Our army, therefore, when it shall have been sufficiently augmented to invest that city, can move down from where it now is, and take Montreal in its way. If Congress does its duty this winter, by giving such wages to recruits as will induce a sufficient number of them to step forth immediately and join the army, the next campaign down the river St. Lawrence will be a brilliant one, and redound to the honour and greatly to the advantage of the United States."

Next comes an "Extract from the General Order of Gen. Wilkinson, of the 13th Nov.":

"The troops are to embark without loss of time yet are not to be hurried in leaving the Canadian shore, from whence the Commander in Chief is compelled to retire, by the extraordinary, unexampled, and it appears unwarrantable conduct of Maj. Gen. HAMPTON, in refusing to join this army with a division of 4,000 men under his command, agreeable to positive orders from the Commander in Chief, and as he has been assured by the Secretary of War, of explicit instructions from the War Department. Thus deprived of a large portion of his promised force, the Commander in Chief feels himself bound by a sense of regard to this meritorious corps, and of sacred duty to the United States, to spare the lives of brave men, and not to hazard the character or interests of the nation, by an unequal conflict. He with lively regret and the deepest mortification, suspends the destined attack upon Montreal. But he assures this army that it is not abandoned."

Following the above is the "Latest news from the Essex Frigate," brought to Newport, December 4, by the ship Criterion, Captain Clark, in 82 days from Tulchuana, coast of Chili, to the effect that "the Frigate Essex, Capt. Porter [the present Admiral Porter's father] had captured during her cruise on the Leeward Coast, and at the Gallapagos Island, eight English whale ships," giving their names.

Battle of Williamsburgh.

General John P. Boyd, who commanded in the battle of Williamsburg, 11th November, sends to Major General James Wilkinson, commander-inchief, a detailed account thereof, from his "Camp near Cornwall, Nov. 12, 1813." The rear division of the army, consisting of detachments from the first, third, and fourth brigades, was placed under the command of General Boyd to protect the flotilla from the enemy, and as they were about to move down the river St. Lawrence, and form a junction with the main body below, word was brought to him "that a body of about 200 British and Indians had advanced into the woods that skirted our rear." The order was at once given to dislodge them, and "after a short skirmish, they were. driven back to the position of their main body, which was forced to retire more than a mile before the resolute and repeated charges" of our troops, made in the face "of a heavy and galling fire." "The fight now became more stationary," and it was kept up with great vigor "until our brigade first engaged, having expended all their ammunition, were directed to

retire," and the enemy offering no further resistance, the fight was not renewed. Of the officers engaged under, and mentioned by, General Boyd, were Generals Swartwout and Covington; Colonels Coles, Pierce, Preston, Swift, Gaines, Ripley, Walback, Johnson, and Upham; Lieutenant-Colonel Aspinwall; Majors Morgan, Grafton, Gardner, Beebe, Chambers, Woodford, Malcolm, and Cummings; Captain Irvine; Lieutenants Smith, Worth, and Whiting. "General Covington, whose readiness to enter the field was an earnest of his subsequent activity, received a mortal wound while leading his men on to a successful charge. His fate will perpetuate the memory of the plain, which has been crimsoned by his blood." Colonel Preston and Major Cummings were both severely wounded, and Lieutenant Smith was killed. The general awaited reports of the several chiefs of brigades for the names and number of killed and wounded in their several commands. Fort Covington took its name in horor of General Covington. Recently, having shown to Sir William Richards, of Ottawa, this account of the battle of Williamsburgh, he said that marks of it (buck-shot holes) were yet visible on the walls of an old barn still standing on or near the field of battle. He also remarked that General Covington had been relied on to lead the contemplated attack on Montreal.

Here are a few of the more interesting items of news:

NEW YORK, Dec. 4, 1813.

The Hon. DE WITT CLINTON, our Mayor, having transmitted to Com. PERRY the resolutions of the Common Council of this city, expressive of their high sense of the services he has performed, has received an affectionate answer from the Commodore, in which he says: "The request to sit for my portrait, to be placed in the Gallery of Portraits of the Common Council, is too high an honor not to be readily complied with."

Letters from Washington.

