The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1813-12-23
WAR EVENTS.
British Official Notice of the Defeat oi
their Fleet on Lake Erie, and Of Cen
eral Proctor.



has received an official report from Mai Gen.
Proctor of the sffAir which took place on the
5th October near the Morssian village, and
he has in vain sought in it, Cor grounds to
| palliate the report made to his Excellency by
staff adiutsnt Reiffcnsiein, upon which the
General q, der of the 18th October was found
ed-on the contrary, that state ment remains
unconhrmed in all the principal events which
marked that disgracefui day; the precipitancy
with which the staff adju,ant retrcsteA from
the field OF action, prevented his asccrtaining
The loss sustained by the division on that oc-
casion |; il also led him most grossly to exag-
gerate the enemy's force, and 10 misreprcscnt
the conduct of the Indian Warriors, who, in
stead of relrea,ing towards Machedash, as he
had stated, gallan,ly maintained the conflict,
under their brave chief, Tecumseh, and in
their turn harrassed the American army on it's
retreat 10 Detroit.
The subloinsdreturn ssResthe loss the righ,
division has sustained in the action Of the fleet
on Lake Erie on the 10th Of Sept and in the
affair Of the 5,h Oct. near the Moravian vii.
lage, in the latter but very few appear to have
been rescucd by an honorable death from the
ignominy Of passing underline American yoke,
nor are there mnny, whose wounds plead in
sion appear TO have been incumbcrcd with an
unmsnageable load Of unnecessary, and for
bidden private baggngc-whiie the requisite
arrange ments for the expeditions and certain
conveyance ofthe ammunition, and provisions,
the sole objects worthy OF consideration, ap-
pear to have been totally neglected, as well as
all those ordinary measures, resor,ed 10, by
officers Of intelligence, TO retard and impctc
the advance OF pursuing enemy. The re.
suit affords but too fatal proof OF this unjus-
tifable neglect The right division had qdii-
ted Sandwich on its retreat, on the Goth Sept.
having had ample time for every previous ar
ranyement /; on the Cd October foIlovsng, the
enemy pursued by the same route, and on the
4,h succeeded in capturing all the s,sres of
the division, and on the following day attack
cd and defeated it, almost without Struggle.
With hear.felt pride and satsfactionthc COM
mander OF the forces had lavished on the 9Th
division OF this army, that tribute Of praise
which was SO justly due to its former gsllsn-
try, and steady discipline. Il is with poig-
nant grief and modification that he now be-
holds It's we'll earned Ianrels, tarnished, aud
its conduct calling loudly for reproch and
censurc.
The commander Of the forces appeals to tho
genuine feelings of the British soldier, from
whom he neither conceals tho extent of tho
loss the army has suffered, nor the far more
to be lamen,ed injury il has sustained in It's
wounded honor, conhdenl that bit ono scnli-
meni will animate every breast, and that yea
lous 10 wash out the stain, which by most
extraordinary and unaccountablo in(atuation,
has fallen on a forsnery deserving portion Of
the army all will vie 10 emulate the glorious
achievements recently performed, by a small
but highly spirited, aud well disciplined diyis.
ion, led by officers possessed, of enterprizo,
intelligence, and galiantry, nobIy cvinciog
what British soldiers can perform, when sos
cep,ibls Of No fear, bot that Of failing in the
discharge Of their dusy.,
His Excellcncy considers il ss an act Of ius-
tice, TO exc neraie most honorably from Ais
ceaA,re the brave soldiers Of the right divis-
ion who wore serving as marines on board the
squadron on Lake Erie. The commsnder Of
the forces hsvirs, received the official Report
Of Captain Barclay Of the action which took
place on Lake Erie, On the 10th September,
when that gallant officer, from circumstances
Of imperious necessity, was compelled 70 seek
the superior force of the enemy, and to main
tain an arduous AID long contested action, un-
der circumstances Of accutHulas'ng i'll iot<unc
Captain Barclay represents that the wind,
which was fsvorabIy ea'ly in the day, sudden
ly changed, giving the enemy the weather
grge, and ,ha, this important advantage was
shortly after, the commencement Of the en-
gasemcnt, heightened by the fall Of Captain
Finnis, The commander of the Queen Char
Iotte-in the death Of that intrepid and intel
ligcnt officer, Captain Barclay lamcnss The loss
Of his main support. Tie fall Of Captain
Finnis was soon followed by that OF Licuten-
ant Stokoe, whose coupsry wac deprived of
hi, services at this very critical period, lcav-
ing the command Of the Queen Charlotte TO
Provinciai Lieutenant Irvine, who conducted
himself with great courage, but was too lin
tied IN experience, TO supply the place of
such an officer as Captain Finnis land 10
consequence this yesscI proved Of far less as
distance than mi M he r Y occted