The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-02-06
WAsnINc roN, Feb. Z.
ARMY OF THE CENTRE

Copy OF the Communication made by Col. William
IL Winder, To Gen Smyth, relative To the at
tack on the enemy lines, opposite aud below
Black Rock, on the night OF the 9Th Novem-
Der, 1872.
SIR should before this have com munieated the
circumstances relative the two enterprises OF The
night oil the 3Sth, had not your presence enabled
youa once To ieara the general result, far as
was necessary, to predicate other movements ::
and had not my incessaut occupation since render
ed it almost impossible to find the requisite time.
deem 1t however my duty, in justice to the gallant
officers and men, who formed part OF that eXpe-
diion, to present to you such particulars have
obtained from those engaged in it, and which have
been confirmed by the prisoners who were tn
ken 80. o, ,
Asreeably to your order Of the 27th, Lieutenant
Colonel Boerstlsr embarked with about goo of the
@th. in II boats and Captain King of the army,
and Lieutenant Argue OF the navy, embarked with
$50 soldiers and 70 sailors, in 10 boats between
IL and 1 O'Clock OF the morning OF the 2Sth.
The embarkation of both detschments was
made with exemplary silence, order and prompt
tude. 49,
Tho detachment of Captain King having to as
cend the river against the current, To arrive at the
point of attack, directed him move oil first, Sd
that the detachment under Lieut.. Col. Boentler ha-
wing in some degree the advantage OF the current,
each party might arrive nearly possible at its
point OF attack at the same time.
The detachment Of King and Angus disco
rered by the centinels time before it landed
and was assailed by discharge OF small from
the centinels, and one two discharges from
field piece at the Red House. Four boats out of the
ten nevertheless e solutey landed. The sailors
der Lieut. Angus, with their characteristic impetu.
osty, rushed into the hottest fire, before the nfan
try could be formed after landing, and sustained
considerable injury. Captain King, however,
conded by Captains Morgan and Sprole, formed the
infantry, which did land expeditiously as possible
and in conjunction with Lieutenant .4ngus, youn-
tcer Swartwout, and the brave naval officers,
ovcrcame all resistance there. He then turned to
the left, and proceeded to storm the enemys lower
battery, which vigorously assailed aud soon
ried, and the cannon spiked. He then proceeded
TO the next battery above--which the trepit!aton
of the enemy had by this time sbandoned---aad
spiked the cannon there and broke the carriages
In the mean time, Lieut.. Angus and volunteer
Swnrtwout, their party of sailors, had spiked the
field pieces at the Red House, and had thrown
them, together with two caissons, Into the river
which having accomplished, he retired to the place
ct ianeing, where, finding only four boats, and being
isnor@nt that the others had not landed aud seeing
nothing Of the nfntry, he concluded that either they
had been made prisoners or had deserted him aud
in consequence Immediately embarked his with
his Wounded prisoner Lieutenant King, of the Roy
al Artillery, aud returned round the low end Of
SGssw i-au. again ia the Navy Yard. In conse-
qn"nrc cf this unfortunate mistake, which arose
fronl the failure of six Of the boats make their
landing, Captain King with Captains Sprole and
Morgan, and about 90 men, were lett on the other
shore.
Lieut. Col. BoerstIer with his detachment had in
the mean time proceeded down the river, to attack
and destroy the party stationed at Frenchman's
Creek, ard the bridge oyer it.
The discovery of the party under Captain King
and Lieut.. Angus at SO early period, and the
sequent firing, had alarmed tie centines and party
of the enemy near Frenchpan's Greek, and Lieut..
Colonel Boerstler Immediately pushed to strike the
shore at the nearest point, which with want of
the knowledge of the localities Of the place and the
darkness of the night, occasinned him land from
qnarter half mile above the bridge; without
having received the fire of the centnels and small
party, and having picket guard of about so men of
the 4oth drawn up and advancing upon them at the
moment oil landing. -Four of his boats, mised by
the darkness or the inexperienced rowers being
BILE TO force ,hem the current, fell below
the bridge, and we're forced to retire by the party
OF the enemy stationed there.
The companies of captains Montgomery s. Lane,
and part of Sullvan's company under lieutenant
kearny, however, effscted their landing with eute
nsnt-colonel Boerstier. The boat in which lieute-
colonel Boerstier with captain Lane and 20
meD, first reached the shore. These were formed
as well, and as quickly as possible were ordered to
fire and charge the enemy-which was done with
much gaIiantry, but not without some confusion, in.
separabie from darkness, in the face OF an enemy
ready to rec e7e them, OF whose numbers they were
ignorant, and By and officers for the first time
engaged in contest. The exertions of lieutenant
colonel Boerstler to keep his party in order threw
him some what in advance, and he was saved from
the bayonet of of the enemy by his presence of
mind and promptitule in shooting him dowa with
his pistol. An encouraging command at that mo-
mcnt brought the bayonets of his party in contact
with those ot the enemy and they He'd with preci-
pitaton, leaving several dead and two prisoners.
The pursuit was pressed to the bridge Several of
the axes were in the boats which had not landed, *
the necessity of encountering the enemy at the
Incnt of landing occasiOned those that in the
boats that had reached the shore co be left par
~ however detached under lieutenant Warng,
~ break up the bridge by any means which they
could find and about one third of the planks were
actually removed
At this time, all was silent with the parties under
captain King and lieutenant Angus; and lieutenant
colonel Boerstler supposed them either repealed Or
successful At this moment, lieut. Woodward,
commanding the boat-gaard, made corporal and
private Of the 49th prisoners and learned that the
whole force from Fort Erie coming down upon
them, and that 900 within a few minutes
rnarch Of the boats lie INN ediately dispatched
messenger TO Inform Northumberland Boerstler
who formed his party, fastened up to the boats, aAd
snail distances above the boats discovered consi-
dersbIe party of the enemy formed. Lieutenant
colonel BoersiIer by fent in giving the title of Geld
officers captains, and battaiiCns to companies, i'll
loud orders, endeavorcd to alarm the enemy by the
apprehension of being out numbered, ordered fire
and then a charge, the enemy Red without giving
chance to reach him
The order being not to attempt to hold possession,
Lisaenant-C olnnel Boerstler deemed it advisable
TO embark his tro0psto acknowledging, as the fact
has since been aecertainrd, that the whsle force
from Fort Erie approaching.
The success of captain King and Lieutenant An
Gus had led the enemy To suppose chat large force
had landed with ihcm and instead therefore ci com
ing down The river, they passed through the fields
between the batteries and the woods, and came into
tbc river road between the batteries and French
mans Crcek--probaLly without knowing that Lieu
tenant. Colonel Bucrstlcr's detachment Rad landed