Page images
PDF
EPUB

policy of G. Britain be pursued, and the savages are let loo e to murder our citizens and butcher our women and children, this war will be a war of extermination. The first stroke of the tomahawk-the first attempt with the scalping knife, will be the signal of one indiscriminate scene of desolation. No white man found fighting by the side of an Indian will be taken prisoner-instant death will be his lot. If the dictates of reason, duty, justice, and humanity, cannot prevent the employment of a force which respects no rights, and knows no wrong, it will be prevented by a severe and relentless system of retaliation. I doubt not your courage and firmness-I will not doubt your attachment to liberty. If you you tender your services voluntarily, they will be accepted readily. The U. States offer you peace, liberty, and security. Your choice lies between these and war, slavery and destruction.-Choose then ; but choose wisely; and may He who knows the justice of our cause, and who holds in his hand the fate of nations, guide you to a result the most compatible with your rights and interests, your peace and happiness.

By the General,

A. P. HULL,

Captain of the 13th United States' regiment of Infantry,

and Aid-de-camp. 5

Head-quarters, Sandwich, July 12, 1812.

WILLIAM HULL

On the 10th of July, Colonels Cass and Miller, attempted to surprise a British post, 300 strong, at a bridge about five miles from Malden.-They were discovered by the British, and after a slight skirmish, the enemy retreated, leaving eleven men killed and wounded, on the field; our troops returned to head-quarters, at Sandwich, and the British re-posted themselves again, at the bridge. On the 19th and 24th there was considerable skirmishing, with trifling success, on either side-our loss was six men killed and wounded-the British and Indians, lost sixteen killed, and several wounded.

Soon after General Hull had crossed from Detroit, into Canada, and had issued his Proclamation, the greater part of the militia of the neighboring country gave themselves

And whereas the charge d'affairs of the U. States of America, resident at this Court, did, on the 21st day of May last, transmit to lord viscount Castlereagh, one of his majesty's principal secretaries, a copy of a certain instrument, then for the first time communicated to this Court, purpor ting to be a Decree passed by the government of France, on the 28th of April, 1811, by which the Decrees of Berlin and Milan are declared to be definitely no longer in force in regard to American vessels :

And whereas his royal highness, the prince regent, although he cannot consider the tenor of said instrument as satisfying the conditions set forth in the said Order of the 21st of April last, upon which the said Orders were to cease and determine, is nevertheless disposed, on his part, to take such measures as may tend to re-establish the intercourse between neutral and belligerent nations, upon its accustomed principles, his royal highness, the prince regent, in the name and on the behalf of his majesty, is therefore pleased, by and wath the advice of his majesty's privy Council, to order and deciare, and it is hereby ordered and declared, that the Order in Council bearing date the 7th day of January, 1807, and the Order in Council bearing date the 26th day of April, 1809, be revoked, so far as may regard American vessels and their cargoes, being American property, from the 1st day of August next.

But whereas by certain acts of the government of the U. States of America, all British armed vessels are excluded from the harbors and waters of the said U. States, the armed vessels of France being permitted to enter therein, and the commercial intercourse between G. Britain and the said. U. States is interdicted, the commercial intercourse between France and the said U. States having been restored his royal highness, the prince regent is pleased hereby further to declare, in the name and on the behalf of his majesty, that if the government of the said U. States shall not as soon as may be after this order shall have been duly notified by his majesty's minister in America to the said government, revoke or cause to be revoked the said acts, this present Order shall in that case, after clear notice signified by his majesty's minister in America, to the said gov ernment, be thenceforth null and of no effect.

It is further ordered and declared, that all American vessels and their cargoes, being American property, that shall have been captured subsequently to the 28th of May last, for a breach of the aforesaid Orders in Council alone, and which shall not have been actually condemned before the date of this Order, and that all ships and cargoes as aforesaid, that shall henceforth be captured under the said Orders, prior to the 1st day of August next, shall not be proceeded against to condemnation, until further orders, but shall, in the event of this Order not becoming null and of no effect, in the case aforesaid, be forthwith liberated and restored, subject to such reasonable expences on the part of the captors, as shall have been justly incurred.

Provided that nothing in the Order contained respecting the revocation of the Orders herein mentioned, shall be taken to revive wholly, or in part, the Orders in Council of the 11th of November, 1807, or any other Order not herein mentioned, or to deprive parties of any legal remedy to which they may be entitled, under the Order in Council, of the 21st of April, 1812.

