Washington telegraph., 1853-12-28

In the instance we have to record. the effect
of the fire of the rifiemen was tremendous.
Of the horsemen. some had fallen to rise
no more, while ther liberated chargers rush
ed wildly over the adjoining plain: others.
wounded, but entangled with their s.irrups.
were draggd by the infuriated animals ex
piringly along, while the very few who were
unScathed spurred hard to regain the shelter
of the British lines.
| While the smoke vet canopied the scene
of slaughter, and the picturesque forms of
the wood>men appeared among the foliage.
as they were re-loadng their pieces, the
colossal figure Of Morgan stood apart. He
seemed the very genius-of war, as gloomily
he contemplated the havoc his order had
made. He spoke not, he moved not. but
looked as one absorbed in an intensity of
thought. The martial shout with which he
was wont TO cheer his comrades in the hour
of combat was hushed the shell from which
he had blown full many note of battle
aud OF triumph on the field of Saratoga,
hung idly by his side; no order was given to
spoil the slain. the arms and equipments,
for which there was always bounty from
Congress, the shirts of which there was
such a need. at that the sorest period of
our country's privation. all, all, were aban-
doned, as. with an distracted air and
voice struggling for utterance, Morgan, sud-
denly turning to his captain, exclaimed
Long, to the camp. to the camp" The
flvorite captain obeyed, the rifemen with
trailed arms fell into file. and Long and his
party soon disappeared. but not before the
hardy fellows had exchanged opinions on
the strange termination of the late affair
And they agreed, mem cam that their col
onel was tricked, (eoniured) for asSuredlv
after such FIRE as they had just given the
enemy, snch an emptying of saddles and
scattering of the troopers. he would not have
ordered his poor rife boys from the field
without 50 much as few shirts. or a pair
of stockings being divided among them
Yes, said tall, lean and swarthy-lcoking
fellow, an Indian hunter from the frontier.
as be carefully placed his moccasined fee;
IN the footprints of the Gle leader. '.Yes.
MY lads, it stands 70 reason, our colonel is
tr;cked' -
Morgan followed slowly on the trail Of
bis men The full force Of his military
guilt had rushed upon his mind, even before
the report of his rifles had ceased to echo in
the neighboring forests He became more
ard more convinced of the enormitv Of his
offence as with dali and measured strides.
he pursued his solitary way. and thus so!il-
oquized:
We'll, Daniel Morgan. you have done
for yourself, Broke, sir, broke to certain
ty. You may go home, sir to the plow
your sword will be Of no further use TO you:
Broken, Sir. nothing can save you: and
there is the end Of Col Morgan Fool. fool
by a single act Of madness thus TO destroy
the earnings II 50 many tolls and OF many
hard fought battle You are broken. sir.
and there i an end Of Col. Morgan
To disturb his reverie. there suddenly
appeared at full speed. the aid-de camp, The
Mercury of the field. who. refining up, ac-
costed the Colonel with Il am ordered,
Col Morgan, to ascertain whether the firing
just now heard, proceeded from your detach-
ment.''
| ut did, sir doggedly replied Morgan.
I ''Then, Col. Morgan continued the aid.
Il am further ordered to require Of Won your
/ immediate attendance upon his Excellency,
who Is fast approaching
Morgan bfwed and the aid. wheeling
his charger galloped back to rejoin the
Chief
The CLEANS of the morning sun, shining
upon the sabres OF the horse guard, an
nounced the arrival of the dread command
er-that being who inspired with degree
/ OF awe every one who approached him
With stern yet dignifed composure. Wash
ington addressed the military culprit:
Can it be possible. Col Morgan, that
my aid-de-camp has informed rne Alright =
/ Can ii be possible, after the orders you re-
ceived last evening, that the firing we lave
heard proceeded from your detachment =
Surely, sir, my orders were SO explicit as
not to be easily misunderstood
Morgan vas brave. but it has been often.
and Justly too. observed. that man was new
er born of woman who could approach the
great Washington and not feel degree of
awe and veneration from his presence
J Morgan quailed for a moment before the
stern yet inst displeasure Of his chief, till
arousing all his energies for the effort, he
uncovered and replied
/ Your Excellency's orders were perfect
ly understood: and agreeably to the same,
1 proceeded with select party to reconnoi-
tre the enemys lines by night We suc-
ceeded even beyond our expectations and |
was returning to headquarters to make my
report. when. baving halted few minutes
to rest the men, we discovered party of
horse coming out from the enemy's lines
They came mp Immediately to the spot where
we lay concealed by the brushwood. There
they halted and gathered together ike a
fyck of partridges. afFording me so tempt