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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. 1 2 3 4 5 6 TT^' }'■'■ :-»^I!nT-V: ■iiip4^^§^l;^-^^!^;;T Ife.-^- NlAGAT^lij^HlSTORICAL SOCIETY, km : No. 3. t^vM^ m ■.':■'!• ;:',i^ 1:, |irtirtt-;-'tn ;>r;rp?HHv-;HV ^'^^vi^ :K/ii ' BLOCKADE ■ OF-HBli SSBfirrt ;;.t:tr..-i,-'.i ::i.|.;. , ;.lT J; lt.-ir.'-4...rln-,i ; TJ+ti^rt.'.r/.-'-'-r-,'" F CRT GEORGE. ., - t-fV-.jt:;Ui:-T-ra.i !:; ^r*1•-t-t:;*-;i■ t!L.).;M.i:fct-,i TJK.-.T-""~f:r,it.; .-.trtJCl.,-r;i;-.jU ■:in 1813 . ...1 jiii:i:i.'-.r!.-jh---,' Ai^l u-^ . t 'ii-'il- - '. il^■l■^;t-•■»••■-;•.?U- .i.lr,l.l- '-,: -' J - ■ -IV -.SI .iri'^f: ; V ^-.^ ■.tHfc:.tt?-T- "■-•Hj.- Major 44th Lincoln and Welland Battalion AUTHOR OP "THK STORT op ButcKR'S RaN(}BR8," "Thb BATTLK op LlTNOr'a LiANK," &C., &C., &0. ... VTEIXANO TRIBUNE PACSSES. rPlT^l;; ~ \ wtm T"^ %;• TOROMTO UBRARt Hislav OCT 2 1 1970 PREFACE. V / T has long been desired that the history of the seven months' occupation of Niagara, by the Americans, till now an unwritten chapter in our histor}', might be given to the public : and we rejoice that the story is now to be told by one who is at once so able and so well informed, and who has made the history of this period and this locality the study of his life. Major Cruikshank needs no introduction to those interested in the history of Canada, and who are already fan)iliar with the close research, patient investigation and Judicial impar- tiality- which mark his historical papers. "The Blockade of Fort George" is the sequel to pamphlet No. 1 of the Society, " The Taking of Fort George," and brings the story down to the burning of the town in December, 1818. The Niagara Histoincal Society, in sending out this third pamphlet, desires to do its share in proving the fact, so long denied, that Canada has indeed a noble history, and would hope that the same favor granted to its other publications may be accorded to this. if ' »?•■■ /.v^y/4 '.:» m r . ,, -^^iTMKMWTl WHM lULiU. ! !.!. ' , ' .:,' isssesr^i i, ,. . = 1 ( <: DC < < h < cc o X 'J) »— 4 S DQ « I ^ a.- •^ i o fc c C »' s o ** «■ S »- a O r® a ? "i = i J2 c * fl '/- i £ ^ i Ji ^ x-S g f -s '- „ t •"^ -r 7 := " - X o Si > :5 a :, 5 = i w. -5 *" * C. J- c * o — .2 o. o j( .S c g -1 ■/: fc r : :S t: z.rr. - '!: ^ .2 =1' « J ■'■• s " £■ ^ K OJ g K •" '^ 3 "7 "Z . .•'■■ r OQ - 5 ? .i ^ tJ i a- .fl = o h ^ - rf ^2 '^ . -^ 1. I- L A t. .S - — 2" S 2 h^ 9 • o " '/, S ■— '^ *" ^ .2 e- i rt c u C =•;:<'. e o H ^- fl *^ <^ c ii St .2 ^ •- S := £ 2 c £ 2 — S » mJS 'i* iK •:= &■= I*" ^ \r- i -W«IH«i««»""ii 'II I '*" f * The Battle of Stoney Crejk and the Blockade of Fort George. On the afternoon of the 27th of Ma\»,'4«13, the left wing of the weak division commanded by BrigawSey-General Vincent was driven from its position at Niagara witih Severe loss, both of men and munitions of war, and began its retr«ttt by way of St. Davids and DeCew's Falls. Colonel Robert Nkfltol, the Quartermaster- General of Militia, relates that General V*ificent at first intended to retire to Fort Erie, in the hope of maintaining himself thei'e until he could be joined by Colonel Procter's division from the Detroit River, and that only his own strong objections, supported by Lieut.- Colonel Harvey and Captain Milnes of the Govei'nor-General's staff, prevented him from adopting that very hazardous course and induced him to retreat upon Burlington Heights instead. The numerous small detachments posted at the batteries along the river, between Queenston aiul Cliippawa, dismantled their works and joined the retreating colunui in the course of the afternoon, and a halt was made for the night at the Beaver Dams, where a small magazine of anmiunition and provisions had been formed several days before, in anticipation of this emergency. Before morn- ing Lieut.-Colonel Cecil Bissho})p came in with the greater part of the force which had been watching the river and lake shore between Chippawa and Point Abino, and two companies of tiie Stii Regi- ment, accompanied by a few officers and seamen of the Royal Navy under Captain R. H. Barclay on the way to join the Lake Erie squadron, marched across the country from Twenty-Mile Creek, where they had arrived in boats from Burlington the preceding afternoon en route for Fort Georj^e. All the heavy artillerj^ mounted on the fortifications and a great proportion of the bulkiest stores of the army were necessarily destroyed or abandoned^ and the militia residing on the south side of the Chippawa were instructed to disbanil. It soon appeared that there was little danger of molestation from pursuit. The American army was too much exhausted by the efforts of the daj' to follow far. General Dearborn and ids second in command, General Lewis, even seem to have been in some doubt as to the direction of Vincent's retreat. A party of light infantry had advanced cautiously' along the Queenston road for two or three T niileH whon it was peroniptorily recalled from fear of an ambu.scado. Several of their armed vessels then ascendtjd the river to cover the passa{(e of Colonel Burn with a rcj^iinent of draj^oons and a body of heavy artillery from the Five Mile Meadows. 'Ihese troopK crosstid several hou too late to intercei)t Vincent's retreat as had been projected. Yet o- the whole the invading army was decid«!dly elated by its partial success, jj^ained with trifling' loss, and it wan triumphantly annouQced that "the American llajjf now proutUy waves over the Pandora's box of the frontiers." Before night came Dearborn was again (piite prostrated by illness and fatigue, and letired to his cjuarters at iMjrt Niagara, leaving orders for General Lewis to continue the pursuit at day- break next morning in t4l% Jb-ection of the Beaver Dams, where it was then reported that tlj^ British intended to make a stand. The village and neighboring fa^'.Q^ houses were found to be almost entirely deserted. Many 'f the yjhabitants had fled to the handet at tho mouth of the Twelve-Mile Creek, already sometimes known as St. Catharines, whither several of the wounded militia men from tho battle-field were also convoyed by their sorrowing friends. Most of the houses near the fort had l)een I'iddled with cannon-shot during the tremendous bombardment of the last two days, and were scarcely habitable. The invaders soon obtained from their sympathizers a very accurate estimate of the force opposed to them, but remained in uncertainty as to its movements, (ieneral Lewis, with the brigades of Chandler and Winder, besides some dragoons and riflemen, moved in pursuit as instructed, but failed to j*each Queenston until afternoon. He then ascertained that a party of the Lincoln Militia, led by Lieut.-Colonel Thomas Clark, had re-occupied that place during the morning and destroyed or concealed all the stores aban- doned there the day before. Finding comfortable (juarters for the night at Queenston, easy-g()ing General Lewis halted there for the night with Winder's brigade, but directed Chandler to advance to St. Davids. Chandler occupied St. Davids just before dark and encamped there. During the day consideral)le nund)ers of the Lincoln Militia had joined General Vincent in expectation of a battle, but as he feared that his opponent might re-embark his troops in the fleet and cut his line of connnunication by taking possession of Burlington before he could arrive, it was announced that all who desired were at liberty to return to their homes. Every wagon that could be found was instantly impressed to remove the stores, and the retreat was continued to the Forty-Mile Creek, thirty-one miles from Niagara. The remainder of the militia, with the exception of sixty ( i. W 1»'W" "^"^r pickod men who were (leteniUMod to follow the t'ortiinoM of the «niiy, were there (lishaiuled and aht it was definitely ascertained that Vin- cent was retiring- towards the lu^acl of the lake, and Dearboi-n then tleternuned to recall L(^wis and embark his division in the hope of interce])tini; liim at Hurlin^^ton. ('hauncey readily a<;reed to this proposition, licwis had j-ntiwned to Fort (Ireorf^e on tin; afternoon of the 'iMth, and preparations for tiie movement were far advanced, wlu'u a messi'ii^ei- ar.'ivcd from Saek(^tt's Harbor with tlu; aiarminjij int(01i{j^encf that the l>ritisli s(iuadron had a|)peared on the lake and was menaeini; that poi't, wluM'e all their naval stores won; collected and a \>\r^^r. new ship of wai" lay on the stocks ntiarly ready for launehini:;'. [n fact the result of the disastrous bombai'dmtnit of Foi't (.jieor<;e had become known little more than twenty-four hours hiter to the (Jovernor-denei'al of Canada at Kinj^ston, and he {)rom)»tly detei-mined to put tlu; (greater part of the <<;arrison on )oard such of the vessels in the harbor as had Ixmmi pronounced reatly foi- seivice, and attempt a diversion in fav(n' of the hardly presstid V'incent by a sudden counter-stroke at the American base of operations. This well-})lanne(l movement was only partially suc- cessful, but it actually {)Ut an end to the pro])Osed exjiedition l)y water a^jjainst Burlington, ^ave \'incent time to refresh his wearied men, and secui'ed the conmiand of the lake for tv/o months to come. Chauncey decided that he must retiu-n to the protection of Sackett's Harbor without delay, yet tlu^ .SOth was wholly consumed in the embarkation of Macond)'s regiment of artilleiy, and he did not sail until the afternoon of the next day. Vincent halted for two days at the Forty-Mile Creek, duringf which his scouts and spies seem to have kept him well informed of the movements of the enemy, althou(;h they estimated his force at ten thousand when it jirobably did not exceed seven. His appre- hensions as to the disaffection of many of the inhabitants had cer- tainly not abated, for in a letter of the 29th he wrote : — " I cannot conceal from Your Excellency my conviction that, unlass some disaster attends their progress, that force will daily increase. My sentiments regarding the militia are already known, and it will not be supposed that their attachment to our cause can be very steady under the peculiar complexion of the present times." On that day Captain Merritt, with a party of the Provincial Dragoons, had patroled the lake road as far aa St. Catharines with- 4 TTT \ 6 out meeting the enemy, but learned that some of their mounted men had been seen near DeCew's. A wounded militia officer, who had been paroled by them, informed him of their movement upon Queenston anr affirmed his belief that they were preparing to pur- sue in force. He wa'j at once sent on to warn General Vincent, while the dragoons were posted so as to observe all the approaches to the camp, kc night Merritt retired to the Twenty, where he was overtaken by Major Pinkney and two other American officers bearing a flag of truce, ostensibly for the purpose of communicating an unimportant message fi'oni General Dearborn that the families of the officers and soldiers left behind at Niagara would be permitted to go to York or Kingston if Vincent would send a vessel to receive them. Their real mission was, of course, to obtain informa- tion to facilitate the pursuit. On the last day of May Vincent resumed his march, and at night took up a very strong position on Beaseley's farm at Burling- ton Heights, where he then proposed making a stand until he received reinforcements or instructions to retire further. Flanked on one side by the lake and on the other by a broad and impassable marsh, his encampment coulods extending close to the front of their encampment would serve at once to mask the advance of an assail- ing force and to cover its retreat. He warmly advised an attack that night. Vincent was the more disposed to assent as he had be- come convinced that his own position was scarcely tenable against so large a force. " This position, tlujugh strong for a large body," he wrote, " is far too extensive for me to hope to make any success- ful stand against the superior force understood to be advancing against me in three separate points, viz., by the lake, by the centre road, and by the mountain on my right. The attack, I knew, would not be delayed : I had neither time nor inclination precipitately to retreat from my position." He had already for some time been considering the advisability of an offensive movement if an oppor- tunity offered, for on the 4th he had informetl the Adjutant-Gen- eral : "By a report I have just received from my outposts, an attack cannot be far distant. As circumstances are at present, I am determined, if possible, to he beforehand wltlt them." Since writing that, however, the enemy's force had been nearly doubled and th« chances of failure proportionately increased. General Chandler, who now conunanded the American troops at Stonev Creek, had been a blacksmith in earlv life and "the poorest man in the settlement " where he lived. He became a tavern keeper and soon grew wealthy. In 1805 he was elected a repre- sentative in Congress from Massachusetts and served two terms. As a reward for political activity, he was appointed in the tiist place a Major-General in the militia of his own State, and, on the increase of the regular army at the declaration of war, a Brigadier-General in the service of the United States. He was then tifty-three years of age and had not the slightest military education or experience, and as one of his associates remarked, " the march from the anvil and the dram shop in the wane of life to the dearest actions of the tented field is not to be achieved in a single campaign." Winder, his second in connnand, had been an able and success- ful lawyer in Baltimore. (3nce a warm Federalist, he had lately changed sides and his defection was at once rewarded by a com- mission as Lieutenant-Colonel of the 14th United States Infantry, then being recruited in Maryland. In November, 1HI2, he had 11 •<• directed the unsuccessful operations for the passage of the river be- low Fort Erie and acquitted himself creditably. During the winter he had been summoned to Washington to advise the Cabinet, and was supposed to be intimatoly acquainted with the plan of cam- paign. " Colonel Winder is here," says a contemporary letter, " a kind of Secretary of War, and, like Bonaparte, has a room full of maps, plans, &c., &c., enveloped in which you can just see his little head, and of that little head much is expected." His aptitude and ability so strongly impressed even a veteran like Harvey that he declared that he possessed "more talent than all the rest of the Yankee generals put together." General Chandler asserted in his defence that he told Winder, " if the enemy intended to fight them, he would commence the attack before morning, and with this expectation arrangements were made." It was growing dark when the light troops were recalled. None of his men had eaten during the march, and were then ordered to build tires and cook some distance from the ground it was intended to occupy for the night, the light infantry and 25th regiment in the meadow about 150 yards in front, and the remainder on a high ridge in rear and to the left of the road. About eight hundred men, consisting of the 13th and 14th regi- ments of infantry and Archer's artillery company, were detached under Colonel Christie to take up a position near the mouth of the creek for the protection of a flotilla of boats conveying the baggage