158 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
occupation of the fort at Amhesrtburg, under Lieut-Colonel J. B. Baby. 
Every man considered fit for field service was marched across the river 
on the ice to Brownstown, where the Indians were likewise directed 
to assemble. 
By great exertions a force of 578 of all ranks belonging to ten 
different corps was scraped together. Of these, 366 were regular sol- 
diers or Provincial seamen. Three three-pounders and three small 
howitzers, mounted on sleds, were manned by squads of the Royal 
Artillery and seamen and escorted by a company of the Royal New- 
foundland Regiment. Four weak companies of the 41st Regiment 
officered by four subalterns and eight sergeants, formed the backbone 
of this motley array under command of Captain Joseph Tallon. As 
inspecting field officer, Lieut-Colonel St. George superintended the 
movements of the militia, of whom there were eight small companies 
commanded by Major Reynolds. 
There were nearly five hundred Indians, mainly Wyandots and 
Pottowatomies, directed by nineteen white officers headed by Elliott 
and Caldwell. A good number of these Indians were armed with mus- 
kets and mounted on their own horses. Before dark, Procter advanced 
twelve miles to Swan Creek, where he bivouacked in the open air. 
Two hours before dawn the march was resumed, and just as day was 
breaking the head of the column arrived within gunshot of the village. 
As the deployment began in the fields on the left of the road the drums 
in the American camp were heard beating the reveillé. Then three 
shots were fired by their sentries in rapid succession, one of which struck 
down a leading grenadier of the 41st. Procter has been strongly 
censured for not charging at once with his infantry, instead of waiting 
for his artillery, which actually made little impression upon the enemy’s 
defences and gave them time to recover from their surprise. But 
their position was not yet precisely ascertained, and it was still so 
dark that the palisades with little jets of flame darting from the loop- 
holes were at first mistaken for a line of men drawn up in front.’ 
Three guns were placed in position in the orchard near the hollow; 
the others were moved to the right of the road to enfilade the village 
from that direction, and were supported by a small party of Indians. 
The whole of the militia and the great body of Indians made a wide 
circuit to the left to turn that flank. In this they entirely succeeded, 
and rushing suddenly from their concealment, with shrill whoops upon 
the 17th United States Infantry, which was wholly unprotected by 


1 Staff, 3; Royal Artillery, 23; 10th Battalion Royal Veterans, 4; 41st Regi- 
ment, 244; Royal Newfoundland, 61; Marine Department, 28; Ist Essex Militia, 
116; 2nd Essex Militia, 96; Commissariat, 1; Field Train, 1; Royal Engineers, 1. 
? Narrative of Shadrach Byfield, 41st Regiment. 
