Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-11-30
NAVAL COURT MARTIAL.

A Court Martial was held ut Portsmouth,
on Friday. ON board H. Nj. ship &c ad,alor,
for the trial Of captain r. IL Barclay and
his remaining officers and men, For the loss
of the squadron of British gun tpats on Lake
Erie, on tho 10th of September. 1878, in an
action with the American Rotilla. of vastly
superior force. 1t appeared from die pub
lie letters read to the Court. that Captain
Barclays situation was as singular, as his
gallantry and good conduct were conspicu.
Gus.
He was appointed TO command the SQUAD
ron on Lake Erie. Immediately on the ar.
rival Of Commodore Sir lanes Yeo on Lake
Ontario. 1t had been offered to, and refu-
sed by capt Mucaster on account of the
exceedingly bad equipments OF the vessels.
Capt Barclay joined his cosmand with a
Lieutenant, Surgeon and 10 rejected sea
men of the Lake Ontario squadron in Jaae
1873 and immediately dispx, cl.ed to Sir J.
Yeo. an account OF the drpiorable state of
the vessels. and that they were all biockaded
in Amherstburg by the American fotiiia.
where General Proctor's army was station
ed. Subsequently about so ses,nenof'tIie Do
yer troop ship. joined h,o but then he had
not more than $50 British seainen dis,ribu-,
ted in his squadron, tho remainder being
Z Canadians ans soldiers. The American tcrce
was double the amount of his in the number
Of ships ard guns, and there was no c. mpar
ison in respect to the quality OF ne seamen
However, ON the 9th of September, he was
compelled to sail from .Amherstburgh, TO
endeavor to open communication with
Long Point, for the purpose of obtaining
supply of provisions and necessaries. both for
his squadron and Gen Proctor's armyy the
winter was rapidly approaching--the navy
had benn for some time on short allowance
and the supplies by land was by no means
equal to the consumption. particularly as
there were $4,000 Indians with the army,
who would not brook any abridgement Of
their rations or indulgencies indeed the
very inhabitants of the neighboring settles
ments were feeding from the government
stores Under these pressing exigencies,
with the advice of General Proctor, Capt.
Barclay sailed he hoped either to pass the
American squadron, or SO disable them as
to effect his passing to Long Point. On the
following morning he fell in with the enemy,
and having the weatberguage, bore down to
commence the aetion--but, unfortunately,
the wind veered directly around, and brought
our squadron to leeward. The coumencer
pent, however, was prepiticus--the Ameri,
can Commodore was obliged to leave his
ship, which soon after surrendered, and
hoist his Gag on board another Of his squad
ICU, WHICH udu hOt uCS'l CnkUSeO, ana WHS
making away--when. unfortunately, the
Queen Charlotte and Detroit, our. two best
ships having had all their officers killed &
wounded, having fell on board cash other
we unable to clear-----an the same
time the greater number of their guns
were dismounted, and the Lady Provost had
fallen to leeward. having Loaf her rudder.
The Americans seeing the situation OF our
vessels, renewed toe action v-,h the assis.
tahce OF thier gun-boats, by which The whole
Of cur sqeadron was obliged 70 surrender.
General Proctor not being able to obtain the
supplies, was under the Necessity Of making
retrogrsse movements, a circur stance
which strongly evinced tue necessity
there was for the attempt that was made,
Com. Sir j. Yeo, in his letter to Admiral
Sir J. Is. Warren, relating the event states.
that in his opinion, Captain Barclay was
wrong to san from Awher tburg, and il was
in coEseqnsGce thereof the court marital
tock piece. IRE court pronounced the fol.
Loving sentence
"Inat the Capture Of his Maiesty's Itc
squadron was Caused by the very defective
means Capt Barclay possessed to equip
them on Lake Erie; the SAINT If su lIicient
number OF able seamen. whom he hid re-