The enemy's camp I had ascertained to be situated in a field, surrounded by woods, nearly two miles distant from their batteries and entrenchments, the object of which was to keep the parts of their force which was not upon duty, out of the range of our fire from Fort Erie and Black Rock. Their infantry was formed into three brigades, estimated at 1,200 or 1,500 men each. One of these brigades, with a detail from their artillery, was (p. 212) stationed at their works, (these being but 500 yards distant from old Fort Erie, and the right of our line). We had already suffered much from the fire of two of their batteries, and were aware that a third was about to open upon us. Under these circumstances, I resolved to storm the batteries, destroy the cannon, and roughly handle the brigade upon duty, before those in reserve could be brought into action. On the morning of the 17th, the infantry and riflemen, regulars and militia, were ordered to be paraded, and put in readiness to march precisely at 12 o'clock. General Porter with the volunteers, Colonel Gibson with the riflemen, and Major Brooke with the 23rd and 21st infantry, and a few dragoons acting as infantry, were ordered to move from the extreme left of our position, upon the enemy's right, by a passage opened through the woods for the occasion. General Miller was directed to station his command in the ravine, which lies between Fort Erie and the enemy's batteries, by passing them by detachments through the skirts of the wood, and the 21st infantry, under General Ripley, was posted as a corps of reserve between the new bastions of Fort Erie; all under cover and out of the view of the enemy. About 20 minutes before 3 P.M. I found the left columns, under the command of General Porter, which were destined to turn the enemy's right, within a few rods of the British entrenchments. They were ordered to advance and commence the action. Passing down the ravine, I judged from the report of musketry, that the action had commenced on our left; I now hastened to General Miller and directed him to seize the moment and pierce the enemy's entrenchments between batteries No. 2 and 3. My orders were promptly and ably executed. Within 30 minutes after the first gun was fired, batteries No. 3 and 2, the enemy's line of entrenchments, and his two block houses, were in our possession. Soon after, battery No. 1 was abandoned by the British. The guns in each were spiked by us, or otherwise destroyed, and the magazine of No. 3 was blown up.