The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1895-08-10

the columns Of the MIryiaad .iouradL Ii
met With a ms, aaiteriHg reception by the
thousands Who read IT, and also won for him a
complimentary letter from one Of the lead
ing osieials of the Maryland Society OF the
sons Of the Revolution. It i here repro
dnspi fag the benefit Of the readers of the
ADVOCATE aud all others who take pride
and interest in the history Of their State,
which stands sscond to none in the ninn.
Il was a dark and glooniy hour in the
Fs,riol ~ the American Revolution that
the MARYLAND Lines the troOps were
termed thar were fr,m Mayland--was
destined to enter the field Of conflict In
the sixteen months previously that the
eunairt had raged a number of reyerses
had been sustained by the patriots and
the hopes of many had been shattered who
had entertained an idea of either an early
peace or i reconciliation with the Mother
Country. Such was the preliminary state
Il afairs leading up 10 the opening cf our
article.
After eyaeuating Boston in the spring
Of 1876. the British commander. General
Howe. returned 10 Halifax To await rein
flrcr1nenis Cnnceiving the idea, how
ever. of seiring New York. he embarked
fnr that por and arrived off Long Island
toward the close Of June 1875. He was
rseeiyed with great demonstrations Ut JOY
by the Tory portion Of the inhabitants Of
I.ang Island New York and New Jersey,
many ii whom took the oath Of allegiance
and emb,siied themselves into corp and
JOINED bis forces
In july Admiral Howe joined his brother
with a heet If 80 sail aud q reinforce
men, Of 20, O00 men. swelling his force to
3n u0O. while the American army num-
bcred only I : 00O, and nearly one fifth Of
these were sick aud unit for duty. This
number was sO0n to be increased by the
MARYLAND contingent On the l0eh Of
July six companies under Cl SmallwOod
himself. from Annapolis, and three from
Baltimore. embarked for the head Of Elk
river. nov Elkton. Cecil county Md.
whence they marched to New York and
were incorporated into Lord Sterling bri-
gade. They were wen appointed and
organized. composed Of the flower Of Mary,
land sous. who had already acquired the
skin aud precision Of trained soldiers.
Their scarlet and buff uniforms aud well
poiished arms contrasted strangely with
those Of the New England troops, and says
G;raydon There were none by whom
an unofieer ike appearance and dePort-
ment could be tolerated les than by a
Marylander who, at this time, was diStln-
guished by the most fashionable cut coat
the most macaroni cooked hat and the hot
test blood in the Union.
Arriving at a time when the army was
lamentably deficient in discipline, they
Immediately won the confidence of the
Commander in Chief, and from the moment
of their arrival were thrown out upon the
advanced posts and disposed as covering
parties. The four independent companies
remaining in Maryland were ordered 10
Join Col. SmallwoOd, as was also the flying
camp. now rapidly organizing in the State.
THE BATTLE
The British plans of operation developed
August 22d by the landing at Gravesend
Bay of Howe frst division. under Sir
Henry Clinton, comprising 5000 men and
40 guns oficered by such famous leaders
as Clinton. the Earls of CORVALLIS and
Percy. Generals Grant and Erskire. These
troops, pushing back Col. Hands Fegi-
ment TO the hills to the north, extended
their line from the Narrows ferry through
Utrecht and Gravesend to Flatland village,
while CORVALLIS, with DonOps Hessians,
six field guns and two battaliOns of light
infantry. advanced to Flatbush which
commanded the central road or pass
through the hills.
The design evidently was to carry
Greene intrenehed lines around Brook
lyn and by possessing Brooklyn Heights
10 force Washington to abandon Now York
or bring destruction upon the city, The
American forces on the island were under
the temporary command of Brigadier Gen
eral John Sullivan. They were well dis
tributed, but were at best--save few
regiments lot Of raw recruits, igno-
rant of military duty and so Indifferent to
military discipline that Washington re-