self by his usual gallantry and skill. Captain Jacks, of the 7th regiment militia artillery, commanded a six pounder on the north block house, and together with a part of his own company, though placed in a situation most exposed to the fire of the enemy, maintained their position like veterans. Lieutenant Rees of the 3d regiment of artillery, had the command of an eighteen pounder on the south-east battery, which was pointed at a battery en barbette, mounting a twenty-four pounder, and also at Fort George; several well directed shot were directed from this gun, which proved the skill of its commander.

About 10 o'clock, lieutenant Rees had his left shoulder bruised by a part of the parapet falling on him; which, though it did not materially injure him, obliged him to retire, and captain Leonard, of the 1st regiment United States' artillery, at that moment arriving, he took command of the battery for the remainder of the day. Lieutenant Wendel, of the 3d regiment of artillery, had the command of an eighteen and four pounder on the west battery, and doctor Hooper, of captain Jack's company of militia artillery, had the command of a six pounder on the mess house. Of these gentlemen and their commands, I cannot speak with too much praise; they distinguished themselves highly, and from their shot, all of which was hot, the town of Newark was repeatedly fired, and one of the enemy's batteries silenced for a time.

An instance of extraordinary bravery in a female (the wife of one Doyle, a private of the United States' artillery, made a prisoner at Queenstown) I cannot pass over. During the most tremendous cannonading I have ever seen, she attended the six pounder on the old mess house with red hot shot, and showed fortitude equal to the maid of Orleans.

Lieutenants Gansevoort and Harris, of the 1st regiment United States' artillery, had command of the salt battery at Youngstown, mounting one eighteen and a four pounder. These two guns played upon the battery of Fort George and the buildings near it: from every observation I could make during their fire, I am happy to say they merited my warmest thanks for their skill in the service of these guns.

Lieutenant Harris, from his four pounder, sunk a schooner which lay at their wharf: she was one of those taken by the enemy at the mouth of Genesee river a short time since. He also assisted in burning and destroying the buildings near the wharf. These two officers and their men in the warmest part of the cannonading, having fired away all their cartridges, cut up their flannel waistcoats and shirts, and the soldiers their trowsers, to supply their guns.

I cannot say too much of all the officers and soldiers of the artillery immediately under my observation in this garrison; they merit the thanks and esteem of their country for the defence of it, and I believe it never sustained so sharp and continued a bombardment. The enemy threw more than two thousand red hot

balls into it, and a number of shells, amounting to more than 180, only one of which did injury to our men. Lieutenant colonel Gray commanded the artillery; the unremitted attention paid to his duty, proves him an officer whose zeal and science do honour to himself and country; to this gentleman I feel much indebted for the manner he acquitted himself. To the officers of my regiment (particularly captain Milligan) and the soldiers who assisted the artillery, and those employed in extinguishing the fires and carrying off the killed and wounded, I am also much indebted; they merit my warmest thanks. To doctor West of the garrison, doctor Hugan of the 14th regiment United States' infantry, and doctor Craig of the 22d regiment United States' infantry, I offer my thanks; they were employed during the entire day in the most critical duties of their profession.

Our killed and wounded amounted to eleven. From the numbers we saw carried off from the enemy's batteries, I presume many more were killed and wounded on their side.

Only two of the above men were killed by the enemy's shot, the rest by the bursting of a 12 pounder in the south-east block house, and by the sponges of the guns on the north block house, and at the salt battery.

GEORGE M'FEELEY,

Lt. Col. commanding Fort Niagara.

General Alex. Smyth.

SIR,

EXPEDITION ON THE WABASH.

ON WABASH, NEAR THE MOUTH OF PINE-CREEK,

November 27th, 1812.

