the enemy's squadron, which gives him decidedly the advantage, and puts it in his power to engage me when and how he chooses. I have the honor, &c. Hon. W. Jones, Sec. Navy. ISAAC CHAUNCEY. INDIAN WAR IN THE SOUTH. About this time the Indian war commenced in the South. A portion of the Creeks, headed by British or Spanish officers, attacked Fort St. Stephens, which was a picketed fort, containing 3 or 400 men, women, and children, and butchered and burnt them all except 16, who made their escape. BRIG ARGUS. The British official account of the capture of the U. S. brig Argus, on the 14th of August, has been received. In that account, the Pelican, which took the Argus, states the force of the two vessels, as follows, viz: -Argus, eighteen 24lb. carronades, and two 12's-127 men. Pelican, sixteen 32 pounders, and three 6's—116 men.-The action lasted 43 minutes. The American loss was 30, killed and wounded; that of the British 6. MALDEN TAKEN. Copy of a letter from Major General William H. Harrison, to the War Department, dated H. Quarters, Amherstburg, Sept. 23, 1813. SIR-I have the honor to inform you, that I landed the army, under my command, about three miles below this place, at 3 o'clock this evening, without opposition, and took possession of the town an hour after.General Proctor has retreated to Sandwich, with his regular troops and Indians, having previously burned the fort, navy-yard, barracks, and public stores; the two latter were very extensive, covering several acres of ground. I will pursue the enemy to-morrow, although there is no probability of overtaking him, as he has upwards of 1000 horses, and we have not one in the army; I shall think myself fortunate to be able to collect a sufficiency to mount the general officers.—It is supposed, here, that General Proctor intends to establish himself upon the river French, 40 miles from Malden. I have the honor, &c. WM. H. HARRISON. DEFEAT OF GEN. PROCTOR. Head-Quarters, near Moravian-Town, on the river Thames, 80 miles from Detroit, 5th October, 1813. SIR-I have the honor to inform you, that, by the blessing of Providence, the army under my command has obtained a complete victory over the combined Indian and British forces, under the command of General Proctor. I believe that nearly the whole of the enemy's regulars are taken or killed; amongst the former are all the superior officers, except Gen. Proctor; my mounted men are now in pursuit of him. Our loss is very trifling; the brave Col. R. M. Johnson is the only officer that I have heard of, that is wounded-he badly, but I hope not dangerously. I have the honor, &c. W. H. HARRISON. Hon. J. Armstrong, Sec. of War. TREATY WITH THE INDIANS. Extract of a letter from Gen. M'Arthur, to the Secretary of War, dated On our arrival at Sandwich, my brigade was ordered across the river to disperse some Indians, who were P pillaging the town, and to take possession of this place. Information was received, that several thousand Indians had retired a small distance into the woods, with instructions to attack Gen. Harrison's army, on its passage, for the purpose of retarding its progress; consequently, my brigade was left to garrison this place. Since General Harrison's departure, five nations of Indians, viz.-Ottowas, Chippewas, Pottewatamies, Miamies, and Kickapoos, who were but a few miles back, have come in for peace; and I have agreed that hosti lities should cease, for the present, on the following conditions they have agreed to take hold of the same tomahawk with us, and to strike all who are, or may be enemies to the U. States, whether British or Indians; they are to bring in a number of their women and children, and leave them as hostages, whilst they accompany us to war. Some of them have already brought in their women, and are drawing rations. I have just received a note, from General Harrison, advising, that he had last evening overtaken Gen. Proctor's force, and had gained a complete victory; all the principal officers were in his possesion, except Gen. Proctor; which, no doubt, ends the war in this quarter. I have the honor, &c. Hon. Sec. of War. DUNCAN M'ARTHUR. THE JULIA AND GROWLER RE-CAPTURED. Copy of a letter from Commodore Chauncey, to the Secretary of the Navy, dated U.S.S. Gen. Pike, Sacket's Harbor, Oct. 6th, 1813. SIR-I have the pleasure to inform you, that