The Life and Correspondence of Sir Isaac Brock, K.B.: Interspersed with notices of the celebrated Indian chief, Tecumseh, and comprising brief memoirs of Daniel De Lisle Brock, Esq., Lieutenant E.W. Tupper, R.N., and Colonel W. De Vic TupperBrock, Isaac, Sir
History
The Life and Correspondence of Sir Isaac Brock, K.B.: Interspersed with notices of the celebrated Indian chief, Tecumseh, and comprising brief memoirs of Daniel De Lisle Brock, Esq., Lieutenant E.W. Tupper, R.N., and Colonel W. De Vic Tupper
Some lives were lost upon this occasion, and among the Americans a Major
Cuyler was killed by a shot from Fort Erie, as he was riding along the
beach on the opposite side of the river.
_Sir Isaac Brock to Sir George Prevost_.
FORT GEORGE, October 11, 1812.
I had scarcely closed my dispatch to your excellency, of the
9th, when I was suddenly called away to Fort Erie, in
consequence of a bold, and, I regret to say, successful attack
by the enemy on his majesty's brig Detroit, and the private
brig Caledonia, which had both arrived the preceding day from
Amherstburg. It appears by every account I have been able to
collect, that a little before day a number of boats full of
men, dropped down with the current unobserved, boarded both
vessels at the same moment, and, cutting their cables, were
proceeding with them to the American shore, when Major Ormsby,
who witnessed the transaction, directed the batteries to open
on them, and soon compelled the enemy to abandon the Detroit,
which grounded about the centre of Squaw Island, a little
more than a mile below Black Rock. She was then boarded by a
party of the 49th regiment; but as no anchor remained, and
being otherwise unprovided with every means by which she could
be hauled off, the officer, throwing her guns over board,
after sustaining a smart fire of musketry, decided to quit
her. A private, who is accused of getting drunk, and a
prisoner of war, who was unable from his wounds to escape,
with about twenty prisoners brought by the Detroit from
Amherstburg, remained however behind; these it became
necessary to remove before the vessel could be destroyed, and
Cornet Pell Major, of the provincial cavalry, offered his
services. Being unfortunately wounded as he was getting on
board, and falling back into the boat, a confusion arose,
during which the boat drifted from the vessel, leaving two of
the 41st, who had previously ascended, on board. In the mean
time the Caledonia was secured by the enemy, and a cargo of
furs, belonging to the North-West Company, landed.
The batteries on both sides were warmly engaged the whole of
the day, but I am happy to say no mischief was sustained by
the enemy's fire. I reached the spot soon after sun-set, and
intended to have renewed the attempt to recover the Detroit,
which I had _every_ prospect of accomplishing, assisted by the
crew of the Lady Prevost, which vessel had anchored a short
time before; but before the necessary arrangements could be
made, the enemy boarded her, and in a few minutes she was
seen in flames.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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