1814. Smith's point. That ship got under way, and, along June. With the schooner and the boats, proceeded in chase; but the shallowness of the water shortly compelled the Dragon to reanchor. In the mean time the flotilla had run for shelter into the Patuxent. By way of inducing commodore Barney to separate his force, captain Barrie now detached two boats to cut off a schooner under Cove point; but, not considering that his orders to give protection warranted such a risk, commodore Barney allowed the vessel to be burnt in his sight. Flotilla re treats On the 6th the flotilla retreated higher up the Patuxent; and, being joined on the day following by to St.- the 38-gun frigate Loire, captain Thomas Brown, and nard's 18-gun brig-sloop Jasseur, captain George Edward creek. Watts, captain Barrie proceeded up the river Leo with them, the St.-Lawrence, and the boats of the two 74s. The flotilla retreated about two miles up St.-Leonard's creek, where it could be reached by boats only; but the force of the latter was not equal to the attack. Captain Barrie endeavoured, however, by a discharge of rockets and carronades from the boats, to provoke the american vessels, which were moored in a close line abreast across the channel, to come down within reach of the guns of the ship, brig, and schooner, at anchor near the mouth of the creek, At one time the american flotilla got under way, and chased the boats to a short distance, and then returned to their moorings. With a view to force there the flotilla to quit its station, detachments of seamen stroy and marines were landed on both sides of the river, stores, and the american militia, estimated at 300 or 400, British land and de &c. The same retreated before them to the woods. The marines destroyed two tobacco-stores, and several houses converted into military posts; but still the flotilla remained at its moorings. On the 15th of June the 32-gun frigate Narcissus, at Be- captain John Richard Lumley, joined the little squanedict. dron; and captain Barrie, taking with him 12 boats, containing 180 marines, and 30 of the black colonial corps, proceeded up the river to Benedict. Here 1814. the men disembarked, and drove into the woods, June. without a struggle, a number of militia, who left behind a part of their muskets and camp equipage, as well as a 6-pounder field-piece. After spiking the latter, and destroying a store containing tobacco, the British again took to their boats, except five or six men, who had probably strayed too far into the woods. Lower After quitting Benedict, captain Barrie ascended And at the river to Lower-Marlborough, a town about 28 Marlmiles from the capital of the United States. The boro'. party landed, and took possession of the place; the militia, as well as the inhabitants, flying into the woods. A schooner, belonging to a captain David, was captured, and loaded with tobacco. After this, having burnt, at Lower-Marlborough, and at Magruders, on the opposite side of the river, tobaccostores, containing 2800 hogsheads, and loaded the boats with stock, the detachment reembarked. The Americans collected a force, estimated at about 350 regulars, besides militia, on Holland's cliffs; but some marines, being landed, traversed the skirts of the heights, and reembarked without molestation, the american troops not again showing themselves, till the boats were out of gun-shot. rican aided drive and The blockade of commodore Barney's flotilla, and Amethe depredations on the coasts of the Patuxent, by flotilla, captain Barrie's squadron, caused great inquietude at by a Washington. At length an order reached the ame- battery, rican commodore, directing him to destroy the flotilla, away in the hope that the British, having no longer such a temptation in their way, would retire from a position Narso near to the capital. The order was suspended, cissus, owing to a proposal of colonel Wadsworth, of the ree engineers; who, with two 18-pounders upon travel- Paling carriages, protected by a detachment of marines and regular troops, engaged to drive away the two british frigates from the mouth of the creek. The colonel established his battery behind an elevated and reenter tuxent. 1814. ridge, which sheltered him and his men; and, on the July. morning of the 26th of June a simultaneous attack by the gun-boats and battery was made upon the Loire and Narcissus. Owing to the effect of the colonel's hot shot, the unpracticability of bringing a gun to bear upon his position from either frigate, and the want of a sufficient force to storm and carry the battery, captain Brown retreated with the Loire and Narcissus to a station near Point Patience; and, with the exception of two barges, which put back, disabled apparently by the shot from the frigates, the american flotilla moved out of the creek, and ascended the Patuxent. The frigates sustained no loss on this occasion; but commodore Barney admits a loss of one midshipman and three men killed, and seven men wounded. British land Leo On the 4th of July the 40-gun frigate Severn, again captain Joseph Nourse, joined the Loire and Narat St.- cissus; and captain Nourse immediately despatched nard's captain Brown, with the marines of the three ships, creek 150 in number, up St.