a boat to Machinac, under a guard, and we prepared to attack the other schooner, which we understood was anchored 15 miles further down. The position of the Tigress was not altered; and, the better to carry on the deception, the Ame rican pendant was kept flying. On the 5th instant, we discerned the enemy's schooner beating up to us; the soldiers. I directed to keep below, or to lie down on the deck, to avoid being seen. Every thing succeeded to our wish; the enemy came to anchor about two miles from us in the night; and, as day dawned on the 6th instant, we slipt our cable, and ran down under our jib and foresail. Every thing was so well managed by lieutenant Worsley, that we were within ten yards of the enemy before they discovered us. It was then too late; for, in the course of five minutes, her deck was covered with our men, and the British flag hoisted over the American. She proved to be the Scorpion, commanded by lieutenant Turner, of the United States' navy; carrying one long 24-pounder in her hold, with a complement of 32 men. She had two men killed, and two wounded. I enclose a return of our killed and wounded, and am happy to say that the latter are but slight. To the admirable good conduct and management of lieutenant Worsley, of the royal navy, the success is to be in a great measure attributed; but I must assure you, that every officer and man did his duty. I have the honor to be, &c. A. H. BULGER, lieutenant royal Newfoundland regiment. To lieutenant-colonel M'Douall, &c. &c. Return of killed and wounded of the troops, employed in the capture of the United States' schooners, Scorpion and Tigress, on the 3d and 6th of September, 1814. Royal artillery;-1 rank and file, wounded. Royal Newfoundland regiment;-1 lieutenant, 6 rank and file, wounded. Officer wounded. Lieutenant Bulger, slightly. N. B. Three seamen killed. No. 42. From Sir George Prevost to Earl Bathurst. Head-quarters, Plattsburg, State of New York, MY LORD, Upon the arrival of the reinforcements from the Garonne, I lost no time in assembling three brigades on the frontier of Lower Canada, extending from the river Richelieu to the St. Lawrence, and in forming them into a division under the com. mand of major-general De Rottenburg, for the purpose of carrying into effect his royal highness the prince regent's com mands, which had been conveyed to me by your lordship in your despatch of the 3d of June last. As the troops concentrated and approached the line of separation between this province and the United States, the American army abandoned its entrenched camp on the river Chazy, at Champlain; a position I immediately seized, and occupied in force on the 3d instant. The following day, the whole of the left division advanced to the village of Chazy, without meeting the least opposition from the enemy. On the 5th, it halted within eight miles of this place, having surmounted the difficulties created by the obstructions in the road from the felling of trees and the removal of bridges. The next day the division moved upon Plattsburg, in two columns, on parallel roads; the right column led by major-general Power's brigade, supported by four companies of light infantry and a demi-brigade, under major-general Robinson; the left by major-general Brisbane's brigade. The enemy's militia, supported by his regulars, attempted to impede the advance of the right column, but they were driven before it from all their positions, and the column eutered Plattsburg. This rapid movement having reversed the strong position taken up by the enemy at Dead creek, it was precipitately abandoned by him, and his gun-boats alone left to defend the ford, and to prevent our restoring the bridges, which had been imperfectly destroyed-an inconvenience soon surmounted. Here I found the enemy in the occupation of an elevated ridge of land on the south branch (bank) of the Saranac, crowned with three strong redoubts and other field works, and block-houses armed with heavy ordnance, with their flotilla* at anchor out of gun-shot from the shore, consisting of a ship, a brig, a schooner, a sloop, and ten gun-boats. I immediately communicated this circumstance to captain Downie, who had been recently appointed to command the vessels + on Lake Champlain, consisting of a ship, a brig, two sloops, and 12 gun-boats, and requested his co-operation, and in the mean time batteries were constructed for the guns brought from the rear. On the morning of the 11th, our flotilla was seen over the isthmus which joins Cumberland-head with the main-land, * The Saratoga, 26 guns; Surprise, 20 guns; Thunderer, 16 guns; Preble, 7 guns: 10 gun-boats, 14 guns. The Confiance, 36 guns; Linnet, 18 guns; Broke, 10 guns; Shannov, 10 guns; 12 gun-boats, 16 guns, steering for Plattsburg Bay. I immediately ordered that part of the brigade under major-general Robinson, which had been brought forward, consisting of our light infantry companies, third battalion 27th and 76th regiments, and major-general Power's brigade, consisting of the third, fifth, and the first battalion of the 27th and 58th regiments, to force the fords of the Saranac, and advance, provided with scaling-ladders, to escalade the enemy's works upon the heights; this force was placed under the command of major-general Robinson. The batteries opened their fire the instant the ships engaged. It is now with deep concern I inform your lordship, that notwithstanding the intrepid valor with which captain Downie led his flotilla into action, my most sanguinary hopes of complete success were, not long afterwards, blasted, by a combination, as appeared to us, of unfortunate