only inasmuch as they neglected, for a time, to set except the formation of a distinct heap from the proheartily about the abolition of it, knowing as they duce of each successive exhumation. did, that it had been introduced, in some measure by The prefect of the Seine has within these two accident. Indeed all the cemeteries that I have seen years adopted a new and improved arrangement in in Paris, had been at their institution purposely situ- those dark and dreary abodes. M. Hericart de Thuated beyond the limits of the town. This wise cus-ry, engineer in chief to the imperial corps of miners, tom, borrowed from the most ancient of the Roman and inspector-general of quarries, and who is charg laws, was so strictly observed in the early periods of ed, in the latter capacity, with the planning and su the monarchy, that St. Eloi directed the church of perintendance of the catacombs, has intimated his St. Paul to be built on the right bank of the Seine, intention of publishing a detailed account of the alin the quarter of the suburbs which still bears his terations and improvements that have taken place name, to be used as a place of interment for the re- since his appointment to that office. ligieuses of a monastry which that saint had found The subjoined is a short description of the cataed within the city. The cemetry of the Innocents, combs, which the public are permitted to visit, sub. the common burial place of the original Parisians, ject, however, to suitable rules and regulations: was in like manner situated in the country at the You are conducted to the entrance of this immense period when Philip Augustus caused it, to use a fi- charnel house, by an open stair-case in the area of gurative expression, to come into the town, the li- the buildings contiguous to the barrier d'Enfer, on mits of which he greatly enlarged, and in process of the west side of the road leading from Paris to Ortime, the rest of the cemetries in the vicinity be- leans. This stair-case is of the spiral form, comme came incorporated with the city. dious, and well constructed, and descends perpendi In order to check the evil, the Parliament of Paris, cularly upwards of fourscore feet under the surface in 1763, promulgated a law, very salutary no doubt of the earth. You then wander with your guides a for the living, but, it must be acknowledged, highly full quarter of an hour along the windings of a pas indecent with reference to the dead. Thus arret, sage (Gallerie,) varying considerably in width and which was not carried fully into effect at the time, in height, but every where more spacious than the enjoined, however, the immediate shutting up of the avenues of the Roman catacombs. The sides of the the Innocents, the oldest of all, the most used for passages as well as the roofs are formed partly of interment, and against which the greatest clamor rough hewn-stones and partly of the solid rock. At was raised, and the strongest remonstrances were de-intervals, on the right and left, vast excavations preservedly made. This burial place continued shut up sent themselves. These quarries like those in which for many years. At length it was conceived that the vaults of the observatory are made, would comthere could be no impropriety in offering the ground municate with an infinite number of others beneath to sale, for a public market. But those who made Montrouge, and under the suburb of St. Jacques, if the proposition had forgot that cemetries were con-care had not been taken to cut off the various comsecrated places, and that they could not be sold for munications, which dark and intricate as they are, a price, or converted into profane uses, without the the smugglers contrived to use them as places of conspecial permission of the ecclesiastical authority-cealment for themselves and their contraband goods. The church required, as a preliminary step, that the With respect to the catacombs, properly so called, bones which time had not wholly consumed should be they are comprehended in a vast inclosure separated taken up and deposited in ground which had un- from the ssuaries, and closely shut up. The princi dergone the ceremony of consecration. pal entrance to them has a sort of vestibule in front, mains of human bodies were still so considerable in and is ornamented with two pilastres of the Tuscan the sepulture of the Innocents that no other places order, on each of which you read a religious inscripund the requisite qualification could be found suf- tion, the same I think that was composed for the gate ficiently capacious for the reception of the bones, of the cemetery of St. Sulpice: The re without being entirely filled, or greatly encumbered Mr. Lenoir, the then superintendant of the police, suggested the expedient of depositing the bones in an old quarry, situated between the barrier d'Enfer and that of St. Jacques, under an extensive plain called la Tombe Isoire. Hus ultra metas The inspector general of the quarries