Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1812-10-31

and worse than nothing, tor the sWAo's
will be ting ed with dishonor. y.
Under such impressions, i had on TUG
s,h instant written to brigadier- genera
Smyth ofthe United States forces TO
ona.tinp an interview With him, MAJOR
General Hall, and the commandments OF
the United States regiments, TOT 'he
purpose of comforting upon the sao]ect
of future operations. I wfote ''a}o'
general Hall to the same puspoft. ga
fhe nth, had received no answer IRON
general Smyth; but in note to me OF
the 10Th, general Hall mentioned that
general Smyth had not yet then agreed
upon any day for the consultation
In the mean time, the partial success
of lieutenant Elliott, at Black Rock, (of
which, however, have received no OF
hcial information) began to excite
| strong disposition in the troops TO act
This was expressed to me through va
rious channels in the shape OF an a''eT-
ustipe that they must have orders 30
act or, at all hazards, they s7oHle so
| home. forbear here commenting upo"
the Obvious consequences to me, per-
sonally, Of longer withholding my orae'S
under such circumstances.
I had conference with --- as to
the possibility of getting some person
| to pass over to Canada and obtain cor
| rect information. On the morning OF
| the the 4,h he wrote to me that ne had
! procured the man who bere his letter to
| 90 over. Instructions were given him !;
| he passed over-obtained SUCH intorma-
| ton as warranted an immediate attack.
Thi. wa. con6dentialiy communicated to
| several of my first officers, and produc-
ed great zeal to act; more especially as
| it might have contssling effect upon
the movements at Detroit, where 1t was
supposed general Brock had gone with
all the force be dared spare from the
Niagara frontier. The best preparations
in nv power were therefore made, to
ds!odge the enemy from the Height OF
Queenstown, and possess ourselves OF
the village, where the troops might be
sheltered from the distressing inciemen-
CIV Of the weather.
Lieut.. Col. Fenwick'. flying artillery,
and detachment OF reguIaa troops un-
I der his command, were ordered to be
I'D in season from Fort Niagara. Or
| ders were also sent to gcEersl Smyth to
send down from Buffaloe such dctach-
nent of his brigade as existing circum-
strnce, in that vicinity might warrant.
| The attack was to have been made at 4
O'Clock in the morning of the 18th, by
crossing over in boats from the Old Fer
~ opposite the Heights. To avoid any
embarrassment in crossing the river
| (Which is here sheet OF violent eodies)
| experienced boatment were procured to
! take the boats from the landing below to
the p!aca of embarkatlon. Lieut.. Sim
was considered the man Of greatest skill
| for this service. He went ahead, and
in the extreme darkness, passed the in
tended place far up the river, and there,
in most extraordinary manner, fasten-
ed his boat TO the shore, and abandoned
| the detachment. In this front boat he
had carried nearly every oar which was
repaired for QN the boats. In this ago
nizing dilemma, stood officers and men,
whose ardor had not been cooled by ex-
posure through the night to one OF the
most tremendous northeast storms,
which continued, unabated, For twenty
eight hours, and deluged the whole
camp. The approach of day light ex-
| bal
and the detachment Returned to camp.
Col. Van Rensselaer, was to have com
manded the detachment.
Alter this result, had hoped the pa
tiencc of the troops would Dave CONT
nued until could submit the plan sug-
gested il my letter OF the Sth, that l
might act under and IN conformity to the
opinion which mi9ht be then expressed.
But my hope WAS idle (: the previously
excited artier seemed to have gained
new heat from the late miscarriage
the brave men we're mortihed TO stop
short of their object, and the tinid tho't
laurels half won by an attempt.
On the morning of tho 18th, such was
the pressure upon me from al quarters
! that | became satisfied that my refusal
to act might involve me in suspicion,
and the service in disgrace.
| Viewing the affairs a, BuifAlee as yet
unsettled, | had Immediately counter
s,aIded the march of general Smyth's
; brigade. upon the failure Of the first
expedition ; but having now determined
to attack Queenstown, l sent new or
ders to general Smyth to march; not
with the view of his aid in the attack,
for considered The force detached SUI.
fdient, but to support the detachment
should the conflict be obstinate and long
| continued.
Lieut.. Colonel Christie, who had just
arrived at the Four Mile Creek, hs1
late in the night of the first contem-
plated attack, galIantly offered nae his
| own and his mems service but lie got