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From the Nut. MeUgeneer, Sept. 1.
Battle of Fort Erie.
Copies of letters from Brigadier Gen. Gaines
to the Secretary of War, dated
11. Q, jpuvt Buie, U. C.
August 29, 1814.
Sift,
Los# of steep and|Constant exposure to the
Weather in its various changes, gave me some
days ago a violent coldi whi#h lias put it out-of
my |K>wer to do any thing more than tjje slate
of the service here rendered absolutely iudis
pensible. Hetice my apoh/gy for delaying until
this day p>y report of lit# battle of the in
stant. /
General Drummond is quietly engaged in*
collecting his
pears to be fortifyecl. I attemped to look at it
a few days past, and ip cost me a fine young of
ficer,Yates, of the 4th Rifle regiment, kill
ed : and Lt. Kearsley, of that excellent corps,
with Lt- Childs of 9th, wounded : with 4he
loss of some 2 or 3 privates killed and. 5 or 6
wounded. The loss jof the enemy I was unable
to ascertain. He would not leave his defences,'
and I did not think proper to leave mine at all
expose). Several deserters say that the 6lln
and 821 regiments* Arrived last night. If this
be true their strength is about the same as it
was before the buttle of the Vjhh. Their Col.
Scott is dead; about twenty deserters from l)e
Watteville regiment, and- some few from other
Corps concur in ihe report, that their loss in
killed, wounded and missing on the 15th, was
upwards of a thousand. 1 •
Your obedient servant,
K. P. GAINS.
• Brigadier Gen. Commanding.
Qenoi'al Armstrong,
Secretary at War. /
Head-Quarters. Left Wing,-
2d Division* Fort Brie, U. C Aug. —, 1814. 1
SIR—I have the honor to communicate for |
the information of th* Department of War, the '
particulars of the battle fought at this place on I
the 15th instant, between the left wmg of tire
2d division of the Northern Army, under my I
command, and the British forces >n tire Penin
sula of Upper Cm ad i, commanded by Lieuten
ant General Drummond, which terminated in a
in favour of the United States’
arms. * " ■; /
v Our position on tine margin pf the*Lake at
the entrance of the Niagara River, being nearly
a horizontal plain, twelve to fifteen feet above
the surface of the water, possessing few natural
advantages, had heeiy strengthened in front by j
temporary p arapat brest works, entrenchments ■
and abattis, with two batteries and six field j
pieces. The small unfinished Fort, Erie, with 1
$1 18 and 12 pound fs, forms the North j
Easr.and the Ikmglass Battery, witli a 11 and 6 1
pounder near the edge of the’ Lake, the South- j
East angle of our right The left is defended
by a redoubt battery with six field pieces just •
thrown up on a small ridge. Our rear was* left
open totlie Lake, bordered by a rocky shore of
easy assent. The battery on the left, was de
fended by CapU Towson ; #ort Erie by Capt.
Williams, wijh Major Trimble’s cammand of'
tile 19th infantry; the batteries on the front by i
Captains Biddle and Fanning, the whole of the
artillery commanded by Major Hindman pxrts ;
of the 11th, 9lh, and 22-1 infantry (of the late i
veteran brigade of Major Gen. Scot-,) were
posted on the right under the command of
Lieut. Col. Gen Ripley’s brigade,
consist ing of ne 21st, and 23, defended the left.
Gen. Porter’s brigade of New-York and Penn
sylvania Volunteers, with our distinguished
riflemen, ocfl&pied the centre.
. I have, heretofore omitted stating to you, that
during the 13Mi and 14th the enemy had kept
up % brisk cannnnud which was sharply re
turned from ou>‘batteries, without any consid
erable loss o-i our part. Av 6. P. M. one of
their shells lodged in a magazine in Fort Brie
which was fortunately aim >st. empty. It blew
up with an explosion more awful in appearance
than injurious in its effects, as it did not disa
ble a man or derange a gun. Ii occasioned but
a momentary causation of the thunders of the
artillery on both sides j it was followed by a
load and joyous shout by the Bmisfi army,
which was instantly returned on our part, and
Capt. Williams amidst the smoke of the explo
sion, renew, d the contest by an animated roar of
his heavy cannon.
