paces of the sentinel who was stationed in a block house, notwithstanding the sentinel fired on them. In a little time the attack commenced with a pretty general discharge of fire arms on all sides-the balls and buck shot fell in like hail and continued until dark. They then retired. On the morning of the 6th, they appeared in small squads in every direction-a part under the bank firing into our loop holes, while others were employed in killing all the live stock in the place. At 4 o'clock P. M. they all collected under the bank of the river and commenced firing at our flag and block houses, and after firing about 400 shot they cut the halyards and the flag fell inside: a general shout was given by them as a triumph of victory. They continued in part till after night, and kept up a fire while one took away the man whom they had killed, which we were unable to effect, as we did not know the number that might be there. On the morning of the 7th, about the first thing that presented to our view was the man's head and heart stuck upon sticks, the head painted after the manner of themselves. They kept a fire upon us all day, during which time a party of them set Mr. Juliean's houses on fire, and in a short time I discovered our boats were all in flames. I must confess that at this moment I felt some little confusion, but no alternative was left but the greatest exertions: we had 8 old gun barrels made into squirts, and made holes through the tops of the block houses, and in a few minutes we were able to make them as wet as if there had fallen a shower of rain. The little panic was soon dissipated and we felt ourselves again secure; but the greatest efforts were made on the part of the Indians to consume us in flames. They wounded one of our men in the face but not dangerous. By sundown 1 discovered Mr. McNabb's house on fire, which led me to believe that they intended to burn all. The wind had fallen. I despatched a man in the dark with a stick of port fire and instruments to set fire to the factory, which was performed. On the 8th, they did not make their appearance until 9 o'clock A. M. which was in an old stable that they had fortified the preceding night, but were soon dislodged by two cannon shot. They then resumed their old station under the banks and fired upon us, while others continued throwing showers of fire chunks and arrows prepared with suitable matter to take fire, but our gun barrel squirts soon extinguished them. This was their last and longest effort which was continued until 10 o'clock at night. We have not seen one since, but I fear a party hangs about to take the first man that shows his head. It is incumbent on me to give you a very particular idea of our situation. This garrison is in the most ineligible place that ever could have been chosen by any man even if he would try. The Indians are much better fortified than we. On the south side of the river the bank affords them a complete shelter, and would take a regiment of men a month to make it so that we could rake it. On the east it is worse yet. On the west a spring run affords another bank which cannot be removed. On the north a hill commands us completely, which I know from experience, as I could not pass from one block house to the other without being fired upon. Indeed, sir, the Indians have nothing more to do than to possess themselves of these places and cut off every man that shows himself outside; for we must have wood in the winter and cold season. The fact is that I will positively evacuate this post by the 15th of November next, if there is no means taken to render the lives of the men more secure. The truth is, that it ought not to be occupied in a time of war, since it cannot be bettered in the place where it stands; it ought to be moved off this point entirely. I have not a yoke of cattle to provide us with a stick of wood, and if I had, I have no forage. You now will know my determination, and I hope you will endeavour to render me some relief. Lieut. Col. D. Bissell. I am, with respect yours, &c, Lieut. 1st Regt. Lt. Infy. Comg. CRUISE OF THE SCHOONER ROSSIE, October, 1812. Extract from the log-book of the Schooner Rossie, Commodore Barney, commander. July 12th, sailed from Baltimore. July 15th, left Cape Henry. July 17th, spoke ship Electra, of Philadelphia, informed her of the war. July 21st, spoke brig Triton, of Portsmouth, informed her of the war. Spoke ship Rising Sun, of Baltimore informed her of the war. July 22d, seized brig Nymph, of Newburyport, for breach of the non-importation law; spoke ship Reserve of Bath; brig- from Lisbon to New-London, informed her of the war. July 23d, was chased by a frigate; fired 25 shot at us; outsailed her. July 30th, chased by a frigate; outsailed her. July 31st, took and burnt the ship Princess-Royal. August 1st, took and manned the ship Kitty; 2d, took and burnt the following: brig Fame, brig Devonshire, schooner Squid, and took the brig Brothers-put on board her 60 prisoners, and sent her to St. Johns, to be exchanged for as many Americans. 3d, took and sunk the brig Henry and schooner Race-horse; burnt the schooner Halifax, manned the brig William (arrived) and gave the schooner Two Brothers to 40 prisoners, and sent them to St. Johns, on parole. 9th, took the ship Jeanie, after a short action; she mounting 12 guns; sent her for the United States (arrived.) 10th, seized the brig Rebecca, of Saco, from London, for a breach of the non-importation law, (arrived.) 14th, spoke brig Hazard, from Cadiz, informed her of the war. 16th, spoke ship Hercules, from Malta, informed her of the war, 17th, spoke brig Favorite, from Cadiz to Boston. 20th, spoke brig John Adams, who had been captured and plundered by the Guerriere, and let go. August 25th, seized ship Euphrates, of New Bedford, for breach of the non-importation law, (arrived.) 28th, spoke a brig, prize to the Benjamin Franklin, privateer. 29th, spoke ship Jewell, of Portland, informed her of the war. 30th, spoke schooner Ann and Mary, of New London, informed her of the war. September 7, spoke brig , from Providence, Rhode Island, in distress; left her under care of the Revenue Cutter, of Newport. 9th, chased by three ships of war, a short chase. 10th, spoke ship Joseph, from Bonavista, informed her of the war. 10th, spoke a brig, prize to the schooner Saratoga, of New York. 12th, chased by a frigate six hours; outsailed her. 16th, took his Britannic majesty's packet ship Princess Amelia, after a severe action of nearly an hour, at pistol-shot distance. The captain, sailing-master, and one man was killed, the master's mate and six men wounded. We had Mr. Long, first lieutenant, severely wounded, and six men (most of whom have recovered), the ship cut to pieces, and the Rossie much injured in sails and rigging. September 16th, fell in with three ships and a brig armed, exchanged shot with the commodore, received an 18 pound shot through our quarter, wounded a man and lodged in our pump; continued to dog and watch the above vessels 4 days, in hopes to separate them, but in vain. September 23d, spoke the private armed schooner Globe, captain Murphy, of Baltimore, went in pursuit of the above vessels, but could not fall in with them. 25th, spoke a Spanish brig bound to Porto-Rico. October 8th, took (in company with the Globe,) the schooner Jubilee, and sent her in. 9th, spoke a Spanish schooner from Palma to Porto-Rico. 10th, chased and spoke the privateer schooner Rapid, of Charleston, S. C. 52 days out, had taken nothing. 22d, seized the ship Merimack, for breach of the non-importation act. Result is, three thousand six hundred and ninety-eight tons of shipping, and two hundred and seventeen prisoners-valued at upwards of one million five hundred thousand dollars. SIR, BLACK ROCK, October 9, 1812. I have the honour to inform you that on the morning of the 8th instant, two British vessels, which I was informed were his Britannic majesty's brig Detroit, late the United States' brig Adams, and the brig Hunter, mounting 14 guns, but which afterwards proved to be the brig Caledonia, both said to be well armed and manned, came down the lake and anchored under the protection of fort Erie. Having been on the lines for some time, and in a measure inactively employed, I determined to make an attack, and if possible to get possession of them. A strong inducement to this attempt arose from a consideration that with these two vessels and to those which I have purchased and am fitting out, I should be enabled to meet the remainder of the British force on the Upper lakes, and save an incalculable expense and labour to the government. On the morning of their arrival I heard that our seamen were but a short distance from this place, and immediately despatched an express to the officers, directing them to use all possible despatch in getting their men to this place, as I had an important service to perform. On their arrival, which was about 12 o'clock, I discovered that they had only 20 pistols, and neither cutlasses nor battle axes. But on application to generals Smyth and Hall of the regulars and militia, I was supplied with a few arms, and general Smyth was so good, on my request, as immediately to detach 50 men from the regulars, armed with muskets. By 4 o'clock in the afternoon, I had my men selected and stationed in two boats, which I had previously prepared for the purpose. With these boats, 50 men in each, and