The federal Editors in Boston have fallen so low in public estimation, that not one federal Member of Congress can be found to correspond with them. The public have been heretofore so much bewildered by the famous Quincy letters, calculated to feed rebellion and treason, and bring about a dissolution of the Union-peaceably or forcibly. The people seem disposed to receive the Congressional Proceedings from the regular reporters. -Yet notwithstanding this disposition, we learn that some of our common-sewer Editors have engaged a person (now gone on to Washington), to write letters to Boston, to keep up the delusion a little longer. A very feeble attempt in a very bad cause.

[From this it would appear that Mr. James Brooks and Mr. N. P. Willis were not, as it has generally been stated they were, the earliest newspaper correspondents from the capital.]

Retaliation.

In consequence of orders from Government, the Marshal of this District has seized all

the British army officers at Worcester, eleven in number, and put them in close confinement; in part retaliation for the forty-six American officers imprisoned by the British. The full complement will be made up in other places. This looks well.

Tribute of Respect.

A Public Dinner was given to Commodore Bainbridge, in Philadelphia, on the 2d inst., at which were present all the naval and military officers in the city; and a very large concourse of the most respectable citizens.

A Public Dinner has been given at Baltimore to Lt. M'Call, of the Navy.

The republican citizens of New York have given a splendid Dinner to Gen. Harrison, the hero of the West and reconqueror of Michigan.

Ordination.

The ordination of the REV. FRANCIS PARKMAN, as Pastor of the New North Religious Society in this town, took place on the 8th inst. The solemnities on the occasion were peculiarly appropriate, affectionate and interesting, and were as follows, viz:-Introductory Prayer, by the Rev. Mr. Lowell. Sermon, by the Rev. Mr. Channing; Ordaining Prayer, by the Rev. Dr. Kirkland. Charge, by the Rev. Dr. Lathrop. Right Hand of Fellowship, by Rev. Mr. Tuckerman, of Chelsea. Concluding Prayer, by the Rev. Mr. Hurd, of Lynn.

A brief sketch of Commodore Perry, from the Norwich Courier, comes

next.

"

* *

'Com. OLIVER HAZARD PERRY, who, by his late brilliant achievement on Lake Erie has secured to himself the proudest niche in the Temple of Fame, is the eldest son of Christopher Raymond Perry, Esq., formerly of Newport, Rhode Island, but for some months past a resident of this town. * The importance of the victory is immense, and the public joy on this occasion has been completely and unequivocally manifested by the sound of artillery, the chiming of bells and brilliant illuminations from one extremity of the country to the other.

"Commodore Perry has three brothers also in the navy, two of whom are lieuts. on board the President; and the other, the youngest, about 13 years of age, was on board the Lawrence serving as a midshipman in the late glorious battle, and was the only one of that class of officers who was not either killed or wounded! It seems, in fact, almost a miracle that in the midst of such horrible carnage, when so many gallant fellows took their way to the world of spirits,' both the brothers should escape unhurt.

"Commodore Perry is now but little more than 28 years of age, having been born in August, 1785. He was married, a few years since, to a very beautiful and accomplished young lady-Miss Mason, daughter of the late Dr. Mason, of Newport, by whom he has one son."

There follows a touching obituary of James Broom, first lieutenant of marines on board the Chesapeake, who, at "about 24 years of age, was killed in the action with the Shannon on the 1st of June. He was the son of Major Abraham Broom, of Wilmington, Delaware. His brother

Charles, about 18 years of age, was also a lieutenant of Marines, then serving with Commodore Chauncey on the Lakes, and giving promise" of being an ornament to his profession, having, to use the expression of his gallant commander in relation to him, 'a veteran head upon young shoulders.""

"Naval Anecdotes.-Victory on L. Erie."

The Gleaner gives the following from two men of Capt. Thomas' company, which, Nov. 26th, had just returned "in safety to their families and friends" at Wilkesbarre, Pa.

"B. Hall was on board the [name of vessel omitted] in the heat of the battle, the last remaining spongue of their long and principal gun happening to fall into the lake. The gun would have been rendered useless-Hall plunged into the waves and caught it—his comrades seized the end of the spongue and drew him on board, and they poured away again into the enemy."

