Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-07-01

h"nS, or tONfols battery, Wai cOUa .ructcd IN
snake TN. These two prime psi wodss were
comiecied by = line % e.nrelchmeals and ira
verse, which, e. ended a,so Ci tAe right Rom
Sort Ere to Niagara ii,ve,. ON tbs lel$, fo,n
Sake u / - the Lake, there was an aI5gisis.-
Rus a jriangulAr space Was enclosed. 'Thewhoie
s'iily lahore on thc Ines LlrOugh the dar and
some = tie more athletic in She night. During
the Woie n.S,t, OGc-tl ri Of the officers and men
.we;'c Kept up % the works attende, bv General
N'pie,' OF some one OF his iaily, rea,ly to res,s;
'itloen attack. by such great cxertlons a re-
spectacle defence was IN a few days constructed
II was sorr or iivcdays bcr)re Gen. Dsummond.
with a mitch superior force, epcamped opposite
ifiacS Rock, having unaccountablv lost an oppor-
tui'1y, winch could not be retrieved To his sur
prize he found our troops STRONGLY fortified.
len flames, who arrived from Sscketts Har-
Dor on the Al or 5th OF August, being superior
IN rank, took the command at Fort Ere but the
system OF yS lance and defence, which had been
instituted, was continued. Gen. Ripley resumed
me command OF his brigade, VIII. ch was stationed
on the left flank.
August 10Th, is memorable for the attack on
Iore Ere ard the repUlse OF he enemy At1or
Soclpck IN the morning, Zen. r plcy was satis-
iieu th'.t lile camp was TO be attacked ALWAYS
VlShaht and attentive to every occurrence, he had
hoticed the Cessation of ire from the batteries.
|hch, II continued, night irjure column IL It
shoIid be advancing ne.r the Lake He had no.
VCed also the barking ola dog in the woods, and
aeei' q distant hight ON the Lake shore Ordering
up ms whoie brigade to the works, he despatched
MS aa TO appilse Gen. Gaines of his conjecture.
zen "sineS soonrode up, and the piquet fred
ne vas SO satisfied with the arrangements Tor de-
Lenaing The lett funk, that he gave no orders to
Scn. hiPie,t The column that advanced on the
leit, by The POM Abino road, was l5OO strong
10 approach with secrecy, every flint was taken
OUT OF the guns, and reliance was to be placed
wholly on the blyonct When Lieut.. BelknaD of
t me 3D. stationed w.th the plquet guard, about
~ yards N front, discovered this large force ST.
lentiy advanc ng, he gave them his fire. and retr
ed m good order; but he was SO hard pushed.
and so anxious TO secure his men before he secur,
ca himself, that lie was bayonetted rs he entered
me sally-port, but escaped with his life. The
enemy, as he attacked the works, was arrested by
Such destructive 6rc from the 2lst regimeni.
under NdJor Wood, (Col Miller being at Buff.
iaiSJ ana rom Eowson's battery, to be COM
PEELED TO retreat
In short time the charge was renewed at the
SQUAD or bugle, and the attempt was made 10
force . passage between Towson's battery and
the Lake-ThIs line OF about so rods being a So
Ia ], rock, had no ditch or brea twork The only
aefence was a toierabe abbattis, behind which
we're posted three companies of the 2lst under
- ~ nA'''oh The enemy were gainrepulsed,
out lhey renewed the assault while a Diet eminent
~ htSl WdUcu out INTO tie Lake IN T.
iS' 10 pass around the abbattis and thus gain our
WORKS. Gen. Ripley observing this movement,
'f'ue'ed down two companies of reserve, under
'a!,I hopes 10 the waters edge 4 gan the as
S'lt was unsuccessful. MANY were killed and
noated rom the Lake down the river-and some
''.c-'P'hS 20 escape by swimming, were taken
PRISONERS. Thus the enemy on this flank were
Fepulsed IN every attack with the loss of 147 pr-
> heFs. Although the night was very dark, the
ilcst perfect orderwas observed. So regular, and
" "a Wt5 the hre ON this Hank that the enem
'9o y the hsht-hsHSe. The lines were perfectly
,ii~''4'ed our 10 the whole sctun, and Gea. RIP
icy was aplc 70 dctach five companies to the aid
% { ri5At dank, where the operations were not
50 successful The result is well known The
Sneihy c6low'edge loss of 905, while our loss
:, was 5niy 81 men. On the left flank there was a
loss OF only hive or Sax bayonetted Notwithstand
ms he dspar!ty of loss, and although he had
&c considerably re nforced, Gen. Games d: not
,,lhN IL prudent to sally out OF The works After
ten. eIaneS was wounded by shell, August 2S.
ven. h'Pley again took the command at Fort Er
IN ulis command he was continued by General
Grown AT his retufa to the front, During this
SeGe OF X weeks, he was frequently in imminent
"a ger from the shells and balls continually
thrown INTO c"iaP, some Of which pierced has
tent as ne was sitting in it. About the first of
sept GeA. Browns official account of the battle
ol N @gara was received in camp, in which TO Che
Stol!sEincnt OF the army, who confidence Gen
tiPIey always enjoyed. ne censured him for not
meeting and beating the enemy'' on the 26th OF
'uly' and IN VIII oh he gave him no praise for his
u"hduct IN the battle of the preceding nirht, al
t'louSh IN CONVERSATION he had repeatedly com.
'he'Gcd IN the most emphatic terms The JUS
.,ce of thiS censure may be estimated not only by
tae facts already mentioned, but also when Il IS
Fecolected, thai the same army of the enemy but
4 ht'Ie augmented, and diminished by the d s.
Cnarge OF the militia, and by the late loss of about
4OJo regular troops, was now cl9oey 6esefgine our
army, diminished, indeed, by the late loss OF 100
ana ny casualties, but reinforcement by the 19. n
,SShhent, by The rlfemen, and by other troops !
Even General Brown could mediate nothing
more tian sort'e. Gen. Ripley immediately re-
4ue5ted OF Gen. Brown that an inves tigat,on OF
ms conduct should be instituted but the reques,
DJeing DENIED, he demanded Of the Secretary az
war, Court OF Inquiry, which was promised as
soon as the requisite officers could be spared i.om
active service.
In executing the sorfe of Sept 17ih, general
X pley commands thereselve, which, he broucbf
up early to the support Of the advance and at.
Ter the batteries were carried, he was entrusted
by gen Brown with the command fthe whole.
20 ACT as circumstances might require At this
TINE he meditated attack on the eremv's
camp, hoping, during the panic Tie moment, to
carry IT, But repairing to the position in adj.
vance, occupied by the gallant major Brooke
wan ne 25d regt. 20 make some necessary in.
qlitr es and arIangemen EMS, he there received n
severe wound, and tel apparently dead, bgLwas