and supplies for the division which was expected to arrive there during the night. It was nearly midnight when the remainder of the force received orders to foi-m their encampment, those in front being instructed to leave their line of tires burning, while the tires on the high ground in rear were to be extinguished. The ground selected for the men to lie on was a piece of level upland, protected in front by a steep descent, along the brow of which ran a stout fence of logs and rails. On either side of this fence a number of trees had been felled years before, but not cleared away, about which thorns and briars had grown up to form an almost impene- trable thicket in some places. The low, level meadows beneath were spongy with long continued rain. "On the left the mountain and woods shut down so close upon the meadow as to render that flank quite secure, and the right was equally protected by a swamp, which approached it in that quarter." Six "tield guns belonging to Leonard's and Towson's companies were planted on the brow of the upland, to command the main road to Burlington. The 25th regi- ment was posted on the right of the artillery, the infantry in rear was instructed to move obliquely forward towards the road and fence, and in the event of an attack, the 23rd was to form in rear % 12 :l of the guns with the 16th, 5th and light troops on its left. A squadron of dragoons was encamped on the road behind. The 9th Infantry, being the weakest regiment in the division, was detailed to form the rearguard, nearly a mile away. A strong main guard was mounted at a small church or meeting house, almost half a mile in advance, with an outlying picket on the right of the meadow near the edge of the swamp, and another on the left, close to the base of the mountain. A chain of sentinels was then posted around the entire camp. As these arrangements were made in the dark, it is probable that they were very imperfectly executed. The soldiers were ordered to ground arms, take off knapsacks and lie down on their blankets as they stood in their companies and sections. The artillery horses stood in their harness near the guns. From a return prepared l)y Major Johnson, Assistant Adjutant General, it appears that General Chandler's division mustered 2,048 rank and file that morning before marching from Forty Mile Creek. Including the officers and other supernumeraries, its total strength must have slightly exceeded 3000 of all lanks. One hundred and eighty men remained behind on guard or sick, and, eight hundred having been detached to the mouth of the creek, left about two thousand in camp. The two generals remained together for several hours in Chandler's tent, which was pitched close beside Gage's house, and it was nearly one o'clock when the 25th regiment moved into its position foi* the night. The men, excited b}' the events of the day and the near prospect of a battle, were noisy and wakeful. .Several times after that the fires on the ridge blazed up or were rekindled, and the orders for their extinction were repeated. Just before midnight the column detailed for the attack marched out of the lines at Burlington^ seven miles distant. It consisted of 280 officers and men of the 8th, U!ider Major Ogilvie, and 424 of the 49th, connnanded by Major Plenderleath. Colonel Harvey conducted the force and appears to ha\e directed its opera- tions, but was accompanied by General Vincent and a small staff of volunteers, eager to share in the perils of the enterprise, among whom were Brigade Major J. B. Glegg, Captain P. L. Chambers of the 41st, who liad just arrived with despatches from Detroit, and Captains McDouall and Milnes, both aides to the Governor General, lately sent from Kingston on a similar service. Colonel Bisshopp, with the remainder of the division, manned the works at Burling- ton in readiness to cover the retreat in the event of disaster. The weather was as favorable as could be well desired for an attack with a small force. A cloudy sky and a light mist ri.sing from the wet ground made the darkness almost impenetrable. Al- r^ -^- fjj ff' y ' " •" ^^ 13 I' though the inud impeded the march it effectually muffled the sound of their footsteps. The light companies of the two regiments, led by Captain Munday of the 8th and Lieut. Danford of the 49th, headed the column, followed by the remainder of the 49th in the centre and the 8th in rear. It was nearly three o'clock when the advance came upon the first American outpost. The sentry on the road, being half asleep and quite ignorant of his duties, was taken prisoner without noise, and readily gave every information in his power. Nothing could then be seen of the main guard, but it was soon dis- covered that they had gone to sleep in the church, where they were surrounded and captured to a man. The remaining sentries "were approached and bayoneted in the quietest manner," and the eager light companies dashed forward among the smouldering camp tires in the meadow, which they supposed were still surrounded by sleeping enemies. To their great surprise they found them abso- lutely deserted, and halting within their glare hurriedly began to fix flints. The groans of the dying and the rush of the advancing colunm alarmed some of the surviving sentries, who discharged their arms at random in the darkness, and in an instant the entire camp was aroused. General Chandler, who had not gone to sleep, instantly mounted his horse and gave ordei's for the troops next his tent to form for action, which was done in a moment, as they had only to rise to their feet and seize their arms. He then sent an officer to direct Genei'al Winder to advance to the fence on tlue brow of the height with the infantry on the left. From this position the British column could be seen by the light of the fires beneath in the act of deploying to the left, while the American line of battle was quite invisible to them. The American light infantry and 5th and 25th regiments began firing, followed by the artillery. The 49th suffered severely while deploying, and was thrown into great confusion. At this critical moment Major Plenderleath, with the assistance of Sergeant-Major Alexander Fraser, hastily assembled fifteen or twenty men and rushed at the guns, whose position was disclosed by a vivid sheet of flame. Two discharges swept harmlessly over their heads as they climbed the height, and before they could re- load a third time the gunners were bayoneted or flying for their lives. Without hesitation this gallant little band plunged into the midst of the nearest body of infantry, which instantly dispersed, leaving the artillery horses and ammunition waggons in their possession. Plenderleath's timely onset was decisive. The remain- der of the 49th came rapidly to his support. The American line was cut in two, four of their guns taken, and the others silenced. •w. 14 Ogilvie led the 8th against the 5th and 16th United States Infan try forming the left of their line. Lieut. Hooper, commanding one of the companies, was killed in this charge, but the regiment carried the heights, entirely dispersing the 16th and driving the 5th back upon the dragoons. Meanwhile General Chandler, while riding to the right, had his horse sliot under him, and was much stunned and bruised by the fall. Returning on foot towards the artillery, which he noticed had ceased firing, he walked directly into the midst of the 49th. He attempted to conceal himself under a gun carriage, but was igno- miniously dragged out by the strong arm of gigantic Sergeant Fraser, to whom he gave up his sword. A few minutes later General Winder was dismounted, and taken prisoner in a very similar manner. The scattered and bewildered American infantry made several creditable attempts to rally. Wherever they could be seen the}' were immediately charged and dispersed. Their dragoons mounted and attempted a chai'ge, which ended in riding down some of their own KJth Infantry. Desultory fighting continued in various parts of the field until day began to break, when Harvey found himself in possession of the enemy's camp it is true, but with his small force much scattered and diminished. Officers had lost their com- mands in the darkness, and wandei'ed blindly about the field seek- ing them. General Vincent himself had disappeared, and "was supposed to have been killed or taken prisoner. Companies had become separated from their battalions, and sections from their companies. His loss in killed and wounded had been severe, parti- cularly among the officers. Major Dennis had received two gunshot wounds and was soi-ely bruised by the fall of his horse, which had been killed under him. Ensign Di-ury, who carried the King's color of the 49th, was nKjrtall}' wounded, but struggled forwai'd until he could give it into the keeping of another officer. Brevet- Major Clerk, Captain Maimers, Adjutant Stean of the 49th, Major Ogilvie, Captains Munday and Goldriek, Lieutenants Boyd and Weyland of the 8th, and Fort-Major Taylor, wjis also among the injured. A large escort had been sent off witii the prisoners, and Harvey could not have had five hundred men left fit for duty at this time. He was encumbered by many wounded men, and the eneni}'', although driven from the field, was not routed, but seemed to be assembling in force to renew the contest. They still had •sevo'al field-guns, anifi Most of the wounded were collected and remove*!, but several, including Major Ulerk and Captain Manners, were too badly hurt to be taken away. Two of the captured guns, after being removed some distance, were abandoned for want of hoixes to haul them. A brass howitzer, with its limljer and tumbril and one iron aix- nng tne lotn Regiment, Capts alterns and 116 non-commissioned officers and privates were taken prisoners. The British casualties on this occasion amounted to twenty- three killed, one hundred and thirtj^-six wounded and tifty-five missing, or rather more than a fourth of the whole numlter engaged. The 8th lost eighty-three, and the 40th one hundred and thirty of all ranks. That of their opponents is more difficult to ascertain. No official and detailed return was ever published. One account, which has been frequentl}' repeated, places it at seventeen killed, thirty- eight wounded, and onlj'^ ninety-nine missing, whereas, one hundred and twenty-tive prisoners were certainly brought off. Even this, is greatly at variance with official statements. General Dearborn, in a letter written from Fort George on the evening of the same day, asserted the entire loss did not exceed thirty, and remarked "that by some strange fatality both Generals Chandler and Winder were taken prisoners." Probably he had not then learned the full extent of the disastei-. The conmmnd devolved upon Colonel Burn of the 2d Dragoons. An extract from his official letter was pub- lished, but it contains no statement of loss. Major Smith, who connnanded the 25th Infantry, reported that his regiment alone lost forty-two in killed and wounded, and thei'e is no reason to suppose that it suffered moro than several others. The lOth, for instance, after losing its commander fell into irretrievable confusion, some of its companies firing on each other. Unofficial accounts frankly admitted a sei'ious reverse. One letter, printed in Poulson'.s American, published in Philadelphia, dated at Fort George on the 9th of June, relates that "at daybreak we could not muster more than sixtj' of our regiment, the remainder being killed, wounded or prisoners. Of the fine battalion of artillery not moi-e than seventj' were left. Captain Biddle's company only mustered twenty men. The British carried off two pieces of cannon and two or three hundred prisoners. We took about sixty prisoners." Another private letter from Buffalo, which found its way into l(j ! the columns of the Boston Messenger, ^ives this version of thu affair: " We were surprised at 2.80 a. ni., and lost three captains, one assistant quartermaster-general and three hundred and fifty rank and file. We took about fifty prisoners in the woods, after the action. Two of the regiments kept up their fire until daylight, when the l()th, under Captain McChesney, discovered the British removing the cannon and re-captured two pieces." Christie's detachment from the mouth of the creek arrived on the field soon after Harvey retreated, and the camp was I'e-occupied. Burn instantly sent a message to inform Ceneral Dearborn of the capture of the two generals and convened a council of the principal officers, which determined to retire to the Forty Mile Creek without waiting for orders from heaihiuarters. A (piantity of baggage and piovisions was destroyed, and the retreat began shortly before noon. On the other hand. General Vincent's mysterious disappearance caused some confusicm in the British camp. The command devolved on Lieut.-Colonel Bisshopp. Captain McDouall produced a letter from the Governor General to Vincent, authorizing him to retreat to Kingston if he considered his position untenable, but instructing him in that event to send the remainder of the 41st and detach- ments of the Glengarry and Newfoundland i-egiments to reinforce the Right Division at Detroit. As the full effect of the attack was still unknown, Bisshopp determined to call a council of war to decide what course to pursue, and Captain Merritt rode back to the field of battle to look for their tnissing general His search was fruitless, but he made two prisoners, single-handed, and discovered that the enemy was panic-stricken and preparing to retreat. Before the council could assemble, Vincent returned to the lines without his horse and hat. Having been dismounted and separated from his staff in the conflict, he was obliged to take shelter in the woods, where he lay concealed for several hours until he found an oppor- tunity to escape. Instead of retreating, a sti'ong detachment was pushed forward to Stoney Creek, arul an hour or two later Captain Milnes was on his way to Kingston with the prisoners and Colonel Harvey's official account of the action. When Colonel Burn's messenger arrived at Fort George, Gen- eral Dearborn instantly instructed Major-General Morgan J^ewis to join the division at Stoney Creek with the (Jth United States Infantry, take coujmand and bring the enemy to action at once. Brigadier-Generals Boyd and Swartwout were ordered to accom- pany him as brigade commanders. Before they were ready io start, it began to rain and Lewis postponed his own departure until morning. According to General Porter, " he couhl not go s.xteen miles to fight the enemy, not because his force was too small, but £ •^ L)n of tho '■ captains, and titty 1, after tlie daylight, le Hritiwh inived on -occupied, irn of the principal k without fgage and fore noon, ppearance devolved i a letter to retreat istructing d iletach- reinforce ttack was f war to tck to the arch was iscovered t. Before 1 without ited from le woods, m oppor- nent was Captain 1 Colonel rge, Gen- Lewis to id States at once, o Jicconi- ready to ure until s.xteen mall, Vjut 17 because he had not wagons to carry ter»ts and camp kettles for his army. His own baggage moves in two stately wagons — one drawn by two, the other by four horses, carrying the various^furniture of a Secretary oi State's otfice, a lady's dressing chamber, an alder- man's dining room and the contents of a grocer's shop." In fact, Lewis appears