for nearly two hours without intermission, during which
time many of the houses spared by us were blown down, and thirty
of our men, besides several of the inhabitants, buried beneath
their ruins. Our column was as completely dispersed as if it had
received a total defeat; some of the men flying for shelter
behind walls and buildings, and others falling flat upon the
ground, to prevent themselves from being carried away by the
tempest; nay, such was the violence of the wind, that two pieces
of light cannon, which stood upon the eminence, were fairly
lifted from the ground, and borne several yards to the rear.

CHAPTER XI.

WHEN the hurricane had blown over, the camp of the Americans
appeared to be in as great a state of confusion as our own; nor
could either party recover themselves sufficiently during the
rest of the day to try the fortune of a battle. Of this General
Ross did not fail to take advantage. He had already attained all
that he could hope, and perhaps more than he originally expected
to attain; consequently, to risk another action would only be to
spill blood for no purpose. Whatever might be the issue of the
contest, he could derive from it no advantage. If he were
victorious, it would not do away with the necessity which existed
of evacuating Washington; if defeated, his ruin was certain. To
avoid fighting was therefore his object, and perhaps he owed its
accomplishment to the fortunate occurrence of the storm. Be
that, however, as it may, a retreat was resolved upon; and we now
only waited for night, to put the resolution into practice.

There was, however, one difficulty to be surmounted in this
proceeding. Of the wounded, many were so ill as to preclude all
possibility of their removal, and to leave them in the hands of
an enemy whom we had beaten was rather a mortifying
anticipation. But for this there was no help; and it now only
remained to make the best arrangements for their comfort, and to
secure for them, as far as could be done, civil treatment from
the Americans.

It chanced that, among other prisoners taken at Bladensburg, was
Commodore Barney, an American officer of much gallantry and high
sense of honour. Being himself wounded, he was the more likely
to feel for those who were in a similar condition, and having
received the kindest treatment from our medical attendants, as
long as he continued under their hands, he became, without
solicitation, the friend of his fell