Oldal 50 [50]
= ——— a: —
The Commander of the Forces was induced to authorize this
attack, not by any means as an act of wanton aggression, the troops
under his command having been ordered at al] times to abstain from
all acts of that nature ; but as one of a just and necessary retaliation
Brockville, by a party from Ogdensburg, and in consequence of
frequent depredations from that garrison committed on the person
and property of His Majesty’s subjects within its reach; and, in
announcing its results, his Excellency feels much pleasure in
publicly expressing his entire approbation of the gallantry and
judgment with which it appears to have been conducted.
His Excellency directs the officers and men taken prisoners on
this occasion to be sent to Montreal, there to remain until further
orders. A salute to be fired immediately.
JOHN HARVEY,
Lieutenant-Colonel and Deputy Adjutant-General.
LisT OF KILLED AND WOUNDED, IN THE ATTACK UPON
OGDENSBURG, 22ND FEB, 1813.
Royal] Artillery.—One rank and file killed.
King’s Regiment.—One sergeant killed; twelve rank and file
wounded.
Newfoundland Regiment.—-One rank and file killed, and four
rank and file wounded.
Glengarry Light Infantry.—Two rank and file killed ; one lieu¬
tenant-colonel, one captain, one lieutenant, two sergeants, seven
rank and file, wounded.
Militia. — Two rank and file killed ; one captain, eight subalterns,
one sergeant, fifteen rank and file, wounded.
NAMES OF OFFICERS WOUNDED.
Glengarry Light Infantry.—Lieutenant-Colonel McDonnell, Cap¬
tain Jenkins, severely ; Lieutenant McKay.
Militia.—Captain J. McDonnell, Lieutenant Empy, severely ;
Lieutenant McLean and Lieutenant McDermott.
J. ROWEN,
Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General.
During the Summer of 1813, an American army
under Wilkinson was assembled at Sackett’s Har¬
bour, while General Hampton, with a large force
under his command, waited at Chateauguay, pre¬
pared to march upon Montreal, in conjunction with
Wilkinson, who was to descend the St. Lawrence to
that point. Owing to delays, and the difficulty met
with in securing transports, Wilkinson’s army was
not prepared for offensive action until November,
1813. The force was first landed on Grenadier
Island, with the view of capturing Kingston, but
finding that place guarded by a strong British fleet,
the American commander, on the 5th of September,
suddenly embarked his troops, and sailed down the
river. The transports consisted of three hundred
small sailing vessels and boats, carrying about 8,000
men. The British force at Prescott was under the
command of Lieutenant Colonel Pearson, who had
taken the precaution to despatch Lieutenant Duncan
Clark to Cole’s Ferry to observe the vessels navi¬
gating the river, and promptly report the first ap¬
pearance of the enemy. At an early hour in the
forenoon, an advance guard of vessels hove in sight,
Lieutenant Clark promptly took possession of a
farmer's horse, and in a few minutes rode into
Brockville on his foam-covered steed, and announced
“the enemy are at hand.” With only a moments
pause he dashed away for Prescott with the report
for his commanding officer. Ere night the American
army reached Morristown, where it disembarked
and passed the night. Brockville and Prescott were
thronged with sturdy yeomanry and loyal citizens,
ready to resist and harrass the enemy. At the latter
place a battery commanding the river was planted,
and every precaution taken to prevent Wilkinson
from descending the rapids. To escape the fire from
Prescott, Wilkinson landed his men at a point about
three miles above Ogdensburg, marched them
around that village, and reached the stream at a
safe point below. During the night the boats were
taken down by a few boatmen, who crept along the
American shore. Next morning the troops were re¬
embarked, and the Galops Rapids passed, a halt
being made at Point Iroquois. There, the invaders
met with a reception at the hands of a dozen
Canadians, under the command of Jacob and Peter
Brouse, and a hundred militiamen, who poured ina
volley, by command of their Captain, Monroe.
Wilkinson commanded his force to land, and
Monroe and his little band were compelled to re¬
treat. Part of the American force proceeded about
a mile below Iroquois, the flotilla anchoring in the
bay opposite. Remaining at this point for several
days, the dilatory commander gave the necessary
orders, and the boats passed down the Rapid du
Plat, halting there to obtain pilots, and making the
necessary arrangements for descending the danger¬
ous rapids. At this point he was .reinforced by
General Brown's brigade, which advanced by land
to disperse the British troops and protect the
brigade of boats. The intention was to seize Corn¬
wall, and thus secure the Government stores at that
place. At Hoople’s Creek, Brown encountered the
Glengarry militia, under Major Dennis, but that
officer did not dare risk an engagement. The Amer¬
also running the Sault.
Croil, the historian of Dundas, gives the following
account ofthe battle of Crysler’s Farm: “ When it
was ascertained that Wilkinson had descended the
st. Lawrence, Lieutenant Colonel Morrison, of the
89th Regiment, lost no time in setting out in pur¬
suit of the enemy, who had so dexterously given
him the slip at Kingston, and hastily embarked the
small body of troops that could be spared at that
important point, on board the several ships of war
and a flotilla of gun-boats. These were necessarily
af
ae 4 ——