Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-08-20

cruising abott her. I FIRST len ny ma?
party some distance back, and went forward
with Adjutant Puthuh' and few Of the ri
iie-men TO reconnoitre. Oar r.Glcmcn com.
menced a fire across the C;i;,ros river al
those about the battery, the Indians and
British hrc,l OH them in return, which frinr
lasted about S-4 of an hour, during which,
time Puthuff and myself left them and pro-
ceedcd down towards the mouth Of Canards
to examine the Charlotte with 4 spy-glass:
we were fired on by the gun-boat whilst
within few feet Of each other, ard the bal,
passed within feet Of Puthuff's head we
then returned to the party of rificmen which
we Left near the bridge, and ordered then,
back with us to the main detachment, we
then halted while and concluded to return
home, as the enemy, who were not behind
the battery, kept so far from the river that
1t was almost in vain to shoot at them. I.
however, concluded to ride down near the
bridge and take another look with the spy
glass at the enemy. Doctor M'Andew rode
with me, we Int from our horses and examin
ed the bridge and battery, and found that
the enemy had principally left it there was
thicket of small bushes about 100 wards
from where We stood, in which there were
about SO Indians concealed whilst we were
thus engaged, Col. Puthuff came down from
the detachment to inform me that some In
ulahS were seen passing towards the road
III our rear, we then mounted our horses and
prepared to return with Puthuff to the de
tachment, on turning our horses up the road
the Indians who were concealed in the brush,
hred at US from 20 to so guns, at the dis
lance OF from 100 to $50 yards, vet all three
OF us got of without being hurt. The de-
tachment, WHOM about Sd of a mile nm
the pralI1e, ON hearing the guns and seejp,r
the Indians, advanced Immediately IN nc
we returned with them and drove the Indi,
ans across the river Canards, who took
their station i'll the battery, and they. tore
Their with regulars and Canadian militia, COM
menced general firing on US we returned
the compliment, and continued the firing
from both sides, at long shot, for near three
hours, two of my men were wounded. one
shot through the thigh, and the other shot in
the cheek, both are like to recover my horst.
was Shot IN the head, immediately under the
0rowband, and the ball lodged against the
skull the ball did almost knock him down.
but he recovered without falling to the
ground, his head is yet very sore, but / thjnI,
he will recover.
we fought about three hours, as Ibeeorc
stated, at 81 great a distance, and the river
between us, that there could be but little i'm
jury done on either side. We saw several.
hear that several of them were wounded h,t
the precise loss they sustained we cannot
fairly ascertain. Tecumseh was in the bat
tie, II battle it may be called. Iencamped
with my $50 men, about one and half mile,
from the river Aux Canards, and wasioined
| next morning by col. Cass, and about iOn
men we all Immediately repaired to the
neIghborhood of the bridge, for the purpose
Oh taking view of our neighbors-their first
salute was the discharge of couple of six
pounders-they hred about ten shots at us
The cannon balls play a very unpleasant
tune they were landed i'll the midst of us.
but no man was hurt, but some little scar
ed. we could not have crossed the rit er,
or broken bridge with our men, to take pos
session OF the British artillery /; we, there
lore, thought proper to move off. The Queen
Charlotte hrcd several broadsdes 1T us on
sunday, but did us no damage. The men
which l had with me on Sunday, may be said
to be brave, but very hard to keep in good
| order In time ofbattle l trust, however, that
| they will dohonor to themselves and coun.rv.
should they have an op )ortunity of displaying
thelr valor, but this could not be done fair
ly, across small deep river.
We are daily preparing for the attack on
| Maiden, and those at hat place are prepar-
| ing to receive us. Ihope, however, that we
shall be able to accomplish the object of our
| mission. Orr men are sickly and some IF
them have died. The weather here is very
| changeable. From the list to the 18th of
| this month, the weather was as hot as ever
knew it i'll Ross, but of late we have had
| old storms OF rain and hail. and cold nights.