Western Sun, Volume 6, Number 7, Vincennes, Knox County, 13 August 1814 — Page 4

ST. LOUIS, July 30, i8U. Disasi fr As loon a governor Chrk returned from his fuccefsful expedition to Prairie du Chein, it wasthot' proper by brig, gen. Howard, commanding in this diftrict ( who had III the interim returned to this place from Kentucky) to fend a force to relieve the volunteers, and preierve the acquifition io important tO the welfare of our country. Fot this purpoie It. Campbell of the id regt, acling as brigade maj. was cut ruffed with the command of 42 regulars Md 66 rangers, in three keel boats ; the contractor and fut lcrs boats in company I he whole party, including boatmen and women, amounted to about 133 fouls, reached Mock river, within 180 or feoo miles of the Prairie, w ithout any accident. As loon as they entered the rapids they were vifited by hundreds of Sac's and Foxes, fome of the latter bearing letters from the garrifoti above to St. Louis j the officers being unacquainted with Indian manners, imagined the lavages to be friendly ; to this 1 ital fecUrity may be attributed the cataifropke w hich followedi It appears that the futtlers and contractors boats had

On the 17th inft. the long I The former after a contefl cf expected Britifh force appear , two hours and 20 minutes,

ed in view marching from the I withdrew to a favorable po-

Oifconfm towards the village,

the line of regular troops, militia and indians extended about 2 miles, with 24 flags flying. A Britifh officer arrived at the fort demanding its furrender ; It. Perkins re

fition which enabled him to lave the few regular troops as well from the flames which furrounded them as the fur of the lavages. The high wind which then prevailed 6c the lofh of his anchors oreven-

turned for anfwer, that he ted his rendering like aflif . was able and prepared to de- ance to It. Kiggs. The latter

,' fend the poft entrufted to his , although Branded, and in a

charge. Before the return of hopelefs fituation kept up an the flar the Britifh commenc- i incefTant fire on the indians. ed a fire upon the Govr. Clark and by a rufe de guerre, affrom a fmall battery of 1 or j forded his party an opportu-

2, 3 pounders, which was im mediately by & fix pounder from the boat foon after the firing commenced a large bo

an ived near the hc-ad of the rapids, and proceeded on, having

( n board the ammunition, with a fergts. uard, the rangers of indians ck white troops In two barges followed, and had proceeded twomiicG in ad- crofTed to the ifland which Vance of the commanders barge 5 the latter inclined to the front the village, and enabled rad fide in fearch of the main channel, and being now on a them to fire on the boat at he fhore proceeded with much difficulty, and as the wind ill- j jpiftol fhot diftancc, & fcreen Creafed were drifted into fhcal water within a few yards of ihetnfeltCI behind trees from a high bank, covered withgrafs wait! high, a few ftepsfrorrt ne grape which inceffantly the bow and ftern, an umbrage of willows fee cut from th poured from the boat. In fhore . In this pofttion the commanding officer thot prooer this manner the contefl conti

. ' 1 r . . 1 . t f 1 11 - 1

to remain until the wind abated, lentrjrs were placed at pro. "ca lor two nours, untu tne i uie nre on ooara it. tnatDp -pt r inters aU and the men were occupied in cooking when gun boat received feveraifhot bell's barge, and to board the report of feveral guns announced an attack 5 at the firft between wind and water, j Kigs Our hero then openfire all the lentry' killedg and before thofe on fliore j when it was concluded to ed upOrt them a well di reeled could reach the barge 10 or 15 cut of 30, were killed and j mve down the river ; by this fire which drove them in all v 1 1. At this tune the force and intentions of the indi-1 movement down the narrow directions, leaving feveral of

;n:s were toiiv ' v. ; J. Un each nore the Uvacres werr i ciiannei iney nao 10 run cue uieir cieau oenma.

