Newspaper Page Text
SH #& | totlda u> VautautraMi-. i
|&rivef, moored undi # a block house-
strongly situated on the S, E. side of
the river, which runs nearly parral
icl with the bay shpre for that dis
tance, forms a narrow Peninsula
this and the wind being off shore, af
forded Ine an opportunity of anchor-’
fog opposite to him, and within good
battering distance, but finding the
rand hills and trees frequently inter
rupting my shot, 1 borrowed# 9 1-3
3boh howitaer from Colonel Croghan.
Qtounted it on one of my carriages,
’ smd setot it on the peninsula, under
the command of lietit. Holdup, a
Situation was chosen by captain Gra
fgpt of the engineers, from wffich i*
slid great execution. The enemy
defended himself handsomely, until
•Sue of those shells burst in his block
house and in a few minutes blew up
Ilia magazine ; this set fire to a train
which had been laid for the destruc
Cion of the vessel, and in an io&tan
•he was in flames. J had made the
necessary preparation with boats for
getting on board other ; but frequent
t 4Btnd explosions below deck,
JViade the risque of lives too great to
.attempt saving her. there
fore, with her valuable cargo, entire
ly consumed* I can hot say whether
Xhose who defended her, were blown
tfjvn the block house, or whether
they retreated in the rear of their
work whief) they might have done
Unseen by us, as it affords a descent
Jtfto a thick wood, I hope the latte
4| number oft ample* were picked
tsp at a considerable diatance oil ,
among them was the commanck j i»
fssk ; containing copies of letters,
c. which ! herewith enclose you
for yodr information. They serve
4 ’Co *K*w the vessel to have been com
f tided by of the
yal Navy ;M what infinite im
portance her was to the gar
rison at Mackinac, 8t that they have
Nothing afloat now on the lake,. The
JJancy appeared to be a vtjry fine
♦esse!, between the size of the Q’n
Charlotte and Llidy Prevost. There
•fras o guns on the block house, two
jfo pounders, and 1 6 pounder. I
£hnnot say what was on the vessel,
fs all her ports were closed. I also
Jftota new Boat called by them a gun-
unworthy of the name, be
ing calculated to mount only a 34
pound carronade.
The Natauyfcasauga is too narrow,
p\d overhung with bushes, for a ves
&l to get up, except by Warping,
Which prevented my sending gun
boats in, or Col. Crpghan from at
fumpting to turn bis rear as we saw
•.number of Indians skulking & oc
*siohaily firing across from the
, g§*; it was in this way tha only
Jpsn we had touched was wounded.
You will see by the inclosed let
ters, the short state they are in for
•gpovisions. at Michilimackinac 2\and
lain assured front; the best authority,
that this i$ the only line of commu
nication by whithey can be sup*
plied, that of the-Grand River being
than a man can carry on his back, by
portages; I hare therefore left
Jhe Scorpion and Tigress to block
ade it closely, until the . season be
*iomes too boisterous for boat trans
portation Col. Crogiiaja thought-it
IKrt advisable to fortify and garrison
# au :auwasauga, fe the enemy*#
communication from York is so short
*nd convenient, that aiVy force he
ktfoUf leave there would be cut off iu
Jbe e • ? w
I was unfortunate in getting «m.
fiayed, in a galgof wind, on a rocky,
which occasioned
of all the boats I had in tow
*mong which was the captured gun
boat and my launch ft I felt fortunate,
however, In saving my vessel, lum-
as she Was with 4sa souls on
and shipping such immense
E Lilies of water as to give me
serious alarm for some hours,
compelled to strike some of my
guns below, and nothing saved her,
®e last, but a sudden shift of- wind,
there is rifthihg like anchorage
jn lake Huron, except in the mouths
jaf the rivers, the whole coast being
H steep perpendicular rock. I have
been severatitimes in great danger
•#f total loss, in this extremely dan
gerous navigation, entirely unknown
to our pilots except direct to Macki
nac, by tailing suddenly from no
sounding into three fathoms water!
add twice into l 4 less twain, ail *
Wggy rock#* Those dangers might
be avoided from the transparency
of the water, but for the continued
thick fogs which prevail almost as
Constantly as on the Grand Bank.
By the arrival of the mail a few
hours after 1. anchored af Detroit, I
learned the critical situation oT our
army on the peninsula, and that tho
-borne is and Ohio had been captured.