"James Bird, son of Mr. J. Bird, of Exeter, was on board the Lawrence with the gallant Perry on the glorious 10th of September. The battle raged-many a poor fellow fell around him. Bird did his duty like a hero. Towards the close of the engagement a canister shot struck him on the shoulder as he was stooping to his gun. He was instantly covered with blood, and his officer ordered him below. He ventured to disobey, preferring to do duty while he had life, to abandoning his post. But the blood flowed so fast, that another order was issued to go below. He ran down, got a hasty bandage on the wound, came again on deck, and although his left arm was useless, yet he handed cartridges and performed the utmost service in his power with his right, until the stars and stripes waved gloriously victorious over the foe."

The usual notices of marriages and deaths fill half a column, and there are over four columns of advertisements, in which "Plymouth Beach Lottery" figures conspicuously. The two plays advertised for Friday, Dec. 10th, were "a much admired Comedy in 5 acts, called WHO WANTS A GUINEA?" and "the popular Operatic Drama in 3 acts, called, LODOISKA, OR THE CAPTIVE PRINCESS."

cisely."

Doors to be opened at 5, and curtain to rise at 6 o'clock pre

ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS

SIR HENRY CLINTON'S ORIGINAL SECRET RECORD OF PRIVATE DAILY INTELLIGENCE

Contributed by Dr. Thomas Addis Emmett

WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND NOTES BY EDWARD F. DELANCEY*

INTRODUCTION.-Under date of London, February 9th, there appeared in a New York newspaper, toward the end of February, 1882, a letter, from which the following are extracts:

* *

"The inquiry frequently made by historians of the Revolution as to 'What had become of Sir Henry Clinton's books and papers,' has at length, one hundred years after his supercession in the chief command of the British forces in America, received an answer, though unfortunately an incomplete one. Descending from father to son, through several generations of Clintons, a volume or document dropping out now and then, all that was left of the Clinton collection has at last found its way to the auction room. The sale of this important remnant, rendered more valuable by reason of what has probably been lost, will be marked as a memorable event in the record of notable sales of 'Americana.' Carelessly and unappreciatively catalogued, the fifteen or twenty important lots of the sale were knocked down at prices for less than they would have realized in Philadelphia or New York, where such a sale would have created a perfect furor, and where, instead of a brief contest between a few booksellers, historical societies, and private collectors, booksellers numberless would have joined in a fierce and protracted battle for possession." * * "There were some very important manuscripts relating to Clinton's military operations in America. 'Private Intelligence, beginning January 20th, 1781,' and 'Information of Deserters and others not included in Private Intelligence.' The first consisted of 150 pages of closely written matter on small folio paper, and the second about 100 pages in a volume of the same size. A pencil note, written by one of the Clinton family, says, in reference to each of these manuscripts, I think in Sir G. Beckwith's hand.' Whether this be the case or not, the writing bears indisputable evidence of having been written from day to day as information came into headquarters through the agency of spies, deserters, or friends of the British, whose names in some instances are attached to the entries." * * * * It should be mentioned that the Clinton collection was sold under the title of "The Library of the late Colonel Henry Clinton, partially collected by General Sir William Henry Clinton;" but among the books (about 300) there were some with autographs, or book plates, of Captain Clinton, Commander-in-chief in the Mediterranean, 1737-41, G. Clinton, Fred. Clinton, and some lady members of the same family."

*

Some one of the "few booksellers" present at this auction sale in London, however, with an eye to business, bought an Atlas of MS. Maps used by Clinton in his march from Philadelphia, a MS. letter containing Clinton's personal account of the march, a set in two volumes 8vo. of Washington's official letters, annotated by Clinton, and the two folio manuscripts above described, and sent them to America on speculation. These were offered at auction in New York, in May, 1882, and the two latter were then purchased by their present owner, Dr. Thomas Addis Emmett, the eminent physician, learned student of American history, and the indefatigable collector of all that is valuable relating to America. Believing that at this late day-a century after all that would really throw light on the American Revolution on either side should be made accessible to the student

* At the editor's earnest request, and with Dr. Emmett's ready permission, Mr. de Lancey consented to prepare the introduction and notes to this "Private Intelligence."