On the 19th, finding there were only six end of the village, with his company, rounds of round shot remaining, including through the heat of the fire to receive three of the enemy's we had picked up, the orders; and before and since, in being inday was employed in making lead bullets strumental in preserving the citizens from for the gun, and throwing up two breast- being quite ruined by pillaging Indians'; works one within 700 yards, and the and the latter, for his unwearied attention other within 450 yards of the fort. At six in keeping everything in order during the in the evening, every thing being prepared, route, and his activity in following up the I marched to the first breast-work, from cannon during the action, and assisting in whence I intended throwing in the remain- transporting the ammunition. Lieutenant ing six rounds. At the moment, the first Portier, of captain Anderson's company; ball was about being put into the cannon, a lieutenants Graham and Brisbois, of the Inwhite flag was put out at the fort, and im- dian department; captain Dean of the mediately an officer came down with a note Prairie du Chien militia; and lieutenant and surrendered. It being too late I deferred Powell, of the Green Bay, all acted with making them deliver up their arms in form courage and activity, so becoming Canatill morning, but immediately placed a dian militia or volunteers. The interpreters strong guard in the fort, and took possession also behaved well, but particularly M. St. of the artillery; From the time of our Germain, from the Sault St. Marie, and landing till they surrendered, the Indians M. Rouville, Sioux interpreter: they absokept up a constant but perfectly useless fire, lutely prevented their Indians committing upon the fort the distance from whence any outrage in the plundering way. Comthey fired was too great to do execution, even missary Honoré, who acted as lieutenant in had the enemy been exposed to view. every man I am happy to inform that you, in the Michigan fencibles, Canadian volunteers, and officers in the Indian department, behaved as well as I could possibly wish; and, though in the midst of a hot fire, not a man was even wounded except three Indians; that is, one Puant, one Fallsovine, and one Sioux, all severely, but not dangerously. One lieutenant, 24th U. S. regiment; one militia captain, one militia lieutenant, three serjeants, three corporals, two musicians, 53 privates, one commissary, and one interpreter, have been made prisoners, One iron 6-pounder, mounted on a garrison, carriage; one iron 3-pounder, on a field carriage; three swivels, 61 stand of arms, four swords, one field-carriage for 6-pounder, and a good deal of ammunition; 28 barrels of pork, and 46 barrels of flour: these are the principal articles found in the fort when surrendered. captain Rollette's company whose singular Since writing the foregoing, a few Sanks have arrived at the rapids, at the Rock river, with two Canadians, and bring the following information: On the 21st instant, six American barges, three of which were armed, were coming up and encamped in the rapids; that, in the course of the night, the party of Indians having the four bags of gunpowder I sent from this on the 17th, reached, them. The barges being encamped at short distances from each other, they, on I will now take the liberty to request the 22d, early in the morning, attacked the your particular attention to captains Rollette lowest, and killed, about 100 persons, took and Anderson; the former for his activity five pieces of cannon, and burnt the barge : in many instances, but particularly during the other barges seeing this disaster, and the action. The action having commenced knowing there were British troops here, ran unexpectedly, he ran down from the upper off. This is, perhaps, one of the most brilliant actions, fought by Indians only, when captain Sinclair departed for Lake since the commencement of the war. I have, &c. W. M'KAY, Lieutenant-colonel, Lieutenant-colonel M'Douall, commanding at Michilimacinac. This notice of the Indians would have come with a better grace from Col. McKay, had he not previously stated that the fire incessantly kept up by them was perfectly useless, from their being so far off, while, in the very next paragraph, he admits that not a man, except three Indians, was wounded. How is this reconcilable with the respectful distance which they observed? and did it not occur to Col. McKay, when stating that his red allies got wounded, that he was thereby admitting the fact of their being under fire? Attack on and des at Nottawasaga. Erie, he left the two American Schooners, From Lieutenant Bulger to Lieutenant-Colonel SIR, Michilimacinac, September 7, 1814. Captain Sinclair after truction of the Nancy the repulse at Michilimacinac, thinking, we