was directed In the interior the long passages and innumerable to arrange this new cemetery, or more properly recesses are lined (tapissees) with human bones; these catacombs, and the very reverend the grand the larger such as skulls, spines and thigh-bones, beVicars of his grace the Archbishop of Paris according uniformly placed in front, and formed in compart ingly attended to consecrate it on the 7th of April, ments, support the smaller which are thrown behind, 1786. This ceremony was solemnly performed in and constitute the melancholy walls. Such of my the presence of the lieut, gen. of police, and an im-readers as have made an excursion into those promense concourse of people; after which Messrs. Le-vinces where the use of charnal-houses in burial grand and Molinos proceeded to the exhumation and places is still preserved, will be able to form a corremoval of the bones-an operation of no small dif-rect idea of the species of Mosaick to which I allude. ficulty, and requiring great care and caution to pre-It may be observed that in the dark and damp quar serve the twofold objects of health and decency, ries the bones do not blanch. Since that time the bones contained in several other The number of the dead, whose bones have been sepultures, which had been previously suppressed removed to the new receptacle, is estimated at mare by authority, have been removed to the new ossuary, than two millions of individuals! The walk which! as also a great quantity of those which had been took among them seemed to exceed the fourth part deposited in the different churches, convents and of a league. Tablets are placed here and there to cloisters, at the period of the almost general demo-indicate the various places from which each particu lition of those edifices, lar mass of bones had been conveyed. In several of The persons employed in the conveyance and de-the recesses altars are formed, some of them resemb position of the bones in the catacombs, contented ling those that are used in churches, others of anthemselves, at first, without any regard to regularity, tique shape, and many uncouthly made of bones ce mented with mortar. In numberless places you find batteries, captured 34 prisoners, found two boats, i expressed in black characters on a white ground, epi-which capt. King sent the prisoners and about hait taphs, sentences in prose and rhyme, some of them his party with the other officers; he himself rereligious, some moral, and others philosophical, and maining with 30 men, whom he would not abandon. all in conformity to the tenants of some system of re- Orders had been given, that all the troops in the Ligion or other. Thus, after meeting at the entrance neighborhood should march, at reveillee, to the place with the inscription above cited, expressive of the hope of a life to come, you read on returning from the subterranean cavities, this celebrated passage, extracted from the Georgies? Accounts from Georgia mention that major-genPinckney had set off to take command of the troops destined for Florida, with a view to occupy it for the United States. of embarkation. A part of the detachment sont in the night returned and excited apprehensions for the residue, about 250 men, under the command of col. Winder, suddenly put off in boats for the opposite shore; a part of this force had landed, when a force deemed superior, with one piece of artillery, was discovered; a retreat was ordered, and col. Winder's detachment suffered a loss of 6 killed and 19 wounded, besides some officers. The general embarkation commenced as the troops arrived-but this being a first embarkation, the whole of the scows were occupied by about one third of the artillery, while about 800 regular infantry, baut 200 twelve months volunteers, under colonel Swift, and about 200 of the militia who had volunteered for a few days, occupied all the boats that were ready. The troops then embarked, moved up the stream to Black Rock without loss, they were ordered to disembark and dine. I had received from my commanding general an instruction in the following words" in all important movements you will, I presume, consider it advisable to consult some of your principal officers." The United States 18th regiment of infantry are deemed this equivalent to an order; and the movesaid to have been ordered to St. Mary's on the south-ment important. I called for the field officers of the ern frontier, where our affairs are daily assuming a regulars and twelve months volunteers embarked, more important aspect. Colonel Porter was not found at the moment. These We learn from Ohio, that general Winchester, questions were put-Is it expedient now to cross? Is with his detachment of troops, had moved from the force we have sufficient to conquer the opposite Fort Defiance to the rapids of the Miami of the lakes. shore ? The whole of the rest of the North-Western army The first question was decided in the negative by were, it was expected, about to