seemed dis
charging all lis beauty and brightness
upon one spot. happened to turn about,
and saw the Pole (pula>ki0 bare-hea,Ied
fitting his horse, like some warike pre-
sence come up out OF the solid earth to
worship on the very Summit Of the bill
behind Us /; it might be, ttar the noble
carriage OF the man, the martial bearing Of
the soldier, could permit either interpre-
tation, it might be iii the awful employ
ment of devotion OF in the ,aore earthly
one Of martial observation but he sud-
denly relgned up his charger, shook the
heavy dew from the horseman's cap. re-
placed it and leaped headlong down the
bill, just as the bright fash passed away
or the horizon, followed b. a toud report,
and the next instant, part of our ranks
were covered with dust aHd turf. thrown
up by Il cannon ball that struck near the
the spot he had just left.
Our horses p|uckcd up their ears at the
sound and all at once, as If hundred
,rumpets were playing in the wind. came
the enemy in his advance. Pulaski set
al at full gallon to more distant eIeva-
stIg,n. where he saw the enemy advancing
in two columns, one under knyphausen,
which moved in s;eadiness, in dark
solid mass, towards the spot occupied by
General Maxwell the other, under
CornWallis, which seemed to threaten the
right,flank Of our maln body. lntelli-
gence was immediately sent to Washing
ton, and reInForcements called III, from
spot we had Just left.
We kept ctr position, awaiting for a
whole hour. The sound of conflict at last
Il heavy vUiley ratified along the sky; a
few moments passed, and then another
followed. like storm OF iron On drum
heads The whole air rung with it; an.
ether and another followed; then gradu-
ally increased in loudness, came peal a.
ter peal, till it resemb!ed continual ciat
thunder, rolling about under an illumi-
p mated vapor. But Pulaski, with all his
impetuoSity, was d General. and knew
his duty too well. to hazard any move
,nent till he should be able to see with
certainty the operations of the enemy in
the vapor below.
Meanwhile, several little parties which
had been sent out, Game in, enc after the o.
Their with the Intelligence, that knyphau-
sin had broken down upon Maxwell in
ma gEiticient styte--been beaten back a.
gain but that he finally prevailed and
sha: Maxwell had retreated across the
river: 4 thin vapor had arisen from the
earth below US and completely covered
the enemy from our view. 1t was no
@iunger possible to follow him. except by
The sound Of his tread, which we could
feel III the solid earth Earring ourselves
and horses; and now and then, quick
.llmmerins in the mist, as some standard
raised above it, some weapon tlourished.
or some muskei shot through it like 4
rocket.
About an hour after, horseman dash
red through the smoke on the very verge
ri the horizon, and after securing the
fields, for whole mile in view. cOmmu-
nicated with tive or three others who set
off in different directions: one to Us with
orders TO hurry down to the ford where
the commander in chief was determined
to fall on knyphausin with all his power
before Corn Wallis could come to his aid
1t was a noble but hazardous game
and Pulaski, whose war-horse literally
Numbered and lighted along the broken
and stony prccipice 10y which we descend
ed, kept his eve warily to the right as if
not quite certain that the order would
fos be countermande5I
We soon fell in with General Greene.
who was posting all Oh fire to give kny.
phausen battle, and the next moment saw
Sullivan lis full march over a distant hill
towards the enemies flank. This arrange
men; would doubtless have proved fatal
Ito knyphausen, had not our operations
been unfortunately arrested at the very
moment we were prepared tofail upon
iiiin, man and horse, by the intelligence
that Cornwails had moved off to another
quarter. 1t was moment of irresoIu.
stion--doubt. 1t was the death blow To
our hopes OF victory. Greene was re-
called, aud Sullivan commanded to halt.
Hardly had this happened, our horses
being covered with sweat. and iroth, fret.
ting in the bit like chained tigers. and
covered with dust, it being an excessive
-ly hot and suitry day, when heavy cano-
made was heard on eur right flank. and
ss.aono IN x7Ia asa div isinn xua hsd hon,,