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soldiers, by your agent delegated for that purpose, they have failed to produce the intended effect-and although it may appear incredible to your excellency, even soldiers have discernment sufficient to perceive, that the proclamation of a governor, when issued out of the line of his duty, is a harmless, inoffensive and nugatory document-they regard it with mingled emotions of pity and contempt for its author, and as a striking monument of his folly.

Before we conclude, we feel ourselves, in justice to your excellency, bound to declare, that a knowledge of your excellency's character induces us to believe, that the folly and infamy of the proclamation to which your excellency has put your signature, is not wholly to be ascribed to your excellency, but chiefly to the evil advisers, with whom we believe your excellency is unhappily encompassed.

We are, with due respect, &c.

Luther Dixon, lieutenant colonel; Elijah Dee, junr. major; Josiah Grout, major; Charles Bennet, captain; Jesse Post, captain; Elijah W. Wood, captain; Elijah Birge, captain; Martin D. Follet, captain; Amasa Mansfield, captain; T. H. Campbell, lieutenant; G. O. Dixon, lieutenant; Francis Northway, lieutenaut; Joshua Brush, lieutenant; Daniel Dodge, ensign; Sandford Gadcomb, captain; James Fullington, quarter master; Shepherd Beals, lieutenant; John Fasset, surgeon; Seth Clark, junr. surgeon's mate; Thomas Waterman, captain; Benjamin Follet, lieutenant; Hira Hill, surgeon's mate.

SIR,

CAMP STROTHER, NEAR TEN ISLANDS OF COOSA,
November 11th, 1813.

I am just returned from an excursion which I took a few days ago, and hasten to acquaint you with the result.

Late on the evening of the 7th instant, a runner arrived from the friendly party, in Lashley's fort, (Talledega) distant about 30 miles below us, with the information that the hostile Creeks, in great force, had encamped near the place, and were preparing to destroy it; and earnestly entreated that I would lose no time in affording them relief. Urged by their situation, as well as by a wish to meet the enemy so soon as an opportunity would offer, I determined upon commencing my march thither with all my disposable force in the course of the night; and immediately despatched an express to general White, advising him of my intended movement, and urged him to hasten to this encampment by a forced march, in order to protect it in my absence. I had repeatedly written the general to form a junction with me as speedily as practicable, and a few days before had received his assurance, that on the 7th he would join me. I commenced crossing the

river at the Ten Islands, leaving behind me my baggage wagons and whatever might retard my progress; and encamped that night within six miles of the fort I had set out to relieve. At midnight I had received, by an Indian runner, a letter from general White, informing me that he had received my order, but that he had altered his course, and was on his march backwards to join major general Cocke, near the mouth of Chatuga. I will not now remark upon the strangeness of this manouvre; but it was now too late to change my plan, or make any new arrangements; and between 3 and 4 o'clock, I re-commenced my march to meet the enemy, who were encamped within a quarter of a mile of the fort. At sun-rise we came within half a mile of them, and having formed my men, I moved on in battle order. The infantry were in three lines the militia on the left, and the volunteers on the right. The cavalry formed the two extreme wings, and were ordered to advance in a curve, keeping their rear connected with the advance of their infantry lines, and enclose the enemy in a circle. The advanced guard whom I sent forward to bring on the engagement, met the attack of the enemy with great intrepidity; and having poured upon them four or five very galling rounds, fell back as they had been previously ordered, to the main army. The enemy pursued, and the front line was now ordered to advance and meet him; but owing to some misunderstanding, a few companies of militia, who composed a part of it, commenced a retreat. At this moment a corps of cavalry, commanded by lieutenant colonel Dyer, which I had kept as a reserve, was ordered to dismount, and fill up the vacancy occasioned by the retreat. This order was executed with a great deal of promptitude and effect. The militia, seeing this, speedily rallied; and the fire became general along the front line, and on that part of the wings which was contiguous. The enemy, unable to stand it, began to retreat; but were met at every turn, and repulsed in every direction. The right wing chased them with a most destructive fire to the mountains, a distance of about three miles and had I not been compelled by the faux pas of the militia in the outset of the battle, to dismount my reserve, I believe not a man of them would have escaped. The victory however was very decisive-290 of the enemy were left dead-and there can be no doubt but many more were killed who were not found. Wherever they ran they left behind them traces of blood; and it is believed that very few will return to their villages in as sound a condition as they left them. I was compelled to return to this place to protect the sick and wounded, and get my baggage on.

In the engagement we lost 15 killed and 85 wounded-2 of them have since died. All the officers acted with the utmost bravery, and so did all the privates except that part of the militia who retreated at the commencement of the battle-and they hastened to attone for their error. Taking the whole together, they have

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realized the high expectations I had formed of them, and have fairly entitled themselves to the gratitude of their country.

His excellency Willie Blount, Nashville.

ANDREW JACKSON.

SIR,

CAMP, NEAR CORNWALL, November 12th, 1813.