By colonel Richard Taylor, quarter master general, who goes on as quick as possible to Frankfort, I have it in my power to give you general information of the movements of the army, since my last. On the 11th, the army marched from fort Harrison, on the road formerly made by governor Harrison's army, and the boats set out at the same time. The length of time the enemy had expected us, made it necessary to guard ourselves in an especial manner. The rise of the waters, from the heavy fall of rain preceding our march, and some large creeks, left us no doubt of considerable difficulty and embarrassment; insomuch, that not until the 14th did we pass Sugar creek, 3 miles above the road.

From every information, I had no hesitation in moving on the east side of the Wabash; the Vermillions, Pine creek, and other impediments on the west side, superadded to the presumption that we were expected, and might more easily be annoyed and ambuscaded on that route, determined me in this measure; the

boats too, with our provisions of rations, forage, and military stores, could be more easily covered and protected, as the line of march could be invariably nearer the river. Lieutenant colonel Barbour, with one battalion of his regiment, had command of the 7 boats, and encamped with us, on the bank of the river, almost every night. This so protracted our march, that we did not reach the Prophet's town until the 19th: on the morning of this day, I detached 300 men to surprize the Winebago town, lying on Ponce Passu creek, one mile from the Wabash, and 4 below the Prophet's. This party, commanded by general Butler, surrounded the place about break of day, and found it evacuated. There were in the main town about 40 houses, many of them from 30 to 50 feet in length; besides many temporary huts in the surrounding Prairie, in which they had cultivated a great deal of corn.

On the 20th, 21st and 22d, we weree mployed in the complete destruction of the Prophet's town, which contained about 40 cabins and huts, and the large Kickapoo village adjoining below it, on the west side of the river, consisting of about 160 cabins and huts; finding, and destroying their corn, reconnoitering the circumjacent part of the country, and constructing works for the defence of our boats and the army. Seven miles east of us, on the Ponce Passu creek, a party of Indians were discoveredthey had fired on a small party of ours on the 21st, and killed a man by the name of Dunn, a gallant soldier in captain Duvall's company. On the 22d, upwards of sixty horsemen, under the command of lieutenant colonels Miller and Wilcox, anxious to bury their comrade, as well as gain a more complete knowledge of the ground, went on to a point near the Indian encampment, fell into an ambuscade, and 18 of our party were killed, wounded, and missing. Among these, are three hopeful young officers, and one private from the 8th (Wilcox's) regiment, viz:-Mars, Edwards, Murray, and the private Webb, presumed to be killed; the other 14 were of the rangers. On the return of this party, and the information of a large assemblage of the enemy, who, encouraged by the strength of their camp, appeared to be waiting for us, every preparation was made to march early, and engage the enemy at every risk; when, from the most violent storm, and fall of snow, attended with the coldest weather I ever saw or felt, at this season of the year, and which did not subside until the evening of the 23d, we were delayed until the 24th. Upon arriving on the ground, we found the enemy had deserted their camp before the fall of snow, and passed the Ponce Passu. I have no doubt but their ground was the strongest I ever have seen; the deep, rapid creek spoken of, was in their rear, running in a semicircle, and fronted by a bluff 100 feet high, almost perpendicular, and only to be penetrated by three steep ravines. If the enemy would not defend themselves here, it was evident they did not intend fighting at all. After reconnoitering sufficiently, we re

turned to camp, and found the ice so accumulated, as to alarm us for the return of the boats. I had fully intended to have spent one more week in endeavouring to find the Indian camps; but the shoeless, shirtless state of the troops, now clad in the remnants of their summer dress; a river full of ice; the hills covered with snow; a rigid climate, and no certain point to which we could further direct our operations; under the influence of the advice of every field and staff officer, orders were given, and measures pursued for our return, on the 25th. We are now progressing to fort Harrison, through the ice and snow, where we expect to arrive on the last day of this month.