Prom ' W supposed loss of our ammunition,
and the Consequent depression such an event
was likely o priduce upon the minds of our
men, I felt persuaded that this explosion would
lead the enemy to assault, and mads mv ar
rangements accordingly. The annexed pap*
No. I, is a copy of Lieut. Gen. Drummond’s or
der and plan of attack.
The night was dark, and the early part of it
tamng, but the faithful centinel slept not ; one
third ot the troops were up at their posts, At
halt past 2 o clock, the rigljt column of the en
emy approached, and though enveloped in dark
ness. fblack as his designs and principles, was !
distinctly heard on our left and promptly mark- !
cd by our musketry under Major Wood, and !
cannon n,.d *r Uapt. Towson. Being mounted I
at toe moment, I repaired to the point of attack 1
where the sheet of fire rolling from Towson’s
Ktrr tl,e mus , kel, y of the left wing of
the 21st infantry under Major Wood, enabled
me to see the enemy’s column of about 1500
Illl’rt"! 5 on .. t,Ut P° ints his advance
was not checked until it had approached with
” ° foUl> i , nfu,,tr y* '* U " e ofloose brush
representing an abattis only, intervened ;* a col-
r n !: mv tempted to pass round tlie
osat/i« thro the -water wliere it was nearly
uwi w ee *' ■ that this point
wou.d be carried. 1 ordered a detachment of ri
neraen and mfantry-to its support; but, having
met with the gallant commander Major Woo-f i
was assured by him that he could defend His
reinforcements ,*l this mo-
U fi ene K y were repulsed, but instantly re-1
new. d the charge, and were again repulsed.
My a le.i-ian was now called to the rigid, iwhere .
’ " amv ’ v! 5 firat . d ‘ v *? idn of Wellington’s'
v • • .iCh lias leached the scene of action- **
h - eard ’ * nd ma,, y our offo '!
ceisite.nl, orders given •• to give the damned
J anhee rascals no quarters,** ■ '
' V
our batteries and lines ’#ese #o»n lighted by
a most brilliant fire of crono%and musketry; it
announced the approach of the centre and left
columns of the enemty, under Colonels Drura
‘mond and Scott; tlie lattey was received by the
veteran 9th, under the command of Capt. Fos
ter, and Captains Boughton and Harding’s com
panics of New-Yorfc and Pennsylvania volun
teers, aided by a f pounder judiciously posted
by Ma jor xM‘Ksc, chief engineer, who was most
active aiid useful at this point; they were re
pulsed That of the centre led by CoL'Drum
irtond, was not long kept in check ; approached
at once every assailable point of the Fort, and
, with scaling ladders ascended tlie parapet, but
.was repulsed with dreadful carnage. The as
sault was twice repeated, and as of ten check-, d,
but the enemy haying moved round i% the diuffi
covered by darkness, added to the heavy cioud
of smoke which had rolled from our cannon and
musketry, enveloping surrounding objects, re
peated the charge, re-ascended the * ladders;
their pikes, bayonets, and spears, fell upon our
gallant artillerists. The gallant spirits of our
favorite Captain Willians and Lieutenant Me
Donough and Watmough, with their brave men
were overcame. The two former, and several
tof their men, received deadly .wounds, pur bas
tion was lost. Lieutenant McDonough, being
severely wounded, demanded quarters. It wu£
refused by Colonel Drummond. The Lieuten
ant then seized a handspike, and nobly defend
ed hipiself until he was shot down with a pis
tol by the monster who had refused him quar
ters, who often reiterat ed to order—“ Give the
damned Yankees no quarters This 7 officer,
whose bravery, if it had been seasoned with vir
tue, would have entitled him to the admiration
of every sohlier—this hardened murderer soon
met his fate. lie was shot through the breast
by of (he - regt, while repeating the
order “ to give no quarters .” ?>
The bat- le now raged w ith increased fury oil
the right, but on the left thr enemy was repul
sed and put to flight. Thence and from the
centre I ordered reinforcements. They were
I promptly sent by Brig. Gen. Ripley and brig,
j Gen I orler. Capt. Fanning, of tire corps of
1 artillery, kept up a spirited and destructive
fire with his fie;d piece? on the enemy attenua
ting to-approach the Fort. Major Hindman’s
gaUant efforts, aided by 51..j0r Trimble, liav
mg failed to drive the enemy from (#e bastion,
wah the remaining artillerists and infantry in
the Fort, Capt. Birdsall, of the 4- h rifle regi
merit, with a detachment of riflemen, gallantly
rushed in through the gateway to their assis
tance, ami with some infan*ry charged the en
emy ; but was repulsed, and the Captain se
verely wounded A detachment from tlie llth
j 19111 and 22d infantry,#under Captain Foster of
; the 11 h, were introduced over the interior bus-
I S?" ? ,,rpose °S charging the enemy,
j , ” a ‘L Inspector General, very
j handsomely tendered his services to lead the
, charge. Tlie charge was gallantly nude by
j Captain Foster and Major Hall, but owing to
■ the narrowness of the passage up to the basuon
admit ting only two or three men abrerrsi it fail
ed. It Was p| ten repeated and as often checkd.
