A gallop among American scenery / or, Sketches of American scenes and military adventure

by Augustus E. Silliman

... “To show with what secresy the arrangements were made for the sortie, it is believed that the enemy was in utter ignorance of the movement. To confirm him in error, a succession of trusty spies were sent to him in the character of deserters up to the close of day of the 16th; and so little did the army know of what were General Brown’s plans for that day, that even if an officer had gone over to the enemy, the information he could have given must have been favourable to the meditated enterprise, as no one had been consulted but General Porter, and the engineers Colonels McRae and Wood.

“At nine o’clock in the evening of the 16th, the general-in-chief called his assistant adjutant-general, Major Jones, and after explaining concisely his object, ordered him to see the officers whom the General named and direct them to his tent. The officers General Brown had selected to have the honour of leading commands on the 17th came; he explained to them his views and determinations, and enjoyed much satisfaction at seeing that his confidence had not been misplaced. They left him to prepare for the duty assigned to them on the succeeding day. At twelve o’clock the last agent was sent to the enemy in the character of a deserter, and aided, by disclosing all he knew, to confirm him in security.

“The letter, of which the following is an extract, was written by General Brown to the Department of War early in the morning of the 25th July, 1814:

“‘As General Gaines informed me that the Commodore was in port, and as he did not know when the fleet would sail, or when the guns and troops that I had been expecting would even leave Sackett’s Harbour, I have thought it proper to change my position with a view to other objects.’

“General Scott, with the first brigade, Towson’s artillery, all the dragoons and mounted men, was accordingly put in march towards Queenston. He was particularly instructed to report if the enemy appeared, and to call for assistance if that was necessary. Having command of the dragoons, he would have, it was supposed, the means of intelligence. On General Scott’s arrival near 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 despatch this information, but not to receive any in return, the General advanced upon him.

“Hearing the report of cannon and small arms, General Brown at once concluded that a battle had commenced between the advance of his army and the enemy, and without waiting for information from General Scott, ordered the second brigade and all the artillery to march as rapidly as possible to his support, and directed Colonel Gardner to remain and see this order executed. He then rode with his aids-de-camp, and Major McRee, with all speed towards the scene of action. As he approached the Falls, about a mile from Chippeway, he met Major Jones, who had accompanied General Scott, bearing a message from him, advising General Brown that he had met the enemy. From the information given by Major Jones, it was concluded to order up General Porter’s command, and Major Jones was sent with this order. Advancing a little further, General Brown met Major Wood, of the engineers, who also had accompanied General Scott. He reported that the conflict between General Scott and the enemy was close and desperate, and urged that reinforcements should be hurried forward. The reinforcements were now marching with all possible rapidity. The Major-General was accompanied by Major Wood to the field of battle. Upon his arrival, he found that General Scott had passed the wood, and engaged the enemy upon the Queenston road and the ground to the left of it, with the 9th, 11th, and 22d regiments, and Towson’s artillery. The 25th had been detached to the right to be governed by circumstances. Apprehending these troops to be much exhausted, notwithstanding the good front they showed, and knowing that they had suffered severely in the contest, General Brown determined to form and interpose a new line with the advancing troops, and thus disengage General Scott, and hold his brigade in reserve. By this time Captains Biddle and Ritchie’s companies of artillery had come into action. The head of General Ripley’s column was nearly up with the right of General Scott’s line. At this moment the enemy fell back, in consequence, it was believed, of the arrival of fresh troops, which they could see and begin to feel. At the moment the enemy broke, General Scott’s brigade gave a general huzza, that cheered the whole line. General Ripley was ordered to pass his line and display his column in front. The movement was commenced in obedience to the order. Majors McRee and Wood had rapidly reconnoitered the enemy and his position. McRee reported that he appeared to have taken up a new position with his line, and with his artillery, to have occupied a height which gave him great advantages it being the key of the whole position. To secure the victory, it was necessary to carry this height, and seize his artillery. McRee was ordered by the Major-General to conduct Ripley’s command on the Queenstown road, with a view to that object, and prepare the 21st regiment under Colonel Miller for the duty.

“The second brigade immediately advanced on the Queenston road. Gen. Brown, with his aids-de-camp and Major Wood passing to the left of the second brigade in front of the first, approached the enemy’s artillery, and observed an extended line of infantry formed for its support. A detachment of the first regiment of infantry, under command of Col. Nicolas, which arrived that day, and was attached to neither of the brigades, but had marched to the field of battle in the rear of the second, was ordered promptly to break off to the left, and form a line facing the enemy on the height, with a view of drawing his fire and attracting his attention, while Col. Miller advanced with the bayonet upon his left flank to carry his artillery. As the first regiment, led by Major Wood and commanded by Col. Nicolas, approached its position, the commanding General rode to Col. Miller, and ordered him to charge and carry the enemy’s artillery with the bayonet. He replied in a tone of great promptness and good humour—‘It shall be done, Sir.’

“At this moment the first regiment gave way under the fire of the enemy; but Col. Miller, without regard to this circumstance, advanced steadily to his object, and carried the height and the cannon in a style rarely equalled—never excelled. At this point of time when Col. Miller moved, the 23d regiment was on his right, a little in the rear. Gen. Ripley led this regiment: it had some severe fighting, and in a degree gave way, but was promptly re-formed, and brought upon the right of the 21st, with which were connected a detachment of the 17th and 19th.

“Gen. Ripley being now with his brigade, formed a line, (the enemy having been driven from his commanding ground) with the captured cannon, nine pieces in the rear. The first regiment having been rallied, was brought into line by Lt. Col. Nicolas on the left of the second brigade; and Gen. Porter coming up at this time, occupied with his command the extreme left. Our artillery formed the right between the 21st and 23d regiments. Having given to Col. Miller orders to storm the heights and carry the cannon as he advanced, Gen. Brown moved from his right flank to the rear of his left. Maj. Wood and Capt. Spencer met him on the Queenston road; turning down that road, he passed directly in the rear of the 23rd, as they advanced to the support of Col. Miller. The shouts of the American soldiers on the heights at this moment, assured him of Col. Miller’s success, and he hastened toward the place, designing to turn from the Queenston road towards the heights up Lundy’s Lane. In the act of doing so, Maj. Wood and Capt. Spencer, who were about a horse’s length before him, were near riding upon a body of the enemy; and nothing prevented them from doing it but an officer exclaiming before them, “They are the Yankees.” The exclamation halted the three American officers, and upon looking down the road they saw a line of British infantry drawn up in front of the western fence of the road with its right resting upon Lundy’s Lane.

“The British officer had, at the moment he gave this alarm, discovered Maj. Jesup. The Major had, as before observed, at the commencement of the action, been ordered by Gen. Scott to take ground to his right.