to have been an A.merican counterpart of the Austrian General Mack. Yet next day, when it was known that Burn had decided to retreat, he advanced so rapidly that he arrived at the camp at Forty Mile Creek at five o'clock in the afternoon. On the road he was overtaken, first by a message from General Dearborn to announce that several vessels had ap[)eared otf the mouth of the Niagara, steering towards the head of the lake, which were supposed to belong to the British squadron, directing him to return with his entire division as soon as possible ; and then by a second, stating that it was possible that the vessels in sight were part of the American fleet, and that a few hours delav would enable him to ascertain the fact and to act accordingly. Lewis found Burn encamped on the narrow plain between the lake and mountain. His men were still much dispirited. " I can scarce believe," Colonel Miller of the 0th wrote to his wife, "that you could have been more glad to see me than that army was!" An hour later several British warships came in sight, and although when night fell they had not approached the shore very closely, the American Genei'al gave orders for his men to lie upon their arms in expectation of another nocturnal visit. On the 3d of June, Sir George Prevost having returned to Kingston from his late expedition, received Vincent's despatch an- nouncing the fall of Fort George tmd his retreat towards Burling- ton. At thesanie time he knew that the American fleet had returned to Sackett's Harbor the day before. Major Thomas Evans was directed to embark at once with five companies of the 8tli Regiment, reduced by casualties to 200 rank and file. Two hundred and fifty men of the Royal Newfoundland had been already sent on board to act as marines, and before night Sir James Yeo left the harbor with a squadron consisting of his tlagship, the Wolfe, of 23 guns and 200 men, the Royal George of 21 guns and 175 men, the brig Melville of 14 guns and 100 men, the schooners, Moira, 14 guns and 100 men, Sidney Smith, 12 guns and 80 men, and Beresford, of 8 guns and 70 men, besides several light gun-boats. On the morning of the 7th he appeared otf the mouth of the Niagara and sent his light vessels close into the shore to reconnoitre. To the interested spectators in the American lines the vessels seemed at one time to be approaching the mouth of the river, and at another \h Xi 18 to be Htiuidiu^ towards tin* lu!»iy tlu; Indians and militia, which soon assemlded in considerable numbers. , . Upon YeoH arrival at Huilin^4on, \'incent had already given orders foi- the disend>arkation of tlu* Sth when a messen<;er arrived with information that the enemy were retreating. Thtsse were promptly countermanded, and the sipuidron .sailed in pursuit, while Major l)ennis, with the greiwulitM' com[)any of the 40th, a strong comjiany of the 41st and two 3-poinider Held-pieces, was directed t(j advance by land. It was then four o'clock in the afternoon, and as Lewis had easily six hours start the [)rospeet of overtaking him must have seemtMl Klight at the time, but, favored by a steady though modi-rate breeze which had just spi'ung up, the sipiadron made such a rapid run that in three hours the troops were landed at the Forty- Mil(! ( 'reek and were in possession of the American camp. Many tents had been left standing and there were undoubted signs of panic in the arms and baggage abandoned along the line of retreat. The litri'sjnid un c< U: M vi ir B tl ei tc 1-4 pr th Ml T 20 enemy set fire to and abandoned Fort Erie, withdrew his force from Chippawa and Queenston, concentrating (/hem at Fort George, and hastily began throwing up fi^ld-works, either there to defend him- self or cross the ri. er by means of boats, which he holds in a constant state of readiness, according to circumstances," During the three days occupied by this pursuit, the (Sth, 9th and 10th of June, eighty prisoners were captured, and 500 tents, 200 camp kettles, 150 stand of arms and a great quantity of bag- gage taken or destroyed. The total loss of the American army in the battle -vnd the retreat '^ ^^t have been nearly five hundred men. A contemporary newspaper, the Bufalo Gazette, estimated that half of that number had been made prisoners. Vincent then felt so certain of his ability to cope with the invaders in the field that he determined to send the remainder of the 41st Regiment to Procter, who was clamoring for reinforce- ments, and on the 10th moved his headquarters to the Forty. "The principal objects,'" said Harve}' in a letter to Colonel Baynes, " General Vincent has hnd in making a forward movement with the greatest part of the :roops to this place, are to communi- t .s to butcher women and children on oui" land frontier, oui* bettei" and more hmnane principles will yield to the necessity of tlu,' case, and instead of them a i-ioid and inflexible retaliation mnst l)e sub- stituted." Early in June this was followed by a letter, dated on the 2()th May, in which the Secretary announced that "owing to end)arrass- ments thrown in the way of (exchange by Sir (leorge Prevost and Sir J. B. Warren, make these rules indis|jensal)le : 1st. All British officei's and men, whether regulars or militia, are to be remov(Ml to some place of confinement in the Tnited States. 2d. All male inliabitants of Canada subject to the militia law are to l)e con- sidered as pri.sonei's and I'emoved as such."' Genei-al Dearborn was so reluctant to enforce these harsh instructions that he not oidy deferred d(»ing so for several days, but warmly remonstrated. "On taking possession of this place," he wiote to the Secretary of War on the 8th of June. " the inhabit- ants came n\ in numbers and gave their paroles. I have promised them protection. A large pi-opOrtion are friendly to the Uniteil States, and fixed in theii- hatred to the Government of Great 23 " many per- h1 and been I rand River, Tidians have le (iiace, in ad between esti"()y<'d in lUHud much id witi) this enemy still defeneelesH xiliaries to bettei- and le cane, and 1st be Hul)- •n the 2()th end)an-aHM- 'revost and All British >'m<)V(»d to All male to be con- liese harsh 'ei'al days, his place," le inhabit- 1' pronnsed he United of Great I Britain. It" they should be made prisouei-s of war and taken from their families it would have a most unfavorable effect on our mili- tary operations in the provinces. The whole country would be driven to a state of desperation, and satisfy them bej'ond doubt that we had no intention of holding the provinces. The same effect would be produced on the Indians, who are now principally quiet for fear of losing their valuable tract of land on Grand River. I had authorized the civil magistrates to continue in the due exer- cise of their functions, and cannot with proprie<^.y revoke this authority, unless specially directed." The .spontaneous rising of the militia against the invaders in the next fisv days ap|)ears to have convinced Dearborn that he had quite misjudged the feelings of the people and removed his scruples. A nund)er of militia officers and others living within reach were seized and de|)orted to F'ort Niagara. " The dragoons and riflemen," says a private letter dated at Newai'k on the I'ith, " are out every day in scouting parties, and seldom return without prisoners. The day before yesterday they brought in fourteen of the militia who had been paroled and were caught with arms. One of these fellows confessed he luid assisted in taking twenty-three of our men when the army moved down from the B\)rty-Mile ('reek. Witli this fellow it will go hard, and I hope there will be a more vigorous course pursued with the inhabitants who are opposed to our cause. This class are princi- pally Scots and Uran^!,emen, and many of them obtain all the infor- ination they can and forward it to the enemy." A correspondent of the Ndfional Advocate gave this account of the arrest of Captain Jacob A. Hall of the Lincoln Militia, who is described as "an active and cruel commander of Indians:" " When the party arrived at Six-Mile Creek, Sergeant James Rouse volunteered with two dragoons, and proceeding to the Short Hills discovered the house where Ball was supposed to be, at nine o'clock in the evening. In order to reach the place they were com- pelled to pass within half a mile of a Bi-itislv picquet guard. On entering the house. Rouse was told that Ball was not there, but he fired his pistol through a door lie could not break open, when Ball opened it anil surrendered himself with his guard, five in number. They were all placed on horses and carried eighteen miles through the enemy's country to Fort (jleorge." A memorandum by Captain Ball states tiiat he was taken prisoner on the 11 th of June at tlie Ten-Mile Creek, while on com- uiand from Burlington to ascertain the position of the enemy at Fort George and vicinit3-. ., ' On the I9th and two following days, about one hundred per- iri wfimmimmm 24 am sons were suddenly arrested in and about Niagara, among whom were nearly all the best known and most respected of the inhabit- ants. A letter dated at "Flamboro', U. C," June 20th, published in a Montreal newspaper, observes that "plunder is the order of the day among the Americans, and the ])ersonal liberty of the inhabitants is taken away from them. Several disaffected persons have joined the enemy — among them the late editor of the Guardian. Many of the inhabitants have been sent as prisoners to the United States. Among them Messrs. Edwards, Muirhead, Dickson, Syr.iington, Rev.'d Mr. Addison, Powell, Heron, Baldwin, Clench, James Ball, De- Cew, John Crooks, Lavve, two Kerrs, and McEwen — the last four suf- fering from wounds received at Fort George." A list of some of the prisoners made by William Dickson, one of their number, in the following January, contains the names of Haggai Skinner, "a far- mer 04 years of age": Joseph ])oan, "farmer;" Jolni Ramsay, "a boy of Stamford." and John McFarland, " boat builder," all of whom were detained until December, 1818, in close conh'nement.* A letter from Newark dated on the 22d June and published in Poidsons American of Philadelphia relates that "the most con- spicuous and violent of the Biitish {)artisans are taken u]) and sent over to the United States. At the solicitation of the inhabitants who are friendly to our cause, the General has agreed to introduce a a few Indians to combat those of the enemy. In desultt)ry warfare our men seldom gain nmch, as the enemy is best accpiainted with the paths, b^'-roads, and country in general." Commenting on the impolicj' of this line of conduct in the light of subsequent events six months later, when the American frontier had been laid waste by Drummond's avenging army, the Maidw Times, a New York new^spaper. I'emai'ked : " After Fort George was taken by our troops a system of j)lunder and outrage was atlopted and counnenced to an extent almost luiequalled in the annals of French warfare. Citizens, while peaceably attending to their business, were seized and sent across the river, and almost at the same time their property was destroyed. Those who were paroled and promised protection, on suspicion of their possessing moveable property were arrested and their property pill-iged. The notorious traitor, Willcocks, was commissioned to raise a body of marauders expressly to ])lunder, burn, and destroy." The unwisdom of this system was soon made evident by the * Capts. MoEwen, DeCoe (born in New Jersey), Lonmier, Lieuts. Williams (horn in Lonjf Island), Huniberlin (born in Philadelphia), Stewart, Luke, Dtival and Laniont, Eneigns Mjers and Kerr. Mid- shipman Lawe, Sailing-Masters Campbell and Barwis, Seamen Rojcers, Byles, and "Wood escaped from prison in Philadelphia on April 20th bv sawinif off the bars of their prison and lettinK themselves down by blankets. Ensigns Myers and Kerr and five others have been taken. Salfiti Gazette, April -iOth, 1814. nong whom the inhabit- ibhshed in a V of the day inhabitants have joined ian. Many lited States. Syiiiington, les Ball, De- ast four suf- sonie of the liber, in the [iner, "a far- iisay, "a boy .11 of whom t* jubli.shed in i most eon- :ip answego. Dis- .1 '4 covering nothing at that place to justify a descent, he proceeded westward along the south shore of the lake as far as BigSodus Bay. A village of about thirty houses, which had been named Troupville, after an active politician of the day, but was moi'e connnonly known as Sodus, stood on the high ridge of lan'^ which almost surrounds that fine basin of water. Tlie bai- at the mouth of the harbor prevented the passage of any of his vessels, but the boats were sent in on the evening of the 19th and the storehouses were found to contain about se()uent dtitention is not stated, but they failed to join Vincent until the 20th of June, when the}' were at once sent forward to suppoi't Merritt and Fitz(iibbf)n. At tlu; same time Colonel Bisshoj)p with a small bi'igade of light troops was thrown forward "to feel the pulse of the enemy.'" Bi.ssliopp estab- lished his head([uarteis on the heights at the Twenty and detached Major P. V. DeHaren to occupy the liridge over the Twelxi' at St. Cathai'ines with the two coni])anies of the 104th and the light com- pany of the (Sth. The Indians were jnished on beytjnd the Ten, and a chain of outposts formed from the lake to Turney's cross roads, within a mile of the present town of ThoroUi. This position had a front of about seven miles, and every road by which a large body of troops could advanci; was occupied in considerable force. During the day some of FitzGibbon's scouts had tiiken one of Chapin's men near Lund^^'s Lane, and learned that his whole troop had passed southward a few hours before. In the night Meri'itt, FitzGibbon and some other officers rode swiftly across the country to Point Abino to seize a spy. They succeeded in taking him and another of Chapin's troopers, and returned by daybreak. Fitz- Gibbon then advanced along Lundy's Lane in hope of intercepting Chapin on this return, l»ut learned that he had been joined by C^ap- tain Myer, with 150 infantry from Fort George. Riding on alone to reconnoitre he encountered two American soldiers, both of whom he succeeded in capturing with the assistance of some of the loyal inhabitants after a hard sti'uggle, in which his agility and great il 29 Uovei'iior Ceii- .lioiit .shoen" and t relieved them md they were vo ct)ui|)anieH of the warriorH of force liad been n and consi.sted lie Lake of Two y were officered B. I)eLo)iiiiier, Uerinain, and on tlu! 2()th of -nee arrived at ,'ainst Sackett'.s )n Home Anieri- 1 lar»,njly to the tated, hut they ri they were at At th(! same JClit troop.s was 'Sissliopp e.stab- r' and detached i Twehe at St. 1 the Hyht com- d the Ten, and y'.s cross roads, s position had li a lar^e body force. taken one of s wliole troop ni^ht Meriitt, IS the country ikin^ him and ^ break. Fitz- if intercepting- oined by Cap- ng- on alone to )oth of whom le of the loyal ity and great ® strength were taxed to the utmost. Another of the enemy was killed by one of his men. On the 28rd Captain Ducharme with twenty-five of his Indians passed (piite around the enemy's position until he reached the bank of the river, within sight of Fort George. While there they discovered a barge tilled with American soldiers on its way down from Lewiston, which they captured, killing four men and