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CH. IX.]

ATTACK ON OGDENSBURGH.

was eighty-one killed and one hundred and eighty-nine wounded. The loss of the enemy was about equal.

1813.

After the siege of Fort Meigs, offensive operations in this quarter were, for a considerable time, suspended on both sides. Until the completion of the naval preparations on Lake Erie, which were then in considerable forwardness, the troops were to remain at Fort Meigs, and Upper Sandusky. Without the command of the lake, little of consequence could be effected; the troops would, therefore, continue a great part of the summer in a state of inactivity, awaiting this event. In the mean time, General Harrison, having left General Clay in command at the fort, returned to Franklinton, for the purpose of organizing the forces expected to concentrate at that place. A deputation from all the Indian tribes residing in the state of Ohio, and some in the territories of Indiana and Illinois, made, in June, a tender of their services to follow General Harrison into Canada. Heretofore, the government had declined using the Indians as allies against the British; but, as it was necessary to have them as friends or enemies, and as they thought it an imputation upon them to be asked to remain neutral, it was concluded to be best, on the whole, to accept their aid, on the express condition, that they should spare their prisoners, and not assail defenceless women and children.

Turning our attention to the operations on the northern frontier, we find, that the war was carried on there with varied success. During the winter, skirmishes were not infrequent, and small

VOL. III.-24

185

1813.

detachments were often sent across from Canada for the Canada for the purpose of apprehending deserters. They found and arrested several, and, being in an enemy's country, committed depredations upon the houses and other property of the inhabitants. In the beginning of February, Major Forsythe, who commanded at Ogdensburgh, resolved to retaliate these incursions. Taking a part of his riflemen, and such volunteers as offered, some of whom were private gentlemen of the neighborhood, in all numbering about two hundred men, he crossed the St. Lawrence, surprised the guard at Elizabethtown, took fifty-two prisoners, among whom were one major, three captains, and two lieutenants; and captured one hundred and twenty muskets, twenty rifles, two casks of fixed ammunition, and other public property. He then returned, without the loss of a single man.

Soon after, movements in Canada indicated that an attack on Ogdensburgh was intended, and the militia, under Colonel Benedict, were called out to defend it. On the 21st of February, the place was attacked by a force of twelve hundred men, under Colonel M'Donnell. The Americans refused to surrender on being summoned, and notwithstanding they were much inferior in numbers, they in numbers, they fought with great bravery for an hour, when they were compelled to retire, and abandon their artillery and stores to the British. Two schooners, two gunboats, together with the barracks, were committed to the flames. Brackenridge relates, that the British made something of a flourish over this affair; and a message was

sent with the news to Colonel M'Feeley, commanding the American garrison at Niagara, informing him that a salute would be fired from Fort George. The American officer expressed his satisfaction at being able to return the compliment, as he had just received intelligence of the capture of his majesty's frigate Java, by an American frigate of equal force (p. 165), and intended to fire a salute from Niagara, at the same time, in honor of this brilliant victory.

1813.

General Pike, a brave and energetic officer, was diligently occupied at Sackett's Harbor in disciplining the recruits as they arrived, a work of great difficulty and requiring the utmost patience and perseverance. Great exertions had also been made by Commodore Chauncey to build and equip a squadron on the lake which should enable the Americans there to cope with the British; and in the course of the spring he had under him two sloops and eleven schooners, manned with crews who doubted not their ability to contend successfully with their enemies. Chauncey was ordered by the navy department to co-operate with General Dearborn in any operations he might direct. Accordingly, on the 25th of April, with sixteen hundred men on board, the flotilla sailed from Sackett's Harbor, for the purpose of making an attack on York (now Toronto) the capital of Upper Canada.