1 he enemy s force in the bastion was, however
much cue to pieces and diminished by our artil
lery and small arms. dt. this moment every on
eration was arrested by the explosion of some
I deposited in the end of the stome
bunding adjoining the contested bastiou. The *
| explosion was tremendous—it was decisive • tlie
j bastion was restored At this moment captain I
Biddle was ordered to cause a field piece to be ‘
posted so as to enfilade the exterior plain, ai d
salient glacis. The captain though not recov
erecl #om a severe contusion in the shoulder
received from one of the enemy’s shells prompt
ly took his position, and served his field piece
with vivacity and effect. Captain Fanning’s |
battery likewise played upon them at this lime 1
with great effect. The enemy were in a few mo
ments entirely defeated, taken or put to flieht
cavmg on the field 221 killed, 174 wounded, &
100 pnsoners, including 14 officers killed and 7
wounded and prisoners. A large portion are so ,
severely wounded, that they cannot survive, the
slightl v woumied it 1S presumed wore carried off
To Birg. Gen. Ripley much credit is due fop 1
the judicious disposition of the left wing nrevb
ous to the action, and for tbe steady disciplined
courage manifested by him and Ins immediate
command, and for the promptness with which
he complied with my orders for reinforcement
during the actum. Brig. Gen. Porter
man ding the New-York and Pennsylvania Vob
unte-ers, manifested a degree of vigilance and
judgment m h.s preparatory arrangement as
wed as military skill and courage in the action
Winch proves him to be worthy the confidence
of his country and the brave Volunteers who
fought undfer him. Os the Volunteers, captains
Broughton and Harding, with their detach
ments, posted on the right and attached to the
line, commanded by captain E Foster, of the
\ eteran 9th infantry, handsomely contributed
fthe,eftColUßA ° f * e ;
preparations and steady con
firlt h f * LI2U C °- 1 Asp "! Wa . 11 ‘ commanding the
first bngaae merit approbation. “ b
To Major M’Kee, Chief Engineer, tlie great 1
jest credit U due tor U* irongSS£
I “kjltol Mecwtipn of his pi.,,, f or foSying
I and defending die right, and for his correct and
.regnin the bastion.
Major Mood, of the Enguieers, also greatly
contnbuted to the previous measure# of defence >
He had accepted the command of a regiment of
infantry (the 2lst) foe which he has oSZ\y. '
ed himself we I qualified, but neaver so con pic '
u °ush£ as on this occasion. *
battery emitted a constant sheet of
fire. Woods small arms lightened ud the
space; and repulsed five terrible charges made '
between the battery and the Uke. Brig. G en ]
Ripley speaks in high terms of the officers and 1
men engaged, particularly Captri,. S Mar2n &
Ropes ; Lieuts. B.ddle as the 15th, doing duty
with the 21sl) and Hall; Ensigns Benn Jones
Sides’of"Sr’ of ,he sat - a,!d ’ i
displayed a degree of gallantry and good con'
0 SU ? aSSe<i situ
trCaoL?n i w ! rr T ° WSOn , an T d lhe much ia ment- 0
ed Gaptam Williams and Lieut. M'tionongh
and that of Lieut. VVatmougl!, as already ri
fwfrt! Vlt ' lbeif commands, rrn- h
ueretl them most conspicuous. The course & C;
•'■■■ -4 >
: , .f >■; i:.. y . ~ ~-i s%rj v >•;
• >
good conduct of Lieut Zantxlnger aiid Lieut.
is* spoken of in high terms by Major
l.lindniaa Capt- Towsoi), as also that of Ser
geant-Major Denhon.—Captain* Kiddle & Fan
"*no« on the centre and right of their,entrench
ments, threw their shot to the fight, left and
front, and annoyed the Indians and light troops
of the enemy apprqachiag from*the * woods,\
Lieut. Fpntame, in His •zeal to meat the enemy,
aviis unfortunately wounded, and made prisoner.
