180] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. 



the king's troops was 24 Jcilled, 

 and 158 wounded. 



The Americans posted at Og- 

 denburgh, near the river St. Lau- 

 rence, having availed themselves 

 of the frozen state of that river to 

 make frequent predatory incursions 

 upon the inhabitants on the Cana- 

 dian border, sir G. Prevost, arriv- 

 ing on February 21st at Presqot, 

 opposite the enemy, directed an 

 attack of his position at Ogden- 

 burgh, which took place on the 

 following day under the command 

 of major Macdonnel, of the Glen- 

 garry light-infantry fencibles, at 

 the head of about 480 regulars and 

 militia. After a brisk action of an 

 hour's continuance against 500 of 

 the Americans, in which the bra- 

 very of the assailants in making 

 way through deep snow under a 

 galling fire was conspicuous, the 

 post was carried, with the capture 

 of 11 pieces of cannon, all the 

 ammunition and stores, and 74 

 prisoners, and the destruction of 

 two armed schooners, two gun- 

 boats, and the barracks. 



A success to the Americans much 

 more than counterbalancing this 

 loss, was the capture of York, the 

 capital of Upper Canada, seated 

 on Lake Ontario. General Dear- 

 born, in a letter to the secretary at 

 war, relates that arriving by water 

 at the place in the morning of 

 April 27th, he began landing the 

 troops under a heavy fire. The 

 British commander in York was 

 general Sheaffe, whose force is 

 stated at 700 regulars and militia, 

 and 100 Indians. These he had 

 stationed in the woods near the 

 landing-place, and a spirited re- 

 sistance was kept up, till the land- 

 ing of general Pike with 7 or 800 



men, and the approach to the shore 

 of the remainder of the assailants, 

 induced the British to retreat to 

 their works. When the Americans 

 had advanced within 60 rods of the 

 main work of the town, an ex- 

 plosion took place from a maga- 

 zine, the effect of which was, to 

 injure or destroy about 100 of the 

 assailants, and 40 of the defenders. 

 General Pike lost his life on this 

 occasion, and was much regretted, 

 as a brave and skilful officer. 

 Commodore Chaunceyinthemean- 

 time had worked into the harbour 

 with his flotilla, and opened a fire 

 upon the British batteries. General 

 Sheaffe, after the explosion, 

 marched out of the place with the 

 regulars, and left the commander 

 of the militia to capitulate. All 

 resistance now ceased, and the 

 terms of surrender were agreed . 

 upon, by which all the military . 

 and naval men and officers (about 

 300 in number) were made pri- ' 

 soners of war, and the public \ 

 stores were delivered up to the vic- 

 tor. A large ship on the stocks, 

 and much naval stores, had been 

 set fire to before the surrender, 

 but a considerable quantity of mi- 

 litary stores and provisions remain- 

 ed undamaged. About this time, 

 the Americans becoming fully sen- 

 sible of the importance of gaining ■ 

 a naval superiority} upon the lakes | 

 in their attempts on Canada, in- 

 vited a number of the seamen of 

 their ports whom the stagnation 

 of trade had thrown out of em- 

 ployment, to man the small craft 

 building on the shores of those 

 great waters. 



We may notice among the Ame- 

 rican successes, whatever be its 

 future consequences, the capture 



