The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-03-30
DEFENCE OF THE DELAWARE.
From The duyOra

, DEFENCE OF THE DELAWARE.
From The diirora.
-ftdrntsfs,-Ihe alarms which have pre-
vailed in consequence of the svretched zvor-
fare of the sovereign of the seas upon wood
ShaHofs and oyster boats, in the waters
which flow into the bay of the Delaware,
have not been unnoticed by the govern
ment; and even public opinion, and the
apprehension of the timd. however unne.
cessary. were regarded with the utmost
promPtitude. A general officer of expert
ence, known to and, respected by ali the
citizens of both shores of the Delaw are. is
selected to take charge of the district EN-
bracipg the states on these waters and at
The same time, orders were given to de-
prive the enemy IF the advantage of the
lights erected for the use of that free com
merce against which the enemy makes war
in every corner of the earth and seas. And
such further arrangements entered upon 6
put in operations silently, as were best cal
cnlated to assure the ends.
From whatever source they have pro-
ceeded, the public have been grossly impc-
sed upon, by the circulation of rumors con-
Corning the state of the public force, and
the garrison at Fort Mifflin in the Della
ware. Independent of all considerations of
| the nature of the difficulties which any sort
OF force must meet in attempting to pass up
as tar as Fort Mffiin, that post is in as
| good state for defence as it has been at
any period since its erection the troops
stationed in it and in the neighboring can
Torment at Province island barracks (the
did Lazaretto) marched but few days, &
have scarcely reached the North river,
| at this ms ment, on their route to the camp
| at GreenbuSh. The natural effect If a W ant
OF discipline and OF a good police, and of
attention in Young and inexperienced Off
| GERS. have left the quarters at those staff
oDs in state far from being fit to receive
! troops in good order-and the arrangements
for putting the garrisons in a wholesome
condition could not be executed by magic
| The number of regulars at the station,
Including officers. is "a; number Of men,
adequate, under good officer, to man the
exterior water battery of twenty four
Founders, which commands the bar and
the channel for two miles below, and 8 of
the thirty two Founders in the body cf the
place OF ten of the 80 Founders.
1t was also reported that there was nei-
Their ammunition nor military storcs--the
real truth is, that there is not in any coun
try better furnished magazine than that
actually in Fort Mifflin at the very moment
- ::i':fi these sCandaiuus rumors were cIrcu-
lated with so much malicious industry
ammunition of every description and in the
best order. and in sufficient quantity, was
then and is now in the magazine.
Having stated thus much as to the actual
state OF Fort Mift1in, it may be proper to
observe, that the government, having a
vast line Of defence to sustain, and the usu-
al solicitude OF every point for the defence
OF its own position, must have necessarily
placed ii out of the power of the Executive
TO maintain an army on the interior from
f1rsF.n hnt L..
people and menacing an attack upon our
hntila on the lakes, and at the same time
distribute its regular force along the whole
assailable line from St. Mary's to Cape
Cod Prominent points, those most expo
sed and most likely to be assailed, were
necessarily first looked to but the govern
ment naturally calculated on the local re
sources OF patriotism, SILL and spirit of the
citizens at large; thus, when Norfolk the
most exposed point was meDaced, the state
authority aud the voluntary ardor of our
fellow citizens promptly advanced to its
defence.
In like manner, when New York was
said to be menaced, the state authority &
the gal'antry of the citizens were resortcd
to and with full eT"ct
1t cannot be supposed that the govern
ment entertained any doubt of the public
spirit "t the people on thu Jersey, Delaware
and Pennsylvania pavigable waters--they
took them into their estimate of the public
resources with the most perfect confidence 4:
nor have the government mistaken their
men; and the articles Of the eHcmy's adhs
rcHtS have, as on so many former occasi-
ons. tended only to defeat their intention,
by dragging forth that calm spirit which is
So often mistaken for indifference, and
wainiDg it into activity.
The spirit exhibited on the shores Of the
Delaware has been within the last week
truly animatirg and auspcious. In Phila-
dclphia, the officers of tho uniformed corps.
the legcnary corps, the artillery regiment,
aad the cavalry regiment, were convened
without any invita- ion from the general
government, and all resolved to tender
their services for the public defence.
The laws of this state do not admit Of
the calling forth Of the military force by any
other authority than the governor or the
general officer to whom ne may by special
order entrust that duty. An express was
dispatched to general Bloomfield by the
officers sf tbs associated and pniForned