The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1814-09-21
Cory ETA letter from Gem. Chauheey 70 fat
Sec, etary # he Many, dafrd


y. S. ship Sxpe,iOr, off Kingsi0 .Svguss 10.
SiR-Gteat anxiety OF mind and severe bo-
dily exestons, have at length broken down
The best constitution and subjected me to vi.
oienr fever ,tat confined me for ie days. This
misfortune was no more to be forescen than
prevented, but was particularly severe at the
moment it happened, as il induced delay Of
hvo or six days IN the sailing Of ,he fleet
4 In the early part OF July, expected the
aect would be made ready for ssiing by the
10th or l5th but many ot the mechsnics
were taken sick, and amongs, them the block
makers and biacksmiths, SO tnat the Mohawk
could not be furnished with blocks and iron
wo k Tor her gun aud spar decks before the
24th or 2sth ult. when she was reported ready
by Capt. Jones. AS considerable anxiety had
been nahifcstcd by the public 10 have the fleet
! or The Lake.. shoud have asked Capt. Jones
4 to take -nafge or ~ and go out, bu, was then
l[,fecovering my health. and was couident
should be able in three or four days 10 60 ON
board myself. There was an additional rea.
son for submitting 10 ,his delay in the dlflicul-
" found ia making the changes of comman-
ders, neither oi them being willing to be So
psrated from his officers and men, and
change Of crews through the heet being mad
missable.
In the afernoon OF the 3is, July, I was ta-
ken on board, bur 1t was calm, and | did not
sail before the next morning. To satisfy at
once whatever expectations the public had
been led TO entertain of the sutticency Of this
squadron to take and maintain the sscendency
on this Lake, and a, the same time TO expose
the futility of promises,tbe fuifImcnl OF which
had been rested on our appearance at the head
g he LII II t-l<
the morning of the ST inst. and steefed for
the mouth OF the Niagara. Owing 10 light
winds, did not arrive off there before the
5th. There we intercepted one of the encmy's
briggs running over from York TO Niagara with
troops, and ran her on shore about six miles
10 the westward Of Fort George. ordered
the Syiph in, to anchor az pear TO the enemy
IS she could with safety, aud TO destroy her.
Capt. Elliot ran in 10 q very gallant manner to
within f,om 90 500 yards Of her and was a.
bout anchDring, when the enemy sci fire to
her ard she soon after blew up. This vessel
Avys schooner the last year, and called the
Ibercsford---sincc they altered her TO brig
they changed her name, and have not been
able 10 ascertain il. She mounted fourteen
guns, twelve 24-pound carronsde. ard two
long .9-pounders.
Finding the enemy had two other briggs
and schoonef 10 the Niagara river, l deter.
mined TO leave force TO watch them, aud
selected the Jefferson, Sylph and On ida for
that purpose, and placed the whole nndcr the
Iordei, Of Capt Ridgely. Hfving looked into
York without discovering any vessel oi the
enemy, left Niagara with the remainder ol
the squsdron on the evening of the TIN, aud
arrived here the OH. We found Que of III
enemy's ships in the offing, aud eh,scd he,
into Kingston.
My anxiety to return to this end OF The LAX,
was increased by the knowledge had of ,hs
weakness of Ssckcu's Harbor, and the appre
hcnsion that the enemy might receive large
at KIngsoo, and, embarkipg
some OF the troops On board hi, feet, make
a dash at the Hsfbor and burn II with all my
3 ores during our absence. When left IN,
Harbor there we're but about 700 reguIa
troops 4, FOR duty II is tue a few mii'i |
had been called IN, bu, little could be expec'
ed of them should an attaCk be made. My |
'ppreheDsion, IL seems, was grouudless, the |
enemy having contented himself with annoy. |
10 some triAing degree the coasters between
Oswego and the Hafbor in his boats.
cs,no. forbear expressing the regret |