The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1900-10-12

halted. The 4th regiment, arriving
after them, wheeled off, as the S3th
had done, to the right; but, instead oi
extending itself, flied along i'll column
OF half companies. hy the rear of the
linht troops, till it was lost to farther
observation in a grove. y similar
movement was made by the 44th and
q battalion of marines, who, forming
line in the open field, stood to support
the skirm;shcrs: whilst the 2lst, taking
up its ground on the road, came in on
the rear of the column: of which the
seamen constituted the front. All
these formations were executed with
as much cooncss and precision as If
the whole had been nothing more than
a review; and in the eyes of us, who
watched it, the spectacle was in the
hi CHEST degree interesting.
In the meanwhile, neither the Amer
lean artillery nor our own remained
idle. The head of the column no SOON
cr appeared, than the cnemys pieces,
which commanded the road, opened
upon it, and, though the range was
somewhat long, did considerable exc
cution. To check this, Capt. Car
michael, by whom the British artillery
was commanded, instantly ordered two
guns and a howitzer to the front, and
pushing them forward within point
blank distance of the Americans, soon
paid them back, with interest, in their
own coin. | do not know that / ever
saw shots more accuratel y thrown. At
the first discharge, five American gun
ners were killed; at the next, one OF
the pieces was disabled; upon which,
turning their attention to the infantry
our artillery-men moved them down
by whole sections. On this occasion,
the missile principally used was the
Shrapnel. 1t may, perhaps, be ncces-
sary to inform the unmiiisary reader
| that the shrapnel is a hollow globe oi
iron, the cavity of which is filled up
not with powder only, but with quan
! tity Of musket balls. 1t is discharged
from Il cannon exactly as a long shot
is discharged; and being supplied will
fuse, more or less short, according tt
the distance to be travcrsed, it bursts
just in front OF its object, and throws the
whole of its murderous contents for
ward. To-day it did fearful havoc
The Americans burst not stand before
it, but shrunk away from each spot
where a shell had fallen, as if there haC
been something deadly in the very soil
But it WAS not upon the road alone
that Il smart cannonading was kept up
The three guns, of which have al
ready spoken as being stationed in til,
fields towards the Americans left
opened upon the S5th regiment as sooI
as they had taken their ground. Th'
soldiers, however, paid, little heed t
the sautation. Being commanded t,
lie down, they did SO, and rested fo
twenty minutes very composedly, il
defiance of the showers of balls tina
fell thick and fast about them.
At the expiration of that period
every necessary preparation appearing
to be complete, Colonel Brooke, Oh
whom the chief command had devolved
was seen to ride along the rear of th'
line, followed by his staff. Hating
about the centre of the field, the littl.
group turned their glasses, for few
moments, in the direction of the enc
my's position, and then, as if satisfied
that all things were in order, they be
gan to dispcrse. An aid-de camp gal
Topped off to the right, Mr.. Evans flew
towards the left, and the orderly bu
gler sounding the charge, the who'll
army sprung into its ranks. The spirit
stirring notes were echoed back from
all quarters, and the line moved for
ward.
have said that our position all th
while was among number Of house
way between the hostile armies Moth
ing can be conceived IN )rc animated
or m Dre imp )sin5, thln the spectacle
which now met our gaza. The ligh
troops. in extended order, stretching
from one thicket to another, covere,
the entire open space, and advanced
with the same coolness, and in tn
same admirable style, as if they ha'
been marching upon parade. In thei
rear, though far enough removed t.
be, in a great measure, secure agains
the fire of musketry, came a compac
line, whose business it was rather t.
give support wherever it should b
needed than to take any active par
III the battle. On the road again,
den column of ue-jackets pushe
forward, with the alacrity and cor
tempt OF danger, which SO eminentl
distinguish the English sailor; whilst
battalion, likewise in column, marche
after it, ready to follow up with advar
tage whatever successes the privileged
undisciplned valor ofthe seamcn mi gh
obtain.
On the side of the Americans agail
all was stiffness and expectation. Th
corps which, up to this moment, ha
J been continually changing thei