Star.
London, England, 1814-09-28 00:00:00

ADMIRALTY-OFFICE, SEPTEMBER 9.7.

Captain WhiswainiiT, of his Maje:ty's ship Tonnant, arrived
this morning at this Office, wish dispatches from Vice-Admi-
ral the Hon. Sir ALEXANDER COCHRANI, K. B. to JOHN
WILEONCaome, Esq. of which the following are copies :
• Tornant, in the Patuxent, Sept. f.), 1814.
- •

Sza—l have the honour to acquaint you, for the
information of my Lords Commissioners of the Ad-
rnirahy, of the proceedings of his Majesty's com-
bined sea and land forces since ray arrival with the
fleet wilhin the Capes of Virginia; and I beg leave
to oilsa- my conp,r.aulations to their Lordships upon
the successful termination of an expedition, in. which
the whole of the enemy's flotilla under Commodore
B.lrney has been captured or destroyed ; his army;
th ,ogh greatly superior in number, and strongly
r-sted writ cannon, defeated at Bladensberg—the
eore of Wasiiingten taken, the capital, with all the
public bolding?, military arsenals, dock-yard, and
the rest of their naval establishment, together with a
war quantity of naval and military stores, a frigate
the largest class ready to launch, and a sloop of
war afloat, either blown up or reduced to ashes.
Such a series of successes in the centre of an ene-
my's country, surrounded by a numerous population,
could not be acquired without loss, and we have to
lament the Call of some valuable officers and men ;
but c;,:nsidei ing the difficulties the forces had to con-
tend %vial, the extreme beat of the climate, and their
coming into action at the end of a long march, our
castialties are astonishingly few.
My letter of the 11th of August will haveecquaint-
ed their Lordships of my waiting in the Chesapeake
ft r the arrival of Rear-Admiral Malcolm, with the
expedition from Bermuda.
The Rear-Admiral joined rre on the 17th, and as
I had gained information from Rear-Admiral Cock-
burn, whom I found in the Potowmack, that Com-
modore Barney, with the Baltimore flotilla, bad taken
shelter at the head of the Patuxent, this afforded a
pretext for ascending that river to attack him near its
source, above Pig Point, while the ultimate destina-
tion c(1 the combined force was Washington, should
it be found that the attempt might he made with any
prospect of success. To give their Lordships a more
sweet idea of the place of attack, I send a sketch of
the country upon which the movtments of the army
and navy are pourtrayed ; by it their Lordships
observe, that the best approach to Washington is by
P rtTobacco, upon the P (towmac and Benedict, upon
the PAIIM from both of which are direct and good
goads to that city, aod their distances nearly alike ; rie
roads from Benedict divide at), t five miles inland; th:
one by Piscataway and Bladensburg, the other follow-
ing the cour,e or the river, although at some distance
from it, owing to the creeks that run up the country ;
this last passes through the towns of Nottingham and
Marlborough to Bladensburg, at which town the
river palled the Eastern Branch, that bounds Wash
-
jug= to the eastward, is fordable, and the distance
is about five miles. There are two bridges over this,
river a: tire city ; •but it was not to [se expected that
the enemy would leave them accessible to an invad-
log army.
Previously to my entering the Patuxent, I detach-
ed Captain Got.clem, of his Majesty's ship Seahorse,
with that ship and the ships and bombs named in the
margin, viz. (Euryalus, Devastation, &ma, Meteor,
Manly, and Erebtis), up the Potowmac, to bombard
Fort Washinoton (which is situated on the left bank
td that.river, about- 10 or 12 mihis below the city),
with a iiew of destroying that fort, and opening a free
ammunicaios above, as well as to cover the retreat
of the Argly, should its return by the Bladensburg
Toad he found too hazardous, from the accession of
strength the enemy Might obtain from Baltimore ; it
was also reasonable to expect that the militia from the
etiiotry to the northward and westward would flock
in, so soon as it should be known that their capital
Was threatened.

Captain Sir Peter Parker, in the Menelaus, with
some gnat,' vessels, was sent up the Chesapeake,
sibeie Baltimore, to divert the atttntion of the enemy
in that quartet., and I proceeded with the remainder
of the nay :11 force 4nd troops up this river, and lapOd
the army, ppop the 19th and 20th, at Benedict.
''So soon as the necessary provisions and stores could
be asses pled and arranged, Major-General Ross,
with his at my, moved towards Noßmgharn, while ()to
Itotl4l,t, consisting of the armed lat Aches, pinnaces,
barges, and other I.oata of the jet, under the com-
inand of Rear-Admiral Cocicbrint, paved up the river,
king instructed to keep upon the right (link of the
army, for the douSle purpose of supplying it with
provisions, and, if necessary, to pass it over to the left
ha' k of the river, into Calvert County, which secured
a safe retreat to the ships, should it be jadgcd ne-
cessary. . _ .

