Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1815-12-02

| tish army male regular approaches, the
| next day, TO retaSc the position.
On RIpley's arrival IN camp, he was sent
for by Gen. Brown, who gave him orders
forcibly expressed, to have the troops re-
freshed, and be on the field of battle with
the whole, before day the next nuruing,
and resume the position. Ripley i;soheyel
the order. That when he ccrnmended IN
the field, he was authorised 70 pursue the
dictates CT his Judgment, and o. his arrival
before the enemy, to act accord ng 70 cir
cumstances, ,suot deuied. Blu, he DISC
beyed the order Of advance.
Ripley moved oct, betwt en- ard 8, of
the morning of the 26th. and found the en-
envy il possession Of the field. On bis re.
turn 70 camp, he expressed to Sen Brawn
his appr' tensions of the enemy S nnned:-
ate advance. The wounded generals
Browa and Scott, were hurried over to
Schlcsser, with rs many other wounded
officers as could be suddenly conveyed J.
Cross the Streeht
A Retreat was ordered, carving in6ica
tons az alarm and disgrace (g) n those
soldiers who had conquered in action the
ground which they had already res'gncd.
Their numbers were too few TO rive battle
or to attack the enemy in pos,tion--bue
their noble breasts did net deserve the de-
gradation of fight after tn .r brave rug.
giles FOR that UicfoTy, which will distne,ii h
their couytry, as long S the catarac t which
borders the battle-ground, shall distinguish
the soil.
The unfortunate Spencer was left in A
house OH the road side. Nothing was left
in the eucampment viii h could BE- Of ad-
vantage to The enemy, as what ouid MT be
hastily transported, was set fire tn. The
exhausted tro ps were not perr itted To
ce Sc their march with the approach CT
night they halted before day in column
near Fort ET c In the morning the prin-
c'p i OH erS were con suited /; and in con-
sheraton ofthe moral effect which the
measure would have on the soIJiierv. p. b.
PORTER, M'REE, WooD, and thu pencr-
al staff present, opposed our retiring un-
der the very walls Of the fort, which was
the proposition of Ripley, but suggested
our first taking position on the heights in
advance. Ripley determined II commence
his entertainments immediately 1T the
lori O the p icy and gcnerelslip of this
dccis %, Ripley is entitled 60 Oh credit
amer vents sanction the prudence of the
meas,
ia. RS, v.l..,,,'--ze. .Ldssal
Brown at Buffalo. ana solicited an order
60 .ootoss the streight with the as,nv.-.
Brown directed him to hold his position.
He Obtained 7y1ittc;l order. after repeated
solicitation, to continue in Fort Erie. The
enemy approached, with caution, in six or
seven days.
The frmness and perseverance conse-
quently displayed, in resisting the efforts
Of the British army in Upper Canada. di-
rected against so small force, have fur
nished the pFoudest: page. Of applause
which soldiers can gain in history What
would have beenth- substantial loss to the
nation, If, after a severe confi t, fcuehe
with tSe valor afterwards displayed, this
little army had been captured Would
it have been greater than if 1t had aban-
doned the little spot, and Aed, with shine.
to the opposite shore mo. The advau-
tage would have been immensely greater,
to my country, than what the Geld calcu-
latons of prudence would have saved by
retiring.
Brown had dispatched an order for Cen
cral Gaines, in whom he could safely con-
iide, on the night of the 25th, from the
camp at Chippewa. This General ARR
we'd about the 5th Of August-one who re-
CURED no order to preserve the honor f
the In defending the position it oo-
cupIed.
Ripley had constructed his offences BY
lines Of ent enchments round the cann-
and works on each flank were Common
ced with zeal, under the direction Of the
Engineers, NI'Rec and jVood. Soon after
the enemy had invested the works, Rip
ly requested furlough from General
Brown. The request was repeated pre-
viously to Browns departure from Buha-
10.
The British commander made an at
tempt to cut offour supplies by the capture
of Bufalo. This was defeated in the most
gallant and able manner, by Morgan, with
two companies e the 1st rifemen. Tn.
services of Hammond, who WIS morttlly
wounded, Morgan, who was subs -quent,y
killed, and the other distinguished officers
OF his detar hment, have never been rewar-
ded with those honors which were due IL
the achievement. It's consequences 70 the
army arc not to be calcuIated--fnr we pos
scssed at the moment, but one days p.ovis-
ions in Canada.
Ofthe attack on fort Erie, The 15,h Of
August, and sanguinary defeat Of the enc
my, the applause Of the result is prin-
cipally due, with truth, to the Wig lance Il
the able and experienced General Gaines.
Thedefsuces which Ripley had conner
ced were continued. The devotion 20 duty
displayed by the troops, and tic inCefat'
gable appic cation peculiar to the generalin
command, could never havc been suroass.
ed in any service. When Ripley suppoqes
he sent his aid, captain Krbv, with the
first indm1tion OF the ercmy's appraach 10
G7ines, TIE general and his aid were noun
ing their horses.
a elton rs tho troe. an 49, ,,.-ta -