Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1813-01-08

manner disspproved by the officers OF the
volunteers. 1 saw general Smyth in the
evening at Black Rock with colonel Win-
der, and stated my objections TO MS plan
The enemy had remounted his guns on
the batteries, SO as to render 1t inesPe-
| dirut TO cross at the favorable poin,
which had be e taken on Saturday, above
the island that covers the navy yard. I'M
mediately below the island, the enemy
Law 10 force, much augmented IN conse.
! oucnce OF the affair OF Saturday, occupy
Jog a lfne of shore Of about a mile. where
the current is rapid and the banks abrupt.
did not believe it possible to effect a
landing with raw troops, in any tolera.
BILE order, if at all, 10 the face of the
aying artillery and infantry, which a full
view of our movements in the day time
would enable them to oppose to US.
proposed to postpone the expedition till
night-to march and embark the troops
sileutly-to put off about an hour and a
half before day light, SO as to pass this
dangerous line of shore in the dark, WI en-
we should suffer less from their FIRE, and
to land about five miles below the navy
yard, where the streams aud the banks
of the river were peculiarly favorable to
a safe aud orderly landing. Col. Winder
seconded my proposal with great earn.
estness and force t; and it was adopted.
The army was to embark at 3 o'clock on
Tuesday morning and to proceed at half
past four, according to the order of a line
C L - I--.A+.l . f,.Y H. Info.o L.
general Smyth-the regulars on the right,
or in the front boats; general Tannehilps
troops in the centre, and the New Y DIRK vo-
~lunteers on the left. was TO 60 in a front
boat with a chosen set of men, direct the
landing, and loin the New York volunteers
on their arrival.
On Monday evening seven boats for COZ.
Swift's regiment, and eight for the late vo-
lunteers, were brought some distance up
the river, and left at different points to a
void the noise and confusion of embarking
the whole army at one place. At half past
5 on Tuesday morning the eight boats were
filed with volunteers colonel Swift's regi-
ment being higher up and dropped down,
taking their stations above the navy yard.
On their arrival l found that about one half
Of the artillery Ga corps which has on every
occasion while on the lines, shown great
exactness of discipline, promptitude and
zeal for the s~ervice) had embarked, and
the residue were e~mbarking. Not a man
of the regular infantry was in boats for al
bout half an hour, when colonel Winder's'
regiment entered their boats with great or
der and silence.
About three quarters ofan hour after this
the remaining regulars commenced the EN-.
barhation, when l dropped down to the
front of the line, with a flag in my boat to
designate it as the leading boat. was &C
companied by majors Cyrenius Chaplin and
John w. Macomb, captain Mills of the Ca
valry, adjutant Chace, and quarter-master
Chaplin, two pilots and about twenty five
volunteers from Buffalo under lieut., Haynes.
| mention the names of these gentlemen
because they had the day before decidedly
objected to passing at the proposed point
by day light, but when day light appeared,
and one o fthe men raised some difficulty
on that account, he was induced to remain,
and it was unanimously agreed to incur the
additional hazard and patiently wait the or
der of the general to put off. AT day light
we discovered the troops disembarking,
and were informed the invasion of Canada
had been abandoned fer this season, and
that the troops were ordered to winter quar-
tiers, A scene of confusion ensued which
it is difficult to describe. About 1000 men
without order or restraint discharged their
muskets in every direction.
About one thousand volunteers came in
under general Smysh's pFoeia NATION; but
owing to the state of the roads. which were
bad beyond example, many did not arrive
until the first of December.
1t is impossible for me to form any esti-
mate Of the number of troops embarked
at any one time thise morning? it was yet
scarcely light, and l was at one end of a
line of boats occupying a distance of half
a mile. When the volunteers first arrived
at the navy yard, and it was found that the
regular troops had not yet appeared, their
officers were instructed to permit them to