The studied intricacy of the enemy's defences, consisting not only of the breastwork connecting their batteries, but of successive lines of entrenchments for a hundred yards in the rear, covering the batteries and enfilading each other, and the whole obstructed by abatis, brush and felled timber, was calculated to produce confusion among the assailants, and led to several contests at the point of the bayonet. But by our double columns, any temporary irregularity in the one, was always corrected by the other. Our success would probably have been more complete but for the rain which unfortunately set in soon after we commenced our march, which rendered the fire of many of our muskets useless, and by obscuring the sun, led to several unlucky mistakes. As an instance of this, a body of 50 prisoners who had surrendered, were ordered to the fort in charge of a subaltern and 14 volunteers; the officer mistaking the direction, conducted them towards the British camp in the route by which we had advanced, and they were re-taken with the whole of the guard, excepting the officer and one man, who fought their way back. Several of our stragglers were made prisoners by the same mistake. But, Sir, notwithstanding these accidents, we have reason to rejoice at our signal success, in inflicting a vastly disproportionate injury on the enemy, and in wholly defeating all his plans of operation against this army. I have the honour to be, &c. P. B. PORTER, _Brigadier General commanding Volunteers and Militia_. No. 41. (p. 219) PLATE XLII. _July 5 and 25, August 15, and September 17, 1814._ Brig. General Eleazer W. Ripley. [Rx]. Resolution of Congress Novemb. 3. 1814. BRIGADIER-GENERAL ELEAZER WHEELOCK RIPLEY. [_Victories of Chippewa, Niagara, and Erie._] BRIG. (_Brigadier_) GENERAL ELEAZER W. (_Wheelock_) RIPLEY. Bust of General Ripley, in uniform, facing the right FÜRST. F. (_fecit_). RESOLUTION OF CONGRESS NOVEMB. (_November_) 3. 1814. A winged Victory, standing, holds in her right hand a trumpet and a crown of laurel, and with her left is hanging upon a palm tree a shield on which are the words: "CHIPPEWA" "NIAGARA" "ERIE." Exergue: BATTLES OF CHIPPEWA JULY 5. 1814. NIAGARA JULY 25. 1814. ERIE. AUG. (_August_) 15. SEP. (_September_) 17 1814. FÜRST. F. (_fecit_).[98] [Footnote 98: The resolution of Congress voting this medal, and the official reports of the battles of Chippewa, Niagara and Erie, are given under No. 39, page 203, and No. 44, page 226.]