taking seven prisoners. They were hotly pursued by a party of dragoons but escaped by taking to the woods, with the exception of a single Irocpiois warrior who rashly lagged behind in the hope of capturing a horse from the enemy. General Dearborn felt that his situation was daily becoming less endurable. Ever since he had arrived on this frontier he had been in feeble health and scarcely fit for connnand. On the cSth of June, while yet smarting from the disaster of Stoney Creek, he had written the Secretary of War : "My ill state of health renders it extremel}'^ painful to attend to current duties, and unless it im- pi-oves soon 1 feai- I shall be compelled to retire to some place where my mind may be more at ease." On the 20th he described his position in these despondent terms : "From resignations, sickness and other causes, the number of regi- mental (jfficers present and fit for duty is far below what the service recpiires. A considerable portion of the army being new recruits and the weather being unfavorable to health, the sick have become so nnmei'ous, in addition to the wounded, as to reduce the effective force far below what could have been contemplated. The enemy have been reinforced with about five hundred men of the 104tli Regiment, whence I conclude he will endeavor to keep up such a plan at and near the head of the lake as will prevent any part of this army from joining or proceeding to Sackett's Harbor to attack Kingston, and such is the state of the roads in this flat country in consequence of continued rain as to render any operations against the enemy extremely difficult without the aid of a fleet for the trans[)ortation of provisions, ammunition and other necessary supplies. The enemy would probably retreat on our approach and keep out of our reach, being covered by one or more armed vessels. The whole of these embarrassments have resulted from a temporary loss of the command of the lake." The audacity and success of the British scouting parties caused him HO much annoy^mce that he consented to the wholesale deport- ation of the inhabitants, and applied to Erastus Granger, the Indian agent ^t Buffalo, for the assistance of 150 warriors of the Six Nations to be employed at the outposts. Granger instantly sent a messenger to the chiefs of the v illages .Sim coiir cula eueu .sevejj reiriti pr U(J leir and I at Allc.jjhany itMjuirin"^- their NtnviccH, but the IndiaiiH vvuiu oiiiin- oiiHly hIow in obcyin};- tli«' .sunnnonH. and two woeks elapsed bel'uii> they actually appeaivd at Hutt'alu. On )'('tui'nin<;' from hi.s latest Foray Major ( 'hapin warmly advocate*! an innnediate attack on Fit/.(}il»l)on's advanced post at DeCewH houHe, which he represented that he had closely examined although it ,su!)Hei|Uently appeared that he had not been within Four or tiv(! mile.s oF that place, and did not I'Ven know the road to it after he hail offered to act a.s <;uide U) the expedition. KitzCJibbon s force was described with more accuracy to consist of a sinyle com- pany of regulai' infantry and tVom sixty to one hun■ the road to it I. Fitz(iil)l)oii's )t' a siiiM|,i eoiii- iiidred Indians i had als(i \n'.v\\ • oF the Indians venient aj;ainst )i" the 2.Sd June eai'ly twice the id ol" nearly six ;i"Htler, wdu) was ch is not stated, civil and military administration of the affairs of the Province. Major- General Francis De Rottenburg, then connnanding the Montreal District, was selected to replace him. On the 21)th ')f June General De Rottenburg arrived at Vincent's head(iunrters anci assumed com- mand. He was a Swiss by birth and had received his early military training in the Dutch arniy. In l7i)5 he entered the British service as major in Hompesch's Hussars. He served in the suppression of the rebellion in Ireland in 17()iS, and in the expeditions against Surinam and Walcheren and at the siege of Flushing. Sixty-four years of age, phlegmatic and unenterprising, his past career had not been distinguished and he was decidedly inferior to Vincent in vigor and capacity. Almost his first (jfiicial act was to direct the trial by court- marshal of two dt^serters taken in arms at Stoney Creek, who were found guilty and .sentenced to death. Skirmishes at the outposts became a matter of daily atul almost hourly occurrence. A letter from the American camp, dated on the last day of June, gives this gloomy picture of their situation : "Our army, numbering about 2,000, is intrenched on the right of the fort. Fort Niagara is garrisoned by about 400 men. Our pickets and foraging parties are constantly harassed by loyal militia and Indians. Fvery night there is a skirmish. They keep our troops under arms, whicii exhausts and wears them away very Our force has diminished very much. The enemy's fleet fast. plagues our troops very much. It has been making demonstrations off Niagara for near two weqks. The weather is very wet. It rains at least one-half the time." m M On the first of July the British outposts were extended to St. Davids, entirely cutting off all intercourse between the en'^my's camp and the surrounding countr;y and restricting their foragers to the narrow space between the lines. The road along the western bank of the Four Mile Creek afforded a very good and easy means of conununicating between these outposts, a decided advantage over the American piquets, which were separated from each other by enclosures and woods. Of the latter there were six, usually numbered from the right, covering the front of their position from lake to river about a mile in advance of their inti-enchmenta and nearly half a mile apart. Yeo's squadron continued to blockade the moutii of the river for a week after its return, occasionally cruising eastward along the American shore of the lake to intei-eept any small craft that might attempt to steal along the coast from the Genesee. During this time four small vessels and severa' Durham boats loaded with provisions for the American army were taken on their way to Fort Niagara. A captured sailor, one William Howells, was induced to act as a pilot, and the boats of tlu; s(]uadron under his guidance searched every bay and creek where a boat could lie hidden as far as the moutli of the (ienesee, and much alarm was excited in tlu American conmiissariat lest they should ascend the river and destroy a maga- zine and the bridge on the main highway for supplit'S from the east, known as iJie R'dge Road, b}' whicii all communication with their base of supplies would l)e effectively interrupted for some time. On the 29th, however, Yeo was forced to return to Kingstt)n for provisions. But, on the other hand, a sn)all schooner, the Lady Murray, bringing from Kingston a much needed supply of ammunition and a "clioice collection of every kind of stores," was taken by the Am- erican des{)atch boat, the Lady of the Lake. At the time, this was felt to be an almost irreparable loss, and strict oi'ders were given to limit the wasteful exj)enditure of powder by tlu; Indians. They were informed u it "])igeon shooting and su(;h idle sport must be given up." Colonel Claus, tlieii" superintendent, complained bitterly that the Indians of tlu; Gi'and Rivei- did not set a good example to those that had come from a distance. Only about half of them had joined the army. The othei's roamed hiwlessly al)out tlie country connnitting outrages. "They plunder the settlei-s and I'eturn home to deposit what tlujy take from the inhabitants. They destroy every hog and sheep they can meet with." The effective!) ess of the blockade of his positior. on three sides was such that General Dearborn was then forced to draw his sup- plies from Buffalo, by the road leading along the American side of ■•'tsr Ltended to St. 1 the er'^tny's jir foragers to ig the western cT easy means led advantage >ni each other 3 six, usually position from nclunenta and h of the river I'ard along the .ft that might iringthis time ith provisions Fort Niagara. (1 to act as a anc(! searched as far as the thv. American stroy a maga- frora the east, jn with their ane time. On Kingston for ady Murrai/, munition and n by the Am- ime, this was vere given to dians. They iport nmst be lined bitterly »d example to ' of them had the country return home 'hey destroy •n three sides raw his sup- rican aide of ii5 85- , , ,.'. the river from Schlosaer at the upper end of the portage around the falls, where they were land J from boats plying above. Ensign Winder of FitzGibbon's company took possession of Chippawa with a small detachment, and soon ascertained that the American block- house nearly opposite was weakly guarded and might be easily surprised. On the afternoon of the 4th July, FitzGibbon invited Lieut.-Golonel Thomas Clark of the 2d Lincoln Militia to co- operate with Winder in an attempt upon it that night, when it was anticipated that the guard would be more than usually negligent from the effects of the festivities of the day. Clark assembled thirty-four officers and men of his regiment, and being joined by Winder with Volunteer Thon)pson and six privates of the 49th, em- barked in three boats. They landed at daybreak, and took the block- house with its entire guard, consisting of two officers, nine privates, three civilians, and three Canadian refugees, without the least resis- tance. A small gunboat, two bateaux, a bra.ss six-pounder, fifty-sevc.i stand of arms and a considerable quantity of ammunition and pro- visions were brought away. Sixteen tons of cannon-shot were thrown into the river, and six scows and the same number of large boats were partially destroyetl. The removal and destruction of these stores occupied about an hour, during which they were not molested, but after entering their boats to re-cr(jss the river a party of a dozen men, supposed to be workmen from Porter's Mills at the Falls, ajipeared on the Itank and connnenced an ineffective fii'e upon them. This successful descent excited quite a disproportionate alarm all along the American side of the river ai 1 caused the inhabitants of Black Rock and Buffalo to clamor for military protection. At the former place General Peter B. Porter had already a.ssembled a volunteer force with the intention of crossing the river and forming an intrenched camp nearly opposite, where a site had been selected. He had even proposed to march down the Canadian side and attack the British post at St. Davids. These projects were now abandoned, and he began preparations for the defence of his own position. A party which he had sent over on the morning of the 5th to remove the family of a refugee, hastily retired on the approach of a detach- ment of Canadian militia which took post near, the feriy landing, and a brisk cannonade was opened across the river by the /Vmerican batteries. On the same day, 150 Western Indians, conducted by Captain Matthew Elliott and Blackbird, the Ottawa chief \vho had conunanded at the slaughter of the Chicago garrison the year before, arrived at De Rottenburg's headquarters. These were chieflv Ottawas and Chippewas from the wilds north of Lake Huron, and Procter wrote that there were "some very fine fellows'" amomr them 36 I i whom he might miss. De Rottenburg, probably with equal truth, described them as "a most ferocious and savage set." They were at once sent forward to join the remainder in their encampment near the Four Mile Creek, where they were joyfully welcomed. Some days previous to their arrival several of the American Tuscaroras had appeared on the opposite bank of the river near Lewi.ston and signitied their wish to speak with the principal chiefs of the Six Nati(ms living in Canada. Accordingly, that same after- noon, the chiefs of the sixteen nations then represented in the Indian camp, accompanied by Interpreters Brant and Fairchild, went to the appointed place on the rivei", when a party of ten Tus- caroras approached on the other side and they shouted to each other across the roaring torrent. The Tuscaroras began the conversation by affirming their friendship and inquiring whether the others were still friends to them. Katvirota, speaker of the Otiondagas, eldest of the Six Nations, replied haughtily that although it had been said that the British were weak, yet "the Great Spirit is with us and we are enabled to take possession again. As the King has been obliged to give ground at Niagara, we want to understand from yon whether you are induced tt) take part with the Americans or not." The Tuscaroras rejoined, " These times have been very haril, under difficulties, being so near tlv: lines, and we wish to know whether your sentiments are still friendly toward us, and if you cross the river whether vou will hurt us." Katvirota retorted in the same arrogant tone as before : "This will de})en(l on 3'ourselves. If you take no part with the Americans we shall meet you with the same friendship we ever did, and we look foi- the day when you will see our faces on your side of the water. We have no contentitm with you ; it is King and the Americans, and we have taken part with the King. We will contend for his right." The Tuscarora stated in reply that they had determined to "sit quiet and take no part," but that a great council would be held at Butialo in five days, and the conference then ended. After the evacuation of Fort George a quantity of medicines and hosj)ital stores had been biu'ied near the house of a faithful old loyalist at the Two Mile Creek, Castell Chorus, once a soldier in a German regiment in Burgoyne's army, and after his escape from captivity, in Butler's Rangers. This iiouse stood close to one of the American outposts, but the necessities of the division had iriade it liighly important to recover the stores even at the risk of provokinj^ an engagement. Accordingly, the light company of the King's Regi- ment under Lieut. Collis was detailed for the purpose, with Captain Merritt as guide, and late on the evening of the 7th Colonel Clans was instructed to assemble a body of Indians to act as a covering' lU with equal truth, jt." They were at encampment near welcomed. of the American I of the river near be principal chiefs J, that same a^ter- spresented in tlie it and Fairchild, party of ten Tus- luted to each other -'i I the conversation er the others were Onondacjas, elde.st li it liad been said is with us and we ( has been obliged rstand from you mericans or not." veiy hard, under to know whether if you ci'oss the rted in the same )urselves. If you )U with the same fM, dien you will see ►J contention with taken part with Tuscarora stated id take no part," in five davs, and 1 bity of medicines | use t)f a faithful , once a soldier in his escape from J| lose to one of the *ion had iriade it risk of provoking ■ the King's Regi- ose, with Captain th Colonel Clau.s ,ct as a covering 37 larty for the waggons. The Indians were directed to occupy a (osition in front of Chorus's house by two o'clock in the morning, lut failed to leave their camp until broad daylight, when about a [hundred went forward under Norton and Blackbird and the Inter- •reters Brisbois, Langlade and Lyons. The stores wer-e recovered [without molestation, and the soldiers retired with the waggons, while [the two officers remained to breakfast at Peter Ball's house. The Indians loitered behind and began a brisk skirmish with the enemy's picket, which they finally drove from its post. They continued in this way to annoy the American outposts