Star. — London, England, 1814-02-02 00:00:00

'% AMERICAN PAPERS. ALBANY, NOV. 27. OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE. TROM GEN. WILKINSON TO THE SECRETAKY otiviAn. " Head-quarters, French Mills, isljoining the Province of Lower Canada, Nov. 16,181 S :V-Sra—l beg-leave to refer you to the journal !which accompanies this letter, for the particulars of the movements of the corps under my command, down the St. Lawrente, and will endeavour to exert zny enfeebled mind to detail to:you the more striking and important incidents which have ensued my de parture frOm Grenadier Island, at the foot of Lake Ontario, on the Id inst. " The corps of the enemy which followed me from Kingston hung on my rear, and in concert• with a heavy galley and a few gunboats, seemed deter mined to retard my progress. I was tempted to halt, turn about, and put an end to his teazing ; but alas ! l was confined to my bed, Major-General' Lewis was too ill for any active exertions, and above all, r did not dare to suffer myself to be diverted a single day from the prosecution of the views of Go vernment. I had written to Major-General Hamp ton on the WI instant, by Adjutant-General Colonel King, and had ordered him to form a junction with I 14 on the • St. Lawrence, which I expected would take place on the 9th or 10th. It would have been] unpardonable had I lost sight of this object an in-! stant: I deemed it of vital Importance to the issue, of the campaign. " The enemy deserve credit for their zeal and in,- telligence, which the active universal hostility of the male inhabitants of the country enabled them to em ploy to the greatest advantage. " Thus, while menaced by a respectable force in the rear, the coast was lined by musketry in front, and every critical pass of the river, which obliged me to march a detachment, and this impeded my pro gress. " On the evening of the 9th, the army halted few miles from the head of Langoe Sant. On the morning of the 10th the enclosed order was issued. . " General Brown marched agreeably to order, anc! at noon we were apprised, by the report of his artil lery, that he was engaged some distance below us. • At the same time the enemy were observed in our rear, and their galley and gnit-boats approached our flotilla and opened a fire upon us, which obliged me to order a battery of eighteen-pounders to be planted and a shot from it compelled the enemy's vessels to retire, together with their troops, after some firing between the advanced parties. But by this time, in consequence of his disembarking and re embarking his heavy guns, the day was so far spent. that oar pilots did not dare to enter the Saut (eight miles a continued rapid) ; and therefore we fell down about two miles and came to anchor for the night. " Early the next morning, every thing was in readiness for motion ; but having received no intelli 'Once froth General Brown, I was still delayed, as wand precaution required I should learn the restaJt of his affair, before 'I committed the flotilla to the Slut " At - half-past ten A. M. an officer of dragoons ar rived with a letter, in which the General informed me he had Forced the enerr.y, and would reach the foot of the Stout early in the day. Orders were im mediately g7ven for the flotilla to sail, at which in stant the enemy's gun-boats appeared, and began to throw shot among us. Information was at the same time brought me from BriOdier-crieraj Boyd, that the enemy's troci4 were adva t ncing la Colitrun. I immediatelyient . ot;ders to him rci attack tfirm,- -.4 - This repo4 wa r s Itqon contvgdicjeil; Their gun boas, libistVer, t:?tillintted to scratch tts, and a arioty otre;tOrts erg theirmovernents and conater-movemerit. were in succession, svhicli convinced me cif their deteithiitation to hazard an attack 'when it canld be done to the greatest advantage, and I there fore resolved to anticipate them. DieectiOns'were accordingly sent to that distinguished officer, Colonel . Swift, of the engineers, to . Brigadier General Boyd,. to throw the detachments of his command assigned' to him, in the order of the preceding day, and com posed of men (Ibis own, Covington and Swat twout's brigades, intothreecolumns, to march upon the enemy, outflank them if possible, and take their artillery. 