guish resulting from his wounds, and every selfish feeling, was silenced by the contemplation of his wounded companions; but these lost much of their interest, when put in competition with his anxiety for the safety and success of the gallant detachment he had ordered to the heights. It pleased, however the great Disposer of events, that this anxiety should be short-lived, and for the blood he had thus spilled in his country's cause, he was remunerated by the shouts of victory.

"I had marked this patriot soldier some eighteen years before, when 'the callow down had scarce began to shade his cheek, and call him man,' giving earnest of future promise, and asserting claims to future fame; beheld him in a gallant charge at the head of his troop, shot through the body, and with the blood oozing from his lungs, still smiling with complacency; yet since the days of General Washington nor the blood of the father nor the son has found grace in the eyes of the executive; and amidst thousands of offices which have been indiscriminately lavished on the worthy and the worthless, this faithful citizen and honorable man has not been deemed worthy of attention."

From the Canada side Colonel Van Rensselaer was brought over with five bleeding wounds, from the boat, after crossing the river, he was taken to our camp about 10 o'clock in the morning. "Arad Joy, Esq., who was paymaster of Colonel Henry Bloom's regiment, had charge of the wagons that conveyed the wounded to the hospital on the ridge road, two miles from the village. The loss of blood caused Colonel Van Rensselaer to be chilly. He sat upon a board across the top of the wagonbox, without a groan; and as we met the soldiers going to the river to cross, he would call out at the top of his voice, Go on, my brave fellows, the day is our own.' It cheered up and encouraged them. He was taken to good quarters in a private house. The head surgeon, with his instruments, was along. We were about to lift him out, but he declined, and pointing to some wounded soldiers said, 'take those poor fellows out first. We carried him into the house and seated him on a chair. His boots were filled with blood, which was gushing from his thigh, and plainly to be seen through his pantaloons. The boots, at Van Rensselaer's request, were cut from his feet. Col. Van Rensselaer previous to the battle had been sick with fever, and had only left his bed to attend to preparations for the invasion. The disease and his wounds so prostrated him that for several days his life was in extreme peril. It was not until five days after the battle that he could be moved from Lewiston, and such was the severity of Col. V. R.'s wounds that the transfer could not be effected in any carriage. Then a cot was rigged with cross-bars and sidepoles, on which he was carried on the 18th of October by a detachment of Major Mosely's Rifle Battalion, who were placed under the command of Ensign Grosvenor, on their shoulders to Schlosser. There they procured a boat and the following day, the same party rowed him to Buffalo and then carried him to Landers'. How much he was beloved may be inferred from the fact that this same company of compassionate soldiers volunteered to carry him on their shoulders from Buffalo all the way to Albany.

"The most intense anxiety was felt on the American side to learn the result of the daring attempt, but soon came painful intelligence that the gallant leader had fallen covered with wounds. And upon the heels of that unpleasant news, the report came that Colonel Fenwick had also fallen, dangerously wounded. Then, too, the retreat of seventy-five of the

detachment under Capt. Lawrence, and Col. Christie's return produced a most pernicious effect on the militia, particularly as the party made no immediate attempt to effect a passage. The natural reflection produced by this spectacle in the minds of the yeomanry was, ' if the regular troops cannot cross the river, surely it cannot be expected of us.' Thousands of spectators were looking on, and there can be no doubt that the incident staggered their resolution and inclined them to march home rather than against the enemy."

CHAPTER XII.

RESIGNATION OF MAJOR GEN. STEPHEN VAN RENSSELAER.

He was

"General Stephen Van Rensselaer was not a military man. possessed of great wealth, extensive social influence and was a leading federalist. His appointment was a stroke of policy to secure friends to the war among that party. It was only on condition that Solomon Van Rensselaer, the adjutant general who had been in military service, should accompany him, that he consented to take the post. It was well understood that Colonel Van Rensselaer would be the general, in a practical military point of view. Lieutenant Colonel Winfield Scott had arrived at Schlosser, two miles above the falls, at the head of his regiment when he was informed by Col. James Collier of the intended expedition against Queenston. He immediately mounted his horse and dashed toward head quarters as speedily as the horrid condition of the road would allow. He presented himself to the commanding general, and earnestly solicited the privilege of taking a part in the invasion with his command. The arrangements for the expedition are all completed, sir,' said General Van Rensselaer. Colonel Van Rensselaer is in chief command, Lieutenant Colonels Christie and Fenwick have waived their rank for the occasion, and you may join the expedition as a volunteer, if you will do the same.' Van Rensselaer wisely determined not to have a divided command. Scott was unwilling to yield his rank; but he pressed his suit so warmly that it was agreed that he should bring on his regiment, take position on the heights of Lewiston with his cannon, and co-operate in the attack as circumstances might warrant. Scott hastened back to Schlosser, put his regiment in motion, and by a forced march through the deep mud reached Lewiston at four o'clock in the morning of October 13th. Again he importuned for permission to participate directly in the enterprise, but in vain, His rank would be equal, on the field, to that of Colonel Van Rensselaer, who had originated and planned the whole affair, and who the commanding general resolved should have the honor of winning the laurels to be obtained by leadership.

