shoes, in the depth of last winter, was employed on an arduous misthrough the wilds lying between sion to Colonel Proctor, when the Canadas and New Brunswick. the movement of the American In addition to Colonel Vincent's army under General Harrison, report of the affair at Stoney Creek, towards the Detroit frontier, took I have the honour to inform your place in February last. He is, Jordship, that the enemy made a therefore, well qualified to give movement to their rear, in conse- your lordship any information you quence of the attack of their camp, may require respecting the state of and retired to the Forty Mile affairs in the Canadas and deservCreek, when Sir James Yeo's ing of any mark of favour it may flotilla had appeared in the of- graciously please his Royal Highfing. ness the Prince Regent to confer upon him. Captain M'Doual will also have the honour of delivering to your lordship the colours taken from the enemy at Ogdensburg, that they may be laid at the feet of his Royal Highness the Prince Rcgent. The commodore, after communicating with Colonel Vincent, proceeded with the reinforcements of troops I had put on board his vessels at Kingston, towards the enemy's second camp, and when the last intelligence left him, his squadron had so successfully cannonaded it, that the mass of the I have the honour to be &c. Burlington Heights, head of Lake Ontario, June 6, 1813. Americans were retreating with To the Right Hon. Earl Bathurst. precipitation, and our troops pressing upon them, Several of their boats had fallen into our possession. The attack made upon Sackett's harbour the 29th ultimo, which terminated in the destruction of the naval stores accumulated at that port, induced the enemy's feet to cease co-operating with the army, and to return suddenly into port, since which time ommodore Chauncey has not ventured upon the lake. Captain M'Doual, my aide-decamp, will have the honour of delivering to your lordship this dis. patch: he is an officer of great merit and intelligence, and having been sent forward with instructions to Colonel Vincent, had the good fortune to be present in the last action, in which that division of the army so highly distinguished itself: he was also at the attack made on Sackett's harbour, and Sir, Having yesterday received information of the enemy having advanced from the Forty Mile Creek, with a force consisting of 3500 men, eight or nine field pieces, and 250 cavalry, for the avowed purpose of attacking the division under my command in this position, and hav ing soon afterwards received a report that he had passed the swamp, and driven in my advanced posts from Stoney Creek and Brady's, Lieut. Colonel Harvey, deputy adjutant-general, immediately went forward with the light companies of the king's and 49th regiments, and having advanced close to, and accurately ascertained the enemy's position, sent back to propose to me a night attack on his camp The enemy's camp was distant about about seven miles. About half past eleven, I moved forwards with the fifth company of the 8th (or king's) and the 49th regiments, amounting together to only seven hundred and four firelocks; Lieut.-Colonel Harvey, who conducted it with great regularity and judgment, galIantly led on the attack. The enemy was completely surprised, and driven from his camp, after having repeatedly formed in different bodies, and been as often charged by our brave troops, whose conduct throughout this brilliant enterprise was above all praise. The action terminated before daylight, when three guns, and one brass howitzer, with three tumbrils, two brigadier generals, Chandler and Winder, first and second in command, and upwards of one hundred officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates, remained in our hands. Not conceiving it prudent to expose our small force to the view of the enemy, who, though routed and dispersed, was still formidable as to numbers and position, he having fled to the surrounding heights, and having still four or five guns, the troops were put in motion at day-break, and marched back to their cantonments. After we had retired, and it had become broad day, the enemy ventured to re-ocupy his camp, only, however, for the purpose of destroying his incumbrances, such as blankets, carriages, provisions, spare arms, ammunition, &c. after which he commenced a precipitate retreat towards the Forty Mile Creek, where he effected a junction with a body of 2000 men, who were on their march from Niagara to reinforce him. I cannot conclude this dispatch without calling your attention to the following officers: To Lieut.