The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-08-02

pondent in thi, place dated the 5'h instant.
which says This vessel will touch at
Pasca gouia to land sumo families who are
leaving this .lace in consequence of the gun
bo,ts coming here to force passage for a
powder vessel which had been stopped here
before. The little Alligator In feiucca be
innging tothc u S arrived off the mouth
of Mobile river at 5 o'clock last evening,
anil midshi?man came OF shore with dis
z ,ula. aud from the comm ander of the squa-
1ron off Dauphin I,l,nu.
The contents Of these dispatches wcre
to demand from The com Maudant here free
passage for the United States military stores,
stating that it he refused this dema d they
should force passage, but should not fire
on the Fort, sunless fired ON. The comman-
dant replied, that he had orders not 20 suffer
any military stores or armed vesss Is belong
ing to the United States to pass. and hat me
should obey his crders-fthey attempted to
enter Mobile river, he should fire into them !;
but ii they would go up Spanish river, they
r,igst pass unmolested; or they mus, wal,
until he couldhear from the captain general
OF tiavanna. The Alligator returned this
morning to the heet with the above answer,
and expect TO see some sport here in the
course of % no rs. The women and chill
'drcn are all moving out of town. and the
men are at work erecting battery below
the Fort TO rake the Gun-Boats as they
come up the rive, mo business will be
done here until the flag is changed. which
] hope will be in few hours.
There are briggs, schooner. and 12
gun boats at Dauphin Island, ABOUT leagues
from this place."
Scar Of qvar--The town and fort Of Mobile
is situated on the Western bank of the rive,
ofthe some name, which is one of the mouths
by which the Tombigbee and Alabama ri
Vers discharge their waters into Mobile bay
Opposite the Fort is low marshy island
formed by Mobile river, and an outlet call
ed by Laion on his map 7ensas rivers which
empties iuto the bay three or four miles to
tbs Eastward of Mobile river: thro' this l..
sland there appears to be several outlets
from the river to the bay, some OF them APP
parently of considerable size. We.are not
certain which of these is called Spanish RI
ver-but are inclined to think. that the one
Lafon calls Tensas is the one alluded to by
the Spanish officer, as that through which
he would permit the American squadron to
pass. IT this be the fact. the American of
icers must certainly feel themselves much
indebted to him for informing them, tina. he
would not fire at them, as long as they kept
out Of the reach of his cannon
!-.f.SrE w July 80.
GENERAL WILKINsoN.-It has n It vet,
escaped the recollection Of our readers thai
by a resolve af the House OF Representatives
At their last session; the reports of several
committees which had been appointed by
the House to enquire into the conduct of
Brig Gen James Wilkinson. were trans
mitted to the President of the u. State S.
We now learn that General Court Mar
tial has been ordered by The proper authority
20 try the General on all the subjects which
were enquired into. and on which reports
were made to the House by their Commit
tees. The court will Consist nf thirteen
members, including the President, Brig
6 en Ganseyonrt, and will meet early in
the month of September u, what place is
not yet determined.
FLORIDIAN AFFAIRS. ~, $.
1t was noticed sumo time since that a
VasseL having some Ammunition on board
bound fipm New Orleans to Fort Stnddert
was stopped at Mobile until it could be as
'Certained by the commandment whether Gov
Fo'ch permitted her passing by that place.
90 her return to Orleans a number of gun
boat were, dispatched from that port to
escort her up, the Mobile River On their
approaching Mobile an enquiry was made
whether the ammunition would be suffered
oproceed. A peremptory refusal was given
aud very strong language. it is said, was
used upon the occasion. Much alarm hail
existed in Mobile, and the general opinion
was. that the object OFFS great force could
DE nothing less than to take posse ssion of
the fort OF behalf Of the y. States
Great preparations were made for defence
and the women and children generally lied
from the town.
The western channel ofthe Mobile river
divides about two leagues above the town,
and the eastern branch of that channel falls
into the bay out of the reach ofthe guns Of
the fort. Some of the gun boats were dis
patched up this branch, which is called
Spanish River. and the Spaniards. imagining
that the project OF passing by the town was
abandoned, rejoiced III The success ut their
projected resistance.
il however was soon discovered by
those vessels descending the western branch
towards The togh, that the object 81 the com
modore IN this movement was, by placing
part OF mis- force is such situation as to
give them complete command OF the fort,
10 defend himself and protect the ammuni-
ii vessel in its attempt to ascend the river
IN the ordinary channel On this coun-
c:l of war was called, consisting of eight Spa
nish officers, besides the com mandaut; it is
said that they were equally divided OH the
question of making further resistance, but
that the measure OF giving permission TO
the American vessels to pass was adopted
OH the casting vote of the comman1ant 1t
was certainly the only prudent course. as lit
r,kaI n IN hoo