events, to which naval warfare is peculiarly exposed. Scarcely had his majesty's troops forced a passage across the Saranac, and ascended the height on which stand the enemy's works, when I had the extreme mortification to hear the shout of victory from the enemy's works, in consequence of the British flag being lowered on board the Confiance and Linnet, and to see our gun-boats seeking their safety in flight. This unlooked-for event deprived me of the co-operation of the fleet, without which the further prosecution of the service was become impracticable, I did not hesitate to arrest the course of the troops advancing to the attack, because the most complete success would have been unavailing, and the possession of the enemy's works offered no advantage to compensate for the loss we must have sustained in acquiring possession of them. I have ordered the batteries to be dismantled, the guns withdrawn, and the baggage, with the wounded men who can be removed, to be sent to the rear, in order that the troops may return to Chazy to-morrow, and on the following day to Champlain, where I propose to halt until I have ascertained the use the enemy propose making of the naval ascendancy they have acquired on Lake Champlain. I have the honor to transmit herewith returns of the loss sustained by the left division of this army in its advance to Plattsburg, and in forcing a passage across the river Saranac. No. 43. Return of killed, wounded, and missing, of the left division, under the command of major-general De Rottenburg, in action with the enemy from the 6th to the 14th of September, inclusive. General staff;-1 general staff, wounded. 19th light dragoons; 1 rank and file, 2 horses, wounded; 5 rank and file, 6 horses, missing. Royal artillery; 1 serjeant, 1 rank and file, 1 horse, killed; 3 rank and file, wounded. 3d foot ;-1 captain, 1 ensign, killed; 4 lieutenants, 1 serjeant, 34 rank and file, wounded; 2 rank and file missing. 5th foot ;-1 rank and file, killed; 1 rank and file, wounded. 8th foot, 2d battalion ;-1 rank and file, wounded. 13th foot ;-2 rank and file, wounded. 27th foot, 1st battalion ;-3 rank and file, killed; 1 serjeant, 13 rank and file, wounded; 1 rank and file, missing. 27th foot, 3d battalion ;-1 serjeant, 2 rank and file, killed; 3 serjeants, 11 rank and file, wounded; 4 rank and file, missing. 49th foot ;-3 rank and file, wounded. 58th foot; 4 rank and file, killed; 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, I serjeant, 29 rank and file, wounded. 76th foot ;-1 captain, I serjeant, 10 rank and file, killed : 3 rank and file, wounded; 3 lieutenants, 2 serjeants, 1 drummer, 20 rank and file, missing. 88th foot ;-9 rank and file, wounded. De Meuron's regiment;-1 serjeant, 5 rank and file, killed; 1 serjeant, 14 rank and file, wounded; 9 rank and file, missing. Canadian chasseurs ;-4 rank and file, killed; 10 rank and file, wounded; 1 lieutenant, 7 rank and file, missing. 39th fool;-1 rank and file, wounded. Total;-2 captains, 1 ensign, 4 serjeants, 30 rank and file, horse, killed; 1 general staff, 1 captain, 6 lieutenants, 7 serjeants, 135 rank and file, 2 horses, wounded; 4 lieutenants, 2 serjeants, 1 drummer, 48 rank and file, 6 horses, missing. Names of officers, killed, wounded, and missing. Killed-3d foot ;-Captain (brevet lieutenant-colonel) I. Willington, ensign J. Chapman. 76th foot ;-Captain J. Purchase. Wounded-General staff;-Captain T. Crosse, aide de camp to ma jor-general De Rottenburg, slightly. 3d foot-Lieutenant R. Kingsbury, severely; (since dead ;) lieutenant J. West, severely; lieutenants G. Benson, and J. Horue, slightly. 58th foot-Captain L. Westropp, severely; lieutenant C. Brokier, slightly; lieutenant and adjutant Lewis, slightly. Missing-76th foot ;- Lieutenants G. Hutch, G. Ogilvie, and E. Marchington. 1 Canadian chasseurs ;-Lieutenant E. Vigneau. EDWARD BAYNES, Adjutant-general North America. No. 44. From sir James Lucas Yeo to Mr. Croker, H. M. S. St. Lawrence, Kingston, SIR, I have the honor to transmit, for the information of the lords commissioners of the admiralty, a copy of a letter from captain Pring, late commander of his majesty's brig Linnet. It appears to me, and I have good reason to believe, that captain Downie was urged, and his ship hurried into action, before she was in a fit state to meet the enemy. I am also of opinion, that there was not the least necessity for our squadron giving the enemy such decided advantages, by going into their bay to engage them. Even had they been successful, it would not in the least have assisted the troops in storming the batteries; whereas, had our troops taken their batteries first, it would have obliged the enemy's squadron to quit the bay, and give ours a fair chance. I have the honor, to be, &c. JAMES LUCAS YEO, Commmodore and commander in chief. J. W. Croker, esq. &c. &c. &c. No. 45. From major-general Macombe to the American secretary at war. SIR, Plattsburg, Sept. 15, 1814. The governor-general of the Canadas, sir George Prevost, having collected all the disposable force in Lower Canada, with a view of conquering the country as far as Crown Point, and Ticonderago, entered the territories of the United States on the 1st of the month, and occupied the village of Champlain: there he avowed his intentions, and issued orders and proclama tions, tending to dissuade the people from their allegiance, and, inviting them to furnish his army with provisions. He immedi ately began to impress the waggons 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 up to form the division under major-general Izard, and ordered to the westward. Being |