upright American spurn them with united contempt. After the experience of twenty-one years, can you longer support those brawlers for liberty, who call it freedom, when themselves are free? Be no longer their dupes; accept of my offers; every thing I have promised in this paper, I guarantee to you, on the SACRED HONOUR of a BRITISH officer. Given under my hand, at my head quarters, Pensacola, this 29th day of August, 1814. EDWARD NICHOLS. SIR, HEAD QUARTERS, CAMP AT THE WHITE HOUSE, VA. Yesterday morning about 2 o'clock, the enemy's squadron discontinued the bombardment which had been kept up with little intermission, for three days, weighed anchor, and stood down the river, commencing a heavy fire on the battery, and across the neck of land through which the militia were compelled to march to its assistance. The rifle companies under captains Humphries, Tebbs and Fields, were immediately ordered down to the battery, which orders were promptly obeyed. I followed with colonel Parker's regiment, and two detachments under colonels Green and Renno, leaving instructions with general Young to take a position between us and a creek, which made up some distance behind so as to prevent the enemy falling on our rear, and to co-operate with us, if necessary, at the battery. When I had proceeded with the advance to a point within three or four hundred yards of the river, the troops were halted until I could obtain accurate information of the precise situation of the enemy; about this time, commodore Porter, as I understood, finding our little battery inefficient to impede the progress of the vessels, after having long gallantly defended it, and considering a longer contention with such a superiority of metal a wanton sacrifice of blood, ordered the battery to be evacuated and his men to retire, which they did. The two largest of the enemy's vessels, then anchored; one just above, and the other just below the battery, and commenced a most galling cross fire of round shot, grape, canister, &c. The troops which had been previously ordered to shelter themselves from the fire of the enemy, it having become extremely severe, were immediately formed and marched back to a place of comparative security. We had scarcely retired, when information was brought that the enemy discovered a disposition to land, and aid was necessary to prevent their spiking our cannon. I again moved down with the troops under our command, colonel Dangerfield with his regiment being sent on before, and had proceeded to a valley within about fifty yards of the battery, when general Young and myself, who were following with the residue of the troops, were met by com modore Porter, within three or four hundred yards of the river. He thought that it was unnecessary to expose the whole army, and advised that 200 men, which he thought sufficient for the purpose, should be sent down to protect the battery. All the troops were then ordered back, the detail made and sent down under the command of colonel Green; major Banks followed with 200 men, to aid, if necessary. Permit me to say, that it was impossible for men to have conducted themselves with more intrepidity, than the militia on this occasion. Notwithstanding the dreadful cross fire of every species of missive, by the enemy, to which they were exposed, without a possibility of returning the fire (the most trying of all situations) not a man under my command offered to move, until orders to that effect was given; and then it was done slowly and in order. I beg leave also, to mention the promptitude and alacrity with which the second order to march through a tremendous discharge of large shot and grape, for the distance of about a mile, was immediately obeyed. Captain Humphries, with his rifle company, was stationed just above the battery, and is entitled to the highest commendation for the courage and activity with which he fought. Captain Griffith, of Alexandria, was under the immediate direction of commodore Porter, who spoke of him in the highest terms of approbation. Captain Janney, of Essex, was near the battery at the time of the action, with a fatigue party of fifty or sixty men, and deserves to be particularly mentioned. Our whole loss was eleven killed, and seventeen or eighteen wounded I have the honour to be, &c. JOHN P. HUNGERFORD, Brig. Gen. Virginia militia. Hon. James Monroe. SIR, BATTLE ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN. U. S. SHIP SAratoga, ofF PLATTSBURGH, The Almighty has been pleased to grant us a signal victory on lake Champlain, in the capture of one frigate, one brig, and 'two sloops of war of the enemy. I have the honour to be, &c. Honourable William Jones, Secretary of the Navy. SIR, THE AVON SUNK BY THE WASP. UNITED STATES' SLOOP WASP, AT SEA, September 11th, 1814-latitude 40 N. longitude 16 W. After a protracted and tedious stay at L'Orient, I had at fast the pleasure of leaving that place on Saturday the 27th of of August. On the 30th, captured the British brig Lettice, Henry Cockburn, master; and 31st August, the British brig Bon Accord, Adam Durno, master. On the morning of the 1st September, discovered a convoy of ten sail at leeward, in charge of the Armada 74, and a bomb ship; stood for them and succeeded in cutting out the British brig Mary, John D. Allen, master, laden with brass cannon taken from the Spaniards, iron cannon and military stores from Gibraltar to England, removed the prisioners set her on fire and endeavoured to capture another of the convoy, but was chased off by the Armada. On the evening of the same day at past 6, while going free, discovered four vessels nearly at the same time, two on the starboard, and two on the larboard bow, being the farthest to windward. At 7 the chase (a brig) commenced making signals with flags, which could not be distinguished for want of light, and soon after made various ones with lantherns, rockets and guns. At 26 minutes after 9, having the chase under our lee bow, the 12 pound carronade was directed to be fired into him, which he returned; ran under his lee to prevent his escaping, and at 20 minutes after 9 commenced the action. At 10 o'clock believing the enemy to be silenced, orders were given to cease firing, when I hailed and asked if he had surrendered. No answer being given to this, and his fire having re-commenced, it was again returned. At 12 minutes after 10, the enemy having suffered greatly and having made no return to our two last broadsides, I hailed him the second time to know if he had surrendered, when he answered in the affirmative. The guns were then