Star.
London, England, 1814-10-25 00:00:00

MR. MON ROE.

" His Majebty's ship the Tonnant, in the Patuxent
River, August 18, 1914.
• Sin—Havirl been called upon by the Gover-
nor-General of the Canadas to aid him in carrying
into effect measures of retaliation against the inhabi-
tants of tlie United States, for the wanton destruction
ens:omitted by their army in Upper Canada, it has
become imperiously my duty, conformably with the
nature of the Governor-General's application, to issue
to the naval force under my command an order to
destroy and lay waste such towns and districts upon
the coast as may be found assailable.
• I had hoped that this contest would have tenni-
tatea without my being obliged to resort to severi-
ties which are contrary to the usages of civilized war-
fare ; and as it has been with extreme reluctance and
concern that I have found myself compelled to adopt
this system of devastation, I shall be equally grati-
fied it the conduct of the Executive of the United
States will authorize my staying such promdings,
by making reparation to the ►uffering inhabitants of
Upper Canada—thereby manifesting that if the de-
structive measures pursued by their army were ever
sancti,,ned, they will no longer be permitted by the
Government. _ _ _

44 I base the honour to be, Sir, with much coos"-
devotion, your most obedient humble serront,
(Signed) 44 ALEX. COCHRANR.
Vice-Admiral and Commander in Chief al
His Britannic Majesty's ships and vessels
upon the North American Station.

COPY OF A LETTER FROM MR. MONROE TO SIR ALEXAN-
DER COCHRANE, VICE-ADMIRAL, ETC.

" Department c)1" State, Sept. 6, 1814.

di Sin—l have had the honour to receive your let-
ter of the 18th of August, stating, that having been
called on by the Governor-General of the Canadas to
aid him in carrying into effect measures of retaliation
against the inhabitants of the United States, for the
wanton desolation committed by their army in Upper
Canada, it has become your duty, conformably with
the nature of the Governor-General's application, to
issue to the naval force under your command, an or-
der to destroy and lay waste such towns and districts
,upon the coast as may be found assailable.
46 It is seen with the greatest surprise, that this
system of devastation which has been practised by the
British forces, so manifestly contrary to the usage of
civiiizA warfare, is placed by you on the ground of
retaliation. No sooner were the United States com-
pelled to resort to war against Great Britain, than
they resolved to wage it in a manner most consonant
to the principles of humanity, and to those friendly
relations which it was desirable to preserve between
the two nations, after the restoration of peace. They
perceived, however, with the deepest regret, that a
spirit alike just and humane was neither cherished
nor acted on by your Government. Such an as'cr-
tion would not be hazarded, if it was not supported
by facts, the proof of which has perhaps already car-
ried the same conviction to other nations that it has
to the people of those States. Without dwelling on
the deplorable cruelties committed by the Savages in
the British ranks, and in British pay, on American
pris-ners at the River Raisin, which to this day have
never seen disavowed or atoned, I refer, as more im-
mediately connected with the subject of your letter, to
the wanton desolation that was committed at 1-favre-
de-Grace, and at George Town, early in the Spring,
1813. These villages were burnt and ravaged by
the naval forces of Great Britain, to the ruin of their
unarmed inhabitants, who saw with astonishment that
they derived no protection to tlie.r property from the
laws of war. During the same season, scenes of in.
vasion and pillage, carried on under the same autho-
rity, were witnessed all along the waters of the'Che-
sapeake, to an extent inflicting the'most serious pri-
vate distress, and under circumstances that justified
the suspicion, that revenge and cupidity, rather than
the manly motives that should dictate the hostility of
a high minded foe, led to their perpetration.
,g The late destruction of the houses of Govern-
ment in this city is another act which comes neces.
sarily into view. In the wars of modern Europe, no
efo.mples of the kind, even among nations the most
hostile to each other, can be traced. In the course
of ten years past, the capitals of the principal powers
of the Continent c.f. Europe have been conquered,
and occup'ed alternately by the a ictorious armies of
each other, and no instance of such wanton and un-
justifiable destruction has been seen. We must go
sack to dist ,nt and barbarous ages, to find a parallel
fir the acts of which I complain.
" Altheugh these acts of desolation-invited, if they
aid not impose to the Government, the necessity of
retaliation, yet in no instance has it been authorized.
The burning of the village of Newark, in Upper Ca-
nada, posterior to the early outrages above enume-
rated, was not executed on that principle. The
village of Newark adjoined Fort George, and its
destruction was justified by the officer who ordered it,
on the ground that it became necessary in the mili-
tary operations there. 'I he act, litwevcr, was dis-
avowed by die Government. The burning which
took place at Lops Point was unauthalized by the
Government, and the conduct of the officer subjected
to the investigation of 'a military tribunal. For the
burning of St. David's, committed by stragglers, the
officer who commanded in that quarter was dismissed
without a trial for not preventing it-
" I am commanded by the President distinctly to
state, that it as little comports with any orders which
have been issued to the military and naval Comman-
ders of the United States, as it does with the estab-
lislied and known humanity of the American nation,
to pursue a system which it appears you have adopted.
The Government owes it to itself, to the principles
which it has ever held sacred, to disavow, as justly
chargeable to it, any.such wanton, cruel, and unjus-
tifiable warfare.

