214 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1814. 



36 guns ; Linnet, 18 guns; Broke, 

 10 guns; Shannon, 10 guns; 12 

 gun-boats, 16 guns), and request- 

 ed his co-operation ; and in the 

 mean time batteries were con- 

 structed for the guns brought from 

 the rear. 



On the morning of the 11th, our 

 flotilla was seen over the isthmus 

 which joins Cumberland-head with 

 the main land, steering for Piatts- 

 burg-Bay. I immediately ordered 

 that part of the brigade, under 

 Major General Robinson, which 

 had been brought forward, con- 

 fiistuig of four light infantry com- 

 panies, 3rd battalion 27th, and 

 7uth regiments ; and Major General 

 Powers's brigade, consisting of the 

 3rd, 5th, 1st battalion 27th, and 

 58th regiments, to force the ford 

 of the Saranac, and advance, pro- 

 vided with scaling ladders, to es- 

 calade the enemy's works upon the 

 heights : this force was placed un- 

 der the command of Major Gene- 

 ral Robinson. The batteries open- 

 ed their fire the instant the ships 

 engaged. 



It is now, with deep concern, I 

 inform your Lordship, that, not- 

 withstanding the intrepid valour 

 with which Captain Downie led 

 his flotilla into action, my most 

 sanguine hopes of complete success 

 were not long afterwards blasted, 

 by a combination, as it appeared 

 to us, of unfortunate events, to 

 which naval warfare is peculi- 

 arly exposed. Scarcely had his 

 Majesty's troops forced a passage 

 across the Saranac, and ascended 

 the height on which stand the ene- 

 my's works, when I had the ex- 

 treme mortification to hear the 

 shout of victory fron« the enemy's 

 works, in consequence of the 

 British flag being lowered ou 



board the Confiance and Lin- 

 net ; and to see our gun-boats 

 seeking their safety in flight. This 

 unlooked-for event depriving me 

 of the co-operation of the fleet, 

 without which the further prosecu- 

 tion of the service was become 

 impracticable, I did not hestiate 

 to arrest the course of the troops 

 advancing to the attack, because 

 the most complete success would 

 have been unavailing, and the pos- 

 session of the enemy's works offer- 

 ed no advantage to compensate for 

 the loss we must have sustained in 

 acquiring possession of them. 



I have ordered the batteries to 

 be dismantled, the guns withdrawn, 

 and the baggage, with the wound- 

 ed men who can be removed, to 

 be sent to the rear, itj order that 

 the troops may be sent to Chazy 

 to-morrow, and on the following 

 day to Cham plain, where I propose 

 to halt until I have ascertained the 

 use the enemy propose making of 

 the naval ascendancy they have ac- 

 quired on Lake Champlain. I have 

 the honour to transmit herewith* 

 returns of the loss sustained by the 

 left fiivision of this army in its ad- 

 vance to Plattsburg, and in forcing 

 a passage across the river Saranac. 

 I have the honour to be, &c. 

 (Signed) 



George Prevost. 

 Right Hon. Earl Bathurst, &c. 



* This Return was published in 

 the Gazette of the 19th instant. 



Admiralty-Office, Nov. 26. 



Copy of a letter from Commo- 

 dore Sir J. L. Yeo, Commander in 

 Chief of his Majesty's ships and 

 vessels on the Lakes of Canada, 

 to J. W. Croker, Esq. dated on 