ordered to be secured and the boat lowered to take possession. In the act of lowering the boat, a second brig was discovered, a little distance astern and standing for us. Sent the crew to their quarters, prepared every thing for another action, and waited his coming up at 36 minutes after 10, discovered two more sail astern standing towards us. I now felt myself compelled to forego the satisfaction of destroying the prize. Our braces having been cut away, we kept off the wind until others could be rove, and with the expectation of drawing the second brig from his companions, but in this last we were disappointed. The second brig continued to approach us until she came close to our stern, when she hauled by the wind, fired her broadside which cut our rigging and sails considerably, and shot away a lower main cross tree, and retraced her steps to join her consorts; when we were necessitated to abandon the prize, he appeared in every respect a total wreck. He continued for some time firing guns of distress until probably delivered by the two last vessels who made their appearance. The second brig could have engaged us if he had thought proper, as he neared us fast, but contented himself with firing a broadside, and immediately returned to his compa bions. It is with real satisfaction I have again the pleasure of bearing testimony to the merits of lieutenants Reily, Tillinghast, Berry and sailing master Carr; and to the good conduct of every officer and man on board the Wasp. Their divisions and departments were attended and supplied with the utmost regularity and abundance, which, with the good order maintained, together with the vivacity and precision of their fire, reflects on them the greatest credit. Our loss is two killed, and one slightly wounded with a wad. The hull received four round shot, and the fore-mast many grape shot. Our rigging and sails suffered a great deal. Every damage has been repaired the day after, with the exception of our sails. Of the vessel with whom we were engaged, nothing positive can be said with regard to her name or force. While hailing him, previous to his being fired into, it was blowing fresh (then going ten knots) and the name was not distinctly understood. Of her force, the four shot which struck us, are all thirty-two pounds in weight, being a pound and three quarters heavier than any belonging to this vessel. From this circumstance, the number of men in her tops, her general appearance and great length, she is believed to be one of the largest brigs in the British navy. I have the honour to be, &c. Hon. Wm. Jones, Secretary of the Navy. J. BLAKELY. P. S. I am told the enemy, after his surrender, asked for assistance, and said he was sinking. The probability of this is confirmed by his firing single guns for some time after his capture. The action took place in latitude 47 30 north, longitude 11 west. List of killed and wounded on board the United States' sloop of war, Wasp, Johnston Blakely, esquire, commander, in the action with his Britannic majesty's sloop of war September, 1814. on the 1st KILLED Joseph Martin, boatswain; Henry Staples, quarter gunner. WOUNDED-James Snellings, seaman, collar bone fractured by a wad. RECAPITULATION-Killed, 2; wounded, 1. Total, 3. WM. M. CLARKE, Surgeon. It was afterwards ascertained that the prize, the name and force of which, captain Blakely could not obtain, was the British brig of war Avon, captain Arbuthnot, of the same number of guns as the Reindeer. She sunk immediately after the Castilion which chased the Wasp, had taken out her last man. From the enemy's account it appeared that her captain was wounded in both legs, her first lieutenant and eight men killed, and the second lieutenant, one midshipman, and 31 men wounded. After repairing damages, the Wasp continued her cruize, and on the 21st of September, she captured, off the Madeiras, her thirteenth prize, the British brig Atalanta, of eight guns. This vessel arrived at Havannah in the beginning of November following, with despatches from captain Blakely, and under the command of Mr. Geisinger of the Wasp. SIR, U. S. SHIP SARATOGA, PLATTSBURGH BAY, I have the honour to give you the particulars of the action which took place on the 11th instant, on this lake. For several days, the enemy were on their way to Plattsburgh by land and water, and it being well understood that an attack would be made at the same time, by their land and naval forces, I determined to await, at anchor, the approach of the latter. At eight A. M. the look-out boat announced the approach of the enemy. At nine, he anchored in a line ahead, at about 300 yards distance from my line; his ship opposed the Saratoga, his brig to the Eagle, captain Robert Henley; his gallies, thirteen in number, to the schooner, sloop, and a division of our gallies; one of his sloops assisting their ship and brig, the other assisting their gallies. Our remaining gallies with the Saratoga and Eagle. In this situation, the whole force on both sides, became engaged, the Saratoga suffering much, from the heavy fire of the Confiance. I could perceive at the same time, however, that our fire was very destructive to her. The Ticonderoga, lieutenant commandant Cassin, gallantly sustained her full share of the action. At half past 10 o'clock, the Eagle not being able to bring her guns to bear, cut her cable, and anchored in a more eligible position, between my ship and the Ticonderoga, where she very much annoyed the enemy, but unfortunately, leaving me exposed to a galling fire from the enemy's brig. Our guns on the starboard side being nearly all dismounted, or not manageable, a stern anchor was let go, the bower cut, and the ship winded with a fresh broadside on the enemy's ship, which soon after surrendered. Our broadside then sprung to bear on the brig, which surrendered in about 15 minutes after. was The sloop that was opposed to the Eagle, had struck some time before, and drifted down the line; the sloop which was with their gallies having struck also. Three of their gallies are said to be sunk, the others pulled off. Our gallies were about obeying with alacrity, the signal to follow them, when all the vessels were reported to me to be in a sinking state; it then became necessary to annul the signal to the gallies, and order their men to the pumps. I could only look at the enemy's gallies going off in a shattered condition, for there was not a mast in either squadron that could stand to make sail on; the lower rigging being nearly shot away, hung down as though it had been just placed over mast heads. |