. Baltimore : its history and its people. oid destruction. Todraw them from their works would require mananivering, and manceuveringrequires time, while every hour brought them re-inforcements. ... Itwas therefore deemed prudent, since we could not fight at once, to lose notime in returning to our ships. Thus the British came, they sozv—and they retreated! In the deadof night, three hours after midnight, the same hour at which these in-vincibles had crawled ashore, they stole away. Mr. Niles with a causticwit which is irresistible calls them the night-retrograders, and remarks:The soldiers of
. Baltimore : its history and its people. oid destruction. Todraw them from their works would require mananivering, and manceuveringrequires time, while every hour brought them re-inforcements. ... Itwas therefore deemed prudent, since we could not fight at once, to lose notime in returning to our ships. Thus the British came, they sozv—and they retreated! In the deadof night, three hours after midnight, the same hour at which these in-vincibles had crawled ashore, they stole away. Mr. Niles with a causticwit which is irresistible calls them the night-retrograders, and remarks:The soldiers of Wellington are becoming famous for ran away from Baltimore in the night, from Plattsburg and Erie inthe night, and he might have added from Washington in the night. buthe concludes pithily: We hope they have stopped! The British were defeated by the over-confidence of their General, thespirited resistance of the citizens, and the splendid defences of the city. *° Gleig. British Cai>ipaig>is, pp. 187, HISTORY OF BALTIMORE 119 General Ross was no doubt an able and fearless commander, but he pos-sessed the infirmities of his virtues. He was young and impetuous, andtherefore somewhat rash and presumptuous. Had Ross, fresh from thefleet, pressed straight on and given battle to General Striekers small de-tachment, after this retired, the road would have been unobstructed, and hewould still have been in condition to charge the defences, and have foughtas he expected two battles in one day. His fatal stop invited Striekersattack, and as he refused to believe himself the responsible cause hepressed to the front and in his officers dress made himself a target for theenemy. The depression of the troops over the death of their leader nodoubt led to the overwhelming losses they sustained, over 500 veterans, tothe 157 militia-men* they so affected to despise. Their losses discour-aged pursuit, and the obstructed road retarded their advance during mostof
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