proceed to the same colonels Parker, Schuyler, Winder, lieut. colonels place. It is probable that they will soon see Detroit. Barstler, Coles, and major Campbell, col. Swift Head-quarters, camp near Buffalo, Dec. 3. alone gave an opinion for then crossing over. GENTLEMEN-Your letter of the 2d Dec. is before The second question was not decided. Colonels me, and I answer it in the following manner : Parker, Schuyler, lieutenant-colonel Coles and m jor On the 26th October, I ordered that 20 scows Campbell were decidedly of opinion that the force should be prepared for the transportation of artille- was insufficient. Colonels Winder, Swift, licutery and cavalry, and put the carpenters of the army nami-colonel Boerstler, and captain Gilman, deemed upon that duty. the force sufficient. By the 26th of Nov. 10 scows were completed, I determined to postpone crossing over until more and by bringing some boats from Lake Ontario, complete preparation would enable me to embark above the falls of Niagara, the number was increas- the whole force at once, the counsel prescribed by ed to 70. my orders. The next day was spent in such propaI had on the 12th Nov. issued an address to the ration, and the troops were ordered to be again at men of New-York, and perhaps 300 had arrived at the place of embarkation at 8 o'clock on the morning Buffalo. I presumed that the regular troops, and of the 30th of November. On their arrival they the volunteers under colonels Swift and M'Clure, were sent into the adjacent woods, there to Luild would furnish 2360 men for duty; and of gen. Tan-fires and remain until 3 o'clock, a. m. of the 1st of nehill's brigade from Pennsylvania, reporting a total December, when it was intended to put off two hours of 1650, as many as 412 had volunteered to cross before day-light, so as to avoid the enemy's cannon into Canada. My orders were to "cross with 3000 in passing the position which it was believed they men at once." I deemed myself ready to fulfil them. occupied below, to land above Chippeway, assault Preparatory thereto, on the night of the 27th of that place, and, if successful, march through QueensNov. I sent over two parties, one under lieut. colonel ton for Fort George. For this expedition the conBoerstler, the other under capt. King, with whom tractor was called on to furnish rations for 2500 men lieut. Angus, of the navy, at the head of a body of for four days, when it was found he could furnisha seamen, united. The first was to capture a guard the pork, but not the flour, the deputy quarter-masand destroy a bridge about 5 miles below Fort Erie ter called for 60 barrels and got but 35. the second party were to take and render useless the The embarkation commenced, but was delayed by cannon of the enemy's batteries, and some pieces of circumstances, so as not to be completed until after light artillery. The first party failed to destroy the day-light, when it was found the regular infantry, bridge-the second, after rendering unserviceable 688 men, the artillery 177 men, Swift's volunteers, the light artillery, separated by misapprehension. estimated at 236, companies of federal volunteers, Lieut. Angus, the seamen, and a part of the troops, under capts. Collins, Phillips, Allison, Moore, Maher returned, with all the boats, while capt. King, capt. and Marshall, amounting to 276 men, commanded by Morgan, capt. Sproul, lieut. Houston, and about 60 heut. col. M'Clure, 100 men of col. Dobbin's militia, men, remained. The party thus reduced, attacked, and a few men in a boat with gen. P. B. Porter had. took, and rendered unserviceable two of the enemy's embarked-the whole on board amounting, exclusive of officers, to 1465 men, or thereabouts: and it was rations are issued daily on the frontiers, on the Britwo hours later than had been contemplated. tish side. Capt. King, prisoner at Fort George, There were some groups of men not yet embark-writes to an officer thus-"tell our friends to take bet ed; they were applied to, requested and ordered by ter care of themselves than it appears I have done.” the brigade major to get into their boats-they did I am, gentlemen, with great respect, your most The number of these the brigade-major esti-obedient, not. mated at about 150. It was probably greater. It then became a question whether it was expedi ALEXANDER SMYTH, ent to invade Canada in open day-light, with 1500 To Messrs. Geo. Ma Clure, Lewis Birdsall, men, at a point where no reinforcement could be expected for some days. I saw that the number of the icgular troops was declining rapidly-I knew that on them chiefly I was to depend. John Griffen and Wm. B. Rochester, a I called together the officers commanding corps P. S. It will be observed that the force ready could of the regular army. Col. Parker being sick, those be no otherwise ascertained than by an actual em present were col. Porter of the artillery, col. Schuy-barkation-it being uncertain what portion of the ler, col. Winder and