up the advantages which general Proctor might gain, in conjunction with their commander on the lake. In the mean while, in the neighbouring states of Ohio and Kentucky, the people were excited in a most surprising degree; and had it been necessary, they would have risen en masse; almost every man capable of bearing a musket, was anxious to march. The governor of Ohio had scarcely issued his proclamation, calling on volunteers to arm in defence of their country, than 15,000 men presented themselves, fully equipped; being more than three times the number required. The venerable governor of Kentucky, Shelby, an officer in the revolutionary war, made it known that he would place himself at the head of the citizens of that state, and lead them to seek revenge for the massacre of their relatives and friends, at Frenchtown; but limited the number of volunteers to 4,000.

The campaign opened by an attack upon Sandusky, on lake Erie, which was defended by colonel Croghan, a youth of twenty-one years of age. His force amounted to about 160 men, regulars, and volunteers from Pittsburgh, with only one six-pounder. General Harrison, not believing that the place could be defended, ordered Croghan to retire on the approach of the enemy, after destroying what few works were erected. This the colonel, taking the responsibility upon himself, determined to disobey. On the 1st of August, general Proctor, having left a large body of Indians under Tecumsech, to keep up the appearance of a siege against fort Meigs, arrived at Sandusky with about 400 British, 3,000 Indians, and some gun-boats. After the general had disposed his troops so as to cut off the retreat of the garrison, he sent a flag by colonel Elliot, demanding a surrender. A spirited answer was returned by Croghan, who found that all his companions, chiefly youths like himself, would support him to the last extremity.

When the flag returned, a brisk fire was opened from the gun-boats and howitzer, which continued during the night: in the morning three sixes began to play, within 250 yards" of the pickets. At four o'clock in the afternoon, a breach was attempted at the north-west angle, by bringing all the artillery to bear against it; but it was instantly strengthened by bags of flour and sand; and a six-pounder, loaded with slugs and grape, was concealed in the bastion which commanded the point to be assailed. A large body of the enemy now advanced in close column, to storm the place supposed to be injured, and lieut.-colonel Short, their commander, gallantly leaped into the ditch, calling upon

the rest to follow. The fatal six-pounder now opened a most destructive fire, killing and wounding the greater part, and among the first, colonel Short and lieutenant Gordon: a heavy discharge of musketry was also kept up upon the troops in rear of the advance. The assailants were now drawn off, and returned to Sandwich; having lost, according to their own return, twenty-five killed, the same number missing, and forty wounded. But the American account says, that the British had at least 200 killed and wounded, and that more than fifty were found in the ditch; while the loss of the garrison was only one killed, and seven wounded. Upon these contradictory statements the reader is left to decide.-Soon after this, Tecumsech raised the siege of fort Meigs, and followed general Proctor to Detroit.

The utmost exertions had been made in the mean time by commodore Perry, to complete the naval armament on lake Erie. His fleet consisted of two brigs of 20 guns each, one of 3, one schooner of 4, two of 2 each, and three sloops of 1 gun each; total, 54 guns, The British force, under captain Barclay, consisted of two ships, one of 19, the other of 17 guns; one schooner of 13, one brig of 8, one sloop of 3, and another carrying 1 gun; total, 61 guns. On the morning of the 10th of September, the British ships was seen bearing down upon the American squadron, then at anchor in Put-in-bay. Perry immediately weighed, and went out to meet them; and the line of battle was formed at eleven o'clock, the Americans having the weather gage. At a quarter before twelve, the action was commenced by captain Barclay, in the Detroit, attacking the Lawrence, commodore Perry's ship, which she sustained for ten minutes, before she could approach near enough for her carronades to do execution, She therefore bore up, making signals for the other vessels to hasten to her support, and about twelve opened her fire upon the enemy. But the wind being too light, the other vessels could not get up to assist her, and she was therefore obliged to contend for two hours with two antagonists, until she became a mere wreck, altogether unmanageable. At this time commodore Perry having determined to shift his flag, leaped into a boat, and passed unhurt to the Niagara, of 20 guns, which he had no sooner reached, than the Lawrence struck her colours; but none of the British vessels were in a condition to take possession of her. The scale now turned in favour of Perry, and the contest raged for some time with great violence, until the British ship Queen Charlotte, having lost her captain and

all the principal officers, by some mischance ran foul of the Detroit, and most of the guns of both vessels became useless. They were now compelled to sustain an incessant fire from the Niagara, and the other vessels of the American squadron, which came to her support. The flag of captain Barclay was soon after struck, and the colours of the Queen Charlotte, and of all the other vessels, followed in succession, after a severe and bloody conflict of three hours. The loss of the Americans was twenty-seven killed, and ninety-six wounded, among the former, one lieutenant of marines, and one midshipman; among the latter, one lieutenant, one master, one purser, and two midshipmen. The British loss was three officers and thirty-eight men killed, and nine officers and eighty-five men wounded; among the latter, the gallant captain Barclay, dangerously: captain Finnis, of the Queen Charlotte, was killed.