•—The craft from the flats with part
jofiuy g,uns and shot, had not yet ar
rived; but being certain my prc.
aence ‘would be necessary at tfip
earliest posiible moment, X availed
my sell oi a fair wind, and sailed for
this piace, w ht t e I am happy to learn
€r army ft cl themselves perfect*
secure* where they are* 1 have,
Mm »«»* *»*«##& dtfr
tod to BufTaMj
there to render any assist ante which
may b 6 required,* and shall follow
them myself in the course of 24
hours.—There is such an imminfnt
rlaque in the loss of the fleet at this
season of the ycifr, laying at anchor
n=ar Buflaloe where the bottom is
composed entirely of sharp rock, a
strong current Setting down, and'ex<-
po&U to the opeo lake, from whence
the heaviest gales are experienced,
that I shall not unless, ordered'posi
tively to do so from the Department,
continue there a moment longer
than I can ascertain the Command
ing General’* views, and in what the
fleet can co-operate with him. Daily
and dear-bought experience teaches
us we ought .not to-risque our fleet
n a situation where they are so liabhj
’o be lost. Lieut. Kennedy has no
doubt, informed you of the total loss
of the Ariel, after being on float and
ready to move front there*
1 have the honor to remain, with
great respect, sir, your ob*t servant.
A. SINCLAIR,
N. B. A company of riflemen
from Sandusky has just .arrived here,
and have beeen forwarded on to Fort
Erie without delay. , w
■fcITEWEPTED LEtTERS, fcc.
Enclosed to the Secretary of the Navy
by Commodore Si xc la lit.
Michilimacinac, 28th July, 1814.
Slß—Th# American expedition
destined Tor the attack of this island
having at length made its appear
ance, under the command of Com
modore Eliott and Lt. Col Croghan
consisting of the Niagara, 2* guns,
Lawrence, 2a guns. Hunter brig 8
guns, and a large schooner
gluts, the Mary ofr— ‘—guns, 5 ‘gun
boats, and the Mink their prize, I
« hasten to apprise you of this circum
stance, lest the Nancy and h£c walfß
able cargo iaU into their hands, and
that you may be , enabled to take
sifth steps for the# preservation as
will appear to you most expedient
undec4he present circumstances.-*
: I have taken such precautions as
were in my power, to make yoilac
quainted with this event, in case you
should be upon your passage. Ifao,
I would recotnmend you to return Cos
to the Nautawasaga river, and to
take the Napcy up as high as possible,
place her in a judicious position, and
hastily run up a strong log house,
h as wdre made when the boats
Were built, bur with loop
holes and embrasures for your two
six pounders, which .will enable you
to defend her should you be attacked
>yhich is not unlikely.
The mode of obtaining her cargo,
of such val ue to us, will depend upon
the result of the attack which we
daily expect, and on the duration pf
the blockade. I see no other way of
Obtaining the provisions but by bringw
ingth€m ia batteaux, protected by
the carronades in the bows of two of
them.
I have the honor to be, sir, your
most obedient servant.
‘f * ” v
RT. JI’JDOWELL, Lt. Col.
Commanding at Michilimacinac.
You wHI probably, receive instruc
tions frora|Kidgstpn as to your con
duct. ;
‘•V.v jt-“ • a ■
Euract of blotter from. W\ D. Thomas,
Esq. M. D. Surgeon 104th regt. York or
Kingston, dated ITaatawasstuga river*6th
August, 1814.
H. u I I is now nearly a month since t
left York in company with I|. Wors-
Uy of the Navy, on my way to the
land of promise, bu^ things have
turned rather unfortunately, for you
“otill behold me a spjourner in thin
wilderness. We had waited about a
week on the banks of the river be
fore the Nancy arrrived, during
i Which time we su fife red every mise
| ry that you can imagine from bad
weather and myriads of muifuitoes,
&c. fee. * The. land here is the most
barren I have ever seen, and seems
to have been formed from time to
time by the washing of Lake Huron*
it being for upwards of two miles
Composed entirely of banks of sand,
on wh.ch nothing grows but small
; brushwood. We found a-number of
Indians encamped on the lake shore,
who were extremely troublesome
before the vessel arrived, and it was
not possible to out of our
wigwams. You flbly therefore judge
what a pleasant sight the Nancy was
for us | we. found her to be a fine
schooner with aa admirable cabin,
iter cargo was not completed before
Sunday last, and she got under way
on Monday, with every prospect of
reaching Mackinac in a short time,
which is only z2O miles from hence.
We had been put but a few hours,
when we met an express from Gol.
