company of the 41st, under lieutenant M'Ine tyre, about 35 militia, and the same number of Indians, composing the left flank of the British line, After a single volley, lieutenant M'Intyre's company resorted to the bayonet; and soon drove the American right. The main body of the British now advanced, firing their two 3-pounders, with destructive effect. The Americans sustained but a short conflict, ere they fled with precipitation towards the point at which they had first landed. There they threw themselves over the precipice, as if heedless of the danger; and many must have perished in the flood. Others, no doubt, swam across; and some escaped in the few boats that remained entire, or whose crews could be persuaded to approach the Canadian shore. "In retiring," says an Ame rican author, “they received considerable aid from the American batteries, which kept up a brisk and well-directed fire on the enemy, as he pressed upon their rear.”* All, however, would not do. A flag of truce, begging for quarter, came from the American commander. Mr. Coffin, aide-de-camp to general Sheaffe, and lieutenant M'Intyre, accompa nied the bearer of the flag, and received the sword of major-general Wadsworth, the American commanding officer. While Mr. Coffin was conducting the latter to major-general Sheaffe, * Sketches of the War, p. 75. lieutenant M'Intyre received, as prisoners of war, lieutenant-colonel Scott and 71 officers, together with 858 non-commissioned officers and privates, of the American army. These were exclusive of the two boat-loads of troops which had been captured in the morning. If we consider Mr. Thomson's account of the number of Americans surrendered, to refer to the non-commissioned officers and privates only, and then add his loss in wounded, 82, we shall obtain 846; not far short of lieutenant M⚫Intyre's return. None of the other American historians seem desirous to be particular on this point. The above 82 wounded include such only as had not been brought to the American side in the course of the day. We may safely estimate such as had been brought over at as many more; and those that succeeded in re-crossing the river, either by boats or swimming, and others that were drowned in the attempt, must have amounted to one or two hundreds. Mr. Thomson states 90 as the number of Americans killed in action. That, added to the number of prisoners, makes, without reckoning those taken in the boats, 1021.-Dr. Smith says:-" In the course of the day about 1100 troops, regulars, volunteers, and militia, passed into Canada from Lewistown; very few of whom returned.”* But the "Albany Gazette,” (an American northern * Hist. of the United States, Vol. III. p. 200. newspaper,) at the conclusion of "a most accurate account" of the Queenstown battle, fixes the number of Americans that crossed the river at 1600; consisting of 900 regulars, and 700 militia. The editor of the " Sketches of the War" says: "The British force in the different battles, with the exception of the first, was at no time less than 1100; in the last and fourth engagement it was much greater."* Doctor Smith fixes the British force at 2200.† Mr. O'Connor estimates the prisoners at "about 700;" and then adds:-"This little band surrendered to about five times their number," or 3500 men; These are the delusions so industriously practised upon the American people: no wonder those among them who have never been beaten into a contrary opinion, still fancy they are possessed of the prowess of demi-gods. The British loss in this decisive affair amounted to 11 killed and 60 wounded, of the regulars and militia, and to five killed and nine wounded, of the Indians. Although Mr. Thomson had stated the American loss at 90 killed, and 82 (another account says 100) wounded; and, in reference to us, had said: "Their loss is not known," he could not refrain from adding, with an air of triumphant pleasantry :-" With regard to close and courageous fighting, the * Sketches of the War, p. 76. + Hist. of the U. S. Vol. III. p. 200. Hist. of the War, p. 50. victory belonged to the Americans; but with regard to the loss which was sustained, it was exclusively yielded to the British."* General Van Rensselaer's letter gives a ludicrous account of the behaviour of the American militia at Lewistown. These men, a day or two previous, were for invading Canada, without waiting for orders from their commanding officer. Now, all the exhortations of their general, of lieutenant-colonel Bloom, and even of the grave "Judge Peck," could not induce them to budge a step. A north-east storm for twentyeight hourst was nothing, compared to what their wounded comrades had told them they must expect, if they came in contact with the brave 49th," the green tygers," as they called them. "The ardor of the unengaged troops," says the general, "had entirely subsided." By contrasting all this with the national feeling excited by such writings as it becomes our unpleasant task to investigate, the difference between reality and fiction strikes forcibly on the mind. The number of American troops, whose discretion came so well to their aid, is stated at from 12 to 1500; and the number of regulars and militia at Lewistown, exclusive of the several detachments ordered from Black Rock, Buffaloe, and Fort-Niagara, and whose commanding * Sketches of the War, p. 76. + Sec p. 86 App. No. 11. 66 en officers can boast of their names being graven on the scroll of fame" for having "done honor to their country upon this memorable day," amounted to 3170;* a tolerable proof that, at the lowest estimate, 1600 Americans crossed over to Queenstown, on the "memorable" 13th of October, 1812. 66 When general Wilkinson complains that the executive has not rendered "common justice to the principal actors in this gallant scene," not exhibited it to the country "in its true light, and shewn what deeds Americans are still capable of performing "t-who among us can retain his gravity? "It is true," says the general, complete success did not ultimately crown this enterprise; but two great ends were obtained for the country: -it re-established the character of the American arms;"—it did indeed!" and deprived the enemy, by the death of general Brock, of the best officer that has headed their troops in Canada throughout the war;"-truth undeniable!" and, with his loss, put an end to their then brilliant career;" -yet the capture of general Wadsworth took place in less than five hours afterwards. The instant we know what the Americans expected to gain, a tolerable idea may be formed of what they actually lost, by the attack upon Queenstown. General Van Rensselaer, in a letter * See p. 80 + Sketches of the War, p. 76. |