Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-05-20

ct. Mary's, Captain Micklair from col. Scots
camp Immediately beat out for volunteers to
go and give them battle. Having alter some
time succeeded in assembling but four, (of
which number the writer of this article was one)
he proceeded cautiously along the river, re-
connoiter'ng the enemy during the night, Civ
ing the alarm to the inhabitants, and reinforc-
ing his hnie band as he advanced upwards
25lh, 8 o'clock A. " the Patriots on the oppo.
site shore caught the alarn-the enemy in the
mean time continued advancing without meeting
with any opposition, elated at the transporting
prospect OF plundering country houses, and
the renown they would gain in the destruction
certain wo,fs, sd,o mills, &c.--About r. NJ.
captain Micklair having reinforced his little
corps with eleven more, and concerted the
means oil attacking The enemy to the best ad :
vantage on both sides, posted himself fifty five
miles up the river, where le impatienty wait
ed their approach-As soon as the Flotilla had
assembled these ifty FIVE miles fand not " hun
tdred & upwards" as the Hslif x account says
and one mile below Camp Pinkney, within six
miles tanl not " three quarters OF mile'') Of
the slpot " infeaded TO be attacked" namely the
Saw Mills! The Patriots and Americans IA
mounting IN all to but forty sfs, poured IN such
regular and terrify ing charges from their mus
queiry, that the British Imagining they must
certainly b. Regulars and Riasmtn, thought it
most pru5entnct to land, but kept close 10 their
seats, when in a few minutes I'm, ers OF tbs IN
were dislodgeG AMI precipitated to eternity -
Alter some slight skirmishing a retreat he,ye-
ger, 1Uts deemed necessary by them and two
hundred and fifty heroes without being permit
ted eveh to disembark, were kept of from the
shore ny 40 Americans, and had to fight their
way down the river through the most CALLING
hre, MS far as Colerains-There the action be-
came stationary for Is minutes, being kept up
by the British with Tremendous discharges from
their cannon, congreve rockets, and small Grms
In this attack their colors were shot away,
which would have fallen into the hands of the
| Americans had they not previously sunk. The
Americans lost on this brilliant occasion, bus
one man--the brave, the gallant BROADWAY, /;
who, when dying, exultingiy exclaimed, '' ne
had seen three OF the enemy brought down by
his rife" The slirmishing was kept UP on
both sides, after O'Clock, p. without hard
ly any intermission, till dsrk--the enemy IN ey
cry instance, throwing their congreve rockets,
and hring their cannon, but TO no fleet; while
every shot from the Americana small srms eli.
ther killed or wounded some one or other of the
British. On the Goth, at 8 O'clock, A. NJ they
again passed St. Mary's, continuing their re.
treat TO their shipping.
This, sir, is the whole process of an expedite
on so honorable to the British.--They neper
| iaaced. Their fears had augmented QUE sup
posed numbers, md they did not dare to land
The Halifax account cody observes, that mos
Of the British crew had halls fhro' their befs I"
The fact is, they had balls through their beads
for altho'l cannot ascertain the exact loss
Mr. Hoicomb, deputy collector at st. Mary's,
who was prisoner on board the Primrose at
the TINE the expedition returned, states, that
there were sixteen dead and captain Phillut
severely wounded in the Primrose launch, and
that they were all buried on Cumberland Island
II then in one launch they lost sixteen, We may
suppose how many they must have lost in the
whole eight.
] am, Sir your ebedient servant,
b. C. HiPKINS.
Charleston. May 8. 1915.