until the middle of the afternoon, when several hundred infantry came out from their intrenchmenta and they instantly retired with the hope of drawing [the whole party forward into the wood and ravines near the Cross ;oadH, where the remainder of their warriors lay concealed. These ell-worn tactics were partially successful. Lieut. Eldridge, Adju- iant of the 13th United States Infantry, w^ho had already dis- inguished himself on the retreat from Stoney Creek, ' -eing far in [advance, rushed blindly in pursuit at the head of about x'orty men. rA single voUe}^ from the ambush struck down eighteen of his fol- lowers. The remainder instantly turned and ran back, while the Indians rushed forward from their coverts to cut off their retreat, lldritlge wounded one of his pursuers with a pistol shot and was •romptly shot down and tomahawked by another. Twelve were ^tiiken prisoners, and of the whole party only five escaped. Besides the thi-ee ofHcors of the Indian department and Captain Merritt and John Ball, both of whom were unarmed, the only white person pre- sent on this occasion was John Lawe, a boy of thirteen years, who lived clo.se by. His father. Captain George Lawe of the 1st Lincoln Militia, had been badly wounded and an elder brother killed in the battle of Fort George. After being allowed to return home on parole, his father had been arrested and carried off as a prisoner. Animated by a fierce passion for revenge, this boy seized a musket when the firing began and joined the Indians. He continued to load and fire in the mo.st fear-less manner until the skirmish had nearly ended, wiien his mother appeared and forcibly removed him. Of the prisoners, three were surrendered to Colonel Claus that night, the remainder were maliciously retained by the Indians until next morning for the purpose of thoroughly frightening them. Al- though these barbarous practices had been strictly prohibited by the officers in charge of them, the wihl Western Indians not onlj'' scalped but savagely mutilated the bodies of the dead before leaving the field. When tasked with this misconduct. Blackbird alleged that the Americans had mangled the dead Indians at the Miami Kapids a few months before. "They were not satisfied with having 38 h killed them," he waid, "but cut them into small pieces. This made us very angry. My words to my people were as long as the powder burnt to killand scalp. * * * * If the Big Knives after they kill . people of our color leave them without hacking them to pieces, we will follow their example. They have themselves to blame. The way they treat our killed and the remains of those that are in their graves to the west makes our people mad when they meet the Big Knives. Whenever they can get any of our people into their hands they cut them like meat into small pieces." Only the Interpreter Langlade and two of the Indians were wounded in this affair, in which Claus estimated, probably with considerable exaggeration, that the Ame)-icans had lost upwards of one hundred men. While this skirmish was in progress at Butler's farm, the Seven Nations of Lower Canada were holding a conncil at the Ten Mile Creek, at which they told Claus that they intended to return home. "Our patience is at an end," they said. "The King has enemies below as well as here. This is the day our people begin to cut grass for their cattle and we must prepare not to let our people and cattle starve. * * * We took a good many things the other day (at Beaver Dams.) Wliat are we to get / ' Claus a.ssured them that their families would receive assistance in harvesting, and that they would be paid for the '• things " the;y had taken, and after some deliberation the}'^ seemed perfectly satis- fied and agreed to remain for .some time longer. The discovery of the mangled bodies at the scene of Eldridge's disaster thrilled the American camp with horror and indignation, and occasioned a renewed demand for the employment of Indians on their own behalf. The inhabitants of the vicinity were accused not without reason of hostility and ordered to leave their homes under penalty of the severest punishment. One of De Rottenburg's first measures was to secure Burlington against a sudden attack by throwing up intrenchments and mount- ing cannon, as he regarded that position as a stronghold to which he might eventually be forced to retire in the hope of maintaining it until Yeo would be able to cooperate in an attack on the forts at the mouth of the Niagara. The latter had just been thwarted in the execution of a bold and well-planned attempt to destroy the American fleet at its anchorage in Sackett's Harbor, which, if suc- cessful, would have given him absolute control of the lake. Em- barking 400 picked seamen and 250 soldiers in row boats the very next day after his return to Kingston, he crossed the lake and landed his men on the uninhabited shore of Point Peninsula in full view and only about ten miles from the harbor, where boats and men remained concealed in the dense woods for twenty-four hours. 89 Bces. This made •ng as the powder 1 is after they kill . em to pieces, we to blame. The that are in their jy meet the Big I into their hands the Interpreter in this affair, in xa^geration.that en. •1 farm, the Seven at the Ten Mile to return home, ing has enemies )le begin to cut t our people and he other day (at QCeive assistance '• things " they perfectly satis- ne of Eldridge's nd indignation, lent of Indians iy were accused 'd ve their homes ■ ure Burlington its and niouot- old to which he maintaining it >n the forts at n thwarted in to destroy the which, if suc- he lake. Em- joats the very ike and landed i in full view (Cats and men iy-four hours. Intending to make the attack on the following night. But two ^men of the Newfoundland Regiment deserted from the garrison at Kingston immediately after Yeo's departure, and, dogging his boats until they landed, made their way to the American lines with this important intelligence. The hurry and bustle with which the ships were manned and put in a posture of defence next day convinced Yeo, who was intently observing them with a glass from his hiding place, that the rdarm had been given, and he returned empty-handed to Kingston on the morning of the 2d July. The tine new ship Oencral Pike, for which Chauncey had been waiting in port for the last month, was seen to be nearly ready for sea. She was known to carry 2S heavy guns, with a crew of 400 men, and believed to be almost a match for the entire British squadron. Yeo was obliged to content him.self with watching the harbor's mouth and cutting off supplies. A few days later his gunboats destroyed the barracks at (iravelly Point and brought off a boat with 100 barrels of pro- visions and a large (piantity of oars. (Jn learning of Yeo's failure, I)e Rottenburg good-humoredly remarked, "^ maimius jeu, il faut faire honne mine" and made vigorous efforts to repair the roads in his rear, which he described as the worst he ever saw, to facilitate a retreat when it became unavoidable. He complained that with the exception of Harvey, whom he characterized as "most active, zealous, and intelligent," the heads of the departments were "deficient in activity and cleverness," and that the militia staff in particular was "miserable." On the ()th of July he detached 120 men of the 41st to assist Procter, who was bitterly complaining that the reinforcement had been so long withheld, and promised to send him one hundred more as soon as the remainder of 104th and the 1st battalion of the Royal Scots arrived. In the hope of making a slight diversion in Procter's favor and destroying the naval stores at Black Rock, he authorized Lieutenant- Colonel Bisshopp, on the 9th, to attempt the surprise of that place. A couple of nights before this, some of Bisshopp's scouts had crossed the river near the head of Grand Island, captured some provision waggons and ascertained that Black Rock was then only garrisoned by militia. On the 10th, however. Colonel Brady arrived fi-om Erie with 300 regulars, and by direction of General Dearborn, left half of them to assist Porter in its defence. Five hundred militia had been called out ten days before, but not more than half that number had mustered. In addition to these, the inhabitants had been embodied and armed for service. About one hundred Indians had assembled in response to Granger's appeal. But this force, though respectable in point of numbers, was too I 40 . ^ widely scattered to be very formidable even for defence. One hun- dred of the regulars and a party of militia were stationed at Buffalo. Another detachment of 150 militia occupied a battery called Fort Gibson, half a mile above the village of Black Rock, which was armed with thi"ee guns. The remainder were distributed in the village, the main body being quartered in a log blockhouse surrounded by earthworks, also mounting three guns, with strong outj)osts in the Marine barracks at the navy yard, and a redoubt commanding the bridge over Shogeocjuady Creek, on the road to Tonawanda, each being defended by an additional gun. The force selected for the attack by Biashopp was small but efficient, consisting of twenty men of the Royal Artillery under Lieutenant (afterwai penetrate the enemy's country with them." Porter then seized this opportunity of reviving his proposition to lead a force froni Black Hock against the reai- of the blockading army, to consist of about 1200 men, regulars, militia and Indians in equal nundxn's, with three or four field guns, to land at Chippawa at daybreak, "dispose of the British forces stationed there, and proceed innnediately to St. Davids to join and co-opeivite with such part of your army as you might think jji-udent to send out." With such a body he confidently assured the Secretary of War, ''I pledge myself to enter ('anada and relieve his ai'my from their distress." "The truth is (and it is known to every man of common sense in this part of the country)," he continued, "that we have had an army at Fort (ieorge for two months past, which at any momijnt of this period might by a vigorous and well-directed expedition of three or four days have prostrated the whole of the enemy's force in this division of the country, and yet this arjny lies panic-stricken, shut up, and whipped in by a few hundred miserable savages, leav- ing the whole of this frontier, except the mile in extent which they occupy, exposed to the inroads and depredations of the enemy." Major Chapin, who had escaped from captivit}'^ with most of his troop by overpowering a militia guard when on his way to Kings- ton, crossed the river with sixty volunteers to reconnoitre on the 2l8t July, and advanced as far as Frenchman's Creek without opposition. Boyd's instructions, however, left him no discretion until the arrival of Chauncey's fleet should set him free to act. Both parties felt that ultimate success was dependent on the 47 mastory of the lake. In the absence of YeoH s(|ua(lron, now pro- longed far beyond expectation, l)e llottenbur^H enibarrnH.stnentH hourly increaHed. Supplies dwindled away. Desertions, hitherto almost unknown, bec.une alarmingly fre((Uf'nt a.s his outposts approached the enemy's works. Not l»!ss than fifteen men deserted within a few days from the 104th, ten alone from the two flank com|)anies. Five grenadiers wei'e taken in the attempt. In conse- (juence of tluvse disgraceful defections, the Royal Scots were ordered to relieve a regiment which until then had been distinguished for gallantry and good conduct. On the 9th July, James Grady, late a a private in the King's regiment but taken in arms at Sfconey Creek, was shot, and ten days later two men of the l()4th and one of the Royal Sc(jts suffered the same fate for "exnuiple's sake." The In- dians were then thrown forward into the woods beyond the out- posts with instructions to shoot at sight any men attcsmpting to pass over to the enemy, and desertions ceased at once. But these unstable auxiliaries soon again began to show signs of discontent. Blackbird was aiuioyed because Colonel Young liad insisted that he should surrender the prisoners he had taken on the 8th of July, although a ransom was sub-secpiently paid him. At any time it was scarcely possible to prevail upon them to act at night, the best time for beating up the enemy's outposts, as it was contrary to their usual custom. The prolonged absence of the scjuadron dismayed and alarmed them, n.nd already the Western Indians began to talk of returning homewards and to wrangle over the disti'ibution of the annual allowance of presents, which had not yet arrived. Colonel Claus held a council with the(n at the Cross Roads on the 21st July in the hope of appeasing their dissatisfaction, at which he assured them that the s(juadron was expected to sail from Kingston the day before, and that an attack upon the enemy's position would be made as soon as it arrived. These Indians then agreed to remain a few days longer. Four days later the Seven Nations of Lower Canada announced that they would only remain for ten days. At the latter meeting Claus remonstrated against the constant plunder- ing of the wretched inhabitants. , .