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8. ( bi 30 ee va hatra a ee 988 re ihe ~~ mak cessful, with a loss of five or six killed and forty-two wounded. After this was over, I returned to my home in Brockville, having served two months beyond my allotted time. That winter, the Parliament of Upper Canada passed a law to raise a Provincial Regiment, to serve during the war. Unsolicited and unexpected, I received recruiting orders from the commanding officer at Prescott, to enlist a certain number of men, and get a commission in the new Battalion. In this I succeeded, and received an ensign’s commision in Captain Thomas Fraser's company, the first one organized of the regiment. I was soon appointed to act as quartermaster, with pay and allowances increased to that grade. In this capacity I served until the month of March following, when the regiment was ordered to York, to be more perfectly drilled and disciplined, when, having received a new set of staff officers from the 41st Regiment, and a new Colonel (Robinson, from the 8th, or Queen’s Own), I was relieved as quarter-master, and placed in Captain Hamilton Walker’s company as ensign. We remained in York, being drilled and disciplined, until the invasion of Canada by the American army, on the 4th of July, 1814, which crossed the Niagara River from Black Rock, and, after a slight skirmish with the few troops there (merely a guard), took possession of Fort Erie, which they soon commenced fortifying, making it the base of operations for the campaign. The day following, our regiment had orders to prepare to embark for the frontier, and sailed from York on the 6th of July, by a brig of war and four schooners, arriving at Niagara on the afternoon of the same day. All our surplus and baggage being placed in store at Fort George, we immediately marched for Queenston, arriving there about Io P.M. The American army had moved down the river the day after crossing, and was met the following day by such force as could be mustered, commanded by General Riol (mainly Militia, with a few broken detachments of regulars, and a few Indians), above Chippewa, where the battle of "Streets Farm " took place, and was hotly contested a good part of the day. Finding it hopeless, with his small force, either to capture or drive them back to Fort Erie, our forces were withdrawn, leaving numbers killed and wounded, and the Americans masters of the field. Among the killed and wounded were several prominent and valuable citizens and officers of Militia. Our troops fell back on Chippewa Creek, about two miles above Niagara Falls, where we had some battalions and military works. Our regiment lay, the night we arrived, at Queenston, expecting to join our friends at Chippewa Creek next day, but received orders to remain there the next day, during which time numbers of our wounded men and officers from the battle-field passed down for Fort George. The next day we marched for Chippewa. The day being hot, on reaching the Falls, we stocked arms, and rested for half-an-hour, when, again starting for our destination, we were soon met by our troops from Chippewa, they having destroyed and abandoned our works there, bringing draw, accompanied by hundreds of women and children, besides men on foot and in vehicles, making their way to Fort George, as a place of safety, the enemy being in pursuit, and not far behind. Our regiment, having had a slow and fatiguing march already, wheeled about, and was given a special privilege and benefit of marching in front. Ketracing our steps as fast as possible, we reached the foot of the mountain, at Queenston, a little after dark, where a short halt was made, and where we gotia drink of muddy sulphur water that crossed the road, and had served to each man and officer about half-a-pound of bread that had been brought in an open wagon, and was pretty well filled with dust and gravel, gladly eating and drinking such as could be got. ‘Having rested awhile, the march was continued for Fort George, seven miles distant. During the halt at Queenston, the guns were dismantled and, with the stores, hauled out of a small fort built on the side of the mountain at Queenston, just above the town. It had but lately been finished, and appeared sufficient to stand a siege. After the guns and stores had been removed, the block house was set on fire and destroyed, so that it could not be used by the enemy, who reached there next morning. After starting for Fort George, we were halted at McFarland’s, a large deserted brick house, about a mile outside the fort, as a piquet guard, until morning, the remainder of our force passing on to the fort. After placing sentries, all found a resting place on the floor of the house and ground of the orchard near by, until daylight, from whence we could see the tents of the enemy, established on the mountain, six miles from us. After daylight we were marched to Niagara, and encamped within range of the fort, remaining there several days, During that time, the Americans had advanced to McFarland’s, and placed guards and piquets, nearly surrounding us with sentries. We, of course did the same, which brought them and our sentries On several occasions, attempts were made, particularly at night, within speaking distance of each other. to capture our sentries and guards. I recollect, one night, a party, accompanied by one of their generals (Swift), partly succeeded, but lost their general, who
