GENERAL HISTORY. 



[191 



of tlie fiigate, the brig, and the 

 two sloops, after a loss of 84 killed 

 and 110 wounded, Capt. Downie 

 and two Lieutenants being among 

 the former. The Americans lost 

 49 killed, among whom were two 

 officers, and 57 wounded. The 

 firing from the land against the 

 fort continued till sun-set, and at- 

 tempts were made by the parties to 

 advance to an assault of the works, 

 but were foiled. The destruction 

 of the naval force having now put 

 an end to all hopes of success, it was 

 thought necessary by the British 

 General to abandon the enterprise. 

 The cannon were withdrawn from 

 the batteries, and at two o'clock 

 the next morning the whole army 

 began its retreat, leaving the sick 

 and wounded to the humanity of 

 the foe. Great quantities of pro- 

 vision were likewise left behind 

 and destroyed ; and the American 

 accounts speak of finding on the 

 ground, or concealed, a large quan- 

 tity of shot, shells, ammunition, 

 entrenching tools, &c. The esti- 

 mate of loss of eveiy kind sustain- 

 ed by the British troops, as made 

 by the Americans, rises very high ; 

 but the return sent by Sir G. Pre- 

 vost, of the loss in action of Gene- 

 ral de Rottenburg's division, from 

 the 6th to the 14th of September, 

 does not amount to 2-50. Desert- 

 ers, who were probably numerous, 

 are not included. The Americans 

 being now collected from all the 

 circumjacent country, the British 

 drew back to their lines, and every 

 idea of penetrating into the territo- 

 ries of the United States on that 

 side was relinquished. Such a con- 

 clusion of an expedition from which 

 so much had been expected, na- 

 turally excited dissatisfaction, and 

 the letters from Canada were filled 

 with severe censures of the Gover>- 



nor General, but it is affirmed that 

 he fully justified his conduct to the 

 persons in power. 



An action before Fort Erie ter- 

 minated more favourably for the 

 British arms. On September 17tU 

 the Americans stationed in that 

 fort, joined by volunteers from the 

 militia, made a sortie with their 

 whole force, estimated at 5,000 

 men, upon the intrenched position 

 of Major-General de Wattevilie, 

 occupied by the 8th and de Watte- 

 ville's regiments. Under cover of 

 a heavy fire from Fort Erie, and 

 favoured by the weather, they suc- 

 ceeded in turning the right of the 

 picquets without being perceived^ 

 and attacking the picquets and 

 their supporters, whilst another 

 column attacked in front, they 

 gained possession of two of the 

 batteries. As soon, however, as the 

 alarm was given, troops were as- 

 sembled to oppose the enemy, by 

 whose steadiness and bravery they 

 were finally repulsed, the batte- 

 ries and intrenchments were re- 

 covered, and the assailants were 

 compelled to retire with precipi- 

 tation to their works, leaving two 

 hundred prisoners, and wound- 

 ed. The loss of the British in 

 this affiiir was, however, very se- 

 rious, consisting of about six 

 hundred killed, wounded, and 

 missing. 



While these warlike operations 

 were going on beyond the Atlan- 

 tic, the Commissioners of the two 

 contending Powers were actively 

 engaged in Europe in negociationa 

 for the restoration of Peace. It 

 has already been mentioned, that 

 after a proposal on the part of the 

 Americans to treat under the me- 

 diation of Russia had been declin- 

 ed by the British government, it 

 was mutually agreed tipon thnt 



