ment, was fired upon by an extensive line of Indians and British, at the lower part of Maguago, about 14 miles from Detroit. Capt. Snelling maintained his ground in a most gallant manner, under a very heavy fire, until the arrival of the main body, under Lieut. Col. Miller, when a general attack was made on the enemy, who was compelled to retreat before the Americans. The route continued until fatigue, and the approach of night, rendered it necessary to desist from further pursuit.

A short time previous to the surrender of Detroit, a provisional agreement was entered into by General Dearborn, and Colonel Baynes, the British adjutant-general, that neither party should act offensively before the decision of the American government should be taken on the subject. This suspension of hostilities, was grounded on a letter from Sir George Prevost, Governor of Lower Canada, to General Dearborn, suggesting the probability of a general suspension of hostilities, in consequence of a proposed suspension or repeal of the British orders in council, of which Mr. Foster, late minister to the United States, had received advices on his arrival at Halifax. Whether Governor Prevost seriously believed all which he represented, or that the suspension of hostilities, which did not include the operations of Detroit, was intended. to favour the British army in that quarter, cannot now be determined; it, however, enabled the British to reinforce General Brock, and probably contributed to the fall of Detroit. The American government, viewing the British proposition as coming in an indirect manner, offering no satisfactory security for its observance, and adhering with little variation to their for

mer pretences, did not hesitate to disagree to the proposal. The armistice terminated on the 8th September.

The disgraceful surrender of Detroit was, in some degree, to be compensated for, by the bravery of American seamen. On the 19th Aug. 1812, the American frigate Constitution, Captain Isaac Hull, fell in with his Britannic majesty's frigate Guerriere, Captain J. R. Dacres, in lat. 40, 20, N. lon. 55, W. and after a severe action of 30 minutes, during which the Americans displayed great superiority in tactics and courage, the British ship surrendered.

The Guerriere suffered so much in her rigging and hull, and was so entirely disabled, that it was found impossible to tow her into port; she was of course burnt, by order of Captain Hull, as soon as the prisoners were removed.

The Guerriere had been formerly a French 44, but was rated only at 38; she carried 49 guns.

The following official account of her capture from the French, by the British naval captain, Lavie, places this point in an indisputable view, as the advocates of Britain, sorely hurt by this proof of the superiority of American naval tacties, endeavoured to misrepresent the relativesize and force of the American and British frigates.

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From Capt. LAVIE to Lord KEITH.

Blanche, Yarmouth, July 26, 1806. "MY LORD--I have the honour to acquaint you of my return to Yarmouth to day, having in comp ny the Guerriere frigate, commanded by Monsieur Hu bert, of the Legion of Honour, whom I captured on the 19th inst in long 62, off the Faro Islands, after a sharp contest of 45 minutes."

"Le Guerriere is of the largest class of frigates, mounting fifty guns, with a complement of 317 men, but they were very soon sadly reduced by our destructive fire, and the ship has also suffered very severely, while the damages of the Blanche were confined to the topmasts, rigging, and sails.

"THOMAS LAVIE.

The following is a return of the killed and wounded.

On board the Constitution, one lieutenant of marines, and six seamen--Total killed, 7. Two officers, four seamen, and one marine--Total wounded, 7. Total killed and wounded, 14.

On board the Guerriere, killed 15, wounded 63, missing 27--Total, 105.

The most enthusiastic joy was manifested. throughout every part of the United States, on the arrival of advices of this engagement. Captain Hull and his men received, wherever they appeared, the most unbounded applauses. Thanks. were voted by Congress, and by several public. bodies; and Congress appropriated 50,000 dollars, to be given to the officers and crew of the Constitution, as an indemnification for the loss sustained by the destruction of the Guerriere.

Her navy was the chief boast of England, and on it was her chief reliance; yet she was destined to meet her greatest wounds and disasters on the watery element.

On the 17th July, the British appeared before Sacket's Harbour, with the Royal George, of 24 guns, the Prince Regent, of 22, Elmira, of 20, Seneca, of 18, and another armed vessel, A message was sent ashore, demanding the surrender of the American vessel of war, the Oneida; and also the late British schooner, Nelson,

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seized for a breach of the revenue laws. compliance with this demand being peremptorily refused, the enemy advanced within gun shot. A firing began from a 32 pounder ashore, and was returned by the squadron, which stood. off and on. A brisk cannonading was continued for more than two hours, when a shot from the 32 pounder having raked the flag ship of the enemy, as she was wearing to give another broadside, the squadron fired a few guns, and bore away for Kingston, the citizens greeting them with the good old tune of "Yankee Doodle," from all the music at the post. The British shipping appeared to be much injured. Not a man lost on the American side.

The steadiness of the American troops, and the alacrity with which the neighbouring detachments and volunteers, to the amount of nearly 3000, assembled for the protection of this important post, was, at this early stage of the war, a pleasing presage of what might be hereafter expected, when men would become more inured: to danger. Col. Bellinger commanded the American troops. Capt. Woolsey, who commanded the Oneida, having sailed from the harbour, and reconnoitered the enemy, returned and moored his vessel, with a spring on her cable, near the battery; and giving the command of her to his lieutenant, he went ashore and took command of the 32 pounder, which, under his direction, did very considerable damage to the enemy.

The Frigate Essex, Captain Porter, sailed on a cruise, from New York, on the 3d July, and arrived in the Delaware, the 7th September.. On the 13th August, the Essex fell in with the British sloop of war Alert. The Alert bore

down, and commenced an action, which lasted eight minutes; she was much cut to pieces, had seven feet water in her hold when she struck, and three men wounded. The Essex received no injury.

Captain Porter having thrown the guns of the Alert overboard, despatched her as a cartel to St. John's, in Newfoundland, with about 500 prisoners which he had taken in the Alert, and from other captured vessels.

This measure was adopted in consequence of a written agreement between Captain Porter of the Essex, and Captain Laugharne of the Alert. It was calculated to convenience both parties, and to lessen the evils of warfare. A proposition originating in the humanity of the American commander ought to have been met by the most prompt and faithful acquiescence by the prisoners, and the British commanders. Lieutenant P. Wilmer was sent in command of the Alert, which was to be sailed by her own crew, so great was the confidence placed in their honour; yet it appears that the crew took the command of the vessel from Lieutenant Wilmer, and went on shore without submitting in any manner to his controul. Admiral Sir T. Duckworth, who commanded at St. John's, countenanced this conduct in the first instance, but afterwards submitted to the arrangement, which, he nevertheless, contended, was utterly inconsistent with the laws of war."

Governor Prevost, of Lower Canada, issued a proclamation on the 19th September, by which all citizens of the United States are ordered to quit Canada by the 15th of October; till which time they may depart with their moveable property, by permission of three of the council.