On the Lakes 279 



the schooners, that in spite of their gallantry and 

 discipline they were obliged to retreat, blowing up 

 and abandoning the fort. One sailor was killed and 

 two wounded; 10 seventeen soldiers were killed and 

 forty-five wounded; 11 making the total American 

 loss sixty-five. Of the British regulars 52 were 

 killed, 44 wounded and 262 "wounded and miss- 

 ing," 12 in addition to about forty Canadians and 

 Indians hors de combat and nearly 500 militia cap- 

 tured ; so that in this very brilliant affair the as- 

 sailants suffered hardly more than a fifth of the loss 

 in killed and wounded that the assailed did ; 

 which must be attributed to the care with which 

 Chauncy had reconnoitred the ground and prepared 

 the attack, the excellent handling of the schooners, 

 and the exceedingly destructive nature of their fire. 

 The British batteries were very weak, and, more- 

 over, badly served. Their regular troops fought ex- 

 cellently, it was impossible for them to stand against 

 the fire of the schooners, which should have been 

 engaged by the batteries on shore; and they were 

 too weak in numbers to permit the American army 

 to land and then attack it when away from the 

 boats. The Americans were greatly superior in 

 force, and yet deserve very much credit for achiev- 

 ing their object so quickly, with such slight loss 

 to themselves, and at such a heavy cost to the foe. 

 The effect of the victory was most important, the 



10 Letter of Commodore Chauncy, May 29. 1813. 



11 Letter of General Dearborn. May 27. 1813. 

 > Letter of Brig.-Gen. Vincent, May 28, 1813. 