Tho army reachrd upon the 21st, and
en 1:4; day arrived at 741arlimrough : the
tin ilia continued advancing towards the station of
Conic:adore Barney, about, three miles above Pig
Point, who, although much superior in torte to that
sent Ag iintt him, did not wait an attack, but, at the
appearance of our boats, set fire to his fliallia, and the
whAle of his vessels, excepting one, were blown up.
For the partic.-ilars of this wen 'muted service, I
stinst refer their LOrdships to Rear-Admiral Cock-
iston's report, Nn. I, olio, im the same evening, con-
!rayed to me an account of his success, and intimation
fsoarAtaj44,General Itozs, of his intention to proceed
to the city of Washington, considering, from the in.
fgrmstion he had received that it might be assailed,
dyne with alacrity and, in consequence had de.
tei mi Jed to march that evening upon Bladensburg.
The rem sluing boats' of the Beet were immediately
employed in conveying up the river siipilies of pro-
vitionce for the forces, upon their retui n to Notting-
ham, agteealtly to an arrangement made by the Rear-
icMniral, who proceeded on in company with the
s'• • • •• :
*y.
..• The Report, No. 2, of gear-Admiral Cockburn,
will inform their Lordships of the brilliant successes
of the forces, after their departure from Marlborough,
!Aire they returned upon the Stith, and having reach-
ed Itcriedits upbn•the'29ch, the expedition was em.
rkpsi in gopd crier. •
sambined services, sorb as we bus been en.

alacrity and order with which the laboriont duties in 1
the conveying of supplies to the army were conducted.)
For the conduct of the Captains and Officers of the
squadron employed in the flotilla, and with the army,
I must beg leave to refer their Lordships to the re-
ports of Rear Admiral Cockburn, and to call their
favourable consideration to those whom the Rear-
Admiral has had occasion to particularly notice.—
While employed imtnediately under my eye. I had
every reas‘m to be perfectly satistled with their zea-
-1 lous emulation, as well as that of every seaman and
marine, to prolnote the service in which they were
engage 3.
Capt:t:n Wainwright, of his Majesty's ship Ton-
root, will bat;tl the honour to deliver this dispatch to
you, and as he was actually employed both with the
flotilla and with the army in the whole of their pro-
ceedings, I beg leave to refer their Lordships to bias
fir any futther particulars.
I have not yet received any returns from the ships
employed in the Potowmack, the winos having been
unfavourable to their coming down ; but by the mfor.
mation I gain from the country people, they have
completely succeeded in the capture and destruction
of Fort 'Washington, which has been blown up. I
have the honour to be, /cc. (Signed)

ALEXANDIM CCCHRANit •
Vice Admiral and Commander in Chief.
John Wilson Croker, Esq.

