Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-12-18

be had received from Gen. wtnder until helr-
log that the main army had retired to the East
trn Branch bridge, leaving his corps 1cOverod,
ne Ietreated towards the city. Anothsf and
hood OF Bladensburg. where Windsr, pushing
forward Smiths brigade, but leaving Barney's
and Minors corps-the one at the navy yard
and the other at the capitol-arrived In time to
| fight battle on dispositions not made by him
| SELF but by Stansbury and Smith and their as
slstants, Colonels o,l Montoe and MT; F. S.
nothing, as the gentlemen to whom
they have been principally imputed-Stans-
| bury and Monroe-were both ashamed of
| them; and the enemy desPised them TOO much
| to employ any nedneuUering against them.
They even threw themselves forward In open
order. advanced singly,, passed the bridge and
yanced corps. the general now ordered this
10 De supported; but his own words can best de-
scribe what followed: :Our advanced rifle
men'-Pfnkney 8 corpS-says the general, now
began to fire, and continued 1t for half q dozen
rounds, when observed them to run back to
an orchard. They halted there and seemed for
moment about returning TO their original po-
Sltfon, but in a few moments entirely broke and
retired TO the left OF StaDSbury' s line The adj
yanced artillery Immediately followed the rifle
men, and retired on the left OF the NTH B4lLi-
more regiment, which had been pushed for Ward
10 sustain them.
The first three or four rockets fired by the
enemy being much above the heads or Slams
buTy's line, they Stood them very ms.nfully: but
the rockets having taken q more horizontal
direction. universal fight of The center and
left OF SlansbuTy'S brigade was the conse-
quence. The 9Th regiment and the artillery
still remained, and l hoped would prevent
the enemys approach but they Que enemy
advanced Singly; therefore annoyed the SIN
considerably. when | ordered it 10 retire for the
purpose of putting it out OF the reach of the
enemy. The order was, howeye" Immediately
contaminated, from an aversion TO retire
before the necessity became stronger and from
nope that the enemy would issue In a BODY and
ehaDle US 10 act upon him on terms of equality"
INA
remarks: "TbtS narrative has no parallel In
military writing. The general, according to
TINS, trst ordered the retreat to put she corps
out OF the reach OF the enemy; which no doubt
would have kept them out OF harms way out
he counternanded this order from an aversion
70 retire before IL was necessary, and from
adva nope eo that the enemy. instead of
like towards would come out In a body
and fight him on equal terms; that
Is, Dy showing as large mark az he did.
wen, 10 indulge the general In this particular
tney dld at length 80 come out, and began to
deploy On his left. When, instead OF accepting
tne equal terals for which he had panied he
again ordered a general retreat, which became
llignt or total and absolute GlSorder," Gen.
"inder proceeds to say, "But his IRE beginning
10 annoy this corps-the fifth regimeRJ-still
column passing up the road and deploying on
It's left, ordered them TO retire. their retreat
became d Hight OF total and absolute disorder"
THD sKEDADDLE.
Beall's regiment was posted on height to
the right OF the road, which commander the
whole ground occupied by Stansbury's brigade.
Inc story OIL this regiment Is soon told IL eaya
one or two Intellectual fires and lied, Tnts
retreat completes the fortunes ani the fate OF
the 'front.' line, which could not be rallied and
way home.
SO far The account is taken from the report of
General Winder himself The seCoui line was
not under the observation Of the general and
Mt ~ 81
conduct. The second line was composed of
smiths brigade, the Both regular regiment
one battalion OF the 3Sth, detachment OF the
18th, Barney's corps OF seamen aud marines.
and the whole OF our cavalry.
BARNsY'S FIGHT
We begin With the letter of Commodore Bar
ney. "Wecane up" says the commodore, with
trot. We took our position On the rising
ground between Smiths militia and Beail's-
posted our marines and Searnen, ami waited the
approach or the enemy. During this period
The engagement continued, tue enemy advanc-
Ing aud our army retreating. apparently In
much disorder. AT length the enemy made his
appearance before US aad halted. After a few
minutes ordered our eighteen FOUNDER to fire
upon him, which completely cleared the Rad
A second and third attempt OF the same kind
were mace 10 come forward buv ali were de-
ftated They then crossed over into an omen
neid, and attempted 10 flank US. There he was
met Dy three twelve FOUNDERS, the marines and
Seamen acting as infantry aud was again total
~ cut up. BY this time not YesLage OF the
American army remained, except a body OF i've
OF six hundred On height on my right and
from which expected great support. Tne cue
my EoW pushed up their Sharp-Shooters aud be-
gan 10 ou.iidnh US on cur right. our guns were
thaJ Way, when he pushed up the hill toward
me American corps stationed as above described,
VINO, TO my great modification, made no resist
ance, giving fire or two, and retired. Finding
he enemy no" IL my rear, and no nea ans OF de-
,enee, ordered my men TO retire General
smith says '-the dispersion Of the front line
caused dangerous opening on Our LETT. of VIII oh
he enemy Was ayailing himself, When / ordered
COL Brent, with the second regiment, to take a
position Stl!i more TO our left. and he was pre-
pairing 10 execute this order when orders came
from General Winder for the whole of the
troops TO retreat" This is the story OF
the battle OF Bladensburg, q battle IL which the
American forces numb 1Fing S0t9 men with
proportonate cavalry and artillery, were d.
ieated Oy the ttJh,t br-lgnde without cavalry and
With Only three small field pieces AMI consist
ms or not more than ! 800 men, all told,
THE LOSSES ON BOTH SIDES
The British loss was put down In Ross Official
dispatch at So men killed and 1s5 wounded; but
IL was certainly much more. The American
loss was 26 killed and 81 wounded.
That criminal negligence and inefficlency ex-
lsted somewhere is beyond all question. The
mort1fylng and humiliating circumstances OF
the battle OF BladenSburg and the still more
diSgraceful result OF the capture of Washington
could have been prevented by the most ordinary
prudence and flrmneSs But where Is the censure
10 fall? Winder was whiteWashed by the court OF
inquiry ana 1t would have never done 20 have
laid any OF the blame OF this folly on the dis
u1guiShed statesmen who were aspiring to the
high office OF the Presidency. SO the poor SOL
diers were made tue scape-goatS, and all the
shame was packed OFF On their shoulders
"WithouG doubt" says Col Armstrong, OF the
investigating committee, 1.-The determining
cause or our disasters Is TO be found In that love
OF life which in many or the corps predominated
over love OF country and OF honor"-tn other
words, the disasters OF the day were due to the
cowardice OF the troops. The Washington and
Georgetown levieS have been most unjuStly as
sailed They were the first troops that met the
enemy under the command Of Major Peter an
experienced able officer, and it was from Major
Peters battery that the last ShOt was hired. His
command consisted OF the artillery, Sturs and
DaVlds0n's companies and Capt. Caldwell, with
some city cavalry.
THE ENTIRE FORCE OF TIE DISTRICT TROOPS
consisted OF one regiment from Washington.
commanded by Col. Magruder, and one from
Georgetown, commanded by Col. VIM Brent
The brigade was commanded by COL Walter
smith, or Georgetown. Including two companies
Oh light artillery, each having six six-pounders
and commanded, respectively, Oy Major George
Peter and Capt Benjamin Burch veteran
revolutionary soldier. It Included two COM
panies under Captains Doughty and Stull, rifle
men, but armed with common muskets Can't.
Stuls company at first peremptoI1ly refused 20
march until furnished with their proper arms.
These troops contained many OF The best citl-