presume, that it would not answer to return I have the honor to report to you the parempty-handed, and having missed the furs ticulars of the capture of the United States' at St. Mary's and St. Joseph's, determined schooners, Scorpion and Tigress, by a deto make a third attempt to acquire laurels tachment from this garrison, under the comand booty by a descent on a block house, two mand of Lieutenant Worsley, of the royal miles up the Nottawasaga, situate on the navy, and myself. -south-east side of the river, which here runs In obedience to your orders, we left Michparallel to, and forms a narrow peninsula ilimacinac on the evening of the 1st instant, with, the shore of Gloucester Bay. The in four boats, one of which was manned by success of the expedition was complete, so seamen under Lieutenant Worsley, the others far as the destruction of the block house, but by a detachment of the royal Newfoundland neither the Nancy, her men, nor the furs regiment, under myself, Lieutenants Armrewarded the prowess of captain Sinclair strong, and Radenhurst. We arrived near and his party, as lieutenant Worsely, who the Détour about sun-set on the following commanded, burned the Nancy, a small day; but nothing was attempted that night, trading schooner belonging to the North as the enemy's position had not been corWest Company, to prevent the enemy taking rectly ascertained. The troops remained possession of her, and, as the block house the whole of the 3rd instant concealed had been set fire to by a shell, he himself amongst the woods, and, about 6 o'clock that retired with his party up the river. The evening, began to move towards the enemy. whole of the North West Company's valua- We had to row about six miles, during ble furs had been previously despatched up which the most perfect order and silence the French river, so that the sole reward reigned. The Indians who accompanied reaped on the occasion was the destruction us from Macinac, were left about three of a log block house, and the destruction of miles in the rear. About 9 o'clock at night a schooner some eighty or a hundred tons we discovered the enemy, and had approached burthen. Although no benefit was reaped to within 100 yards before they hailed us. by the Americans in this affair, it was pro- On receiving no answer, they opened a smart ductive of ultimate good to the British, as, fire upon us, both of musketry and of the 24-pounder. All opposition, however, was attributed; but I must assure you, that in vain; and in the course of five minutes, every officer and man did his duty. the enemy's vessel was boarded and carried, I have the honor to be, &c. by Lieutenant Worseley and lieutenant ArmA. H. BULGER, strong on the starboard-side, and my boat Lieutenant Royal Newfoundland Regiment. and Lieutenant Radenhurst's on the lar- To Lieutenant-Colonel Mc'Douall, &c. &c. board. She proved to be the Tigress, commanded by sailing-master Champlin, mounting one long 24-pounder, and with a comple- troops, employed in the capture of the United ment of 30 men. The defence of this vessel States' schooners, Scorpion and Tigress, on did credit to her officers, who were all the 3rd and 6th of September, 1814. severely wounded. She had three men wounded and three missing, supposed to Return of killed and wounded of the Royal Artillery;-1 rank and file, wounded. Officer wounded. have been killed and thrown immediately tenant, 6 rank and file, wounded. On the morning of the 4th instant the pri Lieutenant Bulger, slightly, despatch anything relative to the value of Lieutenant Bulger does not mention in his soners were sent in a boat to Macinac, unthese schooners, which were appraised shortly der a guard, and we prepared to attack the after, by the proper officers, and valued at other schooner, which we understood was anchored 15 miles further down. The posi-mention of force is also omitted, it will be as sixteen thousand pounds sterling. As all tion of the Tigress was not altered; and, the well to state that the party consisted of better to carry on the deception, the Amelieutenant Worseley, one midshipman, one rican pendant was kept flying. On the 5th mate, and seventeen seamen, with lieutenant instant, we discerned the enemy's schooner Bulger and fifty rank and file. Besides this beating up to us; the soldiers I directed to number, there were forty-one others taken keep below, or to lie down on the deck, to from the Indian department, the commissaavoid being seen. Every thing succeeded to riat, &c., besides three Indian chiefs. The our wish; the enemy came to anchor about American versions of this affair, which was two miles from us in the night; and, as day made the subject of a court of investigation dawned on the 6th instant, we slipt our cable, and ran down under our jib and foresail. by their government, fully