lieut. col. Coles. I put to them this question:-Shall we proceed? They unanimously decided that we ought not. volunteer force would embark. BUFFALOE, Dec. 8. To the Editor of the Buffaloe Gazette. SIR-A friend has just banded me the proof-sheet of your paper of this morning, in which is contained what purports to be general Smyth's official ac. count of the affairs of the 28th of November and 1st I foresaw that the volunteers who had come out for a few days, would disperse several of them had on the evening of the 28th broke their muskets. foresaw that the number of the regular troops would decrease; the measels and other diseases, being of December. among them, and they were now in tents in the I beg that you will suspend the publication so long month of December. I informed the officers that as to assure the public that in your next, I will give the attempt to invade Canada would not be made una true account of some of the most prominent transtil the army was reinforced; directed them to with-actions of those days. draw their troops, and cover them with huts imme- When our lives, our property; when he precious diately, and dear-bought gift of our ancestors-the sacred honor of our country; when every thing that we prize as men, or ought to hold dear as patriots, are falling and fading before us, it is time to speak out, whatever be the hazard. You say that on Saturday every obstruction was removed, and that a landing might have been effected "without the loss of a single man." This proves you unacquainted with the occurrences of the day. Col. Winder, in returning from the enemy's shore in In ascribing, as I shall not hesitate to do, the late the morning, lost a tenth part of his force, in killed disgrace on this frontier, to the cowardice of gene. and wounded, The enemy shewed no more than 5 ral Smyth, I beg to be understood as not intending or 600 men, as estimated by col. Parker, and one to implicate the characters of the officers whose piece of artillery, supposed a nine pounder. That opinions he has brought forward to bolster up his force, we no doubt might have overcome; but not conduct. Several of them I know to be as brave without loss; and that, from the great advantage men as ever wielded a sword; and their advice, if the enemy would have had, might have been consi-indeed they gave the advice imputed to them, may derable. be accounted for in the obvious consideration, with PETER B, PORTER. To recapitulate-My orders were to pass into Ca- which every one who saw him must have been imnada with 3000 men at once. On the first day of em-pressed, that any military attempt under such a leabarkation not more than 1100 men were embarked, der, must, in all human probability, prove disgraceof whom 400, that is, half the regular infantry, were ful. Your very humble servant, exhausted with fatigue, and want of rest. On the second embarkation, only 1500 men were embarked, and these were to have put off immediately, and to Copy of a letter from major-general Samuel Hopkins to have descended the river to a point where reinforcehis excellency governor Shelby. "On Wabash, near the mouth of ments were not to be expected. On both days, maPine Creek, Nav. 27, 1812. ny of the regular troops were men in bad health, MY DEAR SIR-By col. Richard Taylor, quarterwho could not have stood one days march; who, al-master general, who goes on as quick as possible to though they were on the sick report, were turned Frankfort, I have it in my power to give you general put by their ardent officers. information of the movements of the army since my The affair at Queenston is a cantion against relying last. on crowds who go to the bank of Niagara to look on On the 11th the army marched from Fort Har a battle as on a theatrical exhibition; who if they rison on the road formerly made by governor Harare disappointed of the sights, break their muskets: rison's army, and the boats set out at the same time. or if they are without rations for a day desert,* The length of time the enemy had expected us made I have made to you this frank disclosure without it necessary to guard ourselves in an especial man admitting your authority to require it, under the im-ner. The rise of the waters, from the heavy fall pression that you are patriotic and candid men; and of rain preceding our march, and some large creeks, that you will not censure me for following the cau-left us no doubt of considerable difficulty and entious counsels of experience; nor join in the sense-barrassment; insomuch that not until the 14th did less clamor excited against me by an interested man. we pass Sugar creek, three miles above the road. I have some reasons to believe that the cautious From every information, I had no hesitation in counsel given by the superior officers of my com- moving on the east side of the Wabash. The Ver mand was good. From deserters we learn, that 2344 millions, Pine creek, and other impediments on the west side, superadded to the presumption