CAMPAIGNS OF 1813 383-425
Americans determined to conquer Canada this year 383
Disadvantage of the Governor-General of Canada from the
fewness of his troops, regulars and militia, compared with
those of the invading armies 383
Three American invading armies--one consisting of 18,000 men,
the second of 7,000 men, and the third of 8,000 men 384
General Proctor's slender force at Detroit 384
Battle of Frenchtown; victory of Colonel Proctor; American
misrepresentations respecting it corrected 385
Colonel Proctor promoted to be General 388
Several American plundering raids on Brockville and
neighbourhood; retaliatory raid of the British on Ogdensburg;
town ordnance, arms, &c., taken, and vessels destroyed 388
Canadian preparations in the winter of 1813 for the season's
campaign; U.E. Loyalist regiment comes from Fredericton, New
Brunswick, to Quebec, on snow shoes 390
The American plan of campaign to invade and take Canada in 1813 390
The American fleet on Lake Ontario superior to the British
fleet; attack upon York with 1,700 men, commanded by Generals
Dearborn and Pike; battle, explosion of a magazine; many of
both armies killed; Canadians defeated and York taken 391
Americans evacuate York and return to Sackett's Harbour,
after having destroyed public buildings, and taken much booty 393
Americans attack Fort George, Newark (Niagara), by land
and water, and after a hard fight take the town and fort,
the British retiring to Queenston 393
General Vincent, having destroyed the fortifications on the
frontier, retreats to Burlington Heights, pursued by Generals
Chandler and Winder, with an army of 3,500 infantry and 300 cavalry 394
Colonel Harvey, with 700 men, surprises the whole American
army at Stony Creek, captures their two generals and 150 men, &c. 395
American army retreats in great disorder towards Fort George 396
The affair at the Beaver Dams; the capture of 700 American
soldiers, with their officers, by a small party of soldiers
and Indians--the captured prisoners being five to one of
their captors 397
The American army confined to Fort George and its neighbourhood 397
A small party of the British retaliate the marauding game
of the Americans by crossing the river at Chippewa, attacking
and dismantling Fort Schlosser and bringing off military stores;
and seven days afterwards, 11th July, crossing from Fort Erie
to Black Rock, and burning the enemy's block-houses, stores,
barracks, dockyards, &c. 397
The two armies almost within gunshot of each other at Fort
George; but the Americans could not be drawn out to a battle,
though their numbers were two to one to the British 398
General Harrison prepares to prosecute the war for recovering
the Territories of Michigan; General Proctor raises the siege
of Lower Sandusky and retires to Amherstburg 399
Unsuccessful expedition of Governor-General Prevost and Sir
James L. Yeo against Sackett's Harbour; Sir George Prevost
orders the withdrawment of the troops, at the very crisis of
victory, to the great disappointment and dissatisfaction
of his officers and men 399
OCCURRENCES ON LAKE ONTARIO.
Second unsuccessful attempt of Commodore Sir James Yeo on
Sackett's Harbour 401
Commodore Chauncey's expedition to the head of the lake to
take Burlington Heights is deferred by the preparations of
Colonels Harvey and Battersby to receive him 402
Commodore Chauncey makes a second raid upon York (Toronto),
plunders, burns, and departs; singular coincidence 402
The British fleet, sailing from Kingston the last day of July,
with supplies for the army at the head of the lake, encounters
the American fleet at Niagara, and after two days' manoeuvring,
a partial engagement ensues, in which the British capture two small
vessels--the _Julia_ and _Growler_ 402
A graphic account of the naval manoeuvring and battle by
the American historian of the war, Brackenridge (in a note) 402
Encounters and tactics of the British and American fleets on
Lake Ontario for the rest of the season 404
OCCURRENCES ON LAKE ERIE AND IN THE WEST.