M'DowelL to say that the American
squadron from Lake Erie of large
force was blockading the island, ami
that we could not possibly reach it*
we therefore had the mortjfrctitron
to put back into this wretched place,
where we are busily employed’in e
rectiug a block house to coma.a-and*
defend the stores and schoou
case of attack, which is an event
I ha' e 00 doubt of; but I hop
ft® Qtf jjeuud j
tafc elioIRl) ftfo 4-
no»S of Uft crew, that we shall be able
<D t verv strong force. The*
i river is two narrow to sail op, we
shall therefore have only gun
poat* to contend with. I hope Mack
inac lias provisions for three months*
*rid the enemy it is said cannot keep
out so long on account of. thfc cli
mate, so that the Nancy can make a
ritn late in the season, with the stores
if we succeed in defending them* i
expect the inan who brought the ex
; press the other day, who has gone
jto Jork, .and intends going back tp
■ Mackinack it! a canoe. I shall trust
; m person with him as he thinks he
« €an again give Jonathan the slip.*
* gallant defence of
BALTIMORE.
From the Fidcral Gazette , of Sept. 15.
The scenes wMcliwe have witnes
sed here for thefiast four days, al
though full of alarm and danger
have given our fellow-citizens a con
fidence in each other and in the pre
parations made f&r the defence of
thU city, which has almost removed
every fear of our ultimate success
To give eVeh a sketch of the transac
tions which have just passed in our
view, with correctness, we are aware
is not, at this time practicably. The
inaccuracies in lire ftiffowing out
line, we hope .Will meet with that in
dulgence Whichi* due to the occa
sion. _
The British force that advanced
np the Bay on Saturday last reached
the mouth of the River on Sunday
morning ; the vessels containing the
troops prkseded / to JJorth Point a
bout 12 miles South East of Balti
more, and commenced debarking
during the night; the Frigates, bomb
Ketches and Barges, entered the ri
vefand approached the Fort and
■ City. , v J
Between 3 and 4000* of the enemy
effected a landing at North Point
during the night of Sunday and Moh
, naorning, and commenced their
march toward* this city. They
were met about 3 miles from their
landingby Gem Strieker having un
der his command the infantry of thy
* 3d Brigade, the York Volunteers, a
\ Company of .Artillery, with some
? Cavalry and Riflemen, amounting
: w) 300<J| Those troops had arrived
the evening before on the ground
where they prepared to give the eii
r *my battle, who advanced slowly un
der cover of the woods. : About noon
a small party *f about*iso Infantry
Apd Riflemen were detached from
l «ur line to reconnoitre ; they provo
i ked an attack from the enymy,
1. which soon after became general a
long the front line of troops com posed
of the sth Regiment (with the York
Volunteers; under Col. Sterett, the
2?th Regiment under col. Long, and
Capt. Montgomery’s Artillery.
From the disposition which it was
j udged proper tp make of our troops
not mope than one half of them were
! engaged; these, although wholly
militia, fought with a bravery 8c pre
setera&ce highly honorable to them &
destructive to the enemy. The ac
tion continued about an hour and a
quarter, and during the last quarter
the firing of musketry was rdpid and
incessant. Severely galling as it
was, our front line bore it with firm
■ ness and returned it with energy,
“ until the enemy by superior numbers
I had out flanked them, whew they
were ordered to retreat—and even
| then it was with difficulty that the
f repeated commands of their officers
Who saw the imminent danger of
their being surrounded, could induce
them Tb retire.
Our loss during the aetion in kH
. &and and wounded, although not great
in number, was distressing on ac
count of the value of the lives at risk.
Every man who fell or was injured
was a respectabl* citizen, for whom
1 a large circle of intimate, friends and
relatives felt deeply’ interested. The
only officer killed on our side was
JamesL.Donaldson, esq. Adjutant of
the flatly Regt. and one of the Dele
gates from this city to the General
Assembly of this State—a number
of our officers were wounded, but
we have not sufficient information to
f particularize; we have, however, the
: pleasure tohear that none of their
r wounds are dangerous.
* The loss of the enemy, if we may
credit the accounts given by some
| deserters and prisoners, greatly ex
t ceeded ours in number, but what
j principally.compensated (jfany thing
could compensated for the death: of
our brave and respected fellow-citi
zens, i|#s the loss sustained by the
[ British 4wmy in the death of their
enterprising, brave, and, we may
justly add, respet thbie Commander
lien. Ross—the hero o.f Bladensburg
—tile captor and destroyer of our #
Capitol was doomed tq meethi* fate
from militia, pf whom ire had spo
ken With contempt ; and the citizen
soldiers ot Haiti mord have tber-honor
ol< retrieving in some degree, om
v. J 3*; :.'v v * At ■- : *. > «
K c-‘4 .. m
* T *» e Humber of the enrfh* is generally
cteat2£r trbxn. tlrt* ‘dfegr^ce,,
sustained at the seat of govenlment. 1
hf the destruction of the successful
leader of that daring invasion.
