The Medallic History of the United States of America 1776-1876

General Orders.

Adjutant-General's Office, left Division,
Chippewa Plains, July 6th, 1814.

Major-General Brown has the gratification to say, that the soldiers of the 2d division, west of the Niagara, merit greater applause than he is able to bestow in general orders; they merit the highest approbation of the country. The conduct of Brigadier-General Scott's brigade, which had the opportunity to engage the whole force of the enemy, the greater part, it is believed, of all in the peninsula, removes on the day of this battle the reflection on our country, that its reputation in arms is yet to be established. His brigade consists of battalions of the 9th, the 11th, the 25th and a detachment of the 22d. Towson's company of artillery, which was attached to it, gallantly commenced, and with it sustained the action.

The volunteers and Indians performed their part; they drove the enemy's Indians and light troops until they met the British army: they meet the general's approbation.

Of the reports of killed and wounded, the names of the wounded officers will be mentioned, in order that they may be rewarded with that honourable mention which is due.

By order of Major-General Brown.
C. K. Gardner, Adj't Gen.

General Brown to the Secretary of War.

Buffalo, August, 1814.
To the Honourable
John Armstrong,
Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.

Sir: Confined as I was, and have been, since the last engagement with the enemy, I fear that the account I am about to give may be less full and satisfactory than under other circumstances it might have been made. I particularly fear that the conduct of the gallant men it was my good fortune to lead, will not be noticed in a way due to their fame and the honour of our country.

You are already apprized that the army had, on the 25th ultimo, taken a position at Chippewa. About noon of that day, Colonel Swift, who was posted at Lewistown advised me by express that the enemy appeared in considerable force in Queenstown, and on its heights; that four of the enemy's fleet had arrived during the preceding night, and were then lying near Fort Niagara, and that a number of boats were in view moving up the strait. Within a few minutes after this intelligence had been received, I was further informed by Captain Denmons, of the quarter-master's department, that the enemy was landing at Lewistown, and that our baggage and stores at Schlosser, and on their way thither, were in danger of immediate capture. It is proper here to mention, that having received advices as late as the 20th from General James, that our fleet was then in port, and the commodore sick, we ceased to look for co-operation from that quarter, and determined to disencumber ourselves of baggage, and march directly for Burlington Heights. To mask this intention, and to draw from Schlosser a small supply of provisions, I fell back upon Chippewa.

As this arrangement, under the increased force of the enemy, left much at hazard on our side of the Niagara, and as it appeared by the before stated information, that the enemy was about to avail himself of it, I conceived that the most effectual method of recalling him from this object was to put myself in motion towards Queenstown. General Scott, with his first brigade, Towson's artillery, and all the dragoons and mounted men were accordingly put in march on the road leading thither, with orders to report, if the enemy appeared, and to call for assistance, if that was necessary. On the general's arrival at the falls, he learned that the enemy was in force directly in his front, a narrow piece of woods alone intercepting his view of them. Waiting only to give this information, he advanced upon them. By this time Assistant Adjutant General Jones had delivered his message, the action began, and before the remaining part of the division had crossed the Chippewa, it had become close and general between the advanced corps. Though General Ripley with his second brigade, Major Hindman with the corps of artillery, and General Porter at the head of his command, had respectively pressed forward with ardour, it was not less than an hour before they were brought to sustain General Scott, during which time his command most skilfully and gallantly maintained the conflict. Upon my arrival, I found that the general had passed the wood, and engaged the enemy on the Queenstown road, and on the ground to the left of it, with the 9th, 11th and 22d regiments, and Towson's artillery. The 25th had been thrown to the right, to be governed by circumstances.

