GENERAL HISTORY. 



[187 



with the importunity of his Indian 

 aUies, made an advance with about 

 350 of the 41st regiment, and 3 

 or 4,000 Indians, and on August 

 2nd attempted to carry by assault 

 the fort of Sandusky, near the 

 head of Lake Erie. His savage 

 friends keeping out of gun-shot, 

 the few British were left to make 

 the attack by themselves, in which 

 they displayed great courage ; but 

 the fire from the defenders became 

 so galling and destructive, that 

 the general found it most prudent 

 to order a retreat, which was ef- 

 fected with the loss of 25 killed, 

 as many missing, and about 40 

 •wounded. The American account 

 states the whole loss at 150, and 

 raised the number of assailants to 

 500 besides Indians. 



Sir G. Prevost having removed 

 his head-quarters to St. David's, 

 on the Niagara frontier, directed 

 on August 24th, a general recon- 

 noissance to be made on the ene- 

 my's force at Fort George. This 

 was effected by a surprise of the 

 American picquets posted on its 

 front, tile greater part of whom 

 were taken prisoners. The British 

 penetrated close to the fort and 

 the new entrenched camp formed 

 near it, both which were found 

 full of men, and " bristled with 

 cannon,'' and also supported by the 

 fire from Fort Niagara on the op- 

 posite side of the river. No pro- 

 vocation being able to induce the 

 enemy to come out into the field, 

 sir George returned without loss. 



The great object of the Ameri- 

 cans, that of gaining naval pos- 

 session of the lakes, was fully ac- 

 complished in September with re- 

 spect to Lake Erie. Commodore 

 Perry, their commander on that 



station, mentions in his dispatch, 

 that on the 10th he discovered the 

 hostile squadron from his anchor- 

 age at Putin Bay, and getting 

 under weigh, they came to action 

 a httle before twelve. His vessel, 

 the Laurence, was so much injured 

 by the fire of his opponent, that 

 it became unmanageable ; and af- 

 ter an engagement of two hours, 

 the greatest part of her crew being 

 killed or wounded, he quitted her, 

 and went on board the Niagara. 

 Soon after, he saw the Laurence's 

 colours struck, but the foe not be- 

 ing able to take possession of her, 

 they were again hoisted. The 

 Niagara then passed through the 

 adverse line, consisting of two 

 ships, a brig, a large schooner, and 

 a sloop ; and being assisted by his 

 small vessels, which were got into 

 close action, the whole of them 

 were compelled to surrender. Most 

 of the officers of the British, or 

 rather Canadian squadron (for it 

 is said to have been wholly equip- 

 ped and ^chiefly manned by the 

 inhabitants of Canada) were kil- 

 led or wounded, as well as a 

 great number of the crews. The 

 remainder were landed as prison- 

 ers at Sandusky. The relation of 

 this affair afterwards given by the 

 British commander, capt. Barclay, 

 does not materially differ from 

 the preceding. He says, he was 

 reduced to the necessity of sailing 

 wretchedly manned as he was, to 

 fight the enemy, who blockaded 

 the ports, on account of his urgent 

 want of provisions and stores. His 

 ship, the Detroit, being, after a 

 severe engagement, rendered al- 

 most a wreck, himself wounded, 

 and his first lieutenant mortally so, 

 his consort, the Queen Charlotte, 