-Colonel Harvey, the deputy adjutant-general, my obligations are particularly due. From the first moment the enemy's approach was known, he watched his movements, and afforded me the earliest information. To him, indeed, I am indebted for the suggestion and plan of operations: nothing could be more clear than his arrangements, nor more completely successful in the result. The conduct of Major Plenderleath, who commanded the 49th regiment, was very conspicuous. By his decision and prompt efforts, the surprise of the enemy's camp was completed, and all his efforts to make a stand were rendered ineffectual by the bayonet, which overthrew all opposition. A party of the 49th, with Major Plenderleath at their head, gallantly charged some of the enemy's fieldpieces, and brought off two sixpounders. Major Ogilvie led on, in the most gallant manner, the five companies of the king's regiment, and whilst one half of that highly distinguished corps supported the 49th regiment, the other part moved to the right and attacked the enemy's left flank, which decided our midnight contest. I have also received the greatest assistance from Major Glegg, brigade major to the forces, and beg. leave to mention the names of Captains M'Donald and Milnes, your excellency's aides-de-camp, who accompanied me to the attack, and upon all occasions have volunteered their services. I have likewise to acknowledge the assist ance ance of Captain Chambers, of the 41st regiment, who had arrived some days before from Amhertsburg; and Mr. Brook, paymaster of the 49th, who assisted me as acting aid-de-camp. To Mr. Hackett, acting staffsurgeon to this army, I feel particularly indebted, for his judicious' arrangements, by which the wounded have received every attention, and are most of them likely to be restored to the service. It would be an act of injustice, were I to omit assuring your Excellency, that gallantry and discipline were never more conspicuous than during our short service; and I feel the greatest satisfaction in assuring you, that every officer and individual seemed anxious to rival each other in his efforts to support the honour of his majesty's arms, and to maintain the high character of British troops. I beg leave to refer your Excellency to the enclosed reports, for particulars respecting our loss, which, I regret, has been very severe. I have the honour to be, &c. JOHN VINCENT. Brig.-Gen. His Excellency Sir Geo. Prevost, &c. &c. General Return of Killed, Wounded, and Missing, in Action with the Enemy near the Head of Lake Ontario, June 6, 1813. Total. 1 lieutenant, 3 serjeants, 19 rank and file, killed; 2 majors, 5 captains, 2 lieutenants, 1 ensign, 1 adjutant, 1 fort-major, 9 serjeants, 2 drummers, 113 rank and tile, wounded; 3 serjeants, 52 rank and file, missing. VOL. LV. Return of American Prisoners of War, captured near Stoney Creek, in the Action of the 6th instant. Burlington Heights, June 7, 1813. 2 brigadier-generals, 1 major, 5 captains, 1 lieutenant, 116 noncommissioned officers and privates. N. B. Two of the six-pounders were spiked, and left on the ground in consequence of the impossibility of removing them. From the London Gazette, Tuesday, June 15. Admiralty Office, June 15. Copy of an enclosure to ViceAdmiral Sir Edward Pellew, Bart. His Majesty's ship Thames, 1813. Sir,-Agreeable to your directions, I embarked Lieutenant-colonel Coffin, and the 2d battalion of the 10th regiment, on the 16th instant, and arrived off Ponza on the 23d, the harbour of which is about a quarter of a mile wide, with a mole at the extreme end of it, defended by four batteries, mounting ten 24 and 18-pounders, and two nine-inch mortars. Colonel Coffin and myself agreed, that the shortest and surest road to success, was by running both ships into the mole, and carrying the place by assault; but the weather was unfavourable for such an attack, until the morning of the 26th, when the ships bore up, in close order, with a fine breeze. The enemy were prepared for our reception, and opened their fire nearly half an hour before our guns could bear: the batteries were, however, passed with little injury, the ships engaging on both sides, M and and the Thames was anchored across the mole-head, the Furieuse bringing up a little astern of her. Colonel Coffin and the troops landed the same instant and pushed for the height of a strong tower, into which the enemy had retreated, and their appearance, together with the severe fire from the ships, induced the governor to hoist a flag of truce, and agree to the enclosed capitulation. I have much pleasure in informing you, that this service has been performed without the loss of a man in either profession: our being hulled three times, and Furieuse twice, sails and rigging a good deal cut, is the only damage suffered. The most perfect cordiality has subsisted between the two services, and I am much indebted to Captain Mounsey for the excellent support he gave, and his quickness in following our motions; and if the resistance had been greater, and another battery, (which was expected), I have little doubt but we should have succeeded, particularly with such a storming party as Colonel Cashell's regiment, and such a leader as Colonel Coffin. of the island by the earliest opportunity. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) CHARLES NAPIER, Captain. Sir Robert Laurie, Bart. Captain of his Majesty's ship, Ajax. [Here follow the articles of capitulation, by which the garrison surrendered as prisoners of war.] Supplement to the London Gazelle, WAR DEPARTMENT. Downing-street, June 5, 1813. A dispatch, of which the following is a copy, has been received by the Earl Bathurst, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, from Lieutenant-General Right Hon. Lord William Cavendish Bentinck, K. B. his Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of Sicily, and Comniander of his Majesty's military forces in the Mediterranean. Palermo, April 9, 1813. My Lord, I have the honour to transmit to your lordship a report from Lieutenant-Colonel Rebertson, commanding at the island of Lissa, stating to me the reduction of the neighbouring islands of Agosta and Curzola, by a detachment of the garrison under his command. I have much reason to be satis- I have the honour to be, &c. Enclosed is a return of prisoners, guns, &c. and I shall send a survey Lissa, Feb. 23, 1813. My Lord, I have the honour to inform your lordship, that in consequence of information having been received here, that several merchant Apollo, volunteered his services on both these occasions. Having received certain intelligence that a detachment of three hundred men, commanded by a lieutenant-colonel, had marched from Ragusa to reinforce the garrison of Lagosta, and being aware of the great difficulty which would have attended the attempt to get batter merchant vessels bound to this island, had been captured by a French privateer, and carried into the island of Lagosta, Admiral Fremantle and myself judged it expedient to lose no time in putting an end to a system which was likely to become very detrimental to the prosperity of this island, and to our commercial interests in general. For this purpose I embarking artillery on the only hill which ed on board his majesty's frigate commanded the fort, Capt. Taylor Apollo, commanded by Capt. Tay- and myself were induced to offer Jor, on the 19th ult. with detach- favourable conditions to the French ments from this garrison amount- commandant, who, after some heing to about 300 men, including sitation, agreed to surrender (togeartillery, with two six-pounders, ther with the garrison, consisting of two howitzers, and two mountain 139 men), on the terms, a copy of guns. The troops, together with which I have the honour to ena detachment of seamen and ma- close your lordship. I have also rines, landed on the island of La- the honour to enclose your lordgosta on the 21st, and marched to- ship a return of the enemy's ordwards the principal work, connance, ammunition and stores, structed by the enemy for the de- which fell into our hands. It is fence of the island, from whence particularly gratifying to me to be the garrison opened a well-directed able to inform your lordship, that fire of shot and shells. As the during the whole of our operation, work in question is situated on the the inhabitants gave us the most summit of a high conical hill, com- unequivocal proofs of their attachmanding the town, I found it ne- ment, and rendered us the most cessary to take up a favourable po- efficacious assistance. sition, from whence I was enabled to forward the preparations necessary for the reduction of the fort. During this interval, Captains May, 35th, and Ronea, Calabrese Free corps, together with Mr. G. Bowen, first lieutenant of his majesty's ship Apollo, with a party of forty men, succeeded in spiking the guns of one of the enemy's lower batteries, and in destroying a magazine of provisions, both of which were within musket-shot of the fort. On this occasion a French serjeant of artillery and two soldiers were taken prisoners. Mr. Ullark, purser of his majesty's ship Finding that the French privateer, together with the prizes, had taken refuge in the island of Curzola, Captain Taylor and myself immediately proceeded thither. We landed (without delay) the troops under my command, with one hundred and twenty seamen and marines, together with a howitzer and field-piece. Major Slessor, 35th, advanced at day-break with the flankers, and got possession of a fortified building on the height, which commands the town within musket-shot. In this operation he was supported by a second party, under the command |