that we *Six hundred of gen. Tannehill's brigade desert- were expected, and might more easily be annoyed ng in twenty four hours. A court martial of this and ambuscaded on that rout, determined ne in brigade have ined a man twelve and a half cents, for this measure, The boats too, with our provisions of rations, forage and military stores, could be more the crime of desertion! easily covered and protected, as the line of march, After leaving Fort Harrison all unfit for duty, we' could be invariably nearer the river. Lieutenant- had in privates of every corps about one thousandcolonel Barbour, with one battalion of his regiment, in the total twelve hundred and fifty or thereabout. had command of the 7 boats, and encamped with us At the Prophet's town, upwards of one hundred of on the bank of the river almost every night. This these were on the sick report. Yet, sir, have we so protracted our march that we did not reach the progressed in such order as to menace our enemy, Prophet's town until the 19th. On the morning of free from any annoyance; seven large keel-boats this day I detached 300 men to surprize the Wine-have been covered and protected to a point heretobago town lying on Ponce Passu creek, one mile tore unknown in Indian expeditions; three large Infrom the Wabash and four below the Prophet's.-dian establishments have been burnt and destroyed, This party, commanded by general Butler, surround-with near three miles of fence, (and all the corn, &c. ed the place about break of day, but found it eva- we could find) besides many smaller ones; the enecuated. There were in the main town about forty my have been sought in their strong holds, and evehouses, many of them from 30 to 50 feet in length, ry opportunity afforded them to attack or alarm us; besides many temporary huts in the surrounding a march on the east side of the Wabash, without prairie, in which they had cultivated a good deal of road or cognizance of the country, fully one hundred corn. On the 20th, 21st and 22d we were embarked miles perfected; and this has been done with a nain the complete destruction of the Prophet's town ked army of infantry, aided by only about fifty ranwhich had about 40 cabins and huts, and the large gers and spies. All this was done in twenty days— Kickapoo village adjoining below it on the west side no sigh, no murmur, no complaint. of the river, consisting of about 160 cabins and huts; I certainly feel particular obligations to my friends finding and destroying their corn, reconnoitring the general Butler and colonel Taylor, for their effectcircumjacent country, and constructing works for ual and ready aid in their line; as also to captain the defence of our boats and army. Seven miles Z. Taylor, of the seventh United States regiment; cast of us, on the Ponce Passu creek, a party of Messrs. Gist and Richeson, my aids-de-camp, and Indians were discovered; they had fired on a small major J. C. Breckenridge, my secretary, for a prompt party of ours on the 21st and killed a man by the and effectual support in every instance. The firm name of Dunn, a gallant soldier in captain Duval's and almost unparalelled defence of Fort Harrison, company. On the 22d upwards of 60 horsemen, un-by captain Z. Taylor, has raised for him a fabric der the command of lieutenant-colonels Miller and of character not to be effaced by my eulogy. To Wilcox, anxious to bury their comrade as well as colonel Barbour, for his officer-like management, in gain a more complete knowledge of the ground, conducting and commanding the boats, my thanks went on to a point near the Indian encampment, fell are due, as also to colonels Miller and Wilcox, and into an ambuscade, and 18 of our party killed, to majors Hughes and Shacklet, and to the captains wounded and missing. Among these are three hope, and subalterns of the army generally. From lieu, ful young officers and one private from the 8th (Wil- tenants Richeson, Hawkins and Sullivan of the United Cox's) regiment, viz. Mars, Edwards, Murray, and States troops, I have to acknowledge my obligations the private Webb, presumed to be killed; the other for their steady and uniform conduct, as well as 14 were of the rangers. On the return of this party, captain Beckers, of the rangers, captain Washburn, and the information of a large assemblage of the of the spies, and the staff generally. enemy, who, encouraged by the strength of their Let me refer your excellency to colonel Taylor camp, appeared to be waiting for us, every prepa- for more minute information; and believe me with ration was made to march early and engage the enc-high regard and consideration, to be, your most my at every risque; when, from the most violent obedient servant, SAMUEL HOPKINS, storm and fall of snow, attended with the coldest) weather I ever saw or felt at this season of the year, and which did not subside until the evening of the 23d, we were delayed until the 24th. Upon arriving| Captain Goore, aid-de-camp to