44 The action soon after commenced with the ad vanced body of the enemy, and became extremely sharp and galling, and lasted with occasional pauses not sustained with great vivacity, in open space and fair combat for upwards of two hours and a half; the • adverse lines alternately yielding and advancing. It is impossible to say with accuracy what was our num ber on the field, because it consisted of indefinite de-r tactrthents taken from the boats to render asfe thews sage of the &tot. • b: I 'T. Generals Covington and Swartwent voluntol took part in the action at the head of detachinentsi from their respective brigades, and exhibited the MOW ;nal* that was displayed by Brigadier Gellayall itoyd, giro happenecho be the Senior Officer onAtei ground. Our force engaged might have' reached teen or seventeen bundled men, but actually diet Atkt i exceed 1800; that of the enemy was estimated' 1200 to 2000, but did not prAably amount to.rmoief titan...ls or 160(', consisting, as I am informed.-Crci deiachments from the 4.9tb, 64. th, and 104th ree-i girnerits of the line, with three companies of the vol-• tigeur and Glengary corpi,. and the militia of the i countri . , who are included in the estimate. • " It would he presumptuous in me , to attempt to give you a detailed acount of this afair, which cer tainty reflects high hover on the valour of the Ame titan soldier, as no example can be produced of un disciplined men with inexeerienced officers braying elfin: of two hours and a half, with . out quitting the field nr yielding to their antagonists. But 4 Sir, the inforraation•l now give you is , derived from Officers itrmy confidence who took active parts in the con. frit, •for I was not enabled to order the attack, it was my hard fortune not to be able to lead the troops I cdminanded. • 6.‘ The disease with which I was assailed • en the 24 of. September, on my jo_urney to Fort George, having with a few Short intervals of ,convalescence pr,t)red (Swine ever since ? , and at the moment of this action, rwas 4n4 tti my bed, • unOle.titjit - ott hotie and move ten paw veithoot, assiStatitk • 1 1 .• • ,I TAW ) , .hOWPSTIO"e t i tAtlVlike Ot;q74Paifin . g O n 7 17 ti 1%.114 44:ra ciao to tips aft 4 1 '4 - cOjects• of, Ole Afitish . itiod'A . llAetiOßlt commanilers were previously 0weed9,144.V.004 w bound by thk instrnetions of his Government and the most solemn obligations of duty, to precipitate his descent of the Saint'Lawtynce by every practicable means, because this being effected doe of the greatest difficulties opposed to the American Army would be surmounted, and the former, by dinies equally impe rious, to retard it, and if possible, to prevent such -a descent. He is to be accounted victorious *Pio effected his purpose. The British Commander hav ing failed to gain either of the objects, can lay no claims to the honour of the day. The battle fluctu ated, and triumph seemed at different times inclined to the contending corps. " The front of the enemy was at first forced back more than a mile, and though they never regained the ground they had lost, their stand was permanent' and their charges resolute. Amidst these chaiges, and near the close of the contest, we lost a .field piece by the fall of the officrr who was serving it, with the same coolness as if !e bad been at parade, or at a re view. This was Lietftenant Smith, of the light ar finery, who, in point of merit, stood conspicuous.— The enemy having halted and our troops having again formed in battalions, front to front, and the fire having ceased on both sides, we resumed our po sition on the bank of the i iver, and the infantry being much fatigued, the whole was're-imbarked and pro ceeded down the river, without further annoyance from the enemy or their gun boats, while the dra- I goons, with five pieces of light artillery, marched down the Canada shore without molestation. • .6! It is due to his rank, his merit, and his services, that I should make particular mention of Brigadier General Covington, who received a mortal wound directly through the body, while animating his men and leading them to the charge. He fell where he fought, at the head of his men, and survived but two days. _ _ _ ;. The next day the flotilla passed through the Sant, and