Col. Van Rensselaer crossed over. A grape shot from a battery below Queenstown, which enfiladed the crossing place, wounded Lieut. Col. Christie slightly in the hand; his pilot became confused, the boatmen frightened, and his boat returned. The boats with Maj. Mullany fell below the landing, two of them were taken, and the Major returned. Lieut. Valleau was killed in crossing; and in ascending the bank or on a small low flat at the water's edge, Col. Van Rensselaer, Capt. Armstrong, Capt. Malcom, and Capt. Wool, were wounded; and Ens. Morris killed.+ A party of British troops issued from an old fort below Queenstown they were fired on by the Americans, and retreated. The firing from battery, soon afterwards compelled the Americans to retreat under the bank. To Col. Van Rensselaer, who lay there wounded, application was made by the officers for orders. He said that if the battery on the heights of Queenstown was taken possession of, the British must retreat or surrender. The men were rallied, and about 160 under the command of Capt. Wool, Capt. Ogilvie, Lieut. Gansevoort, Lieut. Randolph,‡ Lieut. Carr, and Lieut. Huginin, all of the regular troops, and Lieut. Lush, (brigade major) of militia, mounted the rocks on the right of the battery, and carried it. Captain Wool ordered the artillery-men to take possession of the guns and turn them on the enemy but it was found that Lieut. Gansevoort had hastily spiked the cannon. The remainder of the detachment joined those who carried the battery. Gen. Capt. Wool discovered the British troops forming at Queenstown, and formed the troops under his command in line. Brock was at the head of the British troops, and led them round about to the heights in the rear of the battery. Capt. Wool detached 160 men to meet the British; this detachment was driven back, reinforced, and the whole driven to the brink of the precipice forming the bank of the Niagara river, above Queenstown. At this moment some of the officers put a white handkerchief on a bayonet to hoist as a flag, with intention to surrender. Capt. Wool enquired the object. It was answered that the party were nearly without ammunition, and that it was useless to sacrifice the lives of brave men. Capt. Wool tore off the flag; ordered the officers to rally the men, and bring them to the charge. The order was executed, but in some confusion. The boasted 49th could not stand the American bayonet. The British troops were routed; and Maj. Gen. Brock, in gallantly exerting himself to rally them, was struck by three balls, and killed. His aid, Col M'Donald, fell mortally wounded, at the same time. Capt Nelson was killed by a grape shot when preparing to embark. The British officers speak highly of the valor of Lieut. Randolph. The British being completely driven from the heights about ten o'clock, the line was re formed, and flanking parties sent out. After this brilliant success, reinforcements continued to arrive under Capt. Gibson of the light artillery, Capt. Mackesney of the 6th, Capt. Lawrence of the 13th infantry; and of Cols. Allen, Mead, Stranahan, and other militia officers. About 2 o'clock in the afternoon, Brig. Gen. Wadsworth of militia, Lieut. Col. Scott of artillery, Lieut. Col. Christie and Maj. Mullany crossed the river, and took the command of the American troops, Lieut. Col. Christie ordered Capt. Wool to leave the field and have his wounds dressed. He obeyed, crossed the river, had his wounds dressed, and re-crossed to the Canadian side, but acted no more during the day. About 3 o'clock a party of Indians appeared in the direction of the village of Chippewa, and commenced an attack. As they approached through a wood and orchard, the American troops not knowing their numbers, at first gave way. Lieut. Col. Scott made great exertions. He was in full dress; and his tall stature rendered him a conspicuous mark. Several Indians say they shot at him; but he remained unhurt. Lieut. Col. Christie was remarked for his perfect composure and coolness. The Indians were soon defeated and fled to the woods, leaving several dead, and one of their chiefs a prisoner. As soon as this engagement was over, a body of British troops with some light artillery, approached from Fort George. Exer. tions were made by Gen. Van Rensselaer* to send over the mili tia. Two thousand of them remained on the American bank of the river, to which they had not been marched in any order, but had ran as a mob. Not one of them would cross. The number of boats were at first insufficient; some of those had been lost or destroyed, and only three