His royal highness, the prince regent is hereby pleased further to declare, in the name and on the behalf of his majesty, that nothing in the present Order contained shall be understood to preclude his royal highness, the prince regent, if circumstances shall so require, from restoring, after reasonable notice, the Orders of the 7th of January, 1807, and the 26th of April, 1809, or any part thereof, to their full effect, or from taking such other measures of retaliation against the enemy, as may appear to his royal highness to be just and necessary.

And the right honorable the lords commissioners of his majesty's treasury, his majesty's principal secretaries of state, the lords commissioners of the Admiralty and the Judge of the high Court of Admiralty, and the Judge of the Court of Vice Admiralty, are to take the necessary measures herein, as to them may respectively appertain.

Gen. Hull to the Secretary of War.

MONTREAL, Sept. 8th, 1812. SIR-The inclosed dispatch was prepared on my arrival at Fort George, and it was my intention to have forwarded it from that place by Major Witherell, of the

Michigan volunteers. I made application to the commanding officer at that post, and was refused; he stating that he was not authorised, and Gen. Brock was then at York. We were immediately embarked for this place, and Major Witherell obtained liberty at Kingston tó go home on parole.

This is the first opportunity I have had to forward the dispatches.

The fourth U. States' regiment is destined for Quebec, with a part of the first. The whole consist of a little over three hundred.

[ocr errors]

Sir Gerorge Prevost, without any request on my part, has offered to take my parole, and permit me to proceed to the States.

Lieut. Anderson, of the eighth regiment, is the bearer of my dispatches. He was formerly a Lieut. in the Artillery, and resigned his commission on account of being appoint ed Marshal of the Territory of Michigan. During the campaign he has had a command in the Artillery; and I recommend him to you as a valuable officer.

He is particularly acquainted with the state of things previous, and at the time when the capitulation took place. He will be able to give you correct information on any points, about which you may think proper to enquire.

am, very respectfully, &c. WILLIAM HULL.

DISPATCH.

Fort George, August 26, 1812. SIR-Inclosed are the articles of capitulation, by which the Fort of Detroit has been surrendered to Major-General Brock, commanding his Britannic Majesty's forces in Upper Canada, and by which the troops have become prisoners of war. My situation at present forbids me from detailing the particular causes which have led to this unfortunate event. I will, however, generally observe, that after the surrender of Michilimackinac, almost every tribe and nation of Indians, excepting a part of the Miamies and Delawares, north from beyond Lake Superior, west from beyond the Mississippi, south from the Ohio and Wabash, and east from every part of Upper Canada, and from all the intermédiate country, joined in open hostility under the British standard, against the army I commanded, contrary to the most solemn

assurences of a large portion of them to remain neutral; even the Ottawa Cheifs from Abercrotch, who formed the delagation to Washington the last summer, in whose friendship I know you had great confidence, are among the hos tile tribes, and several of them distinguished leaders. Among the vast number of chiefs who led the hostile bands, Tecumseh, Marplot, Logan, Walk-in-the-water, Split-Log, &c. are considered the principals. This numerous assemblage of savages, under the entire influence and direction. of the British commander, enabled him totally to obstruct the only communication which I had with my country. This communication had been opened from the settlements in the state of Ohio, two hundred miles through a wilderness, by the fatigues of the army, which I marched to the frontier on the river Detroit. The body of the Lake being commanded by the British armed ships, and the shores and rivers by gun-boats, the army was totally deprived of all communication by water. On this extensive road it depended for transportation of provisions, military stores, medicine, clothing, and every other supply, on pack-horses-all its operations were successful until its arrival at Detroit,-in a few days it passed into the enemy's country, and all opposition seemed to fall before it. One month it remained in possession of this country, and was fed from its resources, In different directions detachments penetrated sixty miles in the settled part of the province, and the inhabitants seemed satisfied with the change of situation, which appeared to be taking place the militia from Amhertsburg were daily deserting, and the whole country, then under the control of the army, was asking for protection. The Indians generally, in the first instance, appeared to be neutralized, and determined to take no part in the contest.

The fort of Amherstburgh was eighteen miles below my encampment. Not a single cannon or mortar was on wheels suitable to carry before that place. I consulted my officers whether it was expedient to make an attempt on it with the bayonet alone, without cannon to make a breach in the first instance. The council I called was of opinion it was not. The greatest industry was exerted in making preparation, and it was not until the 7th of August, that two 24-pounders, and three howitzers were prepared. It was then my intention to have proceeded on the enterprise.

« PreviousContinue »