joined that excellent officer, Brigadier- General Brown, at Barnharts, near Cornwall, where he had been instructed to take post and wait my ar rival, and where I confidently expected to hear of Major-General Hampton's arrival on the opposite shore. But immediately after I had halted, Colonel Atkinson, Inspector-General of the division under Major-General Hampton, waited on me, with a letter from that officer, in which, to my unspeakable mor tification and surprise, he declined the junction or dered, and informed me he was marching Co Lake Champlain, by way of co-operation in the proposed attack on Montreal. This letter, together with a copy of that to which it. is an answer, were imme diately submitted to a council of war, composed of Major-General Officers and the Colonel commanding the elite, the Chief Engineer, and Adjutant-General, who immediately gave it as their opinion, that the attack cn Montreal should be abandoned for the pre sent season, and the army near Cornwall be imme diately crossed to the American shore for taking up winter-quarters, and that this place afforded an eligi ble position for such quarters. a I acquiesced in this opinion, not from the short ness of the stock of provisions (which had been re duced by the acts of Got)) because that of our meat had been increased five days, and our bread had been reduced only two days, and because we could, in case of eau-64444y, have lived.ou the enemy, but because. the loss of the division under Major-General Hamp ton weakened my force too sensibly to justify the attempt. " In all my measures and movements of cnnse quence, I have taken the opinit_ai of my General Offi cers, ?.hich have been in accord with my mvii. I remained on the Canadian shy re till the next day, without seeing or Leming from. the powerful torte of the enemy in our neighboarhood, and the same day Leached this position with tie artillery and infantry. The . dragoons have been orfs!ered to Urica and its Vicia4,,apd I expect arc 50 or 6J macs on march. the- • ' - . 4 t:Ytit have - tinder cover . a summary abstract of the' killed and wounded in the affdir of the I Ith instant, which will soon be followed by a pi Ocular return, which a just regard will be paid to indivi dual iiterit. The dead rest in honour and the outTiled•blect for their country, and deserve its gra titude, ' Witlfrespect, I have •the honour to be, Sir, your 94edient zerv.:int, ( Signed ) " JAMES WILKINpAN." [Here follow; a statement of the killed and woun ded—killed Ka; wounded 237.] EXTRAf r LOP A.l.llt.Ttit OF Tilt 15TH 'NOVEMBER, FROM g : • OF.N ERAI, WILK INSON. I It ii,4..pct for which lam authorized to pledge myielf . On the most confidential authority , th at on the 4th of the present month, the British garrison of Menitreal 'consisted solely of , 400 marines and 200 sai43rsi., which had been sent up from Quebec. We -NW. Mitit•iilCtiotrision here and that left at Cha PlittlaY,lo.34-teg, days' subsistence, to which I s h a ll add thirty morft, " f ltsletersil tkititstioiii;Sseieili at Wai.” . .0E V>l ‘ .‘. I •' . ~.. - _ i i 0 c re A t .941TAp AV L 1411194 To 00440 HAMPTON. i ..A I%;.v.dc ;.#647!ilutrtege.l4 the Arset,. , imam miles from : .A _-. U, , 1116,1 11 i. !::!gilensl)urs,.NoTemb tt 4;1023.... : ~1. . " flt.i-1- address you, at the specialinstance of ; tluisecretary at War, who by bad roads, worse wea ther, and ill health, was diverted froin meeting me near the place r And .determined to tread back his steps . of Arishislatou from Antwerp, on the 29th ult. I iith4ektiile4 to,- and deiermined on the attack of - MonOeil,lf . pot pOvented by VIM aekof GOD ; and to g i lteSecnuty, to. the enterprise, the Irkision under yeur conajnaqd.inust cooperate with the corps under iny..imiititlit4 Ordetw, - ti v The. 1)6;4 of rendezvous is a circumstance of t h e ' ifeSt interes t to , the issue of this operation, an d e'distknce which separates us, and my i g no rance o f t• the practicability of the direct or devious roads or routes by which you must march, make it requisite that ,I,lllikwn . jkigment should determine the poi nt . To - slistiKtoidn gnaking 4 . 6 soundest determination, and Co alrisslie-snOst.prompt ancieffectual measures, .cfn. clink iiiforli3 tot! of my iAtentions and situation, 1 4.. 