or four were left. And a great error had been committed in leaving undisturbed a battery below Queenstown, which enfiladed the ferry. The militia had seen the wounded, they had seen the Indians, and were panic struck. There were wretches who, at this critical moment, could talk of the constitution, and the right of the militia to refuse to cross the line! The American troops had been scattered in pursuit of the Indians, and were somewhat surprised. They lost the precious time and opportunity of attacking the British as they ascended the heights. So soon as the British force, estimated at 800 men, was formed in line, flanked by some pieces of light artillery and Indians, the event was no longer doubtful. The American troops formed in line to the number of 125 reg. ulars, and 117 militia, with one piece of light artillery. This little band would have made a gallant resistance; but at that mo • The General at one time crossed the river, but never ascended the heights. ment an order was received from Gen. Van Rensselaer to retreat with an assurance that boats would be ready to receive the troops. They retreated in disorder down the hill to the bank, but there were no boats there. The Americans then surrendered. 386 regulars and 378 militia were reported prisoners, 62 of the regulars and 20 of the militia being wounded. The number of either killed or wounded in this battle has never been very accurately ascertained. The highest estimate of the killed is 90. The loss of the British in killed was probably considerably less. Our whole loss may be estimated at 1000 men. And the desertion and discharges from our militia corps had diminished that force one thousand more. Captain Wool, the hero of the heights of Queenstown, was at that time 26 years of age. He has since been promoted. List of officers taken prisoners in the battle of Queenstown..... Lieut. Cols. Fenwick, Scott, and Christie; Capts. Ogilvie, Machesney and Gibson; Lieuts. Turner, Clarke, Bayley, Kearney, Randolph, M'Cartey, Phelps, Totten, Carr, Sammons, Fink, and Huginnin, and Enssign Reab.* Shortly after the battle of Queenstown, Gen. Van. Rensselaer resigned the command of the army to Gen. Alexander Smyth, who excited high expectations in many, by his gasconading proclamations; but finally disgraced himself by a series of measures of an indecisive, peurile, and cowardly character. We shall not fatigue our readers with these proclamations, promises of attack upon Canada, repeated embarkations and re-embarkations of the troops, and final abandonment of the threatened expedition, nor with Gen. Smyth's long and awkward apology for such abandoninent, but select from this mass of trash and disgrace such incidents as may develope the spirit of our troops. On the 21st of Nov. the British batteries at and near fort George opened a tremendous fire upon fort Niagara, which was returned with great effect; the particulars of which are disclosed in the following official letter of Col. M'Feeley to Gen. Smyth: SIR.....I beg leave to inform you that on the morning of the 21st of Nov. at 6 oclock, a heavy cannonading opened upon this garrison from all the batteries at and in the neighborhood of fort George, which lasted without intermission until after sun-down. They had five detached batteries, two mounting 24 pounders, one mounting a 9, and two mortar batteries, one 10 1-2, the other 5 1-2 inch. The batteries firing hot shot, which set some of our buildings on fire, but from the extraordinary vigilance of the officers and men, particularly Maj. Armistead of the United States' • Capts Gibson aml Machesney, Lieuts. Totten and Randolph were immediately exchanged. I corps of engineers, whose indefatigable exertions were extended to all parts of the garrison, the fires were got under without being observed by the enemy. Our garrison was not as well provided with artillery and ammunition as I could have wished; however the batteries opened a tremendous fire upon them, in return, with hot shot, admirably well directed. Several times during the cannonading, the town of Newark was in flames, but was extinguished by their engines....as also the centre building in fort George. Their mess house and all the buildings near it were consumed. Capt. M'Keen commanded a 12 pounder in the S. E. block-house, and distinguished himself by his usual gallantry and skill. Capt. Jacks, of the 7th regiment militia artillery, commanded a 6 pounder on the N. block house, and together with a part of his own company, though placed in a situation most exposed to the fire of the enemy, maintained