colonel Murray's gallant assault upon, and capture of, their own Fort-Niagara.

General Brown, with his army, entered Queenstown on the evening of the 23d; and, on the next day, this American general, who had scarcely done boasting that he did not doubt his ability to meet the enemy in the field, and to march in any direction over his country," finding, by accounts from Sackett's Harbor, that the commodore was unable, or, rather, unwilling, to leave port, became so "apprehensive of an attack upon the rear of his army,"* that he not only continued his retreat to Chippeway, but, to quicken his movements, disencumbered the army. of its baggage. Having re-crossed the Chippeway, general Brown encamped on the right bank of that river, with the whole of his army, except the 9th regiment, which was posted on the left, or north bank, protected in front by a block-house. It ought not to be omitted, that the Americans, during their retreat to this place, plundered, and made prisoners of, several of the inhabitants.

Intelligence of general Brown's arrival at Chippeway reached general Riall, on the same afternoon; and, at eleven o'clock that night, the British advance, consisting of the Glengarry regiment, under lieutenant-colonel Battersby; 40 men of the 104th, under lieutenant-colonel Sketches of the War, p. 283. + App. No. 32.

Drummond; the incorporated militia, under lieutenant-colonel Robinson, and the sedentary militia, under lieutenant-colonel Parry, of the 103d; major Lisle's troop of the 19th light dragoons, and a detachment of artillery, having in charge the two 24-pounders and howitzer employed at Street's creek, and three 6-pounders; the whole numbering about 950 rank and file, and placed under the immediate command of lieutenantcolonel Pearson, moved from the Twelve-mile creek; and, at seven o'clock the next morning, took up a position near Lundy's lane, leading into the main Queenstown, or Niagara road, and distant from the American encampment about 2 miles.

The American general, having received intelligence that the British had crossed over, in considerable numbers, from Queenstown to Lewistown; and that the force near Lundy's lane was a mere patrolling party, determined, by way of causing a diversion, to re-occupy the former village. Accordingly, at about a quarter past five on the afternoon of the 25th, general Scott, at the head of his own brigade of regular infantry, Towson's artillery, with his two 18-pounders," and all the dragoons and mounted men,”* numbering, as we gather from the American accounts, fully 1150 rank and file, marched towards Queenstown; with

2

* App. No. 32.

special orders "to report if the enemy appeared, and to call for assistance, if that was necessary,

On arriving at the falls, just two miles from camp, the advanced piquets commenced firing; and general Scott immediately despatched two or three officers in succession, to acquaint general Brown, that the enemy was in force, directly in his front; although he confessed that a narrow wood intercepted that force from his view. As the 66 enemy was in force," it became "necessary" to send "assistance;" therefore general Brown, who had been reinforced by 250 men of the 1st, and 100 men of the 22d regiments, just arrived in three schooners from Erie, taking with him generals Ripley's and Porter's brigades, and major Hindman's corps of artillery, having in charge seven field-pieces, instantly "pressed forward with ardor."* In the mean while, some of the American officers, having heard at Mrs. Wilson's house, near the falls, and reported to general Scott, "that the enemy could not be in force," that officer, with the first brigade, the artillery, and dragoons, "pressed forward with ardor," to attack the British advance. General Riall, who happened to be with the latter, considering general Scott's detachment as merely the van of a force nearly four times superior to his own, ordered colonel App. No. 32.

+ Wilkinson's Mem. Vol. I. his App. No. 9

Pearson to retire upon Queenstown; and sent similar orders to colonel Scott, who, with the main body, was advancing from the Twelvemile creek. We must now relate what caused a sudden change in the destination of the retreating British force.

As soon as intelligence of major-general Riall's discomfiture at Street's creek reached lieutenant-general Drummond at Kingston, the latter, leaving orders for De Watteville's regi ment to follow, in two columns, marched to York, with the remnant of the 2d battalion of the 89th regiment, about 400 strong, under lieutenant-colonel Morrison. On the evening of the 24th, the lieutenant-general and suite, with the 89th, embarked at York, on board sir James Yeo's vessels, the Netley, Charwell, Star, and Magnet; and arrived at Fort-Niagara at day-light on the morning of the 25th. Having despatched to Queenstown the 89th regiment, and the detachments of the royal Scots and 8th which had been left by general Riall in the forts George and Mississaga, lieutenant-general Drummond ordered lieutenant-colonel Tucker to proceed up the right bank of the Niagara, with 300 of the 41st, about 200 of the royal Scots, and a body of Indians, supported on the river by a party of armed seamen, under captain Dobbs, of the Charwell brig, in order to disperse or capture an American force en

"

camped at Lewistown. Some unavoidable delay occurred in the march of the troops up the right bank; and colonel Swift, with his 200 volunteers, and whatever other troops belonged to the post, had effected their escape towards Schlosser, and crossed over to the American camp at Chippeway. The British arrived in time only to take possession of about 100 tents, a quantity of baggage and provisions; with which, at about four o'clock on the same afternoon, they crossed over to Queenstown, and there met the detachment under lieutenantcolonel Morrison. After the troops had dined; lieutenant-general Drummond, sent back, as garrisons to the three forts in the rear, 220of the 41st, and the whole remaining strength of the 100th regiments, under the orders of lieutenantcolonel Tucker; and hastened forward to the falls, with the 89th regiment, detachments of the royal Scots, and 8th, and the light com pany of the 41st regiments, numbering, altogether, 815 rank and file. 4 badido de los No sooner had this seasonable reinforcement, after a rapid march of seven miles from Queenstown, and of 14 altogether, arrived within half a mile of Lundy's lane, than information was brought of the retreat of major-general Riall's advanced division; and the troops had scarcely halted, ere they were joined by the militia which had formed part of it, and whose