• " The General," he said, " wishes me to speak to you on behalf of the poor people about us, who have complained that they lose everything about their places, and he requests that you will exert yourselves to prevent these acts of cruelty. It is very hard upon these poor people, for on the one hand they are injured by the enemy, and on the other by us." To this, a chief known as "The Echo" replied, " we are wrong, and confess our faults. It seemed as if these men wished to side «■■ 48 Slli .sevei-« j prudeu their tijflj!! and bij with the strongest. We have taken many things, but any that are pointed out we will give up." Norton and Glaus had quarreled beyond hope of reconciliation, and as the Mohawk Chief bore the reputatioii of a brave and skil- ful leader and was, besides, a persuasive and forcible speaker, the influence of the latter gradually declined both with the General and the Indit^ns. About the end of July Norton was married by Mr. Addison to a girl belonging to the Delaware tribe, whom Claus spitefully described as the " daughter of a deserter from the Queen's Rangers and a common woman," and asserted that thenceforward, "he did nothing but ride about the country with madam and a posse of his connections." In consequence of the persistent demands of the Indians for compensation for woundvS and the death of relatives, a board of inquiry had been assembled at headquarters, which recommended that " with a view to soften and restrain the Indian warriors in their conduct to such Americans as may be made by them prisoners," they should receive : "For every prisoner brought in alive, $5, to be paid immedi- ately by the commissary on the certificate of the general officer eomii.anding the division. " T(- a chief for the less of an eye or limb, SlOO per annum, payable in money or goods. "To a warrior for the loss of an eye or limb, or a wound held equivalent to the loss of an eye or limb, $70 per annum, payable in money or goods. " To the widow of a chief killeil in action, a present of $200. " To the wirinted aV)out a month afterwards in tlie United SUdes Gazette. "On the 10th at midnight we came within gunshot, everyone in high spirits. The schooners comtnenced the action with their long guns, wliich did great execution. At half-past 12 the Connnodore tired his broadside and gave three cheers, which was returned from the other ships, the enemy closing fast. We lay by for our opponent, the orders having been given not to tire until she came within pistol shot, though the enemy kept up a constant fire. Every gun was pointed, every match ready in hand, and the red British ensign plainh^ to be descried k»y the light of the moon, when, to our utter astonishment, the Commodore wore and stood S. E., leaving Sir James Lucas Yeo to exult in the capture of two schooners and in our retreat, which was certainl}'^ a very fortunate one for him." Chauncey excused his movement, which he described as "edging away two points," by the singular plea that he expected to draw the enemy away from the two schooners he had al)andoned and desired to rescue. C'ooper considers that his line of battle was well adapted to "draw the enemy down" and 'admirable for its advantages and ingenuity." Roosevelt agrees with the British historian James in the judgment that Yeo's conduct was faultless, and admits that he "had attacked a superior force in weather that just suited it and yet had captured two of its vessels without suffering anj' injury beyond a few shot holes in the sails." Finding that he was outsailed, Yeo ran into Toronto Bay to refit and man his prizes. "In this narrow water I shall never be able to bring their ships to action," he wrote to the Governor- General, "as I have no vessel which sails sufficiently well to second me. . . .It concerns me much to find I have such a wary opponent, as it harasses me beyond my strength. I am very unwell, and 1 believe nothing but the natui'e of the service keeps me up. I have not closed my eyes for forty-eight hours." Chauncey 's vessels were again seen in the lake that day, but it blew hard during the night, and the next morning they had disappeared. On the IHth Yeo crossed the lake with his siijuadron increased to eight sail, and anchored at the mouth of the Four-Mile Creek, where he landed son)e stores and communicated with De Rotten- burg. His appearance taken in conjunction with Chauncey 's de- parture alarmed General Boyd so much that he hurriedly sunnnoned the force stationed at Black Rock to come to his assistance, that night if possible. Before it could obey, Yeo had gone down the I :|i 58 lake in search of Chauiicoy, vvlio, after Heiidiiif; two of IiIh achooners into the river, had returned with the I'eniainder of hiH fleet to Sackett'H Harbor, where he arrived on the 13th. Hi; took on hoard provinionH for a five weeks' ci'uise, Hailed the same night or next day, .si»(hted Yeo's .sciuaih-on otl* the month of the (lene.see on its way down the hike, and eventually returned to port after being out only Hvt! days. "We proceeded directly for Sackett's Harbor," said the Ameri- can officer already quoted, "where we victualled and put to sea the dav after our arrival, Aujjfust 14th. On the Kith we discovered the enemy again, jigain hurried to (juarters, again got clear of the eneni}^ by dint of carrying sail, and returned to Sackett's Hai-bor. On the liSth we again fell in with the enemy steering for Kingston, and we reached the Harbor on the l!)th. This is the result of t'vo cruises, the first of which might by proper guidance have deci(.ed in our favoi- the superiority on the lake and conse(jnently in Cana(hi." For the next nine days (Jhauncey remained in port, e(iui|)|)ing his new schooner anes a letter from Mr. Hrenton. the GoviM-nor-tJeneral's S(!cr(^tary, rcifei-rini;- to "traitorous characters who ai-e in league with and ^'ive inToi'mation to the enemy." He reconniiended the procla- mation of martial law as a n-nuHly, and declared that if he could obtain suHicient evidence nnainst "one Peters," an ensi;^'n on half- pay, h(! would try him by court-martial. On the m()rninal I'orter a* 1 "^lajor Chapin arrived at Fort Xiayai-a from lilneU Rock, havinjr made a forced niardi and crosst-d the river at the head of 144 Indians and 220 volunteeis. Othei- detachments followed next day, which nearly >5 for (^very private taken ju'isoner, s:i() for a captain, and a [)roportionate sum for officers of iiio'hei' rank. They had agreed to abstain from scal])ino;, but seem to ha\'e bi'oken this promise at the first opportunity. Chauncey had not returned as (Jenei-al lioyd expected, which in his opinion ren- dered any impoi'tant offensive moveuicnt impracticable, but he determiiuMl to em])l()y these auxiliaries in another attempt to surprise the pi(pi('t near IJfdl's. The force detailed for this enter- prise consisted of :}00 Indians and volunteers, led by F\H'ter and Chapi)!, supported by 200 iv^ulars under i\Iajor Cunnniuos. A brisk shower ol' rain caused them to abandon all hope of surprising the |)i(juet, but their approach broujjjht on a hot skirmish, in which, for the first time since the blockade bejjjan, they obtained a decided advantaoe. owin^- chiefly to the heedlessness of their adversaries. Colonel (/laus described the affair with more than usual detail: "When we {^ot to the advanced piijuets juore parties were recpiired to be sent out, and our numbei' reduced from upwards of 300 to not more than 50. We had not been here long- (advanced piquet) when firing connnenced in Ball's fields, to which place I went as quick as possible with the few Indians I had renuiining, not supported with or by the troops, and met the Senecas, who, after ex^jhanging some shots, led us into a tra]), for in the skirts of the woods there were laying the riflemen and a number of troops. We retired to the first field we engaged them in, and, after some firing, Captain Norton observed that 'it would not do, that we must retire and collect.' That was enough. The word was hardly given when all set from (50 liiS tlu; Held, and Major (jiivins obsej'ved to me that we iniji^ht »i8 well follow. We were then alone in the field at the skirt of the wood. I endeavored to halt them, Init all in vain. Our Ions was severe this day. I attributed it to dividing us, for our Indians that were detached ran to the spot and met the Seiiecas, whom they took for our own people. Five were killed, throe wounded and ten taken prisoners, besides Captain Lorimier and Livingston the interpreter, who was severely wounded. It was nearly attended with serious conse(juences. The Western Indians han be^an to leave the camp in small partii-s and stra;;'^le homewards. A Hi-itish otiicer, whose name is not mentioned, brieHy noted the events of a week as tluy fell under his observation, in the form of a Journal which was soon afterwards published in the Moiilreal "August Kith. I was sent with my company in the night to within tliree-quarters of a league of Foi"t (teorge. We surprised a pickitt, kille(l two sentries and a dragoon : their cavalry coming out, we retired to (.^ueenston without loss. "August 17th. C.'aptain Charles De Lorimier and fourteen In- dians were sur[)rised and made j)risoners In* the Amei'ican Indians; two men of the l()4th and one of the Royals killed, four Indians kilU^d, Lieut. (Jiadwin of the dragoons wounded. We killed four American Indians and captured one. '•2()th. An American deserter arrived and said the Americans were to attack us in four hours with 4000 luen. "21st. Sir George Prevost arrived. The arrival of the fleet with I)eWatte\ ille'a regiment from Kingston is daily expected." On the morning of the latter day, a party of Indians came out from the American lint^s bringing with them two of their prisoners, whom they rtileasinl as an evid(Uice of their good-will, and stscretly [)rop(jsed to the Britisl; Indians that they should retire from the contest on both sides and leave the white men to tight it out. This was resolutely rejected by tiie latter, who replied once more that they "were determined to share the fate of the King." Three days after his arrival. Sir George Prevost directed a "general demon.stration" against Boyd's position. The right wing, con.sisting of two columns, connnanded by Lieutenant-Colonels Battersby and Ph?nderleath, moved from St. Davids against the four piquets stationed between the Cross Roads and the river, while the left, under Colonel Young, also in two columns, advanced at the same time from their camp at Four-Mile Creek, one under Lieu- t«!nant-Colonel Ogilvie, by the road from Lewis Niles' to Ball's, and the other, commanded by Major Moodie of the 104th, (afterwards 'mmmm 62 killed in '87 at Montgomery's Tavern.) by the lake road to surprise piquets one and two. Packs and all other encumbrances were left in camp. Lieutenant-Colonel O'Neil of the 19th Light Dragoons, with thirty troopers of his regiment, followed, and. supported by the whole body of Indians, covered the advance on the village. The attack began shortly alter daybreak, while the fog liungiieavy on the plain. All the piquets were surprised 1 y a sudden rush nearly at the same instant, and a considerable nund)er of prisoners taken. Ca])tain Fitz(Jerald of the 49th, in leading the attack on the i3i(]uet upon the Queenston Hoad, fell with a gunshot wound, which subsequently caused the amputation of his leg. In the con- fusion whicii followed. Captain ])avenport of the 10th U. S. I., wlio conniianded this post, escaped with most of his men, (!ven carrying off some of liis assailants as pi-isoners. Captain Delano of the 28rd U. S. I., retiring witli the I'einnant of another pi(juet, stumbled upon FitzGerald as he was being removed from the field, and carried him into his own lines. Captain Vandalsen of the inth U. S. I., in charge of the picjuet near Butler's house, also succeeded in effecting his retreat with slight loss. Lieutenant-Colonel Harvey, who had been detailed to reconnoitre the works, dashed gallantly into the village at the head of the dragoons, scouring the streets as far as the Presliyterian Church, froui the steeple of which he seeui-ed a complete view of all their intrenchments, which bristlecl with c;innon and were crowded with men. As soon as the firing was heard and their outposts were aeiin Hying foi" shelter across tiie commons, two colunnis, led by General Williams and Colonel James Miller, with two field-pieces, advanced to their relief, and their light troops began a brisk fire out of the windows of houses and fi-om behind fences and garden walls, while tiie batteri(!S t)f the cau)p were turned upon the village. Fventnally these troc^ps, which had been instructed to act strictly on the defensive, retired into theii' intrench- ments, which wei'e then closely reconnoitred. "No provocation could induce the American army to hittve their places of shelter," Frtvont wrote co Lord Hathurst, "and venture into the field, wlune alone I could hope to contend with it successfully. Ha\ing made a display of my force in vain, a deliberate retreat ensued, without a Cisualty. I am now satisfied that Fort George is not to be reduced, stiengtiiened and si.p{)orted as it is by Fort Niagara, without more troops, the co-operation of the fleet, and a battering ti'ain. To accomplisli tiiis object a double operation becoiiies necessary. Fi»rt Niagara must be mvested, and bcth places be attacked at the same moment." A letter in the New York Evning Post relates that "on tiie 24th of Au.::ust the enemy made their appearance at our advanced iV) T^ 63 post No. 6, and on being challenged, replied ' deserters.' The eentinel* replied 'pass deserters,' and was taken. The other eentinel ran in and warned the guard, who fired and dispersed. The arms of the British were unloaded, washing to take them by surprise, and only 17 out of 47 of whom tiie guard consisted were taken. In this skirmish Captain Fitz(j!erald of the 49th was woinided. A party afterwards went out and captured him with two men, who were carrying him away. Before we had time to su])port our other p'^sts, they were driven in (Nos. 1 to 5) with equal loss, and the enemy penetrated to the very centre of the town of Newark, and skirting the woods in our front i-ested his right on the Niagara, occupying our post No. 6, his left on the lake, aiid his centre within view and gunshot of our works." Lieutenant Jones and a private of the 4yth wei'e wounded, two men of the 104th were killed and three wounded, in the course of the day's operations. The number of prisoners taken is variously stated by Bi'itish authorities from fifty to seventy, and belonged to at least five different regular regiments.* General Boyd at first reported that his loss was trifiing, but five days later admitted that it was nnich greater than he had supposed, having learned that there were five men killed and tM'enty-seven missing. Besides Captain FitzGei-ald, he stated that six privates were taken [)risoners by his ti'oops, and conclud(!d his despatch with the absurd remark, "his force is withdrawn out of our reach into his stronghold."' An attack u[)on Boyd's formidable entrenchments with the very inferior force at his command would have been little less than madness, yet the spirits of the lo3'al inhabitants had been so much elated b}' a series of i-emarkable and unhoped-for successes that many were ready to censure the Governor-General for having declined to undertake it. A writer of the present day heedlessly condemns the reconnoissance on the assumption that "at the time no expla- nation of its design was oflf'ered, and it has remained to this day unexplained and inexplicable." Genei'al Boyd's determination not to be drawn from the de- fensive seemed to have caused similar dissatisfaction and criticism among his troops, which as usual was readily repeated by the news- papers. " General Boyd and Major Chapin have (quarreled," says a letter from Geneva of September 3d, in the New York Coimnercial Advertwer. " Major Chapin has discharged the Indians who were under him. The cause of this disagreement was the general not supporting the major wiien the British made an attack and drove in the American picjuets stationed at Newai'k. The major finding * 2iid DruKoons, 0th, 13th, lUlh and 23rd l'. S. Infantry. * ■ii 64 the British too strong- for him, sent for a reinforcement of 700 men with two field-pieces. No answer bein^ returned, Major Chapin' sent for half the number and one field-piece. This was not^jranted. The consequence was that the British out-flanked our men, killing and wounding many, and obtained possession of the town, and from the Presbyterian chui'ch steeple thej' had a fine view of our encamp- ment. The Bi-itish kept possession of the town a very short time — long enough, however, for those who had been refused permission to depart from thence to leave it, which they did with shouts of joy." " The atJ-reement with the Indians allows them 85 for each private taken and S80 for a captain, and so on in proportiim to their rank. They are not allowed any sum for scalps, nor are they permitted to scalp anj' white person, but tiiey have taken the liberty to scalp the British Indians. " A few da^'s since a private dwelling house was set on fire hy our troops in Newark. The next night the Presbj^terian Church was destroyed the same way. General Boyd says it was by Major Chapin's troops, and Major Chapin declares it to have been done by the regulars. ' After the demonstration of the 24th of August, several days seem to have passed without noteworthj^ incident, except that Cap- tain Gordon of tiie Royal Scots, in moving along the line of out- posts lost his way in a fog and entered the Anjerican lines, where he was taken prisoner by Thomas Gray, a private of the 15th-lJ. S. infantry, who was rewarded by the gift of a silver cup " with a suit- able inscription," from (ieneral Boyd. After being becalmed for two days near the Ducks, Yeo sailed up the lake without seeing anything of tlu^ enemy's Heet. He sent a trans{iort loaded with provisions into York and two others con- veying men, guns and n^val stores for the Lake Erie .scjuadi-on to Burlington, and on the 27th a))peai-ed ofl' NiagaiM with inght sail. One of his schooners ran in so close to the mouth of the river as to exchange shots with the American batteries. Next da}' he captured the schooner Mary, of Oswego, on its way to Fort Niagara with Hour and lumber for the army, and crossed the lake to York. On the 29th he returned, and after landing Lieut.