The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1900-11-02


in the dark, to certain destruction, as
soon as daylight enabled the artillery
to play; whilst to attempt it by es-
capade. was esteemed project too
hazardous TO the fleet it was accord
inoly left, which, 10y bombardmont,
would it was presumed, reduce it to
ruins in few hours; and the com
menccment of serious cannonade
from the river, was to be the signal
for general movement in line.
Thus instructed, the reader will easi-
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 fash 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
tanned, that the plan had for some
cause or another, miscarried. At last,
when midnight was close at hand, a
solitary report, accompanied by the
ascension Of 4 small hright spark into
the sky, gave liolIcc that til, lombard
ment had begun. Another and anoth-
er followed in quick snccession; and
now every man instinctively sprung
from the earth, and graspcd 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 breathlcss attention for the
coming up OF the column which bad
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 tire,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 most decisive.
At last, when murmurs, mot loud but
deep" began to pass from man to man,
an aidede 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, +
rather humiliation, experienced and
expressed by persons Of all ranks, when
it became apparent that q retreat was
determined upon. 1t was no consola-
ton 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 es-
sential degree, upon the operations of
the navy. What were the American
entertainments to us? In the first
place, the most unpracticed eye could
not fail to pc trccivc, 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
only hal! detensible troops repose very
little confidence In the next place,
no truth can be more apparent, than
that. in all INTERPRETATIONS, compact
body Of veterans, well-disciplined and
orderly, are at all times an overmatch
for whole crowds of raw levies. Per
haps our leaders acted prudently in
d ferring the moment of attack until
after nightfall. 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
ell up, because single redoubt es-
capped cannonading from the river, we
could not divine. Our business, how |
ever, was a simple one; we had cnly |
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 pickets, to
perform, on the present occasin, the
office of rear guard. Among these our
company took its station; AMI 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 large fire by the roadside and !
sat down. There still remained in our |
flank some portion of the cognac: a |