Lieutenant Bird was active and useful, and
in fact every individual of the corps did their
duty, .
1 he detachment of Scott’s gallant brigade,
consisting of parts of the 9th 31th and ?2d in
fan try, did its duty in a manner worthy the high
.reputation the brigade had acquired at Chippe
wa and at the falls of the Niagara. The 9iH
ur.dcr the command of Cipt. Edmund Fester*
Was actively engaged against the left of the en
emy, & with the aid of Lieht. Douglass’ corps
of bombardiers, commanding the water battery,
and of that of the Volunteers, under Captains
Bough-ion and Harding, effected (heir repulse.
Ihe good conduct of Lieuts Childs, Cushman
and Foot, and Ensign Blake, deserves-commeu
dat ion.
The officers killed are, C iptaim Williams &
Lieu’engirt M'Dimotigh, of the artillery; wound
ed, Lieut. Wutmough, of the arhllery; £n?:gn
Cisna 19th; Lieut BushnellQlst; Lieuts. Brown
and Belknap, 23; ai d C..pi. Birdisall, 4lh rifle
regt. all severely.
Lieut. Fontaine, of the artillery, who waff ta
ken prisoner, write’s from the British caipp,
that,he fortunately fell in‘o the hands of the
Indians, who, after taking his money, treated
him kindly It would seem, thin that these
savages had not joined In the resolution to give
no quarc s. --
1° major Jones, assist acljs. gen. and major
Hall, assist, insp gen.; capt Harris of vhe dra
goons, vol aid-dc-camp ; lieut. Bolton aid-dc- I
camp, much credit is due for their constant vigi- I
lance and strict attention to every duty previous '
to the action and the steady courage, zeal and ac- ■
tivirjt.which they manifesud during the action. ;
The surgeons, doctors Fuller 23d, Trowbiidge i
?lst with their mates; doctors Gale of the 23d & |
Everitt and ffiten of the 21st, deserve the warm
est approbation for their indefatigable exerti.T:s '
and humane attention to the wounded of cur ar- !
my. as well as to the wounded who fell into :hur !
hands.
I have the honor to be, Sjr, your verv obedient
servant, E. p. GAINES,
Brig. Gen Commanding,
Hun. John Armstrong, Secretary of War.
Killed, wounded and missing during the
' bombardment.
Killed, privates, ,9 g
Sr Vei rly wounded, 1 officer 16 pr*/ 17
Slightly Ditto, 3 do. 14 do. 17
• 43"
I During Action.
Killed 2 ' ffictrs 15 privatesj 17
D-ngerr-usty 'wounded 3 privates, 3
Sr. v rtly wounded 5 rffictrs 22 k.&f. 27
VVr underi s'ighily, 26 privates, 26
.Missing I < ffi.tr, 10 privates, 11
g 4
, Return of t' e hillel wounded and prisoners taken at' 1
I tee battle of Erie V. C August 30, 1814.
i K,li ‘ d on the field 22 t ; wounded left on *
the field 174; 186—grand total 58 I. i 1
Two hundred supposed to be killed or. the left 1
flank near Snake Hill (in the wafer) and permit- 1
ted to float down the Niagara. The number on ’
the right flank near the woods could not be as- I 5
ccnamed, ! t
| Given at the Inspector General Office. Fort « 1
Erie, U. C. NATHL: N HALL,
M , 1 Assistant Inspector General
Bng. Gen. E. P. Gaines, £p*c. '
Y . __ 1
Lieutenant-General Drummond's arrangement 1
and order for attack. ,
CSecret.]:
. Head-Quarters, Camp before Erie, !
14 h August, 1814 t
’ akrancement.
Right column—Lieutenant colonel Fischer, [
King's Regiment .«*, .
