Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-03-04

osaiI, anu tne creek 1nlShJ Dc 1Orded at low
water, but no tine was to be lost, for the tide
was rising.
I Leaving part of his men to keep face toward
Gen. Grant, Stirling advanced with the rest TO
pass the creek, but was suddenly checked bv
the appearance of CORVALLIS and his grenadiers.
Washington, and some of his officers on the
hull, who watched every movement had sun
posed that Stirling and his troops, finding the
case desperate, would surrender in BODY. with
out firing. On the contrary, his lordship boldly
attacked CORVALLIS with half of Smallwood;s
battalion, while the rest of his troops retreatad
across the creek. Washington wrung his hands
ii agony at the sight Good God !" cried he
what brave fellows / must this day lose p
1t was indeed desperate fight; and now
Smallwood's naearonis showed their game spirit
/ They We're repeatedly broken, but as often ral-
lied and renewed the fight We were ON the
point of driving Lord CORVALLIS from his sta
ton" writes Lord Stirling, " but large reinforce
ments arriving, rendered it impossible to do
more than provide for safety"
"Being thus surrounded, and no probability
I of a reinforcement writes Il MARYLAND offic er
"his lordship ordered me to retreat with the
remaining part of our men, and force our way
to our camp. We soon fell in with party of
the enemy, who dubbed their firelccks and
waved their hats to US, as if they meant TO sur
render as prisoners; but on our advancing with
in sixty yards, they presented their pieces and
fired, which we returned with so much warmth
that they soon quilted their post and retired to
large body that was lying in aubuscade"
TIo 4
bat with additional force. Only five companies
Of Smallwood's battalion were now in action.
There was a warm and close engagement for
nearly ten minutes The struggle became des-
perate on the part of the Americans Broken
and disordered, they rallied in a piece of woods
and made second attack They We're again
oyerpowered with numbers. Some were sur
rounded and bayoneted in field of Indian corn:
others joined their comrades who were retreat
ing across the marsh. Lord Stirling had en-
couraged and animated his young soldiers by
his voice and example, but when all was lost,
he sought out Gen. De Heister, and surrendered
himself as his prisoner
More than two hundred and fifty brave fell
lows, most of them omallwoods regiment per-
ished in this deadly struggle, within sight of
the lines of Brooklyn. That part of the Della
ware troops who had first crossed the creek and
swamp made good their retreat to the lines, with
a trifing loss, and entered the camp covered
with mud and drenched with water, hut bring
ing with them twenty-three prison ers, and their
standard, tattered by grape shot.
The enemy now concentrated their forces
within few hundred yards of the redoubts
The grenadiers We're within musket shot. Wash
ington expected they would storm the works.
and prepared for a desperate defense The dis
charge of cannon and volleys of musketry
from the part of the lines nearest to them seemed
to bring them to a pause
1t was, in truth, the forbearance Of tic British
commander that prevented bloody conflict
His troops, heated with action and flushed with
success, were eager to storm the works but he
was unwilling to risk the loss of life that must
attend an assault, when the object might be at
tanned at cheaper rate, by regular approaches.
Checking the ardor of his men, therefore, though
with some difficulty, he drew them off to a hol-
low way, in front of tie lines, but out Of reach
Of the musketry, and encamped there for the
night
The loss of the Americans in this disastrous
in killed, wounded and prisoners to have been
nearly 2000-a large number, considering that
not above 5000 were engaged The enemy ac-
knowledged loss of $50 killed and wounded.
The retreat from Long Island is wildly de
scribed:
The night after the battle was a weary, yet
almost sleepless one to the Americans Fatigued,
dispirited, many of them sick and wounded, yet
they were, for the most part, without tent or
other shelter. To Washington it night of
anxious vigil Everything boded a close and
deadly conflict. The enemy had pitched num-
Der of tents about mile distant. Their sentries
were but quarter of mile of, and close TO
the American sentries. At four o'clock in the
morning, Washington went the round of the
works, to see that all was right and to speak
words of encouragement. The morning broke
lowering and dreary. Large encamPments Were
gradually deserted; to appearance the enemy
We're twenty thousand strong. As the day ad-
vanced, their ordnance began to play upon the
works. They were proceeding to intreneh them
selves, but were driven into their tents by
drenching rain
Early in the morning Gen. Nifllin arrived IN
camp, with part of the troops which had been
stationed at Fort Washington and Kings Bridge
He brought with him Shee's prime Philadelphia
regiment, and Magraw Pennsylvania regiment,
both well disciplined and officered, and accus-
toned to act together They We're so much re-
duced in number, however, by sickness, that
thew did not amount in the whole to more than
eight hundred men, With Miflin came also
Col. Glover's Massachusetts, regiment, composed
chiefly of Marblehead fishermen and sailors
adroit and weather-proof trinity clad in blue
Jackets and trowsers The detachment num-
bered, in the whole about thirteen hundred men,
all fresh and full of spirits Every eye bright
ened as they marched briskly along the line
with alert step and CHEEKY aspect They were
posted at the left extremity of the intrenchments,
towards the Wallabout
There were skirmishes throughout the day
between the rifienen on the advanced posts and
IL