The Americans were now masters of lake Erie; but their territory was still in the possession of general Proctor. The next movement was against the British and Indians at Detroit, and at Malden. Four thousand Kentuckians, with the governor at their head, arrived at general Harrison's camp; and with the co-operation of the fleet, it was determined to proceed at once to Malden, while colonel Johnson was ordered to proceed to Detroit. On the 27th, the troops were received on board, and on the same day reached a point below Malden; which had been evacuated by the British general, Proctor, who, with the Indians under Tecumsech, had retreated along the river Thames. On the 2d of October, the Americans marched with 3,500 men in pursuit of general Proctor, and the first day proceeded twenty-six miles. On the 4th, they were detained by an attack from a large body of Indians, who were dispersed, and 2,000 stand of arms captured: the day following they reached the place where the enemy had encamped. Colonel Johnson went forward to reconnoitre, and found the British drawn up in battle array; their right wing consisting of the Indians, under Tecumsech, who were posted in a swamp. The Americans were formed in two lines, with cavalry in the front opposed to the savages.

Upon the left, the action was begun by Tecumsech with great fury; and colonel Johnson, who commanded on that flank, received a galling fire. The combat now raged with unusual violence; the Indians, to the amount of 1,300, seemed determined to maintain their ground to the last; and the terrible voice of Tecumsech could be disNO. XI.

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tinctly heard, encouraging his warriors, who fought round their gallant chief with determined courage. An incident soon occurred which decided the contest. Colonel Johnson rushed forward towards the spot, where the the Indians, clustering about their undaunted leader, contending with the utmost fury, and found himself in the midst of them, while a hundred rifles were aimed at him. The colonel, being mounted on an elegant white horse, was a very conspicuous object; and his holsters, clothes, and accoutrements were pierced with bullets; himself having received five wounds, and his horse nine. At the instant his horse was about to sink under him, the daring Kentuckian, covered with blood from his wounds, was discovered by Tecumsech. The heroic chief, having discharged his rifle, sprang forward with his tomohawk; but struck with the appearance of his brave antagonist, and somewhat startled by the determined glance of his eye, hesitated for a moment, and that moment was his last. The colonel levelled a pistol at his breast, and they both, almost at the same instant, fell to the ground-Tecumsech to rise no more.* The Kentucky volunteers rushed forward to the rescue of their leader, while the Indian chiefs and warriors, surrounding the body of their great chief tian, fought with the utmost desperation; but no longer stimulated by his animating voice and example, soon after fled in confusion, Near the spot where this scene occurred, thirty Indians were found dead, and six of their oppoments. In this engagement, the British loss was ninety killed, and 150 wounded; the Indians left 120 on the field, The American loss, in killed and wounded, amounted to' upwards of fifty. After the action, general Proctor retreated along the river Thames, leaving several pieces of brass cannon, and his travelling carriage, containing all his private papers. The Indian chiefs now came forward

**

• Thus fell, about the fortieth year of his age, Tecumsech, the most celebrated Indian warrior that ever raised the tomohawk against white men; and with him fell the hopes of the Indians attached to the British army. But he fell respected by his enemies, as a great and magnanimous chief; for though he never took prisoners in battle, he treated with humanity those that had been taken by others; and at the defeat of colonel Dudley, in attempting to relieve fort Meigs, actually put to death a chief whom he found engaged in the work of massacre. He was endowed with a powerful mind, and possessed the soul of a hero; had an uncommon dignity in his countenance and manners, by which marks he could be easily distinguished, even after death, from the rest of the slain; for he wore no mark of distinction. When girded with a silk sash, and told by general Proctor that he was made a brigadier in the British service, he returned the present with respectful contempt. Born with no title to command but his native greatness, every tribe yielded submission to him at once; and no one ever disputed his authority. His form was uncommonly elegant, his stature about six feet, and his limbs perfectly proportioned:

and sued for peace, which was granted them, on condition of declaring against their former friends, which they immediately did, and were supported at the expence of the American government during the ensuing winter. The Indian war in this quarter being now at an end, and the frontier secured, the greater part of the volunteers were permitted to return home; and general Harrison, after stationing general Cass at Detroit, with about 1,000 men, proceeded, with the remainder of his force, to join the army of the centre at Buffalo, on lake Erie.

Another attempt on Canada, meeting of congress, northern coast invaded, &c.-The successful operations of the north-western army, and the victory on lake Erie, had opened the way to a more effectual invasion of Canada. The season was already far advanced, yet much might be done; but perhaps to satisfy the public expectation to the extent it had been raised by the success of general Harrison, was scarcely possible. After the resig nation of general Dearborne, general Wilkinson, who commanded in the south, was called to the command of the northern army. The force under his orders, on the Niagara, amounted to 8,000 regulars, besides those under Harrison, which were expected in October. General Hampton was also called from the south, and appointed to command a part of the army of the north, then encamped at Plattsburgh, on lake Champlain, which amounted to about 4,000 men. As the season for military operations was drawing to a close, measures were immediately taken for carrying into effect the projected invasion. The outline of the plan was simply this, to descend the St. Lawrence, passing the British posts above, to join general Hampton at some appointed place on the river, and then proceed direct to Montreal; after which, says Wilkinson's proclamation, "your artillery, bayonets, and swords, must secure you a triumph, or provide for you honourable graves." Grenadier's island, situated between Sacket'sharbour, on lake Ontario, and in the state of New York, and Kingston, in Upper Canada, which are only thirty-six miles apart, was the place appointed for the different corps of the army to assemble; being only a few miles distant from the river St. Lawrence.

On the 2d of October, general Wilkinson left fort George, with the principal body of the troops, and soon after reached the island; and by the 23d, above 7,000 men