sustain their character for fertility of invention. Before Every thing was so well managed by Lieuthe court, the British force was made to contenant Worseley, that we were within ten sist of three hundred soldiers, sailors and yards of the enemy before they discovered Indians. Mr. Thomson supplies lieutenant us. It was then too late; for, in the course Worseley with two hundred and fifty Indians, of five minutes, her deck was covered with a hundred and fifty sailors, and a detachment our men, and the British flag hoisted over of the Newfoundland regiment. Mr. O'Connor the American. She proved to be the Scor-mentions no numbers, but introduces instead pion, commanded by Lieutenant Turner, of the United States' navy; carrying one long 24-pounder in her hold, with a complement "Captain Arthur Sinclair, commanding the of 32 men. She had two men killed, and United States' naval force on the upper two wounded. I enclose a return of our lakes, states in a letter to the Secretary of killed and wounded, and am happy to say the Navy, on the authority of sailing masthat the latter are but slight. the following statement. ter Champlin, that the conduct of the enemy to their prisoners (the crew of the To the admirable good conduct and man Tigress), and the inhuman butchery of those agement of Lieutenant Worseley, of the royal who fell into their hands, at the attack on navy, the success is to be in a great measure Michilimacinac, has been barbarous beyond a parallel. The former have been plundered discipline of the crew of the Argus? Ingersol of almost every article of clothing they pos- knew full well, when he attempted this sessed; the latter had their hearts and livers ridiculous excuse, that when a merchant taken out, which were actually cooked and vessel is taken by a man of war, that, should feasted on by the savages; and that too in she not be destroyed, a prize crew is put on the quarters of the British officers, sanctioned board of her, and she is despatched to the by Col. McDouall.'" nearest port; had he, therefore mentioned as a reason why the prize was recaptured, that the prize crew got drunk, it would have been of no unusual occurrence. Again, how were the crew of the Argus to have got at the wine; the prize was not taken by boarding, but by a gun fired across her bows, and so soon as a boat's crew was put on board of her, the Pelican being discovered, the boat's crew were recalled, and the brig set on fire. Is it probable that the captain and officers of the Argus would be so remiss in their duties as not to notice the boat's crew bringing back from the prize so much wine as to that state for twenty-four hours, the time intoxicate a whole crew, and keep them in that elapsed between the capture of the brig and the going into action. The whole idea is absurd, and only furnishes another instance of what American writers will resort to in order to bolster up any national dishonour or defeat. It is only necessary to remark on this extraordinary fabrication of Mr. O'Connor's, that there were no prisoners taken at Michilimacinac, and that in the proceedings, as reported by American journals, of the court of enquiry that tried the officers and crew of the Tigress, no such proceedings were even hinted at. Is it probable that such conduct, had it occurred, would have been passed over in silence, affording, as it would have done, such an opportunity of stigmatizing the British? The answer is obvious, yet we find that Mr. O'Connor's book, with the atrocious statement uncontradicted, has passed through many editions, and is even now a class book of history in the United States. In regard to the numbers, the statements furnished by authorities who wrote on the subject at the time, have enabled us to disprove the American exaggerations, by giving the correct numbers. We must now pass, for the present, from the op the United States, with Hornet. On the 24th of May Commodore Decatur, Naval proceedings. Decatur's cruise in commanding the United erations by land, and take a glance at the Macedonian and sloop States forty-four - gun occurrences that had taken place during the frigate, with the Macelast few months. We must not omit, how-donian, thirty-eight, and the Hornet, eighteen ever, to notice one statement of Ingersol's gun sloop, started for the East Indies from relative to the capture of the Argus by II. M. New York. By the 1st June, the American Brig the Pelican, which we have already squadron had got through the intricacies of touched upon. Long Island sound, by which passage they Hook being blockaded, and they stood out to were forced to endeavour to get out, Sandy In extenuation of the loss of the Argus, Ingersol states "that on the 13th August, the Argus captured a vessel loaded with wine, of which too free use was made by the American