The battles of the world : $b or, cyclopedia of battles, sieges, and important military eventsBorthwick, J. Douglas (John Douglas)
History
The battles of the world : $b or, cyclopedia of battles, sieges, and important military events
Borthwick, J. Douglas (John Douglas)
Battles; Military history
of Arnold’s division, inclusive of the loss at _Près de Ville_. The
British had one officer and seventeen men killed and wounded. The
number of those who surrendered was 426.”
QUEENSTON.--_Upper Canada._--This town, on the River Niagara, was
taken by the United States troops in the American war of 1812,
October 13th, but was retaken by the British, who defeated the
Americans with loss. The following is a succinct account of the
battle and death of general Brock, the Hero of Upper Canada:
WAR OF 1812 AND DEATH OF GEN. BROCK.
“The American Government assembled at the Niagara frontier a force
of 6300 men; of this force, 3170 (900 of whom were regular troops)
were at Lewiston, under the command of General Van Rensselaer. In
the American reports this army is set down at 8000 strong, with
15 pieces of field ordnance. To oppose this force Major General
Brock had part of the 41st and 49th regiments, a few companies of
militia, and about 200 Indians, in all 1500 men; but so dispersed
in different posts at and between Fort Erie and Fort George, that
only a small number was available at any one point. Before daylight
on the morning of the 13th of October, a large division of General
Van Rensselaer’s army, numbering between 1300 and 1400, under
Brigadier General Wadsworth, effected a landing at the lower end of
the village of Queenston (opposite Lewiston), and made an attack
upon the position, which was defended with the most determined
bravery by the two flank companies of the 49th regiment, commanded
by Captains Dennis and Williams, aided by such of the militia
forces and Indians as could be collected in the vicinity. Captain
Dennis marched his company to the landing place opposite Lewiston,
and was soon followed by the light company of the 49th, and the few
militia who could be hastily assembled. Here the attempt of the
enemy to effect a passage, was for some time successfully resisted,
and several boats were either disabled or sunk by the fire from the
one-gun battery on the heights, and that from the masked battery,
about a mile below. Several boats also were, by the fire from this
battery, so annoyed, that falling before the landing place, they
were compelled to drop down with the current and recross to the
American side. A considerable force, however, effected a landing
some distance above, and succeeded in gaining the summit of the
mountain. No resistance could now be offered to the crossing from
Lewiston, except by the battery at Vromont’s Point, half a mile
below, and from this a steady and harassing fire was kept up, which
did considerable execution.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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