The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-09-07
SAVANNAH. Aug. 81.


n .VoUet oRecsdcfe.-NeSrerliay, a very no
vel spectacle was exhibited to our citizens
a flag arrived from the enemy's squadron off
our bar, bearing dispatches to the British a.
gent of prisoners at this place. The letter OF
Capt. jackson, senior officer, we give below.
BY some unaccoantable neglect, the officer of
the flag was permitted to pass Forts Jackson
and Wayne, and to Come up directly to the
city and to traverse it in search Of the Bri-
fish agent OF prisoners. No apology can be
offered tor this Heglect, or strange relaxation
OF discipline, than the appearance the flag
boat which not indicating any thing more than
a common barge, did not excite suspicion. We
shall not pretend to say, that any chcunistan-
eeS can be offered i'll extenuation of that lack
OF vigilance and caution which permitted an
enemy's boat to pass, OH so important a mis-
sion as that of a flag The British Licuten-
ant is equally censurable i'll not reporting him
self to the first garrison or fort he arrived at
This is always expected, and may afford
some sn,aH Justification of the officers, whose
duty 1T WAS to have detained the flag until the
will of the proper authority was ascertained
Sut SO 1t was--the British officer was suffered
to bring his boat alongside OF our wharvcs and
to penetrate the heart of our City, for the pur-
pose of delivering dispatches !; not directed 10
the commanding officer of the station, but to
the British Agent Of Prisoners This a.
gent not possessing tue powers for an eN-
change OF prisoners, as Sufhosed by Capt
Jackson, conducted the officer with his dis
patches TO the Office o our Marshal ; from
whom was received this prompt and decisive
answer" that prisoners could only be eX-
Changed by the regular course Of cartel, and
that the othoer was required without delay,
to return with this answer to the squadron
a Deputy Marshal was ordered to accompa-
ny him, and too see that no improper inter-
course took place for the short time he was
permitted foreman. This affair excited a
strong sensation among the people. They
felt indignant at the appearance of the enc
my among us, under the circumstances we
have stated and believed, as we have some
reason TO believe ourselves, that the real OBJ
Ject OF this iia9 was to take peep at our
strength and means of defence, &c. The fac
boat on her arrival very unnecessarily rowed
round the Ehe'vier, and appeared by this
bold and unwarranted conduct to be DESTROYS
ct ascertainin5 her present condition, and the
injury sustained by Yankee Cannon We re-
greet that during the absence of the Lieu
tenant, some alteration took place be-
tween an American tar (who had felt the
tortures of one Of the British floating hells) &
mldshpman, then having charge of the
boat The mhshipman received a blow from
the sailor, which it is said was occasicned .by
his own imprudent and scrurilous observdti-
CTS. The good sense of the commander Of
the squadron will readily perceive, that this
affair might have occurred without the small
est inclination to violate the sanctity of fac
oftruCe- The conduct of our citizens was or
derly and decorous, and though strongly sus-
Yectng this flag to De nothing more than a
rise de .gUe1re, not the smallest insult was
offered to the Lieutenant. To prevent this,
slough nothing of the kind was evinced by the
Citizens, the Savannah Volunteer Guards,
under the command OF James Marshal, ESQ.
were ordered cut, and conducted the Lieu
tenant 10 his boat when he was suffered to
depart as he came.