and schooner, at anchor near the mouth of the creek. At one time the flotilla, or, as Mr. O'Connor says, "the 13 barges" got under weigh, and chased the boats to a short distance, and then returned to their moorings. With a view to force the flotilla to quit its station, detachments of seamen and marines were landed on both sides of the river, and the American militia, estimated at 3 or 400, retreated before them to the woods. The marines destroyed two tobacco-stores, and several houses that formed military posts; but still the flotilla remained at its moorings.

Fear is certainly a great magnifier of objects. To that may we ascribe the frequent appearance of razees, in nearly all the rivers of the Chesapeake. The name, once received as applicable to a ship of extraordinary size and force, is in the mouth of every terrified inhabitant of the coast, the moment he descries an enemy's vessel with' three masts. The reader may perhaps know, that a razee is a cut-down 74. Three British ships only were fitted in this way; and, although all were sent upon the North American station, only one of the three entered the Chesapeake, and that not till the 25th of August, 1814. The very editors who have just done telling us that the British cannot send their 74s up the rivers, because of their heavy draught of water, make no scruple in placing a cut-down 74 at the

mouth of every creek near to which a British frigate had cast anchor. These are the gentle, men, too, who boast that their "authentic" accounts have passed through so many editions.

As another proof of Mr. Thomson's love of the "authentic," he concludes his account of the affair in St. Leonard's creek thus: "The commodore immediately moved upon them," (the British boats,) "and after a smart fire, drove the barges down to the 18-gun vessel, which, in attempting to beat out, was so severely handled, that her crew ran her a-ground, and abandoned her."* This is the very vessel, the St. Lawrence, whose capture by the Chasseur, the Americans so joyfully announced, seven months after she was thus "run a-ground and abandoned." In justice to Mr. Thomson's contemporaries, we must say, that he is the only editor who has favored the public with this "authentic" piece of information.

On the 15th of June, the Narcissus, of 42 guns, joined the little squadron; and captain Barrie, taking with him 12 boats, containing 180 marines, and 30 of the black colonial corps, proceeded up the river to Benedict. Here the men disembarked, and drove into the woods, without a struggle, a number of militia, who left behind a part of their muskets and campequipage, as well as a 6-pounder field-piece. * Sketches of the War, p. 333. + See Plate V.

After spiking the latter, and destroying a store containing tobacco, the British again took to their boats, except five or six men who had probably strayed too far into the woods.

The circumstances attending the capture of these men have been fully detailed in an Alexandria newspaper, of the 25th of June, and are too interesting in their nature not to be given entire to the reader. The party, it appears, consisted of a portion of the St. Lawrence's marines, commanded by serjeant Mayeaux, a Frenchman, who had been seventeen years in the British service, and who bore a most excellent character. The Alexandria paper, first assigning as a reason for giving so particular an account of the "late affair at Benedict," that some of the citizens "bore a distinguished part in it," proceeds as follows:-"The cavalry of the district arrived on Tuesday evening, about five o'clock, and at the moment general Stewart was preparing to attack the enemy, who were in possession of Benedict. At this moment a small detachment of the enemy presented themselves at the foot of the hill, not far distant from the place where the cavalry were posted. The order was immediately given to charge, and intercept their retreat, which was done with so much haste and impetuosity, as to break the ranks, which, considering the nature of the ground, was not injudicious. Five of the enemy were

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taken prisoners. The serjeant of the guard, having been separated from his men, and endeavouring to make his escape, was pursued.Among the first who overtook him, was Mr. Alexander Wise, of the Alexandria dragoons, who made a bold but unsuccessful assault upon him, and being unable to check his horse, passed ten or fifteen paces beyond him. On turning his horse, he received the fire of the serjeant, and fell dead. At this moment Mr. Alexander Hunter, a young gentleman of this town, (who had volunteered his services for the occasion with the cavalry, and whose conduct has already been the subject of much and well-merited commendation,) came up, when the serjeant faced upon him and received the fire of his pistol, which seemed to take effect. Mr. Hunter's horse being alarmed at the report, ran some distance from the spot. When Mr. Hunter returned, he found general Stewart engaged with this intrepid soldier. He immediately advanced to the general's relief; upon which the serjeant having had his bayonet unshipped, dropped his musket, and, mounting an adjoining fence, fell upon the other side, upon his back. Mr. Hunter dismounted, and, unarmed, immediately followed and engaged him, demanding of several horsemen who advanced, to aid in securing himi. Two of whom presented their pistols, and, after calling upon Mr. Hunter to disengage himself

from his antagonist, discharged their pistols without effect. This brave marine then retreated, unpursued, to an adjoining swamp. His escape appearing certain, unless immediately pursued, Mr. Hunter begged the loan of a sword, which was presented to him by the general; and with which he alone pursued, and soon overtook him, when a conflict ensued between them, the brave enemy endeavouring by many and vigorous efforts to get possession of the sword, and refus ing, though repeatedly urged, to surrender, except with his life, which a fortunate stroke soon after terminated."

As the writer of this article, which, be it remembered, is extracted from an American newspaper,-alludes to some "erroneous impres sions" caused by "the variety of verbal accounts received," we have a right to conclude, that the account he has published is as much mollified as circumstances would admit; particularly, as the gallant Frenchman had not been permitted to live to tell his own story. When we reflect, too, upon the notorious partiality of the southern Americans towards the French, and their equally notorious hatred towards the British, the very fact (the knowledge of which the same account admits) that the poor sufferer was a Fenchman, may have contributed to alter the features of this, even in its present shape, heart-rending story. After this wounded marine had " dropped his