The plan, which had been principally suggested by General Pike, was highly judicious; and, at his particular request, he was entrusted with its execution. On the 27th, at seven o'clock in

the morning, the fleet safely reached the place of destination. The debarkation commenced at eight o'clock, and was completed at ten. The British, on discovering the fleet, hastily made the necessary dispositions to oppose the landing of the American forces. General Sheaffe was in command at York, but he could collect only some seven hundred and fifty regulars and about a hundred Indians. With these he endeavored to prevent the landing, but ineffectually. Forsythe, with his riflemen, was first on the shore, and gallantly attacked the enemy. General Pike soon followed, and ably sustained the advance corps. The British were driven back, and took refuge behind the works of York, and our countrymen marched in columns to the assault. They had destroyed one of the enemy's batteries, and were within sixty yards of their main works, when the tremendous explosion of a magazine, at two hundred yards' distance, filled the air in every direction with huge stones and fragments of wood, which falling, caused a dreadful havoc among the troops. One hundred of the Americans and forty of the British were killed. General Pike fell mortally wounded. Whereupon General Sheaffe -for Chauncey had made his way into the harbor-profiting by the confusion, set fire to such of his stores as he could reach, and to a vessel on the stocks, and retreated towards Kingston, with about four hundred regulars, who alone remained unhurt. The militia who were in York capitulated, and the victors seized upon the valuable stores which thus fell into their posses

CH. IX.]

PREVOST ATTACKS SACKETT'S HARBOR.

sion. Property to an immense amount had been destroyed, but there still remained unconsumed to the value of at least half a million of dollars. In his hasty retreat, General Sheaffe abandoned his baggage, containing all his books and papers, which proved a valuable acquisition.* The loss of the British was ninety killed, two hundred wounded, and three hundred made prisoners, beside five hundred militia released on parole.

The American forces evacuated York early in May, and it was determined to attack Fort George and Fort Erie. After visiting Sackett's Harbor, and disposing of the wounded and the prisoners, having taken reinforcements on board, to the number of about five thousand, the fleet sailed for Fort George, on the Niagara River, at the head of the lake. There, under cover of the vessels, the advance, five hundred strong, landed, on the 27th of May, under the command of Colonel Scott and Major Forsythe; and being followed by the brigades of Generals Boyd, Winder, and Chandler, the enemy fled, abandoning their works and laying trains for blowing up their magazines; but Captain Hindman, entering the fort first, was fortunately able to remove the match, before the fire had reached the powder. In a few

1813.

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* Ingersoll mentions, that among the articles taken at the capture of York, was a scalp found suspended over the speaker's chair in the parliament house. "This atrocious ornament" the author cites as one among many evidences of the fact, that the British instigated the Indians to the commission of barbarities

187

hours, Fort George, Fort Erie, and the other fortifications in the vicinity received new masters.

In this affair, it is said that the British lost a hundred and eight killed, and half as many more wounded, while six hundred were made prisoners; of the Americans, one hundred and eight were wounded, and only thirty-nine were killed. Captain Perry, who had volunteered on the 26th, was busily occupied at this date at Presque Isle, preparing the timber for the construction of those vessels, with which he after wards obtained such imperishable renown, and withal inflicted new and unusual losses on the enemy.

On embarking for York, General Dearborn had left Sackett's Harbor in rather a defenceless state, which induced Sir George Prevost at the head of about seven hundred troops, to combine with Sir James Yeo, whose squadron on Lake Ontario had recently been very considerably reinforced, to put to sea on the 28th of May from Kingston, and attack that American post both by land and water. "The expedition," says Alison, "excited great interest on both sides of the water, (both in Canada and Great Britain,) and the most sanguine hopes were entertained by the British, that it would lead to the destruction of this growing and formidable naval establishment of the enemy. These hopes, however, were disappointed." General Brown, of the New York militia, had the chief command at the Harbor, and on the 29th he detached Colonel Mills with the militia (whom

of every sort in the war at that date. "History of the he charged strictly to reserve their fire) and the Albany volunteers to oppose

Second War," vol. i., p. 273.

the landing of the British. Brown had hastily thrown up a slight breast work at the only place where this could be effected.

At first, although exceeding the attacking force by four or five hundred men, the Americans were seized with a panic from some unexplained cause and were driven back. Colonel Mills lost his life in attempting to rally them. The invaders, thus left in possession of the peninsula, advanced against the loop-holed blockhouses; before which some four hundred regulars, under Colonel Backus, were drawn up. But the resistance made by this small band was so desperate, and the fire from the blockhouses so tremendous, and Brown, having succeeded in rallying about a hundred of the fugitives, made so welltimed an attack upon their rear, that the bravest of the British recoiled. Prevost urged on his men, but notwithstanding all his efforts the strait could not be passed, and a retreat was ordered and hastily made, the wounded being left to the care of the Americans.

