The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-04-16


in the dark, to certain destruction, as
soon as daylight enabled the artillery
to play: whilst to attempt it by es-
capadc, was esteemed 4 project too
hazardous. TO the fleet it was accord
ingly left. which, by bombardment,
would it was presumed, reduce it to
ruins in a few hours; and the COM
mencement Of a serious cannonade
from the river, was to be the signal
for general movement in line.
Thus instructed, the reader will east
ly believe, that as hour after hour stole
on, we turned our gaze, with feverish
anxiety, towards the river. All, how
ever. continued as it had been before.
No flash told that the shipping had
taken their stations; the noise of the
firing was unheard, and the most seri-
GUS apprehensions began to be enter
tained, that the plan had for some
cause or another, miscarricd. At last,
when midnight was close at hand, a
solitary report, accompanied by the
ascension of a small bright spark into
the sky, gave notice that the lombard
ment had begun. Another and anoth-
er followed in quick succession: and
now every man instinctively sprung
from the earth, and grasped his arms.
The point to be passed was, We we'll
knew, in our immediate front. We
were aware, that in forcing it, our de-
tachment would take the lead; and we
listened in breathless attention for the
coming up of the column which had
been appointed to support us. Our
ears too, were on the stretch for the
musketry which ought soon to be heard
in the opposite direction; in a word,
we stood in our ranks for full hour,
under the influence of that state of ex-
citation, which, while it locks up the
faculty Of speech, renders the senses,
both of sight and hearing, acute to an
almost unnatural degree.
Such was our situation, both of body
and mind, from midnight, when the
ships began to open their fire, up to the
hour of two. That all things went
not prosperously was manifest enough.
The precious time, at least, was escap-
ing us; and for that loss we all felt
that nothing could make amends; but
we were far from anticipating the to-
tai change of resolution which had oc-
Cured, and of which we were so soon
to receive proofs the mo t decisive.
At last. when murmurs, "not loud but
deep began to pass from man to man,
an aid-de-camp arrived, and our sen
tries were ordered to be called in.
This being effected. we proceeded, un-
der his guidance, towards the left; till,
being arrived at the high road, we
found the whole army in marching Or
der, and to our ineNpressible astonish-
ment, preparing to withdraw. The
column was formed, as soldiers express
themselves, left in front; and the mems
faces were then towards the shipping.
1t is impossible for me to convey
any idea of the disappointment, or
rather humiliation, experienced and
expressed by persons ofall ranks, when
it became apparent that a retreat was
determined upon. 1t was no consola-
tion to us to be told, that the frigates
had been unable to force their way
within cannon-shot Of the enemy's
works, and that the bombardment of
which we had been spectators, proved
all but harmless to those against whom
it was directed. We could not believe
that our success depended, in any cs-
sential degree, upon the operations of
the navy. What were the American
entertainments to us? In the first
place, the most unpracticcd eye could
not fail to perceive, that of the field
works begun, not one had arrived at
completion; and the most ignorant in
the art of war is aware, that in works
ouly half defensible troops repose very
little confidence. In the next place,
no truth can be more apparent, than
that, in all night-operations a compact
body of veterans, well-disciplined and
orderly, are at all times an overmatch
fDr whole crowds of raw lcvies Per-
haps our leaders acted prudcntly in
deterring the moment of attack until
after nighttall. BY so doing. they at
all events rendered The enemy's superb
ority in artillery of no avail; but why
the plan of night attack should be Civ
Sl up, ptSatSC II SlHSlc TctlOuDU eS-
capped cannonating from the river, we
could not divine. Our business, how
ever, was a simple one; we had only
to obey; not, indeed, with the same
satisfaction which would have marked
our obedience of other orders, but
promptly. and in good spirits
1t fell to the lot of the companies
which had furnished the pckcts, to
perform, on the present occasion, the
office of rear guard. Among these our
company took its station; and as we
were commanded not to move till day
light began to break, we no sooner saw
the column set out, than we gathered
around a large fire 10y the roadside and
sat down. There still remained in our
flank some portion of the cognac, a