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was seen proceeding down the river, and all chance of passing between the mill and the American shore was cut off. On the morning of the 16th, the British, having received ordinance sufficient for the reduction of the place, set themselves at work systematically for that purpose. During the forenoon, an unconditional surrender was made, the prisoners being marched out between files of regulars, and conducted to Fort Wellington. The following account cf the battle is from a summary given by a British officer who was present, and also the official reports :— Early in November, 1838, rumours had been very generally circulated, of an intended descent upon some part of the frontier of the Johnstown District, by brigands, who, it was well known, had been organizing on the American shore, for that purpose ; but, from the secrecy of their proceedings and the extent of line (65 miles) to superintend, it was impossible to form a correct opinion as to "the exact spot. Circumstances, however, induced Colonel Young, commanding the District, to imagine that Brockville or Prescott would be the point of descent ; he accordingly took every precautionary measure of which his resourses would admit. Towards the gth of the month, the reports on the subject gained still more credence, and scarcely a doubt remained that the period of invasion was not far distant. At this time, the whole force at Presmen, of the Lancaster (Glengarry) Highlanders, under Captain George Macdonnell; four weak companies, 1st and znd Battalions of Grenville Militia, hastily collected, under Captains Dunham Jones, Fraser, Henderson, and Thomas; a few men of an independent company, which Captain Jessup had just been authorized to form; and fifty of the townsmen, under Captain McMillan, amounting altogether, to about 150 rank and file. This small and, for the greater part, undisciplined band, was nightly “under arms, either as piquets, or ready to move in a moment on any point. About 2 o’clock on the morning of Monday, the 12th, a suspicious sail was descried coming down the river, unusually close to shore, by the double sentries posted on the most prominent wharf, one of whom ran in immediately to apprise the commanding officer, who had left the spot but a few minutes before. The night being extremely dark, and it blowing hard, Colonel Young, supposing she would by that time be abreast of the town, ran down to Fraser’s wharf, not far distant, and reached it just in time to assist in frustrating the efforts of the schooners (two being hailed without receiving an answer, and, perceiving the intention of the schooners to drop down to McMillan’s wharf (distant about 150 yards), he hastened thither, closely followed by a few straggling townsmen, with arms, who were on the alert, and found them rapidly approaching, he, as well as Mr. Stephen Jones, hailing again to no purpose, although the schooners were so near that a person could have jumped on board. Colonel Young threatened to fire into them, when a man cried out, Charlotte of Toronto ; George, Master,” at the same time, putting the helm down, and standing across the river, towards the American shore. The vessels separating immediately afterwards, and the night being very dark, they were soon out of sight. Ina short time after, the American steamboat United States came down, and went into the port of Ogdensburg, immediately opposite Prescott; and about an hour before daylight, the small British steamer L.xperiment, with one 18-lb. cannonade, and one 3-lb. carriage-gun, commanded by Lieutenant Fowell, of the Royal Navy, arrived from Brockville, with Colonel Duncan Fraser and the volunteers on board, and, having ascertained that the schooners were in the American waters, returned, and remained in front of the town for its protection. The alarm spreading rapidly through the town, the inhabitants of every class turned out to join the troops, and the intense anxiety for daylight is not to be described. Every eye was on the strain, and, at the first dawn, two large schooners (one aground), their decks covered with men, were seen at anchor in the American waters, near Ogdensburg, and about three-quarters of a mile from Prescott. The proximity of a formidable enemy was no longer doubtful. Soon after sunrise, numerous boats, crowded with men, passed frequently between the American shore and the vessels, and an immediate attack upon the town was naturally expected. PRetween 7 and 8 a. M,, the United States’ was observed getting up her steam, and, shortly afterwards, three gentlemen, of Prescott, returned from Ogdensburg, where they had gone to ascertain the real state of things, informed us that the United States was in possession of the Patriots, that the mob had overpowered the authorities, and that they had taken possession of two guns (6 and 8-pounders) in charge of the Volunteer Artillery there. At the same time, a person came over, and stated that his brother, assistant engineer of the vessel, was obliged to superintend one of the engines, two men standing over him with pistols, and that the best men in Ogdensburg were putting wood on board, to enable her to cross over and take Prescott.
