lake. Lewis having taken possession of the posts between. forts George and Erie, the latter was furiously attacked; but the British had previously blown up the magazine.. Having received intelligence that general Vincent was encamped at Burlington-heights, they pursued on to Stoney-creek, and encamped within about seven miles of the enemy. Here, on the 6th of June, in the middle of the night, their advance were completely surprised and defeated by a detachment from the British camp, who took prisoners two brigadier-generals, one major, three captains, and 100 men, and captured four field-pieces and three tumbrils. The loss of the British in this spirited affair, was twenty-three killed, 135 wounded, and fifty-. five missing. This daring party afterwards made good their retreat, knowing the enemy to be still powerful, and to possess four or five pieces of artillery. The Americans then fell back on Four-mile-ereek, where they received orders to return to fort George. Having put the greater part of the camp equipage and baggage into boats, they were intercepted by an armed schooner, and twelve of them captured; while the army, during the whole of their march, was harassed, by the Indians hanging upon its flanks and rear.

The movement of general Dearborne against the enemy's fortifications on the Niagara, had nearly cost him dear. The British having obtained information of it, resolved upon attacking Sacket's-harbour; well knowing that it was a grand depot of naval and military stores, with a view to further operations against Canada. On the night of the 27th of May, a detachment of 1,000 men, under colonel Baynes, appeared off the harbour, supported by the fleet under sir James Yeo: the place was defended by about an equal number of troops. The next morning a fleet of American barges was observed coming round North-point, with a reinforcement from Oswego; the attention of the British was for some time occupied by these, and they succeeded in cutting off twelve of the boats. Preparations were now made to land, which was effected with little resistance; for a sudden panic having seized the American militia, they fled in confusion, leaving their colonel mortally wounded. The enemy now advanced rapidly to the barracks, where they met with a more spirited resistance from the regulars and artillery; and the militia having been rallied and brought back, the British commander was finally obliged to abandon the enterprise, and order a retreat; leaving all his wounded and a number of prisoners. The loss of the Americans was one colonel, and twenty

three men killed; one lieutenant-colonel, three lieutenants, one ensign, and seventy-nine men wounded; and twentysix missing. The British had one general staff, three sergeants, forty-four rank and file killed; three majors, three captains, five lieutenants, one ensign, seven sergeants, two drummers, 172 rank and file wounded; two captains, one ensign, thirteen rank and file missing.

About this time an affair of considerable moment took place near fort George, in which the American arms experienced a severe reverse. A detachment under colonel Boerstler, consisting of 540 men, including twenty-two officers, had been ordered to dislodge a party of the enemy about seventeen miles distant. On their march they were surrounded by a large body of Indians, accompanied by some British troops, with whom they contended until onethird of their number was slain; when the rest were obliged to capitulate, under the same stipulations as those of general Winchester, at Frenchtown. During the succeeding months, a mere war of posts was kept up between the two armies.

General Dearborne, whose increasing indisposition disqualified him for an active command, had retired from the service, leaving colonel Boyd, his successsor, in fort George. On the 8th of July, a severe skirmish took place, in which nearly the whole force on each side was engaged, without any thing of moment resulting from it: one unfortunate event renders it remarkable. Lieutenant Eldridge, an accomplished youth, with about thirty men, was surrounded by Indians; they resisted until they were nearly all killed but the lieutenant himself, and ten others, were taken prisoners, and never afterwards heard of. The bodies of the slain were treated in the most shocking manner; their hearts being cut out and actually eaten by the savages! After this melancholy transaction, the American general engaged the services of 400 warriors of the Seneca Indians, commanded by two of their chiefs, one of whom had been educated in a college of the United States, but on his return home had resumed the tomohawk.

This valuable officer, and accomplished gentleman, was captain Gray, acting deputy quartermaster-general. He was mortally wounded by a small boy, a drummer, who snatched up a musket and fired it at him, as he was gallantly advancing at the head of a column to storm the barracks. This boy, who was an American, had been his servant, and on the war breaking out, had returned home. On discovering who he had wounded, he ran to his former master, and burst into an agony of grief. Captain Gray generously forgave him; and with a nobleness of soul, of which we have too few examples, took out bis watch and presented it to him, with these words, "My brave little fellow you have done well." Whether the boy deserved is encomium or his curse, is a matter to be settled by the casuists.

On the 11th, a British force of 220 men crossed the Niagara and attacked Black-rock. The militia stationed there having fled, as was usual, the enemy succeeded in burning the barracks, ship-yard, and block-houses; they also captured and destroyed some cannon and warlike stores. But a considerable force of regulars and Indians having been collected, the British were obliged to retreat to their boats, before the stores were completely destroyed, leaving thirteen killed and twenty-five wounded; among the latter was colonel Bisshopp, who commanded the party. On the 28th, a second expedition was undertaken against York. Colonel Scott, with 300 men, embarked in commodore Chauncey's fleet, and suddenly landing at that place, surprised the enemy, destroyed a part of the public stores and property, released a number of colonel Boerstler's men, and returned to Sacket's-harbour with a trifling loss.

