Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-10-23

rampant of bayonels, whenever attacked
Let the officers be attentive 20 their men,
and the men be silent and obetlicnt 20 their
officers. Let each individual put conf
dence in his own strength and the co-ope-
ration of his flank files. Above all, let MS
avoid hurry, which always produces con-
fusion; and superiority of numbers will
serve but to augment cur triumph, and in
crease the honor of our arms.
(X)
arrived at Natchez about the 9th of
October, from the Missouri, where [ re-
ceived letter from Gen wilkinson, dat
cd Natchitoches, 23d Oct. 1906, directing
me to dispatch All express with return Of
my detachment, and To fail down To Fort
Adams and take the command Of mat Post
l arrived at Fort Adams about the Sd No
vember, and took command from Lieut. Se-
vier; Oh my arrival, found Mr. Swart-
won't confined in the Doctors Quarters,
with a violent attack of the Bilious Fever.
| was introduced to him ! think BY Doctor
Davidson, who informed me that MIR
lSwartwou: had been TO Natchitoches, and
OH his return to the mouth OF Red River,
had been violently attacked, and sent up To
the Garrison for medical aid--that he had
gone down to see him, and found him in Il
dreadful howell, and had advised his en-
barking on board barge, which was as
cending TO the Fora, where he could be
more comfoI tably situated, and have his
constant attendance. On the 18th receive
ed letter No 1, hereunto attached. dated
lNatchiroches, 9th November; this was
handed me by Lieut. Graham, who inform.
led me of the termination OF the expedition
TO the Sabine, and that the troops were
then on their return. Letter No. 9, here:
lun atf int 6 49, .
of the General to Natchez, which created
some anxiety in my mind in consequences
OF the orders eXacting secrecy and ordcrs
ling boats for the movement of all the mi
litary stores from Fort Adams. On tho
18th, several of the officers arrived from
! Natchitoches and visited their families,
who were all at loss TO account for the,
rapid movement orthe troops from Natchi-.
ltocheS to Orleans, and the embarkation of
the military ordnance stores at Fort A
dams, confirmed US in the belief that dam
ger was apprehended from some quarter,
and that Orleans must be the point of at
tack. We continued in this situation until
the morning ofthe 18th, when the General
ARRIVED, and requested me TO walk with
him to the battery, where he Communicate
ed to me the designs of col. Burr, inform
ling me that he had received Sc, eral let
tiers from col. Burr, thro' one of MS agents
(Nf Swartwout,) and that Burr's primo pal
lattack would be upon Orleans | was ne
yer more astonished, not hav ing heard that
any suspicious were entertained against
him; ] informed the General tie 5 tuation
in which had found Mr. Swartwout on nv
arrival, and requested leave to arrest him.
The General refused, saying, that he ex-
! pected TO get much more out of him, thar
ne had held out to Swartwout the idea of
his not opposing col. Burr, and that he
should assemble mis- whole force at Orleans,
to enable him to defend that place and de-
feat the whole plan. l was directed to
continue my civilities as before, for fear
that Mr. Swartwout might get alarmed at
( the movement of the troops and military
stores On the 18th, / received orders TO
! proceed with my command to- Natchez,
with instructions to take the necessary
measures TO ascertain the approach OF
body OF armed men from the Ohio country
and TO give the General the sriest inior-
nation by express, of every movement
from that quarter, either at Natchez, or
by sending a confidential party up the RI
| vcr above the Yazoo, in the disguise of
hunters, and I accordingly communicated
| regularly every information / could col
Iect. About the last of December, saw
two letters, one from the Post Master OF
ANs'S4i'''iN3 W I1OlllJ Il uIHCf OF NatCEeZ.
dated the 10 IA December, stating that col.
Burr was thei in Nashville, and that he
meant to proceed, on the 2Oth, to the
mouth of Cumberland, where, report said
he would have assembled from five to eight
thousand men, and that it was generally be-
iieved that he intended a visit to Mexico
The other letter to- Mr. Wood from Nash
lylle-spoke of Col. Burr's being in Nash
vile; that two of his proselytes had left
town that morning for Orleans by land
from the best OF my recollection the above
statement of the letters to Turner and
Wood is correct, and Col. Burr's arrival
very daily expected bv all persons at
Natchez. For my own part did not doubt
1t, and considering this information as all
important to the General, proceeded lOr
Orleans, arrived there on the ID Januafv.-
and communicated it to him Soon afier.
this information was corroborated by the.
arrival OF Bradford, the prin,ercf the Ca
zette Orleans.
GEO: PETER.
County Of Uashingfon, scr.
On this 10Th day of September, 1907.
George Peter came before me, a Justice of
the Peace for the county aforesaid, and
made oath on the Holy Evangehsts Of Al
mighty God, that the facts stated in the
foregoing, is true as stated.
THOS. CORCORAN.
w