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

men got somehow ahead of u.s.
| could not repress a smile at the
question, though. to say the truth, an
7 older soldier than Williams might have
easily mistaken the force opposed to
us for anything rather than the army
on whose valor the safety of great
capital depended.
The corps which occupied the heights
above Bladensburg, was composed
chiefly of militia; and as the American
militia are not dressed in uniform, it
exhibited to our eyes a very singular
and a very awkward appearance. Snf-
ficiently armed, but wretchedly equip
ped, clothed part in black coats, others
in blue, others in ordinary shooting
jackets, and some in round frocks. the
three motley lines of infantry, but that
their order was tolerably regular, might
have passed off very well for crowd
Of spectators, come out to view the ap-
proach of the army which was to oc-
cupy Washington. \ few companies
only, perhaps two. or at the most three
hattalions, wearing the blue jacket,
which the Americans have borrowed
from the French, presented some APP
pearance OF regular troops. The rest,
as | have just mentioned, seemed coun-
try people, who would have been much
more appropriately employed in at
tending to their agricultural occupa-
tions, than in standing. with muskcts
in their hands, on the brow of a bare
green hill. There were, however, upon
the right, some squadrons of horse,
whose bearing was sufficiently warhke,
whilst about twenty pieces of cannon,
arranged at different points along the
ridge, spoke Of another and more seri-
Gus affair, than 4 mere triumphal
march through the middle of the levy.
| have seldom been more forciblv
struck with anything than with the
contrast, which glance to the rear
afforded at this moment, with the spec
tacle which was before me. A column
of four thousand British soldiers, NOV
ing in sections of six abreast, and COW
ering an extent Of road greater than its
windings would permit the eye to take
in, met my gaze in that quarter. The
dress. the perfect regularity of their
step, the good order which they pre-
served, and, above all, the internal
conviction, that they We're only advan-
cling to victory, excited in me fe lings
for which have no words, and which
he only can conceive who has stood in
sense of sighl alone. which, on the pres
ent occasion. was forced into power
full comparison. The Americans, from
the instant that our advanced guard
came in view, continued to rend the air
with shouts. Our men marched on,
silent as the grave, and orderly as peo-
pie at a funeral. Not word was
spoken, scarcely whisper passed from
man to man, but each held his breath,
and mustered up his best courage for
the shock.
The head of the column had just
turned the corner of the wood, when it
halted, and an aide-de-camp riding up
to Major Brown desired that he would
proceed with the advance guard, ascer-
tain the state of the village of Bladens-
burg, and i'm case it should he occu-
pied, dislodge its garrison. This or
der the Major prepared to obey, and,
calling in all his skirmishers, except
about half Il company, he formed his
men into one little column for the as
sault.
| have said. that the Americans, in
their lines, occupied C, rtain green hills,
about couple of miles to the left of
the point from whence we now beheld
them. Between their position and
ours, ran a branch of the river Poto-
mac, across which bridge was thrown
at the extremity of the main street of
Bladensburg. The road which con-
Quoted to the bridge ran parallel with
the stream, and compelled us to move
for some time completely under the
eyes of the enemy. whilst the towu it
self stood on our side of the river, and
was commanded bv several of their
guns. 1t is Il place of inconsiderable
size, not capable, should conceive, of
fifteen hundred inhabitants: but the
houses are, for the most part composed
of brick, and there is Il mound on Il
right OF the entrance, very we'll adapt
ed to hold a light tieldpiece or two, for
the purpose OF sweeping the road.
[ nder these circumstance we natural
" concluded that an American force
must be here. Though out of the reg
ular line it was not SO far advanced but
that it might have been maintained, if
not to the last, ut all events for many
hours, whilst the means of retreat, so
soon as the garrison should he fairly
oyerpowered, were direct and easy.
Our surprise, therefore, was not less
pal pable than our satisfaction, when
on reaching the town, we found that it
was empty.
AS our orders went no farther than
to direct that we should ascertain in
what condition the place stood, our
commanding officer deemed it needless
| to attempt anything beyond its mere