The Maryland 400, Part Ii

...But with redcoats in the rear they couldn’t persevere, on narrows paths by a small creek escape from their foes they did seek, but who would guard the rear? Stirling and four hundred brave men from Maryland, would act as the army’s safeguard, and against two thousand they charged, sheer madness, it was said. To a nearby stone house the redcoats had advanced, when Maryland came with a cry, the British were rather surprised, the rebels had no chance. But on they came, on they fought, such stubborn and doomed men, muskets belched smoke in a black haze, were swung like clubs amidst the fray, the attack failed, but then the British looked on, shocked, as then broken rebels reformed a line and charged once more! Their rifles barked and cannons roared, a mad and smoky hell. In the end not a dozen got back to rebel lines, but through their bravery that day twelve hundred other men escaped to fight another time. The delay meant many got back to Brooklyn Heights, the British thought the fight was done, the rebels beaten, the war won, now just a mop up fight. They settled in for siege, thought there was no escape, but four days later nine thousand would simply slip away from them, the rebel army saved. The war they thought over with their great victory, would now rage on, for five more years, and this defeat, with all it’s tears, would not break liberty. The martyrs from Maryland, so many slain and dead, ensured that we would fight again, where would we all be without them? I this it must be said…