Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1813-12-06

pri,ifll and American commanders were
/, prtc,ieiy oppoied-the lait being bound by
the nfsruetions Of his government and the
mon folemn Obligations Of duly, to precip'
| itate his defcent of the ST. Lawrence by
every practicable means-becaaie this be
! ing Effected. one Oft grea,eit difficulties
| appofed to the American AIMS would be
! furmounted and the frt, by duties
| equally imperious, to retard and II poflible
prevent fuch deieent. He isio be accoun.
ted victorious who tffecfed his pgrpole
The Britifh commander, having failed TO
gain either OF his ohjects, can lay ~ Claim
10 the honors of the day. The battle
! fluctHatcd and triumph feemed, al differ
eni times inclined TO the contending corps
The front of The enemy were al tirit tor
ced back more than mile, and though
they never regaiued the ground they lott,
, their ffAnd was permanent ard their char
ges refoiute Amidf ,heie charges aud
near the cIofe of the contee we lof field
piece by the iall of an Officer who was fer
wing II with the fame coolnefs as # he had
been a. parade of review. This was
Lieut. Smith of the Light Artillery, who,
in poibt of merit, food az the head of his
grade. The enemy having halted aud our
troops being again formed. IN battaiIoo,
front TO front, aud the 6rlng having ceaied
on both hdes, we refumed our pnhllon on
the bank of the river. and the infantry be-
ing much fatigued the whole were re en-
barked apd proceeded down tire liver with
ou, furihe annoyance from the enemy or
their guo-bosts, while the dragons with
l,r~ht t.lfa
the Canada ihore without molefa,ion.
L is due 10 his rank 10 his worth and
his fervces. that ihould make particular
mention OF Brigad'er Gsnerai tCovi0gton,
who received A mofta wound directly
through the body, while animat,ng ms men
and lea ling them 10 the chaIge-rie I'll.
where he fought, al TIE head of his men,
and futvived bu, two days.
The next mOrning the hetilla paf1.d
through the Sart and joined hat excellent
officer Brig. Gee. Brown, AT Harnharl's,
nsar Cornwall, where he had been inftruct.
ed to take poa aud wait my arrival, aud
where ] confidently expected To hear Of
Mi General Hampton's arrival On the
oppoite ihore. But Immediately after
halted Colonel Aikinion, the iaipector gen
eral f the divIion under NJ jot Genersi
Hampton, W iited on ne with letter tr m
thai otf;cer, which TO my unfpeakable
modification and iuiprife, he declined the
junction ordetd, and Ieformed me he was
marching towards LakeChamplain BY way
ct cooperating IN the pfopoi. at. ck IN
Montreal. This letter, together with a
copy Of tha; 10 which 1. is an auiwer, were
Immediately luhnitted II a conucil of war,
competed Of my general officers and Tn
Colonel comunanoiug The Ene, the chief
eugineer and the the adjutant general, who
unanimoufy gave IL as their opinion, that
"the attack on Montreal ihould be aban-
doned, Tor the preicnt feaion aud the army
near Cornwall ihouiI be Immediately
croifed 10 the American ihore Tor taking
up winter quarters, and that this place al.
foidet an eligible petition for fuch guar.
ters."
scquiefced in thefe opinions, not for
the fhortuefs of the flock ~ provifions,
(which hal been reduced by the acts Of
Gcd) tecauft iha, cf our meat had been
lncteaitO Eve days, and our bread had
been redsced only two days, and hecauie
we could In cafe OF ext,emi'y, have lived
on the enemy-but becaufe tie lofs of the
diviiion under Major Gencrai Hampton,
weakened my force too leuiibly 10 juflify
the attempt, In all my meaiures and
movement of moment, have the opin
iens of my general oificgrs, which have
been IN accord with my own.
I remained on the Canada fhoTe, until
the next day, without fecing or hearing
from the " powerful force" of the enemy
IN our neighbour hood, and the fame day
reached this petition with the artillery snd
infantry the dragons have bren o'dcr
ed 70 Utica and il vic,hity, I'D expeci
are h,ty or GxIy miles on the march.
You have under cover lumn airy alb.
frsct OF the killed and wounded IN The at
fair nj the nth iae which ihail be followed
by particular return, m which juit re
gard will be pa,d To individual merits.
The dead reit IN honor, and the wounded
bled fol their county and dsierve lis grat.
itude.
With perfect refpect,
hive the honor u he, rr,
your obt. humble iervant