their position like veterans. Lieut. Rees, of the 3d regiment of artillery, had the command of an 18 pounder on the S. E. battery, which was pointed at the battery en barbette, mounting a 24 pounder, and also at fort George; several well-directed shot were made from this gun, which proved the skill of its commander. About ten o'clock Lieut. Rees had his left shoulder bruised by a part of the parapet falling on him; which, though it did not materially injure him, obliged him to retire, and Capt. Leonard of the 1st regiment United States' artillery, at that moment arriving, took the command of this battery for the remainder of the day. Lieut. Wendel, of the 3d regiment of artillery, had the command of an 18 and 4 pounders on the W. battery....and Doct. Hooper of Capt. Jack's company militia artillery, had the command of a 6 pounder on the mess-house. Of these gentlemen and their commands, I cannot speak with too much praise; they distinguished themselves highly, and from their shot, all of which was hot, the town of Newark was repeatedly fired, and one of the enemy's batteries silenced for a time. An instance of extraordinary bravery in a female, (the wife of one Doyle, a private of the U. States' artillery, made a prisoner at Queenstown) I cannot pass over. During the most tremendous cannonading I have ever seen, she attended the 6 pounder on the old mess-house with the red hot shot, and shewed fortitude equaling the maid of Orleans. Lieuts. Ganesvoort and Harris of the 1st regiment United States' artillery, had the command of the Salt battery at Youngstown, mounting one 18 and a 4 pounder. These two guns played upon the garrison of fort George, and the buildings near it: from every observation I could make during their fire, I am happy to say they merited my warmest thanks for their skill in the service of these guns. Lieut. Harris, from his 4 pounder, sunk a schooner which lay at their wharf: she was one of those taken by the enemy at the mouth of the Genesee river a short time since. He also assisted in burning and destroying the buildings near the wharf. These two officers and their men, in the warmest part of the cannonading, having fired away all their cartridges, cut up their flannel waist-coats and shirts, and the soldiers their trowsers, to supply their guns. I cannot say too much in praise of all the officers and soldiers of the artillery immediately under my observation in this garrison; they merit the thanks and esteem of their country for the defence of it, and I believe it never sustained so sharp and continued a bombardment. The enemy threw more than two thousand red hot balls into it, and a number of shells amounting to more than one hundred and eighty, only one of which did injury to our men. Lieut. Col. Gray commanded the artillery; the unremitting attention paid to his duty, proves him an officer whose zeal and science do honour to himself and country; to this gentlemen I feel much indebted for the manner he acquitted himself. To the officers of my regiment, (particularly Capt. Mulligan) and the soldiers who assisted the artillery, and those employed in extinguishing the fires, and carrying off the killed and wounded, I am also much indebted they merit my warmest thanks. To Doct. West of the garrison, Doct. Hugan of the 14th regi ment United States' infantry, and Doct. Craige of the 22d regiment United States' infantry, I offer my thanks. They were employed during the entire day, in the most critical duties of their profession. Our killed and wounded amount to eleven. Killed.....Serjeants, Jones, 1st regiment of United States' artil. lery; Salisbury, 3d do. do. do. : privates, Stewart, 22d do. United States' infantry; Lewis, 1st do. do. artillery. Wounded..... Officers, Lieut. Thomas, 22d regiment of United States' infantry: privates, Boman, 14th do. do.; M'Evoy, 1st do. do.; Campbell, 1st do. do. ; Welsh, 1st do. do.: Ray, 3d do. do.; Woodworth, 7th do. militia artillery. From the numbers we saw carried off from the enemy's batteries, I presume many more were killed and wounded on their side. Only two of the above men were killed by the enemy's shot, the rest by the bursting of a 12 pounder in the S. E. block-house, and by the spunges of the guns on the north block-house, and at the salt battery. GEO. M'FEELEY, Lieut. Col. commanding fort Niagara. On the 27th November Gen. Smyth ordered the enemy's batteries opposite Black Rock to be stormed, as a precautionary measure previous to the crossing of the army into Canada, which was to take place agreeably to orders the next day. The partic |