“I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency’s letter of the 3rd August, acquainting me of the repetition on the part of the enemy of the disgraceful outrages committed by him on the north shores of Lake Erie. “I have therefore reiterated my order of retaliation of the 18th July, of which a copy was sent to your Excellency, and given further directions for the distressing him south of the Delaware, to the utmost of our power; from that river northward I have restrained the squadron from acting in full execution of its purport until I see what change the late events may produce in that quarter. “I have the honour to be, “Your Excellency’s most obedient humble servant, “ALEXANDER COCHRANE, “Vice-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief. “To his Excellency “Lieut.-General Sir GEO. PREVOST, Bt., “Commander of the Forces, &c., &c.” “Head Quarters, Montreal, “August 6, 1814. “My Lord,-- “I have the honour to transmit to your Lordship a copy of a letter I have addressed to Vice-Admiral the Hon. Sir A. Cochrane, respecting the late wanton and disgraceful conduct of the enemy in the burning of the villages of Queen Town and St. David’s, on the Erie frontier. “J. W. “To EARL BATHURST.” “Head Quarters, Montreal, “30th Sept., 1814. “Sir,-- “I have the honour to acknowledge your three letters of the 19th inst., which have been laid before the Commander of the Forces, with regard to the miseries which the enemy have again made on Port Talbot; his Excellency is of opinion that it is the act of Westbrook, who is gratifying private animosities with a heartless band; he scarcely conceives it to have been authorized by the Government of the U.S., and requests to be informed who commanded the enemy’s force employed on this occasion. The Commander of the Forces hopes that precautionary measures have been taken to frustrate the design of the enemy upon Long Point, should the execution of it be attempted. If you consider it necessary to retaliate for the unjustifiable act of carrying off Colonel Burnell, you have his Excellency’s authority to do so, or else, if you prefer it, two respectable American citizens may be taken as hostages for him from Hamilton. “To Lieut.-General DRUMMOND.” WITHERBY & CO., Printers, 325a, High Holborn, W.C. FOOTNOTES: