Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1814-12-06

/ "a q I :
\ COLONIAL DEPARTMENT.
]. Do~si.g Street, 0cf " is,f.
! tt n. NJ. s. Tosxaxr,
Chesapeake, sept ~, 1914.
SIR,
I : In my disesteh Of the I'd ms. re-.
counting the success # our expedition
against Washington, acqusiDird you,
Tor the Information Of Gy i.rds co,n,pi,.
siobsrs ot The admiralty, th.t the ind.
had been unisyorabie for the re,u,n Of
the SHIPS whiei sere detached uy the
P.lomsc, under Cppt. J. a Gordon. az
the Seshsrsc,' 20 CO operate aga,n.t the
rspitai; BIZ. that heard o. thoir having
accomplished the ds,traction of Fort.
W.shins.oa. base nov The honor no.
only to coniirrp this report but 10 trans.
nit for ;he, iordsbip's irforna,isn. .
copy Of Capt Gordon's de al hi. orc.
ceeding,, IL which hi, fara.r success
has exceeded my most .argyies expee.
atoms !; having forcsdlh p1puiaus ci,v
Of Aiexahdri. to espiiuIate, and bs,ipr
hrengGt down. tbs rive. IN ,,iunDL.
throegh q series oi obstacles ard deter
mined epppsitien = nsst Il 81 sail Of
en,rny's vessels The di;Hrr,lies watch
presented themselves. to thtse .kiss in
ascending The river impsdcd by shoals
and contrary viRjs, AMI tho increased
,,b,tacies which the enemy had prepared
.gainst their return, VITA the shstroot.
iog :heir descent were ny to be oyer.
come BY The nest interchangeable sxer.
tisns.
Itrust, tbsrefors, stkasSthe resolution
and gsllsp,ry displayed w every ono
employed spoa tlis service, which de.
serve my warmest appiauss, will bs fur.
her honored by the appreciation Of thsir
iordships.
have the honor 70 ~. &c.
A. COCHRANE.
yics hdm. and Com. III (lkf
John Wilson Croker, Esq.
Seahorsf, Chesapeaks, Sept. 0, 1914
SIR,
In obedience to ynmr orders, I
proceeded into the river Potomac.
will! the ships named in the margia,~
on the i7ih Of last mont.,, btt from
being without pilot, 10 assist Us thro'
that difficult part Of the river called
the Kettle Bottoms, and from con-
trary winds. We were usable to
reach Fort Washington uatil the e.
yeniag Of the, 27fh.-Nor VAS this
Effected but by the scyerest labor. I
l~Iievr ea.h u the chips was no less
ihsn 90 different times aground, &
earl, liinr We we're obliged TO haul
of nv main strength /; and we were
employed esraipg for FIVE whole
successive Gays, With the eArcpiioa
of Few hours, distance OF mere
thar 80 milrs.
rss bomb ships wero placed on
the evening OK the eth, and imme-
dia.ely hogan the homaaI Gmear of
the Fort, it being my intentions TO
attack il With The frisatps ut day
light tho following morning. On
tLe bursting Of the fr,t she'll tho
garrison we're observed TO retreat:
bat surprising se,ne concealed de-
sign. i directed the frs 10 be con-
tixued. At 8s'cleea, however, my
doubts were removed by the explO-
sion Of the powder magazine, Which
destroy ed The inner buildings, and ..
day light oa the 2Sih sc ,eek pos
session Resides the PriseipaI fort,
which contained . s: ponnders, 3
81 pouniers. aud eight 81 pound
ers, there was battery on the beach
Of 5 is Founders. a marteilo tower
with Q II Founders sod loop holes
fer mu.ketry. and q battery in The
rear Of 2 IL and six pourds
Geld pieces. The whsle II these
guns were already spiked BY the e.
ncmy. ard their complete destrrs-
tioa. with their carriages also. was
effected by the seainsn and marines.
sent on that service. in less than 2
hosrs.-; he popnious city Of Alex.
andria thus lost its only defence Il
ha,ipy buoy ed The ehaBIr.I. ! deea-
ed il better TO postpone giving aHy
answer 10 q proposal made TO mo for
its eapituis,ion until be following
when | VAS enabled 10
place, the shipping in such posi-
tion as would ensure assent tn tho
terms had determined 10 enforce.
10 this measure 4 aitribute their
ready aequirseeaee. as il renewed