\fterthe action oflr troops retire !
towards Baltimore, ami were
ed slowly & a distance by the enemy;
wi«o approached orv Tuesday within
two miles of our entrenchments. \
Preparations were making by our
major general for cutting, off their
retreat, and general Winder with
the Virginia militia were detach
ed for the purpose* But the enemy
discovering or suspecting the de
sign* decamped suddenly in the night
and embarked with great precipita
tion* only a few of them being taken
prisoners, although closely pursued
; in their rapid retreat.
praise is due the Virginia
militia, and indeed the troops gene*
rally catted here to our aid, for
; j ,r ac *’ v c» vigilance and patriotic
endurante of fatigue, which has been
incessant and extremely farrassing
s wi\the last lour days.-~.They enjoy
however the gratifying conscious
hesa of having contributed to protect
our homes, everything dear to us*
from the attack of its ruthless invar
dera.
On Tuesday morniftg, at 6 o’clock/
the first division of the enemy’s {feet,
consisting of six bomb ketches, some
rocket ships and barges, with a num r
ligates,, were formed beyond
tne reach of the* guns at fort M’Hcn
ry,. when they commenced the bom
bardment oLthat fortress The fir
ing continued neartwenty four hours
without intermission ; during which
trme one thousand bombs werd sent
at us. On Wednesday morning
from 1® till half past 3, the frigates,
siocps of waist’ and barges, within
gun shot, kept up a trcmendous lmd
incessant roar, which ivas
and repelled with the greatest spir
it and firmness by major Armstead
and his garrrison in Fort M’Hcnry,*
and the officers and men of the bat
tery and Fort Covington on Patapsco
South Branch.
Durir|g more than an hour an
incessant blaze of fire was emit
ted from the naval semi-circle of
several miles, north east and south
of the fprt. v The fire from the foyts
was equally animated and constant.
Atone time a rodket ship and five
barges passed through the shower
south of Fort*M’Hcnry, and/cheered,
thinking themselves sureof reaching
the cove at the south east end of the
city, whence they couldfunannoyed,
have burnt the town ; but as thev
passed the 4T& of the great fortress
the narrow channel brought them
under the lfl's and 24’s of the upper
batteries/ heye crippled and discour*
aged, barges began to tow out the
disappointed squadron. The fort
being wafmly besieged at svery an
; gle, continued the cannonade till the
fleet drew out to. their line of safety,
two and a half miles. The bombard
ment continued until clay light, when
the fleet was called offi There were
four men killed and about twenty
wounded in Fort M4leory during
the gallant defence.
Boston, September 10.
The following is an extract of a
letter from Wiscasset* dated Sept* 6.
u 1 have been on a journey to the
“east-ward* hen f arrived at Cam
den, I learnt the enemy had taken
possession of Belfast, where he had
landed tQO men Witliput opposition,
promising the leave it
in four days after an expedition up
the Penobscott* ■ They then sent
’ 5 vessels and roQO.mcn up the rivet*
I make” ne doubt they have taken or
destroyed the Victory anu other
vessels at that place. We have a
report that they have destroyed the
vessels at£ Frankfort* I have not
heayd of their destroying any pro
perty on shore as yet/
“According to our last accounts
from Belfast they were entrenching
themselves and landing their artille
ry, which indicates an intention to
v there ;* but as all communis
tation Between that place and the
country is cut it is impossible
to give correct accounts.
“I have seen Mr. Stevens of Gas
tine, who informed me that gover
nor Sherbroke was four
of the British officers quartered at
his fStevenVj house, and that they
informed him that a large fleet, say
40 saikf was daily expected to “join
the fleet, and that Portsmouth and
Boston would*be attacked —thre it umber
• of troop! in the fleet said to be 7900.”
p * Belfast is on the west side of Pe
rnnobstot river. “*
Jjgf Some troops tire supposed to be on
” their vfay—and lord Hiil may bring
some out with, him if he is coming.