Apprehending that these corps were much exhausted, and knowing that they had suffered severely, I determined to interpose a new line with the advancing troops; and thus disengage General Scott, and hold his brigade in reserve. Orders were accordingly given to General Ripley. The enemy's artillery at this moment occupied a hill which gave great advantage, and was the key of the whole position. It was supported by a line of infantry. To secure victory, it was necessary to carry this artillery and seize the height. This duty was assigned to Colonel Miller, while, to favour its execution, the 1st regiment, under the command of Colonel Nicholas, was directed to manœuvre and amuse the infantry. To my great mortification, this regiment, after a discharge or two, gave way and retreated some distance, before it could be rallied, though it is believed the officers of the regiment exerted themselves to shorten this distance. In the mean time, Colonel Miller, without regard to this occurrence, advanced steadily and gallantly to his object, and carried the height and the cannon. General Ripley brought up the 23d regiment, (which had also faltered,) to his support, and the enemy disappeared from before them. The 1st regiment was now brought into line on the left of the 21st, and the detachment of the 17th and 19th, General Porter occupying with his command the extreme left. About this time, Colonel Miller carried the enemy's cannon. The 25th regiment, under Major Jessup was engaged in a more obstinate conflict with all that remained to dispute with us the field of battle. The major, as has been already stated, had been ordered by General Scott, at the commencement of the action, to take ground to his right. He had succeeded in turning the enemy's flank; had captured (by a detachment under Captain Ketchum), General Riall and sundry other officers, and showed himself again to his own army, in a blaze of fire, which defeated or destroyed a very superior force of the enemy. He was ordered to form on the right of the 2d regiment. The enemy rallying his forces, and as is believed, having received reinforcements, now attempted to drive us from our position and regain his artillery. Our line was unshaken and the enemy repulsed. Two other attempts having the same object, had the same issue. General Scott was again engaged in repelling the former of these, and the last I saw of him in the field of battle, he was near the head of his column, and giving to its march a direction that would place him on the enemy's right. It was with great pleasure I saw the good order and intrepidity of General Porter's volunteers from the moment of their arrival; but during the last charge of the enemy those qualities were conspicuous. Stimulated by the examples set them by their gallant leader, by Major Wood of the Pennsylvania corps, by Colonel Dobbin of New York, and by their officers generally, they precipitated themselves upon the enemy's line, and made all the prisoners which were taken at this point of the action.

Having been for some time wounded, and being a good deal exhausted by the loss of blood, it became my wish to devolve the command on General Scott, and retire from the field; but on enquiry, I had the misfortune to learn, that he was disabled by wounds; I therefore kept my post, and had the satisfaction to see the enemy's last effort repulsed. I now consigned the command to General Ripley.

While retiring from the field, I saw and felt, that the victory was complete on our part, if proper measures were promptly adopted to secure it. The exhaustion of the men was, however, such as made some refreshment necessary. They particularly required water. I was myself extremely sensible of the want of this necessary article. I therefore believed it proper, that General Ripley and the troops should return to camp, after bringing off the dead, the wounded, and artillery; and in this I saw no difficulty, as the enemy had entirely ceased to act. Within an hour after my arrival in camp, I was informed that General Ripley had returned without annoyance, and in good order. I now sent for him, and after giving him my reasons for the measure I was about to adopt, ordered him to put the troops in the best possible condition; to give to them the necessary refreshment; to take the pickets and camp-guards, and every other description of force; to put himself on the field of battle as the day dawned, and there to meet and beat the enemy if he again appeared. To this order he made no objection, and I relied upon its execution. It was not executed. I feel most sensibly how inadequate are my powers in speaking of the troops, to do justice to their merits, or to my own sense of them. Under abler direction, they might have done more and better.

From the preceding details, you have new evidence of the distinguished gallantry of Generals Scott and Porter, of Colonel Miller and Major Jessup, of the 1st brigade. The chief, with his aid-de-camp Worth, his major of brigade Smith, and every commander of battalion, were wounded. The 2d brigade suffered less; but as a brigade, their conduct entitled them to the applause of their country. After the enemy's strong position had been carried by the 21st and the detachments of the 17th and 19th, the 1st and 23d assumed a new character. They could not again be shaken or dismayed. Major McFarland, of the latter, fell nobly at the head of his battalion.

Under the command of General Porter, the militia volunteers of Pennsylvania and New York stood undismayed amidst the hottest fire, and repulsed the veterans opposed to them. The Canadian volunteers, commanded by Colonel Wilson, are reported by General Porter as having merited and received his approbation.

The corps of artillery commanded by Major Hindman, behaved with its usual gallantry. Towson's company attached to the 1st brigade, was the first and the last engaged, and during the whole conflict maintained that high character which they had previously won by their skill and their valour. Captains Biddle and Ritchie were both wounded early in the action, but refused to quit the field. The latter declared that he would never leave his piece; and true to his engagement, fell by its side covered with wounds.

