General Gaines to the Secretary of War.
Headquarters, Fort Erie, Upper Canada,
August 26th, 1814.
To the Honourable
John Armstrong,
Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.
Sir: In my report of the battle of the 15th instant, I inadvertently omitted the names of Captain Chunn of the 19th, Lieutenants Bowman and Larned, of the 21st, and Jewett of the 11th infantry, as also my brigade major, Lieutenant Gleason, each of whom bore a conspicuous part in the action, and whom I beg leave to recommend to your notice. Lieutenants Bowman and Larned commanded companies in the 21st, which so gallantly beat the enemy's right column. Captain Chunn, with his company was doing duty with the same regiment. I also omitted mentioning that a part of this regiment pursued the enemy's right upwards of a mile, and took 100 prisoners; his left was also pursued, and more than a hundred prisoners were taken beyond our works. These facts prove that the affair was not merely a defence of our position, or a mere repulse of the enemy, as I find it called by some. As regards myself, I am satisfied with the result, and am not disposed to make any difficulty about the name by which the affair may be called; but it is due to the brave men I have the honour to command, that I should say, that the affair was to the enemy a sore beating and a defeat, and it was to us a handsome victory.
Our position is growing stronger every day by the exertions of Majors M'Ree and Wood, and the officers and men generally. We keep up a smart cannonade.
One of the enemy's pickets yesterday approached nearer to ours than usual. Major Brooke, officer of the day, added 100 men to our picket, attacked and drove them in with considerable loss; the major brought in about 30 muskets. In this affair however, we have to lament the loss of another gallant officer, Captain Wattles, of the 23d; our loss was otherwise inconsiderable.
I have the honour to be, &c.,
E. P. Gaines,
Brigadier-General commanding.
September 11, 1814.