00000140 |
Previous | 140 of 866 | Next |
|
small (250x250 max)
medium (500x500 max)
Large
Extra Large
large ( > 500x500)
Full Resolution
All (PDF)
|
THE BRITISH MARCH FOR BALTIMORE. 113
circumstance of which the officers and men availed themselves, with great
coolness and the deliberate aim they took, thus increasing the destructiveness
of their fire. John Lowry Donaldson, adjutant of the 27th Regiment, a
distinguished lawyer, and Baltimore's representative in the State Legislature,
was killed, also Gregorius Andre, first-lieutenant of the Union Yagers, 1st
Rifle Battalion. Levi Clagett, third-lieutenant in Captain Nicholson's artillery
company, of Baltimore Fencibles, was killed in the bombardment of Fort
McHenry, and in the two engagements the following non-commissioned
officers and privates were killed: G. Jenkins, J. Richardson, W. Alexander,
T. V. Beeston, D. Howard, J. H. Marriott of John, J. Armstrong, M. Desk,
J. Craig, R. Neale, J. Evans, J. Haubert, D. Davis, H. G. McComas, J.
Burneston, G. Fallier, J. Jephson, E. Marriott, J. Dunn, P. Byard, B. Reynolds, J. Gregg, A. Randall, J. H. Cox, J. Wolf, D. Wells, R. K. Cooksey,
J. Wallack, J. C. Byrd, W. Ways, C. Bell, J. Clemm, T. Garrett, J. Merriken,
C. Cox, U. Prosser, B. Bond.
That raw militia should have met, in open fight, and parted upon equal
terms with the choicest troops of the British army, who had won laurels in
the Peninsular War, would have been no slight achievement. But the terms
were by no means equal. The Americans, it is true, retreated; but as Ave
have shown this was part of the plan. The closest calculation cannot make
the number engaged upon the American side, after the withdrawal of the
regiment upon the left, more than sixteen hundred; and the chimerical idea
of effectually checking the whole British army, did not for a moment present
itself to the mind of General Stricker. He came out to skirmish and no
more. His object was to let the British general see that the city of Baltimore
was a prize not to be had without a struggle; and the severity of that struggle
was foreshadowed by the determination with which his advance was contested.
The enemy slept on the field of battle, and at an early hour on Tuesday,
the 13th, they took up their line of march for Baltimore. Our narrator
says:
"On our march to-day the Americans had at last adopted an expedient which,if
carried to its proper length, might have entirely stopped our progress. In most of the
woods they had felled trees, and thrown them across the road, but as these abattis were
without defenders, we experienced no other inconvenience than what arose from loss of
time; being obliged-to halt on all such occasions, till the pioneers had removed the
obstacle. So great, however, was even this hindrance, that we did not come in sight of
the main army of the Americans till evening, although the distance traveled could not
exceed ten miles.
" It now appeared, that the corps which we had beaten yesterday, was only a detachment, and not a large one, from the force collected for the defence of Baltimore; and that
the account given by the volunteer troopers, was in every respect correct. Upon a ridge
of hills, which concealed the town itself from observation, stood the grand army, consisting of twenty thousand men.1 Not trusting to his superiority in numbers, their general
had there entrenched them in the most formidable manner, having covered the whole
face of the heights with breast-works, thrown back his left, so as to rest it upon a strong
1 Not more than 12,000.
8-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 | 00000140 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | THE BRITISH MARCH FOR BALTIMORE. 113 circumstance of which the officers and men availed themselves, with great coolness and the deliberate aim they took, thus increasing the destructiveness of their fire. John Lowry Donaldson, adjutant of the 27th Regiment, a distinguished lawyer, and Baltimore's representative in the State Legislature, was killed, also Gregorius Andre, first-lieutenant of the Union Yagers, 1st Rifle Battalion. Levi Clagett, third-lieutenant in Captain Nicholson's artillery company, of Baltimore Fencibles, was killed in the bombardment of Fort McHenry, and in the two engagements the following non-commissioned officers and privates were killed: G. Jenkins, J. Richardson, W. Alexander, T. V. Beeston, D. Howard, J. H. Marriott of John, J. Armstrong, M. Desk, J. Craig, R. Neale, J. Evans, J. Haubert, D. Davis, H. G. McComas, J. Burneston, G. Fallier, J. Jephson, E. Marriott, J. Dunn, P. Byard, B. Reynolds, J. Gregg, A. Randall, J. H. Cox, J. Wolf, D. Wells, R. K. Cooksey, J. Wallack, J. C. Byrd, W. Ways, C. Bell, J. Clemm, T. Garrett, J. Merriken, C. Cox, U. Prosser, B. Bond. That raw militia should have met, in open fight, and parted upon equal terms with the choicest troops of the British army, who had won laurels in the Peninsular War, would have been no slight achievement. But the terms were by no means equal. The Americans, it is true, retreated; but as Ave have shown this was part of the plan. The closest calculation cannot make the number engaged upon the American side, after the withdrawal of the regiment upon the left, more than sixteen hundred; and the chimerical idea of effectually checking the whole British army, did not for a moment present itself to the mind of General Stricker. He came out to skirmish and no more. His object was to let the British general see that the city of Baltimore was a prize not to be had without a struggle; and the severity of that struggle was foreshadowed by the determination with which his advance was contested. The enemy slept on the field of battle, and at an early hour on Tuesday, the 13th, they took up their line of march for Baltimore. Our narrator says: "On our march to-day the Americans had at last adopted an expedient which,if carried to its proper length, might have entirely stopped our progress. In most of the woods they had felled trees, and thrown them across the road, but as these abattis were without defenders, we experienced no other inconvenience than what arose from loss of time; being obliged-to halt on all such occasions, till the pioneers had removed the obstacle. So great, however, was even this hindrance, that we did not come in sight of the main army of the Americans till evening, although the distance traveled could not exceed ten miles. " It now appeared, that the corps which we had beaten yesterday, was only a detachment, and not a large one, from the force collected for the defence of Baltimore; and that the account given by the volunteer troopers, was in every respect correct. Upon a ridge of hills, which concealed the town itself from observation, stood the grand army, consisting of twenty thousand men.1 Not trusting to his superiority in numbers, their general had there entrenched them in the most formidable manner, having covered the whole face of the heights with breast-works, thrown back his left, so as to rest it upon a strong 1 Not more than 12,000. 8-v. iii. |
