Part 59 (1/2)
To the Honourable John ARMSTRONG, Buffalo, August, 1814.
Secretary of War, Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C.
Sir: Confined as I was, and have been, since the last engagement with the enemy, I fear that the account I am about to give may be less full and satisfactory than under other circ.u.mstances it might have been made. I particularly fear that the conduct of the gallant men it was my good fortune to lead, will not be noticed in a way due to their fame and the honour of our country.
You are already apprized that the army had, on the 25th ultimo, taken a position at Chippewa. About noon of that day, Colonel Swift, who was posted at Lewistown advised me by express that the enemy appeared in considerable force in Queenstown, and on its heights; that four of the enemy's fleet had arrived during the preceding night, and were then lying near Fort Niagara, and that a number of boats were in view moving up the strait. Within a few minutes after this intelligence had been received, I was further informed by Captain Denmons, of the quarter-master's department, that the enemy was landing at Lewistown, and that our baggage and stores at Schlosser, and on their way thither, were in danger of immediate capture. It is proper here to mention, that having received advices as late as the 20th from General James, that our fleet was then in port, and the commodore sick, we ceased to look for co-operation from that quarter, and determined to disenc.u.mber ourselves of baggage, and march directly for Burlington (p. 209) Heights. To mask this intention, and to draw from Schlosser a small supply of provisions, I fell back upon Chippewa.
As this arrangement, under the increased force of the enemy, left much at hazard on our side of the Niagara, and as it appeared by the before stated information, that the enemy was about to avail himself of it, I conceived that the most effectual method of recalling him from this object was to put myself in motion towards Queenstown. General Scott, with his first brigade, Towson's artillery, and all the dragoons and mounted men were accordingly put in march on the road leading thither, with orders to report, if the enemy appeared, and to call for a.s.sistance, if that was necessary. On the general's arrival at the falls, he learned that the enemy was in force directly in his front, a narrow piece of woods alone intercepting his view of them.
Waiting only to give this information, he advanced upon them. By this time a.s.sistant Adjutant General Jones had delivered his message, the action began, and before the remaining part of the division had crossed the Chippewa, it had become close and general between the advanced corps. Though General Ripley with his second brigade, Major Hindman with the corps of artillery, and General Porter at the head of his command, had respectively pressed forward with ardour, it was not less than an hour before they were brought to sustain General Scott, during which time his command most skilfully and gallantly maintained the conflict.
Upon my arrival, I found that the general had pa.s.sed the wood, and engaged the enemy on the Queenstown road, and on the ground to the left of it, with the 9th, 11th and 22d regiments, and Towson's artillery. The 25th had been thrown to the right, to be governed by circ.u.mstances.
Apprehending that these corps were much exhausted, and knowing that they had suffered severely, I determined to interpose a new line with the advancing troops; and thus disengage General Scott, and hold his brigade in reserve. Orders were accordingly given to General Ripley. The enemy's artillery at this moment occupied a hill which gave great advantage, and was the key of the whole position. It was supported by a line of infantry. To secure victory, it was necessary to carry this artillery and seize the height. This duty was a.s.signed to Colonel Miller, while, to favour its execution, the 1st regiment, under the command of Colonel Nicholas, was directed to manoeuvre and amuse the infantry. To my great mortification, this regiment, after a discharge or two, gave way and retreated some distance, before it could be rallied, though it is believed the officers of the regiment exerted themselves to shorten this distance. In the mean time, Colonel Miller, without regard to this occurrence, advanced steadily and gallantly to his object, and carried the height and the cannon. General Ripley brought up the 23d regiment, (which had also faltered,) to his support, and the enemy disappeared from before them. The 1st regiment was now brought into line on the left of the 21st, and the detachment of the 17th and 19th, General Porter occupying with his command the extreme left. About this time, Colonel Miller carried the enemy's cannon. The 25th regiment, under Major Jessup was engaged in a more obstinate conflict with all that remained to dispute with us the field of battle. The major, as has been already stated, had been ordered by General Scott, at the commencement of the action, to take ground to his right. He had succeeded in turning the enemy's flank; had captured (by a detachment under Captain Ketchum), (p. 210) General Riall and sundry other officers, and showed himself again to his own army, in a blaze of fire, which defeated or destroyed a very superior force of the enemy. He was ordered to form on the right of the 2d regiment. The enemy rallying his forces, and as is believed, having received reinforcements, now attempted to drive us from our position and regain his artillery. Our line was unshaken and the enemy repulsed. Two other attempts having the same object, had the same issue. General Scott was again engaged in repelling the former of these, and the last I saw of him in the field of battle, he was near the head of his column, and giving to its march a direction that would place him on the enemy's right. It was with great pleasure I saw the good order and intrepidity of General Porter's volunteers from the moment of their arrival; but during the last charge of the enemy those qualities were conspicuous. Stimulated by the examples set them by their gallant leader, by Major Wood of the Pennsylvania corps, by Colonel Dobbin of New York, and by their officers generally, they precipitated themselves upon the enemy's line, and made all the prisoners which were taken at this point of the action.
