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 tncing la Colitrun. I
immediatelyient.ot;ders to him rci attack tfirm,-
-.4 -This repo4 wars 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 Atkti
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 •
11.••,I TAW), .hOWPSTIO"e titAtlVlike Ot;q74Paifin. g
O n 7 17 ti 1%.114 44:ra ciao to tips
aft 41'4- 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- • '

-.4t: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.]

EXTRAfrLOP 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, that 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 shall
add thirty morft,
"fltsletersil tkititstioiii;Sseieili at Wai.” .
.0E V>l ‘ .‘. I •' . ~.. - _
i i 0
creAt .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,.NoTembtt 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 placer 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 gilteSecnuty, 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 the
' ifeSt interest to, the issue of this operation, and
e'distknce which separates us, and my ignorance of
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 point.
To-slistiKtoidn gnaking 4.6 soundest determination,
and Co alrisslie-snOst.prompt ancieffectual measures,
.cfn. clink iiiforli3 tot! of my iAtentions and situation,
14..116fike.tefiejt§01,41)9 014 ir4ll2Prkauce. 1 shall pass
rrfs6.4.4Q-Alghk.try) the. §tatfrof the weather
n.l w.n.allOw4lle i, a-days tq ix* it: 1 shall cross
the "cainittim.l4l%lttcoi: yv high ytal not require a
day,' Isehall Pietsjcigward _sivt break down every
ob*l;ucti?.,l4.
taiSrfilf‘r..lo 44 rarfiitcl ,River, there
to s!fisiOkt. . aKtigght-inf.,s‘o44 ig, bridge ,
I.ttfMitlitf. 14001114 %bulk 9.btain BPushold
.
5t151494 tiof sA Vrenty, miles frogt-tilat
•
~ •
c4YT4Tikuil_44l ow 4. i.e.1797476n0th, gad swes.o4 ,