The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-10-08
OFFICIAL.
WASHING ron, October l.
C9hy ola letter from Brig. Gen. 1laconi6, 10
fae Secretary Of lVar, dated
Head Quarters, Plattsburgh,

OSDA 1Ol8i, loA-f. 4
SIR have the honor to communicate, fer
the information ofthe War Department, the
particulars of the advance OF the enemy into |
the territory of the u. States, the Circumstan-
ces attending the siege of Plattsburgh, and
the defence of the posts entrusted to my
charge.
The Governor General Of the Canatlas, Sir
George Provost, having collected all the dis |
possible force in Lower Canada, with IA view Of |
conqucring the country as tar as Crown Point |
and Ticonderoga, enteved the territories OF the |
United Sts1cs on the first OF the month, and |
occupied the village Of Chnmplain there a
vowed his intentions, and issued orders and !
proClamations tending to dissuade the people
from their allegiance, and inviting them TO
furnish his army with provisions. lie imme-
diately began to impress the Wagons and
teams in the vicinity, and loaded them with
lis heavy baggage and stores. From this !
WAS persuaded ne intended to attack this place.
] had but Just returned from the lines, where
had commanded fine brigade, which was
broken up to form the division under Major
Gen. lizard ordered 70 the westward. Being
senior officer, he left me in Command and,
except the tour companies of the 9Th regi-
ment, had not an organized battalion amoBs
those remaining. The garrison was compos-
ell of convalescents and recruits OF the new
reSts.--all in the greatest Confusion, as well IS
the ordnance and stores, and the works IN no
cldlS OF QStSHNt.
10 create an emulation and zeal among the
officers and men in completing the works, /
divided them into dctachments, and placed
them near the several forts /; declaring in
ders, that each detachment was the garrison
of its own work, and bound TO defend it to the
last extremity.
The enemy advanced cautiously and by
short marches, and our soldiers worked day
and night so that by the timehe made his
appearance before the place, we were pre-
pared TO receive him.
Gen. lizard named the principal work Fort
Ngareau. and to remind the troops of the &C
tons Of their brave couutJymen, ! called the
l-edoubt ON the right Fort BrozY77, and that on
the left Fart Scot. Besides these. three
works, We have two block houses strongly for
tifed.
Finding, on examining the returns Of the
garrison that our force did not exceed fifteen
Hundred effective men for duty, and well in
formed that the enemy had as many thou
sands, | called on Gen. MooerS, of the New
York militia, and arranged with him plans Tor
bringing forth the militia en- nlasse. The in
hsbitarts Of the village fed with their families
and effects, except few worthy citizens and
some bows, who formed themselves into par
Nv, received rifles, ard were exceedingly use
fal By the fourth of the month, Gen. Mcoers
collected about seven hundred militia, and adj
yanced seven miles on the Beckman Town
IL,
e,-,a.i-.,.aiah- with him as he advanced alsc
break up the bridges. - -
On the Lake Road at Dead Greek Bridge
posted two hundred men under Capt. Sprou
of the 18th regt. with orders to abattis the
woods, to place distractions in the road, and
10 fortify himself to this party | added two
feld pieces. In advance OF that position, was
Lieut.. Col. Appling, with 11O rihcfaen, watch
ing the movements ofthe enemy, and PROCURING
Intelligence. 1t was asCertaned, that before
day Light on the sixth, the enemy would adj
vance in two columns, on the two roads before
mentioned, dividing at SIMPSONS little be-
low Chazy village. The column on the Beck
man Town road pToceuded most rapidly the
militia skIr1uished with hiS advanced parties,
and, except a few brave men, fell back most
precipitately in the greatest disorder, notwith-
standing the British troops did not deign to
FIVE on them, except by their flankei's and adj
vanoed patroles. Tie night previous, order
cd Major Wool to advance with a detach-
ment of $50 men to support the militia,
and set them an example Of firElnsss Also,
Capt. Leonard of the Tight artillery was di-
Tectcd to proceed with two pieces to be on
the ground before day ); yet he did not make
bis appearance until 9 O'Clock, when the enc
my had approached within two miles ofthe vii
lage. With his conduct, therefore, am not
we'll pleased. Mai. Wool, with his party, dis
puted the road with great Obstinacv, but the
outstanding the cxertions Of their general and
staffoficers although the fields were divided
by strong stone walls, and they were told that
the enemy could not possibly cut them of
The State dragons of Ncw-York wear red
coats, and they being on the heights to watch
the enemy gave constant alarm to the militia,
who, mistoak them for the enemy, and fesr-
ed his getting in their rear. Finding the enc
my's columns had penetrated within a mile Of
Plattsburgh, ! dispatched ny aitl-de-caIrp,
Lieut. Root, to bring OF the detachment at
Dead Creek, and to inform LIZ. Col. Appling
that I wished him to fail on the encfny S right
FAM. The Colonel fortunately arrived just
in time to save his retreat and to fan in with
the head Of a column deboncAbqe from tie
woods. Here he poured in q destructive FIRE
from his Tihcmen at rest, ard continued 20 an
nov the column until lie formed a junction
with Major Wool The field pieces did con
siderable execution among the enemy's CO.
1umns. So unatunted, however was the enc
my, that ne never deployed in his whole
march, always pressing on in column. Find
ing that every road was full e troops crowd |
ing on rs on all sides, ordered the field pie
ces to retire across tie bridge and form bat |
terry for is protection, and to cover the retreat
Of the Infantry, which was accordingly done, |
and the parties Of ,4hhling and tool, as well |