The staff of the army had its peculiar merit and distinction. Colonel Gardner, adjutant-general, though ill, was on horseback, and did all in his power; his assistant, Major Jones, was very active and useful. My gallant aids-de-camp, Austin and Spencer, had many and critical duties to perform, in discharge of which the latter fell; I shall ever think of this young man with pride and regret; regret that his career has been so short; pride that it has been so noble and distinguished. The engineers, Majors McRee and Wood, were greatly distinguished on this day, and their high military talents exerted with great effect; they were much under my eye and near my person, and to their assistance a great deal is fairly to be ascribed. I most earnestly recommend them as worthy of the highest trust and confidence. The staff of Generals Ripley and Porter, discovered great zeal and attention to duty. Lieutenant E. B. Randolph, of the 20th regiment, is entitled to notice; his courage was conspicuous.

I enclose a return of our loss: those noted missing may generally be numbered with the dead. The enemy had but little opportunity of making prisoners.

I have the honour to be, etc.,
Jacob Brown.

General Brown to the Secretary of War.

Headquarters, Camp Fort Erie,
September 29th, 1814.
To the Honourable
John Armstrong,
Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.

Sir: In my letter of the 18th instant I briefly informed you of the fortunate issue of the sortie which took place the day preceding. But it is due to the gallant officers and men, to whose bravery we are indebted for our success on this occasion, that I should give you a more circumstantial and detailed account of this affair.

The enemy's camp I had ascertained to be situated in a field, surrounded by woods, nearly two miles distant from their batteries and entrenchments, the object of which was to keep the parts of their force which was not upon duty, out of the range of our fire from Fort Erie and Black Rock. Their infantry was formed into three brigades, estimated at 1,200 or 1,500 men each. One of these brigades, with a detail from their artillery, was stationed at their works, (these being but 500 yards distant from old Fort Erie, and the right of our line). We had already suffered much from the fire of two of their batteries, and were aware that a third was about to open upon us. Under these circumstances, I resolved to storm the batteries, destroy the cannon, and roughly handle the brigade upon duty, before those in reserve could be brought into action.

On the morning of the 17th, the infantry and riflemen, regulars and militia, were ordered to be paraded, and put in readiness to march precisely at 12 o'clock. General Porter with the volunteers, Colonel Gibson with the riflemen, and Major Brooke with the 23rd and 21st infantry, and a few dragoons acting as infantry, were ordered to move from the extreme left of our position, upon the enemy's right, by a passage opened through the woods for the occasion. General Miller was directed to station his command in the ravine, which lies between Fort Erie and the enemy's batteries, by passing them by detachments through the skirts of the wood, and the 21st infantry, under General Ripley, was posted as a corps of reserve between the new bastions of Fort Erie; all under cover and out of the view of the enemy.

About 20 minutes before 3 p.m. I found the left columns, under the command of General Porter, which were destined to turn the enemy's right, within a few rods of the British entrenchments. They were ordered to advance and commence the action. Passing down the ravine, I judged from the report of musketry, that the action had commenced on our left; I now hastened to General Miller and directed him to seize the moment and pierce the enemy's entrenchments between batteries No. 2 and 3. My orders were promptly and ably executed. Within 30 minutes after the first gun was fired, batteries No. 3 and 2, the enemy's line of entrenchments, and his two block houses, were in our possession. Soon after, battery No. 1 was abandoned by the British. The guns in each were spiked by us, or otherwise destroyed, and the magazine of No. 3 was blown up.

A few minutes before the explosion, I had ordered up the reserve under General Ripley. As he passed me at the head of his column, I desired him, as he would be the senior in advance, to ascertain, as near as possible, the situation of the troops in general, and to have a care that not more was hazarded than the occasion required; that, the object of the sortie effected, the troops would retire in good order, &c. General Ripley passed rapidly on; soon after, I became alarmed for General Miller, and sent an order for the 21st to hasten to his support towards battery No. 1. Colonel Upham received the order, and advanced to the aid of General Miller. General Ripley had inclined to the left, where Major Brooke's command was engaged, with a view of making some necessary enquiries of that officer, and in the act of doing so, was unfortunately wounded. By this time, the object of the sortie was accomplished beyond my most sanguine expectations. General Miller had consequently ordered the troops on the right to fall back; observing this movement, I sent my staff along the line to call in the other corps. Within a few minutes they retired from the ravine, and from thence to camp.

