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men of the right column, a heavy cross-fire of round, grape, and canister from the American batteries; but the troops marched resolutely on. The details of this very gallant exploit, performed by men who had never before been in action, are fully given in major Macdonnell's letter.* During the warmest of the fire upon the right column, captain Jenkins ordered his men to fix bayonets, and charge the American troops that were firing down upon them from the bank. While wading through the deep snow, to get in contact with his enemy, the captain received a grape-shot in the left arm, which shivered the bones, from the wrist nearly up to the shoulder. He, however, marched on at the head of his company, heedless of the acute pain caused by the splintered bones rubbing, at every step, against his swordbelt. Not many minutes afterwards, a case-shot tore most of the flesh from his right arm; and down it dropped by his side. Still did this heroic young officer run on with his men, cheering them to the assault, till, almost maddened with pain, he staggered on one side; and,. after making several turns, evidently unconscious of what he was doing, fell from the loss of blood.

The only American account of the capture of Ogdensburg which has been published, does not give numbers on their own side, but states, * App. No. 16.

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that colonel Benedict's regiment of militia had joined captain Forsythe's detachment. Consequently, major Macdonnel's estimate of 500 men under arms" cannot be overrated. Though unwilling, or perhaps unable, to state the amount of the American force, Mr. Thomson has not hesitated to fix that of the British, at two columns of 600 men each." He admits the American troops were compelled to abandon the town and batteries, after losing 20 men in killed and wounded. Our loss, owing to the enemy's artillery, his secure position behind the houses of the town, and the delay caused by the depth of snow, amounted to eight killed and 52 wounded.

This action, in spite of captain Forsythe's declaration that he would whipt the British, with the greatest ease, did not continue beyond an hour; and yet resulted in the capture of 11 pieces of ordnance, among them two 12pounders surrendered by general Burgoyne in October 1777; also a quantity of ordnance, marine, commissariat, and quarter-master-general's stores; together with four officers, and 70 privates. The British burnt two barracks; and, on account of their immoveable state in the ice, two armed schooners, and two large gun-boats. Mr. Thomson says, we claimed the capture of immense stores, none of * Sketches of the War, p. 110. + A favorite American word.

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which had ever been deposited there." Of course, then, he pretends to be ignorant about the prisoners, cannon, armed vessels, and barracks. Still, the total silence of all the other American historians entitles Mr. Thomson to some credit, for the scanty account he has given of the capture of Ogdensburg.

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It will be gratifying to the reader to be informed, that captain Jenkins, notwithstanding his desperate wounds, survives; although no higher in rank. His left arm was amputated close to the shoulder, and of his right arm he can now make some trifling use. He is a native of the province of New Brunswick; where his father, an American loyalist, and a brave old soldier, was, by the last accounts, living.

Previously to dismissing the affair at Ogdensburg, it may be right to mention, that sir George Prevost's secretary, or some person who had the transcribing of major Macdonnell's official letter, must have inserted, by mistake, the words: "In consequence of the commands of his excellency."* Of this there needs no stronger proof, than that major Macdonnell, while he was in the heat of the battle, received a private note from sir George, dated from "Flint's Inn,t at 9 o'clock," repeating his orders not to make the attack: and even, in the first private letter which sir George * App. No, 16. + Nine miles from Fort-Wellington.

wrote to major. Macdonnell, after being informed of his success, he could not help qualifying his admiration of the exploit, with a remark, that the latter had rather exceeded his instructions.*

About the middle of April, a powerful American force, for the invasion of Upper Canada, had concentrated at Sackett's Harbor, where lay commodore Chauncey, with 1900 tons of shipping, besides several small schooners and boats, ready to transport the troops across the lake; and, by 86 pieces of heavy cannon, to second their efforts at landing on the opposite shore. Our Lake Ontario vessels were lying unmanned in Kingston-harbor; and indeed, had their crews been on board, were scarcely strong enough to cope with the Madison, commodore Chauncey's flag-ship.

Having received information of the weak gar risons at York and Fort-George, major-general Dearborn determined, with the co-operation of the fleet, to attempt carrying into effect a part of Mr. Secretary Armstrong's plan. Accordingly, a body of troops, with some field-artillery, having embarked on board commodore Chauncey's vessels, the whole set sail, on the 25th of April, bound directly to York, the capital of Upper Canada.† It is not easy to get at the exact number of troops sent upon this

* Both of these letters the author has seen.. + See p. 53.

expedition. General Dearborn, in his letter, does not enumerate them. Commodore Chaun

cey says, that he "took on board the general and suite, and about 1700 men ;"* and this number has satisfied the three American historians. But major-general Sheaffe says: "The accounts of the number of the enemy vary from 1890 to 3000;" and an Albany paper actually states the number at "about 5000." At the lowest stimate, therefore, the American troops must have amounted to 2000; which, added to the united crews of the armed vessels, make an aggregate force of 2790 men.

The guns upon the batteries at York, being without trunnions, were mounted upon wooden stocks, with iron hoops; and therefore became of very little use. Others of the guns belonged to the ship that was building, and lay on the ground, partly covered with snow and frozen mud. The accidental circumstance of the Duke of Gloucester brig being in the port, undergoing repairs, had enabled the garrison to mount, on temporary field-works, a few 6-pounders. The troops stationed there were commanded by major-general Sheaffe; and consisted of two companies of the 8th, or King's regiment, one company of the Glengarry fencibles, about a company of the royal Newfoundland regiment, a small detachment of the royal artillery, and a * App. No. 20. + App. No. 17.

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