The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-09-24


DANIEL TURNER.
C2ty ot'0 letter. fam Gait Snclairto tie Sc
errta',y Of The Nary. dated
u. S. Slosp of War Niagara, Off
Thunder Bay, Aug. 9, 1914.
Sikh arrived off Michilimackinar on the
goth July; bat owing to a tedious spell of bad
weather, which prevented our Accommodating,
or beuS able to procure 4 prisoner who could
give Us Information of the enemy's Indian
force, which, from several little skirmishcs
we had on an adjacent island, appeared to be
very great, we did not attempt a landing un-
I'll the ith inst, and it was then made more
with view TO ascertain positively the enc
my's strength, than with any possible hope of
success; Knowing ut the samr time. that /
coaid ei'ectnallg cover their landing, q retreat
to the ships. from the position had taken with
IN 500 yards Of the beach. Col. Croglian would
never have landed, even, with this pro-
lection, being positive, as he was, that the In
dian force alone on the island, with the adj
vantages they had, were superior to him,
could he have justified himself to his govern
ment, without having stronger proof than APP
pearances that he could not effect the object
i'll view.
Mackinac is, by nature, perfect Gibral-
tar, being high inaccessible rock on every
side, except the west, from which, to the
heights, you have near two miles to pass
through wood, so thick that our men were
shot in every direction, and within a few
yards of them, without being able to see the
Indians who did it and height was scarce
iy gained before there was another within so
or 100 yards commanding it, where breast
works were erecte and cannon opened on
them. Several of those were charged and
the enemy driven from them but it was soon
found the further our troops advanced the
stronger the enemy became, and the weaker
and more bewildcred our forccwere several
Of the commanding officers were picked out
and killed or wounded by the savages, without
seeing any of them. The men were getting
lost and falling into a confusion natural under
such circumstances, which demanded an i'm
mediate retreat, or a total defeat ard general
massacre must have ensued. This was con-
Quoted III mastery manner by Col. Croghan,
who had lost the aid ofthat valuable * ever
to-be-taInented officer Major Holmes, VINO,
with capt. Vanhorn, was killed by the IntIi-
ans. The enemy were driven from MANY OF
their strong holds but such was the impene-
uaoie thickness OF the woods, that no advan-
tage gained could be profted by Our attack
would have been made immediately under
the lower fort, that the enemy. might not have
ben able to use his Indian force to such
advantage as in the woods, having discovered
by drawing FIRE from him IN several insran-
ces, that had greatly the superiority of me-
tai OF MN but its scite being about 100 feet
above the water, j could not, when near e.
nough to do him an injury, elevate sufficiently
TO Datterlt- Above this, nearly as high again,
ne has another strong fort, commanding every
point OF the island, and almost perpendicular
on all sides Col. Croghan not deemine it
prudent to make a. second attempt upon this
place, and having asccrtained to certainty
that the only naval force the enemy have up
on the lakes, consists of one schooner of four
gnns have determined to dispatch the Law
renee and Caledonia to Lake Erie innodi-
ately, believing their services in Transporting
our armies there will be wanting !; and it be-
ing important that the sick and wounded, a.
mounting to about 100, and that part OF the
detachment not necessary to further our flu
ture operations here, sh0ld reach Detroit
without delay. BY an intelligent prisoner Cap
tured i'll the Mink, ascertained this. &, that
the mechanics and others sent across from
YORK during the winter were for the purpose
OF building a tiotilla to transport reinforce
ments and supplies into Mackinac. An at
tempt was made to pass them by the way of
Matchadash, but it was found impracticable
from all the portages being a morass that
they then resor1ed to small river called
Nautawasaga, situated to the south of Mat
chad2sh, from which there is a portage of
I-'0uSo ONSi q SOOu TOdCl TO Lake SiIlCOe.--
ms place was never known until pointed out
to them last summer by an Indian This ri
yer IS very narrow and has or g feet water
III 1t about three miles up, * is then muddy
RAPID shallow FOR IS miles up to the portage
where their armada was built and their store
houses are now situated. The navigation is
dangerous and difficult, and so obscured by
rocks and bushes that no stranger could ever
Ind 1t. have, however, awaited myself of
the means of discovering it. I shall also
blockade the mouth of French river until the
tall-and those being the only two channels
OF communication by which Mackinac can
possibly be supplied /; and their provisions at
this time being extremely short, | think
they will be starved into a surrender
This viii also cut off all supplies to the
NV. Company, who are now nearly starv-
ing, and their furs on hand can only find trans
portation by the way of Hudson Bay. At
this place / calculate on falling III with their
schooner, which, it is said, has gone there for
load of provision, and a message sent to
her not to venture up while we are on the
lake
Very respectfully, I have the honor to re-
main, sir, your obedient servant,
ARTHUR SINCLAIR.
The hon. w. JoEEs,
Secretary ofhe May.
Extract ofa 1eifcr from Capt. n. Sinclair 10
mir HOy Tf,j Inner Cecrsf0rt, NJ sI~ Ac,.,,,