Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-02-18
PUBLISHED BY
PHILIP DU-VAL & Co.
FORElGyv fTTELLIGE.rCE.
CONTINUATION OF ADVICES
BY THE PRIYATEER HARPY,
ARRIVED AT SALEM.
COLONIAL DEPARTMENT.,
Doz.ning Street, Nov. Q

COPY, has been received from Lieut.. Gen.
Sir George Provost Bart. addressed to
Earl Bathurst, one OF His Majesty's Prin-
oipal Secretaries of State.
Head Quarters, Platts6urg,
State Of .Neru York, Seft. IL. 1915.
MY LoRD-Upon the arrival of the re =
Inducements from the Garonne, lost no
tine in assembling three brigades on the
frontier of Lower Canada, extending from
the river Richelieu to the St Lawrence !;
and in forming them into a division under
the command of Major General De Rotten
burg, for tue purpose of carrying into eff
feet His Royal Highness the Prince Re-
gents commands, which had been conveYed
to me by your Lordship i'll your dispatch OF
the Sd of June last. As the troops concen.
trated and approached the line of separa-
tiou between this province and the u. States,
the American army abandoned It's antrench-
ed camp on the river Chazy, at Champlain;
q position Immediately seized. and ocsu-
pied in force on the Sd Inst> The follow.
Ing day the whole OF the left division adj.
vanccd to the village of Chazy, without
meeting the least opposition from the ene-
my,
Or the 5th it halted within miles of this
place, having surmountea the .Ahculties
created by the oostructions in the road,
from the telling OF trees, and the removal
of bridges. The next day, the division mo-
we'd upon Platts6urg in two columns, Oh
parallel roads; the right column led by
major general Powers brigade, supported
by foar companies OF light infantry, ani
demi brigade under major general Robin.
son; the left by major general Brisbane's
brigade. The enemy's militia supported
by his regulars, attempted to impede the
advance OF the right column, but we're dri-
ven before it from ell their positions, and
the 'coiumn entered Plattsburg. This rapid
movement having reversed the strong posi-
tion taken up by the enemy CT Dead Greek,
1t was precipitately abandoned by him, and
his gun'boats alone lett to defend the ford
and TO prevent our restoring the bridges,
which had been imperfectly destroyed. an
Inconvenience soon surmouDted. Here
found the enemy in the occupation of an c
= Ig-s 7lt'yys ii s,Fs. OF sSe South branch
Of tie Saranac, crowned with thee strong
redoubts and other field works and block
houses, armed with heavy ordnance, with
their fo;lia, (,he Saratoga, &c guns Sur
prize, 90 guns Thunderer, is guns; Pre-
bic, gus; 10 guna5oats, Is guns,) at ans
Choir nut OF gun shot from the shore, con
sisting of a ship, brig, sChr. sloop and
10 gun-boats / ira mediately communica.
ted the circumstance to Captain Downie,
who had been recently appointed to com
mand the vessels on Lake Champlain, con-
sisting Of snip, brig, 2 sIoops and IL
gun boats, Che Con6ance, SO guns: Lin
net, 1s guns; Broke, 10 guns; Shannon.
10 guns; IL gun.boats, is guns,) and re.
guested his cooperation and in the mean
time batteries were constructed for the guns
brought from the rear.
On the morning of the 11th, our flotilla
was seen over the is,hmus which joins Cum
berland Head with the main land steering
for P,attsburgh bay. Immediately order.
ed that part of the brigade under moj gen.
Robinson, which had been brought forward,
consisting of four light infantry companies.
2d battalion, 9th and 18th regiments, and
major general Powers brigade. consisting
OF the Sd, 5th, 1st battalion 9th and 53th
regiments. to force the ford of Saranac,
and advance. provided with scaling lad
ders, to escalade the enemy's works on the
heights; this force was placed under the
command of major general Robinson. The
batteries opened the fire the instant the
ships engaged.
1t is now, with deep concern inform
your Lordship. that, Notwithstanding the
led his Hotilla into action, my most sanguine
hopes OF complete success were, not long
afterwards, blasted, by combination, as
it appeared to us, of unfortunate events, TO
which naval warfare l. peculiarly exposed.
Scarcely had His Majesty's troops forced
a passage across the Saranac, and assembled
the height on which stand the cnemy's
works, when had tine extreme mOrtihca
ton TO hear the shout of victory from tn
enemy's works, in consequence of the Bri
tish Gag being lowered on board the Conf
ance and Lime, and to our gun beats
seeking their safety in fight. This unlock,
ed for evcnt depriving me og the cosoperas
ton Of the iiees, without which the further
proseca alton Of the service was become i'm,
practicable, ] did not hesitate to arrest
the course OF the troops advancing 10 the
attack, because the most complete success
would have been unavailing, aud the pos
session Of the enemy's works offered no
advantage TO compensate for the loss we
must have sustained in acquiring possession
Of them,
have o,dered the batteries 20 be dis
mantled, the guns withdrawn, aud the bag>
gage, with the wounded men who can be
removed, to be sent IN the rear, in order
that the troops may De sent to Chazy to-
morrow, and on the following day to Cham
plsin, where propose to halt until have
a5cer,alneG the use the enemy propose ma
King of the naval asccndancy they have ac-
CURED on Lake Champlain. l have the
honor to transmit herewith returns of the
loss sustained by the left division Of tile ar.