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112 HISTORY OF MARYLAND.
The 51st regiment which had been entrusted with the protection of the
left of the line, after firing a volley at random, broke and fled in wild disorder,
producing a like effect in the second battalion of the 39th regiment. All
efforts to rally the fugitives proved fruitless. Colonel Brooke instantly perceiving his advantage, and hoping to effect a general rout, came on with a
rapid discharge of musketry which was not returned until they had approached
within a short distance when our artillery, loaded with " grape and canister,
shot, old locks, pieces of broken muskets, and everything which they could
cram into their guns," l opened an incessant and deadly fire; while from
right to left along our entire line one volley of musketry and rifle shots followed another. Our troops, weakened by the desertion of the 51st and two
companies of the 39th, numbered hardly more than one thousand four hundred men. Defeat seemed to be almost inevitable, but there was no disposition
to flinch on the part of the members of the city brigade, who were determined
to retrieve the honor of their command.
As the British line continued to advance in overwhelming numbers,
exchanging fires with the American infantry and receiving that of the artillery, which was well served throughout the whole engagement, the action
became warmer and warmer; until General Stricker, having accomplished the
purpose which he had in view, ordered a retreat to his reserve, and owing to
the fatigued state of the regiments which had been engaged, and the probability that his right flank might be turned by a quick movement of the enemy,
he finally fell back to a position near the city. Thus ended what was then
called the Battle of Long Log Lane, now known as the Battle of North
Point, after about a hour and a half of hard fighting.
General Stricker retired with his brigade in good order to Worthington's
Mill, and as the enemy did not pursue, he again fell back, and took a position
on the left of the line, about half a mile in advance of the entrenchments,
where he was joined by General Winder, who had been stationed on the west
side of the city, but was now ordered with the Virginia brigade, under the
command of General Douglas, and Captain Bird's United States Dragoons, to
take post on his left. The conduct of the city brigade, with the exception of
the 51st, and the second battalion of the 39th regiments, who were seized with
the panic to which raw troops are so subject, deserved the highest praise.
Veterans could not have done more. Although the American Line retreated
from a foe near at hand, and might be expected to incur the heavy loss which
is always inflicted upon a retiring party, yet the aggregate loss of the British
was greater than that of the Americans. The loss, for example, stated in the
official reports of the British officers, was two hundred and ninety, exclusive
of the naval brigade under Captain Crofton, while on the side of the Americans it was only two hundred and thirteen, among whom were some of the
most prominent citizens of Baltimore. This may, perhaps, be accounted for
by the slight protection a portion of the Americans had behind fences, a
1 Gleig's Narrative, p. 183.
| 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 | 00000139 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | 112 HISTORY OF MARYLAND. The 51st regiment which had been entrusted with the protection of the left of the line, after firing a volley at random, broke and fled in wild disorder, producing a like effect in the second battalion of the 39th regiment. All efforts to rally the fugitives proved fruitless. Colonel Brooke instantly perceiving his advantage, and hoping to effect a general rout, came on with a rapid discharge of musketry which was not returned until they had approached within a short distance when our artillery, loaded with " grape and canister, shot, old locks, pieces of broken muskets, and everything which they could cram into their guns," l opened an incessant and deadly fire; while from right to left along our entire line one volley of musketry and rifle shots followed another. Our troops, weakened by the desertion of the 51st and two companies of the 39th, numbered hardly more than one thousand four hundred men. Defeat seemed to be almost inevitable, but there was no disposition to flinch on the part of the members of the city brigade, who were determined to retrieve the honor of their command. As the British line continued to advance in overwhelming numbers, exchanging fires with the American infantry and receiving that of the artillery, which was well served throughout the whole engagement, the action became warmer and warmer; until General Stricker, having accomplished the purpose which he had in view, ordered a retreat to his reserve, and owing to the fatigued state of the regiments which had been engaged, and the probability that his right flank might be turned by a quick movement of the enemy, he finally fell back to a position near the city. Thus ended what was then called the Battle of Long Log Lane, now known as the Battle of North Point, after about a hour and a half of hard fighting. General Stricker retired with his brigade in good order to Worthington's Mill, and as the enemy did not pursue, he again fell back, and took a position on the left of the line, about half a mile in advance of the entrenchments, where he was joined by General Winder, who had been stationed on the west side of the city, but was now ordered with the Virginia brigade, under the command of General Douglas, and Captain Bird's United States Dragoons, to take post on his left. The conduct of the city brigade, with the exception of the 51st, and the second battalion of the 39th regiments, who were seized with the panic to which raw troops are so subject, deserved the highest praise. Veterans could not have done more. Although the American Line retreated from a foe near at hand, and might be expected to incur the heavy loss which is always inflicted upon a retiring party, yet the aggregate loss of the British was greater than that of the Americans. The loss, for example, stated in the official reports of the British officers, was two hundred and ninety, exclusive of the naval brigade under Captain Crofton, while on the side of the Americans it was only two hundred and thirteen, among whom were some of the most prominent citizens of Baltimore. This may, perhaps, be accounted for by the slight protection a portion of the Americans had behind fences, a 1 Gleig's Narrative, p. 183. |
