The embarkation commenced, but was delayed by circumstances, so as not to be completed until day-light, when it was found that the regular infantry 688 men, the artillery 177, colonel Swift's volunteers amounting to 230, six companies of federal volunteers amounting to 276 men, about 100 militia of colonel Dobbin's regiment, and a few men in a boat with Mr. P. B. Porter, contractor's agent, who was to pilot the enterprise, had embarked; the whole on board without the commissioned officers, being 1500 men, or thereabouts: and it was now two hours later than the time fixed on for setting out. There were some groups of men not yet embarked; they were applied to, requested, and ordered by the brigademajor, to get into the boats; they did not: he estimated their number at 150; it was probably greater.

It then became a question whether it was expedient to invade Canada, in open day-light, with 1500 men, at a point where no reinforcements could be expected for some days. I saw that the number of regular troops was declining rapidly, I knew that on them chiefly I was to depend.

I called together the officers commanding corps of the regular army. Colonel Parker being sick, those present were colonel Porter of the artillery, colonel Schuyler, colonel Winder, and lieutenant-colonel Coles. I put to them this question: Shall we proceed? They unanimously decided that we ought not.

I foresaw that the volunteers who had come out for a few days would disperse. Several of them had, on the evening of the 28th, broken their muskets because they had not seen a battle. I foresaw that the number of regular troops would decrease, the measles affected them generally; the constant use of fresh meat had produced dysenteries; and they were now in tents in the month of December. I informed the officers that the attempt to invade Canada would not be made until the army was reinforced; and directed them to withdraw their troops, and cover them with huts immediately.

The volunteers and neighbouring people were dissatisfied, and it has been in the power of the contractor's agent to excite some clamour against the course pursued. He finds the contract a losing one at this time; and would wish to see the army in Canada, that he might not be bound to supply it.

I am sorry the situation of the force under my command had not been such as to make the propriety of a forward movement obvious to all. Circumstanced as we were, I have thought it my duty to follow the cautious counsels of experience, and not precipitation, to add to the list of our defeats.

You will perceive my motives by my letter of the 30th of October, wherein I said, "I would cross in three days, if I had the means. Without them it would be injustice to the nation and myself to attempt it. I must not be defeated."

Allow me to recommend to your attention and that of the secretary at war, captain William King of the 13th infantry, as an officer of the first class. His dauntless bravery, refined mind, high sense of honour, and ambition to distinguish himself, render him a fit subject for promotion, and he is perhaps the best disciplinarian in the army.

I have the honour to be, with perfect respect, sir, your most obedient, ALEXANDER SMYTH, Brigadier-General.

Major-General Dearborn.

Statement of the number of troops embarked on the morning of the 1st of December, on the Niagara river, under the command of Brigadier-General Smyth.

From official returns-12th and 20th infantry 214; 5th and 13th infantry 271; 14th and 23d infantry 214; artillery 177; colonel M'Clure's volunteers 276.

By estimate-Colonel Swift's volunteers 230; two companies of Dobbins' regiment 100; with general Porter 30.Total 1512.

I certify that the strength of the 12th, 20th, 5th, 13th, 14th and 23d infantry, the artillery, and colonel M'Clure's volunteers embarked, are stated from official returns, and that no other troops than the above were embarked when the enterprise was abandoned. JAMES BANKHEAD, Captain and Brigade-Major.

INDIAN WARFARE.

The following documents contain all the official intelligence which has appeared respecting the Indian War in 1812. The first letter contains the account of an expedition from Georgia against the Florida Indians. The others contain the proceedings of various detachments of the NorthWestern Army, under General Harrison.

Letter from Colonel Newnan to his Excellency David B. Mitchell, Governor of Georgia.

Dear Sir,

New-Hope, St. John's, Oct. 19, 1812. I have now the honour of transmitting to your excellency an account of the several engagements which have taken

place between the Lotchaway and Alligator Indians, and the detachment of Georgia volunteers under my command. As the object of this expedition, and the views of the persons engaged in it, have been misconstrued, and mis-statements relative to its protraction circulated, I ask the indulgence of your excellency to detail every transaction from its commencement to its termination.