crew, soon after which her flag was, not ingloriously, struck, after an engagement with the English brig of war Pelican, Capt. Maples." sea. covered by II. M. ship Valiant, seventyAt nine a. m., however, they were dispounder, forty-gun frigate Acasta, and imfour guns, in company with the eighteenmediately chased. Here was a glorious opportunity for Commodore Decatur; he had been thirsting for an opportunity to tackle Now what inference is to be drawn from single-handed to a British seventy-four; and this passage? Is it to be construed into a as according to American accounts the confession that the American captain resorted Macedonian was as fine a frigate as the to an attempt to give his crew what is com- British had ever built, the Acasta was just monly styled Dutch courage, or should it be her match, and if any slight make-weight taken as a very severe reproof upon the might have been required, it was amply supplied by the Hornet. *Commodore Decatur do? The lieutenant did as he was ordered, and What then did sloop, which had been recently captured, He ran back to and lay a short distance off. New London, being compelled to start a great part of his water, and throw his provisions overboard, to escape capture. The at 2 h. 30 m., p. m., while he and his men Commodore did not attempt to increase the were in the act of securing her, the schooner force in pursuit, but the American papers blew up with a tremendous explosion. The did; and it was, accordingly, circulated poor lieutenant and ten of the fine fellows, through the Union, that three vessels had who were with him, perished; and the rechased, a razee being added to the real maining three men escaped only with being number. shockingly scorched. An attempt was made a short time after. Attempt to blow up the Kamilies, at Fisher Both James and Brenton are very severe the chase of Decatur and in their animadversions on this head, and his squadron, to blow up James declares that he fully concurs with the Ramilies, seventy- Brenton in the following remark:— four, then at Anchor at Fisher's Island. James gives the following account of this Island. occurrence. gun "A quantity of arsenic placed amongst the food, would have been so perfectly compatible with the rest of the contrivance, that Two merchants of New York, encouraged we wonder it was not resorted to. Should by a promise of reward from the American actions like these receive the sanction of Government, formed a plan for destroying Government, the science of war, and the law the Ramilies, Captain Sir Thomas Master- of nations, will degenerate into the barbarity man Hardy. A schooner named the Eagle of the Algerines; and murder and pillage was laden with several casks of gunpowder, will take the place of kindness and humanity having trains leading from a species of to our enemies." lock, which, upon the principle of clockWe confess we are not of this opinion. work, went off at a given period after it had been set. Above the casks of powder, and We see in this transaction nothing more than the modified use of fire ships, and canin full view at the hatchway, were casks of flour, it being known at New York not see the difference between this scheme that the Ramilies was short of provisions, and the Emperor of Russia sinking submaand naturally supposed that Captain Hardy would immediately order the vessel alongside, in order to get the ship's wants supplied." some rine charges to blow up vessels attempting the passage to Cronstadt. Some eminent writers on the subject, such as Wolf, &c., have asserted that war legalizes any violence, and that fraud and poison may be employed "Thus murderously laden, the schooner against enemies; Grotius, Vatel, and other sailed from New York and stood up the authorities have defined the legitimate mode sound. On the 25th, in the morning, the of war to be the employment only of such Eagle approached New London, as if intend- force as is necessary to accomplish the end ing to enter that river. The Ramilies dis- of war-rather an ambiguous definition. patched a boat, with thirteen men, under Leaving, however, this nice point to be setlieutenant John Geddes, to cut her off. At tled by the peace congress, we would direct eleven, a. m., lieutenant Geddes boarded the attention to Ingersol's inconsistency on this schooner, and found that the crew, after subject. He is very eloquent on the emhaving let go her only anchor, had aban-ployment of the Indians by the British, and doned their vessel and fled to the shore. declares that "God and nature put no such means in men's hands; shocking to every The lieutenant brought the fatal prize lover of honorable war. In vain has religion near the Ramilies, and Sir Thomas ordered been established if these acts of cruelty are him to place the vessel alongside of a trading permitted." |