Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-09-07
BY THE. STEAM BOAT.

From the Albany Argus, an Admins
tration Paper
Ertroet of q letter from our eorreston
dent, near Fort George.
"Nothing has been done, or attempt
ed here, since the little exhibition to tn,
head of the lake ; and this might as vel
nave b.ep lett uodone The force as
signed showed, on our part, bad lnfor
nation, or bad calculation, or both. Fit
teen hundred men might as well have
been sent as not. and ibis force wou't
have bees more than competent to The
| ,ni. Cit would have broke down Vim
cent, and broke up The magazines he hat
collected, and without which the British
arrsv must have retired to Kingston, oil
Yeo have been obliged to hgt battle
on the lake. But enough OF this.
The enemy in the neighborhood o
our army, is pert and insulting. Oars
is proudly LAYING on its arms. While
the enemy bad the mastery OF the lake,
and could throw in reinforcements and
supplies where and when they pleased.
orders were received from Washington
that we should send out no more B9rst-
Ter detachments, and generally, that we
should not seek an engagement with the
enemy This was considered positive
order not to Fl bit; ana so long as it last
ed-no,hing but regret was heard. Ii
was only necessary to let US tight. and
the enemy would be devoured at break
fast. Alas! for our heroes an order
came to seek, to fight, to destroy the
enemy Our asccadancy on the lake
wss rega.ncd-Chauncey was at sea -
Provost could 10 longer avail himself OF
our absence to attack the Fort--every
thing, in short, favored the movement
and what then Mot another word was
heard of fghins, and beating,and break
fasting Oh De R ,tteAburgh. Bot the
mas cry of the lake! where is il now
The issue of the late interview between
the two commanders you know. This
has given to the enemy decided supe-
riorlty in my opinion BIT suppose we
are still equal--why, I ask, are we put
in that condition Why are our naval
preparations kept so clearly on level
with those of the enemy, as to render 1t
dosbttul whether we have or have not
he ascendaocy on the lakes 1t may be
very chiralrous in the chief Of squa
dron to fight his enemy with equal or in
ferior forces-bu, should the interests OF
the public be made to rest on SUI pune
tlilos Is it wise so to balance the scales
that feather can turn them? This is
not as it ought to be, and solemn &C
count must be rendered BY some body on
this bead-If we fail. What are your
74's what your frigates, what all YOU
preparations for combat on the ocean, On
thei' bearing upon the great qu, s'isn oi
the war; compared with those OF the
mastery Of the lakes! Five Of your ter
frieates are penned up by the enemy
two are repairing--and three at sea
Were each of these to take frlgate.
fhow much lessimPortance would llbe
than thar Chauncey should take the WOLF
| thought this subject had been sufh-
cient!y understood at Washington, anc
(n common with every rational being |
met wrh) l regret, that if understood,
it is not attended to-"
REMARKs-The reflections in the
preceding letter receive new Illus.
tration from what We hear from
Lake Champlain. We are inferior
there also. The enemy has put afloat
ten barges--rarr,ing so oars. 20
men and one 81 FOUNDER each. We
were promised a prompt restoration
of our asrpndancy on this lake, as a
sort of atonement of ever having
lost il and thus is the promise
fulfilled.-W have been no faat-fin-
ders-nO croakers We hailed the
war by land and by water as inst
and necessary-we do so still !; but
This cannot. must not prevent us
frcm speaking out, when things are
obviously going WrOng.-Our land
forces are assembling at various
points, and in great strength: and
frOm their Efforts we have light
10 expect much--to expect every
thing-if the naval corporations be
complete aud efficient Eight weeks
will terminate the eampaign-and
give to us gi"ry or disgrace. If the
latter, We do hope, that MIR. Brad
le.'s motion may be revived, ard
that the cause Of failure, from Hulrs