Fleet fitting out by Commodore Perry at Presqu' Isle (Erie)
blockaded by Commodore Barclay, who, neglecting his duty and
absenting himself from Presqu' Isle, allowed the American
fleet to get over the bar at the mouth of the harbour, and getting
into the lake with their cannon reshipped and completely equipped 405
Commodore Barclay, the enemy too well manned and too powerful
for him, sails for Amherstburg; is pursued by Commodore Perry
and compelled to fight, in which he lost his fleet, though he
fought bravely 406
In consequence of the loss of the fleet on Lake Erie, the
British army in possession of the territory of Michigan, left
without resources, evacuate the territory and Fort Detroit,
before an American army of 7,000 men and 1,000 dragoons,
under General Harrison 407
General Proctor retreats up the Thames; is pursued by
General Harrison, with a force of 3,000 men, including 1,000
Kentucky dragoons, and overtaken near Moravian Town, where a
battle ensues, in which General Proctor is defeated with
heavy loss--the Indians remaining loyal, fighting longest,
suffering most, with the loss of their chief, Tecumseh 408
Shameful burning of Moravian Town by the Americans 410
Americans accept Indian alliance; Americans intoxicated by
these successes, but driven from every inch of Canadian
territory before the end of the year 410
AMERICAN INVASION OF LOWER CANADA.
Defeat of an American advance invading division, and capture
of two vessels, the _Growler_ and _Eagle_, of eleven guns each,
at the Isle-aux-Noix, by 108 men, under the command of Lieut.-Col.
George Taylor 411
Attacks upon and capture and destruction of the American war
materials, hospitals, barracks, &c., at Plattsburg, under
Colonel Murray (General Moore retreating with 1,500 men),
at Burlington (where was encamped General Hampton with 4,000 men),
capturing and destroying four vessels, and afterwards at
the towns of Champlain and Swanton, destroying the block-houses
and barracks 412
These successes but preliminary to the Canadian victories
of Chateauguay, and Chrystler's Farm 413
BATTLE OF CHATEAUGUAY.
General Hampton, with 5,000 men, defeated by the skill and
courage of Colonel De Salaberry with 300 Canadians; the
battle described, and the close of it witnessed, by the
Governor-General Prevost and Major-General De Watteville 413
General Hampton with his demoralized army retires into
winter quarters at Plattsburg 417
Next expedition against Montreal by the St. Lawrence, under
command of General Wilkinson, with a force of 10,000 men;
the American soldiers promised grand winter quarters at Montreal 417
American army descends the St. Lawrence from near Kingston
in 300 boats; is followed by a detachment of the British
from Kingston, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Morrison,
who overtakes and skirmishes with divisions of the American army
on the way; at the American post, at the town of Hamilton,
takes a considerable quantity of provisions and stores,
and two pieces of ordnance 418
BATTLE OF CHRYSTLER'S FARM.
American force engaged between 3,000 and 4,000 men; the
British forces were about 800 rank and file; preliminaries
and description of the battle, said to be the most squarely
and scientifically fought battle of the war 419
Losses; General Wilkinson's testimony as to the loyalty and
courage of the Canadians 420
General Wilkinson proceeds down the St. Lawrence with his
flotilla; disappointment and mortification at General Hampton's
disobedience and failure to meet him at St. Regis; crosses the
St. Lawrence and retires into winter quarters at Salmon River 420
The campaign of the season terminated in Lower Canada; the
Canadian militia dismissed to their homes with thanks and applause 421
BRITISH VICTORIES IN UPPER CANADA.
In December, 1813, Lieutenant-General Drummond supersedes
Major-General De Rottenburgh in command of Upper Canada, and
proceeds to York and the head of the Lake at Burlington Heights;
despatches Colonel Murray to arrest the predatory incursions of
General McClure in the neighbourhood of Fort George, of which
he was then in possession 422
McClure's plundering the inhabitants; his barbarous act in
burning the town of Newark (Niagara), and flight to the
American side of the river 423
The British, under command of Colonel Murray, take Fort Niagara,
the whole garrison, and much warlike supplies 423
Lewiston, Manchester, Black Rock and Buffalo destroyed in
retaliation for the burning of Newark (Niagara), and exposure
of 400 women and children, by McClure 424
Proclamation issued by General Drummond, deprecating this
savage mode of warfare, and declaring his purpose not to pursue
it, unless compelled by the measures of the American Government 425