The Sun.
London, England, 1814-02-04 00:00:00

AMERICAN PAPERS

[FURTHER EXTRACTS.]

COPY OF A LETTER FROM GEN. M`CLi../RE, or THE
NEW YORK STATE TROOPS, TO THE SECRETARY

AT WAR.

Head=quarters, ttiffalo, Dec. 22, 1813.
regret to be under the necessity of an=
nouncing to you the mortifying intelligence of
the loss of Fort Niagara. On the morning of the
9th inst. 'abOtit foul- o'clock, the enemy crossed
the river at the Five,mileMeadows'in great force.,
consisting of regulars and Indians, who made
their way undiscovered to the
,garrison, which,
from the most correct information I can col-
lect) was completely surprised. Our men were
liearly -all asleep in their tents ;' the ;enemy
rushed' in and commenced• a most horilti Slaugh-
ter. Such as escaped the fury of the firs.t. on-
set, retired to the old mess-house,-*VhVrethey
kept Op a destructive fire on the cneiny Until a
want of atiiMunition compelled them to sUrren=
Although our force was very infesrior, and
omparatively small indeed, I am induced to think
that the disaster 'is not attributable to any want
of troops, but to gross neglect in the Commanding
Officer of the fort, Capt. Leonard, in not prepar-
ing,,,being ready, and looking out for the ex-
pected attack.
1 have Hot been able to ascertain correctly the
number of .killed and wounded. About twenty re-
gulars have escaped-out of the fort, some badly
wounded. Lieut. Peek, 24th regiment, is killed
and it is said three othefs..

You will perceive, Sir, by the enclosed General
Orders, that I apprehended as attack, and made
the necessary arrangement to meet it, but 'have
reason to believe, from information received "by
those who have made their escape, that the Couv-
inandant did not iu any respect comply with these
orders. • .

. On the same Morning a detachment of militia;
under Major Bennett stationed at LieWi's'eown
Heights, was attacked by a party of tavageg,l?- but
the Major and his little corps, by making a .4.lespe.•
Tate charge, effected their retreat., after being
surrounded by several hundred, with the toss of
x or eight, who doubtless were killed ; among
whom were two sons of Captain Jones, Indian
interpreter. The villages of Youngstown, Lewis-
ton Manchester,- and the Indian Tuscarora
vil-
lage, were reduced to ashes, and the inoffensive
inhabitants 'who could not escape, were, without
regard to age 'or sex., inhumanly butchered by sa-
vages, headed by British Officers painted. A 'Bri-
tish Officer, who is taken prisoner, avows that
many small children were murdered by their In-
dians.

Major Mallory, who was. stationed at Schlosser,
With about forty Canadian vo,unteers, advanced to
Lewistown Heights, and compelled the ash nced
guard of tile enemy to fall back to the foot' 81: the
mountain. The Major is a meritorious officer ;
he fought the enemy two 'days, and contested
every inch of ground to the Tautawanty Creek.---7
in these actions Lieutenant Lowe, 23d regiment
of the United States army, and eight of the Cana-
dian volunteers, were killed. had myself, three
clays previous to the attack on the Niagara, left it
-
place,- Black Hock, and the other villages. on this
frontier.

I came here without tFoops, and have called out
the militia of Gennessee, Niagara, and Chataugue
counties en Masse:

This place was then thought to be in imminent
danger, as well as the shipping, but I 'have no
doubt is now perfectly secure. , Vornateem are
coming; in in great numbers ; they are,./idivt.ver,
a species of troops that cannot be ,ocpectedto
continue in the service for a long time.;:i,-Inln.few
days, 1000 detached 'militia, lately drafted, will
be on. I have, &c.

GEO. M'CLURE, Brig. Geti. Cora.
I iff n..l.4lrmsfi-ong, SeCretary of War.

GENERAL ORDERS.

• Head-quarters, Fort Niagara' Dec. 12, ISM
Capt. Leonard will, as soon as possible, bare a proportion
of hand-grenades in the different BloCk-houses, and give di-
rections to the officers of the infantry where they should be
posted witlttheir men, in ease of an attack; and should they
not he able toanaintain the outworks, to repair to the block
and mess houses, and have every thing arranged in such a
planner as though lie expected an immediate attack.
Much is expected of Capt. Leonard, from' his • long exe-
Timer -4nd knowledge of duty; and the General feeht
dent he will he well supported by Capt. Loomas, of theArtil-
levy, as well as the Officers of the Infantry.
i,Ey order of Brig_ Gen. George M'Clure.
-DONALD FRASER, Lt. 15th U.S. Inf.
•
• and Vol. Aid-dc-Camp.