I arrived upon St. John's, in obedience to your orders, about the 15th of August, with the whole of my detachment, consisting (including officers) of about 250 men, and with few on the sick report. I immediately waited on colonel Smith, before Augustine, and received orders dated the 21st of August, to proceed immediately against the hostile Indians within the province of East Florida, and destroy their towns, provisions, and settlements. I then returned to the detachment upon the St. John's, and made every preparation to comply with my orders, by despatching parties to procure horses from the few inhabitants that had not fled from the province, in preparing packs and provisions, and taking every step which I deemed necessary to insure success to the enterprise. In consequence of the sickness of myself and nearly one half of the detachment, the period of our marching was delayed until the 24th of September; and when just upon the eve of departing, an express arrived from colonel Smith, informing me that his provision waggons and the escort was attacked by a body of negroes and Indians, and ordering me to join him immediately with ninety men, and bring all the horses and carriages I could command, for the removal of his baggage, field-pieces, and sick, he having only 70 men fit for duty. I marched to the relief of the colonel with 130 men and 25 horses, and assisted him in removing to the block-house upon Davis's creek. This service delayed for a few days our expedition to the nation; and when the detachment again assembled upon the St. John's, and were about to commence their march, the men had but six or seven days to serve. About this time I received a letter from colonel Smith, advising me to propose to the detachment an extension of their service for 15 or 20 days longer, as the time for which they were engaged was deemed insufficient to accomplish any object of the expedition. This measure I had contemplated, and its sanction by the colonel met with my most hearty approbation; for I was unwilling to proceed to an enemy's country with a single man, who would declare, that, in any event, he would not serve a day longer than the time for which he had originally volunteered, I accordingly assem

bled the detachment, and after stating the necessity of a tender of further service, proposed that the men should volunteer for three weeks longer; when 84 men, including officers, stepped out and were enrolled, which, with the addition of 23 volunteer militia sent to my aid by colonel Smith, and nine patriots under the command of captain Cone, made my whole force amount to 117. With this small body, provided with four days' provisions and 12 horses, I was determined to proceed to the nation and give those merciless savages at least one battle; and I was emboldened in this determination by the strong expectation of being succoured by a body of cavalry from St. Mary's, and which it has since appeared did assemble at Colerain, but proceeded no farther. On the evening of the 24th of September, we left the St. John's, marching in Indian file, captain Humphrey's company of riflemen in front, captain Fort's company, under the command of lieutenant Fannin, in the centre, and captain Coleman's company, with Cone's detachment, under the command of lieutenant Broadnax, in the rear. A small party marched in front of the main body, and another in the rear; the openness of the country (except in particular places) rendered it unneces sary to employ men upon the right and left. Our encampment of nights (there being three companies) was in the form of a triangle, with the baggage in the centre, the men with their clothes on, lying with their feet pointing outwards, and their firelocks in their arms. In case of an attack, the officers were instructed to bring up their companies upon the right and left of the company fronting the enemy, and attend to the Indian mode of fighting until ordered to charge. In case of meeting the enemy upon our march, Humphrey's company was instructed to file off to the right, Fort's company to advance and form to the front in single rank, and Coleman's company to file off to the left; the whole then to advance in the form of a crescent, and endeavour to encircle the enemy. On the morning of the 4th day of our march, when within six or seven miles of the Lotchaway towns, our advance party discovered a body of Indians marching along the path meeting us, and at the same moment they appeared to have discovered us. As soon as I was informed of it, I lost no time in giving the necessary directions for the companies to advance, and obey the instructions which had been previously given to them, and which appeared exactly suited to the situation in which we found the enemy. As soon as Fort's company (at the head of which I had placed myself) had advanced to its proper ground, I discovered the Indians.

falling back and making every preparation for battle, by unslinging their packs, trimming their rifles, and each man taking his place. We continued to advance, taking advantage of the trees in our progress, until we were within 130 yards of the Indians, when many of them fired, and I instantly ordered the charge, which drove them from behind the trees, and caused them to retire with the greatest precipitation; our men all the while firing at them, slew several, and by repeated charges drove them half a mile, when they took shelter in the swamp. It unfortunately happened (I presume through inadvertence), that Humphreys' company in filing to the right took too great a circuit, got a small swamp between them and the enemy, and thereby rendered the victory less decisive than it would have been, had the whole charged together, and before the Indians had dispersed themselves, and extended their force (which they soon did) near half a mile up and down the swamp. The company, however, was of service afterwards in preventing the enemy, after their dispersion, from entering our camp, retaking their baggage and provision (all of which fell into our hands), or falling upon the wounded, that had been sent to the rear. The action, including the skirmishing upon the flanks, lasted two hours and a half, the Indians frequently attempting to outflank us and get in our rear, but were repulsed by the companies extending to the right and left. We had one man killed and nine wounded, two of which have since died of their wounds. The loss of the enemy must have been considerable. I saw seven fall to the ground with my own eyes, among whom was their king, Payne; two of them fell near the swamp, the rest our men had the curiosity to scalp. The rifle company on the right, and Broadnax's on the left, speak of killing several near the swamp, who were borne off by their comrades, it being a principle among the savages to carry off their dead at the risk of their lives. We remained on the battle ground watching the movements of the Indians, who were near the swamp painting themselves, and appeared to be in consultation, all of which indicated an intention to renew the combat. Accordingly, at half an hour before sunset, having obtained a considerable reinforcement of negroes and Indians from their towns, they commenced the most horrid yells imaginable, in imitating the cries and noise of almost every animal of the forest, their chiefs advancing in front in a stooping serpentine manner, and making the most wild and frantic gestures, until they approached within two hundred yards of us, when they halted and commenced