Thus, one thousand regulars, and an equal portion of militia, in one hour of close action, blasted the hopes of the enemy, destroyed the fruits of fifty days labour, and diminished his effective force 1,000 men at least. I am at a loss how to express my satisfaction at the gallant conduct of the officers and men of this division, whose valour has shown superior to every trial. General Porter, in his official report herein enclosed, has very properly noticed those patriotic citizens who have done so much honour to themselves, by freely and voluntarily tendering their services at a dangerous and critical period.

As the scene of action was in a wood, in advance of the position I had chosen for directing the movements of the whole, the several reports of commandants of corps, must guide me in noticing individuals.

General Miller mentions Lieutenant-Colonel Aspinwall, Lieutenant-Colonel Beedle, Major Trimble, Captain Hull, Captain Ingersoll, Lieutenant Crawford, Lieutenant Lee, and particularly Ensign O'Fling, as entitled to distinction.

Lieutenant-Colonel McDonald, upon whom the command of the rifle corps devolved, upon the fall of the brave and generous Gibson, names Adjutant Shortridge, of the 1st, and Ballard of the 4th regiments, as deserving the highest applause for their promptness and gallantry in communicating orders. Of the other officers of the corps, he reports generally, that the bravery and good conduct of all was so conspicuous as to render it impossible to discriminate.

Major Brooke, to whom much credit is due for the distinguished manner in which he executed the orders he received, speaks in high terms of Lieutenants Goodell, Ingersoll, Livingston, and ensigns Brant and O'Fling, of the 23d, particularly of the latter. Also of Captain Simms, Lieutenants Bissel, Shore, and Brinot, of the 1st infantry, and Lieutenant Watts, of the dragoons.

Lieutenant-Colonel Upham, who took the command of the reserve after General Ripley was disabled, bestows great praise upon Major Chambers, of the 4th regiment of riflemen, attached to the 21st infantry, as also upon Captain Bradford and Lieutenant Holding of that regiment.

My staff, Colonel Snelling, Colonel Gardner, Major Jones, and my aids-de-camp, Major Austin and Lieutenant Armstrong, were, as usual, zealous, intelligent, and active; they performed every duty required of them to my entire satisfaction.

Major Hall, assistant inspector general, led a battalion of militia, and conducted with skill and gallantry. Lieutenant Kirby, aid-de-camp to General Ripley, was extremely active and useful during the time he was in action.

Lieutenants Frazer and Riddle were in General Porter's staff; their bravery was conspicuous, and no officers of their grade were more useful.

The corps of artillery, commanded by Major Hindman, which has been so eminently distinguished throughout this campaign, had no opportunity of taking a part in the sortie. The 25th infantry, under Colonel Jessup, was stationed in Fort Erie to hold the key of our position.

Colonel Brady, on whose firmness and good conduct every reliance could be placed, was in command at Buffalo with the remains of the 22d infantry. Lieutenant-Colonel McRee and Lieutenant-Colonel Wood, of the corps of engineers, having rendered to this army services the most important, I must seize the opportunity of again mentioning them particularly. On every trying occasion, I have reaped much benefit from their sound and excellent advice. No two officers of their grade could have contributed more to the safety and honour of this army. Wood, brave, generous and enterprising, died as he had lived, without a feeling but for the honour of his country and glory of her arms. His name and example will live to guide the soldiers in the path of duty so long as true heroism is held in estimation. McRee lives to enjoy the approbation of every virtuous and generous mind, and to receive the reward due to his services and high military talents.

It is proper here to notice, that although but one-third of the enemy's force was on duty when his works were carried, the whole were brought into action while we were employed in destroying his cannon. We secured prisoners from seven of his regiments, and know that the 6th and 87th suffered severely in killed and wounded, yet these regiments were not upon duty.

Lieutenant-General Drummond broke up his camp during the night of the 21st, and retired to his entrenchments behind the Chippewa. A part of our men came up with the rear of his army at Frenchman's creek; the enemy destroyed part of their stores by setting fire to the building from which they were employed in conveying them. We found in and about the camp a considerable quantity of cannon ball, and upwards of one hundred stand of arms.

I send you enclosed herein a return of our loss. The return of prisoners enclosed does not include the stragglers that came in after the action.

I have the honour to be, &c.,
Jacob Brown.

General Brown to the Secretary of War.

Head Quarters, Fort Camp Erie,
October 1st, 1814.
To the Honourable
John Armstrong,
Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.