During the battle, information having been communicated to Lieutenant Chauncey, that our troops had been defeated, he immediately, according to orders previously received, set fire to the public store houses; and the fire was not extinguished until very great damage had been done. In fact, though the enemy were repulsed, they had ac

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knowledged, was appointed a brigadier in the regular army. Prevost who, it was expected, would have been successful, was a good deal censured and abused by his countrymen.

At the time when Forts George, Erie, and the others near them had fallen into the hands of the Americans, Colonel Vincent had retreated to the heights at the head of Burlington Bay, where he occupied a strong position, when he gradually collected from the posts in the vicinity about sixteen hundred troops, one half of which were regular soldiers. The Americans on their side, fully aware of the advantage they had obtained in getting so strong a lodgment in the Canadian territory, determined to drive him out of his stronghold, that they might more se curely push on towards the interior, and achieve the conquest of the whole country. Generals Winder and Chandler were, therefore, sent against Vincent, with three thousand infantry, two hundred and fifty horse, and nine guns; and, on the 5th of June, they encamped on the bank of Stony Creek. As soon as the British General was apprised of their approach, he called a council of war, and directly afterwards, dispatched seven hundred and fifty men, under Colonel Harvey, in order to retard the advance of Winder and Chandler. On drawing near the Americans, and finding that they were careless and kept a bad look out, Harvey resolved upon a night attack; which he executed as soon as it was dark, and with considerable success. The sentinels were silently bayonneted; the main guard, who must have been asleep, were passed; but for

Ch. IX.]

1813.

COLONEL BOERSTLER'S DEFEAT.

tunately for our countrymen, the Indians, when they arrived near some fires just abandoned, where the troops had cooked their supper, raised their usual yell, supposing the Americans were sleeping around them. This awoke the troops, who, having slept on their arms, discharged their pieces at the enemy standing in the light of the fires which had deluded them. But they soon retired into the darkness, which was intense; and then no one knew where his enemy was, nor which was friend or foe. Several irregular conflicts took place, in which some were killed and others wounded. General Chandler, intending to take the head of his artillery, found himself in the midst of a British party, and was made prisoner. A few minutes afterwards, General Winder, under the same mistake, fared no better. Satisfied with the capture of these officers, and about a hundred other prisoners, the enemy made a precipitate retreat, losing however, more than they gained. The English commander, Colonel Vincent, also lost his way in the confusion of the night and wandered some distance off, where he was found next day, without sword or hat.

The American loss was sixteen killed, and thirty-eight wounded; and two brigadiers, one major, three captains, and ninety-four men missing. The loss of the enemy was much more severe, particularly in officers; and one hundred prisoners were taken. The captured generals were much blamed for the result of this encounter, and not without Had the enemy been immediately pursued, there is little doubt

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they would have been made prisoners; but Colonel Burns, who now command ed, after consultation with the officers, judged it most prudent to fall back on Forty Mile Creek. Here he was joined by Colonel Miller's regiment, which had been sent to guard the boats, and Generals Lewis and Boyd, the former of whom now assumed the command.

A fortnight afterwards, General Dearborn sent out an expedition of six hundred men, under Colonel Boerstler, to dislodge a British picket, which was posted at a place called Beaver Dams, to collect provisions, and to watch such of the Canadians as were friendly to the United States. Whilst on their way through the woods, they were beset by a small body of Indians, and a few of the forty-ninth regiment, not two hundred strong in all. By a skil ful ruse de guerre, Boerstler and his troops were led to believe, that the force they were fighting with was only an advance corps of a large army near at hand; and so, finding his ammunition nearly exhausted, the American commander surrendered with his whole de tachment consisting of five hundred and seventy men, together with two guns and two standards.

Subsequent to this, during the months of June and July, the contest between the British and American armies was little else than a war of posts. On the 8th of July a severe skirmish occurred, without material result to either side. An incident, however, occurred, which exasperated the Americans to a greater degree than any thing which had transpired during the war in this quarter. Lieutenant Eldridge,

1813.

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