single prisoner fell into the enemy's hands, save those who were disabled by wounds.

General Ryall's attack on an enemy four or five times his number, was justified by the past history of the war, by its results, and by his Irish blood. Brown had not even the spirit left to pursue him. His own men gained in form by the attack. The enemy was prevented trying to cut off communication with Burlington. Finding that Chauncey's fleet was being watched and held in durance by Commodore Yeo, and that therefore it could not assist him to take Fort George, General Brown retreated to Chippawa, pursued by whom he should have pursued. Ryall took up a position at Lundy's Lane, about a mile from the Falls, and about two and ahalf from the American position.

General Drummond had hastened from Kingston to Niagara. He sent Colonel Tucker with a detachment to the other side of the river, and pushed on himself to Lewiston. The Americans, under Scott, had advanced to the Falls, and that commander sent for Brown to join him. In the face of this juncture Ryall was retreating from Lundy's Lane, when Drummond came up and countermanded the order to retire. The formation of the British troops was scarcely completed when the whole front was warmly engaged. Both sides fought well. So determined were the attacks of the enemy that the British artillerymen were bayonetted while in the act of loading. Gunlip was within a few yards of gunlip. Long ere the last act of the bloody drama had begun, night closed over the scene. There was charge and countercharge, recoil and rally, and the moonlit gleam of sword and bayonet was like the phosphorescent glow of the breakers of a bloody sea. At nine o'clock there was a short intermission, during which the muffled roar of the Falls was heard above the groans of the dying, as though Eternity, calm and strong, awful and changeless, were chanting the requiem of the brave souls passing into her infinite bosom. Again there came from out the darkness a blaze, from out the comparative silence a rattle of musketry, and the enemy, like the movements of a fire-fly, could be discerned by his glare as he went into action. Though his attacks were everywhere renewed with fresh troops, they were every where repulsed. At midnight Brown was beaten, and from before a force of only half his number, retreated, leaving

AMERICANS BLOCKADED IN FORT ERIE,

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nearly a thousand dead on the field. The British loss was very little less; but the gallant force in which the Royal Scots played a splendid part, sat down the victors on that bloody scene.

The enemy retreated on Chippawa. The following day he abandoned his camp, threw most of his baggage, camp equipage and provisions into the rapids and having set fire to Street's Mills and destroyed the Chippawa bridge, retreated in great disorder on Fort Erie. The whole force of 5,000 Americans had been engaged. Lieutenant General Drummond mentions Major Kirby as among those who had distinguished themselves. The English and Scotch regiments behaved magnificently, and I only regret it does not come within the plan of this work to do them justice. At Lundy's Lane the Americans for the first time during the war ventured to cross bayonets with British troops.

The Americans sought to make Fort Erie as strong as possible. Meanwhile Drummond, at the earliest moment determined to take it by storm. He opened a battery on it on the 13th of August, and having done considerable damage, determined to assault it on the 14th. He directed a heavy column against the entrenchments on the side of Snake-hill. Two columns advanced from the battery against the fort and the entrenchments on the side facing the battery. In the heavy column we find our old friends the flank companies of the 100th and 89th. Both attacks were made two hours before day-light. Both failed. The British loss was very severe in killed and wounded, amounting to over 900. Among the officers thanked were Lieut. Murray of the 100th, and Captain O'Keefe of one of the flank companies. Notwithstand

ing the large number of men slain and wounded, Drummond being reinforced was able to keep the Americans blockaded.

Peace was made with France on the 4th of April, 1814. The Titan of war for whom the world did not seem vast enough, had accepted Elba as a retreat-an eagle confined in a canary cageand the small heart of Louis XVIII. was fluttering with joy at the prospect of entering and ruling in those halls whence the mighty one had been driven. The British fleet was now free to turn its attention to America. British men of war made inroads along the entire American coast, and British troops descending at various points made it necessary to recall some of the

troops operating on the Canadian frontier. The various events leading up to that conflagration which made the Potomac wear the colour of Lake Ontario and the Bay, when little York was given to the flames, it is not mine to tell; nor the repulse of the attempt on Baltimore; nor yet the repulse of the assault on New Orleans and the consequent retreat; a repulse which was perhaps favourable to peace, as it placed the Americans on better terms with themselves.

On the 8th of August the plenipotentiaries of Great Britain and the United States held their first conference at Ghent, but the treaty of peace was not signed until the 24th of December. In the interval occurred the inglorious advance on Plattsburgh which gave the coup de grace to any military reputation Prevost may ever have enjoyed. The British troops were indignant at being ordered to retire. Tears of anger burst from many eyes, and officers broke their swords declaring they would never serve again.

