The British saw the Americans and
halted. The officer was riding up and down the line giving directions,
wholly unconscious of the rifle behind the old tree.
Suddenly a little puff of smoke curled up from where Sukey was crouched,
and the crack of a rifle rang out. The officer in his gay uniform
dropped his sword and fell from his saddle, while Sukey took a small day
book from his pocket and wrote "nine" in it.
Fernando's company fell back to Bladensburg, where he deployed them so
as to cover the Americans' line, and awaited the approach of the enemy.
It was afternoon before they advanced, and the skirmishers for ten
minutes held them in check, then, as they fell back to the main line,
Fernando saw Sukey write "twelve" in his book. The fight began in
earnest just below Bladensburg in an old field. The roar of cannon and
rattling crash of musketry filled the air. General Winder, who had been
in Washington the night before, returned just before the battle began.
The militia broke and fled in confusion; and the brave Barney, with
Captain Stevens' riflemen, sustained the brunt of the battle, until
Barney was severely wounded, when Winder, seeing no hope of winning a
victory, ordered a retreat. The troops remaining fell back toward
Montgomery Courthouse, in Maryland, leaving the battlefield in
possession of the invaders. The battle had lasted more than four hours,
and the victory was won at fearful cost, for more than five hundred
Britons were dead or wounded on the field, among them several officers
of distinction, Sukey had added several numbers in his book.
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