-Colonel Bruyeres, of the Royal Engineers, who was sent to conduct the siege operations, and a party of artillerj'men, at the mouth of tlu; Four Mile Creek, sailed for a cruise along the Ame'-ican shore in search of their con- voys of provisions. By this time the heat had become almost unendurable, and sickness had vastly increased. " The weather is intensel}'^ warm," De Rottenburg wrote on the J^Oth, "and everybody is more or less affected by it. Colonel Stewart, Major Plenderleath, Major ii If mmm^ 66 Williams, FitzGibbon and a great number of others are laid up with the lake fever. We are in great need of medicines." " Last evening our fleet came over," says Mr. Ridout, "and pro- ceeded to the Twelve-Mile Creek on the American side to intercept supplies by water, which the Yankees have daily received. Great victory in Spain (Vittoria). De Watteville's regiment is very much wanted here. The 49th are reduced to about 370 men. This morn- ing three companies, amounting to about 75, have arrived from Burlington ; 50 Royal Artillery have joined by the fleet. " By what I can learn, Sii- George's presence here is very little sought for ; he has no idea of attacking the Americans on their own ground. The summit of his wishes is to recover Fort George and remain there. The great officers say this army will be ruined by petty affairs. Some heavy cannon have arrived at Burlington. The army have been these two days out of whiskey. There is a good deal of ague among the men. The 8th have neither blankets nor great coats, but a large supply have arrived."* It was then seriously proposed to bring a division of 2000 men under Major-General Stovin with a siege train of fourteen guns in the squadron from Kingston, land them at the Four-Mile Creek on the American side, invest Fort Niagara and begin a regular siege on both sides of the river. But this could not be done with safety so long as the American fleet was able to contest the command of the lake. Having equipped and manned the new schooner Sylph and taken on board two regiments of infantry, Chauncey had sailed from Sackett's Harbor on the 28th of August. On the 3rd Sep- tember he appeared off' Niagara and ran into the river during the night. Yeo, being then off" York, left a number of empty transports which he was conveying to Kingston for the conveyance of the siege-train to pursue their voyage alone, crossed the lake and anchored off" the mouth of the Four Mile Creek on the evening of the 4th. De Rottenburg had already removed his headquarters to the left in hope of beginning the siege as soon as Yeo returned, but his chief engineer then declared that it would be impossible to drive the American fleet out of the river and commence operations without mortars. Two ten-inch guns mounted on Brown's Point, he said, would be sufficient. "If the fleet should leave me," De Rottenburg wrote, "I cannot hold my position with so powerful a fleet in the river. If I cannot get heavy artillery I cannot attempt anything with only six field-pieces and howitzers. I have now at the Twelve- Mile Creek and at York over 500 sick." By this time nearlj^ the * EdKar, Ten Years of Upper ('anada, p. 210. ! i mmmmmM mmmmmmm ■Pi 66 whole of his Indians, except those from the Grand River, had returned to their homes, and desertion had again become alarmingly frequent among the regular troops. Two men of the 8th, four of the Canadian Voltigeurs and three of the 49th had deserted in a single day. "We have changed our headquarters to the lake side," writes Mr. Ridout. " The encampment here is very beautiful, and is formed of the 8th and 104th and part of the 89th and 100th Regi- ments, consisting of 2000 men. They lie upon the edge of the woods, having large clearings in front, and the main road crossing the camp by Mr. Addison's, where the general stays. Very few troops are left in St. Davids The army is getting \ery sickly. There are more than 400 sick, and a great number of officers. York is considered the healthiest place for the hospitals. We cannot stand this daily diminution of strength ten days longer. Our fleet is just coming over from York — I suppose with De Watteville's regiment. Four of the Glengarrys deserted yesterday, and four American dragoons deserted to us." But great as the amount of sickness in the blockading force may appear, the ravages of disease were vastly more serious in the American camp. A large body of men had been practically shut up within it for three months. Their encampment was badly policed, heaps of rubbish and i-efuse were allowed to accumulate everywhere and a horrible stench rose from the sinks, to the neglect of which the surgeons ascribed much of the ill health of the troops. With the exception of a few hot days in the beginning of June, the whole of that month and the first ten days in July had been unusually wet and cool. Then a "severe and tinreleuting drought" set in, which lasted for almost two months. The village of Niagara intercepted the breeze from the lake, while the unbroken forest stretching for many miles southward along the eastern bank kept the wind away from those quarters. The pitiless inidsumnier sun beat down upon their camp until it glowed like a furnace. "Thus having been wet for nearly a month," says Dr. Lovell, "our troops were exposed for six or seven weeks to intense heat during the day and at night to a cold and chilly atnjosphere, in consecjuence of the fog arising from the lake and river. The enemy's advance being within a short distance of the camp, the details for duty were large, and skirmishes taking place at the pitjuets ever}^ morn- ing the soldiers were for a length of time stationed at the several works for several hours before daylight, and thus exposed to the effects of a cold, damp atmosphere at the time when the system is most susceptible to morbid impressions." The detestable quality of the provisions furnished by the con- y 67 3f )n- tractors was another fruitful source of disease. Much of the bread was unfit to be eaten. In some cases the flour had become mouldy, in others it had been so largely adulterated with ground plaster of paris that it could be detected by the eye as well as by its excessive weight. From less than seven hundred at the beginning of August the number of sick regularly increased to 1165 rank and file out of 4587 three weeks later. Nor did this return represent the true extent of their losses by disease. " From an estimation of numbers sick in the general and regimental hospitals," said Dr. Mann, their surgeon-in-chief, "it was my persuasion that but little more than one-half of the army were capable of duty at one period during the summer months. The officers suffered equally with the rank and file There was one •••egiment on the frontiers which at one time counted 900 strong, but was reduced by a total want of good police to less than 200 fit for duty in the course of two months. At one time H40 of this regiment were in hospitals, besides a large number reported sick in camp Half of the medical staflF attached to the regiments were also unable to perform their duty. Of seven surgeon's mates attached to the hospital department, one died and three had leave of absence by reason of indisposition, the other three were for a short period sick. So general was the sick- ness that the few remaining surgeons could not do full justice to their patients Deserters from the British army, of whom some hundreds came to our posts, exhibited marks of high health, while our soldiers were pallid and emaciated." The number of deaths was not great, the only one of note among them being Colonel John Chrystie, the senior officer of that rank in the division. Although great efiforts had been made during the whole year to increase the American regular army by offering bounties and other indicements to enlist, private information received by the British coi inlanders indicated that I'ecruiting scarcely kept pace with their ) oases. Porter and Chapin appear to have retired from the American camp with the greater part of their force about the 27th August, and after remaining a few days at Lewiston, returned to Black Rock, where they began recruiting for another "excursion." A number of their Indians still continued with General Boyd. Wilkinson, the new commander of the "Army of the Centre," arrived at Sackett's Harbor on the 20th August with the intention of making Kingston the first point of attack, and with this object of bringing down the greater part of Boyd's division in the fleet, at the time when Yeo and De Rottenburg were actually contemplating 68 a similar movement of its garrison up the lake to assist in the reduction of the forts at the mouth of the Niagara. Wilkinson be- came alarmed when he learned about a week later that Prevost had gone westward, and sent a warning message to "prevent his playing tricks with Boyd." Then, in a highly characteristic vein, he began to cast up his chances of success. " What an awful crisis have I reached ! If Sir George beats Boyd, and Sir James, Chauncey, my prospects are blasted and the campaign will, I fear, be lost. If Sir George beats Boyd, and Chauncey, Sir James, Kingston may yet be ours, but should both knights be beaten, and our (juartermaster find transports in season (of which I have fears, as I have found next to none here,) then we shall certainly winter in Montreal if not discomfited by some act of God." On the 4th of September he arrived at Fort Niagara to find Chauncey 's fleet blockaded in the river and "Sir James Yeo with the British squadron vaporing in front of it. ' This state of afl'airs continued until the evening of the 7th, when a light land breeze enabled the American vessels to enter the lake again. For three days both fleets remained in sight without firing a gun, and each manoeuvering in the hope of securing the weather gage, at a distance varying from four to eight miles. On the 11th they had disappeared, and on the afternoon of that daj^ the British squadron was becalmed near the mouth of the Genesee. Chauncey, with a light wind, suc- ceeded in getting within range of his numerous long guns in weather that just suited his vessels. Before sailing, the Syii)h had been armed with four long thirty-two pounders n>"unted on circles be- tween the masts, avowedly in the hope of "bringing down some of the enemy's spars." She carried besides, six long sixes in broadside and is .said to have taken on boai'd some other long guns while at Niagara. Consequently Chauncey's superiority at long range was even greater than before. But his crews had been much weakened by sickness, and deserters reported that his vessels were decidedly short-handed when they entered the river. Ho endeavored to make up for this by taking on board a body of riflemen to act as marines. He judiciously made the most of his opportunity by keeping out of range of his adversary's carronades and firing deliberately in per- fect security. "We reniained in this mortifying situation five hours," said Yeo, "having only six guns in all the squadron that would reach the enemy (not a carronade being fired.)" Mr. Roose- velt considers it a "proof of culpable incompetency" that he did not substitute some of his long guns for his carronades, but as Yeo'a whole career proves him ready-witted and resourceful, there were probably excellent reasons for not adopting so obvious an expedient as this may seem to a landsman. At sunset a breeze sprung up k A ^mm Having thus "exhausted his the weather gage," Yeo 69 from the westward and Yeo made for the False Duck Islands, under which he believed that his antagonist would be unable to retain the weather gage. Ohauncey declined to follow him, alleging that Amherst Bay is "so little known to our pilots and said to be so full of shoals that they are unwilling to take me there. ' It must have required no little audacity to write, "I am much disappointed that Sir James refused to tight me as he was so much superior in point of force, both in guns and men, having upwards of twenty guns more than we have and heaves a greater weight of shot." The fire of his he»vy guns had been attended with surprisingly little result, Midshipman Ellery and three seamen were killed and seven seamen wounded on Yeo's ship, and the brig Melville received a shot HO far below the water line that in order to plug it all her guns had to be run in on one side and out on the other, but not a spar was lost or scarcely even injured naval tactics in endeavourino: to obtain returned to Kingston on the 15th, "almost chased" into port, to the keen (iiaappointment of the Governor-General, who had hoped for a "decided advantage." The booming of the cannonade had been heard far inland by the New York militia gathering to march to Niagara, and rumors of a great battle spread fast. They soon came to Wilkin- son's ears, and being as "wild and extravagant as they are incon- sistent and contradictory," made him sigh for " an end of this uncertainty, which damps our exertions and retards our measures." On the Gth of September a British foi'aging party engaged in cutting a field of oats on Ball's farm was attacked by American Indians, and Glaus and Captain Wm. J. Kerr went to their rescue with some of the Six Nations. A party of the Glengarry Light Infantry also advanced, and American riflemen came out to cover the retreat of their Indians. Firing continued for nearly three hours, before the latter were finally driven in. Two of the American Oneidas were killed and the same number wounded, while Glaus had two Mohawks wounded and a drunken Cayuga wai'rior ran into the hands of the enemy. One of his Tuscaroras, who was very drunk, ran forward in pursuit near the close of the skirmish and drew their tire upon him, by which he was killed, and a young Delaware, who attempted to go to his relief and shot a white man in the act of scalping him, received two wounds. The Six Nations and their leaders were thanked in general orders for their good con- duct in this encounter, which was the only one that took place for several days. One of General Wilkinson's first measures was to issue an address to the Six Nations residing within the United States, calling ■IWMHP ^■■i 70 upon them to "organize, embody, and assemble as speedily as pos- sible at the most convenient place" and send a deputation of chiefs to confrr with him. Three hundred and fifty eventually responded to this summons and were joined by two hundred of the Oneida and Stockbridge tribes from near the centre of the State.