The disaster on Lake Champlain encouraged the Americans besieged in Fort Erie to make a sortie. After a struggle for a time doubtful, they were driven back and pursued to the glacis of the fort with a loss of 500 men. Izzard was now advancing in force, and Drummond thought it prudent to withdraw to Chippawa. On Lake Ontario, all had gone well for the Union Jack, and as Niagara frontier could be therefore abundantly provisioned, Izzard who had 8,000 men despaired of the invasion, blew up the works at Fort Erie, crossed over to American territory, and that beautiful frontier disturbed for three years, was once more left to repose in the varied radiance of the Indian summer.

The last date in Isaac Todd's correspondence from Canada, is Quebec, 16th July, 1814. He was then on the point of leaving for the old country, for the next letter is dated Portsmouth, August 17th. In a memorandum of the 16th July, he says: "Wrote Jane and Agnes I would send them a piano." At that date pianos were not as plentiful in Montreal as they are to-day. He says nothing about the war; he sends such a message as he would in times of security, and indeed throughout 1814, there seems not to

This great business Irishman seems to have been a man of ability, very correct formal habits, much capacity for friendship and with genuine kindness of heart. He died in England in 1819. His partner was the founder of McGill University.

PREVOST'S DISGRACE.

TRIUMPHANT PEACE.

241

have been the least misgiving in Canada as to the result of the

war.

On the 5th of January, 1815, Isaac Todd writes from Bath, England, addressing a Montreal firm, that the signing of the Preliminaries of peace was very unexpected. He feared the particulars would not be such as would please in Canada, " as there will be no extension of boundary." He adds, " peace is no doubt desirable, as it gives security, and from the heavy taxes laid on lands, &c., in the United States, you will have numbers flock into Canada, and what with discharged soldiers &c., the Upper Province will very soon be greatly increased in inhabitants. You will see by the newspapers (most probably English newspapers sent by the same mail as the letter) various reports about Sir George Prevost, &c., which I believe have little foundation." Unfortunately for poor Prevost's reputation, those reports had only too much in their foundation that was other than unsubstantial.

For three years, the United States had carried on an unjust, an unsuccessful, and an inglorious contest. Canada had waged a defensive warfare, just, noble, unequal, full of success and glory. Materially injured for the time, it is probable the shrewd fur merchant was right in anticipating advantages, as likely to accrue, though Howison and Miss Machar both insist that materially the results were pernicious. There can be no dispute however, that morally the war was beneficial to Canada. Irishmen, Scotchmen, Englishmen, Frenchmen, Germans, and men of these great races born on Canadian soil, fought side by side, and learned to love more intensely the beautiful country for which they bled. The budding national life took a deeper and more beautiful tint, and gathered a more splendid promise, because its root-soil was enriched with blood. If peace was pale from mourning over precious lives wasted, the light of victory was in her eye, the rythm of triumph gave stateliness to her step, and all her form was instinct with the ennobling consciousness of duty.

CHAPTER VII.

IN the perusal of history nothing is so sad as the truth forced on us from every side that hitherto the lot of the poor as compared with that of others has been unbearably hard. It is not merely that, in the ordinary course of life, they are without the pleasant surroundings which smoothen the existence of those raised above a hand-to-mouth economy. Are harvests bad? The poor suffer most. Does pestilence sweep over the land? The destroying angel visits the crowded room and smites down the ill-fed and little washed. War? The poor have thousands and tens of thousands slain and they afterwards pay for the cost of the bloody machine by which their sons and fathers have been mown down. Does any sudden increase in wealth take place? The poor do not share in it. They witness the land-owner increase his luxuries, the manufacturer ride to church in a more splendid carriage, the shopkeeper purse up his chin in folds of more insolent pride, but they are as they were before.

The great war had enriched the landowner, the capitalist, the manufacturer, and the farmer; the poor it made poorer. It is from the years lying between the Peace of Amiens and Waterloo, years which studded Europe with famous battle fields, which raised individuals to the height of glory and wealth and power, which filled a hundred trenches with nameless dead and scattered stars on a few padded breasts, it is from those years of blood and war prices that the historian dates that strife of classes, that social estrangement, that severance in sympathy between rich and poor,

[Authorities for Chapters VII and VIII. --Original information gleaned from all parts of the country. McMullen's "History." D'Arcy McGee's "Irish Position in British and Republican North America." Five Years' Residence in the Canadas," By Ed. Allen Talbot. Mrs. Jameson's "Winter Studies." Green's "History of the English People." Scadding's "Toronto of Old." The Gazette. Almanacs for 1821, 1825, 1832, 1837, 1839. Fotheringill's "Sketch of the Present State of Canada.” Lambert's "Travels." Morgan's "Celebrated Canadians." Morgan's "Parliamentary Companion." The Globe. The Mail. Poole's " Early Settlement and Subsequent Progress of the Town of Peterborough." David's "Biographies and Portraits.”]