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

Placing himself at the head of his Mary
land contingent, many of whom ON that
day saw for the first time the fash of hos
tile guns. Sterling prepared for the terrible
shock of battle that was now inevitable.
The little band, less than 400 in number
now prepared for an assault upon FIVE times
their own number of the best troops of the
relocated enemy. who were infamed with
all the arrogance of successful combat
Forming quickly on the ground in the
vicinity of what is now Fifth avenue and
Tenth street, Brooklyn, the light column
along the Gowanus road into the
jaws of battle with unwavering front.
Artillery in every direction plowed their
ranks with the iron bolts of war; infantry
poured its terrible volleys of musket balls
in leaden showers, and from the nearby
hills the deadly Hessian Yagers sent swift
messengers of death into many manly
bosom, Still above the roar of the cannon.
musketry and rifles, was heard the shouts
of their brave leaders, .'Close up! Close
up Forward Forwardr' and again and
again the staggering but infinching files.
now growing fearfully thin, drew their
lines together and turned their stern young
faces to their country foe. 1t was test
of the pride and glorious mettle of old
Maryland.
Amid all the terrible carnage of the hour
there was no hurry no confusion. only a
grim despair, which their courage and de-
votion dignifed into martyrdom. The
advanced bodies of the enemy were driven
back on the Corteiyon house-now becom-
ing formidable redoubt--from the windows
Of which the leaden hail thinned the patriot
ranks as they approached Lord Corn
wallis hastily brought two guns into position
near one corner Of the house, and added
their grape and canister to the tempest Of
death. At last the little column is COM
PEELED TO halt, powerless to advance in the
face Of this murderous fire, yet disdaining
TO retreat. Again and again they close
their ranks over the bodies of their dead
comrades and still turn their faces to the
foe.
Many soldier TO earth is sent.
Many gap by the balls is rent;
Ger the corpse before springs the hinder man,
That the line may not fail to the fearless van.
To the right to the LEFT, and around and around,
Death whiris in its dance on the bloody ground
But the limit of human endurance had
been reached for the time and the shat
tered column is compelled to fall back
Their task however, is not vet half accom-
plished
As Lord Sterling looked across the soft
meadows 20 the scene of his last struggle
at Buckles Barracks and saw the demon
allied masses of his fugitive soldiers crowd
ing the narrow eauseway over Freek
millpond, or struggling through the muddy
tide stream. he felt how precious their lives
were to their country cause and he de-
termined to again nerve himself for a
struggle that could only end in a sacrifice.
Once more he called upon the survivors Of
the last desperate charge, and once more
the young heroes responded to the rallying
cry of their noble commander
How sadly Sterling must have looked
upon them-scarcely more than boys in
years and many of them the pride of
fond mother heart 80 young, so fearless.
and to face again the pitiless hail. With
few quick commands he reforms them
and again faces the enemy and prepares to
charge.
General Washington and Others who had
been watching the previous desperate fight
now supposed that Sterling and his troops
would surrender in a body, but as the
Marylanders with fixed bayonets rushed to
the charge upon the overwhelming force
opposed to them, Washington wrung his
hands. exelaiming, Great God what
brave fellows | must this day lose
rue DEATH GRAPPLE.
Ii was indeed a desperate fight And
now Smallwood' Maearonis showed their
metal. Like hounds from the leash they
sprang forward aud the impetus of the
charge carried them over every obstacle
quite close to the house. The gunners are
bayonetled at their cannon. and their sup
ports are shot down BY scores; CORVALLIS
seems about to abandon his position, but
the CALLING FIRE from the interior of the
house, and from the adjacent high ground,
and the arrival of the Hessians, again
compel them to fall back. Three times
more the survivors rallied, throwing them
selves upon the constantly increasing ranks
of the enemy, but the unequal combat could
not last much longer. \ few moments
more of the murderous fire and 256 of the
best youth of Maryland were either prison
en- in the hands of the English or lying
side by side in the mass Of dead and dying.
The dead now lie bathesa in the weiierlng blood
And the living are blest in the slippery aood."
Their purpose had been accomplished
and the flying army was saved from cap
ture or destruction. Amid the carnage
Lord Sterling was left almost alone, and,
seorning to surrender TO a British subject,
he sought the Hessian General, De Heis-
ter. and only to him did he yield his sword.
Three compa Mes, or little over 100
men, cut their way through the crowded
ranks of the enemy and maintained their
order until they reached the marsh, where.
from the nature of the ground, they broke
and escaped as quickly as possible to the
creek. They swan the creek, bringing
with them IS prisoners and their tattered
standard
The loss of the Marylanders in this
bloody fight of Long Island was simply
murderous. From sunrise until the last
gun was fred they were hotly engaged,
and when the rest of the American forces
had fed, they, numbering less than 400
men, held $500 Of the enemy at bay.
Nearly half their force was annihilated.
England may boast of her Blenheim,
Louisburg, Quebec, Trafalgar and Wal
terloo; France of her Austerlitz, Warengo,
Jena and Friedlandi Germany of her
Bossbach, Iissa. Minder, Sadowa and
Sedan, but nowhere on the world most
bloody fields of military conflict was there
displayed a more sublime and desperate
courage, than was shown by Maryland 5
stern battalion on that ever memorable
27th of August, 1776. And to this day
the visitor TO the city of Brooklyn will be
shown the spot were half of the Maryland
regiment stemmed the advance of the
whole left wing of the British army when
no other troops were left upon the Geld,
and where the best blood of the State
l,orobo1 .ha coil of a,., TelanI "A, tha