* A bri- gade of 2,650 New York militia had been ordered to assemble at Lewiston on the 7th September, but it was nearly three weeks later before it actually arrived, and did not then muster quite 2000 m(Mi. Two unimportant incursions were in the meantime undertaken by the volunteer force assembled near Butfalo. On the 14th Septem- ber Chapin crossed the lake with fifty men in the hope of surprising a militia guard stationed at Zavitz's mills near the Sugar Loaf, but found that Colonel Warren had been warned of their approach and withdrawn it into the interior. Three days later General Porter landed eight miles below Fort Erie and moved up the Canadian bank to the ferry without opposition. During all this time De Rottenburg continued to lose heavily by desertion. Every account from the American camp refers to the constant stream of deserters that were coming in, sometimes as many as seven or eight in a day and never less than two. General Wilkinson himself states sixty-five arrived in the first sixteen days of September, and that he had lost barely six. Yet he found it necessary to hang one of his own men as an example. Another officer, writing on the 13th, estimates that nearly 300 men had deserted from the British since the American army had entered Canada. Many of the inhabitants had become so much intimidated by the severity of the enemy in the deportation of numbers of the loyalists and destruction of their buildings, that they were ini- willing to take employment even as teamsters or mechanics, and the Governor-General eventually found it necessary to publish a special order protesting against ' the unjustifiable practice of the United States in paroling unarmed and peaceable citizens," and stating that " several subjects had been deterred from accepting employment in their several callings as mechanics, and otherwise, for fear of being punished for violating their parole." He asserted that paroles could only be considered binding on persons actually engaged in military services or found with arms in their hands, and that a parole when lawfully taken could only extend to military service in the garrison or the field and would not preclude them from performing their ordi- nary duties as subjects or from the exercise of their civil occupations, * The number of Indians in the employment of the United States on this frontier must have been considerable. As late as 1862, the claims for pensions were allowed of S3 Indians of the Alleghany Reser- vation, 218 of the Cattaraugus Reservation, two of Cornplanter's, 86 of the Onondaga Nation, 11 of the Oneida Nation, 17 of the Tuscarora Nation, or 416 in all. 71 ' and that in the event of any such persons being treated with undue severity, he would retaliate in like manner. It was added that there was strong reason to believe that in several instances the paroles so given had been sought by the persons themselves as afibrding a means of evading their military and other duties, and that all "such useless and disaffected characters" would be sent out of the country to the enemy as prisoners of war to remain until exchanged." On the 19th of September, having remained in port four days, Sir James Yeo again sailed from Kingston, having under convoy seven small vessels loaded with supplies and siege guns for De Rottenburg. "The centre division of the army in Upper Canada," the Governor-General said in his instructions, "has long been in the singular position of investing a superior force ; it is much weakened by disease and desertion, and its position rendered critical by the temporary naval ascendencj^ of the enemy. The policy of the American commanders is to protract the final decision, in the expect- ation of depriving me of the means of forwarding supplies, as it is well known the state of the country will only admit of their being transported by water This position was adopted and has been maintained in the expectation that with the co-operation of your squadron a combined attack could be made upon Fort George. You are to proceed to the head of the lake, affording a sufficient convoy to the small vessels containing those stores and supplies of which the ixrmy is in most pressing want. On your arrival at the head- quarters of the centre division, you are to consult with General De Rottenburg upon the eligibility of a rapid forward movement upon Fort George, bringing up in battery at the same time the heavy ordnance, mortars, and howitzers now embarked. The attack to be supported by your squadron. If this proves too hazardous for the squadron in case of the the enemy appearing upon the lake, to state it to General De Rottenburg, who will evacuate the position he now occupies, and, having assisted him in this, to do what is pos.sible to ensure ascendency on the lake. The flotilla of transports to be kept employed as long as the weather will admit, in the conveying of stores from Kingston for the righl: and centre divisions of the army." Instructions had already been forwarded to De Rottenburg, authorizing him to retire as far as Burlington if he thought proper, but he had replied that he would only do this in case of absolute necessity, as he must then sacrifice the resources of the country in his rear. He was now directed to maintain his position as long as it was prudent, " although exposed to a lamentable prevalence of disease and desertion and the increasing numbers and resources of I 1r I VI 72 the enemy. The hind operations depend ahnoHt entirely on suc- cesses of the fleet, but to have relinquished one foot of ground on which we so proudly stand would have lofit all our wavering friends and have proved destructive of our Indian allies." When these onlers reached him, Do Rotti^nlmrg was reduced to the verge of despair. " What with sickness and desertion," he wrote on the 17th of September. " I am now alnjost au bout de Tuon latin, and my situation daily becomes more desperate. More than 1,000 men are laid up with disease, and officers in still greater pro- portion. Daily five or six villains go oft'. Thei'e is no thoroughly healthy spot to retire to as far as York. Burlington is as bad as here. The fever and ague rages, and the inhabitants are as sickly as the soldiers. If you cannot send me fresh troops the country will be lost for want of hands to defend it. If I am attacked and forced back the sick will be lost for want of convevance." About the same time, Mr. Ridout states that " desertion has come to such a pass that eight or ten men go oft* daily . . . .Their de- serters come in every day. They say that 4,000 men are at Fort George. The other day a Yankee picket shot two of our deserters dead. One of the 49th attempted to swim over by Queenston, but was killed by the sentry." There can be no doubt that the distressed state of the block- ading army was perfectly well-known to the enemy, and it is astonishing that he should have abstained from an attack, when success must have seemed all but certain. "If the enemy's sick list amounts to one thousand four hundred out of thi'ee thousand," the Secretary of War said to Wilkinson, "the enemy can undertake nothing with eft'ect." When this was written, a return of the division at Fort George showed that it numbered 4587 rank and file, of whom 3422 were fit for duty. Yet De Rottenburg gallantly prepared for the continuance of the blockade. When the autumnal rains fairly set in his position in and about the Black Swamp would no longer be tenable, and he proposed to remove his quarters to the high ground extending from Queenston to Chippawa. For about ten days after General Wilkinson's arrival at Fort George he was confined to his bed, according to his own statement, by a "severe and unremitt!-^g malady," which caused "much depression of the head and stomach." Others roundly asserted that he was suffering from the effects of drink. On the 16th he announced that he had "escaped from his pallet with a giddy head and trembling hand," but nothing had been heard from Chauncey since his departure, and the result of the naval action was still unknown. The militia had not yet arrived, but "the Indians," he '^ 73 said, "enter into our views witli zeal, and I expect a corps of at least ^'•9 hui --^d in eight days." Estiinating his own effective force at a.if ^> 't of the British hlockadind. A deserter then made his escape to Fort George, bearing this note addressed to Major V. Huyck, 13th U. S. Infantry: " Kvery movement of the army is either an advance or retreat; about 2270 strong." This opportune bit of infornuition was written by Noah Hopkins, a saddler at Queenston, who was the son-in-law of an American colonel, and seems to have been constantly employed as a spy. He was afterwards detected and hung for treasonable practices, on the 20th July, 1814. The intelligence brought by this man caused something like a panic in Wilkinson's camp, but Hnully two strong colunms marched out to oppose the attack if one was intended, or profit 'jy the retreat. As neither took place, they returned to their quarters without doing anything. On the 1st of October Chauncey returned to Niagara, still watched by Yeo, who anchored at the mouth of the "^^welve Mile Creek. Leaving about 1,800 rtigulars, militia and Indians to occupy the forts and camp, Wilkinson finally embarked the remainder of his forces and set off on his long projected expedition. Yeo's oppor- tune appearance on the 7th of September had caused a delay of eighteen days ; his return on the 20th had been responsible for the loss of another week, when titne and fair weather was of the utmost importance. Although he had gained no brilliant success and had finally been compelled to seek safety in flight, his services to the army had been most meritorious and effective. " In executing his orders," even Mr. Cooper is constrained to admit, " the English Commodore, who was an officer of rare merit, manifested great steadiness, self-denial and address, and the skill and boldness with which he manoeuvred received the applause of his enemies."* The long beleaguerment of the American camp was now about to close abruptly. As soon as General Wilkinson's purpose was placed beyond doubt De Rottenburg despatched to the defence of Kingston three of his strongest regiments and prepared to follow himself, leaving Vincent to maintain the blockade as long as possible. The defeat of the British s(]uadron on Lake Erie was followed by General Procter's retreat from Detroit and his total rout on the Thames. Parties of New Yoi'k militia raided the frontier between Fort Erie and the Falls, and large bodies of these troops were seen assembling at Lewiston and Fort Niagara. " The Americans have possession of our side as far down as Samuel Street's, and have plundered all the loyal inhabitants of their property, " writes Mr. Ridout on the 2nd October. "The •NavalHist. of U. S.,n, 381. ,1 76 greater part of the settlement being Dutch Mennonites, are friendly to the enemy and assist them in everything. We have lately taken a number of Lheir waggons. " We expect some serious movement every hour, as the enemy are in great force at Fort George .... We are driving all the cattle from this part of the district towards the head of the lake. The Chippawd and Short Hills country is stript of cattle, and to-day they ar<3 drWing them from the vicinity of the camps. The waggons stand ready loaded with the baggage which moves in the rear . "* On the 6th there was a lively skirmish, in which the light com • pany of the Royal Scots drove Chapin's volunteers through the streets of the village and entei-ed it in pursuit. Colonel Scott, who was in command at Foi't George, turned his artillery on the houses, when the Scots hastily retreated. They lost one prisoner and live wounded, while Chapin admitted losing six men killed and ten wounded, besides some prisoners. Three days afterwards, when De Rottenburg had gone as far as the Twelve Mile Creek on his way to Kingston, he met the panic- 8tri(ken adjutant of General Procter's staff, who falsely reported that the whole of his division had been captured, and that the Am- erican mounted riflemen were rapidly advancing upon Burlington from the scene of the disaster. This story caused an immediate retreat in much hurry and confusion, although, fortunately for them, there was no aotempt at pursuit. As it was, a considerable quantity of stores were destroyed and the sick and wounded suff'ered dread- fully. " Upwards of 300 men upon the road," says an eyewitness, " and waggons loaded with miserable objects stuck fast in mudholes, broken down a'^d unable to ascend the aills, and the men too ill to stir hand or foot." The audacity and success with which a protiacted blockade had been maintained by a greatly inferior force is indisputable. From the 14th of July until the beginning of October the main army of invasion from which so much had been expected had not only been hemmed in and held in check, but kept in constant terror of attack, while it wasted away with desertion and disease. "The army at Fort George," says Dr. Mann, who was with it all the time, "consumed the most eligible season of ♦^he summer and autumn for effective service cooped within the narrow limits of a few acres of laud by a force of the enemy not exceeding one-half of its strength, and, under a constant appreiiension of an attack, placed itself wholly in a state of defence. This apparent pusillani- mity or want of eorfidence on the part of the army emboldened the * Edgar, Ten Veara of Upper Canada. .- •. ' , i 77 enemy to insult by repeated attacks upon its advanced piquets night after night This petit guerre kept the army in constant alarm and subjected the troops to vexatious fatigues, unremitted duty, and multiplied exposures, which prevented them from taking their necessary repose When an enemy exhibits great military talents, we are disposed to allow him all the credit due in a martial point of view, even when by artful deceptions and judicious man- agement with a force inferior he was enabled to apparently check the offensive operations of our army and compel it to place itseiL in a position enti^^ely defensive."* * Medical History of the W>r, pp. 91-6. i m^^mH^ CHRONOLOGY. J 1813. Mav27 n 28 (( 29 It 30 it 31 June 1 it 2 11 3 <( 4 tt 5 n 6 egins its retreat to Burlington. End of the blockade. ri- iSt ts. p ii] n. a )KS Is. A NIAGARA HISTORICAL SOCIETY. Its objects are : The encouragement of the study of Canadian history and literature, the collection and preservation of Canadian historical relics, the building up of Canadian loyalty and patriotism, and the preservation of all historical landmarks in this vicinity. Each member shall pay an annual fee of fifty cents. The annual celebration shall be held on the l7th of September in each j'^ear. The society shall hold eight regular meetings during the year. These meetings shall be held on the second Thursday of the month. The annual meeting to be held on October 13th. \ OFFICERS -1897-8. Patron— WM. XIRBY, F. R. C. S. Presidenfh-MISS CARNOCHAN. Vice-President—HENRY PAFFABD. Secretary— ALFRED BALL. Treasurer— MRS. A. SERVOS. Curator— CAPT. WILKINSON. Committee. REV. J. C. GARRETT, W. F. SEYMOUR, B. A., JNO. D. SERVOS, MRS. ASCHER, MISS CliEMENT. Hon. VloePreBidentB. PETER WHITMORE, MRS. ROE, CHAS. A. F. BALL. Honorary Members. DR. SCADDING, MAJOR CRUIKSHaNK, B.EV. CANON BULL, CAPT. M. KONKLE, WM. GIBSON, M. P., R. O. KONKLE, MAJOR HISCOTT, M. P. P. J i m^