free, owing to our receiving several shot so much below the water's edge, that we could not plug the holes from the outside. The Governor Tompkins with her foremast gone, and the squadron within about 6 miles of the head of the lake, blowing a gale of wind from the east, and increasing, with a heavy sea on, and every appearance of the equinox.

I considered, that if I chased the enemy to his anchorage, at the head of the lake, I should be obliged to anchor also; and, although we might succeed in driving him on shore, the probability was, that we should go on shore also he amongst his friends-we amongst our enemies; and, after the gale abated, if he could succeed in getting off one or two vessels out of the two fleets, it would give him as completely the command of the lake, as if he had 20 vessels; moreover, he was covered, at his anchorage, by a part of his army, and several small batteries thrown up for the purpose; therefore, if we could have rode out the gale, we should have been cut up by their shot from the shore. Under all these circumstances, and taking into view the consequences resulting from the loss of our superiority on the lake, at this time, I, without hesitation, relinquished the opportunity, then presenting itself, of acquiring individual reputation, at the expence of my country. The loss sustained by this ship was considerable, owing to her being so long exposed to the fire of the whole of the enemy's fleet; but our most serious loss was occasioned by the bursting of one of our guns, which killed and wounded 22 men, and tore up the top-gallant forecastle, which rendered the gun, upon that deck, useless. We had 4 other guns cracked in the muzzle, which rendered their use extremely doubtful. Our main top. gallant mast was shot away in the early part of the action; and the bowsprit, fore and main-mast wounded; rigging and sails much cut up, and a number of shot in our hullseveral of which were between wind and water; and 27 men killed and wounded, including those by the bursting of the gun. The Madison received a few shot, but no person hurt on board; the Governor Tompkins lost her foremast, and the Oneida her main top-mast badly wound

ed; we have, however, repaired all our damages, and are ready to meet the enemy.

During our chase, one, if not two of the enemy's vessels were completely in our power-if I could have been satisfied with so partial a victory; but I was so sure of the whole, that I passed them unnoticed; by which means they finally escaped.

I have the honor to be, &c.

Hon. W. Jones, Sec. Navy.

ISAAC CHAUNCEY.

FURTHER, OF PROCTOR'S DEFEAT. Copy of a letter from Maj. General Harrison, to the Secretary of War, dated

Head-Quarters, Detroit, Oct. 9th, 1813.

SIR-In my letter from Sandwich, of the 30th ult. I did myself the honor to inform you, that I was preparing to pursue the enemy on the following day: from various causes, however, I was unable to put the troops in motion until the morning of the 2d instant; and then to take with me about 140 of the regular troops, Johnson's mounted regiment, and such of Gov. Shelby's volunteers as were fit for a rapid march; the whole amounting to about 3,500 men. To Gen. M'Arthur, (with about 700 effectives,) the protecting this place, and the sick, was committed. Gen. Cass's brigade, and the corps of Lieut. Col. Ball, were left at Sandwich, with orders to follow me as soon as the men received their knapsacks and blankets, which had been left on an island, in lake Erie.

The unavoidable delay at Sandwich was attended with no disadvantage to us; General Proctor had posted himself at Dalson's, on the right bank of the Thames, (or Trench) 56 miles from this place, where, I was informed, he intended to fortify, and wait to receive me. He must

have believed, however, that I had no disposition to follow him, or that he had secured my continuance here by the reports that were circulated, that the Indians would attack and destroy this place, upon the advance of the army-as he neglected to commence the breaking up the bridges, until the night of the 2d instant ;-on that night, our army reached the river, which is 25 miles from Sandwich, and is one of four streams, crossing our route, over all of which are bridges; and, being deep and muddy, are not fordable for a considerable distance into the country: the bridge, here, was found entire; and, in the morning, I proceeded, with Johnson's regiment, to save, if possible, the others. At the second bridge, over a branch of the river Thames, we were fortunate enough to capture a Lieutenant of Dragoons, and 11 privates, who had been sent by General Proctor to destroy them. From the prisoners, I learned that the third bridge was broken up, and that the enemy had no certain information of our advance ;-the bridge, having been imperfectly destroyed, was soon repaired, and the army encamped at Drake's farm, 4 miles below Dalson's.-The river Thames, along the banks of which our route lay, is a fine deep stream, navigable for vessels of considerable burthen; after the passage of the bar, at its mouth, there is six and a half feet water.

