The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-06-15
Domestic.
FROM sAcKETr's HARBoR


the attack on Sacke,t's Harboi, by the
enemy on the 2eth ult.
SAcKHTr's HARBoR, May 81.
On Thurday evening the British feet
consisting of the Wolfe, "a guns, the ROYAL
George, "a, each ship, the Earl Moira, 10
runs--.a brig aud the Prince Regent, Simcoe
and Seneca schrs. mounting from 10 to IL
guns each, and two gun boats, with about
40 Hat bottomed boats and barges, under
the command of Sir James Lucas Yeo, hav-
ing on board 1900 men, under Sir George
se-cvcst sailed from Kingston. C ca Friday
the sSth appeared off this harbor--the day
was fair and the wind light, and arnoon be :
came leading breeze for the enemy's yes
sels-the fleet hove too at five miles dis
ssnce, and transferred their men to the bar
ges for misunderstanding then bore up at
about two o'clock with the barges in tow
ahey had stood their course but a short time
when they discovered feet of our barges,
with troops from Oswego, coming round
Stoney PolHt. The barges from the enc
my's fleet were dispatched to cue them off
aad succeeded in taking 10 barges-7 e-
capped and arrived at the narbor--the troops
in the captured rarges had previously sue
ceeded in landing and escaping into the
woods, and came in that evening.
j. 10 presumed that under the impression
chat more barges were expected and i'm the
event of cutting them off that night with
troops on board, they would have less TO OPP
Pose--the fleet hauled their wind and stood
into South Bay and dispatched the armed
bargss in order to waylay them.
At q, p. M. the feet lay by and the day
being advanced, the intention to disembark
that evening was 'abandoned.
In the mean time Col. Mills with part
OF his regiment withdrew from Horse Island,
and with a detachment of infantry under
Col. futile, and militia under Gen. brow n,
occupied the point of land opposite during
the night as the day broke the enemy APP
peared as a small distance, approaching
Horse island. with upw ards of so barges,
bostsr &c. filled with troops, and under CO
yer of two gan boats, effected landing
about the Island, in different parts, to the
number of 800, they then advanced in co
sumns and forced the neck under heavy
fire from our troops.in which several of the
enemy were killed and in the attack Col.
Mills tel. with tive wounds in his body. A
Drawer man never fell in battle.
The enemy having succeeded in gaining
the main land, advanced towards the har-
be----snd our troops being forced by supe-
rior numbers, were compelled TO retreat
through thick woods, but, disputing the
ground obstinately for nearly mile. At
shis time reinforcements came up under
Col. Backus, of dragons, and some of the
best or the militia, and the enemy OPEN
ed upon the rear of the village. were check
ed, bat contending obstinatelv an hour and
an half. Shortly after the enemy opened
upon the village, colonel Backus was NOR
tally wounded through the side. and was ia
ken off the feld--previous TO this, several
valuable officers were wounded and obliged
90 retire.
Gen. Sir George Prevent actually landed
ri tI,e,. no Id
ascertained.
At no time had we more than 500 men
engaged, several men stated that all their
men landed, they certainly landed at the
hrst debarkation about 800, calculating IS
80 men 10 a boat.
Fortunately the m orDing was calm, and
she feet could not get up to the batteries,
they attempted to tow, but failed-one OF.
two small vessels did approach within reach
of the guns.
AT ABOUT 10 O'Clock a truce cae,e in off
the batteries by a naval Officer, demanding
the surrender Of Sackett's Har1or in the
name of the Gen. and Commodore, which
was refused.
Shortly after another flag came in re-
.questins TO send surgeons to the wounded
sE the British soldiers, which were in our
hands, which was denied, as the enemy had
rot yet appeared to abandon the expedition
and were laying by in their barges, but
shortly after pat OF 70 the feet which made
sail and stood off towards Kingston.
The greatest number Of the enemy fell
at this place they now began to retreat,
taking of most of their wounded. Our
troops did not pursue them immediately into
tte woods, and they were suffered quietly
80 embark their men, several were however
mad@ Prisoners who were found struggling
after the boats had put off, among them
were two Captsins.
BY noon all the enemy were embarked.
and standing off in their barges for the
aees
Unfortunately the Naval Officers left in
charge of this station, set fire TO the Naval
Store houses, Hospital & Marine barracks.
by which all the immensely valuable stores
taken at York, were destroyed and all the
stores for the use Of the feet and the new
ship which were deposited here, were con-
sumed.
The prize schr. Duke Of Gloster. was
preserved by 1t. Talman of the army, who
boarded the prize, extinguished the fire, *
brought her from under the flames OF the
store houses this vessel contained cOnsi-
derae quantity Of gun powder.
The schr. Fair American. Ii. Chauncey,
(the commanding officer at this tlme) and
the Pert. 1t. Adams. the onlv vessels here,
cut their cables & retreated Up the river the
invalid officers and seanen spiked what few
guns they had upon Navy point, and went
eff in boats after setting FIRE to the store
houses.