136 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. 



will not fail to observe, more than 

 exceeded the whole of the regular 

 and militia force which colonel 

 Proctor had to oppose to ihem. 

 Major-general Harrison, with the 

 main body of his army, consisting 

 of about 2,000 men, was reported 

 to be four or five days' march dis- 

 tant from brigadier-general Win- 

 chester's division, advancing in the 

 direction of Detroit. I think it 

 not improbable, that, upon hearing 

 of the disaster of this division, and 

 the loss of his supplies, he may 

 commence his retreat : but should 

 he persevere in his endeavours to 

 penetrate farther into the Michigan 

 territory, I feel the fullest confi- 

 dence in the skill and bravery of 

 colonel Proctor, and the troops 

 under his command, for an effec- 

 tual resistance to every attempt of 

 the enemy in that quarter. A 

 small detachment from the royal 

 artillery at Fort George, with the 

 light infantry company of the 41st 

 regiment, have marched to rein- 

 force Detroit ; they are to be re- 

 placed on the Niagara frontier, by 

 troops now in motion from Mon- 

 treal. 



I have the honour to be, &c. 

 (Signed) George Prevost. 

 To the right hon. earl Bathurst, &c. 



Sandiuich, Jan. 25th. 

 Sir ;— In my last dispatch I ac- 

 quainted you, that the enemy was 

 in the Michigan territory, march- 

 ing upon Detroit, and that I there- 

 fore deemed it necessary that he 

 should be attacked without delay, 

 with all and every description of 

 force within ray reach. Early in 

 the morning of the 19th, I was in- 

 formed of his being in possession 

 of French-town, on the river Raisin, 

 26 miles from Detroit, after ex* 



periencing every resistance that 

 major Reynolds of the Essex mili- 

 tia had it in his power to make, 

 with a three pounder well served 

 and directed by bombadier Kitson, 

 of the royal artillery, and the mili- 

 tia, three of whom he had well 

 trained to the use of it. The re- 

 treat of the gun was covered by a 

 brave band of Indians, who made 

 the enemy pay dear for what he 

 obtained. This party, composed 

 of militia and Indians, with the 

 gun, fell back eighteen miles to 

 Brown's-town, the settlement of 

 the brave Wyandots, where I di- 

 rected my force to assemble. On 

 the 21st inst. I advanced twelve 

 miles to Swan-creek, from whence 

 we marched to the enemy, and 

 attacked him at break of day on 

 the 22nd instant ; and after suffer- 

 ing, for our numbers, a consider- 

 able loss, the enemy's force posted 

 in housesandenclosures, and which, 

 from dread of falling into the hands 

 of the Indians, they most obsti- 

 nately defended, at length surren- 

 dered at discretion ; the other part 

 of their force, in attempting to re- 

 treat by the way they came, were, 

 I believe, all, or with very few ex- 

 ceptions, killed by the Indians. 

 Brig.-gen. Winchester was taken 

 in the pursuit by the Wyandot 

 chief. Roundhead, who afterwards 

 surrendered him to me. You will 

 perceive that I have lost no time ; 

 indeed it was necessary to be 

 prompt in my movements, as the 

 enemy would have been joined by 

 major-general Harrison in a few 

 days. The troops, the marine, 

 and the militia, displayed great 

 bravery, and behaved uncommonly 

 well. Where so much zeal and 

 spirit were manifested, it would 

 be unjust to attempt to particular- 