Sir: Looking over my official account of the action of the 17th ultimo, I find that the names of the regiments which composed General Miller's command have not been given. As I believe it even more important to distinguish corps than individuals, I am anxious to correct this mistake. General Miller on that day commanded the remains of the 9th and 11th infantry, and a detachment of the 19th. Of three field officers who were attached to them, two were severely wounded, Lieutenant-Colonel Aspinwall, of the 9th, gallantly leading his men to the attack upon the enemy's entrenchments; and Major Trimble, of the 19th, who was shot within their works, conducting with great skill and bravery. A detachment of the 17th regiment was attached to the 21st.

I have the honour to be, &c.,
Jacob Brown.

Brigadier-General P. B. Porter to Major-General Jacob Brown.

Fort Erie, September 22d, 1814.
To
Jacob Brown, Esq.,
Major-General commanding.

Sir: In executing the duty you have imposed on me, of reporting the conduct of the officers and men composing the left column, which you were pleased to place under my command, in the sortie of the 17th instant, the pleasure I derive in representing to you the admirable conduct of the whole, is deeply chastened by sorrow for the loss of many brave and distinguished men.

Being obliged, from the nature of the ground, to act on foot, it was impossible that my own personal observation should reach to every officer. Some part of this report must therefore rest upon the information of others.

It is the business of this communication to speak of the conduct of individuals; yet you will permit me to premise, although well known to yourself already, that the object of the left column was to penetrate by a circuitous route between the enemy's batteries, where one-third of his force was always kept on duty, and his main camp, and that it was sub-divided into three divisions: the advance of 200 riflemen, and a few Indians, commanded by Colonel Gibson, and two columns moving parallel to, and 30 yards distant from, each other. The right column was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Wood, headed by 400 infantry, under Major Brooke, of the 23d, and followed by 500 volunteers and militia, being parts of Lieutenant-Colonels Dobbin's, M'Burney's, and Fleming's regiments, and was intended to attack the batteries.

The left column of 500 militia was commanded by Brigadier-General Davis, and comprised the commands of Lieutenant-Colonels Hopkins, Churchhill and Crosby, and was intended to hold in check any reinforcements from the enemy's camp; or both columns (circumstances requiring it, which frequently happened) to co-operate in the same object.

After carrying by storm, in the handsomest style, a strong block house, in rear of the third battery, making its garrison prisoners, destroying the three 24-pounders and their carriages in the third battery, and blowing up the enemy's magazine, and after co-operating with General Miller in taking the second battery, the gallant leaders of the three divisions all fell nearly at the same time; Colonel Gibson, at the second battery, and General Davis and Lieutenant-Colonel Wood in an assault upon the first.

Brigadier-General Davis, although a militia officer of little experience, conducted on this occasion with all the coolness and bravery of a veteran, and fell while advancing upon the enemy's entrenchments. His loss as a citizen as well as a soldier, will be severely felt in the patriotic county of Genesee. Colonel Gibson fully sustained the high military reputation which he had before so justly acquired. You know how exalted an opinion I have always entertained of Lieutenant-Colonel Wood of the engineers. His conduct on this day was what it uniformly has been, on every similar occasion, an exhibition of military skill, acute judgment, and heroic valour. Of the other regular officers, Lieutenant-Colonel M'Donald and Major Brooke, senior in command, will report to you in relation to their respective divisions. Permit me, however, to say of these two officers, that, much as was left to them by the fall of their distinguished leaders, they were able to sustain their parts in the most admirable manner, and they richly deserve the notice of the government.

Of the militia, I regret that the limits of a report will not permit me even to name all of those who on this occasion established claims to the gratitude of their fellow citizens; much less to particularize individual merit. Lieutenant-Colonels Hopkins, M'Burney, Churchhill and Crosby, and Majors Lee, Marcle, Wilson, Lawrence, Burr, Dunham, Kellogg and Ganson, are entitled to the highest praise for their gallant conduct, their steady and persevering exertions. Lieutenant-Colonel Dobbin being prevented by severe indisposition from taking the field, Major Hall, assistant inspector general, volunteered his services to join Major Lee in the command of the volunteer regiment; and Major Lee and every other officer speak in the highest terms of the gallant and good conduct of this young officer.