Both the British and Americans had now established a small naval force upon lake Champlain; but that of the latter was by much the least prosperous. In the beginning of July, two fine schooners, the Growler and Eagle, were captured by the British, who then became masters of the lake, cruised along its borders, and landing at Champlaintown, and other places, destroyed several block-houses and much public property. On lake Ontario, a formidable naval armament was arrayed on either side, and an interesting contest ensued between two skilful naval officers, sir James Yeo and commodore Chauneey, for the superiority; being nearly upon an equality in point of force. On the 7th of August, they came in sight of each other, when a scene of grand manoeuvring took place, which continued throughout the day; but in the evening the wind blew a gale, and at eleven o'clock at night, two of the American schooners upset in a squall, by which the whole of the crews, consisting of more than 100 men, were drowned, except sixteen. Partial actions took place between the fleets until the 10th, when sir James succeeded in cutting off two of the enemy's schooners, which he carried safe into port.

War on the coast, maritime transactions, affairs of the west, &c.-It was now understood, that the system of warfare which was meant to be carried on in the spring against the Atlantic coast, would be a system of severity; but to what extent was not known. On the 4th of February, 1814, a squadron, consisting of two ships of

the line, three frigates, and other vessels, made its appearance in the Chesapeak. The alarm was instantly caught at Norfolk, in Virginia, and the militia called in from the upper part of the state. No attempt, however, was made upon the town, the enemy contenting himself by destroying the smaller vessels, and blockading the waters of the bay. About the same time, another squadron, under commodore Beresford, arrived in the Delaware; which in the same manner destroyed a number of small trading vessels, and attempted to land some men, but were repulsed by the militia. On the 10th of April, the commodore made a demand on the village of Lewistown, for a supply of provisions, which was refused. The Belvidera frigate was then ordered to bombard the place; but after la cannonade of twenty-four hours, little or no damage was done: the fire had been returned from several batteries, hastily thrown up on the bank, with considerable effect. The same squadron, on the 10th of May, having sent out boats to procure water in the neighbourhood of Lewistown, a detachment of 150 militia, under major Hunter, opposed their landing, and compelled them to return to their shipping. These ships soon after returned to Bermuda, where a more consilerable armament, for the annoyance of the American sea-coast, was then fitting out.

Not long after the departure of the squadron, the Spartau, and some other frigates, entered the Delaware; and on the 29th of July, one of their vessels, (the Martin sloop of war, was discovered to be slightly grounded. A detachment of the gun-boat flotilla immediately moved, and anchored about three quarters of a mile from the sloop, opened a destructive fire upon her. The Juno frigate came to her assistance, and a cannonade was kept up during an hour, between the gun-boats and these two ships; who at length manned all their boats, and succeeded in cutting off No. 121 gun-boat from the rest of this musqueto fleet. The Martin having been extricated from her situation, the British soon after made sail.

Scenes of a different kind were in the meanwhile acting in the Chesapeak. The squadron, which returned in February, still continued to carry on a severe warfare along the shores and inlets, upon the property of the inhabitants. The citizens of Maryland formed bodies of cavalry, which were stationed at intervals along the shore, for the purpose of repelling the inroads of the enemy; who had now taken possession of several islands In the bay, whence descents could readily be made upon

the neighbouring shores, when the inhabitants happened to be off their guard. The next attack was upon Frenchtown, a village about half-way between Philadelphia and Baltimore, and a place of deposit on the line of packets and stages. A number of marines landed from the Marlborough seventy-four, and after destroying the store. houses, together with the goods they were unable to carry off, to an immense amount, they retreated to their boats in safety: the militia, who were drawn up to oppose their landing, having fled at their approach.

On the 3d of May, a descent was made at Havre-deGrace, a post town and port of entry near the head of Chesapeak-bay. The inhabitants were surprised in their beds, by the firing of rockets; and the more courageous part of them ran to the beach, were a few small cannon had been planted for defence. After supporting a fire for some time, on the approach of the barges they all fled, except an old citizen of the town, named O'Neill, a native of Ireland. This man alone continued the fight, loading a piece of artillery, and firing it himself, until by recoiling, it ran over his thigh and wounded him severely, He then armed himself with a musket, and still continued to fire on the boats as they advanced; but finding his single exertions of no avail, he retreated, wounded, to his com Fades, whom he in vain attempted to rally. The enemy now landed, burned the houses, and destroyed much property; an elegant house belonging to commodore Rodgers, was spared by an order from admiral Cockburn, who commanded the British ships in the Chesapeak. After the town was destroyed, the invaders divided into three parties, and while one remained as a guard, the other two proceeded to the country, levying contributions on the farmers, from whom they carried off much valuable pro. perty. On the 6th, they returned to their fleet, and liberated O'Neill, who had been for two days a prisoner.

The next attack was upon two handsome villages, called Georgetown and Fredericktown, situated upon the river Sassafras, which flows into Chesapeak-bay. At the latter town, colonel Veazy had collected about fifty militia, who, according to their custom, fled on the approach of the barges, which kept up a heavy fire of cannon and musketry. Both these villages were burnt, and a large quantity of spoil carried off. Soon after this, admiral Warren entered the bay, with a considerable reinforcement, and a number of land troops and marines. The whole British force now in the Chesapeak, consisted of seven ships of the line, and twelve frigates, with a proportionate number