Having been for some time wounded, and being a good deal exhausted by the loss of blood, it became my wish to devolve the command on General Scott, and retire from the field; but on enquiry, I had the misfortune to learn, that he was disabled by wounds; I therefore kept my post, and had the satisfaction to see the enemy's last effort repulsed. I now consigned the command to General Ripley.
While retiring from the field, I saw and felt, that the victory was complete on our part, if proper measures were promptly adopted to secure it. The exhaustion of the men was, however, such as made some refreshment necessary. They particularly required water. I was myself extremely sensible of the want of this necessary article. I therefore believed it proper, that General Ripley and the troops should return to camp, after bringing off the dead, the wounded, and artillery; and in this I saw no difficulty, as the enemy had entirely ceased to act.
Within an hour after my arrival in camp, I was informed that General Ripley had returned without annoyance, and in good order.
I now sent for him, and after giving him my reasons for the measure I was about to adopt, ordered him to put the troops in the best possible condition; to give to them the necessary refreshment; to take the pickets and camp-guards, and every other description of force; to put himself on the field of battle as the day dawned, and there to meet and beat the enemy if he again appeared. To this order he made no objection, and I relied upon its execution. It was not executed. I feel most sensibly how inadequate are my powers in speaking of the troops, to do justice to their merits, or to my own sense of them. Under abler direction, they might have done more and better.
From the preceding details, you have new evidence of the distinguished gallantry of Generals Scott and Porter, of Colonel Miller and Major Jessup, of the 1st brigade. The chief, with his aid-de-camp Worth, his major of brigade Smith, and every commander of battalion, were wounded. The 2d brigade suffered less; but as a brigade, their conduct ent.i.tled them to the applause of their country. After the enemy's strong position had been carried by the 21st and the detachments of the 17th and 19th, the 1st and 23d a.s.sumed a new character. They could not again be shaken or dismayed. Major McFarland, of the latter, fell n.o.bly at the head of his battalion.
Under the command of General Porter, the militia volunteers (p. 211) of Pennsylvania and New York stood undismayed amidst the hottest fire, and repulsed the veterans opposed to them. The Canadian volunteers, commanded by Colonel Wilson, are reported by General Porter as having merited and received his approbation.
The corps of artillery commanded by Major Hindman, behaved with its usual gallantry. Towson's company attached to the 1st brigade, was the first and the last engaged, and during the whole conflict maintained that high character which they had previously won by their skill and their valour. Captains Biddle and Ritchie were both wounded early in the action, but refused to quit the field. The latter declared that he would never leave his piece; and true to his engagement, fell by its side covered with wounds.
The staff of the army had its peculiar merit and distinction.
Colonel Gardner, adjutant-general, though ill, was on horseback, and did all in his power; his a.s.sistant, Major Jones, was very active and useful. My gallant aids-de-camp, Austin and Spencer, had many and critical duties to perform, in discharge of which the latter fell; I shall ever think of this young man with pride and regret; regret that his career has been so short; pride that it has been so n.o.ble and distinguished. The engineers, Majors McRee and Wood, were greatly distinguished on this day, and their high military talents exerted with great effect; they were much under my eye and near my person, and to their a.s.sistance a great deal is fairly to be ascribed. I most earnestly recommend them as worthy of the highest trust and confidence. The staff of Generals Ripley and Porter, discovered great zeal and attention to duty.
Lieutenant E. B. Randolph, of the 20th regiment, is ent.i.tled to notice; his courage was conspicuous.
I enclose a return of our loss: those noted missing may generally be numbered with the dead. The enemy had but little opportunity of making prisoners.
I have the honour to be, etc., Jacob BROWN.
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_General Brown to the Secretary of War._
To the Honourable Headquarters, Camp Fort Erie, John ARMSTRONG, September 29th, 1814.
Secretary of War, Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C.
Sir: In my letter of the 18th instant I briefly informed you of the fortunate issue of the sortie which took place the day preceding. But it is due to the gallant officers and men, to whose bravery we are indebted for our success on this occasion, that I should give you a more circ.u.mstantial and detailed account of this affair.
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 circ.u.mstances, 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 pa.s.sage 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 pa.s.sing 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. Pa.s.sing 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.