lieutenant-general on the ground, we found the enemy had deserted sir George Prevost, governor in chief of his majesty's their camp before the fall of the snow, and passed provinces in North America, arrived this morning the Ponce Passu. I have no doubt but their ground with dispatches from the lieutenant-general, addres was the strongest I ever have seen-the deep rapid sed to earl Bathurst, one of his majesty's principal creek spoken of was in their rear, running in a semi-secretaries of state, of which the following is an excircle, and fronted by a bluff 100 feet high, almost tract and a copy. perpendicular and only to be penetrated by three From the London Gazette Extraordinary. DOWNING-STREET, Oct. 6th, 1812. MONTREAL, Aug. 26. steep ravines. If the enemy would not defend them- Mr Lonn-I feel the greatest satisfaction in transselves here, it was evident they did not intend fight-mitting to your lordship a letter which I have this day ing at all. After reconnoitring sufficiently, we re-received by express from major-general Brock, anturned to camp, and found the ice so accumulated nouncing to me the surrender of Fort Detroit, on the as to alarm us for the return of the boats. I had 16th inst. by brigadier-general Hull with the army unfully intended to have spent one more week in endea-der his command, exceeding two thousand five hun voring to find the Indian camps; but the shoeless, dred men, together with twenty-five pieces of ordshirtless state of the troops, now clad in the rcm-nance. nants of their summer dress; a river full of ice; the In my dispatches of the 17th and 24th instant, I hills covered with snow; a rigid climate, and no had the honor of detailing to your lordship the ope certain point to which we could further direct our rations which had taken place in Upper Canada, in •perations; under the influence of the advice of consequence of the invasion of that province by the every staff and field officer, orders were given and army of the United States. Bridgadier-general Hull, measures pursued for our return on the 25th. having crossed the Detroit river on the 12th of last We are now progressing to Fort Harrison through month, with two thousand three hundred men, conice and snow where we expect to arrive on the last sisting of regular cavalry and infantry, end militia, day of this month. From Vincennes I shall have the bringing with him several field pieces; and having honor of addressing your excellency again; but be-driven in the militia towards Amherstsburg, first ad fore I close this, I cannot forbear expressing the vanced to Sandwich, and afterwards approached merits of the officers and soldiers of this command. Amherstsburg, with a part of his army to the river Canard, about five miles from the fort, where he was quence of our decided naval superiority on the lakes foiled in three attempts to cross that river, and suf-To his active and intelligent mind the advantages fered a considerable loss. The garrison of Ambersts-which his enemy's situation afforded him over them, burg consisted at that time of a subaltern's detach-jeven with his very inferior force, became immediatement of the royal artillery, commanded by lieutenantly apparent; and that he has not failed most effec Troughton; of a detachment of three hundred men tually to avail himself of those favorable circumof the forty-first regiment, under the command of stances, your lordship will, I trust, be satisfied, captain Muir; and of about as many of the militia; from the letter which I have the honor of transmit. the whole under the command of lieutenat-colonel ting. district. St. George, inspecting field officer of militia in the Having thus brought to your lordship's view, the, different circumstances which have led to the suc General Brock relying upon the strong assurances cessful termination of the campaign on the western I had given him, of a reinforcement, as prompt and frontier of Upper Canada, I cannot withhold from as effectual as the circumstances under which I was¦major-general Brock the tribute of applause so justplaced, by this new war, would permit me to send, ly due to him for his distinguished conduct on this adopted the most vigorous measures for the safety of occasion, or omit to recommend him, through your that part of the frontier which had been attacked-lordship, to the favorable consideration of his royal In these measures he was most opportunely aided highness the prince regent, for the great ability and by the fortunate surrender of Fort Michilimacinac, judgment with which lie has planned, and the promp which giving spirit and confidence to the Indian titude, energy and fortitude with which he has ef. tribes in its neighborhood, part of whom assisted in fected, the preservation of Upper Canada, with the its capture, determined them to advance upon the sacrifice of so little British blood in accomplishing rear and flanks of the American army, as soon as so important a service. they heard that