20 Preface to Third Edition 



was severe, the Americans losing 500 men ; but their 

 opponents lost 600 men, and most of their batteries 

 were destroyed. Each side, as usual, claimed the 

 victory; but, exactly as Lundy's Lane must be ac 

 counted an American defeat, as our forces retreated 

 from the ground, so this must be considered an 

 American victory, for after it the British broke up 

 camp and drew off to Chippeway. Nothing more 

 was done, and on November 5th the American 

 army recrossed the Niagara. Though marked by 

 some brilliant feats of arms this four months' in 

 vasion of Canada, like those that had preceded it, 

 thus came to nothing. But at the same time a Brit 

 ish invasion of the United States was repulsed far 

 more disgracefully. Sir George Prevost, with an 

 army of 13,000 veteran troops, marched south along 

 the shores of Lake Champlain to Plattsburg, which 

 was held by General Macomb with 2,000 regulars, 

 and perhaps double that number of nearly worthless 

 militia; a force that the British could have scat 

 tered to the winds, though, as they were strongly 

 posted, not without severe loss. But the British 

 fleet was captured by Commodore MacDonough in 

 the fight on the lake; and then Sir George, after 

 some heavy skirmishing between the outposts of the 

 armies, in which the Americans had the advantage, 

 fled precipitately back to Canada. 



All through the war the sea-coasts of the United 

 States had been harried by small predatory excur 

 sions ; a part of what is now the State of Maine was 

 conquered with little resistance, and kept until the 