-Leonard's creek. quitPa- two of commodore Barney's barges were found tuxent. scuttled, owing to the damage they had received in and Rearadm. ascends Here the action with the frigates. The barges, and several other vessels, were burnt, and a large tobaccostore destroyed. Soon after this, the British quitted the Patuxent. On the 19th of July rear-admiral Cockburn, Cock- having been joined by a battalion of marines, and a burn detachment of marine artillery, proceeded up the Poto- river Potomac, for the purpose of attacking Leonard's town, the capital of St.-Mary's county, where the lands at 36th United States' regiment was stationed. The Leo- marines of the squadron under major George Lewis, town. were landed, whilst the boats pulled up in front of mac, and nard's the town; but, on discovering the marines, the enemy's armed force quitted the place, and suffered the British to take quiet possession. A quantity of stores, belonging to the 36th regiment, and a number of arms of different descriptions, were found there and destroyed; and a quantity of tobacco, flour, provi- 1814. sions, and other articles, were brought away in the July. boats, and in a schooner which was lying off the town. Not a musket being fired, nor an armed enemy seen, the town was spared. Nomi A body of militia having assembled at a place Also at called Nominy ferry, in Virginia, a considerable way ny up Nominy river, rear-admiral Cockburn, on the 21st, ferry. proceeded thither, with the boats and marines; the latter commanded by captain John Robyns, during the illness of major Lewis. The enemy's position was on a very commanding eminence, projecting into the water; but, some marines having been landed on its flank, and they being seen getting up the craggy side of the mountain, while the main body was disembarking at the ferry, the Americans fell back, and, although pursued for several miles, escaped with the loss of a few prisoners. The Americans had withdrawn their field-artillery, and hid it in the woods; fearing that, if they kept it to use against the British, they would not be able to retreat with it quickly enough to save it from capture. After taking on board all the tobacco and other stores found in the place, with a quantity of cattle, and destroying all the storehouses and buildings, the rear-admiral reembarked; and, dropping down to another point of the Nominy river, observed some movements on shore. Upon this he again landed with the marines. The Americans fired a volley, but, on the advance of the marines, fled into the woods. Every thing in the neighbourhood was therefore destroyed or brought off; and, after visiting the country in several other directions, covering the escape of the negroes who were anxious to join him, the rear-admiral quitted the river, and returned to the ships with 135 refugee negroes, two captured schooners, a large quantity of tobacco, dry goods, and cattle, and a few prisoners. On the 24th of July the rear-admiral went up St.- The Clement's creek, in St.-Mary's county, with the boats same 1814. and marines, to examine the country. The militia showed themselves occasionally, but always retreated Aug. when pursued; and the boats returned to the ships at St. Cle ment's creek. The rear admi without any casualty, having captured four schooners, and destroyed one. The inhabitants remaining peaceably in their houses, the rear-admiral did not suffer any injury to be done to them, excepting at one farm, from which two musket-shot had been fired at the admiral's gig, and where the property was, in consequence, destroyed. On the 26th the rear-admiral proceeded to the head of the Machodic river, in Virginia, where he ral pro- burnt six schooners, whilst the marines marched, without opposition, over the country on the banks of chodic that river; and, there not remaining any other place &c. on the Virginia or St.-Mary's side of his last anchor ceeds up Ma river, age, that the rear-admiral had not visited, he, on the 28th, caused the ships to move above Blackstone's island; and, on the 29th, proceeded, with the boats and marines, up the Wicomoco river. He landed at Hamburgh and Chaptico; from which latter place he shipped a considerable quantity of tobacco, and visited several houses in different parts of the country; the owners of which living quietly with their families, and seeming to consider themselves and the neighbourhood to be at his disposal, the rear-admiral caused no farther inconvenience to them, than obliging them to furnish supplies of cattle and stock for the use of his forces, for which they were liberally paid. On the 2d of August the squadron dropped down Yuco- the Potomac, near to the entrance of the Yocomico river, river, which the rear-admiral entered on the followlands ing day, with the boats and marines, and landed with at Kin the latter. The enemy had here collected in great force, and made more resistance than usual, but the ardour and determination of the rear-admiral's gallant little band carried all before it; and, after forcing the enemy to give way, the marines followed him 10 miles up the country, captured a field-piece, and burnt several houses, which had been converted into Enters mico and sale. |