determined to postpone crossing over, until more complete preparation would enable me to embark at once, according to your instructions: the next day was spent in such preparations, and the troops were ordered to be again at the place of embarkation, at 8 o'clock, on the morning of the 30th November. On their arrival, they were sent into the adjacent woods, there to build fires, and remain until 3 o'clock in the morning, of the 1st of December, when it was intended to put off two hours before day-light, so as to avoid the fire of the enemy's cannon; in passing the position which, it was believed they occupied below, to land above Chippewa, assault that place, and, if successful, march through Queenstown, to fort George. The Contractor was called on, to furnish rations, for 2500 men, for four days; when it was found, he could furnish the pork, but not the flour; sixty barrels were required, and only thirty furnished. The embarkation commenced; but was delayed by circumstances, so as not to be completed until after day-light-when it was found, the regular infantry, 688 men, the artillery, 177 men, Col. Swift's volunteers, about 230, six companies of Federal Volunteers. amounting to 276 men, about 100 militia, of Col. Dobbins's regiment, and a few men in a boat with Mr. P. B. Porter, contractor's agent, who was to pilot the enterprize, had embarked; the whole on board, without the commissioned officers, being 1500 men; and it was now two hours later than the time fixed on for setting out.

There were some groups of men, not yet embarked; they were applied to, requested, and ordered, by the Brigade Major, to get into the boats; they did not. He estimated their number at 150--it was probably greater.

It then became a question, whether it was expedient to invade Canada, in open day-light, with 1500 men, at a point where no reinforcement could be expected for some days. I saw that the number of regular troops was declining rapidly; I knew that on them, chiefly, I was to depend.

I called together officers, commanding corps of the regular army. Col. Parker being sick, those present were Col. Porter, of the artillery, Col. Schuyler, Col. Winder,

and Lieut. Col. Coles. I put to them this question :-"Shall we proceed?" They unanimously decided that we ought not. I foresaw that the volunteers, who had come out for a few days, would disperse. Several of them had, on the evening of the 25th, broken their muskets, because they had not seen a battle; I foresaw that the number of regular troops would decrease; the measles had affected them generally; the constant use of fresh meat had produced dysenteries, and they were now in tents, in the month of December. I informed the officers, that the attempt to invade Canada would not be made, until the army was reinforced, and directed them to withdraw their troops, and cover them with huts immediately. The volunteers, and neighboring people, were dissatisfied, and it has been in the power of the contractor's agent to excite some clamor against the course pursued; he finds the contract a losing one, at this time, and would wish to see the army in Canada, that he might not be bound to supply it.

I am sorry that the situation of the force, under my command, had not been such, as to make the propriety of a forward movement to all. Circumstanced as we were, I have thought it my duty to follow the cautious counsels of experience, and not, by precipitation, to add another to the list of our defeats.

You will perceive my motives, by my letter of the 30th Oct. wherein I said "I would cross in three days, if I had the means; without them, it would be injustice to the nation and myself, to attempt it-I must not be defeated. I have the honor, &c.

ALEXANDER SMYTH, Brig. Gen.

Maj. Gen. Dearborn,

HEALD'S DEFEAT BY THE INDIANS.

Letter from Captain Heald, late Commandant at Fort Chicago, dated

Pittsburgh, Oct. 23, 1812.

On the 9th of August last, I received orders from Gen. Hull, to evacuate the post, and proceed, with my command,

I

to Detroit by land, leaving it at my discretion, to dispose of the public property as I thought fit.

The neighboring Indians got the information, as early as I did; and came in, from all quarters, in order to receive the goods in the factory store, which they understood were to be given them. On the 13th, Capt. Wells, of Fort Wayne, arrived, with about thirty Miamies, for the purpose of escorting us in, by the request of Gen. Hull. On the 14th, I delivered the Indians all the goods in the factory store, and a considerable quantity of provisions, which we could not take away with us. The surplus arms, and ammunition, I thought proper to destroy, fearing they would make a bad use of it, if put into their possession; I also destroyed all the liquor on hand, soon after they began to colleet. The collection was unusually large for that place, but they conducted with the strictest propriety until I left the fort.