I arrived here this morning with five of the enemy's vessels, which I fell in with, and captured last evening, off the Ducks; these were part of a fleet of seven sail, which left York, on Sunday, with 234 troops on board, bound to Kingston. Of this fleet, five were captured, one burnt, and one escaped. The prisoners, amount R ing to nearly 300, besides having upwards of 300 of our troops on board, from Niagara, induced me to run into port, for the purpose of landing both. I have an additional pleasure in informing you, that amongst the captured vessels, are the late U. S. schrs. Julia and Growler; the others are gun-vessels. I have the honor, &c. ISAAC CHAUNCEY. Hon. W. Jones, Sec. Navy. FURTHER PROCEEDINGS. Copy of a letter from Commodore Chauncey, to the Secretary of the Navy, dated U. S. S. Gen. Pike, off Niagara, Oct. 1, 1813. SIR-On the 26th ult. it was reported to me, that the enemy's fleet was in York. I immediately dispatched the Lady of the Lake to look into York, and ascertain the fact; she returned in the evening with the information, that the enemy was in York bay. I immediately prepared to weigh; but, owing to a strong wind from N. N. E. was not able to get out of the river before the evening of the 27th; and, owing to the extreme darkness of the night, a part of the squadron got separated, and did not join before next morning, at 8, A. M. On the 28th, the Gen. Pike, Madison, and Sylph, each took a schooner in tow, and made all sail for York; soon after, discovered the enemy's fleet in York bay, shaped our course for him, and prepared for action; he perceived our intention of engaging him in his positiontacked, and stood out of the bay, wind at east. I formed the line, and run down for his centre: when we had approached within about 3 miles, he made all sail to the southward; I wore in succession, and stood on the same tack with him, edging down gradually in order to close. At 10 minutes, past meridian, the enemy, finding we were closing fast with him, and that he must *This letter bears the Albany post-mark of the 15th inst. having, from some unknown cause, been mislaid in some Post-office. either risk an action, or suffer his two rear vessels to be cut off, he tacked in succession, beginning at the van, hoisted his colours, and commenced a well directed fire at this ship, for the purpose of covering his rear, and attacking our rear as he passed to leeward. Perceiving his intention, I determined to disappoint him ; and, therefore, as soon as the Wolf, (the leading ship,) passed the centre of his line, and a beam of us, I bore up in succession, (preserving our line for the enemy's centre;) this manoeuvre not only covered our rear, but hove him in confusion; he immediately bore away. We had, however, closed so near as to bring our guns to bear with effect; and, in 20 minutes, the main and mizen top-mast, and main yard of the Wolf was shot away; he immediately put before the wind-was enabled to outsail most of our squadron; as it brought all the sail upon one mast, he did not feel the loss of his main and mizen topmast. I continued the chase until near 3 o'clock, during which time I was enabled, in this ship, (with the Asp in tow,) to keep in point-blank shot of the enemy, and sustained the whole of his fire during the chase. Capt Crane, in the Madison, and Lieut. Brown, in the Oneida, used every exertion to close with the enemy; but the Madison having a heavy schooner in tow, and the Oneida sailing very dull before the wind, prevented those officers from closing near enough to do any execution with their carronades. The Gov. Tompkins kept in her station, until her foremast was so badly wounded, as to oblige her to shorten sail. Lieutenant Finch, of the Madison, who commanded her for this cruise, (owing to the indisposition of Lieutenant Pettigrew,) behaved with great gallantry, and is an officer of much promise. Capt. Wolsey, of the Sylph, was kept astern by the Ontario, which he had in tow, but did considerable execution with his heavy guns. At 15 minutes before 3, P. M. I very reluctantly relinquished the pursuit of a beaten enemy; the reasons which led to this determination, were such as, I flatter myself, you will approve they were these: At the time I gave up the chase, this ship was making so much water, that it required all our pumps to keep her |