Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1813-05-17

Russia.
Capture Of Little To,k, U. C. and
Death Of Gen. Pike.
Rrtraa OF letter from Gen. p B. Porter
da ed
Manchester Niagara County, April az,
1875. 6 O'Clock p. M
DEAR SIR-l have jutt returned from
Fort Maya a, where | Jaw captain OF
the United States navy he is jua from
Little York, the capital of Upper Canada,
aud gives the following account, which IS
confirmed by official defpatches from Gen.
Dearborn 10 Geu. Lewis, now here.
"On fueiday the ~ h April, at iunrlfe
Com. Chauncey, with iquadron OF 20 or
IL vtiielS appeared before York,wlth Cen.
Dearborn and near 5000 men. The ln-
fantry under Brig. Gen. Pike landed, at
tackled the town and batteries IN the rear,
while the squadron attached them by
water. AT T Nj. they carried the place,
taking great number OF Indians aud mill
tia pnioners, one thouiand Indians being
engaged.
/" Gen. Sheate, with a few regular
troops nade th,lr elcape Gen fike' with
about 400 men were killed, by the blowing
up ot magazine, in one OF theli oaltells',
~ =. - -....A = fdin or powder
for tn purpofe About fifty OF the Brltlih
artillerita were killed by tue fame explo-
hon. fhe lots on both fdes is conidera-
bic. Our army IS now III polleliion OF the
town and is expected here ihorty. Our
troops behaved with he greateit gaIantry.
Immenie quantities. OF mIntary ilofes and
IndlAG goods were taken al York, winch
Teens 10 have been the depot for tboie
articles. The veiieis of ;he iquadron are
not iutliclent to brng them away.
The following Is from dlttlnguihed off,
Ger, who was preient In the Expedition.
ro,k. { UApt, CaaadaJ april IS.
Dear or-Aitor udyins beeI delayed
ievcral days By advsrie winds, we arrived
here yette'day morning at iunriie. We
commenced landing, our troops at eight
o'clock A. NJ under very untdyorable clr-
cumiances. A very high wIn1 which con-
tulued To lncreaiv all day, prevented our
armed yeileis Tor lone TINS from gaming
proper petitions FOR covering oar Landing
az cite etualiy as they otherwlic wouidhdvc
done and the lane uniavo sOle wind pre-
vented ouI boats ISdching the ihore al the
place Intended, aud Compelled our troops
10 land where the odak was covered with
woods, IN which Gen. obeAtfS mad collect
ed his whoie force oT fesuiafs, militia and
lddIans, amounting 10 ABOUT $50 Or 500
toIal but our troops, with s. cal coOlncis,
tuda,ned as heayy he from the Indians
aud others from The time they approach
cd wIthln guuihoI OF the ihOie unlIl they
landed aud mounted the bank, where
very iharp comet Was kept up about hat
an houi. ln.tne mean tIne other IroJps
we've landed ahd tbs euemy w>ie compel
ed to give way and retreat through the
woods To Their works. AS loon as the
whoe of Inc tIoops were laudSd aud form
ed under the immediate Command OF Gen.
Pike, they maj chtd TN ougb lnlck wood
ABOUT hall a mile 10 the open grcund, an-
noyed by the Indians as they moved.
On r<dchiag tne open ground, they ad-
vanced ana carried battery by aiiault,
and were ADVANCING towards the principal
wo, ks Ia open column, aheu Tremendous
sxp.olion took place, OF an Immenie mag
threw into the dir iuc1 qua0tity II tones,
al almon Covered the buildings & ground
fur from 90 10 20 rods III dill dIeGtious
bat ii mad Uten ~ cuntrlved ds 10 diicndrge
much the greatcit portion ot tones IN .he
direction our column was ADVANCING. Ii
made very conhdsraoie havoc IN our COZ
umns aud What Is Ia be more Especially
lamented, 10 inc dea.h OF brlgddier general
Pike, oCCdhoned by iIVsre cOnluiioa by
a tone Ia iuTviyed tbs wound but a few
hours. lis lois VIII be ievefeiy ielt-he
was mot excellent officer Gen. Sn, atfe
had taken meaiures ioI gong off wIlh what
regulars he had lett previous IL the explo.
hon Hg lett the town aud militia To make
the bet terms they could. They ale IN
our poil,tilon.
A la,ge ;hip OF war, nearly pianked up,
ani ali the naval itores, were iel on fie
before our troops had advanced tai enough
10 prevent 1t. a capituiaton @ds agreed
on, iurrenderlng tue militia a, prliuneiS Of
war, and the whole oil the pubhe property
not dS itroyed
Com Chauncey'S armed veliels had an
active thare IN annoying their works; they
kept up very heavy eannonaae on their
batteries, unlll they we're taken or blown
UP. The compodole Is one oi the bet
men IN the world, aud peculiarly iuited TO
the command thu: has been conf1ed 10
him
S.-Ihe enemy fet fire To their nigga
zine too ioon--they detroyed many of
thgir own meb.