f 1 km ion : fome in canoe croflino rQ the bat- I gauntlet thro' a line of muf

nity cf making ;he favages feel fome of the confequence of their perfidy . He ordered his men to ceafe firing for about ten minutes, and ar , lame time ordered the ho witzer to be wel! loaded with grape, and the fmall arms to be in complete readinefs.I he indians, befteVing the rangers t'j be all killed, or that they had fu r r e n d ered, r u fl 1 e I

down the bank to

extin&uifh

thers were obferved running from above and

tie gtou

below to the fcene of attack ; in a few minutes from 5 to 70c Were aflembled on the bank and among the willows, within a few yards of the bow and tlern of the barge, the indians gave the whoop, and commenced a tremendous fire the tew furviving brave men in the barge cheered, and returned the fire from a fwivel and fmall arms. At this critical juncture, lieurs. Reel or and KiggS of the rangers, who commanded the two barges ahead, did r,c: hear the guns but feen the i noke, and concluded an attack was made, dropped down, Riggs boat ftranded about too yards below Campbell's, and Kector to avoid a like misfortune, and preferve himiclf from a raking (ire, anchored above ; both barges opened a brifk fire on the indians, but as the enemy fired from coverts, iit is

thought linie execution

:s done.

1 ot

hour

was ipent in ti

qual contelt, u h9h

Campbell s barge was discovered on lire, to relieve which

cut I i cat le, arid fell to windward of him, and took and futtlers boats, thofe on

01 s

I inding he could not aflilt llic'is, having

ird, and in danger of running on

1 1

j 1 era

out the a nu a b

; leefhore, he made ti c belt of l is way to this place where he arr veJ on Sunday evening laft There were 8 regulars killed and tA wounded, 2 died on theii p iffage to this place. One ranger killed and 4 wounded on board It ReAorfs barge. Brigade major Campbell and d Lf.r Stewart feverely wounded I wo women and a child feverely woun ledfone of the women and achildfince Jt ad . , rr we hat! Gni flied detailing the above unfortunate aff i , we received the glad tidings of the arrival of It. jgg at iu Gray 5 he loll akilird and 4 wounded. Would to Heaven! we could account for ihe remaining two barges. l 1 n 1 toky. As we were preparing the foregoing for preis, g un bo it Govei nor Clat k , commanded by capt . Yeizer,

ketry nearly 9 miles.

On approaching the rapids, capt. Yeizer fent his fkiff with 9 men down to reconnoitre, who difcovcred Kigg's boat engaged with the indians and Campbell's barge on fire.

l Thefe appearances induced

the boats crew to return and the indians to call to them to come on fhore, raifing to their view the Englifh Hag, believing them to be Mackinaw voyagers. Before difpatching the reconnoitering boat the Govr.

Clark, jo-ned the contractor

Chilli cothe July 8. Extract of a letter from a ffetttleman. a volunteer in tl?c expedition againft Mackinaw, to his friend in this town, dated Fort Gratiot, rapids river St. Clair, July 13th, 1814. dear sir 1 he land forces arrived here yellerday. having marched by land i' miles thro' a very ugly & weC country, and without even a path the greater part of the way. 1 he veffels were detained by head winds to day they have a fair wind, and

the

Niagara and Lawrence

board were ignorant of the

fate of the boa.s below, and would within a quarter of an hour have been in the nower of ir.'j favages, if they had no; thus been providentially fuatched f r om deftruclion. .Seven were wounded on board the Govr. Clark, viz: It. Ilenderibn and enlign St. Pierre, feverely 7 privates were wounded, one died on the way down, the day after his kg was amputated.

a 1 : 1 v r

from Prairie du Chein, with the con

traitors and fettters barges, which were fortunately relieved M xUv moment the indians were about to board them. - m the officers of the governor Clark, we have received the following cry importaot news from the Prairie.

Every account of the attack on Campbell's detach ment reflects the higbefl en comium on the Hull and un daunted bravery of Its Rl cior and Kig2si ot the rangers.

havejuft palfed over the rapids and anchored in lake Huron ; tiie Caledonian, Porcupine and Tvgrels, are now pafling the rapids the troops are ordered to be ready to embark in one hour. If the wind is good we will be before Mackinaw in 3 days. Qur force will be 550 or 600 rreport fays, that of the enemy is four hundred regulars and one thouland Canadians and indians.' PRINTING IM -ALL ITS VARIETY, N FA TIT AND ACCURATELY F.XKCUTED AT THIS OFFICE.

FROM THE PRESS 0 E. STOUT. '

PRINTER 01 THE LAWS TED STATES.

F T HE UXX