"After Col. Van Rensselaer was returned to the American side dangerously wounded, the permission to cross the river, was given by Gen.

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Van Rensselaer to Colonel Scott, and take command of the troops on the heights, which he did, and fought bravely. Gen. Wadsworth was already on the field, having crossed without orders. The generous and patriotic Wadsworth promptly waived his rank, and said, You, sir, know professionally what ought to be done. I am here for the honor of my country and that of the New York militia.' Scott at once assumed the general command, expecting to be reinforced by the militia from the opposite shore. He was doomed, however, to most profound mortification and disappointment." Nine-tenths of our forces a Lewiston operated upon by 'conscientious scruples' refused to listen to the expostulations of the major general to follow him to the support of their gallant comrades who had commenced the day under such flattering prospects. Gen. Wadsworth communicated Gen. Van Rensselaer's note to the field officers. Escape was now impossible, and to fight longer was not only useless but madness. After a brief consultation with Towson and Christie, a capitulation was determined upon. A flag was accordingly sent, with a proposition. After waiting for some time without any tidings another was sent, and afterward yet another, neither of which returned, they had all been shot by the Indians. Scott therefore determined to go with the flag himself. Towson and Christie both resolved to accompany their commander; a white neck-tie taken from Capt. Towson's throat, was fixed on the point of Col. Scott's sword which he bore aloft, being the tallest, sheltering themselves behind rocks. "Just as they gained the road, two Indians who had been aiming at Scott in the morning, the young and agile chief Brant and the more muscular Captain Jacobs, sprang upon them like tigers from their lairs. Scott remonstrated, and made known the character in which he was seeking the British commander, but to no purpose. The Indians grappled with them fiercely, and Jacobs succeeded in wrenching the sword from the colonel's hand. The blades of Towson and Christie instantly leaped from their scabbards, and the Indians were raising their hatchets when a British sergeant rushed forward hoarsely exclaiming, 'Honor Honor!', and having a guard with him, the combatants were separated, and Colonel Scott was conducted to the presence of General Sheaffe, to whom he proposed a surrender, and with whom terms of capitulation were speedily arranged, the general at once saying that they should be treated with all the honors of war. Orders were immediately given that the firing should cease; but these orders were not promptly obeyed, which caused a remonstrance from Col. Scott, and finally a peremptory demand to be conducted back to his troops. This prolonged fire was from the Indians, whom Gen. Sheaffe admitted he could not control, as they were exceedingly exasperated at the amount of their loss, but they were presently compelled to desist. When Col. Scott under the protection of the flag of truce had been conducted to the British camp and completed the preliminary capitulation, then Brigadier General Wadsworth, who was in command when the army surrendered, delivered his sword to General Sheaffe in person. The ceremony of formal surrender occurred at near sunset, when the prisoners, officers and men were marched to the village of Newark at the mouth of the Niagara river the same evening, where the colonel and his two principal officers were quartered in a small tavern, having invitations the first evening to dine with General Sheaffe. "While waiting for the arrival of an officer to conduct them to the general's quarters, there was another incident, equally spirited and even more startling than the scene with the two Indians by the road side.

Just at twilight, a little girl entered the parlor, with a message that somebody in the hall desired to see the tall officer.' Colonel Scott thereupon stepped out of the parlor, unarmed, of course, into the hall which was dark and narrow, and withal incommoded by a stairway; but what was his astonishment on again meeting face to face, his evil geniuses, the brawny Captain Jacobs and the light-limbed chief! The colonel had shut the door behind him as he left the parlor; but there was a sentinel standing at the outer door, who had improperly allowed the Indians to pass in. The dusky visitors stepped up to the colonel without ceremony, and the younger, who alone spoke English, made a brief inquiry as to the number of balls which had cut through his clothes, intimating astonishment that they had both been firing at him almost the whole day, without effect. But while the young Indian was thus speaking, Jacobs, rudely seizing the colonel by the arm, attempted to whirl him round, exclaiming in broken English, 'me shoot so often, me sure to have bit somewhere.' 'Hands off, you scoundrel,' cried Scott, indignant at such freedom with his person, and adding a scornful expression, 'you fired like a squaw,' thus reflecting upon the Indian's skill as a marksman, as he flung him from him.

