Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-04-08
FROM THE BuFFALoE GAZETTE.
IMPORTANT DOCUMENT.
BRITISH NIAGARA, Feb. 2S. 1915
Brig. Gen. Wmchesfer,

\
Brig. Gen. WncAester,
SIR,
In compliance wit,, your order OF the 2o,h
january, directed to MIR. Bowen and myself I
took charge Of tn. American prisoners at Sand
wicl ON the 30th Of the same month On the
18TH inst. was ordered on to THIS place By
col. Proctor; having arrived deemed it nv
duty Tn report to you whatever tranSpirsd with
the prisoners under my charge, and the infor
| ation was able to collect concerning the Ca
Their prisoners taken by the Indians.
The enclosed report marked (A.) gives Won
view of all the prisoners who were under nv
charge during my stay at Sandwich, their re-
spectivc companies, reg'ts and physical condi-
ton, along with the names of the British Off.
GERS, by whom they were sent TO Sandwich.
From this report, you will observe that of
the So prisoners, Is were at Sandwich On
my arrival from Detroit men were sent from
Maiden by col. Elliott, one was obtain q by col.
Bsubce, and IS, including those who came
over with Dr. Bowen and myself, were sentfrom
Detroit by Major Muir, British commander of
the American fort there. For the creates, nun.
Der of our unfortunate fellow soldiers being
sent from Dstroit, we are indebted to the ey
| ertions OF our prisoners, fellow citizens there.
who with an uncxainpled generosity, when they
saw their countrymen driven thro' the streets
ike sheep to market, lavished their wealth
q
our liberty alive had been almost entirely
stripped by the Indans-clothes such as the
exigence Of the occasion permitted to be pre-
pared were furnished US.
Inclosed end you roll of SO prisoners who
were sent from Sandwich on the 9Th inst as
well rs eleven who came on 10 this place with
DIR. Bowen and myself, and of others who
remained at Sandwich under the care Of Dir
Samuel M'Keekan, Surgeons mate Cd rer't
Cd brigade, Ohio volunteers
The prisoners at Sandwich, with the excep-
ton of Jesse Green will all recover aud much
is TO be hoped for him.
One man died on the 1st inst Martin Meth
eriord, private in capt. Bland U. Billiards.
company, 1st regt. Kentucky volunteer rifle.
men.
On the 9Th inst col Proctor ordered me 70
make out urn of all the prisoners who we're
killed by the indians subsequent to the batsle.
agreeable 20 the best information Icould chi
iect. The enclosed return marked (Dl was
produced by this order; might have aided
the gallant captains Nathl. GRAY, s. Hart. Den.
Inspector General; capt Virgil Nc. ;racken.
OF col. Aliens rcgt; Ensign Levi Wells of the
1r;s U. s. Infantry, and a number of priyates.
whom find by subsequent information, have
been massacred. The memory OF past services
rendered me y capt. Harris family, made me
particularly anxious to ascertain his fate: I
fiattered myself he was alive, and every infor
nation could get for some time nattercd my
hopes but one of the last prisoners WHO was
brought il told me that the captain was cer4
tainly massacred he was so badly wounded as
70 prevent him from walking; the Indians took
him some distance on a horse. but at length
took him off and tomahawked him.
About the l0sb inst. an Indian brought cant
MCrackea's eomRlssion to Sandwich; the
paper was bloody. The fellow said he took
the capt. IN trust. but some time after, when
stripped and examining him,he found an Indian
scalp in his bosom, which induced him 20 XII
him. This YOU cannot but be assured is
humbug ofthe Fellows own making to screen
him from the odium Of barhariiy. The car.
tain's character and the danger that attended
his carrying, such furniture in disastrous BAT,
tie, gives it the lie.
Capt. Woodfolk after having been wounded
in two places, by some means had got refuge in
one of the French houses on the Raisin-he
was discovered the next cay and dragged from
his asylum he was taken to the house Of
Mr.. Lasselle, where he said he would give him
for loco dollars to any one who would purchase
him. Mr. l.asselle said it was out Of his pow
er, but he hac no doubt his brother would do
it who lived at hand--he directed his owners TO
the house of his brother, but as they were ON
their wav an Indian from a waste house shot
him through he head.
Ensign Wells was taken from my side
unhurt. considered HIM alive until OIL nv
arrival at this place. Captain Naggs tells
me he was killed by Puttawattamie Int.i-
an not long after he was taken.
Many fresh scalps have been brought us
since, and dead bodies seen through the
country, which proves that others have been
killed, whose names have not been able
10 find out independent of those reported
to col. Proctor.
This, sir, is all the information | have
been able to collect concerning those who
we're massacred. The fifteen or eighteen
mentioned in the remarks to the return
made to col. Proctor, whose names Go not
appear, were not known by those who saw
| them killed.
Major Graves of tho 5th regiment of the
! Kentucky Volunteers, ! have been able to
| get no Information of, further than that he
was brought to the river Rouge on the 25th
or Goth January in sleigh; fear from
our not having heard any thing of him since,
| that he is no more-and that valuable off
Ger forever lost to his country.
fnclcsed (C) gives you the names of
those who from good information are still
in the bush. At rough guess founded on
the few facts have been able to CLEAN, |
may say with some certainty that there are
! still thirty or forty alive with the Indians.
The prospect of n speedy return Of those
poor fellows think but gloomy, as colonel
Proctor has issued an order enjoining ndi-
! viduals TO purchase no more ; and the Indi
ans have been paid a greater price foi
those already delivered, than the govern
ment will give. Coils. Wells, Lewis and Al
lens servants are acting as 1alets to Indi-
an chiefs. Capt. Harris servant is alive
but where he is, is uncertain.
/ The dead OF our army are still denied
the rights of sepulchre a; the time | lef