1 1 6 fike.tefiejt§ 0 1,41)9 014 ir4ll2Prkauce. 1 shall p ass rrfs6.4.4Q-Alghk.try) the. §tatfrof the weath er n . l w.n.allOw4lle i , a-days tq ix* it: 1 shall c ross the "cainittim.l4l%lt t co i : yv high ytal not require a day,' Isehall Pietsjcigward _sivt break down every ob*l;ucti?.,l4. ta iSrfilf‘r.. l o 44 r arfiitcl ,River, there to s!fisiOkt. . aKtigght-inf.,s‘o44 ig, bridge , I.ttfMitlitf. 1 400 11 14 %bulk 9.btain BPushold . 5t 151494 t i of sA Vrenty, m il es frogt-tilat • ~ • c4YT4Tik u il_44l ow 4. i.e . 17974 7 6n0th, gad swes.o4 , mtts. secure our triumph, or pfovide us honourable graves. a Enclosed you have a memorandum of field and battering train, pretty well found in ammunition, which may enable you to dismiss your own. But we are deficient in loose powder and musket-cartridges, and therefore hope you may be abundantly found. " On the subject of provisions I wish I could give favourable informatien. Our whole stock of bread may be computed at about fifteen days, and our meat at twenty. In speaking on this subject to the Secre tary at War, he informed me ample magazines were laid up on 'Lake Champlain, and therefore I must request of you to order forward two or three months supply by the safest route in a direction to the pro posed scene of action. " I have subniitted the state of our provisions to my General Officers, who unanimously agree that it should not prevent the progress of the expedition, and they also agree in opinion. that if you are not in force to face the. enemy, you should meet us at St. Regis or its vicinity. 6 , I shall expect to hear from if not see you at this place on the 9th, and have the honour to be, 44 Your obedient bumble Servant, (Signed) To Mdjor-Genera Hampton." FROM GENERAL HAMPTON TQ GENERAL WILKINSON, HEAD-QUARTERS) FOUR-CORKERS, NOVEMBER 8. 66 Sint--4 had the honour to receive, at a late hour last evening, by Colonel King, your communication of the 6th, and was deeply impressed with the sense of responsibility it impoied of deciding upon the means of ourco-operation. The idea suggested as the opi nion of your officers, of effecting the junction at St. Regis, was most pleasing, as being most immediate, until I came to the disclosure of the amount of jour supplies of provisions. Colonel Atkinson will ex plain the reasons that would have rendered it impos sible for rte to have brought -more than each man could hay:, carried on his back ; and I recollected, that in throwing myself upon your scanty means, I should be weakening you in your most vulnerable priint ; I did not hesitate to adopt the opinion, after consulting Ca: General and principal officers, that by throwing myself back on my main depot, when ali the mi:ans of transportation had gone, and failing upon the enemy's flank, and straining every effort to open a communication from Plattsburg to Cognh.4- , waga, or any other point you may indicate on the St Lawrence, Lshould more effectually contribute to your success, than by the junction at St. Regis. 66 The way in many places is blockaded and abat ted, and the road impracticable for wheel carriages during the winter; but by the employment of pack horses, if I am not overpowered, I hope to be able to prevent your starving. I have ascertained and witnessed, that the plan of .the enemy is to burn and consume every thing in our advance. My troops and other means will be described ycu by Colonel Atkin son. Bides the rawness and sickness, they have en dured fatigtt:•s equal to a w:nter campaign, by thc late snows and bad weather, and are sadly dispirited and fallen o!F; but upon the subject I must rJer you t) Colonel Atkinson. With these means, what can he accomplished by human exertion I will attempt. With a mind devoted to the general object of the campaign, I have the ho nour to be, very respectfully, Sir, your most obedient servant, (Signed) g , W. HAMPTON." " His Excellency Majar-Gtneral Wilkinson." " J. WILKINSON." GENERAL WILKINSON TO GENERAL ARMSTRONG• " Head-quarter, From* MI6, Nov. 18, 1813. SM —I beg this-may be considered as an appen dage to Illy official - communication reipecting the action of the 11th instant. I last evening received the inclosed information, the result of the examination of .surrdry priietten, taken on the field . of battle, which