it had entered the province. The certainty of the expected reinforcements, and of delivering to your lordship this dispatch; and as My aid-de-camp, capt. Coore, will have the hono the weakness of the enemy on the Niagara frontier, he is well qualified to give your lordship information had in the mean time, induced general Brock to de-]] respecting the military resources of this command, tach from the garrison of Fort George, fifty men of I shall beg leave to refer your lordship to him for the forty-first regiment under captain Chambers, farther particulars. I have the honor, &c. into the interior of the country for the purpose of (Signed) GEORGE PREVOST. collecting such of the Indians and militia as might be ready to join him, and of afterwards advancing upHead-quarters, Montreal, Sept. 1, 1812. on the left flank of the enemy. Sixty men of the MY LORD-Since I had the honor of transmitting same regiment were also detached from the garrison to your lordship my letter of the 26th ult. in charge to Amberstsburg, and forty to Long Point to collect of my aid-de-camp, captain Coore, I have received the militia in that quarter. Having made these dispo- from major-general Brock a dispatch, of which the sitions, and having previously sent forward colonel inclosed is a copy, containing the particulars of brig. Proctor, of the forty-first regiment to Amherstsburg gen. Hull's invasion of Upper Canada, which has -where he arrived and assumed the command on terminated most gloriously to his majesty's arms, in the 26th of last month-general Brock proceeded that officer's defeat and surrender as a prisoner of himself from York on the 5th inst. for Fort St. George war, with the whole of the north-western army, toand Long Point on lake Erie, which last place he gether with the fort Detroit, and 33 pieces of ord left on the 8th following for Amhersthurg, with for-nance. ty rank and file of the forty-first regiment, and two I forward this dispatch express, in the expectation of its reaching capt. Coore previously to his leaving hundred and sixty militia forces. GEORGE PREVOST. Whilst general Brock was thus hastening his pre- Canada, which, with the colors of the 4th U. States parations for the relief of Amhurstsburg, the pros-regiment accompanying it, I trust that officer will pects of the American army under general Hulf have the honor of delivering to your lordship, I were becoming every day more unfavorable, and have the honor to be, &c. their situation more critical. The intelligence of the fall of Michilimacinac had reached them, which To the right honorable Earl Bathurst. they knew must expose them to an attack of the InHead-quarters, Detroit, August 7, dians in the one quarter, at the same time that they SIR-I have had the honor of informing your ex were threatened in another by the force approach-cellency, that the enemy effected his passage across ing under capt. Chambers. An Indian tribe of the the Detroit river on the 12th ult. without opposition, Wyandotts, whom they had in vain attempted to and that after establishing himself at Sandwich, he bribe, aided by a detachment of the 41st regiment had ravaged the country as far as the Moravia town. from Amherstburg, had succeeded in cutting off Some skirmishes occurred between the troops under their supplies on the opposite side of the river, and lieutenant-colonel St. George and the enemy upon the intercepting their dispatches, which described in ve- river Canard, which uniformly terminated in his be ry strong terms their apprehensions and desponden- ing repulsed with loss. I had judged it proper to cy. The losses they had sustained in their different detach a force down the river Thames, capable of actions upon the Canard river, as well as those for acting in conjunction with the garrison of Amherst protecting their supplies, together with the mode burg offensively; but captain Chambers, whom I of warfare pursued by the Indians, had greatly dis-had appointed to direct this detachment, experienc couraged and dispirited them, and had convinced ed difficulties that frustrated my intentions. The gen. Hull how hopeless any attempt would be to intelligence received from that quarter admitting of Storm Fort Amherstburg, without great reinforce- no delay, colonel Proctor was directed to assume the ments and a battering train. command, and his force was soon after increased It was under these circumstances at this critical with 60 rank and file of the 41st regiment. period when the enemy were beginning to consult In the mean time the most strenuous measures their security by entrenching themselves, that gen. were adopted to counteract the machinations of the Brock entered Amherstburg with a reinforcement, evil-disposed; and I soon experienced the gratifica which he was fortunately enabled to do on the 12th tion of receiving voluntary offers of service from that inst. without the smallest molestation, in conse- portion of the embodied militia the most casily col |