66 Whatever unauthorized irregularity may have
been committed by any of its troops, it would have
been ready, acting on these principles of sacred and
eternal obligatitoi, to disavow, and as Tar as might be
practicable, to repair. But in the plan of desolating
warfare •a hick your letter so explicitly makes known,
and which is ittempted to be excused on a plea se
utterly groundlt.ss, the President perceives a spirit 01
deep.rooted Lostility, which, without the evidence of
such licts, he could nut have believed existed, co
ut,tild have been carried to such an extremity.
46 For the reparatiou of injuries, of whatever na-

ture they may be, not sanctioned by the law of
nations, which the naval or military forces of either
power may have committed against the other, this
government will always be ready to enter into reci-
procal arrangement. It is presumed that your go-
vernment will neither expect or propose any which
are not reciprocal.
" Should your Government adhere to a system of
desolation, so contrary to the views and practice of
tie United States, so revolting to humanity, and re.
pugnant to the sentiments and usages of the civilized
world, whilst it will be seen with the deepest regret,
it must and will be met with a determination and
constancy becoming a free people, contending in a
just cause for their essential rights and their dearest
interests.
" I have the honour to be, with great considera-
tion, Sir, your most obedient bumble servant,
(Signed) " JAL MONROE."
PROVINCE OF LOWER CANADA, SEPT. 22.
PROCLAMATION.

" George the Third, by the grace of Goo, of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King, Defen-
der of the Faith :
“ To all our loving Subjects, and to all others whom
these presents may concern, greeting:
gs Whereas war has been declared, and now exists,
between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland and the dependencies thereof and the United
States of America and their territories ; and the ex-
portation of grain and provisions of Lower Canada
may at this time prove highly injurious to the interest
of our empire and to the welfare of our loving subjects
in the said Province; we have thought proper, by
and with the advice of the Executive Council of our
said Province of Lower Canada, to cause this our
Royal Proclamation, and to order; and we do hereby
order, that an embargo be forthwith laid on all wheat,
flour, and meal of every kind, barley, rye, oats, peas,
potatoes, biscuit, salted pork and beef from any port
or place in and within our said Province of Lower
Canada, to any country, place, kingdom, dominion,
or territory whatsoever ; and we do hereby strictly
prohibit and forbid the sailing of any ship, vessel or
vessels, having on board any of the aloove-mentioned
articles, from any port or place aforesaid in and with-
in our said Province of Lower Canada, to any such
place, country, kingdom, dominion or territory akore-
said, save and except such vessels having on board,
as aforesaid, so much of the said before-recited ar-
ticles as may be necessary for the supply of those
ports of the coast of Labrador only which are occu-
picd as trading ports and fisheries, and which have
been recently annexed to our Governm?nt of New-
foundland, and also in like manner necessary for the
supply of the settlements of our Island of Anticosti;
in the Gulf of St. Lawrence: aad it is our will and
pleasure, and wt: do hereby order, that the said em-
bargo remain from the date of these presents until
Saturday, the 31st of December next ensuing, of all-
which our loving subjects and all others concerned
are to take notice, and govern themselves accor-
dingly, we by the tenor of these presents firmly en-
j,,ining and commanding them, and all and every of
our Officers and Ministers whatsoever, to be in all
things and to the utmost aiding and assisting in the
due execution of this our Royal Proclamation ; pro-
vided always that nothing herein contained shall ex-
tend to "revent the exportation of coarse biscuit,
commonly called Newfoundland bread, certified to.
be such by the inspector of flour at the time of ship-
ment, the exporter, shipper, or owner first giving a
bond to the Officers of our Customs at the Port of
Quebec for the landing of the same in the Island of
Newfoundland or its dependencies.
44 In testimony whereof, we have caused these our
letters to be mide patent, and the great seal of our
Province of Lower Canada to be hereunto affixed,
witness our trusty and well-beloved Sir George Pre-
vost, Baronet, Captain General And Governor-in-
chief in and over the Provinces of Lower Canada,
Upper Canada, Nova Scotia, New Bo unswick, and
their several dependencies, Vice-Admq.al of the same,
Lieutenant-General, commander of all our forces in
the said Provinces, and in the Islands of Newfound-
land, Prince Edward, Cape Breton, and Bermuda.
u eat our Government House in the City of Montreal, in our
said Province of Lower Canada, September 21, 1114, and
of our Reign the fifty-fourth. (Signed)
46 JOHN TAYLOR, Deputy Secretary."

