Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-09-21

Fur Trade, as that is his grand depot aud
general rendezvous, from which his extens
site trade branches i'm all directions, and at
which place there is never less than a milf.
on in value of property, and at this season
of the year, it is said, there is twice that a.
mount II fear such another opportunity may
never occvr. The capture of those two
vessels and the provissins, will, however,
prove OF very serious Inconvenience to the
enemy in that remote quarter, where the
lcss cannot possisiy be retrieved.---Flour
was, before this loss, worth S 90 per barrel
with them. and salt provisions SO cents per
pound, &c. 49, ASS
have the honor to remain, sir, with great
respect, your obedient servant, Il
a. SINCLAIR.
Hon. VIM. Jones, -.
Secretary of the Navy:
Copy Of letter from Lieut.. Turner to Cap,
tain A. Sinclair, commanding on Lake
Eric, dated
Us Schooner scorpion, off Michi.
Iimackinac, July 2Sth, 1914.
SIR
I have the honor to inform you, that
agreeable to your orders of the cad instant,
IProceeded on the expedition TO Lake SUI
perior with the launches. rowed night
and day, but having a distance of sixty miles
against strong current, information had
reached the enc ny at st. Mary's of our ap
proach about two hours before arrived at
tina. place, carried by Indians in their light
canoes ;;several of whom. chased and by
firing on them and killing some, prevented
their purposes some captured and kept
prisoners until my ar ival, others ESCAPED
he forr t.sr I,ln 4
any thing Ike resistance at the Fort, the
enemy with their Indians Ca rying with them
all tie light valuable articles peltry, cloths,
&c 1 proceeded across the ST, ak of Lake
Superior without moments delay and Oh
my appear ance, the enemy finoing they
could not set off with the vessel was in
quest of, set fire to her in several places
scu'tied ard left her. I succeeded in board,
ing her. and by considerable exertiops ex in
gushed the flames, and secured her from
sinking. then stripped her and prepared
for getting her down the falls, Adverse
winds prevented my attempting the falls
until the goth, when every possible effort was
used, but am sorry to say without success.
to get her over in safety. The f;.ltis "a of
mile is As Feet, ard the channel very rec
ky the cures. runs from 90 to 80 knots,
and in one place there is a perpendicular
leap of ten feet between three rocks: here
she bilged LIT was brought down so rapid
ly that we succeed ed IL ru1nIg her on shore
below the rapids before she filed, and burn.
ed her. She was fine new shconer up
wards Of 100 tons, called the Perseverance.
and will be severe loss to the NJ w. corn
pany. Had succeeded in getting her safe,
] could have loaded her TO advantage from
the enc my 5 store houses. ] have. however.
Hnty n I..a II.
with Indian goods to a considerable amount;
the balance cont Aned in -four lsrge and two,
small store houses were destr1yed, amoun,-
ing in value to from so TO loo di, usand dol
lars. All private properly was aocoi di Z
to your o'dsrs respected. The Ulcers and
men under my comnand behaved wi.h great
activity add zeal. particularly Midshipman
Swartw out.
have the honor to be, sir, with grea,
respect, your obedeut trrvant,
DANIEL TURNER.
COPY otra letter from Gait. Sincia:: TO the Sec
rotary # fhe Nary, dated
u. 8. Sioop Of War Nj. ara #
Thunder Bay, Aug ., 1917.
Sir--I arrived ofMichilimackinac on the s6tl,
July; but owing to atedious spell of bad wen.
ther, which prevented our reoonnoteriop. o,
being able 70 procure a prisoner WHO couI1
give us information OF the eneny's Inoian force Il
which. from several little skirmishes we had ON
an adjacent island, appeared to be yerv great.
we did not attempt landing until the All inst
and i; was then made more vi n a view to as
certain positively the epemy's strength than
with any possible hops Of success knowing. M
the same time, that I could efectual,y COW.
their landing, and retreat TO The ships, fforn ID,
position had taken within 500 ytrds Of liz,
beach. Col. CrogiIap wouidsn verhsye iapde
eve n with this protection, beng p, sii i've as N,
was, that the Idsn force alone on The eIand
with the advantages they had, were. superior a.
him, could he have justified hlms,If TO his GO 4
vernment, without bayIrg stronger proof t9su
appearances that he cou d not effec the obie,,
in view
Maokinsc is. by nature, perfect Gibraltar
being high inaccessible rock on ey,ry si,le'
except the west, from whici,, 10. the be;eh,s
you have nesrtwo milcs to ass through wood
80 thick that our m 'n.were shot in every dfr,c
ton, and within few yards OF them. wi,Lom
betty sbie TO see the In ians who did IL and
height was scarcely gained before there was
another within so or loo yards Commanding II
where tie sst.worts we're rcctrd an, Ss,.
non opened ON them Several o. those wer
charg End The tnemy cir ven from them, be-,
l. was soon found the l1rtber our rOops ativan
cd the stronger the en- my bee me, AMI IN
we aker and more bewild red our force were
several oi the o 1m nding Ulcers were nick
ed out and Kill. g Or wounded w The saw .es
with Ut seeing any of them Tn ntn W r
were ttinc lost and f.li4g ia,oa confusion
natur = ueder such cironms tances, which N,
manded an immediate r. treat, or 4 tvt al ue,e.,