justifies the opinion of the surviving General Officers who were in the engagement. This goes to prove,' that • although the. imperious obligations of duty did not idlow me sufficient time to route the enemy, they were beam—the accidental loss of one field piece, notwithstanding. after it had been dis charged fifteen or twenty : times. " I havealso learned. from what has been eonsi. defied good authority, but I will not vouch for the correctness of it,. that the enemy's loss exceeded 500 killed and vrourided: 44 The inclosed Report will correct an error in my former communication, as it appears it was the 89th and not the 84th British regiment which was engaged the llth. I beg leave to mention in the action of the I I th, what, from my extreme indispo sition; 1 have omitted. " Having receivedinformation late in the day that. the contest had become somewhat dubious, I ordered up a reserve of 600 men, whom I had ordered to stand by their arms, under Lieutenant-Colonel Up. ham, who gallantly led them into the action, which terminated in.a few minutes after th e i r arr i va l on the ground. With great consideration and respect, I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient humble sireant, . (Signed) " JAMBS WILK-MON. " 3 he Hoe. Jolla Armstrong, Secretary at War." (Heretic:Moves a statement of the strength of Ilse &kis?' Toter engaged • in the action of the Aittr: j 600 militia ; 4014441. —'romi . 2r 70.] • lipirards Of, tsoo men more than there we re . • HALIFAX; /331411M8ER LS. • . The campaign against Lower Canas(aasessrat, for the season. The American troops have maw into winter-quarters, and most of the General Offices* re turned to their family firesides, where theyxassisen. template with uninterrrupted pleasure their late haw achievement. We have given the interesting letters. of General Wilkinson to the Honourable the Secretary at War, announcing, with other imisortant intelligence, the ter mination of the campaign; and those which passed between General Hampton and himself, shewing the circumstances that led to it. General Wilkinson's letter will form quite an ori• „final in the history of military events. It is as com ' plete a tissue of nonsense as the conduct of the Ame rican army throughout the campaign has been ridi culous and absurd. The Allusions 'to, ~British force commanded by Colonel Morrisoc p dethich he has modestly magnified to nearly trebl. .the num b r aeinen that really composed it, kilitrass t ing the rear of his army after leaving GrenaM"lil4o_„ e the Sal . 4.}lovern her, is highly ansushig4faliellefing onatiairear; and Annoyed !him so much thatillliwtoli 'envied to ton About, end - put an end to ititieteiths and scratching,"' but--" alas !"-,---he was ttleigg' 11;s bed—so down the St. Lawrence the Geaeral goes; boldly determined, in turn, to tame and :cratch the poor inhabitants of Montreal ; but the rear division of his army had not gone as fast as himself—he must stop for it—at last he finds that it has been engaged With the'enemy, had engaged with the great victory, with the loss however of a gun, and 359 men in killed and wounded 1 ' The division joins him, and at the, moment of expecting to form a junction with the army under General Hampton, he, " alas !" receives a letter ftom that hero, who so greatly diqingnished himself at Chateaugay, refusing to meet him—a council of war is then held, and a famous opportunity is afforded for the ofliens who composed it to save their hard-earned honours. They arc unanimously agreed in opinion, that " the attack on Montreal should be abandoned !or the season, and the ttonfx go into wintenviarters ! I I" It i; said, that the United States frigate Presiden!„ Commodore Rodgers, sailed from l•lwport the 4th instant. BOSTON, DECEMBER 4. General McArthur's brigade, and General Mani son's regulars, and Commodore Chimney's squAdron, have all arrived at Sack is harbour from Fort St. George. The enemy have abandoned Burlington Heights. Fort George is defended with patriotic mi litia from New York, under the conarnand of Briga dier General *Clare. General Lizard is sick at Plattsburgh ; General Boyd is on his way to Boston. General Harrison is arrived at New-York, and is to he honour: I with a public dinner. On Wednest!::v evening he attended the The.ttre, which was 61i:handy illuminated in honour of the conqueror. GENERAL ORDERS. " Adjutant and Inspector General's OE:e, Washington, November 1:. " A General Court Martial, I,r the trial of Briga dier General William Hull, will assemble at some suitable pl ice,• in the city _of Albany, State of New York, on the 3d day ofJaniinv next." [Here fu!lovvs the names of the deers coiasyosiug the Court- Martial.] 