Litchfield enquirer., 1838-01-18
NIAGARA FAILS, Jan. 1.


 Gov. Head is now at Chippewa. He arri ved there yesterday morning. He first hearC of the Schlosser outrage at Niagara; and st ] incenSed is he said to have been at McNabl for having over reached his duty, that he pro ceeded alone and in the night, post haste, tC head quarters, to reprimand him. But wheT ! he got there, and heard McNab's story, he became reconciled and good natured. The fact is, his hatred to the Americans will in duce him to justify any open acts of rebellion against them.
 In the same steamboat which brought the governor 10 Niagara, there arrived l6 regu. lars-6 cannon and 3 bombs-all os which were immediately despatched to Chippewa
 The loyal force opposite is large. It con, sists of from to 500O-7S of whom are regu. lars, ard or 500 of them Indians They have also lo pieces of ordnance-6 or { bombs and moriarS-congrcve rockets and ammunition to any amount.
 The force of the Islanders is not as large It IS said here to consist of from 1900 to 2OO( -DOid, resolute men, who arc determined upon victory. Their ammunition is abun dant' and their ordnance (25) we'll arranged
 An important movement is now on foot A number of gentlemen residing upon inc frontier, are making an effort to either recon. Gle the billegerents, or to obtain an agree. ment from Gov. Head to permit Van Rens. selaer to obtain foothold, unmolested, upon the main land. where the battle might be fair. ly fought. A willingness to do so has been expressed by many of McNabb's officers, if not by McNabb himself. The fact is, not one in four of the officers, and not one in six of the men are willing, or will ever volunteer or consent to attack the Island, and this is known; and 1t would be quite an object fl they could entice Van Rensselaer, on to the main shore.
 Answers to negotiations for the above ob. ject are expected today. But do not be- lieve he will go willingly-if there is any nope of goading the loyalists into an attack upon the Island. It is what he and all his men want, and what McNab and all his men dread.
 General Arcularius, Commissary General of New York, yesterday demanded the sur- render of the cannon. belonging to the State, and now on Navy Island.
 The General promised reply in writing today. l presume this demand is mere formality, so as to be able legally to insist upon them should they fall into the hands of McNabb.
 1.-the parties do not consent to meet on the main land, shall look for an attack tonight or tomorrow.
 There is rumor here that Mcleod, with 15 men, were driven over the Falls, by shot from the Island on Sunday night. It is cer- tain that he is missing, and the rumor is cur rent on both sides and generally believed. The Islanders are in high glee, and confi- dent of success.
 P. s. have this moment heard that Van Rensselaer, refuses to accept an unmolested landing, should it be proffered by him; and that he also respectfully begs leave to hold on to the arms now in his possession.
 BUFFALO, Jan. 5, 1888.
 Dear Sir ir:-Heavy firing having been heard here for four hours past, great anxiety has been felt in reference to the expected battle at Navy Island. The cars have just come up, by which we learn that the royal ists commenced tremendous fire upon the Island from the main shore, at o'clock this afternoon. They have l6 pieces of artillery and several mortars, all of which arc in the most active operation. The force is about 4OOO militia, 200 regulars, and 25O Indians the latter mostly arrived last night in canoes, from above. With these, and the assistance of the Steamboat Thames and their Schoon- CTS lying at Black Creek, two miles above the Island, it is expected they will attack the Patriots to night, and God knows what may be the result. A great loss of life will ensue, at any rate, as the Patriots are pretty we'll prepared, and the Island itself is almost im- pregnable. The Patriot force is about 1000 to l2OO, as near as we can learn, and a more determined set of men, for good or evil, were probably never congregated. They have also 20 pieces of artillery, and are well SUD- piled with small arms and other munitions of war. We are of course waiting with in. tense anxiety to hear from them.
 NIAGARA FALLS, Friday, Jan. 5.
 Expectation is still on tip-toe, and Col. Mo. Nabb is still in Canada. Gen. Van Rensse- laer, too, is still on Navy Island, and Navy Island is still unscathed. Gov Head, how ever, has threatened to cut down every tree l 1t contains with his 24 pounders. and Mo Nabb has asserted that in 30 minutes after he commences the attack, he will rake it fore and aft. But this is all humbug. The tall oaks of the forest will bid defiance to British powder and oakland so will the Patriots.- A force of 5000 men will be necessary to eff feet landing, and then it would be matter of extreme doubt. McNabb cannot raise 2OOO men for the expedition. The Marshal has ordered that no arm. shall hereafter be allowed to pass to Navy Island from this shore; but he cannot pre- vent it. Yesterday, 30 volunteers came 1T from Chautaque county, armed and equip ped. The Marshal attempted to proven their embarkment; but he might as wei have attempted to cork up the Niagara Fall. in a junk bottle.
 l made some discoveries in Chippewa which McNabb did not intend should make probably. On Tuesday there were 40 or 5( boats in the creek. Now there are only { or ID. They have been taken in the nigh up Black Creek-clearly indicating that ar attack is intended.
 We also discovered, that the cannon ha, all been removed with one or two excentions