The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-11-20

pie, a little disheartened, retired.
Charlton, myself, and several other
officers who were in the field, did our
best to stay them, and we sue
ceeded, though not till Col. Thorn
ton, in order to avoid falling into the
hands of the assailants, had been obliged
to roll himself down the slope, to con-
siderable distance. We had retired,
in part, as far as the ground where
poor Williams lay, when one musket
ball, hitting the scabbard of my sword,
broke it and another, at the same in
slant, slightly wounded my arm. Yet
| hardly felt the wound, SO intent was
| in rallying the men; and Gen. Ross
himself coming up at this instant, with
the better part of the 4th regiment,
the fortune of the day was speedily
decided. There was no more distant
firing on our part. Charge, charge,
was the only word of command issued.
1t was heard with repeated acclama-
tiOns; and the very music of our cheers
acting like magic upon the Americans,
they dispersed and fed in every direc.
ton.
1t were vain for me to attempt any
description of the state of feeling which
pervades man, when after some hours
of hard fighting, he first sees the line
of the enemy become confused, and the
manifestations Of a flight exhibited.
His whole soul is engrossed with the
desire of overtaking them; and if there
be moment in mans existence at
which he would sincerely thank Provi-
dence for the loan of wings, it is surely
then. For my own part, l strained
my throat till it became dry with
cheering, and running on, as well as
exhaustion would permit, made an eff
fort to Overtake the Ameli .ans, who
escaped me, as persons who are fresh
will always escape from those that are
weary. To do them Justice, however,
their regulars, or rather ry'ers, as
Jonathan himself calls them, were not
unmindful of the lessons they had
learned upon the parade. They COW
cred their rear with cloud of riflemen,
at least equal, in point of numbers, to
the troops who pursued them; and the
rifemeh very deliberately, and very
judiciously, took up positions, from
time to time, wherever the cover of
bushes or underwood invited them.
Nor was their fire harmless, several in
dividuals, myself among the number,
received wounds from them. Iplainly
saw the person who thus honored me;
he lay behind little copse, and took
aim three times before he hit me; but,
at last, his ball passed through the
ieshy part ofmy thigh, and he escaped.
Too eager to be aware that was again
scratched, pushed on with my COM
panions as long as the last of the re-
treating force continued in sight; nor
ever dreamed of halting, till fatigue
and loss of blood together overpowered
me, and fell to the ground. Happily
for me, l dropped beside pool of wa
ter;-it was muddy and foul in no or
binary degree;-yet my thirst: violent
before, and doubly violent now, from
the exhaustion consequent upon
pretty considerable hemorrhage, gave
it delicacy of flavor which had new
er perceived in water before, and, shall
never perceive again. l drank till
that thirst was appeased; and then
looking round, perceived that there
were but three British soldiers near
me. They sat down beside me, till l,
in some degree, recovered my strength;
and having kindly assisted me to wrap
handkerchief round the bleeding limb,
We crawled, rather than marched, back
to rejoin our regiment.
Gro BE CONTINUED.