strength of his position, too much praise cannot be given him, the officers and men under his command, for the judgment, decision, and gallantry with which this little enterprise has been achieved."
“H.M.S. Sylph, off Bangor, in the Penobscot, Sept. 3, 1814.
“Sir, Having received on board the ships named in the margin[1] a detachment of twenty men, of the royal artillery, with one five and halfinch howitzer, commanded by Lieutenant Garston; a party of 80 marines, commanded by Captain Carter, of the Dragon; the flank companies of the 29th, 62d, and 98th regiments, under the command of Captains Gell and Caker, Majors Riddell, Keith, and Crosdaile, and Captain M’Pherson; also a rifle company of the 7th battalion of the 60th regiment, commanded by Captain Ward; and the whole under the orders of Lieutenant-Colonel John, of the 60th regiment; I proceeded, agreeably to your order, with the utmost despatch, up the Penobscot. Light variable winds, a most intricate channel, of which we were perfectly ignorant, and thick foggy weather, prevented my arriving off Frankfort before two P.M. of the 2d inst. Here Colonel John and myself thought it advisable to send a message to the inhabitants j and having received their answer, we pushed on towards Harnden, where we received intelligence that the enemy had strongly fortified himself. On our way up several troops were observed on the east side of the river, making for Brewer; these were driven into the woods without any loss on our side, by a party under the orders of Major Crosdaile, and the guns from the boats. The enemy had one killed, and several wounded.
“At five P.M. of the 2d instant, we arrived off Ball’s Head Cove, distant three miles from Hamden.
“Colonel John and myself landed on the south side of the Cove, to reconnoitre the ground and obtain intelligence. Having gained the hill, we discovered the enemy’s picquets advantageously posted near the highway leading to Hamden, on the north side of the Cove.
“We immediately determined to land 150 men, under Major Riddell, to drive in the picquets, and take up their ground. This object was obtained by seven o’clock; and notwithstanding every difficulty, the whole of the troops were landed on the north side of the Cove by ten o’clock; but it was found impossible to land the artillery at the same place. The troops bivouacqued on the ground taken possession of by Major Riddell. It rained incessantly during the night. At day-break this morning, the fog cleared away for about a quarter of an hour, which enabled me to reconnoitre the enemy by water; and I found a landing place for the artillery about two-thirds of a mile from Ball’s Head. Off this place the troops halted till the artillery were mounted, and by six the whole advanced towards Hamden.
- ↑ “Peruvian and Sylph sloops of war, Dragon’s tender, and Harmony transport.
