the same, or give notice thereof to the officer commanding, or lieutenant-colonel Nichol, who are hereby authorised to receive and give proper receipts for the same.

Officers of the militia will be held responsible that all arms in possession of the militia-men be immediately delivered up; and all individuals whatever, who have in their possession arms of any kind, will deliver them up without delay. Given under my hand, at Detroit, this 16th day of August, 1812, and in the 52d year of his majesty's reign.

(Signed)

A true copy.

ISAAC BROCK, Major-General.

J. Macdonnell, Lt.-Col. Militia, & A. D. C.

Regulations of the Civil Government of the Territory of Michigan.

Whereas the territory of Michigan was, on the sixteenth day of August, one thousand eight hundred and twelve, ceded by capitulation to the arms of his Britannic majesty, and the American flag removed and the British flag substituted on the same day at noon; and whereas on the same day a proclamation was issued by Isaac Brock, esq. major-general, commanding his majesty's forces in the province of Up-. per Canada, &c. &c. &c. And the said proclamation, among other things, announces to all the inhabitants of the said territory, that "wishing to give an early proof of the moderation and justice of the British government, the American laws heretofore in existence shall continue in force until his majesty's pleasure be known, or so long as the peace and safety of the said territory will admit thereof." And whereas the said laws cannot be carried into execution according to the effect and intention so announced to the inhabitants, without providing for the existence and continuance of the proper civil officers, for the execution of the same, and without the necessary courts and other judicial authorities for the administration of justice amongst the said inhabitants: Now therefore be it known, that I, the undersigned Henry Proctor, colonel in the military forces of his Britannic majesty, now commanding in the territory of Michigan, do make and establish, for the time being, the following regulations for the civil administration of the said territory:

1st, The civil officers, remaining in the country, shall continue to exercise the respective functions appertaining to their offices, without any new commissions for the same, and those offices which are suspended by the departure from the country of those holding them, shall be supplied as hereinafter provided.

2d, The civil executive powers shall be exercised by a civil governor. The civil governor shall appoint to all civil offices, which are or shall be vacant, and shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.

3d, Courts of justice shall be held as usual.

4th, Legislative provisions need not be adopted from the laws of any of the American states. A majority shall not be necessary when any of the offices are vacant. The secretary shall make two copies of all executive proceedings and legislative regulations, one of which shall be transmitted for the use of the British government, and the other be retained.

5th, The expenses of the civil administration shall be defrayed quarterly by the proper officer in the military department, paying the lawful amount thereof to the civil treasurer. The duties, customs, and revenues accruing according to the laws of the United States, shall be paid quarterly by the collectors to the proper officer in the military department. The internal duties and revenues accruing to the territory of Michigan, shall be paid to the proper treasurers thereof.

6th, The undersigned will act as civil governor of the territory of Michigan for the time being. Augustus B. Woodward, chief justice of the said territory, is appointed secretary. The offices of register and receiver of the land office and post-master are superseded, reserving a full right to adjust all anterior concerns. All officers in the Indian department are superseded.

Given under my hand at Detroit, the 21st day of August, one thousand eight hundred and twelve, and in the 52d year of his majesty's reign.

(Signed)

HENRY PROCTOR, Col.

EVACUATION OF CHICAGO.

Extract of a letter from Captain Heald, late Commandant at Fort Chicago, dated at Pittsburgh, Oct. 23, 1812.

On the 9th of August last, I received orders from general Hull to evacuate the post and proceed with my command to Detroit by land, leaving it at my discretion to dispose of the public property as I thought proper. The neighbouring Indians got the information as early as I did, and came in from all quarters in order to receive the goods in the factory store, which they understood were to be given them. On the 13th, captain Wells, of fort Wayne, arrived with about 30 Miamies, for the purpose of escorting us in, by the request

of general Hull. On the 14th I delivered the Indians all the goods in the factory store, and a considerable quantity of provisions which we could not take away with us. The surplus arms and ammunition I thought proper to destroy, fearing they would make bad use of it if put in their possession. I also destroyed all the liquor on hand soon after they began to collect. The collection was unusually lange for that place, but they conducted with the strictest propriety till after I left the fort. On the 15th, at nine in the morning, we commenced our march; a part of the Miamies were detached in front, and the remainder in our rear, as guards, under the direction of captain Wells. The situation of the country rendered it necessary for us to take the beach, with the lake on our left, and a high sand bank on our right, at about 100 yards distance. We had proceeded about a mile and a half, when it was discovered the Indians were prepared to attack us from behind the bank. I immediately marched up with the company to the top of the bank, when the action commenced; after firing one round, we charged and the Indians gave way in front and joined those on our flanks. In about 15 minutes they got possession of all our horses, provisions, and baggage of every description, and, finding the Miamies did not assist us, I drew off the few men I had left, and took possession of a small elevation in the open prairies, out of shot of the bank or any other cover. The Indians did not follow me, but assembled in a body on the top of the bank, and, after some consultation among themselves, made signs for me to approach them. I advanced towards them alone, and was met by one of the Potawatamie chiefs, called the Black Bird, with an interpreter. After shaking hands, he requested me to surrender, promising to spare the lives of all the prisonOn a few moments consideration I concluded it would be most prudent to comply with his request, although I did not put entire confidence in his promise. After delivering up our arms we were taken back to their encampment near the fort, and distributed among the different tribes. The next morning they set fire to the fort and left the place, taking the prisoners with them. Their number of warriors was between four and five hundred, mostly of the Potawatamie nation, and their loss, from the best information I could get, was about 15. Our strength was 54 regulars and 12 militia, out of which 26 regulars and all the militia were killed in the action, with two women and twelve children. Ensign George Roman and Dr. Isaac V. Van Voorhis of my company, with captain Wells, of fort Wayne, are, to my great

