It must be remembered that General Gaines had collected and arranged the requisite papers and memorandums, such as would have enabled him to make a faithful report of every material incident of each day’s operations, from the 5th to the 28th of August. But on this last-mentioned day he was crippled; and the British bomb-shell that wounded him, demolished his writing-desk, with so many of his valuable papers, including most of the reports and memorandums just now referred to, that his detailed report fell very short of what was intended, with the exception of giving to his officers that praise which their courage and bravery deserved; this report, as before intimated, was very hastily and imperfectly thrown together amidst the cares and constant interruptions of incessant daily action and nightly vigilance and preparation for increased vigorous action, unavoidably omitting some incidents of great interest to the service, to corps, and to individual officers and soldiers, gallantly engaged in this as well as in some of the smaller conflicts.
The official reports of the then acting Adjutant-General Jones, (now adjutant-general of the army,) and Major Hall, then acting Inspector-General, show, that in the smaller actions, before referred to, from the 5th to the 14th, the actual loss of United States regulars and volunteers, was altogether much greater than in the battle of the 15th, which, though resulting in a decided victory, in which the enemy acknowledged his loss to be greater than he sustained in any one battle during the year 1814 in America, yet this was, in truth, but one of twenty-three days’ sharp conflicts—all crowned with success; although Gaines’ encampment near Fort Erie, from the daily flow of blood which it exhibited, was compared by the officers to a slaughter-pen. And from the 15th to the 28th of August, was still greater; amounting in all to nearly four hundred—officers and soldiers killed and wounded. The enemy took from us but one prisoner, it is believed, during the month; the brave Lieutenant Fontaine, who was knocked down from his battery in the dark.
For his gallant conduct in this ever memorable battle, General Gaines was honored by the federal government with an unanimous vote of thanks, and a gold medal (See [Plate V.]), whilst the three great and patriotic states of New York, Virginia and Tennessee, awarded to him unanimous resolutions of thanks, with a fine gold hilted sword, which he received from each of these states. This gallant officer is now employed in the honorable and important service of his country. We are sensible that in so brief a space allowed us in this memoir, justice cannot be done to such bravery, magnanimity and patriotism as have marked his character, through a life which has ever displayed a highly intelligent and unremitted zeal for the welfare of his country.
DESCRIPTION OF THE MEDAL.
Occasion.—Battle of Erie.
Device.—Bust of General Gaines.
Legend.—Major-General Edmund P. Gaines.
Reverse.—Victory standing on a shield, under which are a stand of colors and a halbert, and holding a palm-branch in her left hand, as in the act of placing a laurel crown on the cascabel of a cannon marked R, which is fixed upright in the ground, and is surrounded with a scroll inscribed “Erie.” On one trunnion rests a stand of British colors, and from the other is suspended a broad sword. By the side of the cannon are a howitzer, helmet, and several balls. Behind the cannon is a halbert.
Legend.—Resolution of Congress, Nov. 3d, 1814.