Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-05-13

NeP.W yAy Ok' the tusliuErS, miiitary seCres
sary to the late Ccm of the forces.
VIII have the honour Of delivering to your
Lordship these dispatches. Knowing how
much heepjpyed his esteem, & was in his con.
hdnce from long experience of his talents,
A ieei cannot do less than pay this tribute to
wat Conceive would be the wishes of his
'ase General, and 20 -,nmend him strngly
go your LoSisaip's protection.
Ihave, &c
JOIN LAMBERT.
Major Gen. Commanding,
Here follow the Reports from Major Gene.
raj keane and Col. Thornton, and the
Extract from the Journal of Major Forest,
Which detail subordinate circumsta noes.
Ionnanf. off ChGndeleur's
Island, January %.
After maturely celebrating
on the situation of this army, after the conn
mand had unfortunately devolved upon mo,
on the 9Th inst. and duly considering what
PROBABILITY now remained of CARRYING on with
success, on the same plan, an attack against
new Orleans, It appeared to me that it
ought rot to be persisted in. immediately
commu nicated to Wee Admiral Sir A. Coch
rane, that did not think it would he prp.
dent to make any further attempt at pre-.
SEN, and that / recommended re-embark-
Ing The army as soon as possible, with view
TO carry into effect the other objects of the
force employed upon this coast; from the
9ta ms 1t was determined that the army
should retreat, and have the satisfaction
OF informing your Lordship, that it was eff
ieCleu on the night OF the 18th instant, and
GROUND was taking up on the morning of the
hot I'll 81.
whlcn the troops had entered on their dis
embarkat,tn, ID miles from their position be.
fore the eneny's line. covering New Orleans
on the lett bank of the Mississippi, and one
Inne IRON the entrance into Lac BorgBe !:
tue army remained in bivoaac till the 9th
instant, when the whole were re-inlbark-
ed
10 stating 'he circumstances of this re-
treat TO Your Lordship, shall confidently
trust that ven VIII see, that good order and
discipline ever existed in this army, and that
zeal for she service and attention was ever
conapicvouS tn officers of all ranks, Your
l. 'rush p Is ready acquainted with the DO
mon tac army occuied. its advanced post
Close no to the ene,ay's lire, and the greater
part OF the arby were exposed to the fire
OF MS batteries which vas unremitting day
ana niSht since The LIST OF January, when the
retreat was effected without being harrassed
in any degree by the enemy all the sick and
wounded {, it'll the exec ton of eishtv whom
1t was considered dangerous to remove. !
neid artillery, amniuni i'm, hospital aud 9TH
er stores OF every description, which had
oeen landed on very large scale, we're
brought away, and nothing fell into tie enc,
ny's hands, excepting six iron 10 FOUNDERS,
mounted on sea carriages, and two carron..
AIDES which were in pos tion on the left bank
OF the Mississippi to bring them off at the
moment the army was retiring was imnsssi.
bic, and to have done il previously would
have exposed the whole force to any fire the
enemy might have sent down the river
These batteries were Of course DESTROYER,
and the guns rendered perfectly unservicea.
bic (: only four men were reported absent
next morning, and these, / suppose, must
have been left behind and have fallen into
the hands of the enemy but when it is con.
sljered the troops were in perfect ignorance
OF the movement, until a fixed hour during
the night that the batta iona we're drawn
OFT IN succession, and that III piCquets did
not move off till past three o'clock i'm the
morning, and that the whole had to retire
through the most difficult new made road,
cut IN marshy ground, impossible for horse
and where, IA many places, the men could
only go in single files, and that the absence
OF men might be accouoted for in so many
ways, it would be rather matter of surprise
the number was so few.
An exchange of prisoners has been effect.
ed with the enemy upon very fair terms.
and their attention to the brave prisoners,
and wounded, that have fallen into their
hands, has been kind and humane, I have
every reason TO believe.
However unsuccessful the termination of
the late service, the army and navy have
been employed upon, has turned out, il
would be injustice not TO point out how much
praise is due to their exertions ever since the
18th Dec. when the army began TO move
from the ships, the fatigue of disembarking.
and bringing up artillery and supplies from
such distance has been incessant and
must add, that owing TO the exertions of the
navy, the army has never wanted provisions.
The labor and fatigue of the seamen and
soldiers were particularly conspicuous on
the night OF the 9TH inst. when fifty boats
were dragged through canal into the Mis-
sisspPi, 10 which there was only Is inches of
water, and am confident that Vice Admi-
raj Sir A. Coehrane, who suggested the pos.
sibility Of this operation, will be equally rea-
dy to admit this, as we'll as the hearty CO.
operation of the troops on all occasions.
From what has come under my own OBJ
servatIon sinSe joined this army, and from
Official reports that have been made to me,
beg to eau year Lordsbip's attention to in