"I have the honour to be, Sir, "Your most obedient servant, "GEO. DOWNIE." "_His Excellency Sir Geo. Prevost, Bart. &c. &c. &c._" "P. S. I have just this moment received your letter of this day, to which the preceding is, I think, a sufficient answer. "G. D." * * * * * "_Head-Quarters, Plattsburg, Saturday Morning, 10th Sept. 1814._ "Sir, "I received, at twelve last night, your letter, acquainting me with your determination to get under weigh, about that time, in the expectation of rounding Cumberland Head at dawn of day; in consequence, the troops have been held in readiness, since six o'clock this morning, to storm the enemy's works at nearly the same moment as the naval action should commence in the bay. I ascribe the disappointment I have experienced to the unfortunate change of wind, and I shall rejoice to learn from you, that my expectations have been frustrated by no other cause. "I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) "G. PREVOST." "_To Capt. Downie, &c. &c. &c._" No. XXXI. _Extract from Vermont Paper, dated Burlington, Sept. 1814, p. 168._ "The articles in your paper of last week, republished from the Montreal papers, are interesting, as they evince the spirit of our Canada neighbours, and the high hopes they had entertained from their late expedition. "That the result is not such as they could have wished we believe, but that its failure should be ascribed entirely to the misconduct of Gov. Prevost is wholly unaccountable. It is not our business or desire to shield Gov. Prevost from the censure of his subjects, but after the decision of the contest between the hostile fleets, we can perceive no object of national importance which could have justified the further operations of the army. "It is possible that an army of 12,000 men might have carried the works at Plattsburg, but the positive assertions on this subject betray great ignorance of our resources, and the spirit of our people. Grant, that after much hard fighting, and the loss of many valuable lives, they had succeeded in taking the forts, do they suppose they could have retained them against all the forces we can bring against them? If they do, we can only say, that they are grossly mistaken. "Do they suppose that an army of 12,000 men can march through a country, every county of which contains more than that number of souls; or do they suppose their progress would not be obstructed?