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 erew 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 companions. It is with real satisfaction I have again the pleasure of bearing Testimony to the merits of lieutenants Reily, Tillinghast, Berry and sailing master Earr; 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, S. 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 was then sprung to bear on the brig, which surrendered in about 15 minutes after. 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. The Saratoga had 55 round shot in her hull, the Confiance 105. The enemy's shot passed principally just over our heads, as there were not 20 whole hammocks in the nettings at the close of the action, which lasted, without intermission, two hours and twenty minutes. The absence and sickness of lieutenant Raymond Perry, left me without the services of that excellent officer; much ought fairly to be attributed to him for his great care and attention in disciplining the ship's crew, as her first lieutenant. His place was filled by a gallant young officer, lieutenent Peter Gamble, who I regret to inform, you, was killed early in the action, Acting lieutenant Vallette worked the 1st and 2d division of guns with able effect. Sailing master Brum's attention to the springs, and in the execution of the order to wind the ship, and occasionally at the guns, met my entire approbation: also captain Youngs, commanding the acting marines, who took his men to the guns. Mr Beale, purser, was of great service at the guns, and in carrying my orders throughout the ship, with midshipmen Montgomery. Master's mate, Joshua Justin, had command of the 3d division; his conduct during the action, was that of a brave officer. Midshipmen Monteath, Graham, Williamson, Platt, Thwing, and acting midshipman Baldwin, all behaved well, and gave evidence of their making valuable officers. The Saratoga was twice set on fire, by hot shot from the enemy's ship. I close, sir, this communication, with feelings of gratitude, for the able support I received from every officer and man attached to the squadron which I have the honour to command. I have the honour to be, &c. T. MACDONOUGH. Honourable William Jones, Secretary of the Navy. SIR, UNITED STATES' SHIP SARATOGA, I have the honour to inclose to you a list of the killed and wounded on board the different vessels of the squadron under your command in the action of the 11th instant. It is impossible to ascertain correctly that of the enemy. From the best information received from the British officers, from my own observations and from various lists found on board the Confiance, I calculate the number of men on board that ship, at the commencement of the action, at 270, of whom at least 180 were killed and wounded, and on board the other captured vessels, at leat 80 more, making in the whole, killed and wounded 260. This is, doubtless, short of the real number, as many were thrown overboard from the Confiance, during the engagement. The muster books must have been thrown overboard, or otherwise disposed of, as they are not to be found. Thomas Macdonough, Esqr. I have the honour to be, &c. GEORGE BEALE, Jr. Purser. A comparatiae view of the forces and loss, BRITISH-No. of guns 95; men 1050-killed 84; wounded 110, U.S. SHIP SARATOGA, OFF PLATTSBURGH, DEAR SIR, Brigadier general Macomb. I am, with much respect, &c. SIR, HEAD QUARTERS, PLATTSBURGH, September 15th, 1814. I have the honour to communicate for the information of the war department, the particulars of the advance of the enemy into the territory of the United States, the circumstances attending the siege of Plattsburgh, and the defence of the posts entrusted to my charge. The governor general of the Canadas, sir George Prevost, having collected all the disposable force of Lower Canada, with a view of conquering the country as far as Crown Point and Ticonderoga, entered the territories of the United States on the first of the month, and occupied the village of Champlain, there avowed his intentions, and issued orders and proclamations tending to dissuade the people from their allegiance, and inviting them to furnish his army with provisions. He immediately began to press the wagons and teams in the vicinity, and loaded them with his heavy baggage and stores. From this I was persuaded he intended to attack this place. I had but just returned from the lines, where I had commanded a fine brigade, which was broken to form the division under major general Izard, ordered |