From the National Intelligencer.
Our readers will recollect to have read in our paper a few days ago an extract from a Savannah paper, giving an account of a skirmish on our southern frontier between a few American troops, principally Marines and a handful of Indians and Negroes, in which captain Williams, of the Marines, was shockingly wounded. Information yesterday reached this city that he has since died of those wounds. His loss will be regretted by all who know how to value honor, bravery and worth. He will he particularly lamented by all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance, of whom there are many in this city. The following is an extract of a letter to Lieut. Col. F. Wharton, the commandant of the marine corps at this place, dictated by him three days after he received his wounds, and received a few days ago.
“Davis's Creek block House,
15th, Sept. 1812.
“On the night of the eleventh inst. as I was marching with a command of about twenty men with two waggons from the camps to this place, I was, at about ten miles from this, on the dusk of the evening attacked by a party of Indians and Negroes, who fired on us; and it being dark, we commenced battle with continued nearly as long as a man of my command had a cartridge, during which time I received eight wounds, and was carried off by two of the men. Captain Fort of the volunteer company then took command, till at length he was wounded, and forced to retreat in the best manner they could, the enemy having possession of the waggons and teams. The firing having been heard at the block house, and a part of the men reaching there that night, the next morning Lieutenant Stallings sent a command to examine the ground, who found me wounded. My right leg is broke, my right hand shot through with three balls, my left arm broke, my left leg shot through, a ball in my left thigh, near the groin; another through the lower part of mv body, which renders me altogether helpless. They found one man on the ground that was dead and scalped, several more wounded that had escaped in the bushes; the rest of the men are all found except one, who has not as yet been heard of. There were six wounded, myself and Captain Fort exclusive. They cut in pieces one waggon; the other one and the teams they took away, we suppose, to carry off their dead, as the men who went to examine the ground suppose there were five or six killed and numbers wounded. The enemy, from all accounts, were about fifty in number. You may suppose that I am in a dreadful situation, though I yet hope I shall recover in a few months.”
Lieutenant Sevier, of the Marine Corps, left this city on the 17th to take command, on the southern station, of the marines lately commanded by captain Williams, unfortunately killed in an action with Indians and Negroes.