bean! the Revelation Tender, off Wont Calvert,
MendaT night, tett August, lore.
Sin—l have the 'velour to inform you, that after
parting from you at Benedict, on the evening of the
.20th instant, I proceeded up the Patexent, with the
boa:s and tenders, the matinee of the ships being em-
barked in them, under the command of Captain.
Robyns (the senior officer of that corps in the fleet),
and th-• Marine Artillery, under Captain Hanison,
in their two tenders ; the Severn and Hebrus frigates
and the Manly sloop being directed to follow es up
the river, as far as might prove practicable.
The brats and tenders I placed in three divisions;
the first under the immediate command cf Captains
Sullivan (the senior commander employed on the
occasion) and Badcock ; the second under Captains
Money and Somerville; the third under Captain
Ramsay : the whole under the superintendence and
immediate management of Captain Wainwright, of
the 'lonnant, Lieutenant James Scott (first of the
Albion) attending as toy Aid-de-camp.
1 endeavoured to keep with the boats and tenders
as nearly as possible abreast of the army under Ma-
jor-General Ross, that I might communicate with
him as occasion offered, according to the plan pie-
viously arranged ; and about midday yesterday I
;it corn;rag,ly anchored at the fc-ry houses opposite
Lower Nialborough, where I met the General, and
where the army halted for some hours, after which
he marched. for Nottingham, and I proceeded on for
the same place with the boats. On nor appreachieg
that town a few shot were exchanged between the
leading boats and some of the eriernirs cavalry; but
the appearance of oil army advancieg caused them
to retire with precipitltiert. Captains bourse and
Palmer, of the Severn and Hebrut, jeined me this
day with their boos, having found it impracticable
to get their ships higher than Benedict.
The Major-General remained with the army at
Nottingham, Ind tile boats and tenders continued
anchored (Zit din7ng the night ; and soon after day
light this mcnreag, the whole moved again forward,
but the wind blowing during the morntag down the
river, :Ind the channel being excessively narrow, and
the a:Jur:lee fluor tenders cunt:Newly elew, I judg-
ed it advitt:-.lJlc to posh on with thc boats, only leav-
ing t!:e tend_rs to follow as they could.
Cr approaching Pig Point (where the enemy's
flotilla was said to be), I landed die marines under
CaptaiieLobyns on the left bank of the river, end
directed him to naerch round and attack, on the land
side, the town situated on the point, to draw from us
the Ettiltion of such troops asenight be there fot its
deface:, ated the defence of the : I then pro•
ceeded un with the haws, and as we opened thereach
above Pig Puha, 1 plainly discovered Commodore
Barney's broad pendant in the headmast vessel, a
large sloop, and the remainder of the extend.'
ing in a long line astrra of her. Our boats flowed-
vanced tirearels them .:s rapidly as possible; but, on
nearing them, we observed the sloop bearing the
broad pendant to be on fire, and she very soon after-
wards blew up. 1 now saw clearly that they were all
abando. ed, and on fire, with trains to their maga-
zines ; and out of the seventeen venal which com-
posed this formidable, and so much vaunted flotilla,
sixteen wens in quick succession blown to atoms, and
the seventeenth (in which the fire had not taken) we
captured. '11:c Commodore's sloop was a large
armed vessel ; the others were gun-boats, all having
a long gun in the bow, and a carronade in the stern;
the calibre nl the goes and number of the crete
each differed in' proportion to the size of the boat,
varying from `32 pounders and sixty men to 18-peuto
ders and forty men. I hound here lying above the
flotilla, under its protection, 13 merchant schooners,
some of which not being worth bringing away, I
caused to be burnt ; such as were in good condition
I directed to be moved to Pig Point.
Whilst employed taking these vessels a few shot.
were fired at us by some of the men of the flotilla
from the bushes en the shore near us ; but Lieut.-

nant Scott, whom I had landed for that purpose,
soon got hold of theM, and made them prisoners,
Some horsemen likewise shelved themselves on the
neighbouring heights, but a rocket or two dispersed
them ; and Captain Robyn!, who had got possession
of Pig Point without resistance, now spreading his
men through the tountry, the enemy retreated to a
distance, and left us in quiet possession of the town,
the neighbourhood. and our prizes.
A large quantity of tobacco having been found in
the town at Pig
.Point, I have left Captain Robyns,
with the marines, and Captain Nonrse, with two di.
visions of the boats, to hold the place, and ship the
tobacco into the prizes, and I havlF moved back with
the third division to this point, to enable me to confer
en our future operations, with the Major-General,
who has !Ken good enough to send his Aidt.cle-Camp
to inform me of his safe arrival, with the army under
hig command, at Upper Marlborough.
In congratulating you, Sir, which I do most sin-
cerely*, on the complete destruction of this flotilla of
the enemy, which has lately occupied so much of our
attention, I must beg to he permitted to assnre you,
that the cheerful qua indefatigable exertions on this
occasion, of CaLtain4 Non rse; *O4 T'Al.