1 HE ENEMY.—NORWICH, MEMBER 1. A very heavy and distinct firiniwas heard here nn Sunday morning, which continued with very little intermission during the day. It proceeded tram the enemy's ships off New London, and we have received ihe following particulars from a Gentlemen who was present s , A sloop of fifty or sixty tons, from New York, bound to Newport, with a valuable assorted .cargo, proceeded up nearly with New London,lig:)t, when she was discovered by the enemy, who instantly dis p itched boats to cut her off from New London liar hour, in which they succeeded, while several otl-trs intercepted her escape up Sound, and left her no other alternative but to run on shore, which she did just after sun-rise, about two miles westward of the light houses near the salt-works. The crew escaped and soon alarmed the country. The enemy set her on fire ; but a considerable number of inhabitants open ing a fire of musketry on the boats, they pulled and commenced firing from their carronact:s. Mean ti.ne a detachment of fifty men, with two pieces of artillery, arrived from Fort Trumbull', and seconded the efforts of the inhabitants, to drive away the boats and extinguish the fire, but the Statira,.Capt. St ick pole, and Loup Cervier, (late United States ship Wasp), hauled in ih-ry close to the beach, and opened their tire, which bathed all further exertions, and the sloop was at length destroyed. " Many thirty-two, twenty-four, and eighteen pound shot struck the beach, a number of which were dug out by the spectators : and it is remark. Able, th it although almost every ball reached the shore (and it is thought that at least 4 or 500 were discharged), not a man was hurt. 44 Toe report of heavy guns has seldom, we be lieve, reached so great s distance as those on Sun day. They were heard, we are told, at Providence, a distance of more than fifty miles, and at many other places. ,‘ Several small vessels, we understand, were cut out of Guildford, by the enemy's boats, on Wednes day night. Two .4 . the enemy's vesieis, a ship and bit, attempted lastWeduesday to cut out of Killing worth a small vessel (the Experiment, of Sag Har bour), which they had chaced in there. Tne inhabi tants opposed them, and the sloop was saved. Fllrv four shots were fired from the ships, and eleven from the shore. They were in sight nn the `'2sth." THE EVENING STAR. LONDON. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1814. PURIFICATION o Tilt VIRGIN Marr.—Holiday at tie Bank. A Heligoland elan arrived this morning. It brings no intelligence of any military movements, but it is nevertheless the harbinger of joy to every well regu lated mind. The inclemency of the 4e4soq has not frozen up the generous feelings of the inhabitants of Heligoland, and they contribute theit I)34es V Ole relief of the suffering inhabitant ,o ciermanYi, " HELIGOLAND, umpouttlr $l - Six Mails are due from England.t.afgCaPilin Living, who arrived last from thence andpOccede4 with the mails and passengers to Cuxhaven, has been caught by the ice, and from all ap porance of clip weather will have a long winter there. 4 We have had no communication with the roan, since the sth instant ; all around us is completely blockaded by large shoals of ice, w,iich renders all communication impossible. 4 We have had a Subscription hore for the unfor tunate exiles of Hamburgh ; the accompatlying will prove, that although, at this moment, excluded from the rest of the world by' the ice, we are not cold to the sufferings of our distressed fello.w-creattires : acnacttirztord. aiid ..oovernoa !Whop ? 40( 1 A J . Ramer ' e 40.; t n 4 .: rcroihgr' and XlOO each that uttmerait,O , aoa of the Garrisota,, at lialiplapt 0 9 ;26k;.,..tAtp;TOtn . ,er , 1,44dex 4 . A, gle letman, and react &kart' se Jb reach; Mews. • Kehler aad Law* me.:"4 H. sehoiwia t "Reach ; I: