Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1812-10-02
FRIDAY, October 2, 1912.

still az the river Rasln, and in a situation to
be DESTROYED by the ssvages, on the 18th inst.
in the evening, | permitted coils. MArthur
and Cass to select from thsir regiment four
hundred of their most effective men. and pro-
coed an upper route through the woods, which
| had sent an express to capt. Brush to take,
and had objected the militia of the river Raj
SIN to accompany him as a reinforcement
The force of the enemy continually INCREASING,
and the necessity of opening the e~ommunica-
ton, and actingon the defensive, becoming
more apparent, | had, previous to detacling
coils. MArthur and Cass on the llth inst. eva
cuated and destroyed the fort on the opposite
bank. On the 18th inthe evening, gen. Brock
arrived at Amherstburg about the hour coils.
MArthur and Cass marched, of which at that
time | had received no Information. On the
l5tt received a summons from him to sur
render fort Detroit, OF which the paper mark
ed A. is a copy. My answer is marked b.
At this time | had received no information
from coils. MArthur and Cass. An express
was Immediately sent strongly escorted with
orders for them to return. On the 18th, as
soon as Gen. Brock received my letter, his
batteries opened on the town and fort, and
continued until evening In the evening all
the British ships of war came nearly as far
up the river as Sandwich, three miles below
Detroit. At day light on the 10th lat which
time | had received no information from coils.
MArthur and Cass, my expresses, sent the
evening before, and in the night, having been
prevented from passing by numerous bodies
OF Indians( the cannonade recommended, and
in a short time | received information, that
the British army, and Indians, were landing
below the Spring Wells, under the cover of
their ships of war At this time the whole
effective force at my disposal at Detroit did
not exceed eight hundred men. Being new
troops, and unaccustomed to a camp life ];
having performed a laborious march having
been engaged in a number OF battles and
skirmishes, in which many had fallen, and
more had received wounds, in addition to
which a large number being sick, and unpro-
vided with medicine, and the comforts ne
cessary for their situation ; are the general
causes by which the strength of the army
was thus reduced. The fort at this time was
filled with women, children and the old de-
crepid people of the town and country they
were unsafe in the town, as it was en-
sefv nean md exposed to the enepy's bate
ries. Back of the fort, above or below it,
there was no safety for them on account OF
the Indians. In the first instance, the enc
lily , III was pIlilClpdiN CIV uSoiiot WI
batteries towards the close, it was directed
against the fort alone, and almost every shot
and she'll had their effect.
1t now became necessary either to fight the
enemy in the field collect the whole force
in the fort; or propose terms of capitulation.
| could hot have carried into the field m ore
than six hundred men, and left any adequate
force in the fort. There were landed at that
time of the enemy a regular force of much
more than that number, and twice the mum
Der of Indians. Considering this great ine-
quality of force, | did not think it expedient
to adopt the first measure. The second must
have been attended with a great sacrifice of
blood, and no possible advantage, because
the contest could not have been sustained
more than a day for the want of powder, and
but a very few days for the want OF provisions.
In addition to this, Coils M'Arthdr and Cass
would have been in most hazardous situa.
ton. | feared nothing but the last alterna-
tive. | have dared to adopt i'll well know
the high responsibility of the measure, and
take the whole upon myself. 1t was dictated
bva sense of duty, and a full conviction OF its
expedieney- The bands of savages which
had then Joined the British force were hume
rous beyond any former example. Their
numbers have since INCREASED, and the hIsto-
nv of the barbarians of the north of Europe
does not furnish examples gilmore greedy vio-
lence than these savages have exhibited A
large portion Of the brave and gallant officers
and men Icommanded would cheerfully have
contested until the last cartridge had been
expended, and the bayonets worn to the sock
cts. Icould not consent to the useless sacri-
flee of such brave men, when knew it was
impossible for me to sustain my situation
1t was impossible in the nature ofthings that
an army could have been furnished with the
necessary supplies of provisions, military
stores, clothing and comforts for the sick, on
pack horses through a wilderness OF two hun
dred miles, filled with hostile savages.
- =. 49, %bis Ittta