[ No. 220. ] MY LORD, SIR GEORGE PREVOST TO EARL BATHURST. HEAD QUARTERS, MONTREAL, 4th December 1814. I had the honor of informing Your Lordship in my Dispatch No 198 of 7th Octr. last of the capture of two of the Enemy's Schooners the Scorpion and Tigress, on Lake Huron by a Detachment of Troops & a party of Seamen, from Michilimackinac under the command of Lieutenant Bulger of the Royal Newfoundland Fencibles. I have now the honor to transmit to Your Lordship an Inventory and Valuation* of These Schooners and their appurtenances amounting to the sum of sixteen thousand and Fourteen pounds and eleven pence farthing which with reference to the commands conveyed to me in Your Lordship's Dispatch No. 50 of 31st Octr 1813, I beg leave to submit for the decision of His Royal Highness The Prince Regent and I humbly recommend that I may be furnished with authority for the issue of the Prize Money in this Country to those entitled to share in this capture, the Schooners having been taken into the service of Government, and their appurtenances applied to public purposes. The Detachment actually engaged in the capture consisted of 3 Subalterns 4 Serjeants & Royal Newfoundland Fencibles. 50 Rank & File, 1 Lieut and 17 Seamen, Royal Navy. with a few Indians, the whole under the command of Lieut Worsley of the Royal Navy. As the expedition employed in the execution of this service partook more of a military than Naval capture and it being prepared under the orders of Lieut Col. McDonall Commanding at Michilimackinac I have considered that officer and the whole of that Garrison under his orders as possessing a just claim to a proportion of this Booty and as Commodore Sir James Yeo has concurred with me in this opinion, I request that the Garrison of Michilimackinac, as well as the parties actually present at the capture may *For Inventory and Valuation see page 608. participate according to their relative Ranks in the Prize money arising from the two American Schooners. It is with some satisfaction I have occasion to report to Your Lordship, that since I had the honor of closing my dispatch at Montreal No 218 of the 2nd Inst. I have ascertained that the excesses committed by the mounted Kentuckians from Detroit in the late incursion to the Grand River have been much exaggerated. The private property wrested from individuals consisted chiefly of cattle for the maintenance of the Americans on their route and some Horses. Several mills however in the neighbourhood of Long Point which afforded Flour to our Magazines were entirely destroyed. I have the honor to be My Lord Your Lordship's most obedient Humble Servant GEORGE PREVOST. To the Right Honble Earl Bathurst, &c. &c. &c. Endorsed as above. Lt. Genl. Sir G. Prevost. No. 223. R. 25 Feby. [Q 128-2, p 515] [No. 221.] MY LORD, SIR GEORGE PREVOST TO EARL BATHURST. HEAD QUARTERS, QUEBEC, 15th January 1815. Since I had the honor of addressing our Lordship on the 20th Ulto the Enemy's main attention has been directed to the preservation of the Flotilla on Lake Champlain; on the appearance of winter it left Plattsburg Bay & proceeded to Whitehall, a remote establishment at the extremity of the Lake; it is about one hundred and Thirty miles from the Province Line, and Sixty from Albany. The precautions taken by the American Government against any enterprize for the destruction of these Vessels, have become so numerous, and so notorious, added to the natural great obstacles of the olimate & the country, that it has not been in my power to indulge my desire of attempting a project against them, with any reasonable hope of success. I have received information of the arrival at Sackett's Harbour of 500 shipwrights, for the purpose of building three ships of the Line. That such Vessels may be run up most expeditiously as possible, but it is scarcely probable that the present resources of the Government of the United States, will enable it to arm, man and equip them in time to contend for the naval ascendancy on Lake Ontario, at the opening of the campaign. From Secret agents I have Intelligence of several heavy anchors and cables, and about forty long Guns, having been brought by Hudson's River to Albany, from whence they are to be sent by the Mohawk River to the Oneida Lake & from thence to Oswego. In order to preserve our Naval Superiority on Lake Ontario Sir James Yeo is proceeding rapidly in the construction of another ship of the Line; he has already put together and launched on the 25th Ulto the Frigate (Psyche) which