The residue of this letter is for your own eye only and must be considered confidential for the present.

The government has at length been awakened to its duty with respect to the Command of the Lakes. The most unbounded authority has been given to Cap'n Chauncey for that purpose and he will be with you soon. Forty Ship carpenters came up with me in the last Steamboat and I have gone on Westward. Marines and Seamen will be on as soon as Vessels and Gunboats are ready. A large supply of Ordnance of every description is now on its way from New York. The orders embrace Erie as well as Ontario. I dispatched an express for Cap'n Chauncey on that subject from New York on Friday evening to Woolsey. This dispatch has returned this morning and gone down by express. Should you, my dear Genrl, be able to maintain your position a short time, these arrangements for the lakes and the reinforcements will place you in a situation of defiance. To enable you to do more effectually, the Militia of every discription in the Counties above mentioned are placed at your dis posal, and you may instantly call upon all or any portion of them under the Act of 1795, enclosed, or under the Militia law of this State, and I will approve, confirm and maintain your proceedings. The Qr Master Genl of the State is ordered by me into regular service and is now in every respect subject to your directions. I have remitted him ten thousand dollars by Major Noon.

You have probably felt hurt at the unfrequency of my answers to your communications, but when I inform you that I have no Private Secretary here that the Adjutant General is in declining health, and that none of my Staff or Aids are in service, or with me, though the later have volunteered their services with

out pay and have been with me occasionally at their own expence, and when I inform you further, that the drudgery of attending to a variety of details in rendezvousing, supplying equipage, transporting and paying troops etc. devolve upon me or must remain unattended to, I trust you will extend great charity to my apparent inattention to your communications. Receive, Dear Genl, an assurance of my great consideration and sincere esteem.

Major Genl Van Rennsselaer.

SIZER'S BATTERY ORDERED TO UTICA, THENCE TO SACKET HARbor. Albany, September 9, 1812.

Dear Sir: I have atoned for Machin's Artillery company, by ordering Sizer's company of Horse Artillery to be at Utica on Tuesday and to take on four twelve pounders, belonging to the United States which are to go to Utica with a Detachment of Capt'n Gibson's U. S. Horse Artillery.

Genl Dodge.

Albany, September 9, 1812

Sir: Capt'n Asa B. Sizer's Company of Horse Artillery, will rendezvous for the service of the U. S. on Tuesday next at Utica, and will immediately repair to Sacket's Harbour. I am informed by the Commander in Chief of the Army that the Quarter Master General will furnish the necessary Camp equipage forage on the march, etc. The Company will consist of about 50 men. I am extremely desirous that more seasonable arrangements be made with respect to the accommodation and transportation of that Company than have been heretofore made with respect to other detachments, and, therefore, request that you will inform me

whether I can in any way facilitate the necessary arrangements. One day's delay may be esential detriment to the public service and may greatly endanger Sacket Harbour.

Genl Lewis

To Capt. Asa B. Sizer.

Albany, September 9, 1812.

Sir: You will please to repair with your Company of Horse Artillery, upon the receipt of this letter to Sacket's Harbour without waiting for the Cannon and ammunition mentioned in my order of this day Major Genrl. Dearborn has concluded to send officer with them unattended by any troops.

THE GOVERNOR OF OPINION THAT THE LAND RATHER THAN THE

WATER ROUTE MOST EXPEDITIOUS TO SACKET HARBOR.

Albany, Sep. 9, 1812.

Dear Sir: Genl Dearborn thinks it will be advisable to send no more men by water from Rome than will be necessary, for the boats required for transporting the Military Stores, unless you shall be of opinion that the troops can reach Sackets Harbour with equal health and greater expedition by water than by land. My opinion is, that you will arrive sooner by land, and expedition is indispensible, as an attack on Sackets Harbour is apprehended by Genl. Brown; you may, however, act as appears best on the spot. If you go by land, open the chests of arms at Rome and take out 500 stand at least. The arms returned into the Arsenal at Watertown by Bellinger's detachment will also be subject to your orders for the purpose of arming your detachment.

Brigadier Genl. Dodge.

Vol. III.-8

GENERAL DODGE DIRECTED TO MOVE WITH MORE EXPEDITION.

Albany, Sep'r 9, 1812. Dear Sir: I was astonished to find on my return from New York as late as the 8 inst, that a party of your Brigade had been at Schenectady from the 25 of Augt. to that day. The news from the frontiers renders it necessary that the utmost expedi tion should take place in the movements of the troops. That part of the Brigade which proceeds by land must be hurried on as fast as possible, and the whole must be expedited by every exertion in your power.

Genl. Dodge.

GENERAL BROWN NOTIFIED THAT REINFORCEMENTS ARE IN TRANSIT

THE PAYMASTER ALSO ON THE WAY.

Albany Sept'r 9, 1812.

Dear Sir: I have written three letters to Genl. Dodge this day pressing him to move on rapidly to the Harbour. Four twelve pounder belonging to the U. S. leave this to-morrow morning for Sackets Harbour. I have dispatched an express to Capt. Sizer, of Madison County, to rendezvous with his Company on Monday be at Utica on Tuesday and from thence proceed with the pieces to Sackets Harbour and report himself to you on his arrival. This is a fine Company of Horse Artillery and will answer the purpose of Cavalry as well as Artillery. I have also requested Genl. Dearborn to send a Travelling Forge to heat shot to fire at the Shipping which may attempt an entrance into Sackets Harbor. Genl. Dodge's Brigade started from Albany on Thursday the 27 before I set out with troops for New York I did not return until the 7th when part of them to my astonishment were still at Schenectady.

The Paymaster leaves this to-morrow morning to pay all the troop on the Frontiers. I wish you to expedite him as much as possible that he may go to Niagara with all convenient speed. Having disposed of the Southern Frontier I shall now devote all my attention to the Northwest and west. Nothing shall be wanting on my part which it is in my power to accomplish. Maintain your ground a few weeks and I feel confident we shall regain the ground lost by that heart rending business at Detroit. Onondaga County alone has kept up the Detachment at Oswego of nearly five hundred men. In my orders to Widrig I reserved the Militia of that County for Oswego and in my first authority to you will be found in the same reservation. I accordingly gave authority to Col. Fleming to call on Genl. Ellis alone for reinforcements. You must, however, retain any, which have arrived from that County but dispence with calling on them in future.

You asked me to assign Mr. Canfield your Brigade Paymaster. Our Militia law does not recognize such an office and, therefore, I could not comply with your request. I am sorry such quantities of provisions as are mentioned by Col. Benedict have been collected and left at Ogdensburgh where the Vessels, the greatest object of attack were also assembled? Some of it at least might have been taken up with the Vessels to a place of greater safety.

The contractor ought to purchase and remove it for future supply of our own troops.

Genrl. Jacob Brown.