The baggage of the army was brought from Detroit in boats, protected by three gun-boats which Commodore Perry had furnished for the purpose, as well as to cover the passage of the army over the Thames itself, or the mouths of its tributary streams; the banks being low, and the country generally open, (priaries,) as high as Dalson's, these vessels were well calculated for that purpose. Above Dalson's, however, the character of the river and adjacent country is considerably changed; the former, though still deep, is very narrow, and its banks high and woody.

The Commodore and myself, therefore, agreed upon the propriety of leaving the boats under a guard of 150 infantry; and I determined to trust to fortune, and the bravery of my troops, to effect the passage of the river.

Below a place called Chatham, and 4 miles above Dalson's, is the third unfordable branch of the Thames; the bridge over its mouth had been taken up by the Indians, as well as that at M'Gregor's mills, one mile above. Several hundred of the Indians remained to dispute our passage, and upon the arrival of the advanced guard, commenced a heavy fire from the opposite bank of the creek, as well as that of the river. Believing that the whole force of the enemy was there, I halted the army, and formed in order of battle; and brought up our two six pounders, to cover the party that were ordered to repair the bridge; a few shot, from those pieces, soon drove off the Indians, and enabled us, in 2 hours, to repair the bridge, and cross the troops. Col. Johnson's mounted regiment, being upon the right of the army, had seized the remains of the bridge at the mills, under a heavy fire from the Indians. Our loss, upon this occasion, was 2 killed, and 3 or 4 wounded -that of the enemy was ascertained to be considerably greater. A house, near the bridge, containing a considerable number of musquets, had been set on fire; but it was extinguished by our troops, and the arms saved. At the first farm, above the bridge, we found one of the enemy's vessels on fire, loaded with arms and ordnance stores; and learned that they were a few miles ahead of us, still on the right bank of the river, with a great body of Indians. At Bowles' farm, 4 miles from the bridge, we halted for the night; found two other vessels, and a large distillery, filled with ordnance and other valuable stores, to an immense amount, in flames; it was impossible to put out the fire-two 24 prs. with their carriages, were taken, with a large quantity of ball and shell, of various sizes.

The army was put in motion, early on the morning of the 5th. I pushed on, in advance, with the mounted regiment, and requested Gov. Shelby to follow, as expeditiously as possible, with the infantry; the Governor's zeal, and that of his men, enabled them to keep up with the cavalry; and, by 9 o'clock, we were at Arnold's mills, having taken, in the course of the morning, two gun boats, and several batteaux, loaded with provisions and ammunition. A rapid, at the river at Arnold's mills, affords the only

fording to be met with, for a very considerable distance; but, upon examination, it was found too deep for the infantry. Having, fortunately, taken two or three boats, and some Indian canoes, on the spot, and obliging the horsemen to take a footman behind each, the whole were safely crossed by 12 o'clock, Eight miles from the crossing, we passed a farm where a part of the British troops had encamped the night before, under the command of Col. Warburton; the detachment, under General Proctor, had arrived, the day before, at the Moravian towns, four miles higher up. Being now certainly near the enemy, I directed the advance of Johnson's regiment to accelerate their march, for the purpose of procuring intelligence; the officer commanding it, in a short time, sent to inform me, that his progress was stopped by the enemy, who were formed across our line of march: one of the enemy's waggoners also being taken prisoner, from the information received from him, and my own observation, assisted by some of my officers, I soon ascertained enough of their disposition, and order of battle, to determine that, which it was proper for me to adopt.

I have the honor, herewith, to enclose you my general order, of the 27th ult. prescribing the order of march, and of battle, when the whole army should act together; but, as the number and description of the troops had been essentially changed, since the issuing the order, it became necessary to make a corresponding alteration in their disposition.

From the place where our army was last halted, to the Moravian towns, a distance of about three and a half miles, the road passes through a beach forest, without any clearing; and, for the first two miles, near to the bank of the river; at from 2 to 300 yards from the river, a swamp extends parallel to it, throughout the whole distance; the intermediate ground is dry, and, although the trees are tolerably thick, it is in many places clear of underbrush; across this strip of land, its left appuayed upon the river, supported by artillery, placed in the wood; their right in the swamp, covered by the whole of their Indian forcethe British troops were drawn up.