The New Hampshire Gazette

BY MAIL.

Gen. Winchester's Defeat.

Extract of a Letter

Chillicothe, Feb 5, 1813.

Dear Sir—By the last mail I enclosed you a hand bill informing you of the disastrous fate of the advanced guard of Gen. Harrison's army at the river Raisin. An express has this moment arrived from the head quarters of the N. W. army, on the Carrying River 18 miles on this side the rapids of the Miami of the lake, with dispatches to Governor Meigs. The affair of the 22d Jan was not so disastrous as communicated in my last—Gen. Harrison states, that the British and Indian force was twenty one hundred, he does not discriminate how many of each; that the ground was warmly & obstinately contested; that our troops made them give ground and drove them in every charge; our troops fought desperately, and would have been masters of the ground, but a detachment of Indians that were stationed to cut off the retreat and engaged in killing stragglers returned. Our troops were over powered and six hundred of our brave fellows were taken prisoners. Gen. Harrison says, Gen. Winchester, Col. Lewis & Brigade Major Garrett, are among the prisoners—his information is derived from the inhabitants of the river Raisin and from his own spies that have since been on the ground.

The number of the enemy killed on the plain considerably exceeds the number of troops we lost. On one flank of the British line, 60 men were killed and wounded and carried off in sleds during the engagement. If this had not been reinforced by the body of Indians above described the victory would have been complete—Gen Harrison's letter is dated the 20th, he states that he will occupy the rapids on the 21st and will be joined on the 4th by the two Ohio brigades. He has sent a flag to Malden and by the next express we hope to be informed of every particular.

The conflict was a desperate one, and though unfortunate to us not dishonorable to the American arms—one regiment of Ohio militia marches on Monday next to join Gen. Harrison— I anticipate that tomorrow night he will occupy the battle ground at the river Raisin. The gloom that has pervaded us has been dispelled by the late news and the enlivening prospect we now have that our troops will shortly occupy the strong holds of the enemy.