The following interesting particulars respecting
onr late Expedition to North America, are extracted
from private communications:

" General Ross, while gallantly riding at the very
head of the advance, by the side of Lieutenant Evans,
Acting Deputy-Quarter-Master-General, received a
rifle shot in his lett arm, which, after passing through
it, and breaking the bone between the elbow and
shoulder, entered his body, breaking the ribs, and
inflictedia mortal wound. The General exclaimed—.
66 My arm is broken," and almost immediately fell,
but he was caught by those near his person, and
gently supported. He requested to be taken on
board -the Royal Oak, after he had with difficulty
communicated with Colonel Brooke and Rear-Ad-
miral Cockburn. As he became weak and evidently
near his end, he lamented very strongly that he
should die on such an insignificant field of battle,
wishing that, since it was his fate to fall, that he
could have ended his glorious career amidst some
more brilliant scene. He bore his great pain with
the most heroic, and indeed, astonishing composure,
and his last words were, which he ejaculated with a
convulsive sigh—" Oh ! my dear Wife !"
66 The fall of the General had a visible effect on
the troops who observed it, so much was he beloved ;
but Lieutenant Evans placed himself immediately in
their front, and without appearing the least discon-
certed at the disaster, took off his hat and cheered
them on towards the enemy in the most gallant
manner.

4, The enemy, after the attack on Washington,
expected that 1341timore would be assailed, and they
had accordingly prepared every means of defence
within their power. During the whole of the period
mentioned, the militia of the adjacent States had
been iu the town under arrnk,regularly training,
and an immense number of labourers were employ•
ed in raising fortifications. Added to this, when
our fleet approached the mouth of the harbour, nearly
forty large ships were sunk in two lifie% across it,
mouth, and more were ready in props; to be sunk
At a moment's notice. There were also in the real
of these sunken ships, a line of stfong gunboats,
the whole of which entirely precluded the possibility
of our ships atnicking within proper mtge. Ex-,
cept at the entrance of the Barbour, the water was

so very shallow, that nothing larger than gun•brigs
could navigate it, and even these could not com-
pletely close.
" The bombardment was continued with much
spirit for many hours, with great effect, by four
bomb-vessels. Shells were thrown into the citadel
and into the town. Our people on board the squa-
dron observed the walls and roofs of houses shattered
in pieces.
For more than four hours after the bombard-
ment commenced, the enemy would not chew his
fire, nor did they open until the 13th, about two
o'clock in the afternoon, at a time when the vessels
had approached within range. When their fiie open-
ed it was tremendous. The water appeared (to use
the simile of our informant) as if peas had been
scattered over it, but their shot from the large guns
were very ill-directed. Only one person was wound-
ed on board the bomb-vessels.
" When our troops went on board the ships again,
the enemy brought out his force, and displayed it on
the shore. Their line was of great extent, but their
numbers only served to excite contempt, when their
conduct in the field was recollected.

gg The loss of the enemy at Baltimore and Alex-
andria must be immense. The sinking of their best
ships, though they will be enabled to weigh the
greatest part of them, serves to swell the amount.—
Baltimore is the chief town of the State of Maryland.
It is situate on the north side of Patapsco river, at a
small distance from its junction with the Chesapeake.
—The town is built around what is called a bason,
reckoned one of the finest harbours in America. It
contains about 50,000 inhabitants. At the entrance
of this bason the ships were sunk in lines.

