Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-12-24
/, OFFICIAL REPORT
To BRIGhDIgG GxYsRAL .SM7rs.
Commanding fAe army eftAe Genre.

Commanding ihe a''my eftAe GENRE.
SIR,
beg leave to inform you that on the
! morning OF The 2ist November, at o'clock.
'heavy cannonading opened upon this gar
J rison from all the batteries at and in the
/ neighborhood OF Fort George which lasted
without intertnisslon mnt,l aftcr shutdown.
they had i've detached batteries, 2 monnt-
ing twenty -four Founders, one mounting a
| and two mortar batteries, one 10 ID the o.
ther 1-9 inches.-The batteries firing hot
shot which set some OF cur buildings on fire.
but rom the extraordinary vigilance Of the
officers and men, particularly Major Armis-
| tead ct the United States corps Of engineers
| whose interchangeable exertions were exten,led
! to al; parts ofthe garrison, the fires we're eo,
under without being observed by the enc
my.
Our garrlson was not rs we'll provided
w5h eTeliiefy ard ammunition as | could
nave wished; however the batteries oDene,l
tremendous firc u1cn them in return with
hot shot, admirably wei directed.
Several times during the cannonading tho
town ct Newark was in flames, but was ex-
tingmshed by their engines-as also the cen
ire building IN Fort George. Their Mess
douse and sltbe buildings nearit were con-
snmed. captain M'Keen commanded ~.
FOUNDER IN The 5. Z. Block House, and dis
tiuguishcd himself by his usual ganantrv ana
ski. Captain Jacks, of the seventh rep,
artillery commanded six FOUNDER ON the
y. Black House, and together with a part of
nlS own company, tho placed in situation
most exposed 10 the FIRE of the enemy. main
tanned thor position Ike veterans
Lieut.. Kees OF the third regiment artillery
had me command oi an eighleen pound..r on
cue .. IL battery which was jcintcd at bat
tery en- bGF6ette mounting a twenty fou,
FOUNDER and also at Fort George; several
veil directed shot were made from this gun
which proved the skill of lis commander.
hoont ten o'clock lieut.. Rees had his left
snIuinor bruised by part of the parapet
'aiiing on nm which, thought did not ma
teriaily iljure him, obliged him to retire and
capt. Leonard of the first regiment IJni,cd
States artillery at that moment arriving. he
took the command Of this battery for the re-
mainder OF tue day. Lieut. Wendell of the
tnird regiment artillery, had the command
Oh an eighteen and four FOUNDER on the west
nattery-and DR.. Hooper of cant Jakes'
company III lltia artillery, had the comma1j
ofa FOUNDER on the Mess House. Oftbese
gentlemen and their commands. / cannot
speak with too much praise, they distinguish
ca themselves highly, and from their shot
all OF winch was hot, the town of Newark
was repeatedlv fired, and one of the enemy's
batteries sllcnoed for time
An instance Of extranrdinar,, b,,,,o,.,, :,
female (the wife of one Doylcf a private Of
the United States artillery made nr;sonc,.
ats2neenstowa) cannot pass over. Durinp
the most tremendous cannonaGinp 7 have
seen, she attended the FIVE Founder on the
oid mess house with the red hot shot, and
shewed torutude equaling the Maid ofOr-
leans. Licutenants Ganseyoort ard Harris
OF the hrst regiment United States artillery
mad the command of the SALE battery At
youngstown, mounting one eighteen and =
four FOUNDER. These two guns PLAYED unon
the garrison OF Fort George and the bnild;no
near from every observation could make
during their fire, am happy to say they
merlted my warinest thanks for their skin
IN the service OF these guns. 1t. Harris,
from his four FOUNDER, sunk schnr. which
lay at their wharf, she was one of those ia
Ken by the enemy at the moth os the &C.
nessee river short time sincc-He also as-
sisted IN burning and DESTROYING the build
ngs near the wharf. These two officers e
their men, IN tile warmest part OF the can
having fired sway all their chr
ridges, cut UP their flannel waistcoats and
shirts. and the soldiers their trowsers ta
supply theirgun
cannot say too much in praise Of all ,bs
'rhcers a'd soldiers of the artillery immedi-
ltely under NV observation in this garrison
hey merit the thanks anil esteem of tbei,
country tor the defenc, of it, antIG 49,
lever sustained so shala..ab.1rs