Captain Fleming, who commanded the Indians, was, as he always is, in the front of the battle. There is not a more intrepid soldier in the army. I should be ungrateful were I to omit the names of Captains Knapp and Hull of the volunteers, and Captain Parker and Lieutenant Chatfield of the militia, by whose intrepidity I was, during the action, extricated from the most unpleasant situation. Captains Richardson, Buel and Kennedy, Lieutenants Parkhurst and Brown, and Adjutants Dobbin, Bates and Robinson, particularly distinguished themselves. The patriotic conduct of Captain Elliot, with twenty young gentlemen, who volunteered from Batavia, and of Major Hubbard, with fourteen men exempted by age from military duty, should not be omitted. They were conspicuous during the action.

You will excuse me if I shall seem partial in speaking of my own family, consisting of my brigade major, Frazer, my volunteer aid-de-camp Riddle (both first lieutenants in the 15th infantry), Captain Bigger, of the Canadian volunteers, Messrs. Williams and Delapierre, volunteer aids for the day, all of whom, except Mr. Williams, were wounded.

Lieutenants Frazer and Riddle were engaged for the most of the preceding day with fatigue parties, cutting roads for the advance of the column through the swamp, and falling timber to the rear, and within 150 yards of the enemy's right; which service they executed with so much address as to avoid discovery; and on the succeeding day they conducted the two columns to the attack. Frazer was severely wounded by a musket ball while spiking a gun on the second battery. Riddle, after the first battery was carried, descended into the enemy's magazine, and after securing (with the assistance of quarter master Greene of the volunteers, whose good conduct deserves much praise) a quantity of fixed ammunition, blew up the magazine, and suffered severely by the explosion. I must solicit, through you, Sir, the attention of the general government to these meritorious young men. Captain Bigger is an excellent officer, and rendered me much assistance, but was dangerously wounded. The other young gentlemen are citizens, and deserve much credit for their activity, and for having voluntarily encountered danger. My aid-de-camp, Major Dox, was confined at Buffalo by sickness.

On the whole, Sir, I can say of the regular troops attached to the left column, of the veteran volunteers of Lieutenant-Colonel Dobbin's regiment, that every man did his duty, and their conduct on this occasion reflects a new lustre on their former brilliant achievements. To the militia, the compliment is justly due, and I could pay them no greater one, than to say, that they were not surpassed by the heroes of Chippewa and Niagara in steadiness and bravery.

The studied intricacy of the enemy's defences, consisting not only of the breastwork connecting their batteries, but of successive lines of entrenchments for a hundred yards in the rear, covering the batteries and enfilading each other, and the whole obstructed by abatis, brush and felled timber, was calculated to produce confusion among the assailants, and led to several contests at the point of the bayonet. But by our double columns, any temporary irregularity in the one, was always corrected by the other. Our success would probably have been more complete but for the rain which unfortunately set in soon after we commenced our march, which rendered the fire of many of our muskets useless, and by obscuring the sun, led to several unlucky mistakes. As an instance of this, a body of 50 prisoners who had surrendered, were ordered to the fort in charge of a subaltern and 14 volunteers; the officer mistaking the direction, conducted them towards the British camp in the route by which we had advanced, and they were re-taken with the whole of the guard, excepting the officer and one man, who fought their way back. Several of our stragglers were made prisoners by the same mistake. But, Sir, notwithstanding these accidents, we have reason to rejoice at our signal success, in inflicting a vastly disproportionate injury on the enemy, and in wholly defeating all his plans of operation against this army.

I have the honour to be, &c.
P. B. Porter,
Brigadier General commanding Volunteers and Militia.

Brigadier-General E. W. Ripley to Brigadier-General Gaines.

Fort Erie, August 17th, 1814.
To
Brigadier-General Gaines.

Sir: I take the liberty of reporting you the cause of operations on the left flank of the camp, during the action of the 15th instant.

From indications satisfactory to me, I was persuaded very early of the enemy's design of attacking us in our position. Before any alarm, I caused my brigade to occupy their alarm posts. On the first fire of the picket, Captain Towson opened his artillery upon them from Fort Williams, in a style which does him infinite credit. It was continued with very great effect upon the enemy during the whole action.