met, and of Captain Sullivan, the othttrCommfinay my-
self Commanders,
gaged in, it gives me the greatest pleasure to
united with so able and experienced an :officer
as Major-General Ross, in whom are blended those
qualities so essential to promote success, where co.
operation between the two services becomes neces-
sary ; and I have much satisfaction in noticing the
unanimity that prevailed between the army and the
navy, as I have also in stating to their Lordships that
Major-General Ross has expressed his full approbation
of the conduct of the officers, examen, and marines
acting with the army.
I have before had occasion to speak of the unre-
mitting zeal and exertion of Reer-Atimiral Cock-
burn during the time he commanded in the Chesa-
peake, under my orders :—the interest and ability
which he has manifested throughout this late arduous
service justly entitle him to my best thinks, and to the
acknowledgments of my Lords Commissieners of the
Admiralty.
Rear Admiral Malcolm, upon every occasion, and
pargcularly in his arrangement for the speedy re-em-
bar lmdon of the troops, rendered me essential assis-
tance, and to him, as well as to Rear Admiral Cod-
rington, Captain of the fleet, I am indebted In: the
Officers, and men, in the boats you have pleced tin-
der my orders, most justly entitle them to my warmest
acknowledgments and my earnest recommendation to
your favourable notice. I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) G. COCKBURN, Rear-Admiral.
MO Hon. Sir A. Cochrane, K. D. &c.
HI. Majesty's sloop Manly, id' Nottingham, Patuxent,
Ausust 27, 1814.
SIR--T have the honour to inform you that, agree-
ably to the intentions I neeified you in my letter
of the 22d instant, I proceeded by land on the morn-
ing (dux MI to Upper Marlborough, to meet and
toiler with Major-General Ross as to our further
operations against the enemy, and we were not long
in agreeing on the propriety of making an immediate
attempt on the City of Washington.
In conformity, therefore, with the wishes of the
General, I instantly sent orders for our marine and
nay it forces at Pig Point, to b forthn ith moved of er
to Mount Calvert, and for the m trines, met ine
lery, and a proportion of the seamen, to be there
landed, and with the utmost possible expedition to
join the army, which I also most readily agreed to
accompany.
The Major-General then made his dispositions, and
arranged that Captain Robyns, with the marines of
the ships, should retain possession of Upper Marlho-
!rough, and that the marine artillery and seamen
should follow the army to the ground it was to oc-
cupy for the night. The army then moved on, and
bivenacked before dark, about five miles nearer
Washington. In-the night, Captain Palmer, of the
Hebrus, arid Captain Money, of the Trave, joined
us with the seamen, and with the marine artillery,
under Captain Harrison. Captain Wainwright, of
the Tonnant, had accompanied me the day before,
as had also Lieutenant James Scott (Acting First
Lieutenant) of the Albion.
At daylight in the morning of the 2,lith, the Me.
hor-General again put the army in motion, directingl
is march upon Bladensberg ; on reaching whice
place with the advanced brigade, the enemy was '
coveted drawn up in force on a rising ground beyond
the town ; and by the fire he soon opened on us as
we entered the place, gave us to understand he was
well protected with artillery. General Ross, hov.--
ever, did not hesitate in immediately advancing to
,attack him, although our troops were almost exhaits.:
ted with the fatigue of the march they had j let rnui.k,
and but a small proportion of our little army !eta y:t
got up. This dashinganeasure wee, however, I am
happy to add, crowned with the success it eneited ;
for, in spite of the gelling Sre of the enemy, our
troops advanced' steadily on both his fleeks, and in
his front ; and as soon as they arrived on even ground
wills him, he fled in every direction, leaving behind
him ten pieces of cannon, and a considerable numix.r
of killed and wounded, amongst the latter, Cornmo.
done Berney and several other officers : some other
prisoners were also taken, though not many, ow,nr
to the swiftness with which the enemy went off, and
the fatigues our army had previously undergone.
It would, Sir, be deemed presumption in me to at-
tempt to give you particular details respecting the
nature cf this battle ; I shall, therefore, only remark
generally, that the enemy, 8000 strong, on ground he
had chosen as best adapted for him to defend, where
he had had, time to erect his batteries, and concert
all his measures, was dislodged as soon as reached,
and a victory gained over him by a division of the
British army, not amounting to more than 1,500 men,
headed by olir gallant General, whose brilliantachieve-
most of this day it is beyond my power to do justice
to, tied indeed no possible comment could enhance.
The seamen, with the guns, were, to their great
Mortification, %sit: the rear division during this short
but decisive action : those, however, attached to the
rocket brigade, wire in the battle, and I remarked
with much pleasure the precision with which the
rockets were thrown by them, under the direction of
First Lieutenant Lawrence, of the Marine Artillery;
Mr. Jeremiah M,Daniel, master's mate of the Ton-
nant, a very fine young man, who was attached to
this peety, being severely wounded, I beg permission
to recommend him to your favourable consideration.
—The company of marines I have on so many occa.'
siOllS had cause to mention to you, commanded by
First Lieutenant Stephens, was also in the action, as
were the colonial marines, under the temporary com-
mand of Captain Reed, of the 6th West India Regi.
meet (these companies being attached to the light'
brigade) and they respectively behaved with their ac-
customed zeal and bravery. None other of the naval
department were fortunate enough to arrive up in
time to take their share in this battle, excepting Cap.
tain Palmer, of the Hebrus, with his Aide-de-o=p,
Mr, Arthur Wakefield, Midshipman of that ship,and
Lieutenant James Scott, First of the Albion, who
acted as my Aide-de.Camp, and remained with me
during the whole time.
The contest being completely ended, and the enemy
having retired from the field, the General gave the
army about two hours rest, when he again moved
forward on Washington; it was, however, dark be-
fore we reached that city, and on the General, myself,
and some officers advancing a short way east the first
houses of the town, without being accompanied by'
the troopst the enemy opened upon us a heavy fire of
netteussekewtreyre,,frtohmesete
timer almostp immediatelyitoand two
woother houses ;
stormed by
our peoples taken poisasion of, and set on fire, after

which the town submittal without fur tier resistance.
The enemy himself, on our enteriag the town, set
ire to the navy yard (tilled with stores), a frigate of
the largest class, almost ready for launching, and a
sloop of war laying off it, as he also did to ti.n Iczt
' Which protected the sea approach to Washingtmi.
On taking possession of the city we also set fire to
the President's
,palace,the treasury, And the VC:n r
office • and in the morning Capt. Wainwright went
with a party to see that the destruction in the navy
yard was complete, when he destroyed whatever stores
and buildings bad escaped the flames cf the preceding
night; a larp quantity of ammunition and ordnance
stores were likewise destroyed by us ia the arsenal, as
were about 200 pieces of artillery of different calibres,
as well as a vast quantity of small armr. Terra repo.
walks, of a very extensive nature, full of tar-rt.pe.
&c. situated at a considerable distance from the yk d.
were likewise sea fire to and consumed ; iu
I do not believe a vestige of public property, or x
store of any kind, whicla could be converted to tlie
of the Government, escaNd destruction ; the bridges
across the Eastern Brauch and the Potowiaack were
likewise destroyed.
This general devastation being coaepleted during
the day e f the 2.3t1i , we marched again at nine that
nigh o:1 our return, by Bladensbag, to Upper Marl-
borolgit.
We arrived yestereay evenioA at the latter without
molestation of any sort, indeed without a single
musket haying, l ee.n fired, an.! this morning we
moved on to this place. where I hav: found his Ma_
jesty's sloop hIAnIT, the tenders, and the boats, and
llitie troops are lolpoisstevd,iimi
preyabigatilyronrcii to.re , inm milord* former.--
or thetn rer.—
rnext day at farthest, to Bencelict, for re-embarkation,
and this flotilla will of course join you at the same
time.

.In closing, 81-, my statement to you, of the ardu.
nue and highly important operations of this last week,
J have a most pleasing duty to perform, in assuring
you of the ;Ord conduct pt the officers and men who
have been serving under me. I have been particu-
larly indebted, whilst 0.11 this Service, to Captain
Wainwright, of the Tonnant, for the ass: aance hp
ha; invariably afforded me ; ar.d to Captains Palmer
and Money, for their exertions during the march to
and l'Fom Washington. To Captain Nourse, who
has commanded the flotilla during my absence, my
acknowledgments are also most justly due, as well
as to Captains Sullivan, Badcock, Somerville, Rm.:.
say, and Bruce, who have acted in it under him:
Lieutenant James Scott, now First Lieutenant of
the Albion, has on this occasion rendered me essen.
ti d services, and as I have had reason so often of
late to mention to 'you the gallant and meritorious
conduct of this Officer, l trust you will permit me to
seize this oppurnatity of recommending him pirticu.
lady to your tavourable notice and consideration.
Captain Robyns (the Senior Officer of Marines
with the fleet) who has had, during these operations,
the marines nt the ships united under his orders; hai
executed ably and zealously the several services with
which he has been entrusted, and is entitled to my
hest acknowledgments accordingly, as is also Captain
Harrison of the marine artillery, who, with the PS.
cer; and men attached to him, accompanied the army
to and from Washington.
Mr. Dcbie, Surgeon of the Idelpotnene, voluna
teered his professional services on this occasion, and
rendered mu,th assistance to the wounded on the field
of b ittle, as well as t many of the men taken ill on
the line of march.

One colonial marine killed, one master's mate, two
sarjeants, and three colonial marines wounded, are
the casualties sustained by the naval department ; a
general list of the killed and wounded of the whole
army will of coursa accompany the report of the Mt-
j(4•General.—l have the honour to be, SW.
(S;gned) G. COCKBURN, Ralle-Millirldt
Vice.Adnural the Hon. Sir A. Cochrane, ISA 1.. "

P.S. Two long six-pounder guns, intended for it
battery at Nottingham, were taken off, and put en
board the Brune, and one taken at Upper Marlbo-
rough was destroyed.