(V. lunt<*ers) De Watteville's.
Light companies, 89th and 100th regiments.
Detachments Royal artillery—l officer. 12 men *
and a rocketeer, with a coupje of 12 pound
f A
Capt Eustace's picket of cavalry ; C apt. Powell, I
deputy assistant-quarter-master-general, will t
conduct this column. which is to attack the left ,
of the enemy's position Major Court, r
Centre co.umn—lieutenant colonel Drummond. i
Flank companies, 41si regnnent,
ditto 104th. ' . - a
Royal Marines 50 I
Seamen 90 f>
D'tjchments of Royal artillery, 1 sub and 12 ?
men—Capt Barney, 89. h regiment will guide K,
this column, which is to attack the forts I V
Left column-col Scoi V lood icgiment. ■ * ! *
Capt. Elliott deputy-quarter -master-general, will 1°
conduct tins eclumn, which will attack the
right of the enemy's position towards the Lake, ..
and endeavor to penetrate by the openings, be- '
twjxt the forts and entrenchments, using the
short ladders at the tame time, to pass the en- m
trenchment, which is reported to be defended ™
only by the enemy's 9fh regiment, 250 sirong. ™
The infantry pickets on Buck's Road, wilfb“
pushed on with the Indians, and attack theen- r
my's p eke! on tha< road. Lieu:, col. Ni co l!
quarter-mas er-general of mill: la, will conduct u°
this column. “c
The res: of the troops, &c. a6
Ist Bat * alion Royals. ' v
Remainder of Dc Watfevillc'S regirr.enf. Glenea- *1
ry light mfan ry and incorpoia.td milhla will ™
remain m resen e under lieut. col. Tucker, are 1
o be pos ed on the ground at present occupied
by our pickets and covering parties, ,
Squulron of the 19,h iijht dragoons, in ,he ra. i!
vine, in the rear of Ifae tmnery neatest to the C
advance, ready io receive charge of prisoners a
and conduct them >o the rear. • ■ '' a
The lieutenaa; general will ration himself at
T" >h * a:{eT y» whete r. ports are .o bemade
- . him V Lieut col * Fischer, commanding the "j
'.ght column, will follow he ins rue ons which S,d
atid toS| ,V J d ‘ C ° pi , eS ° f Which are communi
forl„,
y> t * " ,
Lieut* General mast 9 ron*W«/i.,
fate use of rhe bayoqot. x
The Wmy s force does not exceed ,500
duty, and those are represeiv c J " 1500 s:
girled. * CJ as m «ch
The ground on which'.he column
are to be formed \viii be )jbi» e d o .i
der for their advance will * {*s
Gen. commanding. y I«k
" Parole S eel.”
Battle of Bladensdurg.
C °py <f a Setter foot*. Commodore '
Secretary <f the Navy, JatS**'
Farm, at Elk-Ridge, Aug. 29,
Slß—rThis is the first moment I have hu
m ray power to make a repo, t of the nroceS. 1
of rhe forces under rhy command sini 1 S*
honor of seeing you on Tuesday, the
4t the Camp at the “ Old FieUU ” Qa h
• ternoon of that day we were informed th ! S
enemy were advancing upon U 3. Guram!*
put mto order of battle and our positions £
my forces were on the right, flanked by
talions of the S6th and 38th regts where »•
mamed some hours. Theehemy did not hZ
ever, mSkch.s appearance. A hale before!!,
set Gen. ty mder came to me and recommend!
that the heavy artillery should be
with the exception of one 12-poundertocovJh
retreat, t\ e took up the line cf march, andi
he night entered Washington by the S
Branch Bridge I marched my men. &*. , 0 J
Mai me Hanacks, and took up quarters for tK
night. A bout 2 o’clock. Gen Winder caii
my q ni ters, and we made some arrangement!