had been conveyed to Kingston in pieces this vessel has undergone such alterations as will enable her to carry Fifty Six Guns. I have the honor to transmit herewith the Commodore's suggestions relating to the Naval Force for Lake Champlain, with my reply thereto for Your Lordship's consideration. The reports I have received from Penetanguishene continue to encourage hopes of our obtaining in the Spring the ascendancy on Lake Huron: The most serious obstacle to this Establishment, is the extreme difficulty with which Provisions are to be procured and afterwards conveyed to it. The Transport of Supplies of every description for the Army and Navy in Upper Canada is going on with so much vigour as to lead me to believe the means for carrying on a particular service may be collected at Kingston by the month of April, provided the winter roads last 'til then and the Naval demand for transport does not become excessive. I have the honor to be My Lord Your Lordship's most obedient and most humble Servant To The Right Honorable Earl Bathurst, &c. &c. &c. GEORGE PREVOST. [ Q 131, p 2] SIR, ANTHONY ST. JOHN BAKER TO SIR GEORGE PREVOST. WASHINGTON, 7th March 1815. In an interview to-day with the American Secretary of State he acquainted me that it was the intention of this Government immediately to send directions to General Brown who commands on the Niagara Frontier to make arrangements with Your Excellency for the mutual restoration of places in Upper Canada captured by either party during the war, in pursuance of the stipulations of the Treaty of Peace. I have thought it right to communicate the course intended to be taken by the American Government to Your Excellency to whom I had the honor of transmitting by the Messenger Raye and in duplicate through the commanding officer at Fort Niagara intelligence of the exchange of the Ratifications on the 17th Ultimo, and a copy of the Treaty of Peace signed at Ghent. I take the liberty of requesting Your Excellency will do me the honor to acquaint me with the period at which the restitution takes place and with any circumstances attending it which you may think it necessary that I should be informed of. I have the honor to be &c. &c. &c. ANTHONY ST. John Baker. To His Excellency The Commander of H. M. Forces in Canada. Endorsed: 2. In Sir G. Drummond's 6th April 1815. [ Q 132, p 6 ] JAMES MONROE, SEC'Y TO BRIG. GEN. DUNCAN MC ARTHUR. SIR, DEPARTMENT OF WAR, March 11th, 1815. I had the honor to enclose you copy of the Treaty of Peace signed on the 24th December at Ghent, by the Commissioners on the part of the United States and Great Britain. The first article of this Treaty stipulates, that "all Territories, Places, and Possessions whatsoever taken from either party by the other during the war, or which may be taken after the signing of the Treaty, except only the Islands hereinafter mentioned shall be restored without delay, & without causing any destruction, or carrying away any of the artillery, or other Public Property originally captured in the said Forts or Places, & which shall remain therein upon the exchange of the Ratifications of this Treaty or any Slaves or other Private Property, & all the Archives, Records, deeds & Papers either of a Public Nature, or belonging to Private Persons, which in the course of the war may have fallen into the hands of the officers of either Party, shall be, as far as may be practicable forthwith restored and delivered to the proper authorities & persons to whom they respectively belong." You are charged with the execution of these stipulations on the part of the United States, as far as they may respect Your Military district, of which you will advise the officer Comg. His Britannio Majesty's Forces in Upper Canada, and you will appoint such officers as you may confide in, to receive, & deliver up, simultaneously all such Forts & Places as are stipulated by the Treaty to be delivered up by either Party & also receive & make all other necessary arrangements respecting the Slaves & other Private Property, as well as Deeds, Papers, Records, &c which are to be mutually restored. I have &c JAMES MONROE. Brigr. General Duncan McArthur, Commanding 8th Military District. [ Q 132, p 114 ] SIR GEORGE PREVOST TO EARL BATHURST. [No. 233.] MY LORD, HEAD QUARTERS, QUEBEC, 13th March 1815. I had yesterday the honor to receive Your Lordship's dispatch of the 27th December last, enclosing the copy of a Treaty of Peace signed at Ghent on the 24th of that month, by His Majesty's |