The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-09-06
SKETCH OF GENERAL ROSS.

9
a skltt.
SKETCH OF GENERAL ROSS.
General Ross, who commanded the
( English forces in the attack on Balti-
more, was a native of Ross TREVOR, in
county Down, Ireland. His father dis
tngushed himself at the battle of Win
den, while commanding the fifth regi-
mcnt of grcnadiers. He married the
sister OF the Earl of Charlemont and
General Ross was his Youngest son.
General Ross was distinguished as an
officer of the Twentieth English Regi-
ment of foot in Holland and Egypt; was
aforementioned at Mama; was in the
campaign at Corunna under Sir John
| Moore, and commanded frigate at the
battle of Nilloria and the Pyrenees, and
was wounded at Orchez. He was an
aide-da-camp to the King. and selected
by the Duke of Wellington to command
the forces sent to America.
HIS FAMOUS OATH: al WILL EITHER
TAKE DINNER TONIGHT IN BALTI-
MORE OR IN HELL.
OF the many incidents and reminis-
cences of the North Point battle, none
is more interesting than that which de
scrbes the terrible oath taken by Cen
eral Ross Just before the battle The
account IS best given by Mrs. Lang
ford, a widow, whose house was on the
battlefield There is no doubt of the
absolute truth of the narrative, as Mrs.
Langford was well-known lady of that
period and was highly esteemed by all
of her neighbors. Mrs Langfords &C
count of the affair is as follows: Cen
eral Ross rode up to the house in the
morning and asked for drink of milk
for himself and several officers who ac-
companied him. After they had par
taken of the milk they offered to pay
for it, but She declined to take any
money, not knowing who they were,
but supposing that they were soldiers
from Baltimore. She asked them, how
ever who they were, and General Ross
replied: 81 am General Ross in COM
mand of the British forces, and we have
landed at North Point. Mrs. Langford
lOANl NIlNlll lltiN llcO Sic klON IL lldl lllGN
should not have had the milk. i don t
care d., said Gen. Ross, it S
gone now. Mrs Langford asked them
where they were going, and Gen. Ross,
replied 4 will either take dinner tonight
in Baltimore or in hell
In less than fifteen minutes he was
shot within sight of Mrs Langford
She also heard the shots which ended
the lives Of Wells and McComas. They
carried Gen. Ross body to her house,
but the lady refused admittance. The
carriers Of the MORALLY wounded Cen
eral then went a few hundred yards
distant to some trees where they erected
tent of horse blankets
AvIEw OF THE PAST.
In the year 1912 the veterans then
living who had participated in the battle
and bombardment organized an as
ISOLATION, to be known as the cold De
tenders Association. 1t numbered
at that time 1889 members, most OF
whom lived in Baltimore. 1t was the
custom of the association to attend
church in a body on the Sunday pre-
vlous to the 18th of September, each
member wearing Cockade and a piece
Of crepe. On the 18th of September
they would assemble at the City Hall
and, after marching around the Battle
! Monument, so to some convenient place
out of town and eat their annual dinner.
The city appropriated $500 every yeal
to aid in paying the expenses of these
reunions. The familiar air of 1.-The
Girl Left Behind Me- was usually
played as the men LETT the City Hall fol
their days celebration, the veteran
drummer, Henry Lightner who died in
1882, always deAterously handling the
drum sticks.
The association gradually became re-
duced in numbers through the hand OF
death until only two survived to eat their
dinner together, Nathaniel Watts and
James Chamberlain Morford Finally
these two venerable old soldiers were
compelled to answer to the final roll
call and the association ceased to exist.
FAMILY INCIDENTS.
The writer can say, with pardonable
pride, that he can number among the
defenders of Baltimore two relatives
of his, viz, Thomas Parrish, ST., and
Anon Shipley, an uncle and great uncle
respectively both being members Of
Beall Randall's Light lnfanry Corps.
The writer 5 grandfather, the late Geo.
Shipley ST., was also drafted for this
engagement, he at that time resid-
ing on and managing the estate known
as "Bowling Green belonging to Rev.
Benjamin Hood, grandfather of General
John Nj. Hood, President of the Yves
tern Maryland Railroad. Bowling
Green was an estate of between two
and three thousand acres, and at the
time of which write was situated in
Anne Arundel County, now known as
Howard County, that portion of Anne
Arundel containing the Hood estate
! being afterwards taken to help form