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SUCCESSFUL ATTACK ON BLACK ROCK.

Gave up his men-and as he still declares--
"From pure humanity," that ever spares.
Gentle, kind creature! Let his name be great!
He robbed his friend to aid his foe's estate.

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On hearing of Baerstler's critical position, a reinforcement of 300men were despatched to his aid. But when they found that his critical" situation was capitulation, they returned to the camp. The brilliant stroke of Fitzgibbon was kept in countenance by the gallant descent of Colonel Clark (Canadian Militia,) and Colonel Bisshopp, on the 11th July, on Black Rock. Bisshopp with a detachment of royal artillery under Lieutenant Armstrong, forty of the King's regiment under Lieutenant Barston, one hundred of the 41st, under Captain Saunders, forty of the 49th under Captain Fitzgibbon, and about forty of the 2nd and 3rd Lincoln militia, embarked at two o'clock in the morning, to attack the batteries of Black Rock. The detachment landed half an hour before daylight. So stealthily was this done, that not a sentry stirred. They at once proceeded to attack the batteries, which they carried by surprise. The enemy hearing the firing at their advanced posts, retreated precipitately on Buffalo. The British immediately set to work to destroy block-houses and barracks, and the morning sky and limpid water were soon red with the flames from these, from a navy-yard, and from a large schooner. Such of the public stores as could be got off were taken across the river. While they were completing the transportation of stores the enemy, having been reinforced by a large body of Indians, came up. The Indians were posted in the woods, on their flanks, and in advance of them. A gallant fight was made by the British. Finding, however, that the Indians could not be driven from the woods without great loss, Bisshopp determined to retreat to the boats. In the retreat, he fell. The detachment, however, did not suffer, as all necessary pre-arrangments had been made. The sun was now getting strong, and in his full morning beams it was a splendid sight to see the boats bearing the heroic band somewhat thinned, across the river, while the American regulars, militia and Indians, poured on them a heavy fire. They had eighteen killed,

* Colonel Baerstler said he capitulated on the score of humanity. + A stronghold near Buffalo.

*

nineteen wounded, and six privates were missing. They had seized and captured valuable stores, and destroyed a great quantity of ordnance. The descent at Black Rock was a great success, though it was very dearly purchased by the death of Bisshopp, and Bisshopp's death seems to be connected with the eager character more than once exemplified by Fitzgibbon. Captain Fitzgibbon had been placed by General Vincent in command of a sort of independent company of Rangers. Volunteers from the various regiments were called for. So many men came forward from every regiment, that the difficulty was to decide who should be permitted to go. Any number of young subs tendered Fitzgibbon their services. He selected Lieutenant Winder † of the 49th, a friend of his, volunteer D. A. Macdonell, of the 8th; volunteer Augustus Thompson, of the 49th, and another from the same regiment. These were permitted as a great favour to join his corps. They were all dressed in green, the Irish colour, and they were known as "Fitzgibbon's Green' Uns." They were the first to cross the river on the Black Rock expedition, and Fitzgibbon pressed on with such ardour, that the block-house was in their possession long before Colonel Bisshopp was ready to move forward. This was considered a piece of impertinence, and the "Green 'Uns" were punished by being sent without breakfast, to watch the enemy near Buffalo, while the rest of the detachment was carrying off the stores. This accomplished, they were ordered to return and cover the re-embarkation. Colonel Bisshopp was nettled at not having been in front during the advance. He was now determined to be the last to retire. All had embarked safely. But the moment they began to push from shore, the Indians who, unperceived, had crawled to the banks, fired on them. The "Green 'Uns" disembarked and drove the enemy to the woods. re-embarking the fire was renewed. Again they disembarked. Again the Indians sought the woody shelter. But by this time, Porter with his whole force was upon them. The only thing was

On

to rush for the boats. In the confusion, some oars of the boat into which Bisshopp sprang were lost overboard. She drifted

* Letter of Thomas Clarke, Lieutenant-Colonel 2nd Lincoln Militia, to LieutenantColonel Harvey, Deputy-Adjutant General.

+ Afterwards Dr. Winder, Librarian to the House of Assembly at Quebec.

DESCENT ON SACKETT'S HARBOUR.

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down stream, the enemy firing into her. Thus, says the authority for this version, gallant Bisshopp, the darling of the army, received his death wound, and never was any officer, save Brock, more regretted than he was.* The same authority asserts that on this occasion all the fighting was done by Fitzgibbon's men. It would be more satisfactory if the writer of the letter had not withheld his name. But it is to be presumed that Auchinleck would not quote it, unless the writer was known to him as trustworthy. All we know of him is, that he was one of the subs of the 49th. Seven days before, when Colonel Clark's militia crossed over from Chippawa, and captured the guard stationed at Fort Schlosser, bringing back with them a large quantity of provisions, a six pounder, several stand of arms and abundant ammunition, a portion of the Greens, commanded by Lieutenant Winder were with them. On the following day, when a large detachment crossed from Buffalo, they were encountered by twenty-five of Fitzgibbon's men, under Thompson, and were forced to make a running fight to their boats.

