herself a few miles below the enemy, suffer nothing to pass her, and wait for further orders.  In the mean time, I marched across the country with one hundred and thirty men, being all I could raise, after leaving this place garrisoned by the militia.  The inhabitants of the country behaved exceedingly well, numbers of young men turned out on the expedition, and every other one embodied to guard the different towns.  I marched the 7th of February.  Although so small a body, it took me sixteen days on the route.  The inclemency of the season, high waters, &c. seemed to threaten the loss of the expedition.  When within three leagues of the enemy, in a direct line, it took us five days to cross the drowned lands of the Wabash river, having to wade often upwards of two leagues, to our breast in water.  Had not the weather been warm, we must have perished.  But on the evening of the 23rd, we got on dry land, in sight of the enemy; and at seven o’clock, made the attack, before they knew any thing of us.  The town immediately surrendered with joy, and assisted in the siege.  There was a continual fire on both sides, for eighteen hours.  I had no expectation of gaining the fort until the arrival of my artillery.  The moon setting about one o’clock, I had an entrenchment thrown up within rifle-shot of their strongest battery, and poured such showers of well directed balls into their ports, that we silenced two pieces of cannon in fifteen minutes, without getting a man hurt.

Governor Hamilton and myself had, on the following day, several conferences, but did not agree until the evening, when he agreed to surrender the garrison (seventy-nine in number) prisoners of war, with considerable stores.  I got only one man wounded; not being able to lose many, I made them secure themselves well.  Seven were badly wounded in the fort, through ports.  In the height of this action, an Indian party that had been to war, and taken two prisoners, came in, not knowing of us.  Hearing of them, I despatched a party to give them battle in the commons, and got nine of them, with the two prisoners, who proved to be Frenchmen.  Hearing of a convoy of goods from Detroit, I sent a party of sixty men, in armed boats well mounted with swivels, to meet them, before they could receive any intelligence.  They met the convoy forty leagues up the river, and made a prize of the whole, taking forty prisoners, and about ten thousand pounds’ worth of goods and provisions; also the mail from Canada to Governor Hamilton, containing, however, no news of importance.  But what crowned the general joy, was the arrival of William Morris, my express to you, with your letters, which gave general satisfaction.  The soldiery, being made sensible of the gratitude of their country for their services, were so much elated, that they would have attempted the reduction of Detroit, had I ordered them.  Having more prisoners than I knew what to do with, I was obliged to discharge a greater part of them on parole.  Mr. Hamilton, his principal officers, and a few soldiers, I have sent to Kentucky, under convoy of Captain Williams, in order to be conducted to you.  After despatching Morris with letters to you, treating with the neighboring Indians, &c, I returned to this place, leaving a sufficient garrison at St. Vincenne.