I have the honour to report to you, that yesterday, while the rear division of the army, consisting of detachments from the 1st, 3d, and 4th brigades, and placed under my command to protect the flotilla from the enemy, that hung on our rear, was under arms in order to move, agreeably to your orders, down the bank of the St. Lawrence, a report was brought to me from the rear guard, that a body of about 200 British and Indians had advanced into the woods that skirted our rear. General Swartwout, with the 4th brigade, was immediately ordered to dislodge them; general Covington, with the 3d brigade, at the same time, directed to be within supporting distance. General Swartwout dashed into the woods, and with the 21st infantry, (a part of his brigade) after a short skirmish, drove them back to the position of their main body. Here he was joined by general Covington. The enemy had judiciously chosen his ground among the ravines, which every where intersected the extensive plain, and discharged a heavy and galling fire upon our advanced columns. No opposition or obstacle, however, checked their ardour. The enemy retired for more than a mile before their resolute and repeated charges. During this time, the detachment of the 1st brigade under colonel Coles, whose greater distance from the scene of action retarded its arrival, rapidly entered the field. Being directed to attack the enemy's left flank, this movement was promptly and bravely executed amid a shower of musketry and shrapnell shells. The fight now became more stationary, until the brigade first engaged, having expended all their ammunition, were directed to retire to a more defensible position to wait for a re-supply. This movement so disconnected the line as to render it expedient for the first brigade likewise to retire. It should be remarked, that the artillery, excepting two pieces under captain Irvine, attached to the rear division, which from the nature of the ground, and the circuitous route they had to take, were likewise much retarded in their arrival, did not reach the ground until the line, for want of ammunition, had already began to fall back. When they were arranged, in doing which I was assisted by the skill of colonel Swift, of the engineers, their fire was sure and destructive. When the artillery was finally directed to retire, having to cross a deep, and excepting in one place, (to artillery) impassable ravine, one piece was unfortunately lost. The fall of its gallant commander, fieutenant Smith, and most of his men, may account for this

accident. In the death of this young man, the army has lost one of its most promising officers.

The squadron of the 2d regiment of dragoons, under major Woodford, was early on the field, and much exposed to the enemy's fire, but the nature of the ground, and the position of his line, did not admit of those successfull charges, which their discipline and ardour, under more favourable circumstances, are calculated to make. The reserve, under colonel Upham* and major Malcolm, did not arrive from the boats in time to participate in but a small part of the action; but the activity and zeal they displayed while engaged, evinced the benefit that might have been derived from their earlier assistance.

The whole of the line was now re-formed on the borders of those woods from which the enemy had first been driven; when, night coming on and the storm returning, and conceiving that the object you had in view, which was to beat back the enemy that. would retard our junction with the main body below, to have been accomplished, the troops were directed to return to the ground near the flotilla; which movement was executed in good order, and without molestation from the enemy.

I cannot close my representation of this battle, without indulg ing in a few remarks upon those officers, whose conduct will give a character to the conflict of this day. General Covington, whose readiness to enter the field was an earnest of his subsequent activity, received a mortal wound, while leading his men on to a successful charge. His troops still feeling the effects of his gallant example, continued to advance long after their brave commander had fallen. His fate will perpetuate the memory of the plain which has been crimsoned by his blood. Colonel Preston was severely wounded, while nobly fighting at the head of his regiment. The universal sympathy which is excited by the honourable misfortune of this amiable officer, attests the estimation which is entertained of his talents as a soldier, and his virtues as a man. Major Cumming, with whose military merits and exertions I have long been acquainted, met with a similar fate while leading to a charge, and undiscouraged by the wound continued to advance, until loss of blood obliged him to retire. Many platoon officers received disabling or slight wounds in the honourable discharge of their duty, a report of whose names and merits I have directed the several chiefs of brigades to make to me, in order that I may transmit it to you. It is with great satisfaction I acknowledge my warmest approbation of the gallantry and zeal which was constantly displayed throughout this eventful day, by brigadier general Swartwout, and colonel Coles, who commanded the detachment of the 1st brigade.

After the fall of general Covington, colonel Pierce, on whom the command of the 3d brigade devolved, conducted with

*Colonel Upham was not in this action. His boat had shoved off and was ten miles from the scene of action when the battle commenced. It was major Malcolm who headed the reserve and decided the conflict.

his characteristic coolness and valour. In speaking of the other numerous field officers who participated in this battle, colonels Gaines and Ripley, lieutenant colonel Aspinwall, and majors Morgan, Grafton and Gardner, their equal claim to applause forbids the invidious task of discrimination, I find a pleasure likewise in acknowledging the eminent service I derived from the experience and activity of adjutant general colonel Walback; from the assistance of inspector general, colonel Johnson, and assistant adjutant generals, majors Beebe and Chambers; the latter was wounded in the honourable discharge of his duty. In addition to these acknowledgments, a sense of justice, as well as personal friendship, induces me to express my entire approbation of the conduct of lieutenant Henry Whiting, my aidde-camp, who was in this instance, as he has been during the whole campaign, my zealous and brave assistant. Lieutenant Worth, aid-de-camp to major general Lewis, led by a laudable ambition, left the flotilla, and volunteered his acceptable services to me on

the field.

Permit me now to add, sir, that though the result of this action was not so brilliant and decisive as I could have wished, and the first stages of it seemed to promise, yet when it is recollected that the troops had long been exposed to hard privations and fatigues, to inclement storms from which they could have no shelter; that the enemy were superior to us in numbers, and greatly superior in position, and supported by 7 or 8 heavy gun boats; that the action being unexpected, was necessarily commenced without much concert; that we were, by unavoidable circumstances, long deprived of our artillery; and that the action was warmly and obstinately contested for more than three hours, during which there were but a few short cessations of musketry and cannon; when all these circumstances are recollected, perhaps this day may be thought to have added some reputation to the American arms. And if, on this occasion, you shall believe me to have done my duty, and accomplished any one of your purposes, I shall be satisfied.

Allow me to adjoin my regret, which is felt in common with the army, that the severity of your indisposition deprived us of your presence on this occasion. The adjutant general has been directed to furnish a report of the killed, wounded, and the casualties. I have the honour to be, &c.

Major general Wilkinson.

SIR,

JOHN P. BOYD, Brig. Gen. Comdg.

HEAD QUARTERS, NEAR CORNWALL, (U. C.)
November 12th, 1813.

I this day had the honour to receive your letter of the 8th instant, by colonel Atkinson, and want language to express my

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