On the 15th, at 9 in the morning, we commenced our march; a part of the Miamies were detached in front, and the remainder in our rear, as guards, under the direction of Capt. Wells. The situation of the country rendered it necessary for us to take the beach, with the lake on our left, and a high sand-bank on our right, at about 100 yards distance. We had proceeded about a mile and a half, when it was discovered that the Indians were prepared to attack us, from behind the bank. I immediately marched up with the company, to the top of the bank, when the action commenced: after firing one round, we charged, and the Indians gave way in front, and joined those on our flanks. In about 15 minutes, they got possession of all our horses, provisions, and baggage, of every description; and, finding the Miamies did not assist us, I drew off the few men I had left, and took possession of a small elevation, in the open priarie, out of shot of the bank, and every other cover. The Indians did not follow me, but assembled in a body, on the top of the bank, and after some consultation among themselves, made signs for me to approach them.

I advanced towards them, alone, and was met by one of the Potawatamie chiefs, called the Black-bird, with an in

terpreter; after shaking hands, he requested me to surrender, promising to spare the lives of all the prisoners. On a few moments' consideration, I concluded it would be most prudent to comply with his request, although I did not put entire confidence in his promise. After delivering up our arms, we were taken back to their encampment, near the fort, and distributed among the different tribes.

The next morning, they set fire to the fort, and left the place, taking the prisoners with them; their number of warriors was between 4 and 500, mostly of the Potawatimie nation, and their loss was about 15. Our strength was 54 regulars, and 12 militia-out of which, 26 regulars, and all the militia, were killed in the action, with two women and twelve children. Ensign Ronan, and Doctor Voorhis, of my company, with Captain Wells, of Fort Wayne, to my great sorrow, numbered among the dead. Lieut. Helm, with 25 non-commissioned officers and privates, and 11 women and children, were prisoners when we were separated. Mrs. Heald and myself, were taken to the mouth of the river St. Joseph, and, being both badly wounded, were permitted to reside with Mr. Burnet, an Indian trader. In a few days after our arrival there, the Indians all went off to take fort Wayne; and, in their absence, I engaged a Frenchman to take us to Mackinac, by water, where I gave myself up as a prisoner of war, with one of my sergeants. The commanding officer, Capt Roberts, offered me every assistance in his power, to render our situation comfortable, while we remained there, and to enable us to proceed on our journey. To him I gave my parole of honor, and came on to Detroit, and reported myself to Col. Proctor, who gave us a passage to Buffaloe; from that place, I came by way of Presque-Isle, and arrived here yesterday. J. HEALD, Captain.

ELLIOT'S AFFAIR ON LAKE ERIE.

Letter from Captain Elliot, to the Secretary of the Navy, dated

Black-Rock, Oct. 9th, 1812. SIR-I have the honor to inform you that, on the morning of the 8th inst. two British vessels, which I was in

formed were his Britannic majesty's brig Detroit, (late the U. S. brig Adams,) and the brig Hunter, mounting 14 guns, but which afterwards proved to be the brig Caledonia, both said to be well armed and manned, came down the lake, and anchored under the protection of fort Erie. Having been on the lines, for some time, and, in a measure, inactively employed, I determined to make an attack, and, if possible, get possession of them. A strong inducement to this attempt, arose from a conviction that, with these two vessels, added to those I have purchased, and am fitting out, I should be able to meet the remainder of the British force, on the Upper Lakes, and save an incalculable expence and labour to the government.

On the morning of their arrival, I heard that our seamen were but a short distance from this place, and immediately dispatched an express to the officers, directing them to use all possible dispatch, in getting their men to this place, as I had important service to perform. On their arrival, which was about 12 o'clock, I discovered that they had only twenty pistols, and neither cutlasses nor battle-axes. But, on application to Generals Smyth and Hall, of the regulars and militia, I was supplied with a few arms; and Gen. Smyth was so good, on my request, as immediately to detach 50 men from the regulars, armed with musquets.

By 4 o'clock, P. M. I had my men selected, and stationed in two boats, which I had previously prepared for the purpose. With these boats, 50 men in each, and under circumstances very disadvantageous, my men having scarcely had time to refresh themselves, after a fatiguing march of 500 miles, I put off from the mouth of Buffaloe creek, at 1 o'clock, the following morning, and at 3, I was along side the vessels. In the space of about 10 minutes, I had the prisoners all secured, the top-sails sheeted home, and the vessels under way. Unfortunately, the wind was not sufficiently strong to get me up against a rapid current, into the lake, where I had understood another armed vessel lay at anchor; and I was obliged to run down the river, by the forts, under a heavy fire of round, grape, and canister, from a number of pieces of heavy ordnance,