From Vincennes I shall have the honour of addressing your excellency again: but, before I close this, I cannot forbear expressing the merits of the officers and soldiers of this command. After leaving at fort Harrison all unfit for duty, we had in privates of every corps, about 1000-in the total, 1250 or thereabout. At the Prophet's town, upwards of 100 of these were on the sick report. Yet, sir, have we progressed in such order as to menace our enemy, from any annoyance. Seven large keel boats have been covered and protected, to a point hitherto unknown in Indian expeditions. Three large Indian establishments have been burnt and destroyed, with near three miles of fence, (and all the corn, &c. we could find,) besides many smaller ones; the enemy have been sought in their strong holds, and every opportunity afforded them to attack or alarm us; a march on the east side of the Wabash, without road, or recognizance of the country, fully 100 miles perfected; and this was done with a naked army of infantry, aided by only about fifty rangers and spies: all this will have been done in twenty days-no sigh, no murmur, no complaint. I have the honour to be, yours, &c. SAMUEL HOPKINS.

His excellency Gov. Shelby.

SIR,

CAMP, NEAR BUFFALOE, December 4th, 1812.

The troops, under my command, having been ordered to hut themselves for the winter, it becomes my duty to report to you the proceedings had here, since I took command on this frontier. On or about the 26th of October, I ordered that 20 scows should be prepared for the transportation of cavalry and artillery, and put the carpenters of the army upon that duty. By the 26th November, ten scows were completed; and by bringing boats from lake Ontario, the number was increased to seventy.

I had issued an address to the men of New York; and perhaps 300 volunteers had arrived at Buffaloe. I presumed that the regular troops, and the volunteers, under colonels Smith and McClure, would furnish 2,300 men for duty; and, of general

Tannehill's brigade, reporting a total of 1,650, as many as 418 had volunteered to cross into Canada. I deemed myself ready "to cross with 3,000 men at once," according to your orders. Preparatory thereto, on the night of the 27th of November, I sent over two parties; one under lieutenant colonel Boerstler; the other under captain King, with whom lieutenant Angus, of the navy, at the head of a body of seamen, united.

The first mentioned party was to capture a guard and destroy a bridge, about five miles below fort Erie; the second party were to take, and render useless, the cannon of the enemy's batteries, and pieces of light artillery. The first party made some prisoners, but failed to destroy the bridge. The second party, after rendering unserviceable the light artillery, separated by some misapprehension. Lieutenant Angus, the seamen, and part of the troops returned, with all the boats, while captain King, captain Morgan, captain Sproul, Lieutenant Houston, and about sixty men, remained. Captain King, notwithstanding, with those under his command, advanced to the enemy's batteries, attacked and took two of them in succession, rendered unserviceable the cannon, and took a number of prisoners. In descending the Niagara some distance, two boats were found, on board of which captain King sent his prisoners, all his officers and half his men ; his high sense of honour would not allow him to quit the remainder-he was captured with them.

Orders had been given, that all the troops in the neighbourhood should march at revellie to the place of embarkation. A part of the detachment sent in the night, having returned, and having excited apprehensions for the residue, about 250 men, under colonel Winder, put off in boats, for the opposite shore; a part of this force had landed, when a superior force, with a piece of artillery appeared-a retreat was ordered, and colonel Winder's detachment suffered a loss of six killed, and 22 wounded; of whom, three were officers. The general embarkation commenced as the troops arrived; but this being the first time the troops had embarked, the whole of the scows were occupied by about onethird part of the artillery; while about 800 regular infantry, something upwards of 200 twelve month's volunteers, and perhaps 200 of those militia who had volunteered their services for a few days, occupied all the boats that were ready. The troops then embarked, moved up the stream to Black Rock, without sustaining loss from the enemy's fire. It was now the afternoon, and they were ordered to disembark, and dine. The enemy showed a force, estimated at five or six hundred men, drawn up in a field, at some distance from the river; and had one piece of artillery, said to be a nine pounder, ready to fire on our troops.

There remained, unembarked, a part of the artillery; a few cavalry; the volunteers under colonel M'Clure, amounting, on that day, to 340 men; a detachment from general Tannehill's brigade, (number unknown, and little relied on ;) there were also