The Telescope

MISCELLANY.

FROM THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.

British Official Account Set Right.

TO THE EDITORS.

General Ross, in his official despatch, says that after having landed the army at Benedict, they moved up to Nottingham and on the 22d August to Upper Marlborough, a few miles distant from Pig Point where Admiral Cockburn fell in with and defeated the flotilla, taking & destroying the whole. Now the fact is they neither took nor destroyed the flotilla, for on the 21st the flotilla was abandoned by the crews to join the army, leaving only 6 or eight men in every barge, to destroy them on the appearance of the enemy's army and forces from the fleet: which was done by the officers and men left by me, and not by Admiral Cockburn. So much for this part of the general's dispatch. The general declares he landed the army to co-operate with Admiral Cochrane, in the operations which were made in an attack under Admiral Cockburn upon the flotilla. Let us for a moment make a comparison of the force; 47 sail of ships of the line, frigates, bombs, sloops of war, tenders and transports, having on board an army as they said of 4000 veteran troops, the crews of the ships, &c. 8000 more, a total of 17,000 men, to co-operate against 14 open row boats (not gun boats) and one tender; having crews amounting in the whole to 503 men, 400 of which had left the barges the day previous, leaving 103 men to defend it against all the forces combined, with admirals, generals, &c. at their head. The general then goes on to state that on the 23d he was opposed by a corps of 1200 men: Now the fact is, 1200 men were no other than two companies of riflemen and infantry, with light artillery, 200 strong, under major Peter, from the District. A skirmish ensued; one man was slightly wounded. Then the general comes on to Bladensburg, where he found the enemy "strongly posted on commanding heights, and a fortified house, &c. which house was shortly carried." Now the fact is, the house was not occupied by the Americans, of course easily carried. The general then goes on to state how his troops advanced, and by the irresistible attack of the bayonet the enemy got into confusion and fled. It would have been more to the honour of the general if he had told that his men never had it in their power to use the bayonet but once, and then declined; for after every attempt was made by his men to advance on the main road, and were driven by the artillery under my command into the field, they were rallied and again led on by Colonel Thornton who advanced to within fifty yards of our position, where he was met by the marines under Captains Miller and Sevier with the flotilla men. Colonel Thornton fell dangerously wounded, Captain Hamilton & Lieut. Codd were killed Lieut. Stevely of the "Kings Own" also severely wounded. The veterans of the 85th & 4th of "King's Own" gave way. So far from using the bayonet, they fled before our men, who pursued them, the sailors calling out to "board" them, nor did the enemy rally until they got into a ravine covered with woods, leaving their officers in our power. Then our men returned to their station. General Ross in person was obliged to take the command, but dared not lead them on in front, but pushed out on our flank; our ammunition being expended, we were necessitated to retire. The general says the artillery, which was under Commodore Barney, 'ten pieces" were taken. The fact is, I never had but five pieces. But such are the accounts given by British commanders. The general then goes on to state their loss, which appears small, yet to my knowledge the 85th regt. lost ten officers killed and wounded-amongst them Col. Thornton Lieut. Col. Wood and Major Brown. These facts could not be denied by the general, as the above officers fell into our power, as did between 200 and 300 other officers and privates, and have been exchanged through my agency, against the officers and men taken by the enemy at Bladensburg, and all those taken or paroled after being wounded at Baltimore. Notwithstanding all these facts, Colonel Brook says he carried off two hundred of the most respectable inhabitants of that city as prisoners-yet after this general exchange the enemy fell in debt to us, in point of numbers, upwards of 100 men, besides having 200 buried on the field. Such was the real state of these boasted transactions, for the truth of which I refer to Col. Thornton, Lieut. Colonel Wood, Major, Brown and Lieut. Steverly.

JOSHUA BARNEY.