230 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1814. 



while it narrows in some places to 

 less than half a mile. 



Three miles from North Point 

 the enemy had entrenched himself 

 quite across this neck of land, to- 

 wards which (the disembarkation 

 having been completed at nn early 

 hour) the troops advanced. 



The enemy was actively em- 

 ployed in tiie completion of this 

 work, deepening the ditch, and 

 strencrthening its front by a low 

 abbatis, both which, however, he 

 precipitately abandoned on the 

 approach of our skirmishers, leav- 

 ing in our hands some few dra- 

 goons, being part of his rear- 

 guard. 



About two miles beyond this 

 post our advance became engaged ; 

 the country was here closely 

 wooded, and the enemy's riflemen 

 were enabled to conceal them- 

 selves. At this moment the gal- 

 lant General Ross received a wound 

 in his breast which proved mortal. 

 He only survived to recommend a 

 young and unprovided family to 

 the protection of his king and 

 country. 



Thus fell at an early age one of 

 the brightest ornaments of his 

 profession ; one who, whether at 

 the head of a regiment, a brigade, 

 or corps, had alike displayed the 

 talents of command ; who was 

 not less beloved in his private, than 

 enthusiastically admired in his 

 pubUc character ; and whose only 

 fault, if it may be deemed so, was 

 an excess of gallantry, enterprise, 

 and devotion to the service. 



If ever it were permitted to a 

 soldier to lament those who fall in 

 battle, we may indeed in this in- 

 stance claim that melancholy pri- 

 vilege. 



Thus it is, that the honour of 



addressing your Lordship, and the 

 command of this army, have de- 

 volved upon me, duties which, 

 under any other circumstances, 

 might have been embraced as the 

 most enviable gifts of fortune: and 

 here I venture to solicit, through 

 your Lordship, his Royal High- 

 ness the Prince Regent's consi- 

 deration to the circumstances of 

 my succeeding, during operations 

 of so much moment, to an officer 

 of such hi^h and established merit. 

 Our advance continuing to press 

 forward, the enemy's light troops 

 were pushed to within five miles 

 of Baltimore, where a corps of 

 about six thousand men, six [)ieces 

 of artillery, and some hundred 

 cavalry, were discovered posted 

 under cover of a wood, drawn up 

 in a very dense order, and lining a 

 strong paling, which crossed the 

 main road nearly at right angles. 

 The creeks and inlets of the Pa- 

 tapsco, and Back Rivers, whicjj 

 approach each other at this point, 

 will in some measure account for 

 the contracted nature of the ene- 

 my's position. 



1 immediately ordered the ne- 

 cessary dispositions for a general 

 attack. The light brigade, under 

 the command of Major Jones, of 

 the 4th, consisting of the 85th 

 light infantry, under Major Gub- 

 bins, and the light companies of 

 the army under Major Pringle, of 

 the 21st, covered the whole of the 

 front, driving in the enemy's skir- 

 mishers with great loss on his 

 main body. The 4th regiment, 

 under Major Faunce, by a detour 

 through some hollow ways, gained 

 unperceived a lodgment close upon 

 the enemy's left. The remainder 

 of the right brigade, under the 

 command of the Hon. Lieutenant 



