Martinsburgh Gazette

CHESTER-TOWN, (Md.) Sept. 1.

On or about the 20th ult. the British frigate Menelaus, rating 38, carrying 49, and pierced for 54 guns, commanded by Sir P. Parker, Bt. made her appearance in view of Rock-Hall, upon which Lieut. Col. Reed called out the 21st regiment of the Maryland militia.

On Sunday the 28th the enemy came on shore at the farm of Mr. Henry Waller, being on the Chesapeake Bay about 7 miles above Rock-Hall, and burnt his dwelling house, barns, all other out-houses, wheat in the granary and stack, and in short destroyed every thing by fire that they possibly could; his loss is estimated at eight or ten thousand dollars.

On Tuesday the 30th, they went to the farm of Richard Frisby, Esq. adjoining Wallers' (he now resides near Baltimore) and committed the same disgraceful and degrading acts; his loss is supposed to be about the amount of Waller's. At each of the aforesaid places they set fire to the property and made their escape to the frigate before the militia could get down to attack them.

On Tuesday morning also they landed and went to the house of James Frisby, it is supposed for the purpose of burning him out. However Mrs. Frisby prevailed upon them to spare the property. They took with them some poultry and said they intended that day to attack and defeat Col. Reed and his militia near Belle Air, and then to go and get supper in Chestertown.

True in part to their promise, about half past 11 o'clock that night they landed between two and three hundred men, headed by Sir Peter Parker; having a few days before taken 4 of Richard Frisby's negroes, they made one of said negroes pilot them to the American encampment about two and an half miles from the bay shore.

Though very recently made, our videttes observed their movements, and gave information thereof to the Colonel, who prepared for action and did fight them with from 150 to 160 militia men, not one of whom except himself had ever been in an engagement; the action lasted half an hour or upwards. On the American side there were three privates wounded, not supposed dangerously, and one taken prisoner. On the British one Master's mate, one midshipman, 8 privates killed, and 5 wounded left on the field of battle, two of them died of their wounds yesterday, one deserter—Sir Peter received two wounds, the last of which was in the head, and killed him instantaneously; he fought in front of the marines (such bravery merited a better cause.)

One of the prisoners, the captain of the foretop, who received only a flesh wound in the thigh, says he fought by the side of Sir Peter when he was killed. On their retreat they called at a house some distance from the field of battle and got a blanket and sheet, it is supposed to wrap Sir Peter in.

A shoe was found the morning after the battle with the following written on the lining, viz. No. 20, 162, Parker, Capt. Sir Peter, Bt. Yesterday 1st Lieut. Crease of the Menelaus sent a flag on shore by Captain Evans, late master of an American trading schooner from New York, who was paroled on honor for eight hours with a written communication to the Colonel proposing an exchange of prisoners, that is the privates they took prisoners, Captain Evans and others for an equal number of the Menelaus's men taken in the then late rencontre of the last night. Col. Reed sent three officers to the bay shore to confer with the British officers concerning said exchange; I have not heard the issue; from the above we doubt not Sir Peter is killed.

We are informed by the prisoners that a great many of the wounded were carried off the field of battle by the enemy and we presume some of the dead with Sir Peter.

After the retreat of the enemy, the militia found muskets, cutlasses, boarding pikes, one grenade and one rocket and some poles, &c. supposed to have been brought to be used in discharging the grenade and rocket.