under circumstances very disadvantageous, my men having scarcely had time to refresh themselves after a fatiguing march of 500 miles, I put off from the mouth of Buffaloe creek, at 1 o'clock the following morning, and at 3 I was along side the vessels. In the space of about 10 minutes, I had the prisoners all secured, the top-sails sheeted home, and the vessels under way. Unfortunately the wind was not sufficiently strong to get me up against a rapid current into the lake, where I had understood another armed vessel lay at anchor, and I was obliged to run down the river, by the forts, under a heavy fire of round, grape, and canister, from a number of pieces of heavy ordnance, and several pieces of flying artillery, was compelled to anchor at a distance of about 400 yards from two of their batteries. After the discharge of the first gun, from the flying artillery, I hailed the shore, and observed to the officer, that if another gun was fired I would bring the prisoners on deck, and expose them to the same fate we would all share; but notwithstanding, they disregarded the caution and continued a constant and destructive fire. One single moment's reflection determined me not to commit an act that would subject me to the imputation of barbarity. The Caledonia had been beached, in as safe a position as the circumstances would admit of, under one of our batteries at the Black Rock. I now brought all the guns of the Detroit on one side next the enemy, stationed the men at them, and directed a fire which was continued as long as our ammunition lasted and circumstances permitted. During the contest I endeavoured to get the Detroit on our side by sending a line, there being no wind, on shore, with all the line I could muster; but the current being so strong, the boat could not reach the shore. I then hailed our shore, and requested that warps should be made fast on land, and sent on board: the attempt to all which again proved useless. As the fire was such as would, in all probability, sink the vessel in a short time, I determined to drift down the river out of the reach of the batteries, and make a stand against the flying artillery. I accordingly cut the cable, made sail with very light airs, and at that instant discovered that the pilot had abandoned me. I dropped astern for about 10 minutes, when I was brought up on our shore on Squaw island-got the boarding boat ready, had the prisoners put in and sent on shore, with directions for the officer to return for me and what property we could get from the brig. He did not return, owing to the difficulty in the boat's getting on shore. Discovering a skiff under the counter, I put the four remaining prisoners in the boat, and with my officers I went on shore to bring the boat off. I asked for protection to the brig of lieutenant colonel Scott, who readily gave it. At this moment I discovered a boat with about 40 soldiers from the British side, making for the brig. They got on board, but were soon compelled to abandon her, with the loss of nearly all their men. During the whole of this morning both sides of the river kept up alternately a continual fire on the brig, and so much injured her that it was impossible to have floated her. Before I left her, she had several shot of large size in her bends, her sails in ribbons, and rigging all cut to pieces. To my officers and men I feel under great obligation. To captain Towson and lieutenant Roach of the 2d regiment of artillery, ensign Prestman of the infantry, captain Chapin, Mr. John M'Comb, Messrs. John Town, Thomas Dain, Peter Overstocks, and James Sloan, resident gentlemen of Buffaloe, for their soldier and sailor-like conduct. In a word, sir, every man fought as if with their hearts animated only by the interest and honour of their country. The prisoners I have turned over to the military. The Detroit mounted 6 six pound long guns, a commanding lieutenant of marines, a boatswain and gunner, and 56 men-about 30 American prisoners on board, muskets, pistols, cutlasses, and battle-axes. In boarding her I lost one man, one officer wounded, Mr. John C. Cummings, acting midshipman, a bayonet through the leg; his conduct was correct, and deserves the notice of the department. The Caledonia mounted two small guns, blunderbusses, pistols, muskets, cutlasses, and boarding pikes, 12 men including officers, 10 prisoners on board. The boat boarding her was commanded by sailing master George Watts, who performed his duty in a masterly style. But one man killed, and four wounded bad, I am afraid mortally. I enclose you a list of the officers and men engaged in the enterprize, and also a view of the lake and river in the different situations of attack. In a day or two |