St. Mary's gazette., 1863-12-17
FSDas ~ Constitutional lIaion.
MARYLAND AND THE FIRST WAR

Fs<snA AASU AMI fnE FIkgSl WAX
10 sHuding 20 the arhievessenss Of the
Aaryland ssonps during the Revolutionary
siragsle. We made spccial ucn,iio, of their
deeperasc self saerifre nj the hattie .nf the
]" frl':~ Nills." The question hiss been
ssked us n.ors shanss once whea and where
shis hsstIe Ascearrrd In ID. or+linsry and
soarce .iej lr,, we are no, surprised Ina.
this car'1ict has escaped all notice. To
satisfy the curiosity of our eEquirers. we
sIijoin All authentic account of the Eeht.
II "ccurred near Brooklyn:
Ah"t break Of day, Stirling took his
p"sItion atisanta geously upnn thc summit
Of the h:ila- and was j.in~d hy the ,rnops
driven in Ivy ID. advancing columns of the
enemy. For several hours severe can
ndi'a'ie was kept up cu both sides. and
Nfiriiug was repeatedly attacked by the
hrigades umlcr C.'rnwalis and Grant. who
were so often gallanrly rrpulsed. At
!''ngth 'he left wing of the American f.rce
having been completely turned by Clinton.
and tn" ccn'rc under Sullivan. broken mt
the first atHack "f Gen. De Hester. the
positio'' of Stirliug's brigade or the right
btcane periious IN the extreme. The
passes {" the American lines at BROOKLYN
were ~ the possession "f an ovprpowering
British force-two strong brigsies were
assaillng him in front. and IN his rear Law
an extensive inarsh. traversed tv Jecp
and dangerous creek. eighty yards in
width at us mouth; pear its head. at the
Yellow. Mile. the only bridge, which
might have afforded ih. brigade saf. re-
treat. had brcn burned down tv . New
England regiment under Col Ward. IN il.
very hasty rstreat. although covered By
the American batteries. The ouly hope
OF safety therefore far the gallant troop,.
Who still main,ained the battle snd held
the enemy at bay. was to surrender. or 20
cr"ss this dangerous marsh and creek ar
its mouth. whore no Que had ever been
knswn to cross before.
Colonel Smallwoad having arrived from
New York. and learned the perilous si,ua-
tion Ut his battalion. applied ID Gen Wash
ingfon tor some regiments ta cover their
Fstfsat. - ftsr d Esn5siits hss;tatiop. ms
." the prudence Of ri-king more tronps ND
Oh lost battle. unwilling to abandon these
brave men 70 their fate. he despatched him
With New England regiment, Captain
Thomas indeprnden, cernpany. which had
just arrived from New York. and two
he'd pieces. :" take = position IN the
banks of the sircam and protect the REM
nant Of the brigade IN the attempt to
swim it
The scene If the conflict was wsthin a
mile of the American lires, and whilst.
Smallwood was hastening to their aid. Stir
ling prepared to make last effort TO
check the advance sf the enemy aud give
:lme 10 portian of his command 10 make
g'od its rvtrrat For this purpose he So
lrcted four hundred n,-n from the Mary
land battali"n. under Maiur Gi.t, placed
himself ut their head. and having ordered !
all the other troaps 10 maka the best Of
their way ,breugh the creek. advanced
against Carnwallis' brigade As they
drew cat between iir two bodies of the
rne'"v. it was ih"nght by the lockers on
frnm the camp that they were about tc
snrr"sd"r. tut as with liked bayoncts they
rushed 10 fh.. charge UPON the ovrrwh helm. ]
lug force oPpdEl to them. fear aud sor- /;
row filled every heart. and Washington
himself wrnng his hands. exclni,ninp.
''tool God what brave fellows must
this day lose " Five times this little band
charged upon the powerful fcscrs of Corn
WALTZ; and each tim. driven back. again i
gathered their energies fur a 6erc~r as-
sanlt. until at aa-, upon the sixth. the /
heavy columns Of the british reecd under /
tie REPEATED shocks and be gau,o give way /
in confusion. !;
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