"The Indians drew instantly both dirk and tomahawk, when, with the rapidity of lightning, Scott, who had fortunately espied a number of swords standing at the end of the passage, seized one from its iron sheath, and placed himself in a posture of defense against the menacing Indians. As they stood in this picturesque attitude, Scott with his sword ready to strike, and the Indians with their tomahawks and dirks in the air, frowning defiance upon each other, both parties awaiting the first blow, Colonel Coffin, who had been sent with a guard to conduct Scott to the general's quarters to dinner, sprang into the passage, and cried Hold!' Comprehending at a glance the dangerous position of Scott, he interfered at once, by sharp remonstrance, and also by weapon, in his defense. Jacobs, exasperated, turned upon Colonel Coffin, and, uttering a menace, his companion also unguardedly turned to observe the issue of the new combat. The scene was of the most exciting and earnest character. The Indians having thus turned upon Coffin, one of them exclaimed, ‘I kill you!' Scott instantly raised his sabre, which was heavy and substantial, so that a descending blow would have fallen upon both the savages at once, and called out, 'If you strike, I will kill you both!' For a moment they stood frowning; the piercing eyes of the Indians gleaming with wild and savage fury, while Scott and Coffin alike looked upon both with angry defiance, all with upraised arms and glittering steel. Recovering somewhat from the gust of passion into which they had been thrown, the Indians then slowly dropped their arms and retired. The officer who thus came to the rescue, was the aid of General Sheaffe, whose errand was to conduct the colonel to dinner, and who, by this timely arrival, probably saved his life. The young chief John Brant, though only eighteen years of age, had that day, for the first time, led his tribe upon the war path, it was no part of the young chief's design to inflict injury upon the captive American commander. His whole character forbids the idea, for he was as generous and benevolent in his feelings as he was brave. Having been exhausting much ammunition upon the colonel during the day, this visit was one of curiosity, to ascertain how near they had come to the accomplishment of their object. Like Cassius, the Indian bears anger as the flint does fire though not always cold so soon. It was the

same with Scott. Neither would allow of personal freedom, the colonel did not fully comprehend the object of their visit, and a sudden rencontre, that had well nigh proved fatal, was the consequence.

"Col Scott had counted his own men and knew there were less than three hundred, but shortly after, the general order of Gen. Sheaffe appeared, it was announced that nine hundred Americans were taken prisoners. Col. Scott immediately called upon Gen. Sheaffe, and remonstrated against such an exaggeration. On an investigation of the discrepancy, it appeared that several hundred militia had crossed over during the morning. Two hundred of them under Major Mullany, who crossed early in the day, were forced by the current of the river under the range of Vrooman's battery, and were captured. Two hundred and ninety-three, who were in the battle were surrendered, and the remainder, having seen the wounded crossing the river, the painted Indians, and the green tigers,' as they called the 49th, whose coats were faced with green, skulked below the banks, not engaging in the battle. But they were a part of the invading army, were found on British soil, and were properly prisoners of war. The British soldiers, after the battle, plucked them from their hidingplaces, and made them a part of the triumphal procession with which Gen. Sheaffe returned to Fort George.

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"Taking all things into consideration the passage of the river, the nature of the ground, the rawness of the troops, the absence of cannon, and the first military combat in which either men or officers (with the single exception of Colonel Van Rensselaer) had been engaged, the events of that day were, indeed, a display of intrepidity rarely exhibited in which the con deut and the execution were equally conspicuous. Under all the circumstances, and on the scale of the operations, the impartial soldier and competent judge will name this brilliant affair a chef d'œuvre of the war.

"After the fall of Colonel Van Rensselaer, Captain John E. Wool became the hero of the day, both in storming and carrying the heights, notwithstanding a flesh wound, and in causing the death of both General Brock and his aid. The names of the officers who accompanied Col. Van Rensselaer on this hardy enterprise, (Major Lush, Lieuts. Randolph and Gansevoort, Lieut. Rathbone, Capts. Malcolm, Wool, Armstrong, Ogilvie and Lieuts. Kearney, Sammons, Carr, Hugonin, and Ensign Morris of the 13th infantry of whom two were killed and four wounded, were noble men. The conspicuous gallantry of Lieutenant Randolph attracted the attention of the enemy and excited the admiration of his brethren in arms) they all deserve to be engraved on the scroll of fame, for surmounting obstacles almost insuperable, in the face of a most determined enemy, under a very heavy fire, and dislodging and pursuing a superior force, composed of two companies of the 49th British regiment, advantageously posted, with a large body of auxiliary militia and Indians. Here true valor, so often mistaken for animal courage, was attested by an appeal to the bayonet, which finally decided the conflict without a shot. In the American service, temerity is too often taken for bravery, yet the distinction between them is as wide as between blindness and vision. Marshal Saxe when a youth was seen to court danger in the battle of Malplaquet, and afterwards at the siege of Bethune in Flanders, for which he was complimented by the tribe of courtiers. This drew from Prince Eugene the following wholesome admonitions: "La temerité ne passera pas pour bravoure, vous ne devez pas les confondre, car les connoisseurs ne s'y méprendront pas."