ers.

among

the dead. Lieutenant Lina D. sorrow, numbered T. Helm, with 25 non-commissioned officers and privates, and 11 women and children, were prisoners when we separated. Mrs. Heald and myself were taken to the mouth of the river St. Joseph, and being both badly wounded, were permitted to reside with Mr. Burnett, an Indian trader. In a few days after our arrival there, the Indians all went off to take fort Wayne, and in their absence I engaged a Frenchman to take us to Michillimackinac by water, when I gave myself up as a prisoner of war, with one of my serjeants. The commanding officer, captain Roberts, offered me every assistance in his power to render our situation comfortable while we remained there, and to enable us to proceed on our journey. To him I gave my parole of honour, and came on to Detroit, and reported myself to colonel Proctor, who gave us a passage to Buffaloe; from that place I came by the way of Presque Isle, and arrived here yesterday.

CRUIZE OF THE SQUADRON UNDER COMMODORE RODGERS.

Letter from Commodore Rodgers to the Secretary of the Navy. United States' Frigate President, Boston, Sept. 1, 1812. Sir, I had the honour yesterday of informing you of the arrival of the squadron, and have now to state the result and particulars of our cruize.

Previous to leaving New York on the 21st of June, I heard that a British convoy had sailed from Jamaica for England on or about the 20th of the preceding month, and on being informed of the declaration of war against Great Britain, I determined, in the event of commodore Decatur joining me with the United States, Congress, and Argus, as you had directed, to go in pursuit of them.

The United States, Congress, and Argus did join me on the 21st; with which vessels, this ship, and the Hornet, I accordingly sailed in less than an hour after I received your orders of the 18th of June, accompanied by your official communication of the declaration of war.

On leaving New York I shaped our course south-eastwardly, in the expectation of falling in with vessels, by which I should hear of the before mentioned convoy, and the following night met with an American brig that gave me the sought-for information; the squadron now crowded sail in pursuit; but the next morning was taken out of its course by the pursuit of a British frigate, that I since find was the Bel

videra, relative to which I beg leave to refer you to the enclosed extract from my journal; after repairing as far as possible the injury done by the Belvidera to our spars and rigging, we again crowded all sail, and resumed our course in pursuit of the convoy, but did not receive further intelligence of it, until the 29th day of June, on the western edge of the banks of Newfoundland, where we spoke an American schooner, the master of which reported that he had two days before passed them in latitude 43°, longitude 55°, steering to the eastward. I was surprised to find that the convoy was still so far to the eastward of us, but was urged, however, as well by what I considered my duty, as my inclination, to continue the pursuit.

On the 1st of July, a little to the eastward of Newfoundland bank, we fell in with quantities of cocoa-nut shells, orange peels, &c. which indicated that the convoy were not far distant, and we pursued it with zeal, although frequently taken out of our course by vessels it was necessary to chase, without gaining any further intelligence until the 9th of July, in latitude 45° 30', longitude 23°, we captured the British private armed brig Dolphin, of Jersey, and were informed by some of the crew, that they had seen the convoy the preceding evening, the weather was not clear at the time, but that they had counted 85 sail, and that the force charged with the protection consisted of one two-decker, a frigate, a sloop of war, and a brig.

This was the last intelligence I received of the before-mentioned convoy, although its pursuit was continued until the 13th of July, being then within 18 or 20 hours sail of the British channel.

From this we steered for the island of Madeira, passed close by it on the 21st of July, thence near the Azores, and saw Corvo and Flores; thence steered for the banks of Newfoundland and from the latter place (by the way of Cape Sable) to this port, it having become indispensably necessary (by the time we reached our own coast) to make the first convenient port in the United States; owing, I am sorry to say, to that wretched disease the scurvy having made its appearance on board of the vessels, most generally to a degree seriously alarming.

From the western parts of the banks of Newfoundland to our making the island of Madeira, the weather was such, at least six days out of seven, as to obscure from our discovery every object that we did not pass within four or five miles of, and indeed for several days together the fog was so thick