•, After the re-embarkation of the troops from neJr
Baltimore, Sir Alexander Cochrane, in the Formant,
accompanied by the Severn, Captain Nourse, saild
for Halifax, where the body of General Ross was
taken for interment ; and Rear-Admiral Cockburn,
in the Albion, with the Hebrus, Captain Palmer,
proceeded to Bermuda. The Albion was completely
laden with tobacco which had been captured, and
each of the three other ships were stored with much
valuable captured property. It is intended to winter
in the Chesapeake, and keep the enemy under a state
of alarm.
44 Rear-Admiral Malcolm had the command of
the fleet, during the absence of the Commander-in-
Chief and the Second in Command. His flag was on
board the Royal Oak, and he has under him, the
Ramilies, Surprise, Seahorse, Menelaus, Madagascar,
Havannah, Euryalus, Diadem, Dictator, Diomede,
Trave,Weser, Melpomene, Thames, Regulus, Brune,
Fairy, Wolverine, Boxer, Jaseur, Manly, Thistle, &c.
Rear-Admiral Hotham commanded off New Lon-1
don. The Colonial Black Marines, mentioned by Sir
Alexander Cochrane, are the Slaves who have de-
serted front the Americans and joined our armament.
They are clothed, organized, and armed, and fight,
in general, with much spirit. Of course they have a
two-fold stimulus—hatred to their late masters, and
the certainty of death it retaken.
64 An Of who writes as from the Chesapeake
of a late date, after detailing the particulars ef a
great many minor expeditions in which the enemy
has sufF,:red severely in men and property, observes—
• The Americans say that we are a collection of '
devils let loose oa them to torment and worry them
to death, and that our boldness in ascending to the
very sources of their tributary rivers of the Chesa-
peake, astonishes as much as it annoys them, which
I can assure you is not a little. During one of our
perambulations on shore, the enemy played us a cu-
rious trick. General Hungerford with some militia
was in the neighbourhood, and Lieutenants Pasco
and Stephens, at the head of a strong party of Ma.
rives, went in quest of them, but could not find either
the General or his party. We afterwards learnt that
the enemy, forming a true estimation of his danger,
concealed himself and two light field pieces which he
had with him under some bushes, and in that state
we passed them. We have taken possession of Tan-
gier, and some other Islands in the Chesapeake, the
latter of which is garrisoned by Lieutenant Duguid,
R. M. and 40 men.

44 We have erected proper fortifications and ac-
commodations, and here we drill the blacks who de-
sert from slavery to us. We have already above 500
of them, clothed and armed ; we h:tve tried them
several times on etore with the marin:s and sailors,
against their old masters, and their behaviour was
such as to gain them our approbation and Ilizillest
confidence.

44 Mr. Cummins has been appointed garrison Sur-
geon to Tangier Island, which we shall retain during
our occupation of the Chesapeake. Our rocket corps
astonish the enemy much, and our marines heat t!iem
in grand stile. While the battalion was at Bermuda
the officers were incessantly employed in drilling and
fitting them for the field. The enemy observe that
they are riflemen, infantry of the line, artillery meni
or sailors, just as the case warrants ; and this is really
the fact. Rear• Admiral Cockburn thinks so highly
of them, that he says he would trust himself any
where under their protection.
“ The Rear-Admiral is a fine officer, and is un-
commonly beloved by all the seamen in the fleet,
who observe that he is • a true Briton.' He will go
any where, and when an attack is to be made his
boat or barge is in general the leading one. He is
both General and Admiral, and his plans are laid
down with that familiar clearness that all understand
them.

" The quantities of tobacco we have taken are
enormous. We find it well packed in very large
hogsheads, and the article is become of considerable
value.

The country bordering on the Chesapeake is very
fine, and was the land higher would be healthy as It
now is pleasant. The Rivers are in the narrowest
places halt a mile wide. The ships in general are
well supplied with fresh provisions brought to us
from the shore.

a We have just heard that a malignant fever rages
at Norfolk, carrying off the inhabitants and troops in
abundance. The enemy endeavoured a few days ago.
to get permission to send the Constellation frigate
(which is at Norfolk) to Europe as a 11 ig of truce,
but it was not grantetl. Two Englishmen who came
of to Tangier Island with some Blacks, intorm us,
that if they had succeeded in getting her out of port,
they did not really intend to send her as a flag of
•ruce, but to one of the Northern ports, where it was
lesigned she should take in men, guns and stoles,
.ind go ou a marauding cruise. These Englishmen

inform us that their ships are manned principally by
Irishmen of the lower order, who are brave and of
the most adventrous cast ; hence the animated man-
ner in which their ships are fought. We also learn
that Irishmen and many Englishmen man their gun.
boats and batteries. The Thistle is stationed of
Tangier Island, to assist in protecting it."