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THE SITUATION OF BLADENSBURG. 81
not only did they serve their guns with a quickness and precision which astonished their
assailants, but they stood till some of them were actually bayoneted, with fuses in their
hands; nor was it till their leader was wounded and taken, and they saw themselves
deserted on all sides by the soldiers, that they quitted the field. With respect to the
British army, again, no line of distinction can be drawn. All did their duty, and none
more gallantly than the rest; and though the brunt of the affair fell upon the light
brigade, this was owing chiefly to the circumstance of its being at the head of the column,
and perhaps, also, in some degree, to its own rash impetuosity. The artillery, indeed,
could do little ; being unable to show itself in presence of a force so superior ; but the
six-pounder was nevertheless brought into action, and a corps of rockets proved of
striking utility.
" Our troops being worn down from fatigue, and of course as ignorant of the country,'
as the Americans were the reverse, the pursuit could not be continued to any distance.
Neither was it attended with much slaughter. Diving into the recesses of the forests, and
covering themselves with riflemen, the enemy were quickly beyond our reach; and we,
having no cavalry to scour even the high road, ten of the lightest of their guns were
carried off in the flight. The defeat, however, was absolute, and the army, which had been
collected for the defence of Washington, was scattered beyond the possibility of, at least,
an immediate reunion ; and as the distance from Bladensburg to that city does not exceed
four miles, there appeared to be no further obstacle in the way, to prevent its immediate
capture."
Bladensburg, at which this unfortunate engagement was fought, is at the
head of small-craft navigation on the eastern branch of the Potomac, about
six miles northeast of Washington on the old post-road from that city to Baltimore. North of this road is another joining the Washington road, running
from Georgetown, and these roads form an acute angle a few yards from the
bridge in the town. In the triangular space thus formed, and near an old
mill, General Stansbury's command was posted on the morning of the 24th
of August. About four hundred yards from the Bladensburg bridge, on a
slight eminence in that triangular field, between a large barn and the Washington road, the Baltimore artillery, under Captains Magruder and Myers,
with six six-pounders, occupied a temporary breast-work of earth, commanding
the bridge and road. Part of the battalion of riflemen, under Major William
Pinkney, and one other company took position on the right of the artillery,
near the junction of the roads, and partially protected by a fence and brush
on the low ground near the river. On the left of the battery, leading to the
rear of the barn and near the Georgetown .road, two companies of militia
from Col. Schutz's regiment, under the command of Captains Gorsuch and
Ducker, and the other portion of Major Pinkney's riflemen were stationed.
Colonel Ragan was posted in the rear of Major Pinkney, his right resting on
the Georgetown road; Colonel Schutz continuing the line on the left, with a
small vacancy in the centre of the two regiments; and Colonel Sterett
formed the extreme left flank of the infantry. In the midst of these confused preparations for battle, Colonels Beall and Hood entered Bladensburg
with the Maryland militia, after a forced march of sixteen miles that sultry
morning from Annapolis, crossed the bridge, and took a position on the most
commanding height, on the right of the Washington turnpike, about three
6—v. iii.
| Title | History of Maryland - 3 |
| Creator | Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas) |
| Publisher | J. B. Piet |
| Place of Publication | Baltimore |
| Date | 1879 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Title | 00000106 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | THE SITUATION OF BLADENSBURG. 81 not only did they serve their guns with a quickness and precision which astonished their assailants, but they stood till some of them were actually bayoneted, with fuses in their hands; nor was it till their leader was wounded and taken, and they saw themselves deserted on all sides by the soldiers, that they quitted the field. With respect to the British army, again, no line of distinction can be drawn. All did their duty, and none more gallantly than the rest; and though the brunt of the affair fell upon the light brigade, this was owing chiefly to the circumstance of its being at the head of the column, and perhaps, also, in some degree, to its own rash impetuosity. The artillery, indeed, could do little ; being unable to show itself in presence of a force so superior ; but the six-pounder was nevertheless brought into action, and a corps of rockets proved of striking utility. " Our troops being worn down from fatigue, and of course as ignorant of the country,' as the Americans were the reverse, the pursuit could not be continued to any distance. Neither was it attended with much slaughter. Diving into the recesses of the forests, and covering themselves with riflemen, the enemy were quickly beyond our reach; and we, having no cavalry to scour even the high road, ten of the lightest of their guns were carried off in the flight. The defeat, however, was absolute, and the army, which had been collected for the defence of Washington, was scattered beyond the possibility of, at least, an immediate reunion ; and as the distance from Bladensburg to that city does not exceed four miles, there appeared to be no further obstacle in the way, to prevent its immediate capture." Bladensburg, at which this unfortunate engagement was fought, is at the head of small-craft navigation on the eastern branch of the Potomac, about six miles northeast of Washington on the old post-road from that city to Baltimore. North of this road is another joining the Washington road, running from Georgetown, and these roads form an acute angle a few yards from the bridge in the town. In the triangular space thus formed, and near an old mill, General Stansbury's command was posted on the morning of the 24th of August. About four hundred yards from the Bladensburg bridge, on a slight eminence in that triangular field, between a large barn and the Washington road, the Baltimore artillery, under Captains Magruder and Myers, with six six-pounders, occupied a temporary breast-work of earth, commanding the bridge and road. Part of the battalion of riflemen, under Major William Pinkney, and one other company took position on the right of the artillery, near the junction of the roads, and partially protected by a fence and brush on the low ground near the river. On the left of the battery, leading to the rear of the barn and near the Georgetown .road, two companies of militia from Col. Schutz's regiment, under the command of Captains Gorsuch and Ducker, and the other portion of Major Pinkney's riflemen were stationed. Colonel Ragan was posted in the rear of Major Pinkney, his right resting on the Georgetown road; Colonel Schutz continuing the line on the left, with a small vacancy in the centre of the two regiments; and Colonel Sterett formed the extreme left flank of the infantry. In the midst of these confused preparations for battle, Colonels Beall and Hood entered Bladensburg with the Maryland militia, after a forced march of sixteen miles that sultry morning from Annapolis, crossed the bridge, and took a position on the most commanding height, on the right of the Washington turnpike, about three 6—v. iii. |