Bospon September IQ#
We learnt last nigh* that li*ort
tish expedition at Tenobscot hull iin
ished its work of destruction, uiu
ras bound weMwinvl. f
FrowSti K) l, Thursday, I k o'ciot^
“ C«Jona l&w tj*# gjjjti w
f%’»»ii<j#i atsj, aft®**
• the (oliowing from Sandy bay. Til®
morning about flat-break, 5 barge*
fnll of men, from three frigates and
one 74, landed at Sanday bay* and
trfc>k possession of the fort, in which
M** 4 IG men—took tbpt
men prisoners—'turned the gnns uj>
on the town—fired into the meeting
house, where the alarm hell was
ringing. The companies from the
foris, and the militia from Gtouces
ter to a man, went to their assistance
and succeedecHn driving the
off and tasking- 13 prisoners. Quo }
American prisoner taken in the
jumped fi (.tn a barge & was drown
ed. , Some kiHed and wounded oa
both side s. • y
Commodore Jtl*Jjotmovghl The hey
roof lake Champlain,
respondent) is a native of the suu<*
of Delaw aie, and is about 2d year*
of age. He entered early in th e
service oS bis county in width U*
has distinguished himself for science
and bravery. At the siege of fripo
li, he Was a midshipman undet tho‘
gallant IXcatnr, and was one of th*
brav€ t volunteers who* destroyed the*
frigate Philadelphia and th,e Tiirkisjk
gun-boats. His gallantry on this
occasion raised him to the estimation
oi his commander, who recommend
ed him to Commodore Preble win*
promoted him. Alive to glory, and,
having before him ntflny illustrious
examples of American naval heron
ism, he has-eagerly sought every ojjt
portunity to brtfiff the enetnv onlako
Champlain to gefion. Hfe’ hassuWd
ceeded—and his go&Wbrtune hus
placed hint on the s t amll v prQud cmi
inencc which had hitherto distm*
guished the Hero of Lake Erie.fi
When the soul-cheering news of
com. M Dcnough’s capture of this
whole British fleet reached this city
it was received with an enthusiasm,
oi rapture to which no fam-uagfl of
ours can do justice. The patriotic*
sentiments of joy which it called
forth will be re-echoed from one end
Os this continent to the other ; and
Com. M‘JDonough and ‘his brave*
companions jin arms will have esta*
b h| h cd their claim to the most livufe
Ijrilpprobation and gratitude of
nation.
On this occasion, national sdut<«
were yesterday fired from ourTortsd
and from the President frigate, T
Columbian #
Excelltn. f.*-At the conclusion df
the late waaf, B. Franklin, ..the Engk
lish Ambassador, knd tjie Krencli ‘
minister Vergenms, dinning at Vei£
satires, a tpast from each was c a lie A
lor, and agreed to. The Britisfc
. minister began wKh * George th£
third, who like itm in it? mere dr*
an..spreads a lustre throughout, wA
h the world* The French
minister followed with ‘‘The Ulus*
trious Louis the lfitlf, who, like thS
moon, sheds its mild and benigmm*
rays on', and Influences the globe.!;*
Our American FranlfUn then gavp.
George Washington, commander
in chief of the American armies*
who, flikc Joshua of old} command
ded the sun and fhoon So stand stilU
,and they obeyed him.”
t Singula* accident — A day ot ivy*
agoJnJjggiß-g up the earth- throw*
Un by tiie explosion gt the city (oi#
, during the invasion of the city, wa7
founefthe body of a British offigS
i buried’ in the ground whose rtamT
.from the papers fouptf on him ap*
pears to have been captain Blanchard
Royal Engineers. In ths*
pouch attaphed to his belt was found
’ a number of papers ; among which
were the general orders of debarks
tion issued on the 17th August in the
, Patuxent, sketches taken in pencil
by this officer of each day's march, a
list* of at! the principal officers, j*
statement of *the entrenching tool*
debarked, fee. but no statement of
the number of men employed in tiny
expedition,
Ivat, Intelligence#
U SADDLING - BUSINESS,
THE Subscriber respectfully lift
forms bis friends and the
that he has commenced the <
business in Jackson county, on tb<y
main road leading from Athens to
Jefferson, about mid way, where hty
carries it on in all iujwarious branch^
. es—Will be thankful to those who
may please to fevor him whb their
custom, and assures them that the
utmost attention will be paid to theixtf
commands—His Work shall be neat* *
,H* executed, and done on moderat&
jerros. ... - t V •
JOSEPH RaSPBEBRV. /
Suly 2fit, lg{4.
l Lj&J| S9TIOU- .. v.,/-
The sabspriber being* about to be ateent olf
> ,our dirty ftie ensuing si* months,
.proper to ihform his customers that the bus«-
uess of his shop will, in the mean time', bi
arriedon by Drary 0; Howell,
LEMS LAMBXm
Ur 12, Isl 4
•s muSi