Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-12-06

&C..
Ripley Determined to commerce ais entrench-
Tents Immediately at the fort. Of the policy
and gensralshp of this decision, Ripley is enti-
tied TO the credit--After events sanction the
prudence vt the measure
General Ripley forthwith waited on Brown at
Buffalo, and solicited an order to recross the
streight with the frmy. --Brown directed him to
hoio ms position He obtained written order,
after repeated solicitation TO continue in Fort e.
RE. The enemy approached, with caution in six
or seven DAYS.
The frrnness and perseverance consequently
displayed, IN resisting the efforts of the British
army IN Upper Canada, directed against small
force, have furnished the proudest page of app
piause which soldiers can gain IN history. What
would have been the substantial loss to the ma
ton, II after severe conflict, fought with the
vslor afterwards displayed, this little army had
been captured Would it have been greater than
4 n had sbandoned the little spot and fed, with
shame, to The opposite shere i--No. The sdyan-t
| 'age would have been Immensely greater, to my
country, thln what the cold calculations of prus
deDce would havs saved BY retiring.
Brown had dispatched an order for General
Ganes, IN whom he could safely cohfiie, on the
night of the 18th, from the camp at Chippewa.
ihis General arrived about the 5th of August
one who required no order to preserve the honor
| OF the army, in defending the position it occu.
| pied.
Ripley had constructed his defences bv lines of
entertainments round the camR--and works on ach
flank were commenced with zeal, under the di-
! rectien Of tic Engineers, .JT'Ree and JYood.
| Soon after the enemy had invested the works,
Ripley requested furlough from General Brown.
me request was repeated previously to Browns
departure from Buffalo.
The British commander made an attempt to
| cut off our supplies by the capture of Buffalo.
This was defeated in the most gallant and able
| manner, by Morgan, with two companies of the
lst rifiemen. The services of Hannsond, who
wae mo tullx Il al
fuently killed, and the other distinguished eff.
GERS OF his detachment have never been rewar.
ded with those honors which were due to the q.
chleyernent Its consequences to the army are
not to be calculaed-for we possessed at the mo.
| ment, but one days provisions IN Canada
| Or the attack OH fort Erie, the 18th of August,
and sanguinary defeat OF the enemy, the applause
OF the result is principally due, with tru H. to the
vigilance OF the able and experienced gen Gaines
| The defences which Ripley had commenced
were continued. The devotion to duty tiisplay-
| ed by the troops, and the indefatgabIe applica-
ton peculiar 10 the general in coTpmand could
never have been surpassed n any service When
| Ripley supPoses he sent his aid, captain King,
/ with the Srst intimaton of the enemy's approach
1 to Gaines, the general and his AID were mounting
| their horses:
| A bistion Of the work on the risht was taken.
Here Williams and McDonough were killed at
the embrasures, rendering free though costly
| sacrifice to the1ionour of their country. Trim-
Die who commanded the infantry i'm the Fort
displayed iirmness and valor not to be excelIeds
l and III Hindman, who commanded the aP,Iie:v.
was seen the ability of veteran
| Aspinwall, with the remnant 9th 1t,b 81
22d of the LIST brigade preserved the dist;nepish-
| ed character OF those regiments in DEFENDING the
right next the river VIC
On the left, Wood and Towson performed What
alone would have distinguished any Other men
WOO mao command OF battalion of the 21st.
anu io ,St OF the battery called By his
name. The gallant Lieutenant Belknap com
manied Piquet opposite Towson, and only re-.
tired as the enemy advanced
me leit work was considered the weakest mo-
sition OF the lines, and therefore the Creates M
| Psraton was made for its defence The supnIv
S ~, 70 lle ola Fort on the right was de-
ncient. The captured bastion was blown ~,
and the victory won, with disparity of lose eP
uaordlnary IN the victory of battles. until The
victory OF JACKSON at New Orleans s,,r,r,led IL
| American record with another instance --0
Inc remark is here due to truth that the a.
'euP' slouil nave been made to capture one or
more OF the routed columns ofthe enemy no lie
DAY broke agreeably to the timely suggestion of,
NC Zee. The column Of the De JYateJ-,;Hs re
gIment, without hnts, on the Lake road. vas
| completely separated from the main body
Inc enemy now directed his whole attert;o, ~
All messing cnmohade and bombardment of a
position which he could not attack with success
Within two or three days from this R,,Ie,, -
celved his leave of absence and left live 49,,
with his personal staff On his arrival NJ coa',,.
dgna' he met the printed report of the battle oF
| the Fails-in which the Command ne. .,ensro -.
want OF confidence in him was published IN The
nation; On consulting his staff, wheth r he
should proceed on his visit to the ni eiior or sect
redress by returning TO the army, and endeayor-
ing TO regain his lost standing with the Officers
ne was probably determined by the indigI,ant dc
cision OF Mcdonald, in favor Of reio,nne his br,-
gade.h JOi'i"s MS or'-
On the 2Sth Gaines was wounded sever.1,,
Dy me explosion of one of the largest shell fro4
me enemy in the room in which he was wr,t,na,
AT THIS period Ripley had returned 90 Bnfsio
aha became The senior officer on the frontier
Brown having recovered so far as 10 rd- IN !.
carriage was on his way to Buffalo, when he met
memorial from the citizensurging him TO has en-
ms return, reciting the unfortunate accident 10
Oaines, and expressing the utmost alarm for tie
SAFETY OF the army, from the person To whom fbe
command would deyolye Ripley left the com
Tnand with Miller, until Browns arrival, and re.
manned few days at Buffalo.
When Ripley moved over TO the Port. a com
rhhtee OF Field officers, from the division. waited
on Brown at Buffalo, 20 represent the NECESSITY
OF ms taking up his quarters, whether IN or well
~ the works ct Erie. Yet general Brown suffer.
ca this ohicer, without accusation before the armv
to assume tn anil ,FI H.. -