In the mo.nnng I received a note from Gen Win
der, and waned upon him He requested n«„
take command and place my artilierv to difm
1 the pasta;;eof the bridge on the Eastern Start
j as the w;emv was approaching the citv in yj
' direction I immediately put my guns" inpoc,
o". having the marines and the'rest of my »
; at the barracks, to wait further orders. W
j th.s situation when I, had the honor to met M
; with the President add Heads of D, pan J
; when it evas detgrmineu I should draw off*
| guns and men, and proceed towards BladensJ
which was. immediately put into execution, «
j our way I was informed the enemy was wiilj
a mile of iiladensburg : we hurried on, thoul
the day was very hot, and my men much crinpll
from severe marches we had experienced the J
ceding days. I preceded the men, and when!
arnved.at the line which separates the Disttil
from Maryland, the battle began. I sentanol
fleer back to hasten on my men—they came J
In a trot. We took cur position on the risi J
ground, put the pieces in battery, posted the ml
rines, under .Gape Miller, and flotilla men nil
were to act as infantry under their own officer!
on my right, to support the pieces, and wait thl
approach of the enemy. During this period thl
en £ a gement continued—the enemy advancing an!
our army retreating before them apparently il
much disorder. At length the enemy made hi
appearance on the main r oad in foi ce and in froal
of my battery, and qn seeing us made a halt; ■
reserved our fire ; in a few minutes the enemy jl
gain advanced, when I ordered an 18 pomdJ
to be fired, which completely cleared the read!
shortly after, a second and thipd attempt wasnadfl
by the enemy to come forward, but allwhonadl
the attempt were destroyed. The enemy ib®
crossed over into an open field and attempted tl
flank our right. He was,ihere met by three 12H
pounders, the. marines under capt. Miller, and®
men acting as iniantr. and again was toiallyc®
up. By this time not a vesrigt of the America®
army remained e'xcvpi a bodv of five or siibi®
died JJO.iU d on a height -n my ng'U from who®
1 “I*™* o.ucii support from rheir fine siuaiioi®
The enemy fr -ni this period never appeared i®
force in front of us He however rushed foil
vyard his sharp shooters, one of whom shot®
horse under me, which fell dead Between two ol
my guns. .The enemy who had been kept il
check by our fire for neany Vtilf an hour, no®
began to outflank us on the right. Ourgurswet®
turned that way ; he pushed up the hill about I
or 300 men towards the corps of Americans s’®
tinned as above described, who to my great me®
iification made no resistance, giving a fire ort®
and retiring.
In this situation had the whole army oft®
enemy to contenid wish ; cur ammunition ft®
expended, arid unfortunately the di ivera of nj®
ammunition waggons had gone off in the guff l ®
panic, x At this time I received a severe woundn®
my thigh. Capt. Miller was wounded, fa.Hw
Master Warner k lied, Acting Sailing-Mag®
Martin killed, and Sailing Master Martin wo®
Jed, but to the honor of my officers and men,|B
fast as their companions and messmates fdlß
the guns, they were instantly replaced from
icting as infantry. Finding the enemy now w*®
pletely n our rear and no means of defence®
jave orders to my officers and men to
1 hvee of my officers assisted me to get off asb®
Jistance, but the great loss of blood occasion®
inch a weakness that 1 was compelled to liedov®
I requested my officers to leave me, which d®
ibstinately ref used, but upon being ordered :|®
ibeyed ; one only remained. In a short tin®
ibserved a Gritisli soldier and had him calk®
md directed him to seek an officer ; in a few®®
lutes an officer came, who, on learning wiwl
vas, brought Gen. Ross and Atm. CockburnJ
ne. These officers behaved to me with theft®
narked attention, retpect and pclitcnsss. h
urgeon brought and my wound dressed intw®®
tely. After a few minutes conversation
>eaera! informed me (dfter paying me a b>®®
ome complimem) that I was paroled and* 1 !®
erty to proceed to Washington or
s was also Mr. Huflington who had remji
•f'h me, offering me every assistance m hisp**®
r, gjvinff orders for a litter to be
rhidi I was carried to Bbdensburg.
Vainwright, remained with me and behave! : ® (
ie as if i was a brother. pcH
During the stay of the enemy at Bladens
received the moat polite attention from the ■
cers both of the navy and army. .
My wound is deep, but I flatter mys* 1 * ,®
angerons; the ball is not yet extracted 1 f H
hope a few weqks will restore me to h** I ’,'®
tat an exchsmge wilhtakc place that I may rep ®
y command, or any other that you -nd tbi
dent my think proper to, honor me vTh> / .
Yours respectfully,-- H
J®SKL T A RAK*'- 1 ' I
on Wm. Jones,
Secretary *f the Navy.