While the operations we have glanced at were going forward on the Niagara frontier, an expedition was fitted out at Kingston for a descent upon Sackett's Harbour, under an understanding between Sir George Prevost, the Commander-in-Chief, and Sir James Lucas Yeo, the British Commodore. The expedition was ready on the 28th of May-three gun-ships carrying troops and accompanied by the Commodore's flag ship. At ten o'clock at night they stood for the American side. When they appeared before Sackett's Harbour, they found the enemy on the alert; signals were given. The American regulars and militia posted near hurried to the re. lief of the troops left by Dearborn to defend the place. Nevertheless a landing was effected in the face of a large force of militia, and no sooner had the British troops formed on the beach and given them a volley than they broke and fled in confusion. The advanced guard, composed of the grenadiers of the 100th Regiment, all of them Irish, as we have seen, drove the enemy from every position he had taken up.†

*Letter from "A Green 'Un," quoted by Auchinleck, in his History of the War. p. 178.

+ History of the War. By David Thompson, of the Royal Scots, p. 190.

Now the British troops were placed in a critical position. Col. Baynes was proceeding to attack the batteries with the view of taking the town and arsenal when he found himself attacked in the rear by a large body of the United States militia, brought up by General Brown, the batteries meanwhile pouring on the British front a furious fire. There was nothing for it but to reembark. The British loss was two hundred and fifty-nine in killed and wounded and missing. But for the arrival of General Brown the town and arsenal would have been captured, as prior to his coming up the enemy had commenced to burn his stores.

In the west, Proctor was waging an unequal and doubtful struggle against Harrison, in which though greatly outnumbered Scotchmen-witness the splendid charge of the 41st, under M uirand Englishmen were behaving as they always have done in battle. It is scarcely within the scope of this work to dwell on the fighting on Lake Ontario between Chauncy and Yeo, or the second descent on York, when the devastation previously commenced was finished; on the American attacking parties amid the blue mazes of the Thousand Islands, intercepting convoys of batteaux, conveying provisions for western garrisons; on the attempts against Canada made from the mountain girdled bays of • Lake Champlain; on the naval conflicts far out on the stormy Atlantic; on the vigilant blockade established by Sir John Borlase on the American coast. I have an impression that the overwhelming majority of" tars" have been Englishmen. I know of course that Scotchmen and Irishmen were, and are, to be found among the men and officers of the British fleet. But the above impression is strong, and therefore I have always thought the glory of naval victories belongs in a peculiar manner to the great English section of the two islands which have made the empire. I must however add, that I never have had time or opportunity to verify this impression; and I have met a good many Irishmen in all ranks on board men-of-war.

As the fiery tints which promise the fall, began to appear in the woods, the American leaders determined to act with an energy which could not fail of success. Hampton in the east, crossed Lake Champlain at the head of 5,000 men, with the view of advancing on Montreal. Wilkinson with a force of 10,000 men

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PROCTOR'S RETREAT. TECUMSEH'S DEATH.

threatened Kingston from Sackett's Harbour.

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Fort George

was in the possession of the enemy, watched by Vincent. In the west, General Harrison was awaiting reinforcements to advance with 6,000 men on Proctor.

Fort Malden, Proctor's main stronghold, had been despoiled of arms and ammunition to supply Barclay's fleet. When Barclay's squadron-overpowered by numbers, every vessel unmanageable, every officer killed or wounded, a third of the crews hors de combat, and Barclay himself so mutilated, that when months afterwards he appeared before the Admiralty, stern warriors, whose eyes were not used to the melting mood, wept, had to surrender, Proctor was in a position to which little justice is done by describing it as critical. as critical. His last hope was destroyed. Had Barclay beaten Perry he could have rendered assistance to Proctor, which would perhaps have forced Harrison to abandon his position. But now before the English Commander the only alternative was retreat or ruin, and retreat across the wilderness in rainy autumn weather, was beset with dangers. Fort Detroit was therefore dismantled and abandoned. With a force of 830 men the unfortunate Commander, deaf to the remonstrance of Tecumseh, and with misery and humiliation in his heart, retreated to Burlington Heights. Tecumseh with 300 Indian followers accompanied him. Harrison with 3,800 men pursued. Proctor's rear guard was surprised, stores and ammunition were captured, and 100 prisoners taken. Proctor was brought to bay. The brief fight came off at Moravian Town, on the Thames. Proctor was the last man to be equal to perilous demands. He was routed, and with a remnant of his troops effected a miserable retreat. In Tecumseh, the heroic fire of perhaps a once civilized race blazed forth, and he, the last of the great Indian chiefs, fell like the English Warwick, the last of the great English Barons. Lakes Erie and Huron and the western frontier were now completely under the control of the Americans.

Vincent was compelled to raise the blockade of Fort George. Everything looked dark. Prevost issued orders to abandon the Upper Province west of Kingston. But in the face of this order of the timid Prevost, a council of war was held on Burlington Heights and the resolution formed to defend the western peninsula.

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