A A-Road to the Falls.

B B-Road to St. David's and St. Catharine's.

C C-To Suspension Bridge.

D D-Road by which the reinforcements from Fort George gained the Heights in the afternoon.

THE

ANGLO-AMERICAN MAGAZINE.

Vol. III. TORONTO: JULY, 1853.-No. 1.

HISTORY OF THE WAR

command, and it will be further seen that the

BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND THE activity of the enemy at various points, kept

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. DURING THE YEARS 1812, 1813, AND 1814.

CHAPTER VI.

Non-arrival of rein

him fully employed, and, indeed, compelled him to embody another battalion of militia, called the fifth battalion, afterwards "Canadian chasseurs." A corps of voyageurs was also raised by the North-West Company, which was disbanded in the spring, while the SIR George Prevost, in his despatch to Gen. merchants and tradesmen of Montreal organBrock about the middle ized themselves into four companies of volunforcements from Eu- of September, advised, it teers, for garrison duty and field service, in case rope, and movements in Lower Province. may be remembered, that of emergency. According to Christie, our officer of the impossibility of sending him any troops, both regular and militia, seem, at this reinforcements, until there should be a "con-crisis, to have had their time fully occupied, siderable increase to the regular force in the for we find that a party of Americans, one Province," as the presence of a large body of hundred and fifty strong, under Captain ForAmerican regulars on the Lower Canadian syth, crossed over from Gravelly Point to frontier required every soldier who was in the Gananoque, seven miles below Kingston, from country. A short extract from Christie will whence they dislodged a party of fifty militia, show how Sir George was situated, and how and took possession of a quantity of arms and far any expectations of his being strength- ammunition, which they carried away, after ened were realized. "The slender rein- burning the store and a small quantity of forcements that arrived were barely sufficient provisions. Mr. Christie adds-"Their conto relieve the citizens of Quebec for a short duct is represented to have been disgraceful time from garrison duty. They consisted but towards the defenceless inhabitants." We of the 103rd regiment from England, with a see also, from the same writer, that, "from few recruits from other regiments, and a bat- the frequent interruptions of the convoys from talion of the 1st (or Royal Scots) from the Montreal, or rather Lachine, to Kingston, in West Indies; and the three battalions of Que- Upper Canada, by the Americans at Ogdens bec militia resumed garrison duty in the be- burg, opposite Prescott, Col. Lethbridge, comginning of October, which they continued manding at the latter place, formed the design throughout the winter, each taking in turn its of dislodging the enemy, and possessing himweek." It is obvious, from this statement of self of Ogdensburg. With a view of effecting Christie, that Sir George Prevost was not, this purpose, he assembled a force of some therefore, in a position which would warrant hundred and fifty men, regular and militia, his weakening the force under his immediate and having collected a sufficient number of

batteaux, he pushed off on the forenoon of the 3rd October, under cover of a cannonnade from Prescott, with twenty-five batteaux escorted by two gun-boats. They advanced without opposition, until mid channel, when the enemy opened a tremendous discharge of artillery, which checked their progress. Confusion immediately ensued, and they were compelled to make a precipitate retreat, with the loss of three men killed and four wounded. The Americans were commanded by Brigadier General Brown, and behaved with much coolness and intrepidity." It may be as well to state that this enterprise, undertaken without the sanction of the commander of the forces, was censured by him; and that public opinion condemned it also as rash. With this brief glance at the state of affairs in the Lower Province, we return to General Brock and the Niagara frontier.

Gen. Brock's reception at Queenston.

tier.

It may, perhaps, enable the reader to Nature of the country comprehend the difficulalong the Niagara fronties which attended any movement in force, and to perceive also the causes which left the troops, on both sides, in such apparent ignorance of each other's tactics, if we take a bird's-eye view of the general face and character of the country. Its appearance at the present day is thus described in "Canada; Past, Present, and Future," before, however, quoting the passage, we will suppose the reader to be on the crest of the eminence immediately above Fonthill, just twelve miles west of Chippewa. A glance at the accompanying map will assist this.

According to Mr. Smith, "The tourist after travelling for some miles along a road, where his view of the country on either side of him has seldom extended beyond two or three miles, on reaching this elevation, finds As soon as it was ascertained that the a most magnificent panorama, as it were by General had reached magic, displayed to his astonished vision. An Chippewa, it was sug- immense plain, extending for many miles, lies gested by Col. Holcroft, that a deputation of before and below him, studded with towns, the principal residents in the district should villages, groves and winding streams; before wait on him, to congratulate his Excellency him lies the Welland Canal, crowded with veson the complete success which had attended sels moving either way; beyond it, the perhis arms at Detroit. This deputation was ac-petually dashing, roaring cataract of Niagara, cordingly organized, and the procession met on one side, the waters of Lake Erie, and, on their General at Queenston, as he was pro- the other, those of Ontario. We know of no ceeding in an open carriage to Fort George. other spot from whence so extensive a view We have been assured by an eye-witness of can be obtained. An observatory has been the meeting, that General Brock was inex-erected on the brow of the hill, and a telescope pressibly gratified at his enthusiastic recep- is kept for the accommodation of visitors." tion, and the deep devotion testified by each We will now observe, that the hill here member of the cortège to the cause, for which spoken of, is one of very inconsiderable elevathey were then in arms. So re-assured, in- tion, consequently, the flatness of the surdeed, was he, as to be enabled, with rounding district presenting such an extendpolicy, to give but a cool reception to a party ed view, may be easily imagined. When, of Indians who had been playing fast and therefore, the country was covered with dense loose, and whose adherence to the British had forests, and it was impossible to gain, by obbeen only secured by the intelligence, just re-servation, any insight into the marchings and ceived, of the successes at Detroit. It must countermarchings of either force, the difficulty have strengthened and cheered the General's of obtaining correct information may be easily heart to witness the enthusiasm with which, understood, especially when we call to mind, on that occasion, so many of Canada's best that the various excellent roads which everyand bravest sons appeared to renew their where now open up the country, at that time pledge, that they were ready and willing to existed only in the prophetic imaginings of sacrifice their lives to prevent an invader's some far seeker into the future destinies of footstep polluting the soil of their native or this great Province. adopted country. The procession, forming on both sides of the carriage, escorted General Brock in triumph to Niagara.

We have said enough on the subject to assign at least one probable cause for the apparently contradictory orders, which, as our nar