IGO 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. 



about seven miles. About half-past 

 eleven, I moved forwards with the 

 fifth company of the 8lh (or king's) 

 and the 49th regiments, amount- 

 ing together to only seven hundred 

 and four firelocks; lieut.-colonel 

 Harvey, who conducted it with 

 great regularity and judg;nent, gal- 

 lantly led on the attack. The 

 enemy was completely surprised, 

 and driven from his camp, after 

 having repeatedly formed in differ- 

 ent bodies, and been as often 

 charged by our brave troops, whose 

 conduct throughout this brilliant 

 enterprise was above all praise. 

 The action terminated before day- 

 light, when three guns, and one 

 brass howitzer, with three tum- 

 brils, two brigadier-generals, 

 Chandler and Winder, first and 

 second in command, and upwards 

 of one hundred officers, non-com- 

 missioned officers, and privates, re- 

 mained in our hands. 



Not conceiving it prudent to ex- 

 pose our small force to the view of 

 the enemy, who, though routed 

 and dispersed, was still formidable 

 as to numbers and position, he hav- 

 ing fled to the surrounding heights, 

 and having still four or five guns, 

 the troops were put in motion at 

 day-break, and marched back to 

 their cantonments. After we had 

 retired, and it iiad become broad 

 day, the enem}' ventured to re-oc- 



. cupy his camp, only, hovrever, for 

 the purpose of destroying his in- 



, cumbrances, such as blankets, 

 carriages, provisions, spare arms, 

 ammunition, &c. after which he 

 commenced a pr-jcipitate retreat 

 towards the Forty Mile Creek, 

 where he effected a junction with 



, a body of 2,000 men, who were 

 on their march from Niagara to 

 reinforce him. 



I cannot conclude this dispatch 

 without calling your attention to 

 the following officers : — 



To lieut.-colonel Harvey, the 

 deputy adjutant-general, my obli- 

 gations are particularly due. From 

 the first moment the enemy's ap- 

 proach was known, he watched his 

 movements, and afforded me the 

 earliest information. To him, in- 

 deed, I am indebted for the sug- 

 gestion and plan of operations: 

 nothing could be more clear than 

 his arrangements, nor more com- 

 pletely successful in the result. 

 The conduct of major Plender- 

 leath, who commanded the 49th 

 regiment, was very conspicuous. 

 By his decision and prompt efforts, 

 the surprise of the enemy's camp 

 was completed, and all his efforts 

 to make a stand were rendered in- 

 effectual by the bayonet, which 

 overthrew all opposition. A party 

 of the 49th, with major Plender- 

 leath at their head, gallantly charg- 

 ed some of the enemy's field- 

 pieces, and brought off two six- 

 pounders. 



Major Ogilvie led on, in the 

 most gallant manner, the five com- 

 panies of the king's regiment, and 

 whilst one-half of that highly dis- 

 tinguished corps supported the 49th 

 regiment, the other part moved to 

 the right and attacked the enemy's 

 left flank, which decided our mid- 

 night contest. 



I have also received the greatest 

 assistance from major Glegg, bri- 

 gade major to the forces, and beg 

 leave to mention the names of 

 captains INI'Donald and Milnes, 

 your excellency's aides-de-camp, 

 who accompanied me to the at- 

 tack, and upon all occasions have 

 volunteered their services. I have 

 likewise to acknowledge the assist- 



