The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-06-18

tween them and the enemy at those pIaae.
where 1t Nay be attended with danger 20 our
frontier, IN the event of their manifes,ipv
disposition to renew their depredaticns.
highiy esteemed correspondent ut De.
roie' wnose means OF information are ample
and whose veraci,y is unquestionable. in
forms us that, about the middle of last
month, captain GRArIoT, of the engi
neers, with 200 infantry, and about 100 Ia.
oorers, had lett that place for the head OF
the river St. Clair, to erect fort on some
favoraols position. in order 70 secure the en-.
trance OF the strait, and thus cut CT the COM
municatlon between the Mackinav. Lacki-
nav ard other Indians. The fort will be
mounted with ten pieces OF ordnance. 1875
ana Us, calculated for battalion al
SO states, that It was understood that coloncl
Cot GREAVE, who, with battalion Of o.
mo militia, was at the River Raisiu, would
shortly be ordered to proceed to the river
names, Tor toe purpose of building Fort
which would ehectually secure De,roi,
gainst any surprise from that quarter. In a
letter OF recent date, the same correspon-
dent observes
informed you some time since. that
posts were 70 be erected on the ST.. Clair
and Thames rivers. You will naturally
eeqnre, what are the advantages in A mi.
lisary point of view, to be derived from the
establishment of those posts? would
answer there are many. The post on the
%. Niair Wiii LIST. cut Off all Direct com :,
inun'catlon between the enemy and those
numerous tribes OF Indians, living along
the United States shores of Lakes Huron
and observation-disclosures, by forcing them To
pass in their canoes entirely ropd tbe
North and East sides OF Lake Huron by the
way OF st. Joseph and Gloucester Bay. he
tore they can reach their old post leading
directly to Burlington. To the Wabash. ST..
joseph, VVashtina and Sagana Indians, this
change OF route will be particularly incon
venient, siace their short land route by the
mead OF ST. Clair to the Thames must be pi
ven up Tor the difficult & tedious passage q
round the coast of Huron; 2dly. 1t will eff
tectuaiiy PUT stop to that undeThasd. I'd
Sto,eh trafhc which has so long been carried
on by individuals living on the Thames and
Detroit rivers, with the Indians living ON The
upper rivers and lakes and Sdly. 1t will
secure to our vessels, at all times safe
passage through the straits of St. Clair :;
'or shoulo the enemy block up the head Of
ne strait with gun-boats, well assisted bv
batteries on either shore it would be impos-
Sio'e 10 force a passage; for besides the
currents running at the rate of eight miles
an hour, the channel Of the stream is sonar
row as to allow OF no more than enc vessel
passing ep at once, so that the bow guns of
the vessel alone could be brought to bear
sainst the tire from the boats and batteries
at the same time. Should the eneu,v take
possession OF that place and call in all hi,
Ihcians, assure you that IL would be no
easy matter to GUST him--for force conld
se sent from this only by water. a narch BIZ
tahd up sne 81. Clair being wholly iuipracti-
o'e OWING to the deep and mirY swamos
reaching out from the river farinto the conn
try. The enemy would not meet with ;nsu.
persbie difficulties in provisioning this poin,
the communication with York by the
way OF Lake Simcoe, beilg free and easy OF
access.
The fort on the Thames more effecua,,y
| fecures TINS frontier against surprise f,r in
defending the narrow pass down the thames
it completely cuts off all rommun;catior
te%cePt Ter tcOtmen) between the upper
townships and the settlements on the river
Detroit the situation Of the country being
Snch Is TO render it impossible from the
baInes road to Lake Erie on the one side.
or Lake Hsron on the other.
From the above, it is evident. that the
danger ct an Indian war. in the North west
IS, IN great measure, removed and that
ire British will speedily lose the influence
Wh'ch they have so long exercised over
that infatuated race. The capture of Mac.
Sinack' Ut. Joseph and St. Mary, which. we
tr0st' viii be Effected early in the summer
VIII efectually check If not ruin the trade
II the NJ w. company with the savages. 2,
secure US against the mschinations Of the
enemy IN that quarter. The British. II &c
sad, are building boats on Lake Simcce 81
at sinai bay near Gloucester bsy. but tie
object is supposed to be rather to maintain
the communication and provision the posts
above named, than for acting extensively
IL is not probable that our arms will meet
with any serious resistance at MackiDack
as the nature OF the country, and the si,ua~
tlon OF the place render any other opinion
ridiculous. Msckinaok is a small isIsnd
and there being 10 force 70 defend it besidr
the Indians, it is not in situation TO Tesiet
our attacks II the enemy mean to oppose
our progress the only place where they are
expected to unite their eflrts, will be AZ
st. Mary's. as that post is the grand Mace
ct depot for the n. w. Company, who i. !,
ascertsined, nave at least 500 nen in the;r
service. That post once conquered. II will
be IN no wise difficult for us to maintain onr
preponderance in that quarter, and to keen
the savages in subsection and if we are
not olInd to cur own interests, whatever
may be the state Of orr relations with ;bc
British, we shall hereafter have no cause 70
dread the incursicns nf the notives In
peace, they will be obliged 20 us for their
subsistence, and III war, they must either
remain neutral or support our cause. 7, is
TO be hoped, that whatever NAV he the
tate OF the pending negotiations with Great
Britain, the gscendancy vhich we bnyq Ga.
opjrPd in fhe uo-tI Sr,c4 --:it -.