Daily National Intelligencer

NIAGARA.

Knowing that every thing relating to this memorable battle must be interesting to our readers, we select, in the absence of official information, from the newspaper accounts such particulars as appear worthy of notice.

From the Buffalo Gazette, July 28.

BATTLE AT BRIDGEWATER, NEAR NIAGARA FALLS.

On the 25th inst. the army under the command of Maj Gen. Brown encamped above Chippewa, near the battle ground of the 5th. At 4 P. M. information was received that the enemy had thrown a body of troops across the Niagara, at the Five-Mile Meadows; but our commanding General was not diverted by this movement; the 1st brigade, under Brig. Gen. Scott, moved past Chippewa, and halted at Bridgewater, a mile below Chippewa, in plain view of Niagara Falls. Gen. S. learnt that the enemy, under Gen. Riall, was approaching him: battle was immediately given the enemy, near Mrs. Wilson's. At half past 4 P. M. their cannon were planted about 200 rods from this position, on an eminence. The enemy's numerical force was much superior to Gen. Scott's; his line was far extended, and he showed a disposition to flank. In order to counteract these views of Gen. Riall, he was fought in detachments--he was charged in column: Gen. Scott being at the head of his troops in almost every charge. Capt. Towson, with his company of artillery, attached to Scott's brigade kept up his fire with great vigor and effect. The action was continued and the ground maintained by Gen. Scott for more than an hour before the reserve under Gen. Ripley, and the volunteers under Gen. Porter, were successfully brought into action. The ground was obstinately contested until past 9 o'clock in the evening, when Gen. Brown, perceiving that the enemy's artillery was most destructive, decided to storm the battery. Colonel Miller, the hero of Magagua, was ordered on this enterprize: he approached the enemy's cannon with a quick step, and delivered his fire within a few paces of the enemy's line; who after receiving two or three rounds and a vigorous charge, retired to the bottom of the hill, and abandoned his cannon. Only one piece was brought off the field for want of horses. The enemy now gave way and retreated; they were followed some distance. Our army was now employed in securing the prisoners, and bringing off the wounded. The cessation, however, was short. Lieut. Gen. Drummond is supposed to have arrived at this interval with a reinforcement. The enemy renewed the action, while our troops were busily engaged in clearing the ground of wounded: but the gallant Americans formed with alacrity, and after a close engagement of 20 minutes the enemy were repulsed. The army now effected the removal of nearly, if not all, of the wounded, and retired from the ground, it being nearly 12 o'clock at night; they returned to their encampment in good order. On the morning of the 26th, our forces under Gens. Ripley and Porter, reconnoitred the enemy near the battle ground, returned and burnt the Bridgewater mills, and all the enemy's barracks and the bridge at Chippewa, and passed up the river to fort Erie, where they made a stand. The enemy's force engaged must have been nearly 5000--ours short of that number. Major Gen. Riall was wounded and taken in the rear of his army by Capt. Ketchum, together with one of his aids, the other being killed. It would be impossible to put the action of the 25th on paper. Considering the numbers engaged, the history of modern wars will scarcely produce a parallel. The admiration of this nation will follow those who fought, those who bled, and those who fell to their graves their names will justly be added to that brilliant catalogue of worthies, the heroes of the revolution; and the battle of Bridgewater will be remembered by posterity with the same sensations as those of Bunker Hill and Saratoga. Maj. Gen. Brown was severely wounded in the thigh, besides the contusion on his body, in the hottest of the action, but continued to command until the enemy retreated. Brig. Gen. Scott was also severely wounded by a grape in the shoulder, besides a severe bruise occasioned by a shell or cannon shot, and 2 horses killed. Col. Brady, 22d inf'y.; Majs. Jessup, 25th; Leavenworth, 9th; M'Neil, 11th; Brig. Maj. Smith; Lts. Campbell, Smouck, artillery; Lieut. Worth, aid to Gen. Scott; Lt. Gamp, 11th, together with many others, whose names we have not learnt, were wounded, some badly. The loss of the enemy in killed and wounded was rising 800, exclusive of 200 regulars and 20 officers, prisoners. Our loss in killed, wounded and missing is from 6 to 700. Maj. M'Farland, 23d. Capt. Ritchie, art. Capts. Kinney and Goodrich, Lt. Bigelow, inf. and several other officers killed; Capt. Spencer, aid to Maj. Gen. Brown, supposed to be mortally wounded; Maj. Stanton of N. Y. V.; Adjt. Pew, Pa. V. killed; Maj. Camp of the staff, lost two horses on the field, but escaped a wound. The 9th, 11th and 25th, suffered very severely.

Copy of a letter from an officer in the army to his friend in this town, dated Fort Erie, U. C. July 28, 1814.

On the 23d I found myself so far recovered as to join the army on Queenstown Heights, altho' that part of my foot which was fractured will never be of much service. On the 24th we retired to Chippewa, and on the 25th at half past 4 P. M. our first brigade, commanded by gen. Scott, engaged the enemy's advance, about 2 1/2 miles from Chippewa; the main body of both armies soon supported the advances, and a tremendous battle was fought, which lasted 5 hours and 23 minutes, mostly within half musket and some times within half pistol shot, which ended in the enemy's total defeat, leaving 2 brass 24 pounders and 1 brass 6 pounder in our possession. We kept the battle ground until midnight, when having removed our wounded and part of our dead we retired to Chippewa, taking with us his brass 6 pounder. We were unable to bring off his two 24 pounders, from a want of horses; almost all ours being killed, and our pieces were generally taken off with briscoes. The enemy's loss in killed, wounded and prisoners, must be about 12 or 13 hundred. Of prisoners we have taken major gen. Riall, gen Drummond's aid-de-camp, 19 other officers, and about 350 or 400 men. His force engaged was by their own account about 4500 regulars, besides his Indians, &c. commanded by lieut gen. Drummond and major gen. Riall. We had not an Indian engaged and our force engaged did not exceed 2800 men; our loss is severe. Gens. Brown and Scott and an aid of each with several field officers are wounded-several other officers killed, amongst whom was my capt. (Ritchie) he was wounded in the body, but refused to quit his piece when a cannon shot took most of his head off. All the men at his piece were killed or wounded. He was brother to the editor of the Enquirer and formerly lived in Alexandria. My horse being killed when our army was before fort George, a few days before the action, and not having received another, I was obliged from my lameness to get in a waggon, which left me a mile from the action; from thence with my crutch I hobbled on but the action was nearly over before I got up We retired to this place on the 26th, where we may soon expect another action--should I come off safe you will hear from me. if not God bless you--I took gen Riall with four of his officers up to Buffalo. He is wounded in the shoulder and will remain there for some time. The British officers and men not wounded have been sent into the interior. They have all been surprised at the obstinate valor of our troops in the late actions. The last one is said to be the greatest ever fought in this country.