Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1871-12-08

0S d eacTtuCe 10 l8t0s ulS OetOVeU Olcuhu.
tha asks if they shall not meet again. to
which be replies Il asked that dreadful
question of the bills that seemed eternal
of the clear streams that flow forever
of the stars among whose fields of azure
my raised spirit had walked. As I look
upon thy living face. I feel that there is
something in thy love that cannot wholly
perish. We shall meet again Clemantha.
Maryland Soldiers at Brooklyn.
Some months ago, the Brooklyn (New
York; Eagle published from monograph
by Mr.. Field. a narrative Of the services
of the Maryland Battalion 10 Brooklyn.
on the 9th Of August. 1776. the day Of
the disastrous battle Of Long Island. The
following account, condensed from that
narrative, will be found of historical inter-
est: ss9'e'
No sooner did the people Of Maryland
learn of the danger to which New York
and Brooklyn were exposed than they
sounded the call to arms. and in two weeks
sent forward eight regiments and battal-
ions. Numbering four thousand men. to
reinforce the small army under Washing
ton. Of these troops. Smallwood's bat
talon, consisting of six hundred young
men and lads of the best families of the
State. was we'll uniformed and disciplined.
and was at.once relied upon BY Wishing
ton for performing the most hazardous
duties. In the course OF few weeks the
battalion had been reduced, BY sickness
and the severity Of the service. to four
hundred and fifty effective men. To these
were joined. on the day Of the battle Of
Long Island, the Delaware battalion of
one hundred and twenty men. During
the fight. says Field, these young soldiers
suffered under grest disadvantage Of be-
ing for the first time in the presence Of an
enemy. Yet 90 noble vas their ardor and
so perfect their discipline, that when the
great rout Of the American army begun.
The Maryland battalion was the only or
ganization which preserved its order. and
was effective in guarding the retreat.---
When Gowanus Greek and the 'neighbor-
ling msrshcs were covered With broken
masses Of the American srmy, General
Stirling saw that nothing but diversion
would save them from destruction, and,
to effect bis purpose, he hurried to the
Maryland battalion. ''as forlorn hope"
What followed We give in Mr.. Fields own
"The young men composing it answer
ed his sppesl with the noblest self-devo-
ton and enthusiasm. The enterprise vas
. voluntary exposure to almost certain
death. Less than fye hundred young
men and boys were about to assault po-
sition supported BY the whole British ar
my. Yet even dreadful perils did not ap-
pal them; with General Stirling At the
head of their column, they charged upon
the enemy's batteries, whose grape and
canister poured upon the fugitives at
short range, were covering the marsh and
water with dead and wounded at every
discharge. "a
80 fierce and persistent was the onset
Of the battalion that the British were driven
in confusion from their battery 1t the stone
house on the Gowanus road. The guns
would have been spiked or turned upon
the enemy. but for the heavy FIRE Of the
grenadiers. who had flung themselves into
the house. the strong walls Of which made
it a formidable redoubt. o. the adjacent
bill more than eight thousand Of the. Brit
ish army were moving into position to op-
pose this little band Of not more than Eve
hundred men.
"After protracted and bloody strug
gle around the Cortelyou House, the Ma
rylanders we're driven, back by the over
powering numbers of the enemy. Twoor
three hundred yards to the south Gowanus
road.turned sharply to- the west. and. fay-
ored BY the stone walls and the thickets
which bordered it, the battalion formed O.
gain. aud once more pressed forward into
the vide semi-circle Of fire which was con-
centrated upon them. =, -, .a.s ,..s..@
EVERY moment increased the number
Of their enemies. aud every moment less
ened their own. The storm Of graps and
uusket shot from the dense lines of the
enemy in front, and the rifle balls of the
Hessian yagers on every knoll. again
drove them back to their cover. Again
forming there for assault, and again driven
back, with numbers lessening at every
step. these brave Maryland lads at last eff
fected the purpose for which so many Of
them had freely given their lives. The
great mass of their fugitive countrymen
had crossed the creek and marsh, snd
we're beyond pursuit Of the enemy. For
more than 40. hour the battalion had sus-
tained the terrible fire concentrated upon
them, and Eve times assaulted an enemy
more than twenty times their streogth.-
Shattered 1t every charge upon his inn
preguable lines. their discipline. their ar-
dor and their heroidm restored their rsgi-
mental order at every repulse; and it was
only when their officers had fallen that any
portion Of the battalion made .h effort for
MISREPRESENTATION. On the ground now