The enemy advanced with fixed bayonets, and attempted to enter our works between the fort and water. They brought ladders for the purpose of scaling, and in order to prevent their troops from resorting to any other course excepting the bayonet, had caused all the flints to be taken from their muskets. The column that approached in this direction consisted of Colonel Fischer's command, and amounted in number to at least 1,500 men; and, according to the representation of prisoners, they were 2,000 strong. The companies posted at the point of the works, which they attempted to escalade, were Captain Ross's, Captain Marston's, Lieutenant Bowman's, and Lieutenant Larned's, of the 21st regiment, not exceeding 250 men, under command of Major Wood, of the engineer corps. On the enemy's approach they opened their musketry upon them in a manner the most powerful. Fort Williams and this little band, emitted one broad uninterrupted sheet of light. The enemy were repulsed. They rallied, came on a second time to the charge, and a party waded round our line by the lake, and came in on the flank; but a reserve of two companies, posted in the commencement of the action to support this point, marched up and fired upon the party, who were all killed or taken. Five times in this manner did the enemy advance to the charge; five times were their columns beaten back in the utmost confusion by a force one-sixth of their numbers; till at length finding the contest unavailing, they retired. At this point we made 147 prisoners.

During the contest in this quarter, the lines of the whole of the left wing were perfectly lined, in addition to the reserves; and I found myself able to detach three companies of the 23d regiment from the left, to reinforce the troops at Fort Erie, viz.: Captain Wattles', Lieutenant Cantine's, and Lieutenant Brown's companies, and one of the 19th under Captain Chunn. They were in the fort during the time of the explosion, and their conduct is highly spoken of by Major Brooke, their commanding officer. Indeed, from the high state to which that regiment has been brought by Major Brooke, I am convinced that no troops will behave better.

In submitting to your view the conduct of the troops under my command on this occasion, I find every thing to applaud, nothing to reprehend. The utmost coolness and subordination was manifested, both by the 21st and 23d regiments. To Major Wood I feel particularly indebted. This officer's merits are so well known, that approbation can scarcely add to his reputation. He has the merit, with the Spartan band, in connection with Captain Towson's artillery, of defeating a vaunting foe of six times his force. Major Brooke did every thing in his power: and it affords me pleasure at all times to call the attention of the general commanding to this amiable and accomplished officer.

The officers commanding companies immediately engaged, have my highest commendation. Their conduct was most judicious and gallant. I cannot refrain from adverting to the manner in which Captain Towson's artillery was served. I have never seen it equalled. This officer has so often distinguished himself, that to say simply that he is in action, is a volume of eulogium; the army, only to be informed he is there, by a spontaneous assent, are at once satisfied that he has performed well his part. I have no idea that there is an artillery officer in any service superior to him in the knowledge and performance of his duty.

The officers I have mentioned as commanding companies of the 21st and 23d regiments, are particularly commended by their commanding officers. Captain Marston, a most valuable officer, commanded a first line of three companies opposed to the enemy's column. Captain Ropes commanded the companies of reserve. Major Wood reports in the highest terms of the good conduct of the subalterns. Lieutenants Riddle, of the 15th, attached to the 21st, and Hall, and ensigns Bean, Jones, Gumming, and Thomas, of the 19th, as being extremely active, and performing their duties with alacrity.

The manner in which Lieutenant Belknap, of the 23d, retired with his picket guard from before the enemy's column, excites my particular commendation. He gave orders to fire three times as he was retreating to camp, himself bringing up the rear. In this gallant manner, he kept the light advance of the enemy in check, for a distance of two or three hundred yards. I have to regret, that when entering our lines after his troops, the enemy pushed so close upon him that he received a severe wound from a bayonet.

Lieutenant Bushnel and Cissney, of the 19th, while gallantly engaged with the enemy at Fort Erie, were both severely, if not mortally, wounded. Their conduct merits the warmest approbation.

Permit me to recommend to your notice, the good conduct of my staff, Lieutenant Kirby, of the corps of artillery, my aid-de-camp, and Lieutenant Holding, acting brigade major; their activity and zeal was entirely to my satisfaction.

I close this long report, with stating to you, in the highest terms of approbation, the skillfulness exhibited by Doctor Fuller, surgeon of the 23d, and Doctor Trowbridge, surgeon of the 21st infantry, with their mates Doctor Gale, of the 23d, and Doctors Everett and Allen, of the 21st; their active, humane and judicious treatment of the wounded, both of the enemy and of our own, together with their steady and constant attention to the duties of their station, must have attracted your personal observation, and I am confident will receive your approbation.

I have the honour to be, etc.,
E. W. Ripley,
Brigadier-General commanding 2d Brigade.