Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-08-23

= regiment OF Virginia militia, under Colonel
one hundred cavalry The regular army
con ributed three hundred men from tue
12th, 36th and 18th regiments, under Lieut..
Col. VIM. Scott. To these must be added tue
sailors Of Barney's f1otlla, tour hundred aud
one hundred and twenty mariass from the
Navy Yard at Washington, furnished WITH
two eighteen pourders and three twelve
FOUNDERS. There were also various sn all co n
panies Of volunteer cavalry from the District
Mary lard and Virginia, under Lieut. 90 oneI
Tilghman and Majors U. H. Williams and
Charles Sterett, thre hundred In number, ana
squadron OF u. ). Dragons, commanded by
Msjor Laval. The whole fore was about
seven thousand strong, of whom nine hu udred
were enlisted men: The cavalry did not ex-
coed four hundred In number. The little armv
bad twenty.six pieces OF cannon, Of which
twenty were only six.pounders
Colonel James Monroe. the Secretary OF
State, who had been several days with winder
accommodating the enemy, and watching all
military movements, believed that Washington
was In great peril for he well knew the weak
ness Of the American forces. While r ,ss was
and we:t toward Marlborough, Monroe sent
the following dispatch to the President:
THE enemy are advanced six miles ON the
road to the wood YARD, and eur troops are re-
turing. Our troops were on the march 10 meet
them. but in too small body to engage. Cen
eral Wirder proposes to retire till he can col.
lect them In body. The enemy are in full
march to Washington. Have the materials pre-
pared 70 destroy the bridges. J. MoNROs
.P S-You had better remove the records
This message produced the widest excite
Town of between eight or nine thousand inhabl.
tants, and caused q sudden ana confused exodus
Of all the timid and helpless ones who were
able TO leave. Winder's situation was an
unenviable one. With b comparative strong
foe on his front ready to fall upon him or the
Capital he was expected to defend, he had only
about twenty. i've hundred armed and effective
men In camp, and many OF these had been from
homes
were undisciplined and untried, and sur.
rounded and influenced BY q crowd Of
excited civilians, 70 whose "ofhcious but
well.intended information and advice the
General was compelled to listen. Gene
raj Ross rested At upper Marlboro until
afternoon on the 23d, when, being Joined by
moved forward and drove back Major
Peter ana his command. He then pressed
steadily on unmolested to the junction of the
roads leading respectively to Washington CITY
and the Alexandria ferry, on the Potomac
river, not TAR above Fort Washington The
nigh OF the 23d Of August was marked by great
excitement in the national capital. Tine Presi-
dent and his Cabinet INDUCED in no slum bsrs,
Ior hoss, the invader, was bivouacked al Mel.
WOOD, near the Long Old Fields, about ten
miles from the city. and Winder's troops, worn
him. Lavai's hoIsemen were exhausted. and
troops at BIadensburg were too
weariec with long marching TO do much fight.
wInder's headquarters were at Combs, near
the Eastern Branch bridge, and at dawn the
president and several Of his Cabinet Minis.
tiers were there. While Winder and the Gov
eminent were in council, Ross moved to ward
biadensburg. 1t was ten O'Clock in the morn.
ing when Winder ordered General w, smith,
Win the whole OF his troops, to hasten toward
dered to move with his five hundred men, and
tne secretary OF State. who had seen some mil
ltary service in the Revolution, was requested
oy the President and Gen. Winder to hasten
him.
ing mis- troops. MT. MOGroe was immedi-
ately followed by General Winder and his
stan. The Secretary Of War then folio wed, and
lastly the President and Attorney General. ac.
companied by some friends, all on horseback,
rode on toward the expected theatre of battle.
General Winder had made proper disposition
were seen descending the hills beyond Bladens-
ouIe, and pushing on toward the bridge At
1a'f-past twelve they were in the town, and
anne wltnin range Of the heavy guns of the
arsi American line. The British commenced
1urling ekets at the exposed Americans, and
attempted to throw a heavy force across the
,rldge, but were driven back by their antago-
'ist cannon, and forced to take shelter in the
4 lage and behind Lowndes' Hill, IN
he rear OF II. Again, after due Preparation,
n advanced in double-quick time. and,
he artillery OF Winder's FIRST and
eeond lines opened upon them with terrible
rect sweeping down a whole company. The
!eaoly volleys into their exposed ranks: but
4. British, continuously reinforced, pushed
'aiiapuy forward, some over the bridge and
heavily upon the first and uus u pporfed line ~
he Americans that II was COMPELLED TO fall
back upon the second. A Company, whose
,om nanaer is unnamed In the reports of the
II the the first fire, leaving their guns to fall
Mo the hands Of the enemy.
Inc nrst British brigade were now over the
ream, and, elated with their success did not |
Valt for the second. They threw away their |
napsacks and haversacks, and pushed up 10 |
ne nill TO attack the American second line in |
>nrch's artillery. They weakened their force /
y stretching out so as to form q front equal
. their antagonists. 1t was q blunder which |
ih9er quickly perceived and took advantage
I. He was then at the head Of Sterett's regi.
lent with this and some Of Stansbury's mi
tia, who behaved calamity, he not only
necked the enemy's advance, bur, at the point
I the bayonet, pressed their attenuated line so
trongly that 1t fell back to the thic kets on the
rlnk OF the river, near the bridge, where it
nalntalned It's position most obstinately until
enforced by the second brigade Thus
il again pressed forward. and
DON turned the left flank of the Americans,
No AT the same time sent q flignt Of Missing
eeKes over and very near the centre and right
Sensbury's line. The frightened regiments
Schutz and Ragaa broke and fed in the
widest confusion. Wnder tried TO rally them.
VI IN vain. Sterett's corps maintained their
round calamity until the enemy had gained
9th their tanks, when Wnder ordered then
no the supporting artillery to retire ND the
III. Iney, too, became alarmed, and the re.
erly flight. -
The first and second lines of the Americans
aylng been dispersed, the British, flushed
'itn success, pushed forward to attack the
bird. Peters artillery annoyed, but did not
heck them; and the left, under the gallant
;ol Thornton, soon confronted Barney, in the
entIe, who maintained his position like a
eD uine hero, as he was. His 1s.pounders en- |
laoed the Washington road, ana with them
o swept the highway with such terrible effect |
hat the enemy 6led OF into Q field ana at.
smpted 10 turn Barney's right flank. They |
we're met by three 12.pounders and MARINES, |
nder Captains Miller and SEWER, and were |
ably cut mp. They were driven back to the |
avine, known as the dueling ground, leaving |
everal OF their wounded officers In the hands
the Americans. Colonel Thornton, who |
ravely led the attacking column, was se. |
eTely wounded, and Gen. Ross had his horse |
bot under him.
The fight OF Stansbury'e troops left Barney
unsupported in that direction, while a heavy
QUINN was hurled against Beall and his 1
lIlifia, on the rioht, with such force as TO dis.
ose OF them. The British light troops soon |
ainfd position on each flank. ana Barney him. |
III was severely wounded near q living fcun.
I'm OF water on the estate of the late MIR. Riyes,
hitch 10 still known as Barney's Spring.
oops could not arrive in time to aid the gal
mt notilamen. who were obstiuately man. |
lnlng their position against fearful odds, and
lat further resistance would he useless, Win. |
er ordered general retreat. The Commodore
% severely hurt to be moved, became a pris.
1er OF war, but was immediately paroled oy
eneraI Ross, and sent to Bladensburg after